Last Dance on the Starlight Pier: A Novel

Bird’s immersive latest (after Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen) dives into the gritty world of the Depression-era dance marathon craze. In 1932, all 21-year-old Evie Grace Devlin wants is to become a registered nurse. But she’s denied graduation and the coveted RN pin from a Catholic nursing school in Galveston, Tex., after revelations surface about her past as a vaudeville performer. While in Houston visiting her mother, Evie stops in to watch a marathon competition that pits locals against professional dancers. There, she treats the sprained ankle of star pro dancer Zave Cassidy, and when the promoter sees Evie dance, he pairs her with Zave, to the delight of the audience. Evie stays with the show because she needs the money and time to figure out how to get her nursing pin. Plus she and Zave have fallen in love. His reluctance to get married stems from his conviction that, despite his best intentions, he’ll make a poor husband. A disaster during a dance forces Evie to reevaluate her plans and to confront the inadequacies of modern medicine. The author brings her spunky heroine to vivid life amid the atmospheric setting. Bird’s finely crafted novel is sure to delight. Agent: Kristine Dahl, ICM Partners. (Apr.)