"Death of a Flying Nightingale" is a romance set in 1944-1945 in England. There was no mystery, just people dying. A pregnant nursing orderly from a nearby base was murdered, but the main characters quickly forgot about her. Another nursing orderly was found dead, apparently suicide. But was it? They soon stopped questioning it but hid that it might have been a suicide to make it easier on her parents. Then another nursing orderly's found clearly murdered. They left the investigation to the military police. Later, someone spontaneously confessed. So, not a mystery.

Most of the story was about the growing romances between Maeve and a doctor, Etta and a nurse, and Betty with one of her patients. Betty's romance was mostly through letters, but many of the women in the story were having sexual relationships outside of marriage. It didn't seem very realistic that so few were shocked by or disapproved of the barely-hidden sexual encounters going on, including Etta ending up in a lesbian relationship and a reoccurring male character in a homosexual relationship.

There were scenes describing the types of situations that a nursing orderly dealt with. While interesting, I never felt immersed in the story nor was I left feeling like these people might have really existed. Which is a little ironic since some of these scenes were based off of a real person's experiences as a 'Flying Nightingale.' There were no sex scenes. There was occasional bad language.

Wow, love this novel, a must read for historical readers. Well researched and true to life. The trials and tribulations that the girls go through, romance and sadness make this a book you want to read. Love it.

the inner workings of 3 nurses known as the flying nightingales. what. a. story.

this book is narrated by 3 nurses with different personalities, values, and stories to tell. i don’t want to say much about this book because it is still an ARC and it is yet to be published so this review will be written in a more general way.

death of a flying nightingale is an ARC written by Laura Jensen Walker and it is the most real, raw, sad, but also moving piece of literature i have ever read in my life that has truly made an impact on me. i was more than excited when i saw the word “Nightingale” on a book that’s sitting prettily on NetGalley and requested for the book IMMEDIATELY.

i’ve always wanted to be a military nurse because i’ve met one and her story was beyond amazing, thrilling, and admirable. and so, i was really inspired by her and now i am striving hard to become a nurse. though now, i want to be a pediatric nurse <3 but who knows right? if that being a military nurse is my calling then i will answer it whole heartedly. upon reading this book, i was introduced to a more realistic day to day basis of what one’s life is flying in the air. the duties of a nurse is so HARD if i am being frank. it is one of the hardest medical related course in my opinion and i’m saying this not because i am struggling with my course, but because nurses are the one who are doing it all.

nurses are doing so much and in most cases, they are the ones doing it ALL for their patients and the patient’s family. and yet what saddens me is how belittled they are. i would hear people often say that nurses are like dogs because they just follow doctors blah blah blah but no! nurses have a mind of their own.

anyways, what i really wanted to emphasize is that we should give nurses more recognition and love ! the flying nightingales has become another source of inspiration for me to do well in college and study more for the people in need. imagine a world without nurses.. what would our lives be like?

to end, i gave this book a 5 star rating BECAUSE!! just read it y’all please i am begging lol it has so much depth, drama, funsies, and more! i love my nightingales <3

Thank you to the author for this wonderfully written book! I would love to have a paperback version of this one when it finally releases! thank you to NetGalley as well <3

This was an engaging and informative! Wlwomen nurses in World War 2 it checked a lot of boxes for me: world war historical fiction, strong female characters, and women supporting women. The characters are imperfect,
but well-rounded and fleshed out. I would have liked more exploration of the gay relationships; they were only really addressed in the epilogue.

I found the central plot a little week. It was centered around a 'mystery', but that felt tacked on and the resolution of the mystery was anticlimactic. The rest of the plot of the book, essentially the trials and tribulations all of these women was much stronger than the mystery.

This story delves into the lives and experiences of air ambulance nurses known as the Flying Nightingales, who dedicated their lives to ensuring that severely injured soldiers of the war could return home in hopes of making a fresh start, despite the gruesome traumas and experiences they faced on the battlefield. Though a work of historical fiction, some scenes and details are inspired by true events.

