Dancing with Death

The True Story of a Glamorous Showgirl, Her Wealthy Husband, and a Horrifying Murder

By: Shanna Hogan

Narrated by: Callie Beaulieu

Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Phoenix, Arizona, 2004. Former stripper-turned-suburban-housewife Marjorie Orbin filed a missing person's report on her husband. She claimed that Jay, a successful art dealer, had left town on business after celebrating their son's birthday more than a month before. Jay loved his family more than life itself - and no one believed he would ever abandon them. Authorities suspected foul play....

A Wife Lying in Wait

The search for Jay made local headlines. But key elements in Marjorie's story still weren't adding up: Why did she wait so long before going to police? If Jay was away on business, as she claimed, why were there charges made to his credit card in Phoenix? Then, the unthinkable happened.

A Shocking Discover

Jay's headless, limbless torso was discovered on the outskirts of the Phoenix desert - and all evidence pointed to Marjorie as the killer. Soon, an exhaustive investigation would reveal surprising new details about her life - six previous marriages, an ongoing and passionate affair with a man from her gym, alleged ties to the New York mafia, a drug habit - and lead to her conviction for the murder and dismemberment of her seventh husband.

©2011 Shanna Hogan (P)2018 Tantor

All-around good true crime book

I really, really enjoyed this story, and kept going back to it to find out what happened next. A page-turner!
The narrator seemed to be a good fit to the story. I'm a big fan of Kevin Pierce reading true crime books, and at first the female voice confused me a little. But I got to like her, and I believe she was a good selection for a female killer who was so meticulous about her appearance, and so self-centered. The narrator articulates carefully, and I could imagine the killer having a similar voice.
I know the victim was introduced early in the book, but by the time we got to the killer's various husbands & lovers, I had forgotten the victim's name -- so I wondered about each introduction. "Is this the man?"
The last chapter was a special addition, too. The killer apparently wrote an "If I did It" fictional account, and it was a good ending to hear what the killer wanted us to believe.
Good true crime story!

good but

I enjoyed it but the Info seemed repetitive and the author loved cliffhangers. I'd definitely read it for the crazy story.

Very Good True Crime Book.

Thoroughly researched. Very well read. I would definitely listen to another book by this author.

Evil People....

I am rarely surprised at how EVIL people can be - And at the same time I can't help but wonder "what-if" .... Sad story for All involved, tho truly keeps you guessing as to what REALLY happened....It certainly feels as tho justice was served.....

Another great true crime author.

This is my first book by Shanna Hogan and I found it a riveting and seamless read. Very much like the beloved Ann Rule, Hogan gives us a glimpse into the lives and motivating circumstances of the characters rather than relying on gory intrusive details of the crime itself. (Though there are unsettling details to be sure.) happy to have found her.

Callie Beaulieu is perfection in my opinion. I believe every moment of her narration and character work always.

Unbelievable Story! Loved Every Minute

Very exciting story with a great narrator! Kept me interested and entertained throughout the whole story.

Great book and great story

The story itself is great and I was surprised that I had never heard of this murder before, especially since I have family that live all around the Phoenix area.
The only couple of things that bothered me were 1) the way the narrator pronounced the word "All-timers" instead of Alzheimer's. It was like hearing a 10yr old trying to pronounce it... and 2) was the way the author refers to every female in the story as, "slim, with striking features... and very attractive!" She says that about the murderer, the murderer's friends/acquaintances, the second prosecutor at the murderer's trial, etc., etc., etc! I guess it will be overlooked because the author is a female, but it seemed strange and after a while it was easy to predict whenever a new female was introduced in the story.

Worth the credit!

Well researched, written and narrated. For all you true crime fanatics, I recommend It, was captivating all the way through.

Captivating.

You won't want to put it down the story is chilling. Very well written. Excellent book!!

This was a great true crime story.

Ok. So I know she’s guilty, but I don’t believe she did it alone. But I do think there was reasonable doubt. Coming at this w/ a law background, I think parts of her story are believable and the prosecution sounds like a huge screw up. So it stuck with me for a long time- I knew she was guilty, but I’m far from convinced that she did it alone. Very interesting.