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Home Front Detective #5
Dance of Death
Autumn 1916. When a renowned ballroom dancer is found butchered in an alleyway, Detective Inspector Harvey Marmion and Sergeant Joe Keedy must find the culprit. As the duo build a picture of the victim's promiscuous lifestyle and the ruthless competition of the dancing world, the number of potential suspects multiplies.
Wounded young men continue to return from the front line and among them is Marmion's own injured son, Paul. The detective inspector must juggle his enigmatic murder investigations with tensions simmering at home; will he and Sergeant Keedy catch the killer before the gruesome nature of the dancer's death gets out and panic spreads?
Wounded young men continue to return from the front line and among them is Marmion's own injured son, Paul. The detective inspector must juggle his enigmatic murder investigations with tensions simmering at home; will he and Sergeant Keedy catch the killer before the gruesome nature of the dancer's death gets out and panic spreads?
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2015
33 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Edward Marston
239 books466 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
A pseudonym used by Keith Miles
AKA A.E. Marston
Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theatre. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book, a series of The Railway Detective and a series of The Home Front Detective.
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
A pseudonym used by Keith Miles
AKA A.E. Marston
Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theatre. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book, a series of The Railway Detective and a series of The Home Front Detective.
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 8, 2024
Following a dramatic Zeppelin raid over the south east of England, postman Denzil Parry stumbles across a body in Chingford. The local police are called but with Superintendent Claude Chatfield of Scotland Yard in the vicinity and because of the gruesome nature of the killing he also engages his men from Scotland Yard to investigate. Thus Detective Inspector Harvey Marmion and his colleague Sergeant Joe Keedy are dragged out of bed and despatched to Chingford, where, much to Chatfield's annoyance, they make their headquarters.
There they discover that the murdered man was a famous dancer, Simon Wilder, who ran a dancing school to bring on promising young dancers. Marmion and Keedy soon find out that there are many petty, and not so petty, jealousies surrounding the man and that his widow Catherine is not grieving as they would have thought. These circumstances immediately bringh five or six suspects to the fore. And all of them initially deny any knowledge of the others.
Meanwhile Marmion was also trying to deal with problems at home; his injured son, Paul, had returned from the war and consequently had a chip on his shoulder and he was not too happy that his daughter, Alice, was dating his sergeant Joe Keedy, who is older and had been something of a man about town. These tensions put a strain on his wife Ellen and with him not being at home regularly to deal with the situations, when he did return there were stressful moments in the marriage. In addition Superintendent Chatfield was always interfering in their investigations thus causing upset in that direction.
However, he and Keedy persevere and, after going down many a blind alley and interviewing the various suspects time and again and continually getting conflicting stories, they eventually discover the perpetrator of the crime.
As always in the Home Front Detective series, Edward Marston presents us with a rattling good yarn with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
There they discover that the murdered man was a famous dancer, Simon Wilder, who ran a dancing school to bring on promising young dancers. Marmion and Keedy soon find out that there are many petty, and not so petty, jealousies surrounding the man and that his widow Catherine is not grieving as they would have thought. These circumstances immediately bringh five or six suspects to the fore. And all of them initially deny any knowledge of the others.
Meanwhile Marmion was also trying to deal with problems at home; his injured son, Paul, had returned from the war and consequently had a chip on his shoulder and he was not too happy that his daughter, Alice, was dating his sergeant Joe Keedy, who is older and had been something of a man about town. These tensions put a strain on his wife Ellen and with him not being at home regularly to deal with the situations, when he did return there were stressful moments in the marriage. In addition Superintendent Chatfield was always interfering in their investigations thus causing upset in that direction.
However, he and Keedy persevere and, after going down many a blind alley and interviewing the various suspects time and again and continually getting conflicting stories, they eventually discover the perpetrator of the crime.
