May 2026 - They Don't Dance Much > Likes and Comments

Some books fade away. Others just wait in the dark. They Don't Dance Much by James Ross is one of them—a lean, ruthless noir that fits perfectly into our May theme, Forgotten in the Shadows, where we dig up overlooked crime novels that never got their due. Published in 1940 and nearly lost for decades, it’s the kind of book that reminds you how much great noir is still hiding just out of sight.

Ross himself is a bit of a mystery, which only adds to the novel’s aura. Born in North Carolina, he worked a variety of jobs—including journalism and political writing—and published only this one novel before fading from the literary scene. For years, They Don’t Dance Much existed more as a rumor than a staple: passed between readers, occasionally resurfacing, and championed by writers like Daniel Woodrell, who recognized in it a raw, unvarnished strain of noir that stood shoulder to shoulder with better-known works. That sense of near-erasure—and rediscovery—makes it a perfect fit for our “Forgotten in the Shadows” theme.

Set in a small Southern town during the Depression, the novel follows a drifting outsider who takes a job and quickly finds himself caught up in something darker than he bargained for. The setup is deceptively simple, but what unfolds is less about plot mechanics and more about momentum—how one bad decision leads to another, how lines get crossed almost without noticing, and how quickly a situation can spiral once there’s no clean way out. It’s a style that invites comparisons to Cain, but Ross brings a quieter, more ironic tone to the material, letting events accumulate with an almost casual sense of inevitability.

What makes They Don’t Dance Much especially worth reading—and discussing—is how it captures the essence of noir without any of the usual trappings. No big-city streets, no private eyes, no elaborate schemes—just people, circumstance, and the slow tightening of a trap that may have been there from the start. It’s a novel that asks us to consider not just what happens, but how and why people let things happen, and what that says about responsibility, complicity, and the thin line between drifting and choosing. In other words, exactly the kind of book that thrives in the shadows—and rewards being brought back into the light.



Here's Ross looking slightly surprised, as though he hadn't expected me to actually locate a photo of him. There aren't many.

Also, below is a link to an interesting essay about Ross and They Don't Dance Much. There is a plot summary with a lot of spoilers halfway through so beware if you're sensitive to that.

SPOILERS - https://web.archive.org/web/201407241...

Who will be joining this group read? I already have my copy...

The 1968 Southern Illinois University Press edition, in their Lost American Fiction series, with an Afterword by George V. Higgins, is available to read for free at the Open Library.

I didn’t vote because I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to participate, but I would have voted for this title, although liking the other three also (all four books represent new authors for me). Lost novels and authors have an inherent appeal. I am pretty hopeless at the schedules of group reads, but I will try to dig in here.

Patrick wrote: "I didn’t vote because I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to participate, but I would have voted for this title, although liking the other three also (all four books represent new authors for me). Lost ..."

That's great, Patrick. We'd love to see you in the discussion.

Patrick wrote: "The 1968 Southern Illinois University Press edition, in their Lost American Fiction series, with an Afterword by George V. Higgins, is available to read for free at the Open Library."

Thank you, I never check out the Open Library. Good to know!

I think I'll be sitting this one out - not due to the book, but I have so much planned to read in May, and still a lot in April won't finish and am catching up with.

I just ordered a copy of this one. It's been a while since I've participated in one of these discussions. I'm a big fan of classic noir. Thank you for pointing out a writer and a book I hadn't heard of. I should have my book in a few days. Looking forward to discussing it with you all.

I don't know how I will be able to finish the books I have lined up for April, they will probably spill over into May, but the book does sound tempting

I have my copy and am looking forward to this. As soon as I finish Dutch Uncle, a Hard Case Crime book, i'll get this underway.

Lots of participants so far. I love it! Anyone else in?

So, once I got started reading this one, I had to read the whole thing. Took me three days. The writing is excellent, especially the dialog, which has a kind of frankness and flavor that's missing from contemporary literature and speech. I don't want to spoil anything, but this book reads like a collaboration between Jim Thompson and Flannery O'Connor--which is to say, it's very good. I read a lot of noir, and I still can't believe I hadn't heard of this one.

Andrew wrote: "So, once I got started reading this one, I had to read the whole thing. Took me three days. The writing is excellent, especially the dialog, which has a kind of frankness and flavor that's missing ..."

