The Nurse's Secret by Amanda Skenandore

The Nurse's Secret
by Amanda Skenandore

ISBN-13: 9781496726537
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Released: June 28th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
In the slums of 1880s New York, Una Kelly has grown up to be a rough-and-tumble grifter, able to filch a pocketbook in five seconds flat. But when another con-woman pins her for a murder she didn't commit, Una is forced to flee. Running from the police, Una lies her way into an unlikely refuge: the nursing school at Bellevue Hospital.

Based on Florence Nightingale's nursing principles, Bellevue is the first school of its kind in the country. Where once nurses were assumed to be ignorant and unskilled, Bellevue prizes discipline, intellect, and moral character, and only young women of good breeding need apply. At first, Una balks at her prim classmates and the doctors' endless commands. Yet life on the streets has prepared her for the horrors of injury and disease found on the wards, and she slowly gains friendship and self-respect.

Just as she finds her footing, Una's suspicions about a patient's death put her at risk of exposure, and will force her to choose between her instinct for self-preservation, and exposing her identity in order to save others.

Amanda Skenandore brings her medical expertise to a page-turning story that explores the development of modern nursing--including the grisly realities of nineteenth-century medicine--as seen through the eyes of an intriguing and dynamic heroine.


My Review:
The Nurse's Secret is a suspense set in 1883 in New York City. Una has learned to look out for her own interests because she's had to take care of herself since she was a child. She's good at looking and acting respectable in order to pick people's pockets, but her habits aren't normally refined anymore. She cusses, drinks, steals. A rare act of kindness on her part ends up with her needing to avoid the police, making some bad decisions, witnessing a murder, and being arrested for that murder. She manages to escape and join a nursing school to hide from the police, but what she thought would be an easy disguise requires a lot more effort (and help from new friends) than she expected. Strangely, she spots more murders at the hospital, though it's not like she can report them to the police. Especially since no one else seems to think they are murders.

Though the murders were pivotal to Una's life, she didn't mystery-style investigate until nearly the end. Much of the story focused on what it was like to be a nurse, doctor, or nursing student at that time. The historical details were woven into the story and brought it alive in my imagination. The characters acted realistically. Una wasn't exactly likable at first, but I understood why she acted the way that she did. As time went on, friends who cared about her brought out her desire to help others even at risk to herself. The story stayed suspenseful as one bad decision after another left Una in danger of being thrown out of the school or spotted by the police. Again, I understood why she acted that way, and it was consistent with her character and past.

There were no sex scenes. There was a lot of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Cold Case Killer Profile by Jessica R. Patch

Cold Case Killer Profile
by Jessica R. Patch

ISBN-13: 9781335555106
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: June 28th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Searching for the perfect morning landscape to paint leads forensic artist Brigitte Linsey straight to a dead body—and a narrow escape from the Sunrise Serial Killer still on the scene. Now she’s become unfinished business and new prey. Working with FBI special agent Duke Jericho could mean putting the murderer away for good.


My Review:
Cold Case Killer Profile is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second in a series, but it works as a standalone. Duke and Brigitte worked well together as a team. Duke and Brigitte respected each other's abilities and personalities, and they came to care for each other as they got to know each other. Both were reluctant to marry anyone due to witnessing bad marriages in the past.

Duke and Brigitte asked questions and followed up on leads. The mystery was a clue-based puzzle to solve. I suspected whodunit early on and the clues were consistent with that, though there were other possible suspects. The suspense came from repeated attacks on Brigitte and other possible witnesses to the identity of the killer.

The Christian element was trusting God through tough circumstances. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romantic suspense.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Edward and Amelia by Karen Thornell

Edward and Amelia
by Karen Thornell

ISBN-13: 9781524421052
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: June 6th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The last thing Amelia Kennington wants is to participate in the London Season. But the daughter of a duke is not afforded such opinions, so she submits to his plans. Beneath is a well-hidden fire that surfaces when provoked—such as when a gentleman startles her and she falls into the Serpentine.

Edward Drayton, the Earl of Norwich, has gained a reputation as a rake--a reputation that he intends to change. This Season, he plans to find a wife—except she seems to find him instead. And she is nothing like he expected.

Scandal is inevitable following Edward and Amelia’s accident-prone meeting, forcing them to marry. Amelia’s disdain for this man she hardly knows is more than clear, and Edward’s pride is wounded before their marriage has even truly begun. Yet, against all odds, the two slowly let their guard down. But when Society gossip, a sister’s jealousy, and long-held secrets threaten their budding relationship, the unlikely couple must determine if their love is strong enough to withstand the opposition they face.