As always in the Home Front Detective series, Edward Marston presents us with a rattling good yarn with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
November 9, 2015
easy going read in the latest in the home detective series could of been abit shorter as marston develops more the characters and WW1 as the backdrop too
July 14, 2020
I gave this 4 stars as couldn’t give 4.5 this was a joy to read loads of characters in this book the book isn’t as fast paced as some but some good views of the story. It’s based during WW1 with a few main characters and minor ones by right you should read this series in order but due to library’s not open I just bought what I can think I missed the second book. I can highly recommend this series.
July 12, 2020
My 1st mystery and it was good but this book was part of a series and they let so much open for the next book I am still not sure what is going on. I hate starting a book in a middle of a series because of just this. For me there were a lot of characters and I keep getting lost. I am sure this is how mystery are because you want to be shocked at the end. Of course it was someone you would never expect I think that is how mysteries work. I had fun reading it but probably won't read much more mysteries in the future.
March 24, 2016
The fifth book of the series and a excellent mystery. It not only deals with a murder of a dancer but allows us to see the effect the first world war is having on the main characters of the series. The moving story of Marmion's son Paul continues and we realise the effect the war has had on him. His shell shock changes him and has a detrimental effect on his family and his sister's fiance Joe.
August 10, 2022
This is a very good mystery and part of a series of mysteries that focus on Scotland Yard cases during the First World War. Detective Inspector Harvey Marmion and Sergeant Keedy are the investigators in these murder mysteries. This particular mystery has several viable suspects. Since this time period had very limited access to forensic evidence, the investigators primary tactic is interviews with witnesses and suspects. Thus, this mystery is very much a police procedural case. The reader gains their knowledge of the case by “witnessing” these interviews. I believe any reader will have as much difficulty as I did in an attempt to discern who the killer was prior to the ultimate reveal. It is a strait forward murder mystery case with greed, marital fidelity and professional jealously being the primary motives the investigators uncover. There is no intrusion in your reading enjoyment by hidden messages or agendas that relate to today’s political decisiveness and battles. So, just enjoy a pleasant reading of a good old-fashioned mystery.
November 19, 2019
I enjoy the Victorian setting, but have to admit I'm disappointed.
The narrative is overall flat and lacks the kind of details of life that give a book texture. All the meaning is on top. I kept reading hoping the plot would come to life, but the book just grinds on. It's plausible, but rather tedious. There are long pages of dialogue that move the plot v-e-r-y slowly. Potential sub-plots are developed and then simply dropped. Both the main and subsidiary characters are fairly conventional and don't hold interest.
The narrative is overall flat and lacks the kind of details of life that give a book texture. All the meaning is on top. I kept reading hoping the plot would come to life, but the book just grinds on. It's plausible, but rather tedious. There are long pages of dialogue that move the plot v-e-r-y slowly. Potential sub-plots are developed and then simply dropped. Both the main and subsidiary characters are fairly conventional and don't hold interest.
May 1, 2017
I've been finding the books in the series harder and harder to get through. Fatigue might be setting in since I've read so many this year. I thought that there were too many characters in the book to keep track of, and I found myself having to constantly re-read who was who. One part in the novel didn't make sense to me, either. I wasn't sure why a particular character would leave if she had been so docile and meek up to that point. It seemed out of character for her.
March 8, 2018
Published in 2015, Dance of Death is is another in Marston's 'Home Front' series of detective novels set in London during the Great War. The plot in this case is a little weak, and the main characters are flawed by unprofessional lapses in their methods in the interest of the plot. On the positive side, the story concentrates more on the complex lives of people connected to the murder victim, rather than the murder itself and this aspect of the story works well. Enjoyable.
January 4, 2017
Another good read in this series
July 14, 2017
An excellent read. Would've got 5 ⭐️ but for a couple of loose ends at the end.
June 9, 2022
"Having to comfort someone else helped her cope with her own anguish."
