Death Dance

Written by Linda Fairstein

Narrated by Barbara Rosenblat

New York Times bestselling author Linda Fairstein takes readers behind the scenes of New York City's theater world -- from Lincoln Center to the lights of Broadway -- in a riveting novel, rich with her trademark blend of cutting-edge legal issues, skillful detective work, and heart-stopping suspense.

Teaming up with longtime friends -- NYPD's Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace -- Assistant DA Alex Cooper investigates the disappearance of world-famous dancer Natalya Galinova, who has suddenly vanished backstage at Lincoln Center's Metropolitan Opera House -- during a performance.

The three colleagues are soon drawn into the machinations of New York City's secretive theatrical community, where ambition takes many forms, including those most deadly. Among Galinova's lovers is Joe Berk, the colorful, strong-willed boss of the Berk Organization, one of four family companies that own all the legitimate theaters on Broadway. The aging ballerina was using Berk to help revive her career at the time of her disappearance.

Cooper, Chapman, and Wallace go underground and backstage at the Met, explore Berk's unusual apartment on top of the Belasco Theatre with its rumored ghostly resident, and then discover bizarre circumstances at City Center, which has a peculiar history not one of them knew about until now.

Within the glamorous but sordid inner sanctums of the Broadway elite, the team confronts the ruthless power brokers who control both the stars and the stages where they appear. They meet Joe's niece Mona Berk, who is mounting a vicious campaign to extract her share of the family fortune, and stunning starlet Lucy DeVore, whose beauty may be her fatal undoing. Chet Dobbis is the artistic director of the Metropolitan Opera, and therefore privy to the most scandalous exploits among its famous inhabitants. He also knows every inch of the labyrinthine building into which the ballerina disappeared...

Meanwhile, Alex is working on a very different case, using a creative technique to nab a physician who has been drugging women in order to assault them. As Dr. Selim Sengor eludes capture, Alex must navigate the new investigative world of DFSA -- drug-facilitated sexual assault -- intent on proving him guilty.

Complicating her quest is the explosive legal and ethical dilemma of using the existing DNA databank to solve new cases. Can Alex convince a judge to let her prosecute a man for a violent crime using DNA that was collected for a prior case in which he was never charged? Or do the suspect's civil rights prevent law enforcement from keeping his DNA on file to be used against him at any future time?

Death Dance is a spellbinding thriller combining a former prosecutor's fresh insight into hot-button legal issues with the unique history and spectacle of New York theater, and its shocking twists make this novel Linda Fairstein's most chilling adventure yet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Mar 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781442342620

Linda Fairstein

Linda Fairstein was chief of the Sex Crimes Unit of the district attorney's office in Manhattan for more than two decades and is America's foremost legal expert on sexual assault and domestic violence. Her Alexandra Cooper novels are international bestsellers and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. She lives in Manhattan and on Martha's Vineyard.

Reviews for Death Dance

[nodosaurus · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is another in the series of Alexandra Cooper. She is investigating the apparent suicide of a ballerina at the NY Met. Unfortunately, she isn't someone the reader cares about, nor are the incidental characters. Most are flat and uninteresting, although there is some interest in a few of the interactions. The book opened with a drug-rape scene and its ensuing courtroom actions. The judge was a mysogenist, although way over the top. He was too extreme to be believable as a character. Although probably within the realm of reality, he was too much for a book. This plot line was more interesting and more appropriate for Alexandra. Unfortunately it was a subplot and happened in the background and was resolved without much interest. Overall the story felt flat. It wasn't a bad mystery, but just barely held my interest.

[carpe_librum · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I've read by this author, who led the sex Crimes Unit of the DAs Office in Manhattan for 25 years before becoming a writer.Despite a promising plug by James Patterson on the front, this book wasn't nearly as gripping as a typical JP book. However, I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in theatre and especially the magical behind-the-scenes world of Broadway. This book contained a fabulous insight into the world of musicals and theatres including the history and politics of the industry.

[macjest · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my first exposure to Linda Fairsteins's Alex Cooper books. Murder at the Met! Very good and very interesting. Her writing intrigued me enough to go out and look for the rest of the books in the series.

