There Should Be More Dancing

by Rosalie Ham
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Margery Blandon has led a life of principles. Now she finds herself sitting on the 43rd floor of the Tropic Hotel, preparing to throw herself to her death.

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Synopsis

Margery Blandon was always a principled woman who found guidance from the wisdom of desktop calendars. She lived quietly in Gold Street, Brunswick for sixty years until events drove her to the 43rd floor of the Tropic Hotel. As she waits for the crowds in the atrium far below to disperse, she contemplates what went wrong; her best friend kept an astonishing secret from her and she can't trust the home help. It's possible her firstborn son has betrayed her, that her second son, Morris, might have committed a crime, her only daughter is trying to kill her and her dead sister Cecily helped her to this, her final downfall. Even worse, it seems Margery's life-long neighbour and enemy, now demented, always knew the truth. There Should Be More Dancing is a story of Margery's reckonings on loyalty, grief and love.

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Editorial Reviews

"Ham combines the tartness of vinegar in her tone, tempered by the mellowing compassion of a nice cup of tea. Humour adds flavour without over-sweetening the brew. There Should Be More Dancing is a deceptively frivolous title, a wistful phrase with more sagacity than it might suggest: research shows dancing might help delay or prevent the onset of dementia. Its playful message hints at Ham's skill in disguising her informed eloquence on a serious subject behind sparkling, entertaining prose. Senior citizens will wave their walkers in relief and delight: help is at hand." - Caroline Baum, The Sydney Morning Herald

"Rosalie Ham has written a hilarious cautionary old-age tale." - Daphne Guinness, The Sun-Herald

"What a rich offering of local fiction this month! My favourite has to be There Should Be More Dancing by Rosalie Ham. Ham has always had a 'yearning for the triumph, tragedy and terror of story' and her legions of fans from The Dressmaker won't be disappointed with this, her third novel. It really is a wonderful read. The marvellous thing about Ham is the way she captures the Australian voice." - Toni Whitmont, Booktopia Buzz

"Ham deftly balances grief and trauma with a gentle humour, and her characters spring off the pages and settle (at times uncomfortably) in your heart.
Rosalie Ham revives some wonderful old phrases: things are 'not much chop', and many of Margery's sentences start with 'anyrate'. A cast of memorable characters and Ham's sly humour make this an entertaining read, and fans of her previous novel The Dressmaker won't be disappointed." - Australian Bookseller + Publisher

"A novel about getting old. So very very funny and utterly brilliant in the depiction of the lies and deceptions people tell each other. Margery has had to confront just too many home truths so she is forced to look over her life. Cross-stitch has worked in the past, will it help now?" - Chris, Pages and Pages

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