A murdered nurse, long-buried secrets—this Victorian mystery series debut starring Florence Nightingale is a “natural fit for fans of Anne Perry’s William Monk mysteries” (Booklist) 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 … 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.
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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.
A suspense filled page turner that is full of history and charm!
I have been in a cozy mystery rut. I love my cozies, but was in the mood for something a little different. This book satisfied that craving and then some. I love that it was a work of historical fiction, but the author is based on the real Florence Nightingale. The author outlines some of the real history at the end of the book and I felt like I was getting a living history lesson, while reading a novel. This was my first book by Christine Trent, but won’t be my last. It was well organized, clever, and compelling from start to finish. A talented writer with a gift for mystery and intrigue!
Sub-Themes
Historical mystery, nursing, London, strong female protagonist
New Series Alert!
This is the first book in a new series, so no need to worry about feeling left behind. You can start with this book and enjoy the series from the beginning.
If You Like …
Jennifer Ashley’s Death Below Stairs, you’ll enjoy this book.
https://cozyexperience.com/no-cure-for-the-dead-book-review/
No Cure for the Dead: A Florence Nightingale Mystery is my favorite book to date by Christine Trent. Because I am a RN I loved all the medical details, practices and beliefs of the 19th century. Florence Nightingale as she may have been. This historical mystery was fast paced and kept me guessing what would happen next. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Loved It!
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.
I’m giving this one a pass with the caveat that I’ve read better mysteries. This is the first of a series starring Florence Nightingale. While the mystery plot was fine, I found the writing a little stilted and uninspired. I prefer more descriptive writing that allows me to place myself in the surroundings. It just didn’t draw me in and make me not want to put it down…maybe I needed more action or change of scenery. Not to say others won’t enjoy it. Just not a favorite of mine. 3.5/5
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.