3.75 stars - Lissa goes through tragic events as a kid. She was bullied because of her looks, and she decides to stand up to her bully in an extreme way. Other events that follow lead her to pursue a career as a nurse to make money. This job allows her to get close to people and learn their secrets.

The book was okay. I predicted a lot of it. The premise of the story sounded interesting but I felt like a lot of things did not make sense. Many events were randomly added.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story wasn't what I was expected. but was interesting and had a fresh idea for a thriller. The book starts when Lissa McColl is a young girl, an only child who is lonely and picked on at school and ignored at home. When a new girl starts at the school, the bullying gets worse and Lissa decides she must do something about it, something ending in murder. When Lissa is a teenager she finds out her father is a bigamist with a second family and once again she decides to take matters into her own hands.

The bulk of the book happens when Lissa is an adult and has graduated from nursing school. Lissa' s mother is in a care home and Lissa works many hours in various nursing homes to pay for her mother's care. Lissa doesn't have much of a life, no friends, no family besides her mother, she also has no real hobbies or interests. She lives in a small converted garage and buys all her clothes at charity shops. Her life changes one day when a fellow nurse invites her to coffee . The nurse Carol, lives with her parents, dresses nice and is much more outgoing than Lissa.. She also get the cushy private patient jobs that Lissa covets. What does Carol want and how will Lissa react? The story has an unusual plot, but I still found it interesting and wondered what would happen between the women. I did think the connections between Carol and Lissa didn't quite make sense, but I enjoyed the way it played out and the ending of the book. was satisfying Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.
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From the beginning, the narrative of ‘The Nurse’ gripped me tightly with its haunting portrayal of ten-year-old Lissa and her disturbed mind. Keogh employs a masterful technique of employing large time jumps to unravel Lissa’s life, showcasing the ripple effects of her actions as she grows older.
The early chapters present a riveting account of Lissa's twisted psyche, capturing the reader's attention and curiosity. Witnessing how her actions as a young girl lay the foundation for her future choices is intriguing. Keogh skilfully interweaves these glimpses of Lissa's past with the present-day storyline, revealing the evolution of her character.
However, I must admit that as the narrative progresses into the present day, the story loses some of its initial momentum, slowing down and occasionally feeling a tad plodding. The anticipation that built up during the initial chapters dwindles slightly as if the story itself is catching its breath. Nonetheless, the slow pace does allow for a deeper exploration of Lissa's psyche, adding layers of complexity to her character.
But fear not, for the ending of "The Nurse" is well worth the wait. Keogh expertly delivers a satisfying twist that ties up loose ends and answers lingering questions. It's a delightfully crafted conclusion that leaves the reader with a sense of closure while still allowing room for imagination to envision the remainder of Lissa's life. The final pages leave a lasting impression, resonating long after the book is closed.
"The Nurse" can be best described as a 'chewing gum for the brain' psych thriller—a term I fondly use to describe novels that provide a compelling and engaging reading experience without overwhelming complexity. Keogh's writing style is accessible, ensuring that the story flows effortlessly from one page to the next. The characters are well-developed, each with their own flaws and idiosyncrasies, making them relatable and intriguing.
In summary, "The Nurse" by Valerie Keogh delivers a gripping and twisted narrative, particularly during the initial stages when delving into Lissa's troubled mind. Although the story does experience a slight slowdown in the middle, the payoff at the end is truly rewarding. This psychological thriller will keep readers engaged, providing the perfect blend of suspense, mystery, and character exploration. If you're in the mood for a thoroughly enjoyable and easy, "The Nurse" is an excellent choice.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Loved this book, although it really made me think. Although you know early on that Lissa, the main character is a murderer it does not stop you wanting to justify why. I felt a certain amount of compassion for Lissa’s character. Her childhood consisted of a large pair of ‘ rose tinted spectacles’ so when things went wrong in her life she had to deal with things on her own. As the storyline continued I was interested as to where the story was leading, and I found it difficult in places to come to terms with Lissa’s planned actions. It certainly makes you think on so many levels.

The title of this book didn't quite deliver the storyline I was expecting but a quick easy read with some twists along the way.

Part one of this story explores Lissa s childhood. Her father spends a great deal if time working away which has huge effects on her mothers moods. When he is present her mother is loving and happy , when he is away she withdraws from the world. Lissa is also having problems with bullying at school and her only option is to take matters into her own hands.

When Lissa s dad suddenly dies, her mother comes into a catatonic state, requiring 24 hr care in a home. It becomes apparent her father was living a bigamous life.

Lissa is now a nurse and should be upholding the values of the profession. However she has many scores to settle and takes drastic actions to settle old scores.

Well worth a read.

This was a bit disappointing. It had a darkness to it but nothing like what I thought it would be. The suspense wad a little lacking as well. Not terrible just not to my expectations.

