Madame Tussaud

In her fourth historical novel, following Cleopatra's Daughter (2010), Moran (www.michellemoran.com) turns from ancient Egypt to a France teetering on the abyss of revolution. The wax sculptures of Swiss artist Anna Marie Grosholtz, the woman who would later become known as Madame Tussaud (1761–1850), catch the attention of everyone from Louis XVI to Marie Antoinette. But as events rapidly spiral out of control and revolutionaries take charge of the country, her loyalties to the royal family are tested. An author's note adds further historical background on Tussaud. British actress/Audie Award winner Rosalyn Landor delivers a compelling performance of this first-person narrative, though the English-type accents she occasionally uses when Tussaud recollects conversations with certain characters seem out of place for the French setting. Recommended for fans of Moran, historical fiction, and women's fiction as well as for Francophiles and those fascinated by Tussaud. [The Crown hc received a starred review, LJ Xpress Reviews, 1/13/11; see also LJ's interview with the author, BookSmack! 2/17/11.—Ed.]—David Faucheux, Louisiana Audio Information & Reading Svc., Lafayette