Member Reviews

This book sounded amazing, but there was just no meat to it at all. I kind of wanted Rose to have more bite and she simply didn't, the narrative from Theo was interesting, and probably I'd have kept reading if the novel had all been his narrative, but my initial excitement about reading this book stemmed from Rose's character and it just fizzled out spectacularly,.

Was this review helpful?

Rose Marlowe is serving a prison sentence for murder, a young man she should have been nursing back to health, but killed in cold blood instead. Or did she?

Theo Hazel is a writer who wants to explore the story of both Rose and Abe, the man she killed. But the more Rose reveals of her past, the more Theo is drawn to her, and the more he starts to think that she might be innocent after all. Is Theo about to fall for the lies of a manipulative and calculating killer? Or will he find justice for a woman who confessed, but who just might not be guilty after all...?

I really enjoyed this twisty thriller - I found the writing style engaging and well-paced, and I loved the characters, every one of which was well-realised and came with their own particular brand of baggage. I liked how the narrative split between Rose and Theo, and past and present so that we, as the reader, got to see the story unfold along both timelines. I won't say any more so as not to give anything away, but definitely recommend this one - gripping and well-written.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher, who granted me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This story is told from different points of view and timelines.
Rose and Theo what can I say there was. alot of crazy energy with those two!
Thks was a fast paced thriller.... With twist and turns that will have your mind spinning!

Was this review helpful?

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

There we’re some very unexpected twists and there we’re some very interesting obvious twists. Severe lines never got tied up and I never quite understood the main characters’ motivations. However, I found it very readable and kept turning pages.
Three mixed-bag stars.

Was this review helpful?

Definitely more of a slow burn, but I really enjoyed this. I liked the way the story played out and the way the relationships developed as it unfolded. I genuinely wasn’t sure how this would end and didn’t have a solid theory until I was about 70% through.

Really liked Theo’s character and his involvement, the way the two timelines were incorporated, and the different perspectives. To be honest I wasn’t huge on the very very end but it was another little twist!

Was this review helpful?

3.25*
We know Rose is incarcerated for killing Abe, she is a nurse. We don’t know why. She pleaded guilty, has a 20 year sentence.
At the start everything seems very enigmatic and vague, hinting at something not being right.
Theo an author is desperate to write Roses story and visits her in prison.
It moves between Rose and Theo’s points of view, Theo interviewing various people,and time frames switch when Theo interviews Rose with her recollections.
Theo’s early interviews no one is willing to disclose anything of importance, the ball is constantly thrown back into Rose’s court which makes for boring reading and some frustration. Joining the dots is very slow.
I didn’t engage with any of the characters,non of them were likeable. I thought Theo was ok initially, but I changed my mind about him.
When the early revels happened they lacked impact for me. Until the end the book lacked tension for me.
The ending is the books redemption for me. The tension picked up and the reveals were good.

Was this review helpful?

The psychological intrigue that the characters exhibited was fascinating. The narrative was very visual and at times, I was very irritated by the character of Rose and at other times, I felt great compassion for her. The Nurse had a very interesting plot and a enlightening ending. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy mysteries and a psychological challenge.

Was this review helpful?

The Nurse is a slow burning psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. While in many ways I couldn't put this book down and was intrigued by the characters, the writing itself was also very good and engaging, overall the story and plot itself were not as good as some of the most recent thrillers I have read. I wasn't on the edge of my seat throughout this and if I wasn't so invested in the main character I'm not sure I would have actually finished The Nurse. The book itself was a decent enough read, not great but okay.

The Nurse is told from dual perspectives - Rose and Theo's as well as alternating timelines. Rose - a nurse, is in prison for murdering her patient Abe while he is in intensive care, which she pleaded guilty to. Theo (an author and ex journalist) feels that there is more to the story then Rose is telling and wishes to write a book about Rose's crime as well as her victim Abe's. As Theo delves deeper into Rose's past he realises that all is not what it seems. Is Rose really a heartless killer or an innocent victim??