Rating: 3.5/5
I really hate starting a book in the middle of a series. Doing so gets me so confused. Nonetheless, I did enjoy this book, the chase and collecting all the clues were fun. I don't think I have to read the previous installments but if I badly want to get to know the characters, I would. It actually wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be. Of course, everything wasn't resolved because there are still books in the series after this one, and I'm surprised it doesn't bother me as much as it usually would. But I guess this was just a book I enjoyed but didn't really love.
Rating: 3.5/5
I really hate starting a book in the middle of a series. Doing so gets me so confused. Nonetheless, I did enjoy this book, the chase and collecting all the clues were fun. I don't think I have to read the previous installments but if I badly want to get to know the characters, I would. It actually wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be. Of course, everything wasn't resolved because there are still books in the series after this one, and I'm surprised it doesn't bother me as much as it usually would. But I guess this was just a book I enjoyed but didn't really love.
September 12, 2023
London, Autumn 1916. When he slips out of a house in the early hours of the morning, Simon Wilder is too preoccupied to realise that he is being stalked. As he walks along the street, lights begin to dim as a warning that there's another Zeppelin attack. Guns begin to pound away as British aeroplanes attack the Zeppelin. Suddenly, it bursts into flame and lights up the whole sky. The crowds cheer as the great fireball drops slowly down and crashes in a field but the one person unable to watch is Simon Wilder. While he is staring up at the sky, he is stabbed to death and left in an alleyway. It will prove to be a very puzzling case for Inspector Marmion and Sergeant Keedy..
May 10, 2021
Always Surprised
I have been reading several of Marston's series and one thing they have in common is that the culprit is always a surprise. The same is true of other classic detective authors (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christe, and Edgar Allen Poe). Of course, this trait is also common among more modern writers of detective fiction as well (Dean Koontz and Sue Grafton are two that readily come to mind). But this is what I love about these authors. 👍
I have been reading several of Marston's series and one thing they have in common is that the culprit is always a surprise. The same is true of other classic detective authors (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christe, and Edgar Allen Poe). Of course, this trait is also common among more modern writers of detective fiction as well (Dean Koontz and Sue Grafton are two that readily come to mind). But this is what I love about these authors. 👍
February 19, 2020
Really enjoyed the relationship between Inspector Marmion and Sgt. Keedy. The plot remains engaging and interesting to the end. Marston creates a wonderful illustration of wartime Britain and is able to broach graphic content without becoming grotesque. This was read out of order, but was compelling enough to draw me back to the beginning of the series.
September 6, 2017
A typically Edward Marston book..
I've now read several of this author's books and in my opinion, this is not his best. The tale seems to be dragged out throughout the book with to much guess work in the final part to determine the culprit.
I've now read several of this author's books and in my opinion, this is not his best. The tale seems to be dragged out throughout the book with to much guess work in the final part to determine the culprit.
February 17, 2017
Brilliant story and so clever it had me guessing right up until the very end.
I didn't want to put this one down.
I didn't want to put this one down.
June 11, 2017
a very interesting but good read with again lots of twist and turns
March 23, 2020
Good story. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
August 7, 2020
Gripping, good classic whodunnit.
August 10, 2021
It was OK plot-wise, I guess. The English rankled somewhat and I wasn't completely taken with the characters.
I'll probably try one or two more to see if they grow on me.
I'll probably try one or two more to see if they grow on me.
January 14, 2022
I really like this book. It had a couple of storylines the main story was a murder and the side stories were about the family of the detectives and the suspects. The great thing about this is how well the author switch between stories seamlessly.I was kept guessing the whole way through this was truly a Whodunnit.
May 16, 2023
Great old school detective story/series.
January 29, 2024
Brilliant, if you like crime thrillers. I loved it. Xxx
May 3, 2024
1916 and # 5 in the Home Front series and yet another gruesome murder.
An enjoyable page turner what more can a reader ask of an author ???
An enjoyable page turner what more can a reader ask of an author ???
July 7, 2024
Terrific as usual
Read
September 10, 2024Great read, loved this book he has a way with his writing.
