Dancing for the General

by Sue Star

Amid the exotic sights, sounds, and smells of mysterious Turkey, a young woman must bring order out of chaos. Two murders, an attack on her life, and the abduction of her niece create a challenge.

A Turkish detective - a koreli - must solve the two murders. His superiors don't want them solved. They want him to stop a revolution all by himself.

A retired general plots to overthrow the government. A young gypsy girl dances for the general and learns too much to be allowed to live.

Audible Audio

Published August 28, 2017

About the author

Sue Star writes mysteries about families in chaos. Murder in the Dojo introduces Nell Letterly, amateur sleuth and single mom who teaches martial arts despite the opinions of her teenage daughter, sophisticated sister-in-law, and crotchety dad. Their misadventures continue in Murder with Altitude, Murder for a Cash Crop, and Murder by Moose, soon to be released from D.M. Kreg Publishing. With Bill Beatty, she’s also written Dancing for the General, a mystery set in exotic Turkey of 1957. Collections of mystery stories include Trophy Hunting, Organized Death, and Trouble in a Politically Correct Town, featuring Nell’s world. As Rebecca Williamson, she’s written suspense with a touch of romance in The Drowning of Chittenden.

Reviews

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who grew up reading Agatha Christie mysteries, I know a good mystery. So does "Dancing for the General" by Sue Star (and Bill Beatty) fit in that "good mystery" category? I would say a definite yes! There were enough intrigue and action throughout that makes "Dancing for the General" a must read. The book takes place in the late '50s in Ankara, Turkey, which the author did a great job with their descriptions and setting. You did feel like you were back in time with the characters. The book's protagonist Anna Riddle goes through many trials and tribulations. She has to try to figure out who kidnapped her niece and why someone tried to take her life. That's just the start of the problems though, two murders take place that the Turkish police want to keep hushed and there's a plot to overthrow the government. A lot of dark twists and turns go on in "Dancing for the General," but it's worth following every scene.

[Viga Boland · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book is a rather long one, it’s far from a long read, thanks to its intriguing and twisted plot, a rather exotic setting in Ankara, Turkey, and a variety of colourful characters that includes gypsies, spies, bumbling police detectives, secret police and more. Toss in lots of rich description that truly captures the crowded streets of market vendors with street-sharp youngsters darting around snatching purses, narrow alley ways leading to hookah-smoking proprietors in darkened rooms and a generous supply of murder, rape, belly-dancing, and revolutionaries plotting to overthrow the government and what an enlightening and suspenseful read you get. And you also come away with a much broader knowledge of the Turkish culture, its superstitions, thinking and practices. Fascinating!

When the protagonist, Anna, arrives in Ankara for a bit of a holiday to mind her niece while the child’s parents are away, what she finds herself involved in is anything but enjoyable. As she tries to determine why she is herself a suspect, and just who is out to get her, she doesn’t know who to trust and learns the hard way to trust just about no-one. What she does ultimately learn is that war changes people and makes them do things they wouldn’t have done before.

Want to find out more? Read Dancing for the General, a story about real people facing devastating struggles and heartache: some lose their humanity along the way; others find what it means to be a good human being. Very entertaining read.

Viga Boland
Don't Write Your MEmoir without ME!
No Tears for My Father: A true story of incest

[Brandi Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit I didn't know what I was about to read based on the cover and I already caught myself questioning this read but I'm so thankful I don't judge a book by its cover, literally!!! Dancing for the General is set in Turkey and literally has everything from kidnapping to murder, rape, secret police, and many secrets that the general public shouldn't know. It's a long book but it's fast paced style and continuous action will make it one that will have you flipping pages long after you should be asleep. One of the best dramatic, action-filled books I've ever had the pleasure of reading!