Missed Cue

by Lynn Slaughter

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Pub Date Aug 08 2023 | Archive Date Jul 31 2023

Mystery & Thrillers

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Description

The curtain rises on a new murder mystery from award-winning author of Deadly Setup and Leisha’s Song. Lynn Slaughter’s Missed Cue (Aug 8, 2023, Melange Books) finds Lieutenant Cailtin O’Connor in a theatrical mess when a prima ballerina fails to awaken during the final act of Romeo and Juliet. With multiple suspects, infidelity, and a twisted plot of romantic entanglements while also dealing with Caitlin’s personal love life, Missed Cue is a fast-paced Agatha Christie-style mystery that twists and turns to the final act.

Winner of multiple awards including the Silver Falchion Book Award, Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, Imadjinn Award and recognized by the Agatha Christie awards and the CIBA awards, Slaughter is no stranger to creating captivating narratives shrouded in mystery. Now she takes her expertise in young adult writing reaching a new audience with her first mystery novel for adults.

When star ballerina Lydia Miseau misses her cue during a performance, Lieutenant Caitlin O’Connor encounters the most complicated case of her career. The autopsy reveals no clear cause of death, so Caitlin must not only figure out who killed the ballerina, but how the killer did it. Her investigation uncovers an intricate web of betrayal, infidelity, and revenge. When the medical examination reveals that Lydia was a few weeks pregnant with a child who could not have been her husband’s, Caitlin discovers painful parallels between Lydia’s life and her own illicit involvement with a married man.

For fans of Lori Robbins’ “On Pointe” Mystery Series and Girl Most Likely by Max Allan Collins, readers will love spinning through Caitlin’s thrilling mystery as she seeks the true murderer and the truth about her own illicit romance.

A Note From the Publisher

Lynn Slaughter is addicted to chocolate, the arts, and her husband’s cooking. Her family tree is peppered with musicians, and like Caitlin, she’s a huge jazz fan. Music has always made her want to move, and she ended up becoming a professional dancer and dance educator. When injury meant it was time to find a new dream, she earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Her previous young adult novels include: Deadly Setup, published by Fire and Ice/Melange Books, which was a Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards silver medalist, a Chanticleer International Awards finalist, and an Imadjinn Award finalist; Leisha’s Song, also published by Fire and Ice/Melange Books and an Agatha nominee, Moonbeam bronze medalist, Imadjinn Award winner, and Silver Falchion Award winner; It Should Have Been You, a Silver Falchion finalist; and While I Danced, an EPIC finalist. The ridiculously proud mother of two sons and grandmother of five, she lives in Louisville, Kentucky where she is at work on her next novel and is an active member and former president of Derby Rotten Scoundrels, her local Sisters in Crime chapter. She loves hearing from readers and hopes you’ll visit her website

Advance Praise

“With Missed Cue, author Lynn Slaughter offers a riveting portrait of a female police officer on the trail of a killer and in search of herself. Watching Lieutenant Caitlin O’Connor unravel the case, as she seeks to better understand her own foibles, and help her alcoholic partner, made for an exciting read full of insight and suspense.”

Ellen Birkett Morris, Award-winning author of Lost Girls

“Lynn Slaughter's latest tour de force, the suspense novel MISSED CUE, draws on her extensive background in the field of dance. The story opens in a rehearsal for the ballet Romeo and Juliet, and it is the perfect venue for a terrible crime. Lynn's seamless storytelling carries the reader right into the action, and she keeps us guessing as we meet all of her colorful and interesting characters. You should definitely pick up this book, but just be warned, you might not want to put it down!”

Connie Bergstein Dow, author of the picture book TAP AND RAP, MOVE AND GROOVE, and other books about dance

“In Missed Cue, the star of the show isn’t the dazzling ballerina Lydia Miseau, but the appealingly flawed police detective who investigates her murder. As Lieutenant Caitlin O’Connor begins the process of sifting through clues and interviewing suspects, she finds herself entangled in a double journey: to uncover both the identity of a killer and her own sense of self. Political scheming in the dance world is mirrored in her complicated relationships within the New Haven police department, and writer Lynn Slaughter renders both with precision and grace. Competing motives of fame, fortune, and family feuds all have their moment in the spotlight, but it’s the backstage intrigue that propels this narrative to its satisfying conclusion. Well written and tightly plotted, Missed Cue is a showstopper.”

Lori Robbins, Award winning author of the On Pointe and Master Class mystery series

“Homicide Detective Caitlin O'Conner has a very full dance card: a murdered ballerina, a tango with a lover and a partner trying to tap dance around his problems. Missed Cue is a compelling story of a tough but vulnerable woman as she navigates her complicated life.”

E.M. Munsch, author of the Dash Hammond series, the latest being A HAUNTING AT MARIANWOOD

“Don't let the title fool you. Lynn Slaughter doesn't miss any cues in this gritty mystery featuring a smart, ambitious, and emotionally flawed detective investigating the suspicious death of an otherwise seemingly healthy dancer. Set in the world Slaughter knows well, Missed Cue will keep you on your toes until the curtain drops on the final clue."

Valerie (V. M.) Burns, Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Award Finalist

“You’ll be rooting for whip-smart detective Caitlin O’Conner as she searches for the killer of a star ballerina while also trying to untangle a complicated personal life. A stunning debut for the author's first adult mystery.”

Victoria Thompson, Bestselling author of Murder on Bedford Street