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 soldiers 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 Flying 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.

SYNOPSIS
A courageous group of Allied women serve as air ambulance nurses flying into WWII combat zones risking their lives to evacuate the wounded. They're given 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.

Inspired by true events, this novel is a tribute to a group of overlooked "sheroes" who kept calm and carried on, while the fighting raged about them.

MY THOUGHTS
I saw that inspired cover and grabbed the NetGalley ARC ASAP and am so glad I did! This is a unique look at WWII with its focus on a group of brave women I had not known about before. The narrative bristles with action during oft turbulent flights to evacuate the wounded under enemy fire, while heroic nurse orderlies do all they can to keep these gravely injured men alive until they can reach hospital care. Add in a series of frightful murders, and you have one enormously intriguing read. Highly recommended!

PS Be sure to read the author's note about the real-life flying nightingales. It's as compelling as the book!

A great story in such a fascinating and unforgiveable time. Highly recommend. Thanks for the advanced copy!