August 18, 2025
good historical setting, great characters, compelling mystery.
March 14, 2016
As with all of Edward Marston's books, the period is well researched and you get a real feel for life in London during WWI. This is the fifth title in the series and it is now 1916. This is an entertaining story and a great read.
The mutilated body of Simon Wilder, champion dancer, is found the morning after a night when everyone was watching as a Zeppelin was hit and turned into a fireball. All eyes were trained up to the sky and no-one saw anythng. Inspector Harvey Marmion and Sergeant Joe Keedy are given the task of discovering who killed him, and why.
Although the main focus of the novel is an intricate and absorbiing murder mystery, there are many details about the changes to society that were occurring, due to the war. These are revealed through the various characters within the story. Marmion's own son has returned home and apart from being physically wounded, he is also mentally scarred. His wife and daughter, who is in the burgeoning Women’s Police Force, bear the brunt of his deep anger at his incapacity and his survivors guilt.
The characters of Marmion and Keedy are very different but they make a great detective pair. Their cameraderie and professionalism is well protrayed and makes a rounded story as they have to trawl through a large number of suspects before they track down the killer in the final chapter.
The mutilated body of Simon Wilder, champion dancer, is found the morning after a night when everyone was watching as a Zeppelin was hit and turned into a fireball. All eyes were trained up to the sky and no-one saw anythng. Inspector Harvey Marmion and Sergeant Joe Keedy are given the task of discovering who killed him, and why.
Although the main focus of the novel is an intricate and absorbiing murder mystery, there are many details about the changes to society that were occurring, due to the war. These are revealed through the various characters within the story. Marmion's own son has returned home and apart from being physically wounded, he is also mentally scarred. His wife and daughter, who is in the burgeoning Women’s Police Force, bear the brunt of his deep anger at his incapacity and his survivors guilt.
The characters of Marmion and Keedy are very different but they make a great detective pair. Their cameraderie and professionalism is well protrayed and makes a rounded story as they have to trawl through a large number of suspects before they track down the killer in the final chapter.
May 5, 2024
This was the first book I've ever read from Edward Marston but unfortunately, I just wasn't a fan, it took me almost a month to read and it was a month of my life I will never get back.
The two main Characters, Harvey Marmion and Joe Keedy were, for me, the two least compelling characters out of the entire book, they didnt feel real in the way characters like Paul Marmion or Alice Keedy did. I just felt unable to get invested in the story due to its slow pace and despite being a big fan of murder mysteries, I was very much looking forward to the chapters which delved further into the relationships of Paul/Mavis or Alice + Iris.
The reason I'm giving it three stars is because I really did enjoy the side plots and side characters (this is an Audrey Pattison Stan house) but I just couldn't get into the actual main murder plot no matter how good the premise of a dancer being brutally murdered under the cover of an air raid during WW1 and the two detectives setting out to find who did it.
Of course I have to take into account the fact that I haven't read the rest of the series but I probably won't because the two constants (being Marmion and Keedy) did truly just bore me and I'm not willing to waste a month of my life reading a book I don't enjoy ever again.
The two main Characters, Harvey Marmion and Joe Keedy were, for me, the two least compelling characters out of the entire book, they didnt feel real in the way characters like Paul Marmion or Alice Keedy did. I just felt unable to get invested in the story due to its slow pace and despite being a big fan of murder mysteries, I was very much looking forward to the chapters which delved further into the relationships of Paul/Mavis or Alice + Iris.
The reason I'm giving it three stars is because I really did enjoy the side plots and side characters (this is an Audrey Pattison Stan house) but I just couldn't get into the actual main murder plot no matter how good the premise of a dancer being brutally murdered under the cover of an air raid during WW1 and the two detectives setting out to find who did it.
Of course I have to take into account the fact that I haven't read the rest of the series but I probably won't because the two constants (being Marmion and Keedy) did truly just bore me and I'm not willing to waste a month of my life reading a book I don't enjoy ever again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews