Dancing for the General

Set in 1957, this atmospheric spy story from Star (Organized Death) and Beatty (Hell Down Under) opens in Ankara, Turkey, where Anna Riddle, a young American teacher, has recently arrived to care for her niece, Priscilla, whose parents—Anna’s sister and brother-in-law, who works for the State Department—had to leave the country at short notice. One hot summer day, while Anna and Priscilla are visiting an ancient tomb, the sound of a gunshot leads them to the body of a man wearing a Western business suit. Clutched in his hand is a letter written years ago by Anna to her former fiancé, Lt. Rainer Akers, who was killed while on a mission to the Eastern Front in 1945. Anna soon becomes embroiled in a slowly unfolding mystery of political turmoil and dark family secrets. Readers may initially struggle to understand the link between Anna’s narrative and chapters devoted to Meryem Alekci, a Romani dancer whose life is in danger, but those who persevere will be rewarded. Historical fiction fans won’t want to miss this one. [em](BookLife) [/em]