From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Terpsichore, the ancient Greek goddess of dance, must be smiling down from her home on Mt. Helicon at Pall's (Back East) splendid first entry in this cleverly themed series with its insights into the egos, jealousies, pains and passions of a Manhattan ballet company. Juliet Bodine, a successful writer of Regency novels and ex-professor of English literature at Barnard, puts aside her own deadlines to give literary advice to her longtime friend, Ruth Renswick, choreographer for the Jansch Ballet Company of New York, who is creating a new ballet based on Charles Dickens's Great Expectations. A ballet fan herself, Juliet is fascinated by the personalities of the company and the process of creating a new production. When a lead dancer dies suddenly, she's convinced it was murder, but her old Harvard friend, police detective Murray Landis, concludes the death was a suicide. Case closed, but not for Juliet. From the executive director to the lowliest member of the corps, the characters come alive through Juliet's astute observations and the extremely well-crafted dialogue. Vivid settings capture summer in New York, and one can almost feel the heat and steam of the ballet studio. Both mystery fans and ardent balletomanes will be left with great expectations and eager anticipation for the next in the series.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

 

From LIBRARY JOURNAL

In this new series, Regency romance writer Juliet Bodine helps her long-time choreographer friend Ruth Renswick iron out some glitches in a dance production of Great Expectations. Her observant eye also notes a bit of sabotage in the practice room that injures a lead dancer. Murder ensues, threatening to unhinge the production. Events in the practice room helped alleviate Juliet's writer's block, but now she must contend with detectives one of whom happens to be a friend from college days. A wonderful plot, a fascinating look at the world of ballet, and a unique approach to sleuthing recommends this to most collections. Pall is a novelist (Among the Ginzburgs) and freelance journalist.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

 

From THE MYSTERY READER

Regency romance author Juliet Bodine will do almost anything to avoid working on a novel. When old friend and choreographer Ruth Resnwick appeals to Juliet to help translate Dickens's Great Expectations into a sensational new production, Juliet is skeptical, but being at a difficult part in her newest novel, agrees to spend the day with the Jansch Repertory Ballet Troupe.
At first, Juliet feels a bit out of her element, but with some encouragement, she is able to use her keen eye for detail to help Ruth through several difficult transitions. This done, Juliet doesn't expect she'll be needed any longer, but Ruth begs her to return and though she is reluctant to do so, Juliet, ever the true friend, agrees to continue.
Spending more time with the troupe, as well as individual dancers, Julie quickly detects some very complicated relationships. Some members of the troupe have had affairs with several other members: there are jealousies, both personal and professional, and there is tension between the producers, who see the troupe as more traditional ballerinas, and Ruth, who is trying to push the limits and try some more contemporary moves as well.
None of these things seems too serious, until the male lead, Anton Mohr, has a bad fall during rehearsal, a fall that is traced to talc mixed with the resin dancers use to coat their feet with for better traction. Though Anton is not hurt badly, things are soon ratcheted up and within days he is dead. Juliet's keen powers of observation and her position as an objective outsider make her curious enough to start asking questions, the wrong questions of the wrong person that could prove to be curtains for Juliet.
Corpse de Ballet, billed as the first nine muses mystery, is a fast-paced, involved book, with an engaging heroine and a strong supporting company. Despite her success as an author, Juliet appears unsure of herself at times, yet when she is certain of something, or feels strongly, she is able to speak out with confidence, traits that make her seem human. She is a comfortable person and many younger members of the troupe draw her into their confidence easily. She is a very loyal friend to Ruth and fiercely supports her and encourages her.
The plot moves along quickly, as it offers many plausible motives and suspects, while offering the reader a closer look at the inside world of processional dance and theater. The coincidence of Detective Murray Landis being a former college sweetheart of Juliet allows for the possibility of a romantic future, although the issue is not pushed unnaturally. Corpse de Ballet is a strong beginning to what appears to be a long planned series that is sure to appeal to many.
--Jennifer Monahan Winberry

 

