From the New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Boy in the Suitcase, a gripping historical thriller and poignant coming-of-age story set in nineteenth-century France.
Madeleine Karno is an ambitious young woman eager to shatter the confines of her provincial French town. Driven and strong headed, Madeleine is set apart by her unusual occupation: assisting her father, Dr. Albert Karno, in his job as a forensic doctor.
The year is 1894, and a young girl is found dead on the snowy streets of Varbourg. Dr. Karno is called in to determine the cause of her death, but before he can examine the body, the girl's family forbids the autopsy from taking place. The only anomaly he manages to find is in the form of a mite in her nostril. Shortly after, several other dead bodies are discovered throughout the city, and Madeleine, her father, and the city commissioner must use the new science of forensic evidence to solve the mysterious cases before they all become the next victims of a deadly disease - or of a heinous murderer.
Goodreads Summary
If you're looking for a great historical, gothic-based mystery then this is the book you should grab. Madeleine is unusual for her time; she helps her father who is a forensic doctor. She's highly intelligent and motivated. When she and her father stumble along a weird death...one that the family refuses an autopsy on...they begin to think that they may have an intriguing mystery on their hands. As more bodies pop up the pair wonder if it's a mystery or a murder.
I loved Madeleine's character. She was a strong female lead who knew what she was doing and wasn't some silly main character needing a rescue. Her father was well-developed by the author and supported Madeleine's character. The other characters were interesting and added to the mystery element of the story. The ending was a surprise...as it should be in a great mystery book. This book is highly recommended to young adult/adult readers.
4 Stars
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the In Death series by JD Robb :) thanks for sharing!