Crime in the Ballet

Detective Markham Mystery #5

by Catherine Moloney

A TIGHTLY-PLOTTED CRIME THRILLER WITH GREAT CHARACTERS

MURDER IN THE BALLET LEADS DETECTIVE MARKHAM ON QUITE A DANCE

George Baranov, the ballet’s choreographer, is found in the theatre’s basement with a knife in his back.

He was known for his daring twists on famous productions . . . and for his twisted loved life.

Detective Markham and his team have their work cut out when Baranov’s closest friend also brutally murdered.

Under pressure from the boss to wrap up the case under the mad fan theory, Markham has to play both sides.

As Markham closes in on the murderer, the body count keeps rising. The Nutcracker is set to go ahead with plenty of suspects waiting in the wings.

Blackmail, thwarted love, sexual intrigue and professional rivalries add up to a potent cocktail in Markham’s most perplexing mystery to date.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON WITH A SERIAL KILLER WAITING IN THE WINGS

Genres: Mystery, Detective

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 29, 2019

About the author

I was born in Ikom, Nigeria (where my parents were missionaries) and come from a Liverpool medical family, but am not a doctor of medicine. . After graduating in Jurisprudence from Jesus College (University of Oxford), I was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn. Despite qualifying as a barrister, my first love was English; this led to a PhD in English Literature at Birkbeck College (University of London).

In my academic career, I lectured and published widely on the subject of tuberculosis and nineteenth-century literature, but somehow managed to avoid contracting galloping hypochondria and turned my attention to crime fiction.

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Baranov is found dead with a knife in his back and a Russian mask on his face. He was the choreographer for the ballet The Nutcracker.

Although deceased, you know what they say .. the show must go on.

DI Gil Markham and DS George Noakes are investigating when they discover the body of Baranov's closest friend who has been savagely murdered... and he's not the last one to be murdered.

There's plenty of suspects from the prima ballerina to the costume designer ... almost everyone has a secret and knows things about Baranov. Was he being blackmailed? Was he targeted for his sexual preferences? Was professional rivalry the cause?

The pacing of this crime fiction is steady throughout, infused with a healthy dollop of mystery and suspense that doesn't let up until the surprising ending.

Although Markham is the star of the book, my favorite character is DS George Noakes. Although a excellent detective, his personality and his looks set off the higher ups. They want him gone ...but Markham fights for him constantly. George can be unreasonable at times, utterly candid and is incapable of lying. He's a walking disaster ... he's more apt to dress like a country wester singer one day ... a clown the next. His long suffering wife has given up trying to change him.

Although 5th in a series, this is easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend starting at the beginning ... all are well written with solid characters.

Many thanks to the author / Books n All Book Promotions for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Les Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite in the series by far. I was a little disappointed in the book.

[margaret chalmers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sugar plum delight.

Another good read. This time set in a small theatre where a ballet company is preparing a winter Nutcracker. The charismatic, autocratic, Russian choreographer is murdered and our detective team venture into enchanted land of ballet to find the murderer. I thoroughly enjoyed this one of the series even though I can now see the formula and recognise the writer's favourite themes and devices. Didn't matter, I just enjoyed it. Curiously, because this one featured a world full of artifice I didn't worry too much about any of the characters. For me they never stepped off the stage long enough for me to care. Recommended.

[Jean Mindingall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have enjoyed previous entries in this series but was disappointed with this book. The first 80% of the book consisted of interviews, conversations, and reading of newspaper clippings in which the characters said the same things about each other and the detectives wondered if this or that was enough to constitute a motive for the murders. I felt I was reading the same thing over and over again. At around the 80% mark, there was a clue in a newspaper article and I said to myself -- that sounds like [won't tell you the name as it would be a spoiler]. Still took the detectives awhile to come to that same conclusion and in the end I was correct about who was the murderer. I've just downloaded the next book in the series and hope it will be better.

[Melodie Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who stopped reading …

I agree that the heavily used thesaurus renderings of the first few books were an error; however the author seems to have taken note so that each book following is not loaded with archaic verbiage and the storylines are quite enjoyable. Please remember that these are cozy mysteries, so certain leaps during investigation are easily forgiven. The characters continue to develop. The scenes are well set. I very much enjoy the stories, and will continue reading the series to the end. I’m glad I didn’t give up too soon.

[Anna McCormack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery, movement and myth

I was both pleased and irritated by this book. Enjoyed the detective plot and police characterisation. Enjoyed the mise en scene of how ballet works and ballet dancers live. Didn’t like the written repetition extolling the first corpse. Didn’t like the pushiness of the theme that ballet aspires to a plane above ordinary humanity (which may, or may not, ameliorate abusive behaviour). That said, this is the first DI Markham book I’ve read, and I will look for others.

