Dancing with the Dead

Lutz ( SWF Seeks Same ) stumbles with this mystery set in the graceful world of ballroom dancing. St. Louis realtor Mary Arlington, whose mother is alcoholic and whose lover is physically abusive, lives for her mambo, cha-cha and tango lessons with Mel Holt at the Romance Studio. After kicking her lover out of her life and checking her mother into a detox center, Mary agrees to dance with Mel in the Ohio Star Ball, a major competition. Meanwhile in Seattle and New Orleans, women dancers resembling Mary are murdered. Rene Verlane, the husband of the New Orleans victim, insists the crime is related to his wife's dancing. Mary follows the case on TV and one night calls Verlane to offer her help in finding the killer. Together this long-distance team hunts down the killer who is stalking female dancers. With its lackluster characters and slack, far-fetched plot, the story generates little suspense and fails to capture the grace, style or passion of its white-glove setting. (June)