Lissa McColl at a young age decides to do some very bad things. Then her life changes when she’s just a teenager. Having to make decisions and come up with lots of money that young is hard.

Years pass and she becomes a nurse. She hates her job but it allows her to get close to people and their secrets, sometimes with deadly results.

I found this book to be a bit lacking. I didn’t really know which direction it was going to go in. Near the end there’s an opportunity for the suspense to build but basically you turn the next page and the suspense is over. It did fall flat for me. I was expecting more with the mom, or some other twist.



Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a DRC. The Nurse is available July 21.

The Nurse
by Valerie Keogh
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!
This was a good book.NOT great, but good enough to keep me reading. It did have some moments that did shock me.

A creepy and uneasy novel with a really well-written protagonist Lissa. A great page-turning plot that will keep you hooked. The characters are beautifully developed over the novel leaving the reader with a sense of unease and mistrust. Another great read from Valerie Keogh.

I was provided this advanced reader copy (ARC) digitally through NetGalley and Boldwood Books. The Nurse is slated to release on July 21, 2023.

Lissa's claims her first victim at the age of twelve as a means to end her childhood bullying. Believing that her life will now improve, tragedy hits at home and affects her and her mother for the duration of the future. Inspired by the nurses she encounters everyday and needing money in order to survive, Lissa becomes a nurse. To her it makes sense. All her life she has studied serial killers and anatomy. What better profession to hone her craft. No one dies unless they absolutely have to, right? "It's just the means to the end." While working for a nursing agency she meets a fellow colleague who she attempts to befriend but more in a manner of "keep your enemies closer". As this pseudo-friendship evolves Lissa realizes that she's not the person she thought she was and neither is her friend.

The Nurse is a psychological thriller that provides the reader with realistic insights to the nursing and medical world while creating a page turner of plot twists. Trust no one, not even those that are supposed to be caring and nuturing you in your greatest hour of need.

Valerie Keogh, I was delighted to find, in reading her bio, is a nurse. It is apparent in her writing and ability to draw the reader into the realism of the scenes and the potential reality (unfortunately true reality) of the capability of those who are not truly "called" into this humble profession.

Thank you NetGalley, Valerie Keogh, and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Nurse in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not at all what I was expecting it to be. I thought it would be about an evil, murderous nurse, but it was a far cry from that sort of plot. It did have a dark undertone from beginning to end though. The story just did not seem to go anywhere special.

Three stars because the writing was good. I would not reread it however.

Eh, this book was just ok. I've read the author before and really enjoyed her books but this one traipsed along after a really good start. It doesn't lead to a climax of much after a strong beginning so I was sort of perplexed. Kept reading and waiting for more. The main character was interesting but in the end I feel not much really happened? Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read and review this book. It was intense - I found myself holding my breath many times. It's a story with the main theme of love - a daughter for her mother and a man for his deceased daughter and how they came to be. There is murder, manipulation, deception and several surprising twists. The characters were well thought out and the story moved along well. I especially liked that there were no time jumps. It was a really good story - one that I'd happily recommend.

From a very young age Lissa McColl has done very bad things, as young as ten years old she murdered a girl in her school over bullying. Now years later she is working as a nurse and is respected and valued but she hates her job and the lazy people she has to deal with on a daily basis. She befriends another nurse Carol and starts to learn secrets. This book will keep you hooked from the very first page and is hard to put down once you start.

Lisa! What can I say?? So much, but don't want to give the plot away!! A very good read for me! I love when characters are in the medical field somehow! This book didn't disappoint in the twists and turns!

Bullied, overlooked and under-appreciated, Lissa McColl learns at an early age to do very bad things. As a nurse, she is respected and valued for the first time in her life. But Lissa hates her job and the selfish, rude and inconsiderate people she has to deal with. But being underestimated in this job had its advantages. Lissa can get close to people, find out their secrets… sometimes with deadly results...

I have always been a fan of Valerie's book and enjoyed this one but would not say it is my favourite but still a good read. Lissa feels hard done by the world and working as a nurse, she faces challenges as she does not like any member of staff or the management she works with, her tolerance for people in this environment is very limited. She feels justified in the acts she commits but sometimes her assessment of people can be wrong and this makes her alter some of her plans, she is an interesting character that does do the story proud, No doubt the author would have enjoyed building this character and the floored traits she encompasses into the storyline which was very effective. As a former nurse myself for many years this felt all a bit real and very scary.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions are my own.

I was looking forward to reading this book by an author I've enjoyed reading before but this one left me dissapointed,I found it slow and I just wanted to get to the end quickly but not in a good way.I will still read books by this author in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

Valerie Keogh is one of my favorite thriller authors. This book had her signature jaw dropping twists and was also a wonderful character study. As we follow Lissa from childhood through adulthood. Highly recommend. 4.5 stars.. Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for my ARC

I really was looking forward to reading this book,unfortunately I couldn't get into it,very slow!
I read other books from the author and will continue too!
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this!