Truth be told, this is my top favorite ARC I've read this year so far. It's akin to how no words can adequately describe my love for this book! Everything about this is absolutely stunning, evocative, and life-changing.

The characters in this book are so endearing — especially the women, the Flying Nightingales, who braved everything to be of service to those in need. Mauve has captured my heart in an instant. Her story is so enchanting that it had me crossing my fingers while reading this ARC, hoping for the peace, happiness, and love she rightfully deserves.

Witnessing Betty's growth from start to finish, I couldn't be prouder. Etta, on the other hand, is a beautiful revelation; her journey may be harrowing, but her strength is admirable. She's an inspiration, and I have grown to deeply love her character as I read this story. And goodness, Sally's character will always have a special place in my heart, even though she wrecked me.

From the narration of events, to the introduction of each character, the development of the story, and the progression of relationships — I would definitely say that this book is a masterpiece, meant not only to educate about the realities of war, but also to help people grasp the importance of history and remember those who went to great lengths to make the present and future better.

I also love the fair share of romances in this book; it's so poetic, beautifully descriptive, and reminds me of what makes life even more worth living. Oh, how I would love to read this story over and over again! I actually aim to have a physical copy of this book once it's out! Thank you, NetGalley and Level Best Books for this ARC! 🤍

Thank you to Laura Jensen Walker and net galley for allowing me to read this book.
This book details the flying nightingales a group of nurses AIDS that flew on planes during the war to pick up injured You're fighting men and flying them back to get them into hospitals. In this book detailed the lives of these young ladies before they came to the camp and while they were at the camp and it also had a little bit of a murder mystery aspect to it As there were a few at several deaths during the book and at the time you weren't really sure where these murders were they accidental deaths.

The primary nurse that was followed is Mauve she was From ireland. I love the way they this book detailed their lives before they came to the camp and alsoI love the way they this book detailed their lives before they came to the camp and also Turn in a little romance free to the nurses.

As I mentioned there were several deaths in this book and at the time you weren't really sure where they murdered or was it an accidental death and as the book progressed you came to learn these answers and it was a fascinating read.
I also loved the way the author tied up everything at the end so any questions that you had throughout the book were neatly answered and everyone likes a good ending.
She even detailed years later on their lives and how everyone ended up.

Also love the acknowledgment and information at the end of the book that's 84 detail into the nurses and the fine nightingales and historical information that she provided was very fascinating.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction who loves a little murder mystery and maybe a little romance thrown in as well it was a great book and I would recommend this to anyone

Having downloaded this book last night, I looked forward to reading it over the next couple of days. However, once I read the first page I couldn't put it down and read the entire book...WOW. With every page, I was more and more in awe of the Flying Nightingales. Their bravery in active warzones, skills, and compassion while bringing home severely wounded men were astonishing. These women weren't even trained nurses. They received 6 weeks of medical training before their first flight and there was only one Nightingale to care for 24 wounded men in each plane. Heroes isn't a big enough word to describe these women. This is a character-driven story that begins one week after D-Day and ends in the summer of 1945. Through the experiences of these women, the reader follows the major battles of Normandy, Market Garden, Battle of the Bulge, and Remagen as well as the liberation of Bergen Belsen and many POW camps.

I am so impressed by this book. Not only does the author shine a spotlight on the Flying Nightingales but she also weaves serious social issues into the characters and the plot. In addition to the nail-biting, heartbreaking air ambulance flights and the personal stories of the women, three of the Nightingales die unexpectedly. Is it murder, suicide, or accidental? That's just another gem in this stellar book! Once published, I'll be sure that my daughters and friends get a copy of Death of a Nightingale. This book is not to be missed and we honor these unsung heroes by reading it. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time. I loved it.

In 'Death of a Flying Nightingale' Laura Jensen Walker shines a much needed light on the brave air ambulance nurses known as 'Flying Nightingales' in World War Two. In the novel we follow three women: Maeve, Etta and Betty as they navigate the heartbreaking reality of war while they attempt to safely evacuate wounded soldiers from war zones. After watching 'Masters of the Air' this novel really peaked my interest.

