Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital by Dr. Eric Manheimer

 

Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital by Dr Eric Manheimer was a very interesting book and I'm glad I checked it out of the library. We had started watching a series called New Amsterdam which I picked up at the library.  Every epsiode I would see it was based on this book so - I asked for the book after we'd watched two seasons.

In the beginning our author states that Bellevue is the oldest hospital in the country, 275 years old. It's probably the most famous public hospital in United States with many firsts.  It has the distinction of having the first maternity ward, the first pediatric ward, the first C-section - Bellevue's public sanitation program state back to the Civil War.

There are twelve stories about patients and some of them are real heartbreakers, in particular Four Generations and Trauma Detroit. Some of the chapters do go on a bit too long, in my opinion, and many of the stories focus on central American patients and their countries. The disparity of their treatment verses those who are well insured is brought to our attention.

Overall I enjoyed reading this book and loved reading about the dedication of the professionals and their various cases.

Sharing with Shelleyrae at Book'd Out.

Category: Disease/ Medicine

The Nonfiction Reader Challenge hosted by Shelleyrae at Book'd Out.  Check out the sign up post and info HERE. The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2021. You can join in anytime!

The Family Plot by Megan Collins

 

Charlie, Tate, Dahlia and Andy Lighthouse are siblings, all named after murder victims. 
We learn that Dahlia is named after Black Dahlia an actress who was murdered.  Charlie was named after the Lindbergh baby.  Tate was named after Sharon Tate and Andy was named for Lizzie Borden's father. 

They grew up in isolation on Blackburn Island. In the first chapter you’ll read how screwed up their childhood was and wonder if any parent could be so horrible.  They weren't beaten or physically abused but the psychological damage is crazy. 

They thought it was normal to discuss crime cases, murders and made diaramas of the murder scenes. To them, that was normal as they were never exposed to a traditional childhood of riding bikes, going to school with others, plaing Candyland, etc.

We meet all the children (except Andy) as adults when they returned home after their father died. Andy is Dahlia’s twin and he disappeared years ago after stating the only way to change was to get out.   It gets better (not) when the father’s intended gravesite already has a body occupying the space. It’s Andy, his head cleaved with an ax. This is not a spoiler. 

I struggled through the first part of the book, then I started flipping ahead as this was a complimentary copy and I felt I had to give a review. It was my understanding this is a mystery but I would have added horror to the genre, just because of the psychological mind fuck these children endured. 

Based on this book I would not read any other novels by this author. Just not my cuppa tea.
Publication date August 17, 2021 by Atria Books.  Genre: Mystery and Thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book, all opinions are mine.

The French Gift by Kirsty Manning

 

This book is set in two time periods with three different women narrating their stories. They are tied together by secrets and a mystery.

Evie Black's story is set in present day. She is Australian, was married to Frenchman Raph and has a teen son named Hugo. Raph died 18 months previously and Evie is now in charge of Raph's Aunt Josephine's estate , Villa Sanary in the French Riviera.  

Margo Bissett was a maid for the wealthy couple at Villa Sanary during the 1940's.  She is accused of murdering a wealthy American guest during a party but she was most definitely set up.  You read this immediately as this is how the book starts. She is told to hide on the terrace and when the fireworks start, Margo is meant to fire a loaded gun into the air.  This is the start of "murder" as a party game and her employers insists it's all a prop to start the game. She is arrested and her employer suddenly knows nothing about this "game."

Josephine Murant is a wealthy Parisian and accomplished author of crime/mystery novels.  She was also involved dicreetly with the resistance movement during WW II.  When she is arrested and placed in Anrath Prison she meets Margo and takes her under her wing. The conditions described are quite awful and the big twist with these two women are revealed around the 90% mark. 

Evie Black eventually figures out the mystery of her Aunt Josephine and convicted killer Margo Bissett.

Publication date is November 2, 2021 by William Morrow and Custom House.  Genre: Mystery and General Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Challenge.

Northern Spy by Flynn Berry

"It's difficult to know how scared to be.  The threat level is severe but then has been for years." 

