QUICKSTEP TO MURDER: A BALLROOM DANCE MYSTERY
Ella Barrick
ISBN: 9780451234544
September 2011
Signet
Cozy Mystery
Mass Market paperback

Stacy Graysin co-owns the ballroom dance studio, Graysin Motion, with her former fiancé and dance partner, Rafe Acosta.  One night Stacy finds Rafe dead in the studio and she becomes the prime suspect.  The police are happy to accept an easy solution to the murder, so she realizes she will have to solve the murder and clear her own name.  Rafe’s cousin, Tav, arrives from Argentina.  This is the first Stacy has heard of a cousin, but circumstances has her working with Tav to find the real killer and save the studio.

I have been eagerly waiting for this mystery for months.  As a long-time ballroom aficionado, I couldn’t wait to read a cozy mystery series with ballroom dancers.  Barrick delivers with a glittering first novel in a hopefully long string of future ballroom cozy mystery novels. The depiction of the ballroom studio, complete with colorful characters, ballroom competitions and professional squabbles is dead on (no pun intended!) and a delight to read.  The mystery kept me guessing, and I loved the light, breezy feel to the novel . There were several very engaging characters whom I look forward to seeing more of in future novels, and the hint of possible romance with Tava and Stacy offers appealing possibilities as well.   If you love any of the reality dance shows on tv these days, or already love ballroom dancing, you will find this new series a gold medal winner.  The second novel,  Dead Man Waltzing, is due out June 2012.

Reviewed By:

Let's see.. what to tell you about me.... well I'm an academic librarian and deal with stuffy boring books (I'm a mathematics librarian) so fiction is my fun outlet. My passions include ballroom dancing, bichon frise rescue work, reading (duh!) and if I had time, I'd get back to my quilting, scrapbooking, jewelry making, etc. Sigh. I really need to find my rich prince who tells me I never have to work again. LOL. Genre's that I prefer: Inspirational romance, gentle romance (Like Harlequin Medical, etc), romantic comedy and paranormal (unless they get too dark and gritty) to name a few. I love books with themes/characters of animals, librarians, dancers, trainers, ministers/missionaries, etc. Having said this, I read pretty broadly from the inspirational fiction line all the way to Blazes and chick lit. The only thing I don't really care for it erotica. I don't care for the starkness of the erotica genre. I guess I just like things wrapped up and tied with a prettier satin bow. :-)

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