[Zala · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book started off really well, I was sure I'd end up reading the entire series. At the end, my feelings are different. I would have given this 2 stars but for the ending. What was that deus exe machina resolution? No. Also, I did not like any of the characters, all of them were stereotypical or archetypal. And the comments about some of them were just plain insulting when they were meant to be comments without emotional inflections..

[Kim Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was much better. DI Markham back to his best! I actually thought this was quite spooky in places and found myself jumping at noises in the house as I was reading it. My only criticism of this was that the author seemed to have some funny ideas about ballet dancers. But it all made for an excellent plot and a quite unnerving read. I couldn't put it down and in fact read it all in one day.

[Diane E]

Quite a puzzle

The Nutcracker ballet is to be performed soon. Unfortunately , the choreographer is found murdered in the basement . Then the costume mistress . Then the ballet master . Took some doing but the team eventually found the right clues .
Decently edited . I found the writing a bit pompous and stuffy at times .

[M. White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner

I think what I like best about Catherine Moloney 's writing is her character development. By the time you finish a book you know exactly who everyone is and can predict how they will act. Team this with clever plots and you're set for a great reading adventure. I highly recommend this series.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Choreographer was murdered not well liked by some, and had sexually mates that brought about jealousy and greed. In this the murder count rises as Markham plays both sides to figure out what happening.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this series my favorite....

[Nick Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good thriller that also gives a interesting look on the inside of a ballet company. Well done, again.

[Lynn Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slightly more complicated plot but entertaining none the less.

DI Gil Markham at his best, with his colleagues all doing their bit. Another good story, well worth a read.

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of the least interesting books I have ever read. I suggest you skip it.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadly...Predictable

That is the best so can say...my review is to short. I cannot hit submit. Ok.. Read he book. Enjoy it or nit.

[Tracey S Choat · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1\2 stars

Too much ballet. Found the descriptions tedious. I do enjoy this series but I couldn't finish this one. I will try to read the next one...

[Anne Regula · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read

This book had many twists and turns until the very end. It held your interest until the very last page.

[Graham Tallents · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cracking murder mystery for D I Markham and his team. With a rising body count and too many suspects to poke a stick at,this one will keep you guessing up to the end. Well worth reading.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bromsgrove. Ballet choreographer George Baranov is discovered dead. But he will only be the first death in the company. DI Markham and his team investigate.
An entertaining modern mystery

[Carole Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think it helped that I knew something about ballet. I could visualise all the moves and dance routines. Had to keep picking it up every time I sat down. Great main characters.

[Joanna Larum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifth in the DI Gil Markham mysteries and, although it would read well as a stand-alone, I would recommend reading them in order so as to flesh out the characters.
This time, Markham is called to a theatre where the choreographer, George Baranov, of the ballet, The Nutcracker, has been stabbed and had a mask put on his face. Markham investigates and reveals a world where jealousy and spite seem to reign supreme as the dancers and the back-stage members fight among each other for supremacy. The theatre has endless hidden places and props are scattered everywhere. Baranov seems to have been highly manipulative, playing one person off against another, and it is no surprise that someone had finally had all they could take of this sort of behaviour.
Markham and DS Noakes have to investigate the murder while the ballet company carries on with its rehearsals and, as more members of the cast are killed, the number of suspects seems to rise rather than fall.
The plot has been well crafted and the writing style is exceptionally good, keeping the reader on the edge of the seat but I did find Markham's attitude slightly irritating at times. He absorbs the cultural atmosphere and becomes all 'arty and literary' which I felt detracted from the story. Altogether, this is a riveting read and one which encourages me to read more from this author.

[EILEEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

CRIME IN THE BALLET Introduces a heart stopping mystery, the shock mounting, ever-increasing apprehension permeating the atmosphere until suspicion and dread abound. Harrowing suspense makes the pages fly by.

CRIME IN THE BALLET IS A MUST READ!

[Dr GS Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing

It was a struggle to finish. The characters are stereotypical and the plot clumsy. The endless quotations do not add to the storyline but seem more of an ego trip for the author.

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good story

Another good story in the series.Never having been to the ballet or had any interest in it, I struggled at times with the characters and their roles. I will however be reading any more books in the series.

[Carol Hatch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twists and turns

A good story line with lots of twists and turns, lots of well-developed characters and lots to love for ballet devotees.

[MRS R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'mGood read

This 5th book was every bit as good as the other four couldn't put it down until I saw who did the murders quite a surprise