Karen Odden, Author of the historical mystery, "A Lady in the Smoke"

AVAILABLE NOW FROM WILLIAM MORROW!

A Dangerous Duet

Read the first chapter of A DANGEROUS DUET!

A Dangerous Duet, by Karen Odden.

A novel of suspense threaded with romance, A DANGEROUS DUET introduces readers to nineteen-year old Nell Hallam, a determined young pianist who lives in a modest corner of Mayfair with her brother Matthew, an inspector at Scotland Yard.

Nell aspires to attend the Royal Academy of Music; but with tuition beyond her means, she sets out to earn the money herself, by playing piano at The Octavian, a popular music hall on the seedier side of Regent Street. In order to earn a fair wage, she must don men’s garb; and to elude notice, she slips out of her house at night—for she must conceal both her nightly forays and her ambition to pursue piano as a profession. Years before, Nell’s mother suffered from a mental disorder that the family doctor believes was triggered by her passion for the piano. He has strongly discouraged Nell from playing anything more dramatic than a lullaby until she reaches what he considers a safe age.

In time, Nell’s occupation at the Octavian becomes more than a means to an end. She discovers a different world, one of lively energy and fascinating performers, and she is increasingly drawn to Jack, the son of the owner, who has secrets of his own. But one night, a young woman performer is left for dead in a nearby alley; and when Nell stumbles upon the operations of an infamous crime ring working inside the hall, she becomes ensnared in a conspiracy that stretches the length of London. Soon it becomes clear that her brother Matthew’s ongoing investigation at the Yard leads toward the Octavian and Jack; and as the boundary between her two worlds begins to blur, Nell must make a desperate choice.

Informed by Odden’s extensive research into Victorian music halls and crime, A DANGEROUS DUET is a spellbinding historical mystery, perfect for readers of Tasha Alexander, Anne Perry, and Deanna Raybourn.

Read the first chapter of A DANGEROUS DUET!