While the story itself was only sub-par and rather predictable, Rose's character was brilliant. I wasn't as engaged in the story or plot as much as I was Rose's character. I loved reading about her and had to know more about her and her reasoning behind all of her decisions, she was such a complex and complicated character and added so much to the story. I also really enjoyed how the author wrote about her past - instead of just telling us he had Theo talk to Rose's family and friends as well as talking to Rose herself, this was the reader is given bits and pieces of her past almost like a jigsaw puzzle that we put together until we are given the full picture allowing us to see what was going on in Rose's mind at the time of the murder as well as what her motives were. The Nurse is very cleverly written giving the reader enough information to keep them interested but not so little that you get bored. I was completely drawn in by Rose's character and had to keep reading so I could find out more of what went on in her life and what decisions she had made that led her to prison. The story and plot however we're predictable and while some twists and turns throughout surprised me, the ending I felt was too neat and of no surprise - I had it guessed at the halfway mark. The Nurse wasn't as suspenseful or tense compared to some of my more recent thriller reads, however I do still think that it is a good solid thriller overall and would recommend it if you are looking for a slow building thriller that focuses more on character building and development rather then plot.

3.5 Stars

Was this review helpful?

This compelling novel deftly reels the reader in with a slow-burning sense of intrigue, and the sense that all is not as it seems on the surface when we're introduced to Rose, a nurse imprisoned for the murder of a young man in her care. The story cleverly unfolds in a series of meetings Rose holds with Theo Hazel an ex-journalist, who will write a true-crime book based on Rose's story. Through these conversations in the prison visiting room, we learn of the spontaneous and passionate relationship that emerged between med student, Rose and her much older lover, Daniel, the medical CEO of an exclusive private hospital. The author uses great subtlety to establish Daniel's gradual but insidious hold over the more vulnerable, Rose, whose ambition and independent spirit are no match for Daniel's money and sophisticated manipulations. This is a novel filled with intriguing characters and surprising twists and revelations, that keep the reader turning the pages to find out the shocking truth. It's a novel about the danger of buried secrets and the chilling nature of power and control in the hands of those who attempt to get what they want, no matter the human cost.

Was this review helpful?

This was a fantastic novel that was full of psychological suspense. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and had to keep reading to find out the truth.

I definitely recommend this one to those who love thrillers.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this ebook to review via Netgalley.

Was this review helpful?

The story flicks between past and present as well as chapters between Rose, who is in prison for murder and Theo, a writer, who is writing a book about the case.

I didn’t know what to make of Rose to start with. I mean she has killed a young man yet I found myself drawn to her and was desperate to hear her story. Whilst I did correctly guess certain aspects of the story quite early on, it didn’t in anyway spoil my enjoyment of this book. If anything for me it is all about the why’s and if’s. The need to know whether Rose was a killer or not and as to why this man had been killed, it had me desperately wanting to turn those pages to find out.

Theo is a character I really enjoyed. There is a certain softness about him that drew me in and I enjoyed his chapters as much as I did Rose’s. Both characters were completely compelling and usually I find I’m more desperate to get to a certain characters chapters, or timeline but I just couldn’t get enough of past, present as well as Rose and Theo and that is totally down to the author’s story telling.

The Nurse is a novel that will send your mind in turmoil as to why a nurse of all people would kill someone. The author has the reader doubting as to whether this woman is capable or not of something so atrocious. It is twisted and wholly addictive. If it wasn’t for real life getting in the way I could easily have read this book in one sitting as the story grabs hold of the reader and doesn’t want to let go. I can’t wait to read more from the author!

Was this review helpful?

This dark and twisty psychological thriller had me hooked immediately.

Rose is serving time for murdering one of her patients. Theo, a struggling writer, thinks there’s more to Rose’s story and wants to exploit it. However, when he meets Rose, he cannot reconcile the fact that Rose who appears to be a kind woman could possibly murder a patient in cold blood. The more he interviews Rose, the more certain he is that she didn’t murder this young man. Is Rose playing him or is she innocent?

This is a tense psychological thriller with plenty of dark twists that I did not see coming. I was very interested in Rose as a character. This is a cleverly written and complex thriller and I will be sure to keep an eye out for future books by the author!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for an e-ARC!

