Dancing with Death: The True Story of a Glamorous Showgirl, her Wealthy Husband, and a Horrifying Murder

by Shanna Hogan

Phoenix, Arizona, 2004. Former stripper turned suburban housewife Marjorie Orbin filed a missing person’s report on her husband. She claimed that Jay, a successful art dealer, had left town on business after celebrating their son’s birthday more than a month before. Jay loved his family more than life itself—and no one believed he would ever abandon them. Authorities suspected foul play…
A WIFE LYING IN WAIT
The search for Jay made local headlines. But key elements in Marjorie’s story still weren’t adding up: Why did she wait so long before going to police? If Jay was away on business, as she claimed, why were there charges made to his credit card in Phoenix? Then, the unthinkable happened.
A SHOCKING DISCOVERY
Jay’s headless, limbless torso was discovered on the outskirts of the Phoenix desert—and all evidence pointed to Marjorie as the killer. Soon, an exhaustive investigation would reveal surprising new details about her life—six previous marriages, an ongoing and passionate affair with a man from her gym, alleged ties to the New York mafia, a drug habit—and lead to her conviction for the murder and dismemberment of her seventh husband.
With 8 pages of dramatic photos

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery

466 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 24, 2011

About the author

A New York Times bestselling American non-fiction author and journalist. She was best known for writing the book Picture Perfect about convicted killer Jodi Arias.

In 2005, Hogan graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from Arizona State University.

Hogan was awarded the 2009 Arizona Press Club's Virg Hill Journalist of the Year.[9] She was also awarded "Journalist of the Year 2011" by the Arizona Newspaper Association.

Hogan lived in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, Matt LaRussa, and son Zander.
She was an adjunct professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

She died September 1, 2020 after being found unresponsive in her swimming pool after a fall.

Reviews

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geez I am such an idiot. The name Orbin did sound familiar and now I know why.
After reading half of the book I checked amazon to see if any other books were written about this case and bingo. Yes and that book I bought and read in 2011 and very much liked.


What She always Wanted by Camille Kimball

Oh well I bought it and I read it as if new lol
------------------------------------------------

Finished on July 26 2015. (Beware little spoiler coming up)

It was a good read meaning it was well written.

There were a few things that annoyed me. For instance the mother of the victim Joann.
I have to come to hate it when authors make the victim out to do nothing wrong ever and the killer is always mean and wrong. We are all human so of course we do stupid or petty things. Just write the truth. I would not judge.

There were apparently arguments between the 2 Joann and Marjorie.
Grievance like Joann's birthday was around Eastern and she wanted her grandson to enjoy an Easter egg hunt. Marjorie refused because she did not want her child celebrating the religious holiday which I think was her right.
I then noted that apparently Joann could not accept that because the book says After several years of contention,Jay simply rearranged his travel plans to be out of town for the Easter holidays

So it was not all Marjorie's fault.Nonetheless she must be cold as ice if you can do that to the father of your child.

In the review of the other book I wrote that I would understand if Marjorie received another trial and this is the only case I think I acknowledged that.
Now reading this trial although there is not much trial at all in this book, it seems quite clear she killed him.


Anyway I recommend reading about this case. Just pick which book is cheapest because they are both good.

