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Florence Nightingale Mystery #1
No Cure for the Dead
When a young nurse dies on her watch, Florence Nightingale must uncover the deep-hidden secrets someone will kill to keep buried.
It is 1853. Lady of the Lamp Florence Nightingale has just accepted the position of Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London. She has hardly had time to learn the names of the nurses in her charge when she suddenly finds one of them hanging in the Establishment’s library. Her name was Nurse Bellamy.
Florence’s mettle is tested by the dual goals of preserving what little reputation her hospital has and bringing Nurse Bellamy’s killer to justice. Her efforts are met with upturned noses and wayward glances except for her close friend and advocate inside the House of Commons, Sidney Herbert. As Florence digs deeper, however, her attention turns to one of the hospital investors and suddenly, Sidney becomes reluctant to help.
With no one but herself to count on, Florence must now puzzle out what the death of an unknown, nondescript young nurse has to do with conspiracies lurking about at the highest levels of government before she’s silenced too.
For fans of Anne Perry and Laurie R. King comes No Cure for the Dead, the rich and enthralling series debut from Christine Trent.
It is 1853. Lady of the Lamp Florence Nightingale has just accepted the position of Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London. She has hardly had time to learn the names of the nurses in her charge when she suddenly finds one of them hanging in the Establishment’s library. Her name was Nurse Bellamy.
Florence’s mettle is tested by the dual goals of preserving what little reputation her hospital has and bringing Nurse Bellamy’s killer to justice. Her efforts are met with upturned noses and wayward glances except for her close friend and advocate inside the House of Commons, Sidney Herbert. As Florence digs deeper, however, her attention turns to one of the hospital investors and suddenly, Sidney becomes reluctant to help.
With no one but herself to count on, Florence must now puzzle out what the death of an unknown, nondescript young nurse has to do with conspiracies lurking about at the highest levels of government before she’s silenced too.
For fans of Anne Perry and Laurie R. King comes No Cure for the Dead, the rich and enthralling series debut from Christine Trent.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published May 8, 2018
61 people are currently reading
671 people want to read
About the author
Christine Trent
19 books329 followersChristine Trent is the author of the Heart of St. Mary's County series set in her beloved Maryland hometown. Book 3, THE CEDAR POINT AFFAIR, releases in July 2025 and Book 4, THE MADNESS OF MOLL DYER, will release in February 2026.
She is also the author of the ROYAL TRADES series about women in unusual professions, including THE QUEEN'S DOLLMAKER (a dollmaker to Marie Antoinette), A ROYAL LIKENESS (an apprentice to the great waxworker, Madame Tussaud), and BY THE KING'S DESIGN (a cloth merchant to the Prince Regent). These books were re-released in 2023.
Christine is best known for her LADY OF ASHES series featuring Violet Harper, a Victorian undertaker with a passion for her macabre work. Christine's latest entry in this historical mystery series is THE DEADLY HOURS, an anthology written with Susanna Kearsley, C.S. Harris, and Anna Lee Huber, which follows the travels of a cursed pocket watch through time.
Can't get enough historical mystery? Christine has also written two novels (NO CURE FOR THE DEAD and A MURDEROUS MALADY) featuring Florence Nightingale as an intrepid sleuth.
Learn more about Christine at www.christinetrent.com.
She is also the author of the ROYAL TRADES series about women in unusual professions, including THE QUEEN'S DOLLMAKER (a dollmaker to Marie Antoinette), A ROYAL LIKENESS (an apprentice to the great waxworker, Madame Tussaud), and BY THE KING'S DESIGN (a cloth merchant to the Prince Regent). These books were re-released in 2023.
Christine is best known for her LADY OF ASHES series featuring Violet Harper, a Victorian undertaker with a passion for her macabre work. Christine's latest entry in this historical mystery series is THE DEADLY HOURS, an anthology written with Susanna Kearsley, C.S. Harris, and Anna Lee Huber, which follows the travels of a cursed pocket watch through time.
Can't get enough historical mystery? Christine has also written two novels (NO CURE FOR THE DEAD and A MURDEROUS MALADY) featuring Florence Nightingale as an intrepid sleuth.
Learn more about Christine at www.christinetrent.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
January 16, 2023
4.5 Victorian mystery stars!
A hidden gem!
Why did I let this sit on my unread NetGalley shelf for so long? This was really good!
London, 1853: Florence Nightingale is the new nurse Superintendent at the Establishment For Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness. At the end of her first week on the job, she discovers the dead body of one of her nurses in the hospital library. Local police deem it a suicide, not caring to look any deeper into the incident. Florence knows there is more to the death and begins some detective work to piece the devastating situation together, all while continuing to manage the hospital.
I found this novel to be equally entertaining and fascinating. Florence Nightingale is a historical figure that I’ve always been curious about. While this book is a fictional historical mystery, it includes countless historical facts and scenarios that were informative and educational.
The author did a terrific job with the atmosphere of the novel as I could clearly picture every room, nook and cranny in the Establishment. In the 1850’s, nursing was viewed as a lowly career, one that was not sought after by someone of Florence Nightingale’s stature. Her wealthy family was appalled to have her leave their estate to join the nursing profession but Florence felt a calling - this is a true piece of history. Upon finishing the book, it is revealed that Florence Nightingale has been the most impactful individual in the nursing profession. In this book we see her make small but important changes within the hospital in regard to sanitary conditions, fresh air and nurses hygiene that we are accustomed to now.
Florence’s character was extremely likeable and inspiring. She was always determined to the ‘right’ thing instead of the ‘easy’ thing in her work and investigations. Her clever and witty inner thoughts were entertaining and kept a lighter tone to the story. The pace was perfect as there was a consistent amount of suspense piquing my curiosity from start to finish.
My one tiny critique that kept this from being a 5 star read was the ending had a little too much going on. Everything comes together but slightly overdone on drama.
Audio rating: 5 stars! The narrator was phenomenal!! I immediately began my search for other audiobooks read by Lucy Raynor as her voice enhanced my reading enjoyment immensely.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan! Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!
A hidden gem!
Why did I let this sit on my unread NetGalley shelf for so long? This was really good!
London, 1853: Florence Nightingale is the new nurse Superintendent at the Establishment For Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness. At the end of her first week on the job, she discovers the dead body of one of her nurses in the hospital library. Local police deem it a suicide, not caring to look any deeper into the incident. Florence knows there is more to the death and begins some detective work to piece the devastating situation together, all while continuing to manage the hospital.
