Code Blue in Cascade

Vital Signs Mysteries #1

by Sally Winters

Travel nurse Sandra Tungsten arrives in the misty mountain town of Rainier Ridge, Washington, expecting a quiet year at Pineview General Hospital. With her therapy dog Hypo by her side, she's ready to keep her head down, do her job, and stay invisible—just like she always does. But when the hospital's beloved star surgeon collapses and dies during a routine surgery, Sandra discovers something that doesn't add a discarded vial of a rare drug that should never have been in the operating room.

When the hospital administrator dismisses her concerns and the local authorities accept the death as natural causes, Sandra realizes she's the only one willing to ask the hard questions. As the outsider with no connections and everything to lose, she must navigate the tight-knit politics of small-town medicine while piecing together a puzzle that points to murder. With Hypo's keen senses alerting her to hidden clues and unexpected allies emerging from the close-knit hospital staff, Sandra uncovers a web of secrets that threatens to destroy the very institution keeping this mountain community alive.

In this cozy medical mystery that blends professional expertise with small-town charm, Sandra must use her nursing skills and sharp observation to catch a killer who's hiding in plain sight—before an innocent colleague takes the fall and a murderer walks free. Perfect for fans of medical procedurals and cozy mysteries, CODE BLUE IN CASCADE introduces a smart, compassionate protagonist and her devoted therapy dog in a series that will transport readers from coast to coast, one hospital mystery at a time.

102 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2026

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main character is Sandra, who is a traveling nurse. She goes from one hospital to another with her dog Hypo for a stay of about a year, Shortly after she arrived a doctor died. and the sale of the hospital died. No one seemed to know what to do , so she started asking questions. She had 3 suspects but couldn't seem to get any farther. But with help from a nurse, a hospital handyman and a barista she finally figures it out. Did she get it right ? Did the cops agree ?

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandra Tungsten is a traveling nurse who arrives in Pineview with her dog Hypo to begin a one year contract. As she starts to settle in the head surgeon at the hospital drops dead in the operating room. Sandra thinks it is suspicious after she finds a vial of medicine in the operating room under a cart when she is cleaning up after the death that should not be there. As she starts to dig into it the pressure mounts on her to drop it. A fun story that keeps you guessing until the end..

[Karol Southerland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unresolved questions

When Sandra and Hydro took their next nursing assignment as a traveling nurse and her therapy dog, an unexpected death occurs. Everyone believes it was a heart attack but not Sandra. Working with her new friends at the hospital and the small town, they find the actual killer. A good read.

[Jane Fate · Rating 2 out of 5]

CONFUSING

Many parts of this book were excellently written. But the main plot did not make sense. The surgeon died during a surgery he was performing.
He died from a poison administered through an iv Line!!!!!
Why would the SURGEON have the iv line?
Why did no one else notice he had an iv line attached to him? Why did the surgeon himself not notice? 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️