There is at least one documentary made about this case.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first few times I saw Shanna Hogan’s true crime novel, Dancing with Death, on the shelf at Wal-mart I took a pass. I had two reasons for not wanting to read this book. The first was that I had seen Marjorie Orbin’s episode of Snapped and thought I already knew all about the story. The second reason was that Dancing with Death is Shanna Hogan’s first true crime novel. I am very picky about what true crime authors I will read. There are a ton of terrible TC books out there written by reporters who know how to report a story, but not how to turn it into a creative narrative where the characters come to life. When I finally decided to read Dancing with Death I was not disappointed! Shanna Hogan is a talented author who went far beyond just writing the facts. From the very first page I was riveted by this terribly sad story and soon realized that there was a lot more to it than what was depicted on a 60 -minute episode of Snapped.
By the time ex-stripper and former Vegas showgirl Marjorie Orbin settled down with her husband Jay she had already been married six previous times. Not that Jay was aware of that fact. Marjorie had led him and his family to believe that Jay was only her second husband and that she was a widow. Unfortunately, none of those claims were true. In fact, many of the things Marjorie told people were lies. She bent the truth whenever she had a chance to portray herself in a more positive light or to garner sympathy from whomever she was speaking too. Even if Jay Orbin knew the truth about Marjorie’s lies he might not have cared. He was in love and had been for years. Marjorie was his dream woman and he would do whatever he could to make her his wife. Marjorie, who was drawn to wealthy men, knew a good deal when she saw one and made a deal with Jay. She would marry him if he would pay for the expensive fertility treatments she needed to endure in order to have a child. Of course, like many deals, this one had a deadline. If Marjorie did not become pregnant within the first year she would be able to walk away from Jay with no strings attached. Desperate to have Marjorie in his life Jay did everything he could to give his wife the child she so badly wanted. Marjorie became pregnant within a year and gave birth to a son. Now Marjorie was trapped. She needed to stay with Jay in order to live a comfortable life with her son. Yet, she insisted to anyone who asked that her marriage was more of a “deal” and that she was not at all romantically involved with her husband. In fact, she often described him as “overweight” and “disgusting” and spoke often of wanting to be rid of him. Then Jay Orbin disappeared. According to Marjorie, Jay embarked on a business trip never to be heard from again. Yet, she didn’t seem all that concerned and it took her several weeks to report her husband missing. Rather than look for her missing husband, Marjorie was busy moving her new boyfriend into her house and telling her son that Larry would now be the boy’s father. Not exactly the actions of a concerned wife. When Jay’s dismembered body turns up in the desert several weeks after he was last seen the police start to zero in on Marjorie as her bizarre behavior takes on an even more sinister tone.
This story had all the elements of a modern tragedy. The portrait Shanna Hogan portrays of Jay Orbin is that of a generous man who loved his family, and relished life itself. Jay’s affable character, and Marjorie’s complete inability to recognize what a wonderful father and man he was, makes this story heartbreaking. Her need to tear Jay down to others and completely over exaggerate his physical flaws was disgusting. The pictures of Jay Orbin included in the book do not depict a “fat and disgusting” man, but an attractive man with a warm smile Hogan thoroughly researched Marjorie Orbin’s past and creates a chilling portrait of a sociopath whose only concern in life is her own wants and needs. Although Marjorie is described as a devoted mother her relationship is overly controlling where her son is treated more like a possession than a child. The marriage itself only existed in order for Marjorie to gain the things she wanted, but needed Jay to provide. From the minute she met Jay Orbin Marjorie used him for his wealth without ever thinking about the actual man she was destroying. He was a means to an end and when she was finished with him she threw him away like trash, literally. The list of casualties who suffered at Marjorie’s hands is enormous. Many lives were destroyed in her wake of destruction. What amazed me was her ability to use her beauty and charm to manipulate those around her, even while in prison. Shanna Hogan was able to meet with Marjorie Orbin after her conviction to try and get her side of the story. The author writes that she too was drawn to Marjorie’s personality and easily manipulated by the complements Marjorie lavished upon her. Unlike others in Marjorie’s life Shanna Hogan was able to get some distance from Marjorie, which allowed her to look back and see the cunning sociopath Marjorie Orbin really is. I found that portion of the book to be perhaps the most chilling.
I definitely recommend Dancing with Death to anyone who loves a good true crime novel full of drama, twists and turns. The book is very well written and pulls the reader into the investigation and trial of Marjorie Orbin. The sad thing is knowing that this is a true story. Jay Orbin was a real person who left behind a son. His son now has to go through life without the father who loved him so dearly. The callousness of that act is heartbreaking.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read Hogan's true crime, Picture Perfect, and really enjoyed it so I had to look up other books she had written. This was the first one to come in at the library. I wasn't shore I would like it, not being a fan of reading about "glamourous" wealthy people, but I trusted Hogan and dived in.

Marjorie Orbin lived a flashy life. She was beautiful and used that beauty to get what she wanted. What she mostly wanted was money. She caught the eye of some famous strip-club owner in Florida. He made her the lead of a traveling showgirl troupe, and showered her glitz and money. They were an on-and-off again couple, but always cared for one another.