My Review:
Edward and Amelia is a romance set in 1813 in England. It wasn't realistic historically nor did the characters act realistically. For example, even though it hadn't worked for any woman before them, woman after woman kept trying to trap Edward into marriage by getting in compromising situations with him only to have their reputations ruined. The eldest sister declared she wanted to marry a man with a high title but then actively worked to ruin the chances of happiness not only for her sisters but for herself by spreading scandalous rumors that would reflect poorly on her family. The friend who helped start the rumors clung to Edward at a public ball while flirting with him yet somehow everyone felt this shamed Amelia and gossiped about her instead of the flirt. These characters' actions made no sense.

Actually, the story didn't start off too bad. Edward didn't listen well because he was certain he knew what women liked. When Amelia said she didn't want to plan a dinner party, he basically told her that of course she would enjoy it and made her do it. When Amelia told him that she didn't like flattery, he eventually listened. Amelia refused to believe anyone would desire her because of her scars and because her family treated her so poorly. Edward slowly started to listen and open up.

But things got more and more absurd and nonsensical in order to keep them apart. Women kept visiting Edward in the evenings, but he didn't explain who they were or introduce them. Edward kept complimenting every woman he encountered (in front of his wife!) in an attempt to make them leave him alone. He wrote to the women that he'd ruined to apologize and left their letters on his desk where Amelia saw that he was still writing to these women. After weeks of marriage, Amelia received dozens of letters from "women ruined by Edward" within a few hours and yet she didn't suspect that they weren't genuine. She literally refused to listen to her husband try to explain the truth of his reputation. One moment, she reflected on how very little she knew about her husband but later felt that she knew her husband better than two friends who had known Edward his whole life. The author's efforts to keep them apart due to misunderstandings just became absurd. Frustratingly absurd. Not a satisfying read.

There was no sex or bad language.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Guilty Creatures by Martin Edwards

Guilty Creatures
by Martin Edwards

ISBN-13: 9781464215841
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Released: June 7th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
From the animal mysteries of Arthur Conan Doyle and F. Tennyson Jesse through to more modern masterpieces of the subgenre from Christianna Brand and Penelope Wallace, this anthology celebrates one of the liveliest and most imaginative species of classic crime fiction. The collection includes an introduction on animals in detective fiction by Martin Edwards.

Since the dawn of the crime fiction genre, animals of all kinds have played a memorable part in countless mysteries, and in a variety of roles: the perpetrator, the key witness, the sleuth's trusted companion. This collection of fourteen stories corrals plots centered around cats, dogs, and insects alongside more exotic incidents involving gorillas, parakeets, and serpents—complete with a customary shoal of red herrings.


My Review:
Guilty Creatures is a collection of 14 short story mysteries written between the 1890s and 1960s. These stories either had an animal as the intended victim (a racehorse, etc.) or an animal provided a clue or was a part of committing the crime. In one case, an animal was simply the excuse for buying the poison. Most of the cases were simply a walk-through of the events with the solution at the end, but a few were clue-based puzzle-mysteries. In general, I enjoyed the stories, and I hadn't read any of them before. I will note, though, that I didn't like the India viper story. The vipers in that story didn't act like what little I know about vipers and snakes. First, snakes can climb (even slick metal). Also, it's not like they could eat a human, so why would they come out of hiding to attack a human? Anyway. There were only a few uses of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, the stories were interesting and enjoyable.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Long Way Home by Lynn Austin

Long Way Home
by Lynn Austin

ISBN-13: 9781496437396
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House
Released: June 21st 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Peggy Serrano couldn't wait for her best friend to come home from the war. But the Jimmy Barnett who returns is much different from the Jimmy who left, changed so drastically by his experience as a medic in Europe that he can barely function. When he attempts the unthinkable, his parents check him into the VA hospital. Peggy determines to help the Barnetts unravel what might have happened to send their son over the edge. She starts by contacting Jimmy's war buddies, trying to identify the mysterious woman in the photo they find in Jimmy's belongings.

Seven years earlier, sensing the rising tide against her people, Gisela Wolff and her family flee Germany aboard the passenger ship St. Louis, bound for Havana, Cuba. Gisela meets Sam Shapiro on board and the two fall quickly in love. But the ship is denied safe harbor and sent back to Europe. Thus begins Gisela's perilous journey of exile and survival, made possible only by the kindness and courage of a series of strangers she meets along the way, including one man who will change the course of her life.


