Save The Last Dance For Me by Judi Miller
I learnt about this 1981 ballerina serial killer novel in the pages of 'Paperbacks From Hell'. In seedy NY, a psycho stalks and kills ballerinas and now Jennifer North is his next target. This was widly implausible and lacks raw authenticity. This plumbs the depths of inanity as a victim of failed dreams has seething scorn for ballet dancers.
This was brazenly naff. NY is oppressively grim. The obvious killer is obviously creepy, mysterious, ominious and full of ill intent. This was ridiculously implausible and Jennifer North makes a series of breathtakingly ill-advised choices. This was a mediocre tale of dark shenanigns and the insufferably self-involved Jennifer North.
This has moral poverty, dated attiudes, particularly unpleasant characters, deeply unhelpful cops, callous behaviour and Jennifer North is a big source of annoyance. This causes no moral indignation. This was dismal and has unfulfillable promise and was seriously deficient. This was appalling. There are depraved instincts. This was not a suspence horror and does not explore the depths of a broken mind. This was just hopeless.
Jennifer North becomes an item to be possessed. The killer has an insatiable need to be spectacularly abusive to Jennifer North and is throughly unrepentant and said killer's obnoxious antics are sourly received. People seem suprisingly untroubled by dead and or missing women. Jennifer North ends up needing saving from her own bad judgement. The killer's obsession with retributive vengeance sows confusion. Said killer's intimidation tactics and motives are just distasteful. Said killer's smouldering anger bores. I was unadmiring of this. How at one point does Jennifer North mistake a slipper for a gun? This was not an examination of a cycle of abuse and sexism.
Best Lines:
“I get stupid sometimes.”
“Hot table closed off behind a steamy window.”
“Why would a musical genius who could have been a concert pianist have loaded boxes in a warehouse for five years before coming to New York Center Ballet?”
“Sick of his moods.”
“Try dirty things.”
“The police brought her home from bars.”
“No longer any opportunities.”
“I'm not a TV! I'm a person and somebody's trying to murder me!”