Death in St. Petersburg

Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries #12

by Tasha Alexander

A dance with death...

After the final curtain of Swan Lake, an animated crowd exits the Mariinsky theatre brimming with excitement. But outside the scene is somber. A ballerina's body lies face down in the snow, blood splattered like rose petals over the costume of the Swan Queen. The crowd is silenced by a single cry -Nemetseva is dead!

Among the theatergoers is Lady Emily, accompanying her dashing husband Colin in Russia on assignment from the Crown. But it soon becomes clear that Colin isn't the only one with work to do. When the dead ballerina's aristocratic lover comes begging for justice, Emily must apply her own set of skills to discover the rising star's murderer. Her investigation takes her on a dance across the stage of Tsarist Russia, from the opulence of the Winter Palace, to the modest flats of ex-ballerinas and the locked attics of political radicals. A mysterious dancer in white follows closely behind, making waves through St. Petersburg with her surprise performances and trail of red scarves. Is it the sweet Katenka, Nemetseva's childhood friend and favorite rival? The ghost of the murdered étoile herself? Or, something even more sinister?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Russia, Audiobook

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2017

About the author

The daughter of two philosophy professors, I grew up surrounded by books. I was convinced from an early age that I was born in the wrong century and spent much of my childhood under the dining room table pretending it was a covered wagon. Even there, I was never without a book in hand and loved reading and history more than anything. I studied English Literature and Medieval History at the University of Notre Dame. Writing is a natural offshoot of reading, and my first novel, And Only to Deceive, was published in 2005. I'm the author of the long-running Lady Emily Series as well as the novel Elizabeth: The Golden Age. One of the best parts of being an author is seeing your books translated, and I'm currently in love with the Japanese editions of the Emily books.

I played nomad for a long time, living in Indiana, Amsterdam, London, Wyoming, Vermont, Connecticut, and Tennessee before settling down. My husband, the brilliant British novelist Andrew Grant (I may be biased but that doesn't mean I'm wrong) and I live in southeastern Wyoming. I still don't have a covered wagon, but a log house goes a long way toward fulfilling my pioneer fantasies. Andrew makes sure I get my English characters right, and I make sure his American ones sound American.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This is a series that I dip into now and then, depending on where and what the story line takes place, and if it sounds interesting. The draw for me with this one is that it takes place in Tsarist Russia and concerns ballet, which I love. After Lady Emily and her husband attend the ballet, they find the body of a prima ballerina, lying dead in the snow. Lady Emily, as she does, finds herself involved in finding the murderer.

There is a mix of political intrigue, love, and the insular world of the ballerina. Found it very interesting, the world of Tsarist Russia was a hotbed of political manuveuring, with many factions unhappy and those wanting change by violent means and those wanting to give peace a chance. Just had to throw that in there. This is a rather tame series as far as action, more of a mind type of mystery, than one of blood and gore. There is a supposed ghost though and that addition adds a little spice to the story.

Well researched though, the author knows the ballet works well, and as detailed in her authors note, many of the places and players were actual people. Some interesting side characters as well, and the Lady Emily is fearless in the pursuit of justice.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best in the Lady Emily series, in my opinion! Great setting, subject, & characters.

This is book #12 in the Lady Emily historical mystery series. Overall, it’s been a great series to follow. There have definitely been highs and lows with the entries, but this one didn’t disappoint. I loved it! As a forever fan of ballet, it was poised to be a favorite, I guess.

Lady Emily and her husband Colin are in St Petersburg, Russia along with their longtime friend Cecile. The city was described beautifully, and I could visualize it all! They are in attendance at a performance of Swan Lake in the Mariinsky Theatre, when the prima ballerina doesn’t reappear after a break between acts. Her understudy steps in, but the crowd is left wondering what happened. Unfortunately it becomes clear when they all leave. Emily is enlisted to find out what happened and who the murderer is while Colin is working his own assignment.
The chapters alternate between current day and the past, and through this we learn a lot about day to day life as a ballerina at turn of the century Russia. Political unrest is rife and abundant. The writing is superb and so descriptive. The mystery is done well, and will keep you reading and guessing until the end. A must read for Lady Emily fans!!

*Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for an ARC to read and review. I was thrilled!*

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lady Emily series has been an engaging historical mystery story, romance, but also a feast for the senses. I've adored each time to series takes the reader to a Victorian era foreign setting with its lush descriptions of place, culture, society, historical backdrop and more. This latest installment was no exception.

