The Dance of the Lace Ballerinas

The main heroine of Lyudmila Martova’s new novel “The Dance of the Lace Ballerinas,” Snezana Mashkova, has gained more responsibilities: besides preparing for an exhibition, a small child and her beloved husband—Detective Zimin—won’t let her get bored with lace-making. And then there’s the mysterious death of a neighbor, which turns out to be murder. And the clues, as Snezana finds out, lead to the past…

Lyudmila Martova was born, grew up, and lives her entire life in Vologda, so the action in her novels typically unfolds in the Russian hinterlands. Her heroines are women who, by circumstance, are forced to become strong and resolute. They find a way out of any, even the hardest, situation—and, of course, like everyone else, they dream of happiness.