I found this novel to be equally entertaining and fascinating. Florence Nightingale is a historical figure that I’ve always been curious about. While this book is a fictional historical mystery, it includes countless historical facts and scenarios that were informative and educational.
The author did a terrific job with the atmosphere of the novel as I could clearly picture every room, nook and cranny in the Establishment. In the 1850’s, nursing was viewed as a lowly career, one that was not sought after by someone of Florence Nightingale’s stature. Her wealthy family was appalled to have her leave their estate to join the nursing profession but Florence felt a calling - this is a true piece of history. Upon finishing the book, it is revealed that Florence Nightingale has been the most impactful individual in the nursing profession. In this book we see her make small but important changes within the hospital in regard to sanitary conditions, fresh air and nurses hygiene that we are accustomed to now.
Florence’s character was extremely likeable and inspiring. She was always determined to the ‘right’ thing instead of the ‘easy’ thing in her work and investigations. Her clever and witty inner thoughts were entertaining and kept a lighter tone to the story. The pace was perfect as there was a consistent amount of suspense piquing my curiosity from start to finish.
My one tiny critique that kept this from being a 5 star read was the ending had a little too much going on. Everything comes together but slightly overdone on drama.
Audio rating: 5 stars! The narrator was phenomenal!! I immediately began my search for other audiobooks read by Lucy Raynor as her voice enhanced my reading enjoyment immensely.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan! Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!
May 8, 2018
As a big fan of historical mystery was I very curious to see how this new series starring Florence Nightingale would be. And, to my utter delight is this the first book in a series absolutely wonderful!
For one thing is it wonderful to get to know Florence Nightingale a bit more, yes this is a fictional book, but I found that Christine Trent has really captured the spirit of the woman who decided to follow the call from God to sacrifice a normal life with a husband and children to work with the sick. A job that's pretty much as low ranking as a being a prostitute. Which one will notice when you read this book and getting to know the nurses a bit better. They are far away from today's nurses. Then, we have the fact that she had to give up the man she loved as well. How many of us would do that? And back in a time when women's main function was to marry, and marry well.
Then we have the mystery of the nurse that is found hanging in the library. While the police quickly rule it as a suicide isn't Florence buying that and since she is new on the job is this murder really nothing she wants at the moment (or any moment). Especially since the risk is that she will lose her new job if she doesn't quickly solve it. Hence, she suddenly has to play amateur sleuth. Which she is pretty good at doing. And, I love the fact that there were some many shady figures, secrets, strange things going on that I couldn't figure out who was behind it.
No Cure for the Dead is the first book in this series and I can't wait for the next book. I had high hopes that this book would be good, but I was blown away by the strength of the plot and how much I adored Florence and how much she impressed me.
For one thing is it wonderful to get to know Florence Nightingale a bit more, yes this is a fictional book, but I found that Christine Trent has really captured the spirit of the woman who decided to follow the call from God to sacrifice a normal life with a husband and children to work with the sick. A job that's pretty much as low ranking as a being a prostitute. Which one will notice when you read this book and getting to know the nurses a bit better. They are far away from today's nurses. Then, we have the fact that she had to give up the man she loved as well. How many of us would do that? And back in a time when women's main function was to marry, and marry well.
Then we have the mystery of the nurse that is found hanging in the library. While the police quickly rule it as a suicide isn't Florence buying that and since she is new on the job is this murder really nothing she wants at the moment (or any moment). Especially since the risk is that she will lose her new job if she doesn't quickly solve it. Hence, she suddenly has to play amateur sleuth. Which she is pretty good at doing. And, I love the fact that there were some many shady figures, secrets, strange things going on that I couldn't figure out who was behind it.
No Cure for the Dead is the first book in this series and I can't wait for the next book. I had high hopes that this book would be good, but I was blown away by the strength of the plot and how much I adored Florence and how much she impressed me.
December 14, 2017
Trent transforms the Lady of the Lamp, Florence Nightingale, into a natural and formidable sleuth. Filled with fascinating historical details, a cast of diverting characters, and a perplexing mystery, NO CURE FOR THE DEAD is a riveting to start to this new series.
August 1, 2021
Fascinating Victorian mystery exploration with Florence Nightingale turned sleuth solving a suicide dressed up as a murder. 1853 and Florence has been appointed to a small London hospital, the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness, as Superintendent. When one of her staff, Nurse Bellamy, is found hanging in the library, a troubled Florence instigates her own investigation.
This occurrence and Florence’s enquires will sound alarm bells in the upper reaches of the government. The mystery and the danger deepens!
An absorbing read that kept me focused!
A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley
This occurrence and Florence’s enquires will sound alarm bells in the upper reaches of the government. The mystery and the danger deepens!
An absorbing read that kept me focused!
A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley
February 9, 2019
3.5 stars This was enjoyable enough without lighting me up with the Nightingale lamp! Her character in this was fairly bland (to me) although the mystery itself was intriguing. Some interesting details about the medical profession and Victorian beliefs and practises.
Read
December 4, 2017It is 1853. Lady of the Lamp Florence Nightingale has just accepted the position of Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London.
As soon as she is installed, Florence discovers a dead nurse hanging in the library. Instead of a novel focused on the real accomplishments of Florence Nightingale, the reader is relegated to a tale of how she solves the case. Her entire day consists mostly of trying to ferret out the killer rather than to discuss the many amazing accomplishments of this nurse. I found it mostly tedious to read about the daily occurences in the house and grew incredibly disdainful each time the word "miasma" was mentioned (so irritating that the author would focus on this completely INACCURATE THEORY OF Florence Nightingale so long disproven). In short, the book was not about anything really medical or nursing related, it was about FN becoming some sort of Nancy Drew and so thus, sold FN incredibly short. Florence Nightingale was an amazing woman for her time but the way she was portrayed in this novel totally sold her short. Whether or not she was romantically challenged (her relationship with Richard Monckton Miles) and her feelings about her family aside, I expected this to be more about how she changed the face of the art and practice of nursing -- not about how she was pretending to be some sort of sleuth.
I know this sounds harsh, but honestly -- I've been a nurse for over 40 years and Florence Nightingale's history and accomplishments are well known to me. Putting her in this scene and making her, quite frankly, a completely unlikeable character, were anathema. Sure there were a few paragraphs about changes she wanted to make with the nurses she was forced to train (a cut above prostitutes), and yes, historically her ideas did propel the profession forward -- it is just that this story does her character no justince. We don't see her caring much for patients, sure a rare turn, but yeah, she's an administrator LOL. Anyway, I am well familiar with the history of Florence Nightingale and her life. Turning her into a quasi detective took away from her modest life long work.
