The Dying Dance

Detective Byone, Book 1

By: Ricardo Fleshman

Narrated by: Nicholas Patrella

How do we reconcile the beauty in death?

The Dying Dance is the story of retired New Orleans police detective turned private investigator Moses Andre Byone, self-proclaimed skeptic who uncovers an underworld of voodoo, dark magic, and betrayal in the shadows of the human heart as he searches to understand the death of a wealthy white lawyer from Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. On his journey to solve the case, Mose discovers a mysterious silver box that may hold the secrets to the darker human behaviors of greed, lust, and power. He must find a way to not only protect himself, but also his beautiful young Creole ward, Lisette St. Germain, lest they meet with their own gruesome end. Filled with a wonderful cast of complex and unforgettable characters set against the alluring, grimy but mysterious backdrop of 1970s' New Orleans, the story is sure to thrill and entertain as Mose searches to discover the truth of the dying dance.

©2013 Ricardo M Fleshman (P)2016 Ricardo M Fleshman

No Dancin' Around

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

His diction was great, and his accents were good as well. It did seem like he was reading from a book, instead of talking. When I listen to audio books I like it to sound like the person is talking, if that makes sense? When a person seems to be reading from the book the narration seems more stilted than it should be.

Any additional comments?

This book was so-so for me, it was hard for me to get into because there seemed to be a lot of jumping around and plot points that had to be tied together. I would give this author another shot for sure, because the idea was good.


"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."

The Dying Dance

I lived in Louisiana for 4 years & am always looking for new books set there, especially in New Orleans. I also enjoy reading noir-type detective stories. This book fit the bill on both counts!

Moses Byone is a retired NO police detective who has been hired to find Jefferson Collingwood's killer. While on the trail, he encounters a stereotypical art/antique dealer, a drag queen or two, a voodoo practioner & a beautiful Creole girl.

I was gifted an audio version of this book by the narrator & chose to review it. Nicholas Patrella does an excellent job with the pronunciations of NO streets & draws you into the story.

I look forward to more adventures with Mose, Lisette & Armand.

A Good Read!

I don’t usually read many books from this genre, but I really enjoyed this one. The narration brought the story to life and held my interest throughout. The story was well thought out, complete and will keep you listening. I will be watching for this author in the future.

* I was provided a free copy of this book from AudioBookBlast for an honest review.

A captivating mystery with a New Orleans twist

The book begins by introducing a few different plot lines which all run at the same time with different characters & players in the overall big story. I knew that at one point they would intertwine one another, but I wasn't sure when or how, and that's what held my attention throughout as I tried to guess and put together the pieces. The backdrop of New Orleans with its voodoo and mystical dark magic set the perfect stage for this captivating story that's riddled with twists and turns to pull you in. If you enjoy a mystery that will take you on an adventure then this book is perfect for you, it was a highly enjoyable twisty great.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.

Great idea for new series

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dying Dance?

Anything that described New Orleans, especially the 'voodoo' element

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Great diction. However, the tone of his voice did not match what my brain wanted Moses to sound like and I had a hard time getting past that. Also I have been spoiled listening to great narrators who don't sound like they are reading a book out loud. Don't know how they do that but this narrator sounded like he was reading a book aloud - most of the time. His accents were quite good.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. Started out that way but I zoned out a bit as the book continued.

Any additional comments?

I thought this was a very good book all in all. Room for improvement (more character development, little less jumping around).
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."