A doctor, struggling to recover from a devastating family trauma, is drawn back into her life during a perilous quest to solve the mystery of multiple deaths among the staff at Oakland City Hospital.
It’s a normal workday for Dr. Nora Kelly—as normal as it can be after the traumatic loss of her family two years ago. She steps into the ER at Oakland City Hospital, wrestling with grief and self-doubt about her ability to continue practicing medicine. Early retirement increasingly appeals. But there’s a corpse in the hospital’s business office and more to follow as havoc begins to descend on Nora and her colleagues. The mystery behind the mayhem draws Nora back into life and work, her once-renowned diagnostic acumen resurrected under extreme peril. At the same time, her self-redemptive quest to solve the mystery unearths a deeply personal and painful question—one that reaches into the core of who she is and what she believes.
FROM THE BACK COVER
"Immortal Wounds is a compelling, richly textured mystery that draws us deeply into the cloistered world of the hospital. A murderer or two may be on the loose in Scannell's thriller, but the psychological struggles and ethical mysteries encountered daily by her doctors and nurses prove just as riveting. A must-read!"
--Jodi Halpern, MD, author of From Detached Concern to Empathy: Humanizing Medical Practice
5.0 out of 5 stars. Compelling mystery in a medical setting. October 24, 2018. Format: Kindle Edition. I found this to be an engrossing mystery--I could not put it down at the end. The characters are interesting and well-drawn, the setting rings true to an urban medical center, and the plot has twists and turns I could not anticipate. I'm hoping there is another Dr. Nora Kelly mystery in the works, because I would like to read more about these characters.
5.0 out of 5 stars. A Terrific Read. October 17, 2018. Format: Kindle Edition. A terrific addition to the company of female sleuths but from a fresh angle – Nora Kelly is a doctor in an urban hospital who must use her crack diagnostic skills to solve and stop a series of increasingly dangerous events and murders. Scannell’s book reminds of what I like best about Tana French – she takes the time to bring us into the world of her characters -- and these are especially intriguing characters – so at the end we are left with more than the resolution of a page turning mystery. Scannell also vividly describes her characters’ experiences of working at challenging public hospital and gives us a lot to think about – going beyond policies to their effects on people’s lives. The hospital context lends weight and meaning that makes it more than another good read.I can’t enjoy a book no matter how good the story (and this one is great) if the writing isn’t good as well. Happily, Scannell writes both evocatively and sharply, vividly taking us into the middle of confounding and dangerous events often with an unexpected and welcome wit. Don’t miss this one especially since it looks like it’s the beginning of a wonderful series.
5.0 out of 5 stars. Complex, Beautifully Written, Unputdownable Mystery - A Must Read. October 18, 2018. Format: Paperback. A complex, beautifully written, unputdownable mystery - this first installment of the Nora Kelly Mystery Series has it all! Dr. Nora Kelly is the compelling central character on the front lines of the emergency room at Oakland City Hospital. A series of sinister murders at the hospital force Dr. Kelly to examine her relationships with a compelling cast of colleagues, allies, and adversaries as she confronts the uncomfortable truths of the healthcare system and her place within it. If you enjoy Maisie Dobbs and her insights into human character, you'll love Dr. Nora Kelly. I look forward to reading her next adventure.
5.0 out of 5 stars. Suspenseful, original, and thought-provoking. September 26, 2018. Format: Paperback. Great look at what takes place behind the scenes at an urban hospital, with an intriguing cast of characters and an intricate plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. Scannell, herself an MD, crafts a compelling narrative that could implicate any one of her main characters in the series of murders. Their lives and relationships, both personal and professional, are richly drawn. The hospital and city of Oakland provide a vivid backdrop for the increasingly tense action. An enjoyable read that will make you see your next visit to the doctor in a new light. I hope there will be more in the Nora Kelly series.