From BOOK BROWSER

Reviewer: Harriet Klausner
Reviewed: 4/24/2001
Juliet Cherry, known to her fans as Miss Angelica Kestrel-Haven, is a very popular Regency romance writer. She has her own web site, a fan club, and is a consistent guest speaker on the Regency era. Juliet is a close friend with Ruth Renwick, who is choreographing a new ballet, Great Ex, a rendition of Great Expectations, for the Jansch Ballet Troupe of New York.
Ruth asks Juliet to provide an opinion on the work in progress because her whole career rides on the success of this show. Juliet provides advice as to how to tighten the production. When Anton Mohr slips, Juliet's superior sense of smell catches whiff talc mixed in with the rosin normally used to wipe floors. When Anton dies from an overdose of Ecstasy, Juliet feels a homicide occurred. As she continues to observe the rehearsals, Juliet watches everyone to insure that a killer doesn't walk away from his crimes.
CORPSE DE BALLET gives readers an insider's look at a ballet company from the corps d'esprit to the petty jealousies and all the hard work needed for success. The intrepid heroine uses her olfactory sense to alert the audience that the game is afoot. Her interaction with Ruth adds an extra dimension especially since they also fuss and fight. Ellen Pall has written a delightful mystery.

 

From BOOKSFORABUCK.COM

Juliet Bodine really should be staying at home working on her overdue regency romance, but when her best friend Ruth is having trouble choreographing a new ballet of Dickens' GREAT EXPECTATIONS, Juliet feels compelled to help. Her insights do help Ruth with the dance, but Juliet finds evidence that something suspicious is going on. First the rosen used to prevent the dancers from slipping is sabotaged, then the leading man is drugged. Is it an accidental overdose, or could it be murder. Juliet is sure that it is murder but no one, not even NYPD detective Murray Landis (who Juliet had a crush on when the two were in college) thinks she has a case.
Juliet insists on continuing the investigation while she helps her friend and writes her regency novel at the same time. The novel proves an interesting outlet to Juliet's frustrations as the heroine turns nasty on the hero just as Juliet is getting angry with Murray.
Author Ellen Pall has created a completely convincing ballet troup with all of the jealousy, intrigue, and sweat that you'd expect in such a professional organization. She is equally convincing with her description of the life of a romance author (although precious few regency authors earn enough to afford the lifestyle that Juliet enjoys--note, Pall writes regency novels under the pen name of Fiona Hill). A woman who detects as an excuse to stay away from her writing is a perfectly delightful concept and Pall pulls it off brilliantly.
After a slightly slow start (keep reading), Pall picks up the pace, delivering a fine mystery. Romance fans will enjoy the fact that Pall breaks all of the taboos of romance, while still delivering an intriguing sexual tension between Juliet and Murray. I look forward to seeing more of Juliet and Murray.
This one is a keeper.
Four Stars

Book Description
It's not as if Juliet Bodine wishes that she'd stayed an English professor instead of becoming a successful romance novelist. It's just that writing, though interesting, is never easy, and she will do almost anything to avoid her desk. So she succumbs to the pleas of her friend Ruth, a renowned choreographer, to help translate Dickens' Great Expectations into ballet form.
Watching the magnificent dancers work is fascinating. But Juliet soon finds the company plagued by jealousies, subterranean liaisons, ugly sabotage, and-sudden death.
Could it be murder?
NYPD detective Murray Landis is skeptical. But Juliet-who is startled to recognize in Murray the budding sculptor who dated her college roommate years ago-disagrees, and turns her novelist's sense of plot and character to detection. Can she and Murray unmask the ruthless choreographer of a pas de death?
Fast, witty, and literate, Corpse de Ballet marks the dazzling debut of the Nine Muses Mysteries featuring Juliet Bodine and Murray Landis.

About the Author
Ellen Pall, a novelist whose prose has been praised as "precise, shrewd and brightly amusing" (Kirkus Reviews), with sentences that are "good enough to eat" (The New Yorker), is the author of Back East and Among the Ginzburgs; she has also written nine Regency romances under the pen name Fiona Hill. As a freelance journalist, she has written extensively on people in the arts for The New York Times and other publications. Corpse de Ballet is her first mystery. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and their son.

 

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