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A Lady in Shadows

A Madeleine Karno Mystery

About The Book

“Madeleine’s inquisitive mind and candid voice are enough to keep us reading.” —The New York Times Book Review

New York Times bestselling author Lene Kaaberbøl returns with her beloved protagonist Madeleine Karno—an ambitious young woman who shatters the confines of nineteenth century France.


On June 2nd, 1894, in the wake of President Marie Francois Sadi Carnot’s assassination, France descends into chaos and riots in the streets of Varbourg. Many lives are lost in the mayhem, but when one lady of the night is found murdered with brutal incisions and no sign of a struggle, it is clear something is amiss. Madeleine Karno must ask herself the terrifying question: Do they have their very own Jack the Ripper in France?

Madeleine is no stranger to cases such as this. Though she is a woman in forensic pathology (a career considered unseemly even for men), her recent work with a string of mysterious deaths and becoming the first female student admitted to the University of Varbroug has earned her some semblance of respect. But there’s only so much her physiology courses can do to help her uncover the mysteries of a mad scientist’s brutal murders. Madeleine must do whatever it takes—investigate the darkest corners of the city and even work undercover—to track down a murderer at large. But if there’s one thing the press has right about “Mademoiselle Death,” it’s this: it takes a woman to find a killer of women.

About The Author

Photograph © Lisbeth Holten

Lene Kaaberbøl, the New York Times bestselling author of Doctor Death, has sold more than two million books worldwide. She has won several awards for her fiction, including a nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen medal. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages. Kaaberbøl is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Boy in the Suitcase. Kaaberbøl, born in Copenhagen, now lives on the Channel Island of Sark.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atria Books (December 5, 2017)
  • Length: 352 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781476731445

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Raves and Reviews

“Kaaberbøl has created a genuinely tough, empathetic female heroine in an era when women were meant to be seen and not heard.”

– Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Kaaberbøl excels at details. From her depictions of 19th century France to the details of an autopsy, she leaves nothing out. Her research is superb and her understanding of the socio-political atmosphere is remarkable."

– Killer Nashville

Praise for Doctor Death:

“Deftly exploring such themes as the struggles between mind and body, science and spirit—without detracting from a gripping plot—the novel transcends its period to contemplate the eternal.”

– Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Madeleine Karno is a sleuth both true to the period and rooted in strength of will, gumption, and ambition.”

– Sarah Weinman, editor of Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives

"Engrossing... Sure to please fans of historical mysteries.”

– Library Journal

“A convincing thriller taking place in 19th century France, Doctor Death is a unique tale.”

– RT Book Reviews

“Eloquently written and with powerful insight into human and animal nature.”

– BookReporter.com

“Madeleine’s inquisitive mind and candid voice are enough to keep us reading.”

– New York Times

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