Nearly as soon as Florence settles in, she finds the body of one of her young nurses hanging in the library. While the police deem it to be a suicide, Florence knows, based on medical evidence, that it is not. There is a murderer afoot and it will be up to her to find the killer before he strikes again.

As she interviews her staff, she hears conflicting stories and it is a puzzle as to who to believe and why. Accidents happen, and others are injured, including herself. Except that Florence knows she was attacked, chloroformed and pushed down the stairs. Someone doesn't like her asking questions and is sending warning after warning to stop.

I am a casual reader of historical mysteries and was not sure this one would be my cup of tea. I was surprised to find myself captivated and intrigued with the characters and with the plot. The atmospheric setting and the fact that Florence Nightingale was indeed real were the things that drew me in completely.