The Nurse's Secret

The Nurse’s Secret by Amanda Skenandore 368 pages

I was attracted to this novel due to the cover and the setting---New York, 1883. I always enjoy medical stories from the 19^th and early 20^th centuries; they make me appreciate modern medicine. (An aside, for a fabulous historical medical fiction read, pick up a copy of Robin Oliveira’s “My Name is Mary Sutter.”)

Una Kelly is a grifter who is about to become homeless. Her mother died in a fire and her father died of a drug overdose. Una is about to pull a scam and cheat her fence out of deal when the new fence she plans to meet with is found murdered. She does have a run-in with the coppers but manages to elude them.

On the run and nowhere to go, Una spots an article in the newspaper that Bellevue Hospital is recruiting nurses. Bellevue is a training hospital and is renowned for following Florence Nightingale’s nursing principles. Bellevue is the first hospital to do this in the country.

Una defrauds her way into the training program. It’s not like anything she expected, but she finds she has a knack for it. Following the restrictive role, she must play as a nurse is tough on the young woman who is used to doing things her way. She also finds things she has never had before: friends and romance. When murders begin to happen at the hospital, Una sets out to discover who is the guilty party.

This novel is a little light in depth and tension, but it was interesting. While I didn’t find it a page-turner, other reader might. “The Nurse’s Secret” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.