Bodies can still be found in bogs, searches are conducted to find informers the IRA had disappeared, at certain funerals, men in ski masks would suddenly appear in the cortage, chamber their handguns and fire shots over the coffin.  This is how many people lived in the Belfast area, wondering daily if there was a credible threat.

The story focuses on two sisters. Marian and Tessa.  Marian is not married and has been a paramedic for over six years. Her face is always so open and bemused while  her sister Tessa's expression tends to be more grave, her having to reassure people she's not worried about anything.

Tessa is divorced and mother of a 6 month old boy named Finn.  She works at the BBC in Belfast and is asked by some friends how she can work for the English. She went to university at Trinity College is a program reporter, working with political guests. 

We start with Tessa narrating and learn Marian is on a vacation to swim and explore caves in the north.  Neither Tessa or her mother can get ahold of Marian but they assume she's in cellular dead zone or simply having fun exploring.

Then a robbery and raid happen at a local gas station the news anchor asks for help identifying those responsible. Tessa stares at the images of the terrorists and suddenly sees her sister's face on screen, Marian pulling a black ski mask over her face.  Tessa's world dissolves.

The only negative in this narrative is the description of The Troubles as if it's a current situation.  Perhaps I missed the time frame in this book but it had the feel of being set in present time or a few years earlier.  The plot appears to be during the height of the violence and near the peace agreement which would put it around 1994, right?   That being said, I loved the book and couldn't put it down.

I see why this is a best seller with over 3,400 four star ratings.  I plan to read all of Flynn Berry's novels in the near future.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday. and Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Challenge. 

Masterpiece: Amercia's 50-Year-Old Love Affair with British Television Drama

This book was an Amazon Deal and I wish I had gotten the hard cover instead of a Kindle version when it was on sale. There are too few photos in my opinion but the book is interesting all the same.

Fifty years of detail about the different series and programs put on by Masterpiece Theater over the years will have you scrolling through the pages.  There are some programs I didn't know about so I will request those through the library.

 Here we have Kenneth Branagh as Wallander.

 The photography is very good but as I said, far too few photos.

There is a map for the shows as well.

Overall, this book isn't what I expected but I do like reading it here and there.  Warning about the Kindle version - the photos do not line up with the descriptions and that was quite confusing at first.  If you can get this on a deal price it will be worth it if you are a fan of Masterpiece Theater but after seeing it, I wouldn't have paid the $30 they are asking now.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

This is a story about friendship, secrets and competition in the ballet world with a touch of murder.  The first chapter starts with Delphine receiving an invitation to return to Paris as she reminisces about her turbulent past.

 

Another novel with the feature on ballet and it's competitive and harsh world.  When you are good at a something and you devote your entire life to it, your world is small.  You eat, breathe and live in the world of practice and performance. A devastating event causes Delphine, Lindsey and Margaux to keep a secret which wuld upend thier lives and careers.

I enjoyed reading about the backstage world of ballet and would probably read more by this author.

Publication date December 7, 2021 by St. Martin's Press.  Genre: Mystery, Thrillers and Women's Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt

 

The description of this historical fiction grabbed me right away.  An old house in Greece, a family secret and a change to start over in another country. I've enjoyed books by Kate Hewitt before but this one is a bit different, a literary fiction which I very much enjoyed.

This novel is told in a dual timeline: In present time we read Ava's story. Her grandmother Sophia died and left her an old farmhouse in Greece. Ava is having trouble in her marriage and has recently suffered a tragedy.  She decides to leave England and move to Greece temporarily. She wonders why she left England for a place where she doesn't know anyone to restore a farmhouse no one had lived in for over 60 years.

Ava's grandmother Sophia never spoke about her ancestry or her life during WW II so there are plenty of secrets to unravel.

Sophia's story starts in 1942 in a small village in Greece.  You will read more about her family and their sacrifices from food shortages and fear of the Nazi's invading their village.  Sophia's story is one of bravery and I was happy to see Ava slowly uncover details about her grandmother's past. 

This isn't a fast paced novel and some of the "memories" are rehashed a few time but overall it's a nice historical fiction with a satisfactory ending.

Publication date August 13, 2021 by Bookouture.  Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction.  Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at the Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.