Theatre professor Nicky
Abbondanza is back at Treemeadow College directing their Nutcracker Ballet
co-starring his spouse, theatre professor Noah Oliver, their son Taavi, and
their best friend and department head, Martin Anderson. With muscular dance
students and faculty in the cast, the Christmas tree on stage isn’t the only
thing rising. When cast members drop faster than their loaded dance belts,
Nicky and Noah will once again need to use their drama skills to figure out who
is cracking the Nutcracker’s nuts, trapping the Mouse King, and being cavalier
with the Cavalier, before Nicky and Noah end up stuck in the Land of the
Sweets. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s
fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining eighth novel
in this delightful series. Take your seats. The curtain is going up on the
Fairy—Sugar Plum that is, clumsy mice, malfunctioning toys, and murder!
Cat gives this one 5 Meows with a 2 Purr heat index...
Noah and Nicky are back. Back at Treemeadow college and back with another mystery to solve. This time they are putting on the Nutcracker ballet for the Dance department with some of the instructors and students. Martin and Ruben are back with them as well. Whenever Nicky is around, expect bodies to drop…literally. But can he and is crazy team of sleuth’s solve the murders before his body drops with them?
Drama Dance is the 8th
book in the series and where you can read them as standalone you understand who
all the players are if you read them in order, but there is enough backstory
that it is not necessary.
I loved this book and once
again Joe Cosentino has developed a funny, cozyish mystery with so many twists
and turns and once again baffled me as to the real culprit was. The story keeps
you on your toes, keeps you laughing, and the sexy bits are well done and not overly
explicit.
If you like a sweet
romance with established couples, an intriguing mystery and lots of laughs this
is a must read.
Excerpt…
Noah kissed my neck.
“Being back at Treemeadow and in a show again has been great for Taavi.”
“And for us.” I kissed his
forehead.
Always thoughtful and
kind, Noah said, “I grew up in Wisconsin with my extended family nearby, as you
did in Kansas. I can tell Taavi misses our parents, our brothers and their
husbands, and their kids.”
“But Taavi has us. And his
fairy godparents, Martin and Ruben.”
“And his theatre family.”
A line appeared across Noah’s porcelain-like forehead. “Interesting how Taavi
picked up on all the bickering at rehearsals.”
“He’s a perceptive kid.
Besides, Martin and Ruben have been bickering since the turn of the century.
It’s their way of showing affection for each other.” I ran my sideburn against
his cheek. “Every family bickers a bit.”
“Especially the Lamas
siblings. You’d think they were playing the Borgias instead of Clara and the
Nutcracker’s understudy.”
The gossip in me was
awoken. “It seems Piero told their conservative parents that Caterina is a
stripper. And Caterina told them Piero is gay.”
“You think they’re each
vying for a higher spot in the parents’ will?”
“Or at least in their
parents’ hearts.”
I squeezed Noah closer
into my chest. “And did you notice how Liz turned into Eve Harrington when
Caterina was hit by the tree?”
“All understudies yearn to
take over their roles.”
“But Liz was practically
salivating on my neck.”
“While she gave her
lecture about abstinence until heterosexual marriage.”
I laughed. “Our
heterosexually-married choreographer didn’t seem to notice. Otto was too
busy trying to get into Piero’s dance belt.”
“Totally inappropriate.
And not only because Otto is married. Piero is his student!”
“I agree.”
Noah’s crystal blue eyes
shimmered. “But, Nicky?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not your
student.”
I grinned. “But you are married.”
“And I’d have it no other
way.”
Bestselling author Joe
Cosentino was voted Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of
the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen. He also
wrote the other novels in the Nicky and Noah mystery series: Drama
Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama
Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance; the Dreamspinner
Press novellas: In My Heart/An Infatuation & A Shooting
Star, the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories: A Home for the
Holidays/The Perfect Gift/The First Noel, The Naked Prince and
Other Tales from Fairyland with Holiday Tales from Fairyland;
the Cozzi Cove series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi
Cove: Moving Forward, Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out, Cozzi Cove: New
Beginnings, Cozzi Cove: Happy Endings (NineStar Press); and the
Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin
Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll(The Wild Rose Press). He
has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre,
opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland
Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Chair of the Department/Professor
at a college in upstate New York, and he is happily married. Joe was voted 2nd Place
Favorite LGBT Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards,
and his books have received numerous Favorite Book of the Month Awards and Rainbow
Award Honorable Mentions.
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