This novel is also a mystery as 'Flying Nightingales' are suddenly found dead. The mystery really kicks in about 68% into the story and the final reveal at the end was truly unpredictable. A great read and I hope this becomes a book series!

Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing an ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for an Advance Readers Copy in exchange for a honest review. This was a good book to read. The book follows three girls, Maeve, Etta and Betty as they each have different experiences before they become Flying Nightingales. The horrific injuries these women encounter is only one part of the story. The stress and loss on the job is the other, not to mention the threat of murder looming over their shoulders.

Though I’ve read a lot of WII, not a lot of the books I read focus on the Flying Nightingales. This was the most interesting part of the book to me. I didn’t realize this was based on a true story but that made me love this book that much more. Highly recommend for a different perspective on WWII.

A moving tribute to the extraordinary British women who served as air ambulance nurses during WWII. Laura Jensen Walker's writing is so rich and heartfelt that I felt I was in the barracks with the women, celebrating when they celebrated, weeping when they wept. While the mystery is engrossing, it's the characters who are captivating and will take hold of your heart.

‘Death of a Flying Nightingale’ is a bit outside of my go-to genres, and am so glad I took the chance! Laura Jensen Walker created beautiful, unique characters from many differing walks of life that the reader gets to know intimately. The mystery was certainly thrilling - each murder and subsequent investigation was shocking and left me on the edge of my seat, nervous to find out what happened next.

I had never heard of the Flying Nightingales despite enjoying WWII literature, and have found yet another group of heroes - all women - who were overlooked in their day and age. I look forward to learning more about their significant contributions to the Allied war effort.

You must read the Author’s Note - she gives a wonderful history and context for the novel. It was really fun to hear real-life stories she learned about and then incorporated throughout the book.

Thank you to Level Best Books and NetGalley for this eARC copy!!

This is an amazing and captivating book about WWII flying ambulance nurses with a bit of mystery added. I never heard of the challenging and dangerous work these women did taking care of the wounded as they were flown back to English hospitals from Belgium and France.

The author concentrates on three or four women from vastly different backgrounds and describes their motivations, emotions, and cares, telling it all in a way which makes it hard to put down.

I highly recommend this book, even though the descriptions of the solders' wounds, both physical and mental, are unpleasant, the courage of the nurses and their story is worth knowing.

I obtained an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.

Death of a Flying Nightingale illuminates the women of World War 2 Britain who served as flying medical orderlies - flying behind enemy lines to retrieve injured soldiers and caring for them on the return flights to England. The book largely follows three women - a woman from Ireland named Maeve, farm girl Betty, and Etta, who grew up amid violence and squalor in London's East End. Along with incredible details of the work the women performed, there is a mystery as three of the Flying Nightingales are apparently murdered. Etta, Betty, and Maeve try to work out what happened to their colleagues.

The descriptions of the women's lives, work, and heroism are fascinating and detailed. This book is labelled a mystery, but I would describe it more as historical fiction with elements of mystery and romance. The characters are well-developed and the relationships between them are fun to read. Hopefully the author will write more books set in this period. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Very moving story of women who volunteered as nursing orderlies during WW2. I am always touched by how strong someone can be in the most difficult situations. Helping the wounded and seeing so much trauma during war can either make or break you. This was well written and hard to put down.
Tank you NetGalley for this early release.

