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Dancing with Mr. D. |
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| Dancing with Mr. D. by L  isa KleinholzAvon Books ISBN 0061014125 December 2000 Reviewed by Susan McBride Read our review of Exiles on Main Street Read our author interview In last year's Exiles on Main Street, the debut mystery by Lisa Kleinholz, the death of a Cambodian refugee is at the heart of the story. Perhaps a serious theme by amateur sleuth standards but absorbing nonetheless, probably more so because of Kleinholz's wonderful protagonist Zoe Szabo - a reporter in tiny Greymont, Massachusetts who's hardly your typical New Englander. A former Rolling Stone writer and occasional rock groupie, Zoe's business attire consists of metallic miniskirts and rhinestone-studded shoes, not to mention spiky platinum hair with a fuchsia stripe. Zoe's back and as unconventional as ever in Dancing with Mr. D., which combines the return of a rock diva with environmental issues. Astrange combination to be sure, but Kleinholz ties them together in a plot that's sure to keep you guessing. When green activist Cassandra Dunne apparently falls to her death during a night spent "protesting" in the boughs of an old tree, most of the Greymont community seems relieved. She was shrill, they tell Zoe, and her causes were often lost in her overzealousness. The animosity toward Cassandra and the pending autopsy convince Zoe that there was foul play involved. Compounding her investigation of the case is a tense situation at home, when her husband takes off to record new music with former rock diva and former lover Vivi Cairo. Only Zoe discovers ties between the record's producer and Cassandra, which leads her unearthing secrets from the past, putting her own life in danger. There is a force of energy behind Zoe Szabo, a sweetness mixed with strength that sets her apart from other amateur sleuths. Kleinholz has a style that's as unique as her protagonist, drawing the reader in quickly, holding one captive until the last note. Fans of Exiles on Main Street will find Dancing with Mr. D. equally provocative. I'm anxious to see what's up next for Zoe. |
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