The Dust That Danced

Review
"There is more beautiful language packed into this slim first novel than in a shelf full of classics. The author's deft touch--with adjectives, with analogies, with metaphors, with knowing turns of phrase--all lead to one unequivocal conclusion: She loves words. Though the story is told from the perspective of a film director, the voice is that of a poet. This is a captivating book that ends the way all great literature does: with sadness for the reader that it's over." --Michelle M. Murphy, Freelance Writer; credits include The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, Washington Journalism Review, and more.
"Mythology meets cinema in this labyrinth of a story, where each chapter gradually unravels the mystery within and is just as electrifying as the next." --Grace Wang, The Literary Hours
"Cavuto's The Dust That Danced is absolutely addictive! You'll dive into the 90s female psyche and try to navigate a confusing world of higher education and morality. The thriller will have you hooked as soon as you open the first page!" --Nina Raman, Author of Everything You Wanted
"Cavuto has created a labyrinth of well-developed characters, breathtaking detail, and solid plot structure. The collegiate atmosphere adds a level of complexity that allows for a compelling connection of the dots!" --Dessi Gomez, The Observer
Stella’s sophomore year of college plays over and over in her head, like a movie.
She can’t forget what happened that fall, but she has to at least try to face it. And the only way to do that is to screen it, for all of you.
Welcome, to the premiere.
When Stella returns to her prestigious university in the fall of 1992, she and her friends are unprepared for the plot that is about to unfold. They’re merely focused on excelling academically and enjoying the privilege that comes with leaving freshman year behind.
Enter Alice.
She’s new — a transfer student with a guarded backstory. Curious by nature, she seems to fit right in with the central cast.
But when an old campus myth involving the death of a female student resurfaces, the leading ladies find themselves questioning each other, their environment, and whether or not history really can repeat itself.
A mythology course, a dead body, and several years later, Stella is no longer able to convince herself that she is safe behind the camera.
Because whoever said life isn’t like the movies clearly never watched any Hitchcock.