The Mechanical Girl

Paris. Winter of 1750. In hopes of a better life, former prostitute Madeleine takes a job as a maid in the house of the famous watchmaker Reinhardt. On behalf of the police, the girl must find out what the watchmaker is really up to, as persistent rumors swirl through the city that Reinhardt creates his bizarre mechanisms—jewelry-adorned birds, silver spiders, rabbits, bats—using magic, challenging the laws of nature. But in the watchmaker's house, Madeleine feels extremely uncomfortable: she has the impression that she is constantly under the gaze of unseen eyes. Events take a more sinister turn when children start disappearing from the streets. Determined to uncover the truth, Madeleine horrifies herself with the realization that she may be dealing with a conspiracy that leads to the very heart of Versailles. But what lies at the heart of this conspiracy? Who is the mechanical girl? And what is Madeleine really searching for? «The Mechanical Girl» is a stunning story about obsession, illusions, and the cost of freedom.