[drapple_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love all of Linda Fairstein's New York City mysteries. Each gives you a little history on the city and its great buildings and locales. This was not one of my favorites, however. The mystery involves a murdered prima ballerina, Broadway producers, and a young actress. We get to learn a lot about Lincoln Center and Broadway. It is a solid mystery, which keeps you guessing, and the character develop is, as always, thorough and engaging. I think I just wasn't too fond of the focus of this particular book.

[christineellei · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I started reading Fairstein's books with the first of the series. I am at the point now where I will continue to read them because I am involved with the characters and want to see where their lives take them. However, the books are becoming a little cookie cutter. On a positive note NYC is one of my favourite places to visit and her books, up to now, have all taken place at various venues in that city. Through reading them I have had the pleasure of visiting some places in NYC I may not have gone to (the Cloisters, for instance), except that her books made them sound interesting and they were.

[kathy89_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Alexandra Cooper, Mike and Mercer solve the murder of a ballerina at the Met. The relationship between the three main characters was more interesting than the crime. Had the usual elements -- threat to Alex, protection, chase. Just not as good as the others in the series.

[jlouise77_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was ok. It was a very slow read and not much action. I also didnt really care for some of the characters, they were a little on the cheesy side. I dont think I would recommend this book.

[debnance_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

How can I fairly judge Death Dance? Though I once read only books, it is rare now that I read a mystery. Last year, out of the 158 books that I read, only two were mysteries.So what would make me, a rare mystery reader, pick up this book? The same things that would make me pick up any book. I look for characters that interest me and a story that is compelling. The blurb on the back offers up the story in a way that appeals to me; I was intrigued by the idea of dancers. That's enough for me to pick up the book, but it's not enough to keep me reading. To keep me in the book, the author has to surprise me. Death Dance did not surprise me. I forced myself to read through the book, but it felt more like assigned reading than pleasure.

[bookmarque · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Why was Alex part of this investigation? There was no sex crime involved with the death of Galinova. The DA just assigned her to it because she asked, which seems really dumb since she probably had a lot of other work she could have done. I didn’t buy the fact that she was necessary.And I didn’t really care about the dead woman. No effort was made to help me to do so, either. She was written as shrill, manipulative and uncaring woman past her prime, still grasping at some sort of fame. I think I would have killed her, too. In the end, it was Mona and Mona’s boyfriend who killed her, but I can’t remember why. Probably money.I did enjoy the subplot revolving around the doctor who drugs women so he can rape them while they are unconscious. He was a guy worth writing about and I felt sympathy for the victims of that case. But it was just a subplot and not given much ink.The friendship between Alex and her investigators is fun to read about and almost seems like it could be real. Almost. The smooth way they fit their lives together and the non-sexual banter is really false. They’re always finding some swanky restaurant to eat in, or a bar just in time to hear Final Jeopardy or flitting off to Alex’s house on the Vinyard. It seems a little too slick, but comforting somehow. Even a fictional perfect world is that, I guess.

[skinglist · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A decent Alex Cooper mystery, but they're all getting samey. Only question is how Alex is going to get herself into trouble and who's getting her out of it. Interesting twists this book: Mike's recovery and Dan Bolin, unfortunately the latter disappeared as quickly as he was mentioned.I liked that this was partially set at the Met, I know City Center and am curious as to whether any of this is true. I think that's what the best about Linda Fairstein's stories, the "other" New York.

[jepeters333 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Asst DA Alexandra Cooper has always been fascinated by the stage, especially the Metropolitan Opera. When a world-renowned Russian Ballerina is murdered at the Met shortly after her performance, Cooper quickly launches into an investigation, eager to go deep behind the scenes. But she soon discovers that the clues - and the suspects - are as complex as the corridors that zigzag throughout the great opera house.

[briony_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoy Linda Fairsteins books, and this was no exception.

[edwardsgt · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An Alexandra Cooper, head of the sex crimes unit in NY, novel. This time set at the Met Opera.