The Bleeding

Written by Johana Gustawsson

Narrated by Stephanie Cannon, Karen Cass and Jessica Preddy

1899, Belle Époque Paris. Lucienne's two daughters are believed dead when her mansion burns to the ground, but she is certain that her girls are still alive and embarks on a journey into the depths of the spiritualist community to find them. 1949, Post-War Québec. Teenager Lina's father has died in the French Resistance, and as she struggles to fit in at school, her mother introduces her to an elderly woman at the asylum where she works, changing Lina's life in the darkest way imaginable. 2002, Quebec. A former schoolteacher is accused of brutally stabbing her husband - a famous university professor - to death. Detective Maxine Grant,who has recently lost her own husband and is parenting a teenager and a new baby single-handedly, takes on the investigation. Under enormous personal pressure, Maxine makes a series of macabre discoveries that link directly to historical cases involving black magic and murder, secret societies and spiritism. . .and women at breaking point, who will stop at nothing to protect the ones they love. . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd
• Release date: Sep 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781399146487

Johana Gustawsson

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, including Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song, has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. The Bleeding – number one bestseller in France and the first in a new series – will be published in 2022. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband and their three sons.

Reviews for The Bleeding

[Jude Temple · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It took me longer than it should have to make all the links, but when I did… mind blown! I had to listen again to sone final chapters to take it all in. Dark. So dark!

[ysabear · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Great performances. Audiobook made this Hallmark crime story more bearable, especially towards the end when it started getting interesting. Slow start but the ending kind of makes it worth it? I wasn't mad that I had to read it for book club and it's a bit different from the "cozy" murder mysteries that are gaining popularity. I mean murder isn't meant to be cozy and this book knows it.