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Lady X

A Novel

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Pub Date Jul 14 2026 | Archive Date Jul 14 2026


Description

The search for a notorious vigilante exposes the secrets between three generations of women in this propulsive novel of female resistance and rage, sweeping from contemporary L.A. to gritty, 1970s New York.

Los Angeles, 2024. After learning that her A-List actor husband sent explicit photos to multiple girls on social media, Margot Cooper runs away from the world—and the paparazzi—by fleeing to her childhood home with her teenage daughter in tow.

But home isn’t the sanctuary Margot was hoping for. In a cardboard box in the corner of the attic, she finds damning evidence of an infamous urban legend, the mysterious vigilante “Lady X”—including a blurry newspaper photo of a woman who looks an awful lot like Margot’s mother.

New York City, 1977. In the midst of an infamous summer, Ginger Daughtry and her two beloved roommates are able to shield each other from the chaos—until one of them is assaulted. Astounded by the lack of response from police, the young women decide to engage in some light payback, signing their handiwork as “Lady X.”

Soon copycats appear, and a movement inspired by acts of vandalism against terrible men spirals out of control, with criminals running amok under the guise of the enigmatic “Lady X.” When a body is found fallen—or pushed—from five stories high, the hunt reaches a boiling point.

But Lady X has vanished into thin air.
The search for a notorious vigilante exposes the secrets between three generations of women in this propulsive novel of female resistance and rage, sweeping from contemporary L.A. to gritty, 1970s...

Advance Praise

“The perfect book for any woman who has been told by a man to smile, who’s been asked why she can’t take a joke, who has to shoulder the responsibility for a man’s disreputable actions. This is an unputdownable paean to female rage and retribution.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult

“I am OBSESSED. This book is going to become my whole personality.”—Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author of These Summer Storms

“An honest, unflinching story of female rage and the persistence of legends. Molly Fader’s vibrant characters and singing prose will grip you from the first page, and as you travel from modern Hollywood to 1970s New York, it feels as seamless and compelling as a movie. This is a truly powerful reading experience.”—Simone St. James, New York Times bestselling author of Murder Road

“Bold, atmospheric, and furious, this explosive thrill ride of a book spans the country, the last four decades, and the breadth of female rage. This is a smart, cathartic book for right exactly now, and I could not put it down.”—Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Missing Sister

“In this powder keg of a novel, Fader takes the reader on a literary ride through some of the worst—and most universal—experiences of womanhood. Lady X is the outlet for feminist rage that we all need right now. This is incendiary, cathartic, and deeply satisfying.”—Heather Marshall, bestselling author of Liberty Street

“This intense yet thoughtful novel pulses with mystery and secrets, and its two time periods are perfectly detailed. Fader explores women’s rage across generations.”Booklist, starred review

“The perfect book for any woman who has been told by a man to smile, who’s been asked why she can’t take a joke, who has to shoulder the responsibility for a man’s disreputable actions. This is an...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780385701594
PRICE CA$26.99 (CAD)
PAGES 384

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Featured Reviews

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I absolutely adored reading this book. Lady X is a stunning and powerful read. Rich in atmosphere and emotional depth, it explores friendship, family, resilience, and the complexity of women’s lives with nuance and care. Molly Fader’s writing is compelling and immersive, and I will be handselling this to readers looking for bold, character driven fiction.

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