"Alexander paints such a dazzling portrait of St. Petersburg and ballet at the turn of the twentieth century, that I would not even have dared ask for more, and yet the mystery is as brilliant as the vibrant images she presents...(her) knowledge of Imperial Russia, its culture and history, and ballet is beyond compare, down to the most minute but significant details, such as a perfect mastery of patronymics and diminutives used as terms of endearment, particular to Russian. I doubt having ever read a novel in which historical accuracy was so delightfully part of a strong murder mystery..." - Fresh Fiction

After the final curtain of Swan Lake, an animated crowd exits the Mariinsky theatre, brimming with excitement from the night’s performance. But outside, the scene is somber. A ballerina’s body lies face down in the snow, blood splattered like rose petals over her swan costume. The crowd is silenced by a single cry: Nemetseva is dead!

Amongst the theatergoers is Lady Emily, accompanying her dashing husband, Colin, in Russia on assignment for the Crown. It soon becomes clear that Colin isn’t the only one with work to do. When the dead ballerina’s aristocratic lover comes begging for justice, Emily must apply her own set of skills to discover the rising star’s murderer. Her investigation takes her on a dance across the stage of Tsarist Russia, from the opulence of the Winter Palace, to the modest flats of ex-ballerinas, and the locked attics of political radicals. A mysterious dancer in white follows closely behind, making waves through St. Petersburg with her surprise performances and trail of red scarves. Is it the sweet Katenka, Nemetseva's childhood friend and favorite rival? The ghost of the murdered étoile herself? Or, something even more sinister?