Saddled with bills and her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Billie Levine runs a private investigation firm out of the corner booth of her favorite North Jersey deli, hoping the pickles and flexible hours will keep her family afloat. So when a rich kid with a nasty drug habit offers her a stack of cash to find his missing girlfriend, how can Billie refuse?

But dollar signs become death threats when the missing person’s case embroils Billie in the intense stand-off between a Jewish mobster and a skinhead group. Toss in the unsolved murder of a cabaret dancer and the reappearance of Billie’s ex-boyfriend with his own rap sheet, and she is regretting every decision that got her to this point.

Becoming a P.I. was supposed to solve her problems. But if Billie doesn’t crack this case, the next body the police dredge out of the Hudson River will be hers.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Datura Books/Angry Robot, February 2023

• Crimereads Most Anticipated Crime Fiction 2023
• Hey Alma’s 23 Jewish Books in 23 Selection
• ITW’s Big Thrill Featured Book
• Book Riot’s 12 New Mystery & Thrillers To Get Sleuthing
• ABC’s Good Day PA Featured Book

• Deadly Pleasures Contributors’ Best of 2023 List

• Mystery Tribune’s Recommended 2023 List

“What a joy to keep readerly company with Billie Levine, the newly-minted (and somewhat reluctant) private detective who takes her bow in DEATH OF A DANCING QUEEN…”
-New York Times Book Review

“A strong mystery… An appealing and resourceful protagonist with realistic personal problems complements an intricate plot filled with valid suspects and motives. Readers will want to see more of Billie.”
-Publishers Weekly

“A spunky take on hard-boiled detective drama”
-Library Journal

“Giarratano capably keeps a plethora of balls in the air in the suspect- drenched, tangled plot, but the real draw here is Billie, her family, and the sundry, offbeat characters in their orbit—all fully fleshed and filled with infectious spirit. Fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum and her entourage will be right at home.”
-Booklist

“…totally compelling and highly recommended!”
-Kings River Life Magazine

“Giarratano deftly twists her plot, nonchalantly drops corpses and shrewdly discloses secrets like a seasoned pro.”
-Shelf Awareness

“A gripping mystery novel in which a novice private investigator quests to solve her biggest case yet.”
-Foreword Reviews

“[Billie] displays some true grit and some impressive detective chops along the way; so tell those corner boys to stop making all that noise—there’s a new Jersey Girl in town. Sing sha la la la la la, sha la la la la la la la la…” 
-Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine

“A fast-paced thrill ride of suspense with lots of twists. The characters are sympathetic and believable, and Billie is suffused with a fun, dry wit. An absolute must read!”
-Karen Katchur bestselling author of River Bodies and the Northampton County series

“Twisty and witty, Death of a Dancing Queen delivers a Jersey Fresh private eye whose family troubles leave her little time to dig for clues. Fans of Veronica Mars will cheer fledgling PI Billie Levine as she fights mobsters and neo-Nazis to solve two murders separated by decades but linked by a fabulous diamond. Billie has moxie and grit to spare.”
-Delia C. Pitts, author of contemporary noir mysteries including Murder Take Two and Murder My Past

“Nothing stops badass Jersey girl Billie Levine from confronting mobsters, meth heads, and crooked cops to catch a killer. Not even her family. Perfect for fans of Liza Lutz’s Spellman Files, Death of a Dancing Queen is a page-turning PI mystery with depth and heart.”
-Kate Moretti, NYT bestselling author of Girls of Brackenhill

“Crackling with realism, with a savvy, tenacious, and street-smart investigator to root for! With whip-smart prose, and a plot that will keep you guessing, you won’t set the book down until the shocking and satisfying end!”
-Mary Keliikoa, Author of Hidden Pieces, and the Award Nominated PI Kelly Pruett Mystery series.

“The best kind of PI novel: gutsy and multifaceted, with a palpable sense of place. This atmospheric mystery will have you craving a black and white cookie and a whole new Billie Levine investigation. A knockout.”
-Tessa Wegert, author of Death in the Family

“A noir lover’s dream! If Kinsey Millhone moved to Jersey in 2023, you’d have Billie Levine. The private investigator is quick witted, relatable, and dogged in her attempt to discover what happened to a missing podcaster. I can’t wait for Billie’s next dance.”
-Kellye Garrett, Agatha, Anthony, and Lefty Award winning author of Like a Sister and Missing White Woman

“Giarratano has created a new favorite heroine. Billie Levine is smart, cool, and above all, human. All I want is a 12-book box set following all of Billie’s sleuthing adventures, is that too much to ask for? I couldn’t get enough of this slick, sharp thriller.”
-Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties

In this sequel to to 2023’s Death of a Dancing Queen, New Jersey P.I. Billie Levine finds herself at the forefront of a new crime adventure… perfect for fans of Veronica Mars and Serial.

Unlicensed P.I. Billie Levine is trying to bank some extra cash, so she picks up hours working as a process server for another investigative firm. Mindless and mostly 9 to 5, Billie is content to simply hand over court documents until during a routine stakeout, she stumbles upon the corpse of an elderly man, an art collector with ties to Nazi Germany.

Compared to Billie, the dead man has it easy. Billie is feeling on edge lately. Maybe it’s because her father is insisting his estranged kids come to his wedding in Sedona, or that David is making plans to move out, or that a smug teaching assistant is getting underfoot on her latest case.

Although, it’s possible she could use the help when the cops zero in on Billie’s boyfriend, Aaron, and his connections to an international art ring. Turns out, Aaron’s stint in Israel has left him with more than just a thick scar across his neck. The woman he screwed over wants revenge, and she’s determined to leverage Billie’s murder case to get it.

With the detectives focused on Aaron, Billie sets her sights on stopping a killer who is tying up loose ends — Billie being one of them.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Datura Books, May 2024

“Giarratano offers a mind-bending, twist-filled plot, sharp humor, odd characters, and a heroine who’s a darker, earthier, more foul-mouthed and violent version of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum.”
-Booklist