My Review:
Long Way Home is a split story following Peggy in 1946 in New York City and Gisela in 1938 to 1946 in Europe and elsewhere. The whole story was well-written, so the characters seemed like real people, I cared about them, and the historical details immersed me in the story. But it's a heavy read. Gisela's family is Jewish, and they manage to escape Germany only for their ship to be denied refuge in Cuba, America, Canada. They ended up in a country that was soon invaded by Germany. Her story was full of sadness and tragedy, and she was rather helpless as her choices were mainly decided by others (parents, Germans, etc.).

Peggy's story was also filled with sadness. At least she kept trying to make things better even when the critical choices had to be made by others (Jimmy's parents, his friends, etc.). Through her efforts, not only did Jimmy slowly find healing but so did several of his war buddies. She also found people that appreciated her talents and caring personality when her own family didn't.

Those involved in the war struggled with how a loving, good, all-powerful God would allow such horrible things to happen. Throughout the story, different people commented on how they dealt with this. Peggy even used the words that Jimmy once spoke to her to help him to better understand God's character. She helped him see the light in the world brought by God's people. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book but understand that parts are very sad.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Death and Hard Cider by Barbara Hambly

Death and Hard Cider
by Barbara Hambly

ISBN-13: 9780727850744
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Severn House
Released: June 7th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
September, 1840. A giant rally is being planned in New Orleans to stir up support for presidential candidate William Henry Harrison: the Indian-killing, hard-cider-drinking, wannabe "people's president". Trained surgeon turned piano-player Benjamin January has little use for politicians. But the run-up to the rally is packed with balls and dinner parties, and the meagre pay is sorely needed.

Soon, however, January has more to worry about than keeping his beloved family fed and safe. During an elegant reception thrown by New Orleans' local Whig notables, the son of a prominent politician gets into a fight with a rival over beautiful young flirt Marie-Joyeuse Maginot - and, the day after the rally is over, Marie-Joyeuse turns up dead. The only black person amongst the initial suspects is arrested immediately: January's dear friend, Catherine Clisson.

With Catherine's life on the line, January is determined to uncover the truth and prove her innocence. But his adversaries are powerful politicians, and the clock is ticking...


My Review:
Death and Hard Cider is a mystery set in 1840 in New Orleans. This is the 19th book in a series, but it can be understood without reading the previous novels and didn't spoil the previous mysteries. The setting and historical details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of that specific time and place and bringing the story alive in my imagination.

Since the lead character is a free, well-educated black man, he was able to interreact with white men in a respectful manner. He was also able to get clues from the slaves and others who wouldn't trust the white law officer who worked with him to find out who killed the teenaged white girl. They asked questions, followed up on clues, and January's medical skill came in handy. There were clues and whodunit can be guessed, especially right around the same time as the main characters do. And then they have to definitively prove it. Whodunit's actively trying to kill those investigating, so there's danger along the way. The characters were interesting, complex, and acted in realistic ways.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Elysium Tide by James R. Hannibal

Elysium Tide
by James R. Hannibal

ISBN-13: 9780800738518
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: June 1st 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Dr. Peter Chesterfield is one of the Royal London Hospital's top neurosurgeons. He is also a workaholic, ordered by his boss to take a week off to attend a medical symposium at the luxurious Elysium Grand on the island of Maui. While there, Peter pulls a woman with a skull fracture from the water. Though he is able to revive her in the ambulance, she eventually dies in his arms, leaving him with only one clue to what happened to her: the word "honu."

Increasingly obsessed with discovering the cause of his patient's death, Peter becomes entangled in an ongoing investigation of a brazen luxury auto theft. He also becomes a source of unwanted advice to detective Lisa Kealoha, who has jurisdiction over the case. But when the two join forces, they begin to uncover a destructive plot that runs far deeper than either of them could have imagined. And if they're not careful, they're both going to end up dead.


My Review:
Elysium Tide is a mystery/suspense novel. Lisa is a good detective, finding leads and following up on them. She knows the people and the island. Peter is Sherlock-Holmes-type brilliant and isn't afraid to order others around--which doesn't make him friends even though his ideas are good ones. He notices details and draws accurate conclusions not immediately obvious to others. Often, both Lisa and Peter would come to the same location or conclusion though they got there by different deductive routes.

There were several crimes that were committed that needed to be solved. It wasn't initially clear if they were connected and, if so, how. It was an interesting mystery and filled with fights, car chases, and medical emergencies. I loved the character relationship dynamics between, well, everyone. Even the bad guys were interesting, realistic characters. Lisa's team had fun (though professional) interactions. I hope this is intended to be a series as the author set it up to include the possibility of future cases worked together.

Lisa believed in God, and she'd came to view him as a father after her own father died. Peter felt that belief in gods was primitive and misguided, but an intense near-death experience made him question that conclusion. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written and enjoyable novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.