Hi and welcome. I’m so happy to announce that my first murder mystery romance, DEATH DANCER by Tara Lain is released at all outlets! One reviewer says, “Death Dancer had it all! A whirlwind romance, death, a mystery, a thrilling mass murderer chase and true love.”
Tour Stops:November 29, 2016
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November 30, 2016
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December 1, 2016
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December 2, 2016
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Death Dancer
(Dangerous Dancers #2)
By Tara Lain
Blurb:
A tattooed dancer and a by-the-book detective dance with death in the ego-fueled halls of ballet.
Bad boy of ballet, Valentin “Val” Aalto stands poised on the verge of huge success — except for one big obstacle. Influential lead dancer Harry Hardesty hates Val and cheats him out of the lead in Romeo and Juliet. When Hardesty winds up dead, Val looks like a prime suspect – and gets thrown under the detailed and methodical inspection of the handsome NY detective with the stick up his butt, Andrew Preston. At first, Preston believes Hardesty may be the victim of the chilling Dancer Killer who’s struck three victims, but evidence stacks up against Val. Still, Andrew can’t seem to keep his hands off his suspect and when the Dancer Killer starts stalking Val, Andrew is forced to choose between his dedication to a job he loves – and his growing passion for his beautiful dancer. Together Val and Andrew discover that chaos can be beautiful, one should choose desserts wisely, and love can even trump death in the rehearsal halls of ballet.
Available for purchase at
Excerpts
His eyes opened wide. Dark. Why am I awake? He shivered. No
so-called uncles trying to slip in beside him or boys sneaking in to drop ice
in his bed.
so-called uncles trying to slip in beside him or boys sneaking in to drop ice
in his bed.
A sound, between a scratch and a squeak,
sent the feel of that long-remembered ice down his back. Don’t move yet.
sent the feel of that long-remembered ice down his back. Don’t move yet.
Squrunch.
Woosh, Squrucnch.
Woosh, Squrucnch.
Where? The
door? Too close. The window then?
door? Too close. The window then?
Shit, the branch Andrew had freaked over.
Val’s heart slammed so hard it had to make a sound. The sheets over him
actually shook.
Val’s heart slammed so hard it had to make a sound. The sheets over him
actually shook.
Andrew.
He snaked out a hand and grabbed his cell
phone. He pulled it under the covers.
Speed dial, baby.
phone. He pulled it under the covers.
Speed dial, baby.
One ring. Two. Three— “Preston.” Thanks for police reflexes.
He put his head under the covers and
whispered, “Andrew. It’s me.”
whispered, “Andrew. It’s me.”
“I know. Why are you whispering? What’s
wrong?”
wrong?”
“Someone’s trying to break in, I think.”
“Shit. Jump out of bed. Yell into the
phone. Make it clear you’re talking to the police. Turn on all the lights. Now.
Go.”
phone. Make it clear you’re talking to the police. Turn on all the lights. Now.
Go.”
Val threw back the covers, grabbed for the
bedside light and flipped it on, half expecting to see some killer standing in
his room, but nobody. “Police. Get here now! Someone’s breaking into my
apartment. Hurry. Please!” He raced around the apartment, turning on every
light.
bedside light and flipped it on, half expecting to see some killer standing in
his room, but nobody. “Police. Get here now! Someone’s breaking into my
apartment. Hurry. Please!” He raced around the apartment, turning on every
light.
Andrew’s voice, panting. “What do you
see?”
see?”
“Nothing. No one’s here.”
“Look out the window, but stand back in
case he has a gun.”
case he has a gun.”
“Shit. Seriously?”
“No, it’s okay. Don’t do it.”
“Hell.” He sidled to the window, pulled
back the blinds and looked out. A sliver of light from his apartment shone into
the darkness outside, although darkness was relative and his street pretty much
never got more than dim. Staring between the buildings, he might have caught a
glimpse of movement below, but it could have been a cat or a shadow. “I don’t
see anything.”
back the blinds and looked out. A sliver of light from his apartment shone into
the darkness outside, although darkness was relative and his street pretty much
never got more than dim. Staring between the buildings, he might have caught a
glimpse of movement below, but it could have been a cat or a shadow. “I don’t
see anything.”
A siren cut through the general noise of
traffic that created the background of Val’s world. Nothing unusual about
sirens, but this one got closer. Andrew was still breathing hard. Was he
running? Val looked again. “I hear the black and whites.”
traffic that created the background of Val’s world. Nothing unusual about
sirens, but this one got closer. Andrew was still breathing hard. Was he
running? Val looked again. “I hear the black and whites.”
“Yeah. Just pulled up in front of your
building, I think. They’ll buzz. Don’t let them in until I tell you.” The tinny
squawk of a police radio sounded in the background. Andrew seemed to be
talking. He came back on the cell. “Have they buzzed?”
building, I think. They’ll buzz. Don’t let them in until I tell you.” The tinny
squawk of a police radio sounded in the background. Andrew seemed to be
talking. He came back on the cell. “Have they buzzed?”
The buzzer sounded.
“Yeah. Just now.”
“Okay. Let them in. I’ll be there in a
second.”
second.”
Val started to the door where the buzzer
was, stopped and laughed.
was, stopped and laughed.
“What?”
“I forgot I’m bare-assed. I’d better grab
my jeans fast. See you in a second.” Still chuckling, he hit the buzzer,
grabbed his pants from the floor and was zipping them as the police knocked on
his door. New stair speed records. He
opened.
my jeans fast. See you in a second.” Still chuckling, he hit the buzzer,
grabbed his pants from the floor and was zipping them as the police knocked on
his door. New stair speed records. He
opened.