Was this review helpful?

I was a bit on the fence with this book but carried on but wasn't really enjoying it. Overall it started off ok but it then became a bit too slow for me and failed to grab me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book even though it wasn't to my taste.

Was this review helpful?

This book got me back into reading again after a pretty long slump. I was captured from the first chapter and thoroughly enjoyed it in just a couple of days. It is a well written book that is very easy to follow despite the dual timeline. The story keeps you intrigued and wanting to read “just one more chapter” to discover more and learn just what lead to a murder….

I will be looking for more by this author.

Was this review helpful?

This was a pretty decent read , it held my attention and kept me interested . Rose is currently in prison for killing a patient in her care , when Theo makes contact and wants to write her story she agrees to see him and starts telling him the whole story from when she was a young student in medical school . The story is told from both the past and the present as Rose falls in love with the older but charasmatic Daniel . It's a shocking tale wit some genuine sad moments , when it seems Rose has been betrayed pretty much by everyone in her life .
I enjoyed this and would recommend

Was this review helpful?

I really wanted to enjoy this book and was looking forward to it. However. it was just a little too slow paced for me. The plot was well written though and the characters were realistic but it just lacked the “grip-factor”.

Was this review helpful?

Rating: 3.0/5

In sporting parlance you often hear a match being referred to as having been "a game of two halves" ... I would have to describe this novel as having been "a book of three thirds".

The premise was an intriguing one. Nurse Rose Marlowe finds herself imprisoned for the murder of a patient under her care. A struggling author, Theo Hazel, is keen to write a biographical book telling Rose's story. In the process, Theo becomes part researcher, part detective, as he is increasingly convinced that Rose is no killer and seeks to root out the truth.

The opening third of the novel grabbed my attention, drew me in and had me captivated. Prior to reading "The Nurse" I had half expected a superficial, sensationalist piece of pulp fiction, with a central character along the lines of Ashley Jensen's murderous nurse in the second series of BBC's "Trust Me". However, the scene that was set by Julie-Ann Corrigan was delivering something far more rounded and thought-provoking than that. I was gripped and eager to see what direction the storyline would take.

During the middle third the plot progression seemed stymied and became bogged down. Yes, there was a lot of detail that needed to be conveyed as Theo investigated Rose's past - and the writing was still of good quality, but it could have done with more impetus.

Moving into the final third of the story, there was a complete shift. Far from being enmeshed in detail, much of this section seemed rushed and disjointed. The plotline that had been slowly, but steadily edging forwards, suddenly started taking leaps of faith. It was almost as if the publishers had been on the phone to remind the author of an imminent deadline.

Overall, I still enjoyed "The Nurse", but felt that it could have been something even better, if as much care had been evident in the latter stages as was apparent earlier in the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book completely threw me for a loop - can we or can we not believe the horrifying confession made by a seemingly perfect wife and medical professional? A mesmerizing thriller!

Was this review helpful?

Rose, a nurse, is in prison for the murder of one of her patients.
Theo, an ex journalist and author, is keen to explore and publish Roses story and she agrees to him visiting in prison in order to hear her side. Theo is keen that the story should not be one sided and also speaks with the deceased s family as well as Roses mother. He does not believe the murder to be cut and dried and begins to explore motives and key players in this disaster.

The story is told both in the here and now, as well as in the past when Rose was a struggling 4th year medical student falling in love with an unlikely suitor and finding herself pregnant.

I enjoyed this book, very easy to read, fast paced with many twists and turns right up to the end page. Highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Rose Marlowe is a nurse recently diagnosed with cancer , kills her patient, Abe Duncan, and goes to prison. Theo is a journalist that wants to write her story. .Did Rose actually kill Abe? Theo does not think so. So Rose recounts her story. This is told in 2 parts, Rose s past perspective and the current perspective of Theo interviewing Rose in prison. The 2 stories come together for quite a surprising reveal. Good read!

My thanks to Net Galley again for a great read.

Was this review helpful?