Some of this may be historically sound as far as research goes, but I felt throughout that the Florence portrayed here was nothing like the real woman I've researched myself. Making her focus on the murder and solving the crime as the main point of the novel took away from her stature -- not to mention dwelling on the "miasma" theory so much -- give it a rest, we know it's not true. Many of her studies, however, did advance and elevate the practice of nursing -- but nothing she ever did gives evidence that she'd spend so much time away from actual patients to work on solving a murder case. That's the problem with fiction based on real life characters.
Regardless, I did read this and I don't know if I would attempt a second in the series considering this is labeled as #1. I want to read historical fiction that uses real life people in their own element. Please let Florence Nightingale pursue MEDICAL or NURSING issues and not murder mystery. Thank you, however, to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
As soon as she is installed, Florence discovers a dead nurse hanging in the library. Instead of a novel focused on the real accomplishments of Florence Nightingale, the reader is relegated to a tale of how she solves the case. Her entire day consists mostly of trying to ferret out the killer rather than to discuss the many amazing accomplishments of this nurse. I found it mostly tedious to read about the daily occurences in the house and grew incredibly disdainful each time the word "miasma" was mentioned (so irritating that the author would focus on this completely INACCURATE THEORY OF Florence Nightingale so long disproven). In short, the book was not about anything really medical or nursing related, it was about FN becoming some sort of Nancy Drew and so thus, sold FN incredibly short. Florence Nightingale was an amazing woman for her time but the way she was portrayed in this novel totally sold her short. Whether or not she was romantically challenged (her relationship with Richard Monckton Miles) and her feelings about her family aside, I expected this to be more about how she changed the face of the art and practice of nursing -- not about how she was pretending to be some sort of sleuth.
I know this sounds harsh, but honestly -- I've been a nurse for over 40 years and Florence Nightingale's history and accomplishments are well known to me. Putting her in this scene and making her, quite frankly, a completely unlikeable character, were anathema. Sure there were a few paragraphs about changes she wanted to make with the nurses she was forced to train (a cut above prostitutes), and yes, historically her ideas did propel the profession forward -- it is just that this story does her character no justince. We don't see her caring much for patients, sure a rare turn, but yeah, she's an administrator LOL. Anyway, I am well familiar with the history of Florence Nightingale and her life. Turning her into a quasi detective took away from her modest life long work.
Some of this may be historically sound as far as research goes, but I felt throughout that the Florence portrayed here was nothing like the real woman I've researched myself. Making her focus on the murder and solving the crime as the main point of the novel took away from her stature -- not to mention dwelling on the "miasma" theory so much -- give it a rest, we know it's not true. Many of her studies, however, did advance and elevate the practice of nursing -- but nothing she ever did gives evidence that she'd spend so much time away from actual patients to work on solving a murder case. That's the problem with fiction based on real life characters.
Regardless, I did read this and I don't know if I would attempt a second in the series considering this is labeled as #1. I want to read historical fiction that uses real life people in their own element. Please let Florence Nightingale pursue MEDICAL or NURSING issues and not murder mystery. Thank you, however, to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
November 5, 2017
Always fascinating to read about real people in fictional stories, and this is a new series based around Florence Nightingale and it's really very intriguing!. There's enough historical detail and background to keep you going and you really get a good sense of the lady of the lamp. I believe the author is American so even more impressive when writing about Victorian London. Yep a new favourite historical fiction series I think. Florence Nightingale as a subject of a mystery series is the ideal character and seeing the world through her eyes is a real treat!
March 5, 2018
A new series and a new author for me. I will read her again. An historical mystery woven around Florence Nightingale. England was preparing for war with the Russia. It is very well done as of the characters were depicted, correctly. I noted editing errors.
Florence has accepted the position as Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen, during a temporary Illness in London. Florence has had to fight to received the job. Prevailing theory was it was not a job for a person Florence standing in the social scheme. The profession of nursing ranked slightly above that of a prostitute. Shortly after taking the position she finds one of nurses hanging in the library. The police feel it is a suicide and refuse to investigate. Florence does not agree as the medical are interpreted incorrectly. She as she exploded the death Florence uncovered several secrets. She has to fight both the staff and members of board of directors. Florence must find an answer to the mystery in order to make the reforms she wants. Will she succeed? I recommend this book.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
Florence has accepted the position as Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen, during a temporary Illness in London. Florence has had to fight to received the job. Prevailing theory was it was not a job for a person Florence standing in the social scheme. The profession of nursing ranked slightly above that of a prostitute. Shortly after taking the position she finds one of nurses hanging in the library. The police feel it is a suicide and refuse to investigate. Florence does not agree as the medical are interpreted incorrectly. She as she exploded the death Florence uncovered several secrets. She has to fight both the staff and members of board of directors. Florence must find an answer to the mystery in order to make the reforms she wants. Will she succeed? I recommend this book.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
October 10, 2019
I ama fan of Christine Trent and have enjoyed a number of the Lady of Ashes series. WHile waiting on the next in the series of LoA I noticed she had another series featuring Florence Nightingale and so I decided to give a try.
I want to be as kind and polite as possible here... this was one of the worst reads I have encountered this year. Out of respect to Ms. Trent I had to force myself a number of times to continue with the book rather than toss it aside. I felt like I was punishing myself for my loyalty to Ms. Trent. I held out hope that surely the story and the writing would get progressively better. It did not. The story and the writing just seemed so sophomoric. The ending (the final blessed ending) read like a Perry Mason confession and the villain read like an Vincent Price character from his later years from some bad 1960's TV movie.
Maybe Florenece Nightingale as a sleuth wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe...just maybe... Violet Morgan enoucntering Florence Nightingale in the midst of the Crimean War would be a better plot.
Please Ms. Trent give us another Lady of Ashes. Alas I have already purchased the second in the FNM series - A Murderous Malady. *sigh* ... I can only hope that the second offering is improved. *sigh* ... I need to steel myself to tackle this without prejudice and influence from this initial experience. It may take a while for the memory cells to die off.
I want to be as kind and polite as possible here... this was one of the worst reads I have encountered this year. Out of respect to Ms. Trent I had to force myself a number of times to continue with the book rather than toss it aside. I felt like I was punishing myself for my loyalty to Ms. Trent. I held out hope that surely the story and the writing would get progressively better. It did not. The story and the writing just seemed so sophomoric. The ending (the final blessed ending) read like a Perry Mason confession and the villain read like an Vincent Price character from his later years from some bad 1960's TV movie.