Death of a Flying Nightingale is a lovely, moving murder mystery set among a group of Flying Nightingales, women who were assigned to care for patients, mostly Allied servicemen being brought back to hospitals, by air ambulances from battlefield evac stations for treatment in hospitals. The story centers around three young nurses: Maeve, an Irish woman who joined after her fiancé was killed in action; Betty, a farm girl who joined following the death of her only brother on the battlefield: and Etta, an underprivileged woman from London's East End slums, with dreams of becoming a fully-fledged nurse. The mystery holds the story together, but it's the rich details of a previously uncovered part of history that fascinate. That these women were given only 6 weeks of training, then were expected to fly into combat zones without benefit of a red cross on the aircraft because the planes flew in munitions and other supplies on their way in, and patients only on the way out (making them qualified as military targets for the enemy); that the women weren't issued a parachute on the flight back because if the plane was shot down they were expected to stay with their patients. Most impressive, was that records show they never lost a patient who was in their care. Little was ever told about these women until now, and that's a tremendous injustice to the role they played in saving lives and helping the Allies win the war. Even though there is murder, I think it is more a cozy than not, but be sure to read the Author's Note at the end, as it gives you even more insights into the experiences of these remarkable young women and how she came to write this book.

I really enjoyed this one! I had never heard of the Flying Nightingales, despite my vivid interest in WWII. The writing was easy to get into and the characters albeit a little tropey at first, were enjoyable to read about. The characters became more fleshed out as the story went on and I really liked how nuanced they became in the epilogue. This was a thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction, with loveable characters and a fast paced plot.

I very much loved this book! Stories about nurses/ww2 are always on the top of my list. The women in this book weren't nurses exactly but nurses aides who flew into battle and transported severely injured soldiers to hospital back in England so they could be treated and recover. Some of the injuries are quite gruesome and this book gives a realistic account of the realities of war. I appreciated this. The role of a Flying Nightingale was very important. The women helped men get through their harrowing journeys home.
This was a very interesting time in history, and women who didn't have a lot of career options. The war strangely brought opportunities and young women were given a chance to shine and perhaps leave less than ideal upbringings behind. This story also features friendships and mystery. Etta, Betty and Maeve are wonderful characters and I enjoyed following their journeys and learning about their pasts. This book is well written . It's written in third person, and I felt very close to the characters. I had a hard time putting it down.
If you like historical fiction that features friendship and mystery this is the book for you! I really enjoyed it! Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. The release date for this book is Sept 28/2024 #NetGalley #DeathofaFlyingNIghtingale.

I have reviewed this ARC on my instagram page.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5iy2earAw9/?igsh=MXhrOHZuNHo1NGti

It was definitely a lovely read! A heart-warming story which introduced me to the flying nightingales. I have found very moving the way they looked after their patients.Their courage was also incredible, first because they were flying into invaded countries and second, because only one nurse was in the plane!!! I liked their characters and could relate to them. The romance though was overwhelming. The cases of the women found dead were a bit too lightly taken into account and did not feel convincing. However, this novel is definitely for the heart.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

Three very different young women serve as air ambulance nurses bravely flying into WWII combat zones risking their lives to evacuate the wounded. Irish Maeve joined the RAF after her fiancé was killed; streetwise Etta fled London’s slums in search of a better life, and farm girl Betty enlisted to prevent the wounded from dying like her brother.

Newspapers have given these women a romantic nickname: “The Flying Nightingales.” Not that there’s anything romantic about what they do. The horrific injuries they encounter on a daily basis take their toll, so when one of the Nightingales is found dead, they wonder: Was it an accident? Suicide? Or something else?

After another nursing orderly dies mysteriously, they think: Someone’s killing Nightingales. The friends grapple with their loss all while keeping a stiff upper lip and continuing to care for casualties as they’re being strafed by the Luftwaffe.

Inspired by true events this novel is a tribute to a group of overlooked heroes who kept calm and carried on, while the fighting raged about them. These courageous women proudly did their bit for King and country and found solace and camaraderie in the lasting friendships forged in war.

This book gave a great look into the lives of women who helped in the war effort during WWII. The stories of what these women saw and how they dealt with the casualties of war is simply amazing. Unfortunately stories of the women who served in active combat zones are often over looked because it was a majority men who served. These women saw the aftermath of battles and were also under fire when trying to help.

The stories of Maeve, Betty, and Etta may be mostly fiction but it gives the reader a look into what they went through. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I must say I don't usually cry at books, but the ending of this really tugged on my heartstrings.