I found myself enjoying it in a bittersweet way since I knew what events would follow this time in the lives of the Romanovs and the Russian people. This is the waning years of Czarist Russia. The cracks are there in this story and the extreme ends of ideology are growing louder. But set against this was a tale from the world of Russian Ballet. It didn't delve into the details of the dance so much as the life of the dancers, particularly two dancers, Katenka and her best friend, the great Nemetseva.

Emily and Cecilie have accepted an invitation from Masha one of Cecilie's friends to enjoy the Russian social season which also gives Emily the chance to join her husband Colin after the holidays with their family. Colin is on secret work for the British Crown and can't share with Emily what he is doing no matter how much she wheedles. But the death of Nemetseva and the request of her lover give Emily a case to keep her busy.

A little side note/niggle. Over the last few books, I've slowly grown irritated with Emily while still enjoying everything and everyone else about the stories. This one, it really struck me that she takes a 'you owe me all your secrets' attitude and gets really pushy with people in her quest for the truth. She runs rough shod over sensibilities with little provocation or proof the person deserves it. She happened to be right sometimes, but other times, there are valid reasons why people aren't forthcoming with all their personal thoughts. This is really a mild niggle though I suppose I've made it a big deal as a result of my own personal preference when it comes to that sort of thing.

As to the case, this one came along slowly with lots of racing back and forth between the suspects and witnesses between times of social activity. It is also told in a split plot line of the past for the two ballerinas and the present with Emily solving the murder. While it wasn't exciting until near the end, the slow pace detecting and story lines were engaging. I enjoyed the immersion into that historic world while turning my mind to the investigation. I got an early suspicion and it turned out my instinct for the solution was correct though I can't take credit since I had no real reason for my suspicion.

All in all, it was another solid book in the Lady Emily series and left me with a thirst to find more books on this period in Russian history. I can recommend this series for those who enjoy lady amateur detectives in a historical setting and some interesting detecting adventures.

I rec'd this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: Lady Emily
Publication Date: 10/10/17

Okay, I admit it – I loved the book! The writing is superb and the descriptions put you right there with the participants. I love Emily and Colin – what a strong, loving, caring, and supportive couple they are! What threw me was having to constantly stop and sound out the Russian names. Normally with unusual (to me) names, I just decide what they are going to be and call them that whether it is correct or not. For some reason, I couldn’t do that with this book – maybe it was because I was loving the book and wanted to get the names correct.

Colin Hargreaves travels all over in his role as a spy in support of the crown. Lady Emily usually stays home worrying about him and entertaining herself with solving her own mysteries. However, when he is sent to St. Petersburg, Emily also gets an invitation to visit her friend in St. Petersburg. She knows Colin won’t let her go with him, so she leaves the day after him – and sends him a missive letting him know she is on her way and letting him know that she can stay with her friend while she’s there or she can stay with him – whichever he prefers. Of course, he wants her with him!

Colin spends his days and often long into the night working on his mission while Lady Emily spends her time with her friends and attending various entertainments. Then, there is the opera. Swan Lake featuring a new ballerina in the dual role. She is flawlessly beautiful and graceful beyond compare – so – finding her dead body, covered in blood, directly after the performance is really shocking. Add a fabulous stolen Faberge Egg underneath her body and you have a real mystery on your hands.

Lady Emily has been asked to investigate the death, by a friend of the victim, because they have no confidence in the state’s investigators. The suspects and motives are legion. Is it an old love, a current love or one of the many wealthy and high-ranking men who want to be her lover? Investigating in a foreign land isn’t easy, but Lady Emily solves the case, and the perpetrator may surprise you.

I like that the chapters switch between the current time (January 1900) which is told in the first person by Lady Emily and the earlier years told from Katenka’s point of view. Seeing the friendship between Katenka and Irusya Nemetseva in those earlier years is very nice. They give you a real feel for what it must have been like in ‘the state system’ in place in Russia at the time.

There are many political undercurrents in the case and any one of them could have bearing on the case. Then, add in the delightful Sebastian Capet (from earlier books) and you have a real mystery. Who stole the egg? Is that why the dancer was murdered? Was she involved in political intrigue? Was she just in the wrong place at the wrong time? You’ll just have to read the book to see.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm officially done with this series. I loved the first several books. I started to waver around Dangerous to Know and I nearly stopped at Behind the Shattered Glass. But this one did it for me. I stayed with the book all through the beginning and the middle. The end just made me angry. ****Spoiler Alert**** Sebastian steals the egg, gives it to the ballerina, who is murdered because she had the egg, and in the end Sebastian steals the egg again and gives it to Emily. Zero, absolutely zero, consequences for Sebastian. Not a moment of guilt or crisis of conscience. He just goes about his merry way and the reader is supposed to find him ... what? amusing? And the other characters are supposed to have the same reaction? I ask because I seriously don't understand how that's possible. I get that he didn't weild the knife, but how do you have no emotional response to setting these events in motion? I find myself having this kind of reaction to several of the books now, which is why I say I'm done. I'm willing to suspend some belief, but this series has jumped the shark for me.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been lucky enough to have visited St. Petersburg, reading Tasha Alexander’s A Death in St. Petersburg brought vivid memories back to me. What a beautiful city, but I did see it in the summer not the winter. Lady Emily was lucky that she had brought all the furs to keep her warm with all her running around attempting to solve the prima ballerina’s murder. Lady Emily also truly has a gift for languages which helps her with the case. I could feel the passion the ballet dancers put into their dance, but being Russia, politics is also involved in the plot. I enjoyed the characters the author placed in this mystery, and the setting of St. Petersburg for this mystery is perfect! I do so enjoy this series. Thank you, Ms. Alexander!