Maybe Florenece Nightingale as a sleuth wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe...just maybe... Violet Morgan enoucntering Florence Nightingale in the midst of the Crimean War would be a better plot.
Please Ms. Trent give us another Lady of Ashes. Alas I have already purchased the second in the FNM series - A Murderous Malady. *sigh* ... I can only hope that the second offering is improved. *sigh* ... I need to steel myself to tackle this without prejudice and influence from this initial experience. It may take a while for the memory cells to die off.
September 10, 2021
Let's start by saying, I love Florence. Without her pioneering the profession of Nursing, I'd still be living at home and working at the mall.
I was hoping for a little more Nursing and a little less detective work so this wasn't really what i was hoping for. I felt there were too many characters and they were all fairly nondescript. I actually had a hard time keeping them all in check.
That said, I will read the next book and will keep my fingers crossed that there is a little more description of the birth of Nursing.
I was hoping for a little more Nursing and a little less detective work so this wasn't really what i was hoping for. I felt there were too many characters and they were all fairly nondescript. I actually had a hard time keeping them all in check.
That said, I will read the next book and will keep my fingers crossed that there is a little more description of the birth of Nursing.
September 11, 2022
I loved the idea of a series starring Florence Nightingale. I don't know much about her and found all her ideas around the reformation of the nursing profession to be interesting. I would read these books just to learn more about how she implements changes in the establishment. The mystery was well done, although the motivations of the killer came out of nowhere-- I like when the reader can use clues in the story to figure out the who's and why's. Overall, I thought this was a good introduction to a new series.
February 16, 2018
Florence Nightingale is a historic hero that I really did not know anything about. I was hoping to enjoy a somewhat historical telling of this nurse and her claim to fame. I felt lost not knowing about her divine vision to pursue this profession. This seems like an aspect worth reading about. Her love for a man who purposed marriage to her and showed his loyalty staying with her for almost a decade was just totally unbelievable. Maybe this was true I don't know. Really get off the fence and let him have a real life of promise. The start of Florences' career was as a superintendent at the Establishment for gentlewomen on London in 1853. Attention peaked at the start with Nightingale discovering a nurse hanging in the library. This then led her on her quest to keep her job by having to figure out who the murderer was. LIKE REALLY? Is she a nurse or a cop. Some redeeming plot was the development of new cures and the implementing of healthy food and sanitation in this home. "A copy of this book was provided by Crooked Lane Books via netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." I do like the cover art.
January 12, 2018
Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
No Cure for the Dead follows a fictionalized version of Florence Nightingale as she begins her tenure as superintendent at a convalescent home for gently born women. Nightingale has plans for how to revolutionize the hospital and nursing industry, but it all goes awry when one of the nurses in her charge is found hanging in the library. Although the death is framed as a suicide, Nightingale knows it to be murder, and wants to solve it not only so she can focus on the changes she wants to implement but also to get justice for the victim.
I became interested in reading No Cure for the Dead after seeing an author I really enjoy (Anna Lee Huber, author of the Lady Darby mystery series) rate and review it on Goodreads. I greatly enjoy Huber’s books, and trust her opinion, especially on mysteries, so I added No Cure for the Dead to by TBR list and requested it on Netgalley.
I have to admit that for about half the book (at least), I found Florence to be very castigating of the women surrounding her, and easily annoyed by them — whether it was the other nurses, or the librarian Jarrett, or the wife of a committee member, or even Mary, the companion sent to her by her family, who is nothing but kind to her. Florence’s temper was very easy to rouse, and she often became fed up of not only her fellow nurses, but also the inmates, which made it hard to see her as the pinnacle of nursing. That could be kind of grating at times, and it’s tiring to me to have women be jealous, or catty, or constantly backstabbing one another. It smacks of internalized misogyny and I hope that in the future Trent writes her female characters differently.
That being said, the mystery was solid and it keeps the reader guessing. I pride myself when reading mystery novels to be able to pick out the threads and at least suspect who may be the culprit, but there were so many red herrings that I honestly had no idea. Trent’s writing is very descriptive and atmospheric, another plus for the novel, and I am a sucker for period pieces. While I knew nothing about Florence Nightingale to begin with, I have to say that I’m interested to know more about her because of this book, so that’s another check mark in Trent’s column here. Overall this was a compelling read, one that I would recommend to anyone who likes historical mysteries.
PS. This book has a gorgeous cover, definitely a plus.
No Cure for the Dead follows a fictionalized version of Florence Nightingale as she begins her tenure as superintendent at a convalescent home for gently born women. Nightingale has plans for how to revolutionize the hospital and nursing industry, but it all goes awry when one of the nurses in her charge is found hanging in the library. Although the death is framed as a suicide, Nightingale knows it to be murder, and wants to solve it not only so she can focus on the changes she wants to implement but also to get justice for the victim.
I became interested in reading No Cure for the Dead after seeing an author I really enjoy (Anna Lee Huber, author of the Lady Darby mystery series) rate and review it on Goodreads. I greatly enjoy Huber’s books, and trust her opinion, especially on mysteries, so I added No Cure for the Dead to by TBR list and requested it on Netgalley.
I have to admit that for about half the book (at least), I found Florence to be very castigating of the women surrounding her, and easily annoyed by them — whether it was the other nurses, or the librarian Jarrett, or the wife of a committee member, or even Mary, the companion sent to her by her family, who is nothing but kind to her. Florence’s temper was very easy to rouse, and she often became fed up of not only her fellow nurses, but also the inmates, which made it hard to see her as the pinnacle of nursing. That could be kind of grating at times, and it’s tiring to me to have women be jealous, or catty, or constantly backstabbing one another. It smacks of internalized misogyny and I hope that in the future Trent writes her female characters differently.
That being said, the mystery was solid and it keeps the reader guessing. I pride myself when reading mystery novels to be able to pick out the threads and at least suspect who may be the culprit, but there were so many red herrings that I honestly had no idea. Trent’s writing is very descriptive and atmospheric, another plus for the novel, and I am a sucker for period pieces. While I knew nothing about Florence Nightingale to begin with, I have to say that I’m interested to know more about her because of this book, so that’s another check mark in Trent’s column here. Overall this was a compelling read, one that I would recommend to anyone who likes historical mysteries.
PS. This book has a gorgeous cover, definitely a plus.
