The Turnout

Dara and Marie Durant are lifelong dancers. Their mother was infused with the passion and passed it down to her girls. The girls were raised in a sheltered existence, their father pulling them out of school at a young age. Dara and Marie were soon joined by Charlie, a fellow dancer, who became a surrogate brother. A tight bond formed between the trio and helped them forget the domestic discord that enshrouded their home.

As adults, Dara and Charlie were married. Dara and Marie taught the next generations of aspiring dancers at the dance studio. However, things are not idyllic. Marie is older but possesses a childlike nature. A careless mistake leads to a fire that guts a portion of the studio. Enter Derek, an enterprising contractor who in short order becomes an interloper threatening to tear a hole in the fabric of Dara, Marie, and Charlie’s existence.

The Turnout is the newest page-turning delight from author Megan Abbott. Compelling is merely an understatement in describing a book that creeps up on the reader with its paranoia and shocking revelations. Abbott leaves her audience riveted with each twist and turn, leading to a dramatic denouement. It’s a fantastic work in every way.