Dying to Dance

When 54-year-old molecular gerontologist Sam Butler finds himself a lonely widower in Zellerbach’s enchanting fourth Hallie Marsh mystery (after 2012’s Love to Die For), he decides to follow up on his late wife’s advice and take dancing lessons. At the San Francisco Dance Studio, he meets Polina, an attractive Russian woman in her 20s, who confides that she’s afraid of the Russian mob, then disappears. Sam decides to consult Hallie, having heard about her investigative skills from her journalist husband, James “Cas” Casserly, who once interviewed Sam about his work on aging. Hallie and Cas join the dance class to investigate Polina’s disappearance, but the case is complicated by the death of another class member. San Francisco local color, credible characters, and an intriguing plot will appeal to fans both old and new. (Feb.)