The Girl in His Shadow: A Novel

(Paperback)

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At a time when women are expected to live in the shadows of great men, one woman chooses to step into the light An unforgettable historical fiction novel about one woman who believed in scientific medicine before the world believed in her. London, 1845- Raised by the eccentric surgeon Dr. Horace Croft after losing her parents to a deadly pandemic, the orphan Nora Beady knows little about conventional life. While other young ladies were raised to busy themselves with needlework and watercolors, Nora was trained to perfect her suturing and anatomical illustrations of dissections. Women face dire consequences if caught practicing medicine, but in Croft's private clinic Nora is his most trusted-and secret-assistant. That is until the new surgical resident Dr. Daniel Gibson arrives. Dr. Gibson has no idea that Horace's bright and quiet young ward is a surgeon more qualified and ingenuitive than even himself. In order to protect Dr. Croft and his practice from scandal and collapse Nora must learn to play a new and uncomfortable role-that of a proper young lady. But pretense has its limits. Nora cannot turn away and ignore the suffering of patients, even if it means giving Gibson the power to ruin everything she's worked for. And when she makes a discovery that could change the field forever, Nora faces an impossible choice. Remain invisible and let the men around her take credit for her work, or step into the light-even if it means being destroyed by her own legacy. Fans of The Other Einstein and The Paris Library will relish this riveting and empowering story about one woman's fight to follow her dreams and build a life-and legacy-beyond what is expected of her.

Reviews

"A suspenseful story of a courageous young woman determined to become a surgeon in repressive Victorian England. Fluidly written, impeccably researched, The Girl in His Shadow is a memorable literary gift to be read, reread, and treasured." - Gloria Goldreich, author of The Paris Children
"With its strong woman protagonist and authentic period detail, this is the best kind of historical fiction, transporting readers to a place and time peopled with memorable characters. Readers who enjoy medical drama will gravitate to this book." - Library Journal
"Assured, engaging, and full of fascinating detail and richly realized characters." - Historical Novel Society
"In The Girl in His Shadow, Audrey Blake takes the reader on an exquisitely detailed journey through the harrowing field of medicine in mid-19th century London. Nora, the ward of the eccentric and brilliant surgeon Horace Croft, learns far more than any woman is allowed. Bravely saving lives while risking her own, she defies the law to pioneer breakthroughs in medicine." - Tracey Enerson Wood, international bestselling author of The Engineer's Wife

Author Bio

AUDREY BLAKE has a split personality-because she is the creative alter ego of Regina Sirois and Jaima Fixsen, two authors who met online in a Survivor-style writing contest. They live 1,500 miles apart, but both are prairie girls- Jaima hails from Alberta, Canada, and Regina from the wheatfields of Kansas. Both are addicted to history, words, and stories of redoubtable women, and agree that their friendship, better and longer-lasting than any other prize, is proof that good things happen in this random, crazy universe.