The Corpse Queen
The Corpse Queen by Heather M. Herrman, published by Penguin on September 14, 2021, is a 416-page work of young adult fiction that delves into a dark and twisty historical mystery. Set in 1850s Philadelphia, the story follows orphaned seventeen-year-old Molly Green, who is sent to live with her wealthy aunt after the mysterious death of her best friend. As Molly navigates her new life, she discovers her aunt’s unsettling profession as a grave robber, which leads her into a world filled with secrets and moral dilemmas.
Readers will find Molly’s journey both horrifying and intriguing as she learns the intricacies of her aunt’s trade and the anatomy lessons conducted by the enigmatic Doctor LaValle. The narrative explores themes of death, grief, and the social dynamics of the time, as Molly grapples with her desire for knowledge and power amidst the looming threat of a murderer in the city. This edition presents a vivid portrayal of a young woman’s struggle for agency in a male-dominated environment, making it a thought-provoking read for those interested in historical thrillers and social themes.
Official synopsis Publisher
“Deliciously macabre and utterly decadent.” —Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper
In this dark and twisty feminist historical mystery, a teenage girl starts a new life as a grave robber but quickly becomes entangled in a murderer’s plans.
Soon after her best friend Kitty mysteriously dies, orphaned seventeen-year-old Molly Green is sent away to live with her “aunt.” With no relations that she knows of, Molly assumes she has been sold as a maid for the price of an extra donation in the church orphanage’s coffers. Such a thing is not unheard of. There are only so many options for an unmarried girl in 1850s Philadelphia. Only, when Molly arrives, she discovers her aunt is very much real, exceedingly wealthy, and with secrets of her own. Secrets and wealth she intends to share—for a price.
Molly’s estranged aunt Ava, has built her empire by robbing graves and selling the corpses to medical students who need bodies to practice surgical procedures. And she wants Molly to help her procure the corpses. As Molly learns her aunt’s trade in the dead of night and explores the mansion by day, she is both horrified and deeply intrigued by the anatomy lessons held at the old church on her aunt’s property. Enigmatic Doctor LaValle’s lessons are a heady mixture of knowledge and power and Molly has never wanted anything more than to join his male-only group of students. But the cost of inclusion is steep and with a murderer loose in the city, the pursuit of power and opportunity becomes a deadly dance.
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