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A young female grifter in 1880s New York cons her way into America’s first nursing school, but a spate of unexplained murders follows in her wake…

“A spellbinding story, a vividly drawn setting, and characters that leap off the pages. This is historical fiction at its finest!”—Sara Ackerman, USA Today bestselling author of The Codebreaker’s Secret

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 evolution of modern nursing—including the grisly realities of nineteenth-century medicine—as seen through the eyes of an intriguing and dynamic heroine.

From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington (June 28, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496726537
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496726537
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.95 x 8.25 inches
Reviewer: Frank A. Racioppi
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: The Nurse’s Secret — Four Genres For The Price Of One
Review: Author: Amanda SkenandoreRating: Four out of Four antiseptic bandagesEase Of Reading: 352 pages. Relax because you’re in the hands of a master narrator. Plenty of narrative balls to juggle with no risk of dropping any of them.When To read: After watching several episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and realizing that the history of medicine and women’s role wasn’t simply groping in one of the many supply closets in the hospital.The Nurse’s Secret is one of those novels that reignites the title and subtitle debate. The title, The Nurse’s Secret, alludes to a medical story or even a romance novel. In reality, the novel is both and so much more. The Nurse’s Secret is indeed a medical tale with a romantic piece. But it is also a sharp commentary on the gross inequality of 1880s America in big cities like New York City.Moreover, the novel pokes its stick at male dominance, female submission, medical ignorance, and the birth of a new medical profession.Author Amanda Skenandore is a historical fiction writer by trade and a registered nurse. Her practical expertise and historical chops steer the novel toward dramatic mastery with a ‘pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” skill.Kensington, the book’s publisher, summarizes the book this way: “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.”The narrative pacing is deliberate and descriptively dense, yet the author needs to pace the story carefully because the novel operates on so many levels simultaneously.First, the novel introduces the class struggle of the impoverished in the dark recesses of the Gilded Age in New York City in the 1880s. That stark inequality and outward disgust toward the “street people” infects the entire narrative and the mystery.Second, there are the medical components of the story, and they multiply seamlessly. The reader learns about the Florence Nightingale-inspired nursing school at Bellevue Hospital, where only proper woman with distinguished backgrounds can apply. Again, the class warfare invades. Then the reader watches the subjugation of the female nurses and trainees by the doctors, administrators, and society. In that time and place, doctors are incapable of mistakes and never second-guessed.The author slickly injects Joseph Lister and his germ theory, as the English doctor’s theory of antiseptic care was just beginning to take root in the medical profession after years of being ridiculed and rejected.The author then uses his nursing training with great skill to educate the reader as well as Una and her roommate-nurse trainee Dru. That medical knowledge was then used skillfully to advance the medical mystery and ultimately criminal acts.Third, the novel slow churns a budding romance between a young doctor at the hospital and Una, with the suitor unaware of Una’s true, sordid past. That simmering romance links to the oppression of the lower classes and to male domination in society and in relationships at that time.Finally, there is the journey of the main character, Una. Here, Skenandore paints her brushstrokes of Una with painstaking care, compositional excellence and three-dimensional depth. It’s Una’s voice we hear throughout the novel, and the reader is so meticulously drawn into her world that it’s literary immersion at its best.The Nurse’s Secret enabled me to enjoy a medical history tome, a criminal mystery, a romance novel, a socio-economic tract, a female empowerment tale, and the personal growth of a young woman destined like so many others in 1883 to a short, brutish life. The novel is a showcase for a talented author like Amanda Skenandore, and would be fun for readers in either print, ebook or audiobook versions.

Reviewer: Gina Ward
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: lengthy but good read
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The main character was thought out well and her life kept me reading to see what would happen next.The last couple chapters I couldn’t put the book down.As a nurse I really enjoyed the medical aspects included in this book.

Reviewer: Opticat
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Awesome history of firsts nursing school and life in 1873
Review: After reading for quite some time I thought I had the wrong book! But no, it was just a great introduction into the life of Una, a child forced to live on the streets for too many years. When faced with prison, she transformed herself so she was presentable to the NY Bellevue Nursing school, first in the US. She wasn't particularly liked by the higher ups, so she was always watched carefully. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the nursing practices from that time and realized some have gone over the years, thank goodness. I really recommend this book to anyone interested in female history in 1873 era, and nursing in particular! Great read! There is drama and suspense also!

Reviewer: Jo Ann Bales
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Intriguing
Review: I loved the the history in the book, I could see the the streets and the old buildings in my mind while I was reading. I loved the development of the odd friendship. I’ve been a nurse for a very long time and have seen many changes, it was interesting to read about the nursing school and medicine from that time era.

Reviewer: Donna DeAngelis
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: interesting setting, topic and times put forth in this novel.
Review: I enjoyed reading about the seamy side of New York in the late 1800s. The writing was excellent and the main character very engaging. It was interesting to learn about the practice of medicine at that time and women’s new and expanding role in it.

Reviewer: Rickey
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fun story
Review: A little predictable but fun to read nonetheless. Oddly the only thing I didn’t like was the weight of the book- heavy feel to it that was weird.

Reviewer: Jennie Z Oliver
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Una Kelly is a heroine!
Review: This book in my opinion is historical excellence. What a fabulous story line that I personally did not want to end. My suggestion, this book needs a sequel, these characters are alive. Una and Dru are the investigators who almost lost their lives to save others. Edwin’s and Una’s story should go on. Miss Perkins said she would go to the board in Unas defense, but Una should be reinstated and should receive her diploma and the cherished pin. I for one would buy these sequels , if they materialized. Thank you for writing this book.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: easy but predictable read
Review: The title is a bit of a misnomer. She does have a secret but the challenge is mostly about the killer and that is easy to figure out.It is a good story though throughout.

Reviewer: Shelley Giroux
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Full of twists and turns, I felt my heart beat manyOf times reading this great book. I highly recommend

Reviewer: Mrs. Mum
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A book that was hard to put down it is a compelling read and an easy enjoyable read can't wait to read more from this authof

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I couldn't put this book down! It had me guessing until the end. I'm keen to read more books by this author

Reviewer: mirilou
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A great insight into the American origins of nursing as a respected profession for women, and early medical practices. As well as a fine if somewhat unlikely romance …

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Kept you in suspense