Very moving story of women who volunteered as nursing orderlies during WW2. I am always touched by how strong someone can be in the most difficult situations. Helping the wounded and seeing so much trauma during war can either make or break you. This was well written and hard to put down.
Tank you NetGalley for this early release.

Death of a Flying Nightingale is a lovely, moving murder mystery set among a group of Flying Nightingales, women who were assigned to care for patients, mostly Allied servicemen being brought back to hospitals, by air ambulances from battlefield evac stations for treatment in hospitals. The story centers around three young nurses: Maeve, an Irish woman who joined after her fiancé was killed in action; Betty, a farm girl who joined following the death of her only brother on the battlefield: and Etta, an underprivileged woman from London's East End slums, with dreams of becoming a fully-fledged nurse. The mystery holds the story together, but it's the rich details of a previously uncovered part of history that fascinate. That these women were given only 6 weeks of training, then were expected to fly into combat zones without benefit of a red cross on the aircraft because the planes flew in munitions and other supplies on their way in, and patients only on the way out (making them qualified as military targets for the enemy); that the women weren't issued a parachute on the flight back because if the plane was shot down they were expected to stay with their patients. Most impressive, was that records show they never lost a patient who was in their care. Little was ever told about these women until now, and that's a tremendous injustice to the role they played in saving lives and helping the Allies win the war. Even though there is murder, I think it is more a cozy than not, but be sure to read the Author's Note at the end, as it gives you even more insights into the experiences of these remarkable young women and how she came to write this book.

I really enjoyed this one! I had never heard of the Flying Nightingales, despite my vivid interest in WWII. The writing was easy to get into and the characters albeit a little tropey at first, were enjoyable to read about. The characters became more fleshed out as the story went on and I really liked how nuanced they became in the epilogue. This was a thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction, with loveable characters and a fast paced plot.

I very much loved this book! Stories about nurses/ww2 are always on the top of my list. The women in this book weren't nurses exactly but nurses aides who flew into battle and transported severely injured soldiers to hospital back in England so they could be treated and recover. Some of the injuries are quite gruesome and this book gives a realistic account of the realities of war. I appreciated this. The role of a Flying Nightingale was very important. The women helped men get through their harrowing journeys home.
This was a very interesting time in history, and women who didn't have a lot of career options. The war strangely brought opportunities and young women were given a chance to shine and perhaps leave less than ideal upbringings behind. This story also features friendships and mystery. Etta, Betty and Maeve are wonderful characters and I enjoyed following their journeys and learning about their pasts. This book is well written . It's written in third person, and I felt very close to the characters. I had a hard time putting it down.
If you like historical fiction that features friendship and mystery this is the book for you! I really enjoyed it! Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. The release date for this book is Sept 28/2024 #NetGalley #DeathofaFlyingNIghtingale.

I have reviewed this ARC on my instagram page.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5iy2earAw9/?igsh=MXhrOHZuNHo1NGti

It was definitely a lovely read! A heart-warming story which introduced me to the flying nightingales. I have found very moving the way they looked after their patients.Their courage was also incredible, first because they were flying into invaded countries and second, because only one nurse was in the plane!!! I liked their characters and could relate to them. The romance though was overwhelming. The cases of the women found dead were a bit too lightly taken into account and did not feel convincing. However, this novel is definitely for the heart.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

This book gave a great look into the lives of women who helped in the war effort during WWII. The stories of what these women saw and how they dealt with the casualties of war is simply amazing. Unfortunately stories of the women who served in active combat zones are often over looked because it was a majority men who served. These women saw the aftermath of battles and were also under fire when trying to help.

The stories of Maeve, Betty, and Etta may be mostly fiction but it gives the reader a look into what they went through. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I must say I don't usually cry at books, but the ending of this really tugged on my heartstrings.

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!