As she went around the country she met all kinds of people and ended up married and divorced six times. Eventually she ended up in Arizona with a guy named Michael Orbin. Marjorie still loved money but she was ready to settle down and start her "perfect" family life. After many IV treatments they had a son, Noah. When Noah was around 8, Michael started worrying about providing for his family in case something happened to him. He came up with a detailed plan for Marjorie and invested in a million dollar life insurance policy. Not a great thing to wave in front of Marjorie.

When Michael was 45, he didn't return home from a business trip and his family started to get worried. While they were frantically searching for him, Marjorie was spending thousands of dollars and living with her body-builder boyfriend that she had been having an affair with. Definitely suspicious behavior.

Hogan set the scene and described the story perfectly. She has a clear, concise way of writing. I'm excited to read her other books. While researching what else she wrote, I learned that she died in a tragic pool accident in 2020. It was a pretty sad story and my sympathy goes out to her family. Based purely on her books, she was an intelligent, talented woman.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently asked my wife what she was reading, and she answered, 'It should be called THE SHOWGIRL AND THE IDIOT.' I knew exactly what book she was talking about as I had read it (and enjoyed it) years before: DANCING WITH DEATH. I just read it again and was adding it to Goodreads when I noticed that my friend Marlene mentioned that the same case appears in WHAT SHE ALWAYS WANTED by Camille Kimball. I recall reading that book as well, so I guess I'll have to crack that one open again too.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another true crime.

What’s wrong with me???

This one was just too long. Felt like I completed a marathon by the time I was done!

Moral of the story: strippers can be complicated (and deadly).

On audio. Narrator just ok.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing was excellent and the story was mesmerizing. I'm going to keep my eye on this author.

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an exciting, racy read but ultimately a grim and depressing story. Worth a read if you want a look at how low people can sink and how eager they can be to throw away everything they have.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. I didn't know anything going into the book. Never saw the story on any true crime shows. I thought it started kind of slow and wasn't sure where it was going for a while but once it picked up, I was hooked. A little different since the wife did the killing. Felt bad about the little boy but at least he had an uncle that took him in.

[Kermy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than its cheesy cover. 3.7

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, but full of typos!!!!

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have found a new favourite true crime author. This is my second Shanna Hogan book I've read. The first being about the case of Martin McNeilas case I followed closely and almost obsessively. This book covers the murder of Jay Orbin, which I didn't know a whole lot about. I might've seen a documentary or two about it but I watch so many I don't remember. The story took me a while to get into but only about 20 pages or so. I liked the style of writing opening with the discovery of a rotting torso in a large Rubbermaid tub left in the Arizona desert. Car keys found in the pockets of the victim match the truck of a missing man Jay Orbin and soon what was a missing person case turns into a cold blooded murder case. Marjorie Orbin is an interesting person to say the least. She was married seven times before she was 34, was a stripper, a dancer, a choreographer courted by numerous men. All she wanted though was a child of her own which she couldn't have. She met Jay Orbin at 24 and dated him briefly. He fell in love instantly she didn't. They parted only to meet again 10 years later. Jay promised he would do anything to give her a baby. They marry and after fertility treatment their son Noah is born. Noah is the centre of his parents' world. They settle into seemingly happy domestic bliss. But all is not as it seems. Marjorie has an almost obsessive love for her son, to the point where she terrorizes other parents whose kids beat Noah in competitions. She lies and makes up stories about her life. She has affairs including one with the boyfriend of her good friend. It all leads up to Jay vanishing. At first there is confusion as to when he disappeared but later it's revealed it was on his birthday. The book follows the investigation into the disappearance and murder. Jay's body appeared not long after Marjorie was told she would have to wait 7 years to collect life insurance. The case begins to unravel and all evidence points to Marjorie. A chilling story of a beautiful manipulative woman who would stop at nothing to get her own way.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a Anne Rule True Crime Reader but this book intrigue me. I normally just read on the bus to and from work but I had to finish it! She was truly a screwy woman! Why Jay why stay married to her???....you were too much of a good person... Poor noah! I feel for the family and I hope some day they find the other tub and his other body remains. I still have to wonder if Larry had anything to do with it - me thinks so. Cutting someone in tiny pieces is so gross and shows the evil in you. Then the fact she used his credit card and phone after he died..ugh.

And all these crime things I see why they use credit cards to buy supplies to bury and clean up is beyond me. horrifying murder for sure. I hope she remains in jail and no release at 60 or whatever age she needs to stay away from society.

