Dead on the Dance Floor

by Heather Graham

Dead on the Dance Floor by Heather Graham released on Jan 25, 2005 is available now for purchase.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 23, 2004

About the author

Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

Reviews

[Floripiquita · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5. Primer libro que he leído de esta autora dentro del #RetoRita2 #RitaGraham y puedo decir que no es para mí. Esta novela en concreto me parece que se ha quedado antigua, la historia de amor no me ha acabado de convencer y la trama de suspense trata de despistar con varios sospechosos y vueltas y más vueltas sobre lo mismo, hasta hacer que te importe un pimiento el culpable con tal de que se acabe. No es horripilante, pero tampoco nada memorable.
Y la versión en español del KU tiene erratas y fallos de edición, con lo que imaginad mi descontento.

[Ana María · Rating 2 out of 5]

#RetoRita2 #RetoGraham
Novela de suspense romántico contemporánea.
Una estrella del baile de salón, Lara Trudeau, cae desplomada bailando en medio de una competencia. La autopsia dice que murió por un paro cardíaco provocado por una mezcla de barbitúricos y alcohol. Caso cerrado. Pero varios sospechan de que no es posible. Para Lara, su cuerpo era un templo, nunca hubiera hecho es cóctel a propósito. Además, era una arpía, pocas personas se apenaron de su muerte.
Todo sucede en Miami, en el marco de una academia de baile de salón (vals, mambo, foxtrot y esas cosas) en la que el policía Doug O'Casey era alumno y amante ocasional de Lara. Él sospecha de la muerte, por eso convoca a su hermano Quinn, detective privado y ex FBI, para que tome unas clases en la academia e investigue encubierto. Otras muertes extrañas ocurrieron cerca de la academia y Quinn se acercará a una de las principales sospechosas Sharon Mackay, gerente y profesora del lugar y enemiga de Lara. Todo se complica cuando Sharon comienza a sentirse acechada.
Y ya se imaginan, entre Quinn y Sharon pasarán cosas.

Qué puedo decir. ¿Es posible que con semejante argumento esta historia me pareció aburrida, sosa y difícil de terminar?
Podría haber sido un thriller espectacular, pero no. 2 estrellas
No sé si es porque durante la primera mitad de la novela no pasa nada (recordemos que no existe ninguna prueba de que Lara haya sido asesinada, por lo que todo son dudas y sospechas digamos, emocionales) o que el ambiente de los bailes de salón no me atrae demasiado, o lo que sea, pero no me atrapó a pesar de los protagonistas atractivos y con química.
Sinceramente, la terminé por el reto Rita 2.0 que está por vencer. Si no, la hubiera abandonado.
Reconozco que en los últimos capítulos hubo más acción y se puso más interesante.
Aunque había que llegar hasta ahí.
Ah, dos escenas hot intensas aunque poco descriptivas.
Saludos

[Tanya 313 · Rating 3 out of 5]

TGB Pick - I started off really enjoying this - it made me want to re-watch all the classic dance movies, and I was ready to rate it 4⭐️, but it suffered from being too long, and having a really cheesy ending (even for me!). I never want to hear the term pooper-scooper again.

[Jaime Barfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this novel. The suspense and feel of "whodunnit" always pleases me. I became very invested in Shannon's character and I enjoyed the explanations of the different dances that were included in the storyline. Quinn is an easy character to like and want to slap at the same time. I truly do love Graham's books and look forward to finding more I haven't read.

[Katrina Alexander · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I usually like the fast pace of Heather Graham books, but this book wasn't like that. I kept expecting the book to pick up, but even the suspenseful scenes didn't feel very nerve-wracking. I kept checking the number of pages left and wondering how the story was going to make it. It's definitely not my favorite compared to other books by this author.

[Ashley Rosen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt like nothing happened for the first 300 pages and then the whole story was crammed into the last 50 pages. I was disappointed because I usually enjoy her books a lot.

[Lara Kile · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love heather graham but this book was slow for me

[Abra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. My favorite thing is that I didn't guess who did it. Once it is revealed, it could have been anyone and it felt like Ms. Graham picked a character out of a hat and went with them.

Shannon manages a dance studio in South Beach. At a competition one of the dance studio's coaches dies on the dance floor from an overdose of prescription drugs and alcohol. A few months earlier a student had died from the same combination. Quinn, a private investigator who used to be a cop and also worked for the FBI, is approached by his brother Doug. Doug is also a cop and he's been taking lessons at Shannon's studio. Not only that, he was sleeping with the dead coach. Doug feels that something is going on even though the police are considering the deaths accidents. Quinn starts taking lessons himself so he can figure out what is going on. Shannon is his instructor and is at first irritated by his questions, but she eventually starts to have feelings for him. That doesn't stop her from being pissed when she finds out that he's investigating her and the dance studio. I think that Ms. Graham handled the inevitable confrontation very well.

I like Ms. Graham's writing style. It's very factual and without a lot of hyperbole. There's no endless obsessing on the hero's butt, for example.

[Kimber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in South Beach, Florida, this novel begins with the very public death of a competitive ballroom dancer who collapses on the dance floor while performing during a competition. Although the death is not ruled a homicide, those who were close to the dancer suspect foul play. Doug, an amateur dancer who took lessons at the studio the dead dancer was affiliated with, asks his brother, Quinn, an ex-FBI agent and current private investigator to look into the death. Quinn very reluctantly agrees to take some beginner dance lessons in order to check the place out without raising any questions from staff.