The young female cop’s eyes widened just a
little. “Valentin Aalto?”
little. “Valentin Aalto?”
He nodded.
“I understand you had an attempted break-in?”
Two male cops in uniform stood behind her.
Two male cops in uniform stood behind her.
“I think so, but I’m not sure. Come in
while I grab a shirt.”
while I grab a shirt.”
Her half smile said ‘not on my account’,
but she didn’t voice it. “Tell me what happened, sir.”
but she didn’t voice it. “Tell me what happened, sir.”
He pulled a long-sleeved T-shirt over his
head. “I was asleep. I’m a light sleeper. I woke up and heard a strange sound,
like a scrunching and a squeaking. I might not have thought anything about it
since I’d double-locked the door, but An— Detective Preston inspected this
apartment and suggested the limbs on the tree outside should be cut since they
hang near the apartment windows. I got worried and called him.”
head. “I was asleep. I’m a light sleeper. I woke up and heard a strange sound,
like a scrunching and a squeaking. I might not have thought anything about it
since I’d double-locked the door, but An— Detective Preston inspected this
apartment and suggested the limbs on the tree outside should be cut since they
hang near the apartment windows. I got worried and called him.”
“Why didn’t you dial nine-one-one?”
Val speared her with his eyes. “I’m a
dancer with the NYBT. Detective Preston is investigating the murders of
dancers. He was my first thought. Is there a problem with that?”
dancer with the NYBT. Detective Preston is investigating the murders of
dancers. He was my first thought. Is there a problem with that?”
“Of course not.” She turned to the male
officers. “Check the tree and the area around it. The apartment window from the
outside also, although we may have to come back with a ladder. I’ll look at it
from in here.”
officers. “Check the tree and the area around it. The apartment window from the
outside also, although we may have to come back with a ladder. I’ll look at it
from in here.”
“No, thank you, Officer. I will.”
Oh, man,
was Andrew a sight to make a scared dancer’s heart go pitty-pat.
was Andrew a sight to make a scared dancer’s heart go pitty-pat.
Is that
light? Val opened an eye and frowned at the sliver of brightness seeping
around his closed blinds. What the fuck
time is it? Am I late for rehearsal? Jesus, he never slept like this. A
lifetime of living with different relatives and in ballet school with all kinds
of people had turned him into a light sleeper.
light? Val opened an eye and frowned at the sliver of brightness seeping
around his closed blinds. What the fuck
time is it? Am I late for rehearsal? Jesus, he never slept like this. A
lifetime of living with different relatives and in ballet school with all kinds
of people had turned him into a light sleeper.
Wait. No weight
on his back. No soft breathing. He’d heard breath earlier—hadn’t he? He sat up,
the covers falling to his hips.
on his back. No soft breathing. He’d heard breath earlier—hadn’t he? He sat up,
the covers falling to his hips.
Across the room, Andrew was pulling on his
sport coat as he watched his foot slide on a loafer, sockless.
sport coat as he watched his foot slide on a loafer, sockless.
“Leaving without saying goodbye?”
“Oh, uh, not necessarily, but you were
sleeping quite soundly.”
sleeping quite soundly.”
“Yeah, well, I was fucked into another
dimension.” He rubbed a hand over his neck.
dimension.” He rubbed a hand over his neck.
Andrew’s cheeks turned pink.
So, hello
to the bumbling detective.
to the bumbling detective.
“Oddly, I slept like the dead. I usually
wake up at the sound of a leaf. I can’t imagine what got into me.”
wake up at the sound of a leaf. I can’t imagine what got into me.”
Val grinned. “I can. What time is it?”
“Six.”
“In the morning?”
“Uh yes.”
“Holy shit! Don’t I remember something
about a day off for you?”
about a day off for you?”
“No, that was a night off. Night’s over.”
Val raised his legs and hugged his knees,
the sheet covering them. “So, apparently, is your liaison with my ass.”
the sheet covering them. “So, apparently, is your liaison with my ass.”
“I have to get to work.”
Val flipped the sheet off his lap to
reveal a very upright example of morning erection. “That’s exactly what I was
thinking.” He bared his teeth in his snarkiest grin.
reveal a very upright example of morning erection. “That’s exactly what I was
thinking.” He bared his teeth in his snarkiest grin.
“An impressive invitation.” That produced
a small smile.
a small smile.
“A national characteristic. Us Finns are
well endowed. It’s scientific fact.” Val eyed the proper law enforcement
officer in front of him. “What’s your excuse?”
well endowed. It’s scientific fact.” Val eyed the proper law enforcement
officer in front of him. “What’s your excuse?”
Another blush. “Well, my father was known
as a horse’s ass. Maybe I got the cock?”
as a horse’s ass. Maybe I got the cock?”
Val fell back against his pillow and
laughed. Andrew amazed him. Funny, dry, witty—weird. “So, question.” He flipped
on his side.
laughed. Andrew amazed him. Funny, dry, witty—weird. “So, question.” He flipped
on his side.
“Okay.”
“In the throes last night, you on several
occasions mentioned ‘the next time’. Is there going to be one?”
occasions mentioned ‘the next time’. Is there going to be one?”
“I, uh, hope so.”
“Me too.”
Andrew smiled shyly and walked toward the
door.
door.
“Andrew?”
“Yes?”
“Who is that guy who fucked my brains out
last night?”
last night?”
Wrinkles played across his forehead. “I’m
not altogether sure.”
not altogether sure.”
The door opened. Gone.
Whew.
Dangerous Dancers Series
Golden Dancer
(Dangerous Dancers Series, #1)
By Tara Lain
Available for purchase at
About the Author
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
You can find Tara at Lain
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