First published 2020
Julia Power arrives at her shift in a Dublin hospital where pregnant women battle the deadly flu pandemic. The maternity ward overflows with expectant mothers struck down by the mysterious disease that sweeps through an Ireland already torn by war. Two women enter Julia's ordered world and upend everything she knows. Doctor Kathleen Lynn brings medical expertise but carries the dangerous reputation of a rebel fleeing authorities. Young Bridie Sweeney volunteers her help despite having no training. Over three intense days, these women forge bonds while fighting to save lives in their cramped, understaffed ward. They watch patients slip away from the baffling illness, yet they also guide newborns safely into an uncertain world. The work demands everything from them, but Julia discovers that even in the face of death and chaos, human connection and care can flourish.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, medical, 20th-century, 21st-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, medical-drama, strong-female-lead
Setting: Dublin, Ireland
Period: 20th-Century, World War I
295 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company
Content warnings: death, medical-trauma