November 12, 2017
This historical cozy debut seeks to explore the life and times of Florence Nightingale through the lens of her investigation of the death of a nurse working at Nightingale's first institutional post. There is much at stake for the founder of modern nursing: if she fails to solve the murder, her hard won attempt at a career will be over and she will find herself under the thumb of her loving, but suffocating family. Author Trent gives us a glimpse into the life of the historical Nighingale as well as Victorian society. And, while Florence is definitely on a mission of importance to transform nursing into a respectable and life-saving profession, she can also prove prickly and self-absorbed when dealing with those around her.
Her first day as Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London leads her to the library where she finds the body of Nurse Bellamy hanging from a noose. Florence's medical training leads her to become suspicious that this death is not a suicide as the police seem eager to rule it. Her investigation develops a suspect list that features members from all layers of Victorian society who might have had a motive to murder Nurse Bellamy.
The author skillfully weaves historical research into her tale and maintains the questions about whodunit throughout. The dramatic reveal at the end seems to be a bit rushed, but No Cure for the Dead is an engrossing read, and I look forward to spending more time with Florence Nightingale and the people in her orbit.
Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
Her first day as Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London leads her to the library where she finds the body of Nurse Bellamy hanging from a noose. Florence's medical training leads her to become suspicious that this death is not a suicide as the police seem eager to rule it. Her investigation develops a suspect list that features members from all layers of Victorian society who might have had a motive to murder Nurse Bellamy.
The author skillfully weaves historical research into her tale and maintains the questions about whodunit throughout. The dramatic reveal at the end seems to be a bit rushed, but No Cure for the Dead is an engrossing read, and I look forward to spending more time with Florence Nightingale and the people in her orbit.
Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
October 8, 2018
Find this and other reviews at: https://historicalfictionreader.blogs...
I have mixed feelings about Christine Trent’s No Cure for the Dead. I loved the writing, could see the research that went into the novel, and feel the author created a really entertaining whodunnit, but I struggled to appreciate the heroine and couldn’t help noticing how closely the story paralleled Trent’s earlier work.
I don’t mean to split hairs, but Florence felt too much like Violet Morgan, the heroine of Trent’s Lady of Ashes series. Much like Violet, Florence is trying to make gains in a male-dominated field. Neither woman is a professional sleuth, but both find themselves embroiled in intrigues they are compelled to solve and both put their primary careers on the backburner to do so.
In terms of atmosphere, I liked the feel of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness and thought the secondary storyline more intriguing than the primary one. There are a lot of working parts to the mystery, but it culminates in a way that makes the read worthwhile.
At the end of the day, I think the story might be better suited to the mystery crowd than fans of Florence Nightingale, but there were enough details about the famed nurse to satisfy my curiosity and I’m interested to see how Trent will utilize the material in the next installment of the series.
I have mixed feelings about Christine Trent’s No Cure for the Dead. I loved the writing, could see the research that went into the novel, and feel the author created a really entertaining whodunnit, but I struggled to appreciate the heroine and couldn’t help noticing how closely the story paralleled Trent’s earlier work.
I don’t mean to split hairs, but Florence felt too much like Violet Morgan, the heroine of Trent’s Lady of Ashes series. Much like Violet, Florence is trying to make gains in a male-dominated field. Neither woman is a professional sleuth, but both find themselves embroiled in intrigues they are compelled to solve and both put their primary careers on the backburner to do so.
In terms of atmosphere, I liked the feel of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness and thought the secondary storyline more intriguing than the primary one. There are a lot of working parts to the mystery, but it culminates in a way that makes the read worthwhile.
At the end of the day, I think the story might be better suited to the mystery crowd than fans of Florence Nightingale, but there were enough details about the famed nurse to satisfy my curiosity and I’m interested to see how Trent will utilize the material in the next installment of the series.
July 11, 2019
Good mystery. I really enjoyed the nursing info. I'm always fascinated by the history of medicine.
October 8, 2018
In this new mystery series by Christine Trent, Florence Nightingale must not only convince the world that she is a competent superintendent of a hospital for gentlewomen--she must also solve a murder case without getting killed herself.
Florence has only been superintendent for one week before the body of one of her nurses is found hanging in the hospital library. While the authorities are quick to brush it off as a suicide, Florence's medical expertise recognizes that a corpse can't cut its own wrists after death. She begins interviewing her hospital staff about the matter while at the same time trying to implement some of her revolutionary ideas about nurse hygiene and patient care. Unfortunately, however, her changes encounter as much hostility as does her investigation. Each of the nurses has something to hide, and the hospital patrons and patients may not be innocent themselves. As threats mount, the board in charge of the hospital begins to doubt Florence's abilities to keep order and Florence's mother applies pressure for her to return home like a dutiful Victorian daughter. Can Florence ferret out the killer before she loses her position and her chance to change the medical world?
This book was a fascinating look at the state of nursing in Victorian England and the reforms effected by Florence Nightingale. Her unconventional life was depicted in full color, and her personality unfolded beautifully with the first person narrative. Her humility in undertaking tasks far beneath a "gentlewoman" was inspiring as was her tenacity in teaching new methods that ran counter to prevailing practices. I found the murder mystery itself a little farfetched, but all in all, this was a delightful weekend read that makes me want to learn more about the Lady with the Lamp.
Florence has only been superintendent for one week before the body of one of her nurses is found hanging in the hospital library. While the authorities are quick to brush it off as a suicide, Florence's medical expertise recognizes that a corpse can't cut its own wrists after death. She begins interviewing her hospital staff about the matter while at the same time trying to implement some of her revolutionary ideas about nurse hygiene and patient care. Unfortunately, however, her changes encounter as much hostility as does her investigation. Each of the nurses has something to hide, and the hospital patrons and patients may not be innocent themselves. As threats mount, the board in charge of the hospital begins to doubt Florence's abilities to keep order and Florence's mother applies pressure for her to return home like a dutiful Victorian daughter. Can Florence ferret out the killer before she loses her position and her chance to change the medical world?
This book was a fascinating look at the state of nursing in Victorian England and the reforms effected by Florence Nightingale. Her unconventional life was depicted in full color, and her personality unfolded beautifully with the first person narrative. Her humility in undertaking tasks far beneath a "gentlewoman" was inspiring as was her tenacity in teaching new methods that ran counter to prevailing practices. I found the murder mystery itself a little farfetched, but all in all, this was a delightful weekend read that makes me want to learn more about the Lady with the Lamp.
March 29, 2018
Florence Nightingale has recently gained a position as superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London. But before she can institute the changes that will revolutionize nursing she needs to find out who murdered Nurse Bellamy whom she finds hanging in her library.
Miss Nightingale has to contend with a slovenly crew of nurses, a variety of eccentric patients, and the board who hired her and who now want to fire her and bring in a more experienced superintendent.