[Aisling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Atmospherically beautiful but not one of the better mysteries. Spoiler: I do love Lady Emily but it stretched belief a little that she would physically throw herself on the Tsar to save him. There were other things that just seemed to push credulity a little too much and take me out of the story. The ballet and Russian royalty parts of the book were very enjoyable though.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably one of the strongest Lady Emily mysteries to date, set in the world of the Russian ballet in the year 1900.
Lady Emily is in St. Petersburg for the New Year, bent on celebration and enjoyment. But after an evening at the world-renowned ballet, her deductive skills are suddenly called to work when the body of a ballerina is discovered in the snow outside the theatre. Who could have wanted to do away with her, and why?

I've read all of the Lady Emily mysteries, and at times have taken issue with this Victorian character too loudly and proudly proclaiming her modernity. I'm pleased to say that I didn't notice that tendency in this book. Her character seemed a little more mature, a little more self-controlled.

I also enjoyed the storytelling technique in this book. It's one that Tasha Alexander has used to good effect before, but it was particularly skillful here. She intersperses the Lady Emily chapters with shorter chapters from the point of view of the ballerinas, starting about 10 years prior to the investigation, revealing their relationships and the course of their careers, catching up to Lady Emily's narrative just in time for the big finish. Both narratives were compelling and made me want to keep reading.

The recurrence of Sebastian Capet, unreformed thief and admirer of Lady Emily, lends wit and comedy to the story and is a welcome addition to the plot.

Not least of the accomplishments of this novel is the well-defined setting. St. Petersburg at the turn of the 20th century sounds like quite a place. I enjoyed the glimpses of the Hermitage, the Winter Palace, and the exquisite Faberge eggs.

An "Easter egg," if you will, is the appearance of a character with a subtle connection to Amelia Peabody (the much loved character created by Elizabeth Peters and the main star of about 20 novels in her own series). Blink and you'll miss it, but it's a fun thing. Tasha Alexander is actually not the only author to pay tribute to the late Elizabeth Peters in this delightful way. It's great.

***Thanks to St. Martin's Press for sending me a review copy!

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bel mistero ambientato nel mondo del balletto nella Russia zarista dove si sentono già le prime, lontane avvisaglie della rivoluzione...
Sto leggendo la serie in modo sparso, ma ciò non mi impedisce di apprezzarla. Noto che la protagonista tende a viaggiare in Europa in lungo e in largo.

[Laurel Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pushkin, Petersburg, Tchaikovsky, and murder most foul—what’s not to like?

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series has always been one of my favorites but the last couple books have not grabbed me as much and this installment was no different. I love St Petersburg and really enjoyed the setting and felt the author did a great job researching her material. However, I found the story a little disjointed and the ending was a bit unbelievable. But the most important thing lacking was that special spark between Emily and Collin and watching them work as a team - I guess the honeymoon is over for them. 3 stars but was really hoping for more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. It wasn't written badly or anything, but I'm over watching the leads stagnate while half the page count is given to either research dumps or the flashbacks of one-and-done characters I don't care about.

Doubt I'll read any more of these.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come on publication date.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sparkling historical mystery!

St Petersburg in January 1900 before the Russian Revolution. Alexander's walk through this fabulous city is charged, exciting and wonderfully descriptive.
Lady Emily Hargreaves is once again up to her fur hat in a murder. And no ordinary murder. Right after her sensational debut of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake the soloist, Irusya (Irina Semenova Nemetseva), is found outside the stage door, face down in the snow dead, bejewelled in her own blood.
Then there's the mysterious, ghostly dancer who appears dressed as the dead ballerina flaunting a silken red scarf symbolic of the death Nemetseva met, captivating the populace and muddying the waters of Lady Emily's investigations. Because, of course Emily is right in the thick of things, murder, Revolution, threats to Tsar Alexander, all grist for the mill.
And then there's the delectable Hargraves himself who quite turns my head, let alone Emily's.
The story wends from events prior to murder and then after. Including the story of Katenka (Ekaterina Petrovna Sokolova) and her brother Lev, an activist, Irusya's relationship to both of them, and others beyond this circle who might have cause to dispose of Irusya.
What a treat! A walk through a charged time in history, accompanying Lady Emily on her investigation of a particularly poignant murder.

