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kishab's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I really enjoyed this and if you like any kind of detective show I think you would like it too. In Death of a Dancing Queen we follow Billie a rookie P.I hired to find a missing college student, but the case has some eerie similarities to a murder that took place in 1991. There’s a lot going on in Billies personal life and her case just keeps snowballing into something bigger. We have rival gang families, stolen diamonds, returning ex boyfriends and more. I liked Billie as a character and although she made some mistakes (why does she never have backup?!) she was pretty savvy. She’s described as being similar to Veronica Mars, which I haven’t seen but the comparison makes me want to watch it. The overall story did have a lot to it, and a lot of moving pieces but I thought it all wrapped up nicely. Nothing felt too extraneous and I’m excited for the next book now that we have all this groundwork out of the way.
Thanks to Datura Books, NetGalley and Kimberly G. Giarratano for this e-copy!
narratricenessa's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
3.0
Death of a Dancing Queen is a riveting fast-paced murder mystery/thriller with an intriguing and gutsy female main character at the helm of the story.
What made Death of a Dancing Queen stand out from a sea of crime novels were the victims and their backgrounds, in addition to the novel's protagonist and her family circumstances. It was interesting to read how Billie Levine (the novel's main character) navigates the news of her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis and handles the fear that she also might have inherited the disease as she works on the case and tries to be there for her family.
As I previously mentioned, the murder victims of the novel and their backgrounds were intriguing. I enjoyed how the author used true crime podcasts and the interest they generated and worked it into the plot. Although Death of a Dancing Queen is not exactly a revolution in the crime/mystery/thriller genre it will be an entertaining read for readers who enjoy fast-paced murder mysteries, filled with family secrets, organised crime and strong, gutsy and flawed female main characters.
What made Death of a Dancing Queen stand out from a sea of crime novels were the victims and their backgrounds, in addition to the novel's protagonist and her family circumstances. It was interesting to read how Billie Levine (the novel's main character) navigates the news of her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis and handles the fear that she also might have inherited the disease as she works on the case and tries to be there for her family.
As I previously mentioned, the murder victims of the novel and their backgrounds were intriguing. I enjoyed how the author used true crime podcasts and the interest they generated and worked it into the plot. Although Death of a Dancing Queen is not exactly a revolution in the crime/mystery/thriller genre it will be an entertaining read for readers who enjoy fast-paced murder mysteries, filled with family secrets, organised crime and strong, gutsy and flawed female main characters.
bibliosarah's review
2.0
honestly, I was excited for a book with a Jewish PI, but there was just way too much going on. I found myself wanting to get to the end, for the book to be over. Almost did not finish a few times, purely because Billie, and some of the writing, was a bit irritating. I liked the twist at the end however, but it’s not enough for me to want to recommend this book
becca_todaro's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A delightful PI mystery, just a tad too long for me
ewormuth's review against another edition
3.0
This book was okay, but I didn't seem to get caught up in it. I sometimes lost track of a plot point or character, which may be more me than the book. I found the main character interesting, but her life had so many complications* -- it was all a bit much. I know that it's first in a series and that she's leaving some things suspended until the next novel, but overall I was left feeling kind of meh.
Spoiler*
-- mother's Alzheimers (and her fear thereof); disappeared dad; bipolar, ex-junkie, gay brother, drunken Grandpa, etc. etc.
Spoiler*
-- mother's Alzheimers (and her fear thereof); disappeared dad; bipolar, ex-junkie, gay brother, drunken Grandpa, etc. etc.
jakewritesbooks's review
4.0
CW: This book has a tragic trans angle. I won't spoil how and while I think the writer handled it well enough, it still touches on some worn tropes that could be hard for some. Please be warned.
They say that if you like to write, write a book you'd want to read. I had no hand in writing Death of a Dancing Queen, obviously, but by-and-large this is a book I'd want to write: interesting PI character, well-described setting, villains of both the regular- and underworlds respectively. Throw in a plot that never loses momentum and this is a solid first novel.
I just started working in New Jersey this year and I don't know it well so this was a bit of a tourist read for me. Kimberly G. Giarratano knows her space well (at least as far as I gather) and she really brings the suburban sprawl and first tier urbanism to life. She leans into the Jerseyness of it without it being over-the-top. The only other writer I've found who can do that effectively is Wallace Stroby.
While I did enjoy this greatly, the content note above gave me pause. I don't want to dock it a star, I want it to be graceful. I also don't know the author's orientation; I'm assuming cis but idk. But if she is: can cis folk please just leave trans folk alone in literature? I get the very good intent of this book but still, the way it plays out leaves a lot to be desired.
At any rate, I'm trying not to let it spoil what was otherwise a fun mystery.
They say that if you like to write, write a book you'd want to read. I had no hand in writing Death of a Dancing Queen, obviously, but by-and-large this is a book I'd want to write: interesting PI character, well-described setting, villains of both the regular- and underworlds respectively. Throw in a plot that never loses momentum and this is a solid first novel.
I just started working in New Jersey this year and I don't know it well so this was a bit of a tourist read for me. Kimberly G. Giarratano knows her space well (at least as far as I gather) and she really brings the suburban sprawl and first tier urbanism to life. She leans into the Jerseyness of it without it being over-the-top. The only other writer I've found who can do that effectively is Wallace Stroby.
While I did enjoy this greatly, the content note above gave me pause. I don't want to dock it a star, I want it to be graceful. I also don't know the author's orientation; I'm assuming cis but idk. But if she is: can cis folk please just leave trans folk alone in literature? I get the very good intent of this book but still, the way it plays out leaves a lot to be desired.
At any rate, I'm trying not to let it spoil what was otherwise a fun mystery.
envyayonna's review
5.0
I'm not usually one to write reviews but I had to take a moment and share my thoughts. The author puts the reader in a real life role as a PI, there is a whirlwind of details and once you think you have an answer, you're dropped and filled with even more questions than you previously had. There was a really good balance between the storyline of getting the backstory of characters as well as keeping you engaged with the main plot. Highly recommend.
melanieeee12's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. At the beginning, I got strong Veronica Mars vibes, but not once did it feel like it was copying the show. The show is actually mentioned in the book and that gave me a good chuckle. The book kept my mind going from start to finish, with so many twists and turn.
Definitely recommend for anyone that enjoys Whodunit styles of reading.
Definitely recommend for anyone that enjoys Whodunit styles of reading.
wlbolm's review
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
daftlikejack's review
3.0
This book was lacking something for me. I liked Billie for the most part and majority of the characters were well rounded. The mysteries were flat and kind of hard to keep straight at times but I was able too. I also could not get over the absurdity of an olive oil black market. I mean with the money involved it made sense but also just was so ridiculous at the same time. Overall the book was just fine, kind of boring and pretty depressing most of the time.