I'm glad to hear you liked it, Andrew! The discussion will start next week in earnest, but we'll probably try to keep it spoiler free for a couple weeks until more people have a chance to read it.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the read so far. I know I am. I'm about a third of the way into it. I've found the beginning to be fairly slow in terms of setting up the plot but it's also maintaining my interest, mostly through the observations of the narrator.

How is everyone else finding it so far?

The novel is often compared to the work of writers like James M. Cain, even though Ross supposedly turned up his nose at the comparison. Does anyone else see the similarities?

There's some similarity to Cain, in that the characters don't have a lot opportunity or pretension, and that they live and work in a place where there's lots of opportunity to get into trouble.

Cain's prose is more stark and bare, especially in The Postman Always Rings Twice. His characters also seem more like outcasts, while the characters in this book definitely seem to have a place (though not a high one) in the social order.

Ross' dialog is more colorful than Cain's, but I can definitely see how people would draw parallels between the two writers. It's a shame that Ross didn't seem to like being compared to Cain. I think most other writers would take it as a compliment.

By the way, Hard Case Crime managed to piece together and publish one final book by Cain, The Cocktail Waitress, and it's a good one. Definitely worth a read.

Andrew wrote: "There's some similarity to Cain, in that the characters don't have a lot opportunity or pretension, and that they live and work in a place where there's lots of opportunity to get into trouble...."

Great observations, Andrew. I definitely see the Cain comparisons in the themes and setup, although I agree that Cain’s prose has a sharper, more stripped-down quality to it. Ross feels looser and more conversational to me, which gives the book its own personality even if it sometimes drifts a bit.

Is everyone starting to wrap up the book? I’d be curious to hear where people ultimately landed on it. Did the novel tighten its grip on you as it went along, or did it remain more observational and detached throughout? And where would you place it in the noir landscape — forgotten masterpiece, overlooked curiosity, or something in between?

New to the group and I just finished it - late I know. I think it's really good, but quite as good as Cain or William Gay who it also reminded me off. The voice and writing are both consistent, and the detailed observations make for an immersive read. I don't mind that it takes a while to get going, but I didn't feel the full sense of danger or doom that the best books have (and indeed that isn't exactly how it ends). Really good book though, and an excellent choice.

J wrote: "New to the group and I just finished it - late I know. I think it's really good, but quite as good as Cain or William Gay who it also reminded me off. The voice and writing are both consistent, and..."

Welcome to the group, J, and thanks for jumping right into the monthly read and discussion! I think a few of us landed in a similar place with this one: really appreciating the atmosphere, voice, and authenticity of the setting while also feeling like it never quite tightened the screws emotionally the way the very best noir does. The comparisons to Cain seem unavoidable, but I can definitely see the William Gay connection too — that sense of rural decay, hard lives, and people making bad decisions almost as a matter of course.

One thing I’ve found interesting in the discussion so far is how many readers admire the book more than they fully love it. Did everyone else feel that same slight emotional distance from the material, or did the detached tone actually make the story more effective for you? Curious to hear where others landed now that more people are wrapping it up.

I’m actually just going to be starting this over the weekend. I live my life behind schedule in almost all respects.

I don't mind the detached tone - normally I probably prefer it, but I did feel the same emotional distance as others.

It's not a question of stakes. Smut is dangerous and Jack might go down for the murders, but the tension never quite builds. First person can be limiting that way - we're not going to pop into Smut or Fisher's heads - to feel worried on Jack's behalf when he is a bit detached in his reporting.

Mayabe the detached prose is perfect for observation of others and revealing them slowly, but immediate danger needs a bit more first-person emotion to be fully effective?

There is something else it could be if this is a general feeling. Despite the dangers, Jack never suffers a real reversal - he gets from the farm to the roadhouse very easily, manages to get by without landing in Jail and Smut doesn't hurt him that badly, so there is no specific fall that offsets his stoic persona.

Also, I'm wary that that's too much analysis of an enjoyable, very accomplished, book.

J wrote: "...Also, I'm wary that that's too much analysis of an enjoyable, very accomplished, book."

I don't think so at all, J. Those are great observations. It's quite alright to enjoy a read and still be able to discuss it critically. In fact, I think those make the best discussions.

Chad wrote: "I’m actually just going to be starting this over the weekend. I live my life behind schedule in almost all respects."

No worries! The calendar flips to June tomorrow and our read of Aground by Charles Williams will be officially underway (and I hope you all join us) but this discussion, like all of our group read discussions, will remain open for future comments.