A NetGalley ARC

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good historical suspense novel from Tasha Alexander this time set in Russia. Lady Emily and Colin once again find themselves involved in a murder when they find the body of the prima ballerina dead outside the theater.

This is a split time novel as the present time covers the murder and the hunt for the killer. While the past time covers the life of Irusya and her best friend, Katenka, as they proceed through the ballet training at the private academy. The descriptions of Russia, its buildings, and the life there in the early 1900's was quite interesting. There were plenty of twists and turn among the suspects including Irusya's childhood friend and ballerina companion, Katenka and her brother, Lev. And to top it off, a ballerina ghost appears while trying to track down the murderer.

The cover is so beautiful and provides a lovely picture of old St. Petersburg in the snow of winter.

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a rich and atmospheric story of tsarist Russia on the brink of revolution - set from 1889 to 1900. Its backdrop is St. Petersburg, Russia with its spectacular Petrine Baroque architecture (18th c. Dutch, Danish, Swedish influence), built on the backs of conscripted peasants during the 18th century.

The Mariinsky Theatre ballet world, with its famous director and choreographer, Marius Petipas, and its world class dancers are featured prominently throughout. Ballet dancers were the Russian rock stars of the 19th century. Everyone wanted a piece of these dancers, including the bourgeois. Princes often sought them for dalliances - preferably with no strings attached. The wealthy bestowed grand gifts and much attention on these gifted artists and the ardor, for the most part, was well received. All is well until a prima ballerina winds up stabbed to death during a ballet interval. (Please ignore the tsarina's Farbergé egg hidden under the fallen dancer.) The plot thickens.

[Nancy Haddock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this one from the library and really enjoyed it! The story moves between the "present" and a few years in the past, but it wasn't difficult to adjust to the switches after a few chapters. I'm going to snag more books by this author!

[Sahand · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I was afraid the Petersburg and ballet backgrounds would be too trivial, but they turned out to be rather significant. The book seems well-researched and historically informed. The plot mixes the magic of ballet and the magnificence of the city with romance, politics, the Tsar's court, and of course mystery.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without going into a synopsis of the book, I have to say that yet again I am very pleased with the newest Last Emily book! I did have a hunch who the murderer was and I have to say that in always a bit disappointed when I get it right! I love the fact that it was set in Russia, and I loved learning what I did about ballerinas!

[L F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as previous Lady Emily books.

This book was not on the same wonderful standard as it’s predecessors. It got off to a slow start and not until the last part did it begin to gel

This series is not really literary, rather, a fun read with a casual style of writing. But, the idea of a historical fiction genre that includes a working mystery to be solved cannot be overlooked.

With this in mind, consider giving this series a go. I loved the Darjeeling book set in India. It is by far my favorite.

So if you would like to take a break from heavier stories, consider this series. It has a lot to offer.
It is Like driving a Rolls Royce, only to take a spin in a funner sports car. Vroom

[Betty Strohecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fabulous book, one of my favorites of the series! Colin has business in St. Petersburg, so Emily and her friend Cecile join him there. During an interval of the ballet Swan Lake, the principal ballerina has her throat slashed outside the theater. Emily is one of the first on the scene and is asked to conduct an investigation into the murder. Interwoven with the main plot which takes place in 1900, is the backstory of the murdered woman and her best friend, another ballerina.

I loved the description of the city of St. Petersburg and the look into Russian culture. There is also extensive information about the world of Russian ballet, with the inclusion of several prima ballerinas of the period. This story takes place right before the Bolshevik Revolution, so Alexander gives a glimpse into the political unrest amid the splendor of Tsar Nicholas's court. As with other books in the Lady Emily series, there are a number of suspects, keeping the reader guessing until the very end.