Shannon manages the dance studio, and becomes Quinn's instructor. Shannon has her own strong suspicions that the death of her fellow dancer was not an accident, and Shannon also fears she may be the killer's next target. Romantic sparks fly as Quinn and Shannon dig deeper into the case.

This whodunit started a little slow for me, but the pace picked up as the story moved along. I enjoyed the ballroom aspect and all of the characters that are introduced. The author offers up many possible suspects who could be the killer and keeps the reader guessing until the end.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, murder, mystery, and was a bit nostalgic for me, considering it was set in South Florida. And as someone who grew up watching dance shows every now and then, it was fun to have a murder mystery set in that world. The pacing was a bit off at times and the book would’ve benefited from some rigorous content editing to pare it down. However, it was still a solid read, and while I kind of predicted where the story was going, the whodunnit made sense, but also could’ve been anybody and I wouldn’t have been surprised.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dancers were dropping like flies...

Shannon, a dance instructor in south Florida, is concerned after two other instructors are found dead under mysterious circumstances. She suspects either an instructor or the owner is the killer. Quinn, a private investigator, starts protecting her so she isn't the next victim. Several dance contests later, there are two additional murders. The bodies are piling up. Can Quinn and Shannon discover the killer and prevent further mayhem?

[Marcy Braid · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK. Like all Heather Graham’s books she tends to say the same things over and over. Leads to boredom. And I did guess who did it way before the last few pages where she finally revealed the killer.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A championship ballroom dancer falls dead during a competition. Is it accidental suicide or very intentional murder? The young cop who'd been having an affair with the older woman asks his P.I. brother, a former FBI agent, to investigate undercover as a new dance student.

[Veronica Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

All about dancing, and murder, and romance. It was a fun read.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.85

[Judy Parker Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book

[Nancy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

[Doris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another early tale penned by Heather Graham. While somewhat long-winded in dialogue, the story is essentially good, with good few surprises and red herrings along the way.

[Marcus Latham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragged a bit but nice twist at the end

[Karen Pawelko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book as I do many other books by this author.

[Essem · Rating 1 out of 5]

Heather Graham got the character she created, Lara Trudeau, murdered.

She also managed to murder the art of writing!

No more Heather Graham books for me!

[BMTZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, the mystery of who dunnit. First time reading a book by this author. Loved the characters!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

[Eleni Konstantine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Dayri Santana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanto, me manticore atrapada, los personajes muy chulos, sentia que los conocía y me mantuve sospechando de todos. Algunas cosas no me gustaron pero igual es un cuatro para mi.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story of honor, brotherhood and love.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked it up as something to read on the bus and got hooked. Started as a basic mystery and got a bit twisty, which was refreshing. The ending was a bit rushed but overall not bad.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not Graham’s best, but a good book nonetheless.

Lara Trudeau, one of the top ballroom dancers, dances her last dance, a spectacular performance, only to wind up dead on the dance floor. Cause: cardiac arrest due to a mix of prescription drugs and alcohol. Most believe it to be an accident, but Shannon doesn’t. Sure, Lara was known to take a pill or two right before a dance to calm her nerves, but she never mixed with alcohol. To Shannon, it doesn’t add up, but everyone else is convinced… all except for Doug O’Casey.

Doug had been sleeping with Lara and doesn’t believe that Lara would have done that to herself either. Being a cop, and everyone at Moonlight Sonata dance studio knows that, he asks his brother, Quinn, to investigate. Quinn, a P.I., doesn’t really want the job - he’s supposed to be on vacation, sees the distress in Doug and reluctantly agrees.

Quinn begins asking questions, seeming innocent, but Shannon is suspicious of him, just as he is suspicious of her. Shannon was previously Ben’s dance partner, but after a broken ankle, Ben had moved on to Lara, eventually marrying her, then divorcing. If anyone would be a suspect of murder, it would be Shannon. But Quinn spends more time with Shannon, becoming convinced it isn’t her, and getting closer to her all the time. He’s falling for her, just as she is for him, and neither are really liking the idea.

I would have never guessed who it was. There were too many possibilities, and at one point, it didn’t make sense. You do get the point at the end, but it still leaves a bad taste. It was like the book was hastily written without any real thought. Surprising just the same.

Enough details of ballroom dancing so that you get the idea of what’s going on. If you watch Dancing with the Stars, you’ll catch on really quick. I do think, however, that the ballroom dancing angle was played just a little bit overboard.

Shannon and Quinn start off hot and heavy and remain that way. Other than the sparks between them, I didn’t feel much spark in the rest of the novel, which would be disappointing for me. I’ve always given Graham’s novels at least a 4-star rating if not a 5 - this one doesn’t deserve that much from me. But I won’t give up on her.

[Joanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good read. Again, I rate my sexy time (romance) novels on a separate scale then the crime novels and others. So a three star for this one if different then a three for say a Clancy novel. That being said................

The main characters were likable. I know more female Quinn's, so the male character having that name threw me a bit. (just a personal thing...no judgment) I also liked how this book had major characters from her other novel playing smaller roles. I am big on books that share characters. (however small their role may be) I also liked the small side story of the street kid making something of herself. Corney, I know, but it was good to see a character in that role NOT end up dead.

What I didn't like as much was how so many characters were thrown at you at once. At times it felt like she just and to introduce everyone at once to get o with the story....so here they are! Also, a little more sexy time would have been nice. I mean...come on....a big part of the reason I'm reading graham is for that. :P

I also had an idea what the scratchy noise was about halfway through the book.

On a really dorky note....I would like to add that this book kind of made me want to take dance lessons.