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Natalya Galinova is a ballerina at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. After an argument, she goes missing and is later found dead. Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cooper becomes involved in the case and soon finds that the world of the opera and Broadway is dysfunctional and dangerous. Business rivalries, feuds and sexual jealousy are but some of the issues that Cooper has to contend with in order to solve the case. As ever, it is a pleasure to read about the adventures of Alex Cooper and her police companions, Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace. Sometimes, however, it almost feels as though Fairstein is painting by numbers. For example, we see Cooper's obligatory visit to Martha's Vineyard. The trip fails to advance the plot and really, was unnecessary, but it seems as though Fairstein wanted to include a visit there to make a brief change from the gloom and murder of New York City. The questions from the TV show Jeopardy, which were an innovative idea in the first few books, have also started to wear a little thin now. However, these are but minor, somewhat inconsequential gripes. As ever, Fairstein triumphs with her realism. As a former DA herself, Linda Fairstein knows the law, police procedures and the courtroom inside out and she successfully infuses this into her writing. She provides detailed forensic and scientific information, but in a way that any layperson will be able to understand. Fairstein also succeeds with her characters. In DEATH DANCE, she introduces a variety of suspects, most of who are completely unlikeable, but make for compelling reading. Joe Berk, no doubt based on various Broadway impresarios, is a particular example. Furthermore, Fairstein includes a great deal of information about the history of Broadway and the Metropolitan Opera House, which helps to set the scene. The plot works well and the identity, as well as the motivation, of the killer will come as a surprise. Once again, Linda Fairstein has written an enjoyable and interesting novel that is certain to satisfy her legions of readers.
Reviewed by Luke Croll, March 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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