The mystery had a nice variety of suspects and an interesting plot. I liked the historical setting. While likely true to life, I didn't enjoy Miss Nightingale's personality. I found her to be an uptight, grating personality. She is certainly headstrong and convinced of her own opinions. I found her conviction that she had had a religious vision that led her to a path in nursing interesting but I wasn't quite convinced that the vision should have allowed her to string along her suitor for many years and then grieve his loss after she rejected him.
Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this visit to Victorian England.
Miss Nightingale has to contend with a slovenly crew of nurses, a variety of eccentric patients, and the board who hired her and who now want to fire her and bring in a more experienced superintendent.
The mystery had a nice variety of suspects and an interesting plot. I liked the historical setting. While likely true to life, I didn't enjoy Miss Nightingale's personality. I found her to be an uptight, grating personality. She is certainly headstrong and convinced of her own opinions. I found her conviction that she had had a religious vision that led her to a path in nursing interesting but I wasn't quite convinced that the vision should have allowed her to string along her suitor for many years and then grieve his loss after she rejected him.
Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this visit to Victorian England.
June 30, 2018
Finished in a day; I really did enjoy this fictional reincarnation of Florence Nightingale. The mystery itself was a bit weak? But Trent wrote this character so well, I was impressed. My standards are a bit high if you're writing about one of my favorite women in history. :)
I honestly just wanted MORE, a longer story, more character interactions, etc.
I honestly just wanted MORE, a longer story, more character interactions, etc.
May 15, 2019
3 1/2 rounded up to 4
unreadable
November 12, 2017Based on the description, I should love this book. I read a lot of historical fiction, and historical mysteries, based around this same time period. Sadly, something about this one just doesn’t work. I’ve struggled to get 1/3 of the way through and I just cannot stomach any more. There is not a single character with any redeeming qualities. Even the protagonist, Florence Nightengale, is an arrogant, caustic snob. I find myself bored by the writing and unable to summon up any interest in the solution to the murder of one of the nurses. I’m so sorry, but this book just is not for me.
**I received a free eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
**I received a free eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
January 9, 2018
Although not a medical student, I have read Florence Nightingale's Notes on Nursing, and this past semester wrote a paper on the influence of women in medical history for a college class. Therefore, one would think that this book was right up my alley. A murder mystery with one of the medical world's most famous woman in history? Sign me up!
Except, maybe not with this book.
I felt as though Florence was not as well delivered as I would have hoped. The conditions in the hospital that they were in, although not as deplorable as the ones she was in during the Crimea War, would still have offset Nightingale to make sure that she could fix as much as she could. Nightingale had been known to get not only her nurses, but any able bodied patient, to help and scrub down the hospital during the war because she believed that a clean environment would help. That takes a lot of confidence and power to get patients up based solely on the command of a women; which was a feat in itself.I feel like the author could not attempt to write a strong willed character like Nightingale was in real life and often her character came off as a snob or callous.
Nightingale, in real life, was absolutely brilliant and it was actually painful to see how she was emulated in the novel in this way. There were moments where some of her principles from Notes on Nursing came in, as well as some of Hospital Sketches (another book from Alcott), where women should be a certain age and should not attempt to have romantic flings with patients or other members of staff. I also noted that she was "going to" make plans to address her staff of nurses and she does teach them about diet, one thing that is very important in Notes on Nursing, but I rarely saw other elements of her works in this novel. I also did not see the level of snark nearly as much as I did in Notes on Nursing. That was something I was looking forward to. Instead, we have a character that is solely pinning on Richard and is weak willed, allowing members of her staff to walk over her without a second thought.
Although this was before the war and she had not yet earned "The Lady with the Lamp" nickname quite yet, this book seemed almost devoid of all nursing that she would have implemented.
I see that this is to be a series (since this is marked as #1) which makes me really hope that the author takes into consideration the history of Nightingale as a nurse, rather than a detective, and implement more of her nursing and potentially more of patients coming in due to injuries by others (and thus finding a mystery in that) rather than plots that seem to be completely separate from her nursing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Except, maybe not with this book.
I felt as though Florence was not as well delivered as I would have hoped. The conditions in the hospital that they were in, although not as deplorable as the ones she was in during the Crimea War, would still have offset Nightingale to make sure that she could fix as much as she could. Nightingale had been known to get not only her nurses, but any able bodied patient, to help and scrub down the hospital during the war because she believed that a clean environment would help. That takes a lot of confidence and power to get patients up based solely on the command of a women; which was a feat in itself.I feel like the author could not attempt to write a strong willed character like Nightingale was in real life and often her character came off as a snob or callous.
Nightingale, in real life, was absolutely brilliant and it was actually painful to see how she was emulated in the novel in this way. There were moments where some of her principles from Notes on Nursing came in, as well as some of Hospital Sketches (another book from Alcott), where women should be a certain age and should not attempt to have romantic flings with patients or other members of staff. I also noted that she was "going to" make plans to address her staff of nurses and she does teach them about diet, one thing that is very important in Notes on Nursing, but I rarely saw other elements of her works in this novel. I also did not see the level of snark nearly as much as I did in Notes on Nursing. That was something I was looking forward to. Instead, we have a character that is solely pinning on Richard and is weak willed, allowing members of her staff to walk over her without a second thought.
Although this was before the war and she had not yet earned "The Lady with the Lamp" nickname quite yet, this book seemed almost devoid of all nursing that she would have implemented.
I see that this is to be a series (since this is marked as #1) which makes me really hope that the author takes into consideration the history of Nightingale as a nurse, rather than a detective, and implement more of her nursing and potentially more of patients coming in due to injuries by others (and thus finding a mystery in that) rather than plots that seem to be completely separate from her nursing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2017
This fictionalized book with Florence Nightingale as the protagonist is a good story. The author has done a good deal of research about the famed historical figure and the medical knowledge of the time period. I did feel, at times, though, all the research was a bit heavy-handed in the way it was presented. Other than that, it is a good start to what I think will be a series featuring Ms NIghtingale.
In 1853, Florence Nightingale accepts the Superintendent position of the Establishment for Gentlewomen. From the getg0- she realizes the establishment needs her guiding hand it the running of it. Most of the women who work as “nurses” are uneducated women of the streets. Florence’s wish is to elevate the nursing profession and make it more genteel. From the start, she is challenged on all sides, from her staff to the higher-ups who support the business finanically.
When one of the new “nurses” is found dead, hung in an office, Florence is fearful of losing everything she hopes to achieve. Diligently, and armed with intelligence and determination, she sets out to discover who the killer is and stop him/her before another murder occurs.