[Bill reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A balding, middle-aged man marries a former stripper. What could possibly go wrong. Jay Orbin fell for a "dancer" at a men's club and pursued her like a love sick puppy. Marjorie Marqui had been married six times and Jay became number seven. They had a son after $60,000 spent on in vitro fertilization. The breast augmented mommy complained to friends that her husband was fat and had a small penis. The horny housewife sought satisfaction elsewhere, including a fling with a nineteen year-old boy. Jay goes a'missing and after a short time his torso is found in a Rubbermaid container. The man's head is still somewhere out there in the Arizona desert. A long investigation with only circumstantial evidence leads to an amazing read. Hogan is a master storyteller and Dancing With Death is an excellent true crime book.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written but just a bit too wordy. The story could have been told in about a hundred less pages. The author devoted about 1/3rd of the book to "telling the story of Marjorie Orbin" (or whatever name she had been using over several years of her earlier days........ ) Well anyway, it helped to put me to sleep at night and have to give it something for that.

Overall as True Crime books go, it's worth a read. If you get bored with certain parts, you can skip over several pages (or in the case of Kindle, swipe over several pages) - you won't miss much. It is apparent the author had done a lot of research (maybe almost too much) so if you like to know every minute detail of a homicide case, you will not be disappointed.

I give it a three.

[Pamela Boswell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how this book got such excellent reviews. It is riddled with grammatical errors--basic stuff. The style is not sophisticated or nuanced at all, a high school student could have written it. There's no style or eloquence. And what I really believe to be notable is that a lot of the book is written in third-person omniscient--what the author opines is written as fact. There's a definite bias. It's not appropriate for this kind of writing.

I will say that the story is engaging, and the pages flew by; I cannot tell if it was the way in which the story was written, or the just the story itself.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marjorie Orbin was born in Nevada in 1969. Orbin was a Las Vegas Showgirl that had married Jay Orbin, a jeweler. Orbin had been having affairs with several men prior to murdering her husband on or about his 45th birthday. Orbin disposed of the body in a pretty gruesome way, in an effort to hide evidence and inherit his money.

This book outlined the investigation and trial. This case was featured on the show Betrayed on the ID Channel, so if you are a fan of that, you would probably like this book. I had not heard of the case prior to reading this book, but it was interesting.

[Janice Woodard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Very well-written! A minimum of useless (in my not-very-humble opinion) adjectives. So many writers provide too much description. I don't care what color eyes the defense lawyer has or what color the carpet is in the courtroom!!

Maybe it's just me.

The story is unbelievable! Some people are so easily deceived! In this case, it's men.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a well-written book. The subject matter was extremely sad but being that I did not know the story behind the woman I couldn't put it down. It kept my attention I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. Glad there was Justice for Jay.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Missing Shanna

I'm very familiar with this case from other books and TV programs. Shannas telling of the Orbin murder story seems much more complete. A good read, horrible occurrence. I wish Shanna was still alive and writing.

[Lisa Millett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional true crime horror story

This true crime book is a well written horror story. It just goes to show that truth is stranger than fiction. The author did a tremendous jib of covering this story. Well worth the read if you like true crime

[John Lyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another tale of unchecked greed resulting in murder. This woman was terrible. It’s amazing how many people bought her lies for so long, and how others supported her faithfully when it was so clear that she committed the crimes she was accused of.

[Corbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ends abruptly. Very abruptly.

Readable and well researched but the last chapter seems like a sentence fragment only in chapter style. also, the pictures are only those supplied by marjorie.

[Letitia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book! I had never heard of this story and decided to read because the other two books I read by Shanna Hogan were so well written and so informative.

[Janis Hewes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sociopath

Well written..couldn't put it down. I will be reading more of her books and recommending them to friends. Thank you

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read; true crime “lite”

[Michelle]

takes a hardline on a circumstantial case with another plausible suspect so i don’t recommend

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love her work. Well written as her other work was. We lost a young true crime author too early.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gruesome murder. Very interesting personalities and relationships.

[Gloria Hargrave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellant book

A new author to me,but thoughly enjoyed the case . very involved and complicated story ,very well laid out.will be reading other books by her.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one wild true crime story. A great read for anyone who is a fan of the genre.

Sadly, I don’t remember who recommended this to me.