I love historical fiction and this time period but this book didn't work for me. I found the main character, Florence, to actually be an unlikable character and the plot was just not believable to me. I had hoped to learn more of what she really did at the hospital instead of her playing amateur sleuth which was the main crux of the story. I was disappointed.

Since I did not finish the book I will not post a review on public media as I don't believe that it's fair to the author, perhaps it has a great ending to redeem it but I couldn't continue past 40%.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book, sorry it didn't work for me.

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⭐️

Really well told story staring Florence Nightingale as a head nurse trying to solve the murder of a nurse. Florence isn't the nicest person and that is a relief. She's very sure what she wants and being nice won't help her get what she wants from the nurses. Especially since they didn't have any standards in those times.
The mystery has enough twists and turns that I didn't guess who the culprit was before the reveal.
Warning: there are parts of the book that go into the detail of patient's care and I didn't appreciate those descriptions when I was eating lunch.

Historical mystery novel set in 1853 in London. Old worldly in expression and idealism but captivating storyline. A clever writer who can immerse you into the past and how different their lives and expectations during that era.

Florence Nightingale is 33 years old, unmarried and from a refined family of good breeding and education. Florence has refused marriage to follow her dreams. Florence’s privileged background helps her succeed in obtaining a position as Superintendent of a recuperation facility for gentlewomen during temporary illness in Upper Harley Street. She has trained overseas and has a vision of what nursing should be but leading the Establishment is difficult, beset as she is by the nurses, the committees, and her own family. Nursing had long been considered work that was just a step above harlotry with no standards whatsoever and was frequently pursued by low women.

Then the murder – is this the finish of her dreams!

An interesting tale written from a different point of view showing difficulties experienced in this time.

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.

As a retired nurse I thoroughly enjoyed this fictionalized version of Florence Nightingale. I highly recommend this read. Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane for the opportunity to read and review a digital copy of this book.

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

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.

I really enjoyed the first installment in this new mystery series by Christine Trent. Florence Nightingale becomes the Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary illness in London. After being there a short time, she comes upon one of her nurses, Caroline Bellamy, hanging in the library. This is the story of how she solves the mystery of who killed Nurse Bellamy. The author left a cliff hanger at the end of the story. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

I am a huge fan of Christine Trent's Lady of Ashes series and loved that Morgan Undertaking showed up in this book. I cannot wait to see where the new series goes. I love strong historical female characters.

Florence Nightengale is amazing. She single handedly changed the game of nursing and the role of women in society. I have been a fan of Christine Trent's "Lady of Ashes" series and couldn't wait to read her newest heroine. I loved the mystery itself, and I loved the character of Florence. That said, I though the resolution was a little quick at the end. I do like that it ended on a cliffhanger which made me want to read the nextt one as soon as it is released.

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.

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.

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.

No Cure For The Dead Christine Trent


Another new name to me but by no means a new author. I looked Christine Trent up and found out she is a prolific writer of historical fiction based in the Victorian era. I should not have been surprised, No Cure For The Dead is a well written book that was both engaging and intriguing.

Set in 1853 the story’s main protagonist is the 33 year old Florence Nightingale. Before her well known exploits during the Crimean War Nightingale was the Superintendent of a Women’s Establishment for Temporary Illness. A home for women suffering all sorts of illnesses both mental, and physical; imagined and actual.

It is during her time at the Establishment that this book is set. At the end of Nightingales first week she finds a young nurse hung in the library. As convinced as the police are that this is a suicide, Nightingale is equally convinced that the nurse was murdered.

Embarking on a good old fashioned mystery, in the manor of Sherlock Holmes, Nightingale investigates the crime against the threat of one of the male Committee Members wanting her removed from her post.

As the investigation takes place Nightingale gets to know her small staff, and even smaller group of patients. Each has a story, and each seems to have a reason to see the unfortunate nurse dead.

This is a proper old school murder mystery that will keep the reader guessing up to the last couple of chapters.

When I read a biographical book I often find myself hearing the voice of the subject in my head as I’m reading. That was never going to be the case with this book because I have no idea what Nightingale sounded like. However, it is a testament to the writing skills of Christine Trent that there was a voice narrating this story in my head from the first to the last word. I couldn’t place it at first but then it came to me. The upper-class tones of Jenny Agutter, specifically when she is doing the opening and closing dialogue for the TV Series Call the Midwife.

I enjoyed this book. In fact I enjoyed it a lot.

Pages: 326
Publishers: Crooked Lane Books

Based 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.

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.

Florence Nightingale is always a figure in history who has fascinated me. I’m no medical student or anything, but her role in history is quite amazing and I’ve read much about her in non- fiction titles, This book however is a fictionalized account of her days but really brings the great lady back to life on the page. There’s something truly fascinating about getting a sneak glimpse into the life of a real person and a lot reads true – the locations certainly are – which adds an added frisson to any historical fiction for me.

I devoured this book and really enjoyed the characterization, plot, overall premise and the voice of Florence. Detailed yet never over done, written with a keen eye and a deft of pen, this reads smooth and evokes the Victorian period well with the lady with the lamp herself in a unique ..well.. light.

A clever idea to use this lady in a fictionalised murder series – I hope this is the first of many, as I enjoyed spending time with the characters.