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Book Review By Mayra Calvani
Death of a Dancer by S.H. Baker

After having left New Orleans about a year ago, Marshall's Bayou's Chief of Police Dassas Cormier returns to this city for a short visit with his nephew. Though he loves its lively jazz musicians and hum of streetcars, the place brings back dark haunting memories: not long ago, while still a police officer for the New Orleans Police Department, he had shot an innocent woman by mistake, an event that has left him permanently scarred for life.

However, what was meant to be a pleasant stay soon turns into a nightmare when Cormier learns that his dear friend Cherry Blossom, a sweet and kind dancer who once had quite literally saved his life, was murdered, shot twice in her bedroom.

Cormier makes a pledge: to find her killer and bring him or her to justice.

Although a man already has been arrested, after a short interrogation with him Cormier believes this suspect is innocent of the crime. His investigations soon led him to realize that Cherry's death goes beyond a simple murder. His former partner and best friend Ty Fuller seems to know more than he's willing to admit, an emerald necklace has disappeared, a federal agent is following Cormier, and Josiah Powers, one of the most influential mean in the city, soon to run for major, seems to be connected with the murder.


Told in the first person, this is a cozy mystery set in 1920's New Orleans.






Plot & Themes
Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Challenging
Time/era of story:
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 90%
Murder of certain profession?
Misc. Murder Plotlets - solving long-past murder - Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
descript. of violence and chases - 10 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 40's-50's

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - power
The antagonists are: - big business leader(s)
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Deep South
Misc setting - fancy mansion

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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