In 1853, Florence Nightingale accepts the Superintendent position of the Establishment for Gentlewomen. From the getg0- she realizes the establishment needs her guiding hand it the running of it. Most of the women who work as “nurses” are uneducated women of the streets. Florence’s wish is to elevate the nursing profession and make it more genteel. From the start, she is challenged on all sides, from her staff to the higher-ups who support the business finanically.
When one of the new “nurses” is found dead, hung in an office, Florence is fearful of losing everything she hopes to achieve. Diligently, and armed with intelligence and determination, she sets out to discover who the killer is and stop him/her before another murder occurs.
January 6, 2018
A Fictionalized version of the famous Nurse Nightingale has her just beginning her career in a Women's Hospital that is in desperate need of a remodel and probably a good fumigation!
Florence is determined to succeed in her new post as superintendent but she isn't getting very far, as nurses are not formally trained and viewed on the same level as prostitutes. So she first needs to see them trained and have their own personal hygiene updated as well.
When she finds the dead nurse swinging from the library ceiling, she quickly finds out that if she doesn't find out who did this and why she will be out of a job.
This was a very grim and hard to get through read. I honestly can't find one redeeming quality in any of them, including Florence. Not a very flattering look at this fictionalized view of her.
Would I read it again? No. But give it a try to see what you think!
Netgalley/Crooked Lane Books May 8, 2018
Florence is determined to succeed in her new post as superintendent but she isn't getting very far, as nurses are not formally trained and viewed on the same level as prostitutes. So she first needs to see them trained and have their own personal hygiene updated as well.
When she finds the dead nurse swinging from the library ceiling, she quickly finds out that if she doesn't find out who did this and why she will be out of a job.
This was a very grim and hard to get through read. I honestly can't find one redeeming quality in any of them, including Florence. Not a very flattering look at this fictionalized view of her.
Would I read it again? No. But give it a try to see what you think!
Netgalley/Crooked Lane Books May 8, 2018
March 31, 2019
Fascinating insight into Florence Nightingale, bringing her alive as a person as well as offering an entertaining Victorian mystery. Great scene setting and characterisation, interesting plot twists. Highly recommended. Christine talks about her historical mysteries, including the riveting Violet Harper London seven book undertaker series (Lady of Ashes, Stolen Remains etc) in The Joys of Binge Reading podcast. https://bit.ly/2WCYINf
May 9, 2018
NO CURE FOR THE DEAD, the first book in the Florence Nightingale Mystery series, provides readers a complex mystery with an even more complex protagonist. Set in 1853, we find Florence at the beginning of her nursing career as superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London. With only one week at her position under her belt, she cannot even identify one of her nurses that she finds hanging in the hospital’s library. The police are quick to call it a suicide, but Florence thinks fouls play is involved and goes about investigating, both to find justice for Nurse Bellamy and to save her job. Thus commences a detailed look into Florence’s early career and an interesting mystery where Florence does not feel she can trust anyone.
I must admit, I am on the fence about the Florence Nightingale portrayed within the pages of NO CURE FOR THE DEAD. For at least the first half of the book, she come across as a bit of a pompous snob, thinking little more of her charges than what society has deemed socially one step above prostitution. She definitely has her work cut out for her as most of her staff is indeed rough around the edges. Truthfully, most of the nurses are terribly unlikeable and full of disrespect, insubordination, and lies. The characters belonging to the “gentler” class are not much better. The exception to the rule here is Florence’s companion Mary. She is both kind and loyal, and I like her very much. Also, I enjoy ten year old John Wesley quite a bit. I realize that Trent’s intention is for readers not to think too highly of the characters, but I do hope in future books, they are much more palatable.
Where NO CURE FOR THE DEAD shines is Trent’s treatment of the mystery surrounding Nurse Bellamy’s death. As injuries and death number s climb, there are plenty of suspects and red herrings to keep me guessing until the very end. One death in particular, involving arsenic, is quite clever. The clues are there, but not until Florence pieces it all together does the whole picture become clear. Mystery writing at its best.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed NO CURE FOR THE DEAD, and recommend it to any historical mystery reader.
I received an ARC of this title from the author/publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
I must admit, I am on the fence about the Florence Nightingale portrayed within the pages of NO CURE FOR THE DEAD. For at least the first half of the book, she come across as a bit of a pompous snob, thinking little more of her charges than what society has deemed socially one step above prostitution. She definitely has her work cut out for her as most of her staff is indeed rough around the edges. Truthfully, most of the nurses are terribly unlikeable and full of disrespect, insubordination, and lies. The characters belonging to the “gentler” class are not much better. The exception to the rule here is Florence’s companion Mary. She is both kind and loyal, and I like her very much. Also, I enjoy ten year old John Wesley quite a bit. I realize that Trent’s intention is for readers not to think too highly of the characters, but I do hope in future books, they are much more palatable.
Where NO CURE FOR THE DEAD shines is Trent’s treatment of the mystery surrounding Nurse Bellamy’s death. As injuries and death number s climb, there are plenty of suspects and red herrings to keep me guessing until the very end. One death in particular, involving arsenic, is quite clever. The clues are there, but not until Florence pieces it all together does the whole picture become clear. Mystery writing at its best.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed NO CURE FOR THE DEAD, and recommend it to any historical mystery reader.
I received an ARC of this title from the author/publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
May 26, 2018
We learn from the cover page that Christine Trent’s No Cure for the Dead is a Florence Nightingale Mystery, and so historical mystery fans get to add another interesting character to their list of real life detectives. A welcome addition it is, too. Florence Nightingale has a prominent place in history, as the soubriquet The Lady with the Lamp honors her pioneer nursing advances on the Crimean battlefield. Here, in this first in the series (or so I hope), she is just starting out on her medical career; the Crimea will come later.
As in any mystery, there is conflict. Miss Nightingale comes up against the prejudices of the time, of course, and the overbearing conduct of those who make up the overseers at the privately funded hospital she’s been made administrator of. Some of which who have secrets of their own, which they will be taking great pains to hide.
In between solving a murder, readers will learn about the beginning of nursing; it’s astonishing that women who performed this function in public were thought of as no more than “fallen women” and prostitutes, certainly a far cry from the profession it would become. We also learn more about the lady’s personal life, her reason for remaining single (although she does go on about it a bit much, in my opinion) and her passion for statistics and lists and information, which unfortunately was not generally known about until after her death. No Cure for the Dead provides an entertaining look at Miss Nightingale’s fight to make her profession a true profession, and her personal crusade to use herself and her nurses to save as many lives as possible.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of this book, in exchange for this review.
