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Sunday, January 25, 2015

Dr. Death by Lene Kaaberbol

Doctor Death

Madeline Karno is the daughter of the coroner in a small French village in 1894.  
When  seventeen-year-old Cecile Montaigne is found dead, her parents refuse to allow an autopsy, but from a surface examination, no cause of death is evident.  However, in the young woman's nostrils, Madeline's father discovers a type of parasite usually found in dogs.

Madeline is only allowed to assist her father in small ways because his work is not considered suitable for women. In fact, even he is affected by social views of his work as a pathologist, and despite Madeline's interest in science, he keeps her secluded from some aspects of his work.


When the priest who kept vigil over the girl's body is murdered more questions arise, and Madeline seeks answers.  


I mentioned this book a while back, but wanted to mention it again closer to publication.  If you like historical mysteries, you may want to add this one to your list.  It has some unexpected twists.  And although the book is complete in itself, there is a final development that makes me eager to discover what lies ahead for Madeline.

From my previous post:   Lene Kaaberbol is the co-author of several novels with journalist Agnete Friis, including The Boy in the Suitcase which won a number of awards:
The New York Times Book Review Notable Crime Book of 2011; Strand Magazine Critics Award Nominee; Indie Next List November 2011 Pick; Barry Award Nominee for Best First Novel; Harald Morgensen Award for Best Danish Thriller of the Year; Glass Key Crime Fiction Award Nominee
 She has also written a number of children's fantasy novels and won the Nordic Children's Book Prize in 2004.
I was surprised to see that she has written so much for children.  

Read in December.  Blog post scheduled for Jan. 25, 2015.

NetGalley/Atria Books

Historical Mystery.  Feb. 17, 2015.  Print version:  304 pages.

10 comments:

  1. Sounds good! I like the occasional historical fiction mystery, though I don't read them enough. I did read The Boy in the Suitcase and enjoyed it but didn't love it because the subject matter was depressing. However the writing style was great.

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    1. I haven't read The Boy in the Suitcase, but I enjoyed this one. I think I might to check out some of her children's fantasy...just to see the contrast. :)

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  2. This sounds interesting, and intriguing too. What's even better is I like historical mysteries so I may want to check this out. Thanks for the heads up, Jenclair!

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    1. I enjoyed the book, and I want to read the next in the series to see how the series develops.

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  3. I read her book The Boy in the Suitcase and liked it, but in a way, this one sounds even better. Is it going to be a series? Because Madeline sounds like a great character. Thanks for mentioning this book again; I'm writing it down this time so I don't forget. :)

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    1. Yes, I believe the author intends to continue the series, and there is an interesting twist at the end that makes me curious. :)

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  4. Hmm! You've got me curious about this one. The time period and setting interest me, but I especially want to know more about Madeline.

    I haven't yet read The Boy in the Suitcase, but I am pretty sure I own a copy on my e-reader and a paper copy.

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    1. I like the time period and Madeline's interest in science, despite the discouragement she gets from society. The science aspect of early forensic pathology and the slight supernatural/mythic nature of the wolves makes for an interesting twist!

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  5. Sounds interesting. I don't read a whole lot of mystery/detective novels, but when I do they tend to be historical types, so this seems a fit :)

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  6. I love mystery/crime/police procedural, both modern and historical. The nice thing about historical novels is that I usually learn a little something. :)

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