“In centering her thriller around a main character who is not only a quadriplegic but blind and mute as well, French author Aubert sets herself a difficult task, but she acquits herself brilliantly... Elise's astute thoughts, together with the crisp dialogue of the people she encounters and her keen and often humorous commentary on their one-sided conversations, fuels this dazzling whodunit... Throughout the intensely suspenseful story, chock-full of unexpected twists and turns, Aubert expertly captures the myriad frustrations of someone confined by severe physical limitations. Never stooping to melodrama or pity, she use Elise's marvelous sense of humor and intellect to create an unforgettable character.” - Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Brigitte Aubert, one of France's most successful thriller authors, has created a unique and unlikely heroine, Elise Andioli... It is not surprising this frightening tale won France's 1997 Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere... An engaging puzzle as well as a sympathetic glimpse into the world of the severely disabled.” - Booklist

“The portrayal of an intelligent, blind, mute quadriplegic is refreshing, and Elise is a spunky and engaging heroine.” LIBRARY JOURNAL

Elise Andrioli had it all: she was managing a bustling movie theater, engaged to be married, surrounded by friends. But when a terrorist bomb shatters her world, leaving her blind, mute, and quadriplegic, she must be taken back to her family home near Paris.
Lately, life in this suburb has been less than tranquil – a series of grisly murders has shaken its residents. Young boys keep disappearing in the woods, only to be discovered days later, dead and horribly mutilated.
One morning, while waiting in her wheelchair outside a supermarket, Elise is approached by a strange little girl named Virginie, who confides to her that she was present when Death from the Woods murdered Michael, a little boy reported missing several days earlier. Later that afternoon, Michael's death is confirmed on the local news. All too soon, Virginie will inform Elise that she herself is a target.
Who is this girl, and how will Elise ever find her again? Why is someone trying to kill her? And how in the world is she going to convey what she knows to those around her? Voted France's Best Thriller of 1997, brilliantly written from the perspective of a woman with “locked-in syndrome,” Death from the Woods proves once again that Brigitte Aubert is unquestionably one of Europe's most gifted storytellers.

Brigitte Aubert is widely considered to be France's most talented female thriller writer. Her most recent highly successful and critically acclaimed novels include Transfixions, La morsure des tenebres, and with Gisele Cavali, Ranko Tango and Passagere sans retour. She lives in Cannes.