[Moriah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. I've been excited to read the latest installment in the Lady Emily series when I saw it took place in St. Petersburg, Russia. I was so happy that the title did not disappoint! Lady Emily finds herself in St. Petersburg after following her husband who is on assignment. Cecile is along for the visit and the group finds themselves attending the Swan Lake where Irina Semenova Nemetseva made her debut as Odette and Odile. During the third act, her understudy abruptly stepped in to the role and preformed admirably. While leaving the theater, Emily and the crowd discover Nemetseva in the snow in a pool of blood. Who killed her and why is cleverly done and kept me guessing throughout. As in previous books, chapters alternate between current day and the past with the past chapters focusing on Nemetseva and her friend Ekaterina Petrovna Sokolova (Katenka) during their years attending ballet school and after their graduation when they joined the Mariinsky Theatre. I loved these chapters because they gave glimpses of life as a ballerina and what it was like in St. Petersburg during a very turbulent time that would eventually end in Revolution. Emily and Cecile follow various leads that introduce them to a series of suspects including revolutionaries, other ballerinas, and even members of the aristocracy. Add in the ghost of Nemetseva making appearances throughout St. Petersberg, and the presence of Sebastian Capet, and ending that most readers won't see coming, and you have a wonderful book that you won't be able to put down.

[Billie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even if this weren't another Lady Emily (and Colin) mystery, it would have lured me in with all the elements it employs that are like catnip to me: Murder, Imperial Russia, Ballet, and Fabulous Clothes. Since it is a Lady Emily mystery, there may have been a weensy bit of begging for an ARC. And I was not disappointed even one little bit. Now that the final Amelia Peabody novel has been published, I'm glad to know that Lady Emily is there to fill the same smart, feisty, fashionable, madly-in-love-with-her-husband hole. (And I'm more than delighted to see that Capet is so clearly Lady Emily's Sethos. A woman, no matter how madly in love with her husband she may be, always needs a scoundrel around to keep her on her toes.)

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily series is always a favorite and this was no exception. St. Petersburg at the turn of the last century comes alive with rich descriptions and plenty of secrets. Add the glamour of the ballet and it's richness and you have a perfect recipe for intrigue. A ballerina is murdered and through flashbacks we learn about her loves and progress to the ballet world, including her closest friend and also the man she truly loved but gave up because of his revolutionary tendencies. This has plenty of twists and interesting characters but the setting - winter 1900 - truly sets a strong stage for this great mystery.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Lady Emily, and her husband Colin. I am always anxious when their new books are released. This. book features the ballet, and life with in the company, and what it takes to make it , to the top. It also takes place during the last Tsar Nicholas reign. It takes Emily on an adventure to find the murderer of the Prima Ballerina, who was the star of the night , in the role of Swan Lake. She had disappeared from the building, and her best friend ,and understudy filled in for her. She was later found at the side of the theater stabbed, and dead. Colin, who is on loan to Russia, is busy helping to figure out the principle players, in an uprising, against the government. He has already lost an informant, who was killed, while posing as a maid. I really liked the story , and all of the characters. The storyline was excellent. The reason I did not give it a five, were all the Russian titles, and long names. The ballerinas names were also difficult, and ran together. I finally just read the lines, and figured who they were speaking about, until way into the story. The starting and stopping to check, and recheck names, was time consuming. It also took a bit of the excitement, out of the mystery. Colin was busy in his capacity, and Emily in hers, which did not leave much time for them , to be romantic. They were always interrupted, by her pesky admirer, who is also a great thief, who is also involved with the ballet, in a unique way. Emily and her determination, pushes the book to its conclusion. That kept me reading it, and ignoring the parts of the book, that slowed it down. I hope that the couple returns to their own country, and their sons, for the next adventure. It was still a solid four for me, and I would recommend it.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew from the moment I read the plot of this book that I would love it. It touches three of my favorite things: Russian history, Faberge’ Eggs, and Ballet. My fascination with the first two started when I was 11 or 12 and I read the Anastasia volume of the Royal Diaries series. The latter, from the first ballet class I took. I thank the author for blending all of these things into a wonderful book that reminds me again why I love Emily and Colin. Now I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

[Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was quite good. I started losing interest with the inclusion of a “spectral” ballerina but it ties quite nicely into the conclusion. I think the chapter bookends remain to be Tasha Alexander’s strongest writing and have been my favorite portions of her books for quite a few installments now.

[Karen Potts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two stories, one present, one past, with many characters & a complex plot, all told in an accessible way that was fascinating to follow. When past eventually meets present the mystery is solved in a surprising way & all the lesser characters & questions are well handled. This is #12 in a series I'd not encountered but which I will be looking into.

[Marguerite Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only Lady Emily could travel to a foreign country and encounter a murder. Even a Russian prince knows of her detective skills. The author draws a beautiful picture of a winter white St. Petersburg with a splash of murder to mar the scene.

[Kathleen Schilling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story, seeing a picture of Russia before the revolution. The story of the two ballerinas definitely caught my attention. Looking forward to the next installment