Leah sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we, the readers, can get to know her and the ballet world better.
What is your full name?
I go by the name Leah Siderova, although I was born Leah Feldbaum. My mother thought her last name would look better on a Playbill. The change felt odd at first, but I’ve long since gotten used to it.
How old are you?
I’m north of thirty. But not that far north.
What is your profession?
I’m a principal dancer with American Ballet Company, and in less than a week, I’ll be starring in our new production of The Nutcracker. I did hear that the director of a new Broadway show is interested in having me join the cast, but that’s in the future.
Do you have a significant other?
It’s complicated. NYPD homicide detective Jonah Sobol broke up with me. I broke up with Dr. Zach Mitchell. Both men are now back in my life. Go figure.
Do you have any children?
No kids, At least, not yet. I’m thinking about getting a dog. Or maybe a plant. At least a plant won’t want to discuss commitment issues. If I don’t pay attention to it, it will die a quiet death.
Do you have any siblings?
I have a perfectly wonderful sister. Melissa is a philosophy professor, like our dad. She’s married, with two kids, so she’s a busy gal, but she’s never so busy she doesn’t have time to help me out of a jam.
Are your parents nearby?
My mother lives on the Upper West Side, about ten blocks from my apartment. My father temporarily relocated to LA, but he’s on his way home. When he moves back, we’ll all be close again, at least geographically. I suppose I should mention my father’s second wife, who is technically my stepmother. She’s still in California but plans to move back to NYC soon. Yay.
Who is your best friend?
Gabi Acevedo has been my best friend since seventh grade. We went to school together, apprenticed at American Ballet Company together, and performed together for many years. Then she got married, gave birth to Lucie, and retired from the stage. Lots of dancers make a comeback after having kids, but Gabi didn’t. We’re still close, but it’s not the same. I miss her. Loyal friends are hard to find in my world.
What town do you live in and is it small or big?
I live in New York City, but the company is a lot like a small town. Gossip is the coin of the realm, and although we mostly get along, jealousy, rivalry, and intense competition lie just below the surface. Full disclosure: On at least one occasion, stabbing a rival in the back was not a metaphor.
What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I rent a tiny railroad apartment, on the fifth floor of a five-story walkup. It’s not much, but it’s home. Madame Maksimova keeps pushing me to buy a place, but that’s easier said than done in NYC.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
I love curling up on the sofa with a good book, often one my mother’s written. The protagonist is a Russian expatriate, who solves mysteries using clues from Shakespeare’s plays. Her books are a hoot.
What is your favorite meal and dessert?
I love Indian food, and I’ve never met a taco I didn’t like, but my hands down favorite meal is a bagel with lox and cream cheese. Favorite dessert? It’s a tossup between a big black and white cookie, salted caramel chocolates, and any kind of ice cream. I almost never eat any of those things, however, since I’m cursed with a body that converts calories into real estate. I know people think ballerinas are obsessed with their weight. They’re not wrong, but I’m not sure they understand how crucial it is to stay bone thin. It’s written into our contracts. “Noticeable weight gain” is grounds for dismissal, and I mostly subsist on salads. My mother and I are still searching for a low-calories, low-fat dressing, the Holy Grail of condiments.
Do you have any hobbies?
If amateur sleuthing counts as a hobby, then yes. But I don’t do sports, I’m terrible at all crafts, and I’m hopeless in the kitchen, other than my microwaving skills. They’re excellent.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Not the beach, because I hate being in the sun, and my feet are really ugly. Not the country, because I’m afraid of bugs, and I’m allergic to everything that grows. Not anyplace cold, because I don’t skate or ski, and I loathe the winter. In other words, I live in a city because I love cities, and of all the cities I love, Paris is my favorite. The food, the wine, the coffee, and the people keep me coming back, year after year.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
Sitting in a Paris café, with the man I love. Ideally, he would love me back.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Ballet Confidential: A Dance to the Death
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I’m an amateur sleuth, and I work with NYPD homicide detective Jonah Sobol. This might help explain the on-again, off-again nature of our romantic relationship. Recently, however, he’s warmed to the idea of including me in his investigation.
What is a typical day in your life like in general and when you are on a case?
I take a ballet class every morning, and I rehearse the rest of the day. During the season, I perform at night and often don’t get home until nearly midnight. My work schedule doesn’t leave much time for sleuthing, and I depend upon the Choreographers of Crime for help. Members include my sister, mother, best friend, and Madame Maksimova, my ballet coach. Olga Shevchenko, who may or may not have worked for the KGB, the Russian mafia, or the Ukrainian resistance, is a sometime member. She’s our secret weapon.
Murder in Third Position, An On Pointe Mystery #3
Genre: Cozy
Release: November 2022
Purchase Link
The Nutcracker ballet is filled with holiday cheer, but no one is happy, least of all lead dancer Leah Siderova.
It’s bad enough when Maurice Kaminsky forces her to perform upon a shaky platform, which teeters high above the stage. It’s worse when the curtain opens on the first murder victim, and the scene looks more like the end of Romeo and Juliet than a child’s vision of Christmas.
The dancers were unanimous in their dislike of Maurice, and they eagerly anticipated his departure. What they didn’t foresee is that he would exit in a body bag, and not on a nonstop flight to LA.
Leah doesn’t want to get involved in the ensuing murder investigation, but when suspicion falls upon Tex, her dance partner and friend, she has no choice but to act. She enlists the Choreographers of Crime for help, but it’s her life, her career, and her complicated romance with homicide detective Jonah Sobol that’s on the line.
With opening night less than a week away, and the future of American Ballet Company hanging in the balance, can Leah save Tex in time to save the show?
About the author
Lori Robbins is the author of the On Pointe and Master Class mystery series. She won the Indie Award for Best Mystery, the Silver Falchion for Best Cozy Mystery, and was a finalist for both a Readers’ Choice and Mystery and Mayhem Book Award. Short stories include “Accidents Happen” in Murder Most Diabolical and “Leading Ladies” in Justice for All. She’s also a contributor to The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers Cookbook. As a dancer, writer, English teacher, and mother of six, Lori is an expert in the homicidal impulses everyday life inspires.
All comments are welcomed.