Marlo's Dance

by Caro Soles

A Merculian Mystery Merculian. A planet of sensuous fun-loving hermaphrodites. A planet where major crime consists of the 3 Ds–drugs, drunk, and disorderly. Marlo Dasha Bogardini, a senior investigator with the Cap City regulators, is shocked when he is called backstage on the final day of a high-profile dance competition. The mangled body of a young dancer has been wedged beneath the set. As he investigates, the trail leads directly to Merculian’s greatest dancer! Soon Marlo’s life and the investigation spin out of control and an unrelenting campaign to discredit him costs him his job. He forges ahead anyway, only to discover that the murder may be connected to a sinister criminal consortium. With two unlikely allies by his side, he uncovers a tangled web of violent crime. Marlo puts it all together but before he can reveal the devastating truth, he's forced to fight for his life! *** Great fun. Marlo’s Dance combines intricate, fascinating, complex world-building with a practical police procedural. I loved getting to know the charming, chubby Marlo Dasha Bogardini, Merculian detective, and his colourful, artistic, sensual world. Marlo’s Dance is the perfect read for both sci-fi fans and crime fiction aficionados. -- Vicki Delany, national bestselling author of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Year Round Christmas mysteries. Marlo’s Dance is a riveting read - a well-plotted police procedural plunked down in the middle of a fully-imagined alien world. The story is propelled along by the delightfully plump, emotional, clever, dually-gendered Detective Marlo, with the added bonus of dancers, drugs, derring-do and skullduggery. I laughed out loud in spots, and fell in love with Marlo, one of the most unique characters I’ve run across in a long time. -- Janet Kellough, best-selling author of The Bathwater Conspiracy and The Thaddeus Lewis Mysteries When a dancer is found dead, Marlo Dasha Bogardini, a Merculian investigator with the Cap City regulators, is called in and the real games begin! Caro Soles has done it again with this clever murder mystery, filled with twists, turns, sexual overtones, and witty undertones. Whether you’re a sci-fi enthusiast, a crime-fiction aficionado, or just love a great story, Marlo’s Dance will not disappoint. -- Desmond P. Ryan, Retired Metro Homicide officer and award-winning author of The Mike O'Shea Crime Fiction Series As Marlo Dasha Borgardini would say, this book is fabulous. A strange planet that somehow feels close to home and a story that pulls first on your brain, and then on your heart. Well done!! -- Mike Martin, award-winning author of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2020

About the author

Caro Soles Bio


My novels include mysteries, erotica, gay lit, the occasional bit of dark fantasy, and science fiction. I received the Derrick Murdoch Award from the Crime Writers of Canada for my work in the mystery field, was short listed for the Lambda Literary Award, the Aurora, and the Stoker Award. I live in Toronto with my long suffering husband, ,and love dachshunds, books, opera and ballet, not necessarily in that order.

And yes, I love to read!

Reviews

[Rosemary McCracken]

A promising young dancer is killed off-stage at a high-profile student competition. What at first appears to be an accident is determined to be a murder, and Marlo Dasha Bogardini, senior investigator with the Cap City regulators, is hot on the trail.
Marlo’s Dance, the fourth of Caro Soles’ Merculian adventures and the first police procedural in the series, is a glorious romp through the flamboyant dance world on a planet peopled by pleasure-loving hermaphrodites. Soles has crafted her alien setting with meticulous attention to detail—from the fabulous garments her characters sport, to the new-age homes they live in, the air-cars they drive, and the food, drink and substances they consume. Her Merculians, and their ex-pat sidekicks, are endearingly human. Their hopes, dreams, fears and setbacks are all relatable. And at the heart of it all is paunchy, unkempt Marlo, the perfect foil for the narcissistic dancers he’s investigating. He forges ahead—bumbling at times—with his inquiry, despite having his efforts sabotaged from all sides.
Rumour has it that two more Marlo books are in the works, so readers will have the pleasure of spending time with this detective again. Soon, please!

[Nancy]

Excellent space opera mystery!