MERCY: A novel

by Echo Heron

Catalina Richardson is both dedicated nurse and black sheep of Mercy Hospital where, in the chaos of the infamous Ward Two, she is torn between the demands of being a nurturing caregiver and being choked by hospital politics. With little sanity left in her packed days, and with only the sanctuary of a cramped linen closed to sustain her, Cat is slowly losing her patience and her mind. That is, until an intriguing police detective investigating the brutal beating of a celebrated artist brings a ray of hope into Cat's frantic and lonely existence. Before romance, however, comes the care of the patients who pull her back from burnout to compassion:
CROSS—the famous young artist whose psychopath boyfriend nearly kills her. He tries again, only to have Catalina get in his way
CORKY—the All American teen from a happy family, except Corky has attempted suicide and will do it again before telling anyone the nightmarish truth behind it
PROFESSOR DEAN—a victim of AIDS whose gentle courage and love of life bring the fight home to Cat
STELLA—95 years old and full of piss and vinegar, but her determination to keep a 45 year old bloody tragedy hidden is slowly beginning to wane
WALKER—A San Francisco bartender and father of the precocious 8 year-old Zoe, is dying from cancer. He refuses to let go until he finds the answers to what his life was all about

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Medical

423 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Road · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a thriller with a lot of humanity in it.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I have enjoyed other books by EchoHeron, this one didn't quite live up to the expectations I had upon reading the jacket. Just focusing on the 5 patients and Nurse Cat may have lead to a boring book, but Heron took it to a metaphysical level by involving Gage, a blind newspaper salesman, and his visions that are transferred to Cat and it spoiled the book for me. I like that Heron gave background about her patients to explain how they ended up on Cat's ward and what they experience while in the hospital. However, even there, one of the patients is in a constant state of hallucination and he is always seeing a giant red set of lips and boyhood friend, though the friend made sense in that he was waiting to help the patient cross from the living to the dead.
I also didn't feel like the book progressed quickly. The character development was great and I loved Stella, the elderly lady on the ward who is there only because her nursing home kicked her out, and the relationship she and Cat formed. Cross, a famous author abused by her boyfriend, and Corky, a suicidal teenager prove good for each other's issues, though I don't know how realistic their interaction is. Add in Cat's two patients dying from terminal illness (plus the roommate of one, who is resigned to the same fate), and this is the strangest hospital ward I've ever known of. Perhaps in the early 90's when this book was penned, hospital wards were like this, but these days, every specialty seems to have its own wing of a hospital. Between the unlikely interaction scenarios and the metaphysical stuff, I just found the plot to be unrealistic and plodding at times. Heron did leave some mysteries unanswered until the very end which were enough to keep me intrigued and eager to finish.
I will read Heron's other books, as this was her first work of fiction and I have read at least one of her later books to know that she is a good author. Mercy just isn't her finest work.

[Evangeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Caroline H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just read some of the reviews - and I totally disagree!

The nurses are a wicked combination of many memorable nurses from my career, the ideals juxtaposed with the realities of nursing, the premonitions and the story-telling all wove together to have me crying one minute and laughing out loud the next (and it tales a lot to get me guffawing along with a book). Starting with the detective's meeting with Stella, through the preaching in theED, it was priceless!!!!!!

Thank you, Echo!!!

[Sue Shirey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truthful medical with mystical turns

Accurate pictures of medicine as practiced by medical nurses,with mystery,mystique and a little true crime...for the medical terminology proficient and those who love a book that is part romance,mystery and otherworldness.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was intresting as far as how care is given, but predictible as far as the suspense goes.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cat Richardson is a nurse whose compassion is about the only thing keeping her from fleeing the profession. Humor and pathos blend in this novel by a veteran nurse.

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Slow, boring, very difficult to read. The only thing I found this book good for was help with insomnia.

[Stacey Krueger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging characters. I didn’t care for the supernatural aspects.