As in any mystery, there is conflict. Miss Nightingale comes up against the prejudices of the time, of course, and the overbearing conduct of those who make up the overseers at the privately funded hospital she’s been made administrator of. Some of which who have secrets of their own, which they will be taking great pains to hide.
In between solving a murder, readers will learn about the beginning of nursing; it’s astonishing that women who performed this function in public were thought of as no more than “fallen women” and prostitutes, certainly a far cry from the profession it would become. We also learn more about the lady’s personal life, her reason for remaining single (although she does go on about it a bit much, in my opinion) and her passion for statistics and lists and information, which unfortunately was not generally known about until after her death. No Cure for the Dead provides an entertaining look at Miss Nightingale’s fight to make her profession a true profession, and her personal crusade to use herself and her nurses to save as many lives as possible.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of this book, in exchange for this review.
June 21, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded up
This series caught my eye when I was browsing through the Audible+ catalog, and I needed an N title for some challenge spots, so I decided to give this book a shot.
Set in London in the 1850s, the book gives us a good look at the nursing profession at that time, and some of the many ways Florence Nightingale was trying to make changes. Things we take for granted now – proper education and training, standardized practices and procedures and more – were new ideas in this story, and there was a lot of resistance to the implementation of these ideas.
I liked Florence from the start of the book, and admired the way she didn’t back down from implementing these changes, disciplining her staff and standing up to the board of directors of the Establishment, even when she was sure doing so would cost her her job and reputation. It took a while to figure out which of the other characters were trustworthy, although some of them stood out as nasty people right from the start.
The death at the beginning of the book did not at first appear to be murder, but that opinion was disproved early on, so the rest of the book was focused on figuring out the identity of the killer and their motive. There were quite a few plot twists and red herrings, so the pool of suspects kept changing. I had one person near the top of my list well before the reveal in the book, but I’ll admit that the motive was surprising.
I was unhappy to realize that there is only one book left in this series, but I’m glad it’s already in my audiobook collection. I look forward to listening to it soon(ish).
This series caught my eye when I was browsing through the Audible+ catalog, and I needed an N title for some challenge spots, so I decided to give this book a shot.
Set in London in the 1850s, the book gives us a good look at the nursing profession at that time, and some of the many ways Florence Nightingale was trying to make changes. Things we take for granted now – proper education and training, standardized practices and procedures and more – were new ideas in this story, and there was a lot of resistance to the implementation of these ideas.
I liked Florence from the start of the book, and admired the way she didn’t back down from implementing these changes, disciplining her staff and standing up to the board of directors of the Establishment, even when she was sure doing so would cost her her job and reputation. It took a while to figure out which of the other characters were trustworthy, although some of them stood out as nasty people right from the start.
The death at the beginning of the book did not at first appear to be murder, but that opinion was disproved early on, so the rest of the book was focused on figuring out the identity of the killer and their motive. There were quite a few plot twists and red herrings, so the pool of suspects kept changing. I had one person near the top of my list well before the reveal in the book, but I’ll admit that the motive was surprising.
I was unhappy to realize that there is only one book left in this series, but I’m glad it’s already in my audiobook collection. I look forward to listening to it soon(ish).
September 1, 2018
We all know Florence Nightingale and her contributions to the nursing profession, but was she also a detective? In “No Cure for the Dead”, Christine Trent presents Florence as just that. She has recently been appointed as director of a hospital for women in London. One week into her new job she finds one of her nurses hanging from the ceiling in the hospital’s library. The board of directors start to think that hiring her was a mistake, the police seem to think it’s a case of suicide, but when more strange things start to happen in the hospital Florence is convinced there is more to this story. With the help of her companion she begins an investigation of her own. Will she be able to uncover the culprit before more people are hurt?
This one really surprised me with its suspense and charm. “No Cure for the Dead” is the first in a new series from the author and I’d say it’s off to a great start. I really loved the Florence character that the author created and the personality felt true to life. I could see Florence Nightingale doing this investigation. In addition, there is a whole host of other fun characters from the daft old lady patient to the young boy who does odd jobs for the hospital, they were all believable and fit in with the story and the setting. The investigation has a lot of unexpected twists which makes it a very engaging mystery. I found that the author’s descriptions of London at the time really drew me into the story. Basically, I loved this story and can’t wait for the next installment in the series.
This one really surprised me with its suspense and charm. “No Cure for the Dead” is the first in a new series from the author and I’d say it’s off to a great start. I really loved the Florence character that the author created and the personality felt true to life. I could see Florence Nightingale doing this investigation. In addition, there is a whole host of other fun characters from the daft old lady patient to the young boy who does odd jobs for the hospital, they were all believable and fit in with the story and the setting. The investigation has a lot of unexpected twists which makes it a very engaging mystery. I found that the author’s descriptions of London at the time really drew me into the story. Basically, I loved this story and can’t wait for the next installment in the series.
May 6, 2018
I was drawn to this new series for three reasons - first, I have enjoyed previous books written by Christine Trent, second, I enjoy historical mysteries (especially the Victorian period) and third, the use of Florence Nightingale as a protagonist intrigued me. I was not disappointed.
Here we meet the Florence Nightingale before she earned her nickname of the Lady of the Lamp. This is Florence at the beginning of her stellar career, up against a slew of challenges. We see her struggling with old ways of treating patients - quack medicine amidst filthy conditions, a board comprised of people who won't let her implement her "fanciful" ideas, very short on funding and trying to find her life path. She has a long way to go, much work is to be done and now she has a murder added to the mix.
The mystery was well done and, if you are a fan of this time period, by all means, read The Lady of Ashes series. If you decide to read No Cure For the Dead, please keep in mind that you will be meeting a great woman at the start of her life journey, complete with mistakes and lots of learning. I am eager to read more.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Here we meet the Florence Nightingale before she earned her nickname of the Lady of the Lamp. This is Florence at the beginning of her stellar career, up against a slew of challenges. We see her struggling with old ways of treating patients - quack medicine amidst filthy conditions, a board comprised of people who won't let her implement her "fanciful" ideas, very short on funding and trying to find her life path. She has a long way to go, much work is to be done and now she has a murder added to the mix.
The mystery was well done and, if you are a fan of this time period, by all means, read The Lady of Ashes series. If you decide to read No Cure For the Dead, please keep in mind that you will be meeting a great woman at the start of her life journey, complete with mistakes and lots of learning. I am eager to read more.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
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