Review of All in Her Hands (Nora Beady #3) by Audrey Blake

I love historical fiction about female physicians before this was common; Nora is a willful, clever woman fighting against prejudice in 1849 London and aiming for better healthcare for women--until cases of cholera emerge and all rules must be reimagined. Blake includes wonderful scientific detail and details of life in that time.

In Audrey Blake's historical fiction title All in Her Hands, it's 1849 in London, and Nora Gibson is a female surgeon (the only female surgeon in the city) in a time when it was a battle for a woman to gain access to a medical education and to obtain training. Now Nora must also convince patients to trust her with their care.

Nora is battling prejudice against women in the medical field while also trying to do something revolutionary: coordinate the valuable years of experience held by midwives (who here are largely not respected by doctors) with the expertise and knowledge of trained doctors (who are at times pooh-poohed by midwives).

But when what seem to be cases of cholera begin to show up in London, Nora suspects that all traditional rules will go out the window.

I love a story about a female doctor before that was common; I love the way Audrey Blake weaves in rich details of life in the time; I love how Blake shapes a story in which privileged education comes up against gritty, real-world life experience; and I love how she works in the gaps in knowledge as well as the leaps and bounds that were taking place in science in that era.

Nora's husband and adoptive father are also physicians, and there is a sense of community as they collaborate with, clash with, support, and challenge each other.

Blake also weaves in issues around body autonomy, pregnancy challenges, and societal and professional issues for women who might become mothers.

This is the third book in a series, but it works beautifully as a stand-alone read. I had no idea there were prior books until I finished, and Blake doesn't incorporate any awkward hearkening-back moments in order to build the story; this is seamless and fascinating.

I listened to All in Her Hands as an audiobook courtesy of Libro.fm and Recorded Books, Inc.

More from Audrey Blake

Now I’ll definitely read the other two in this series by Audrey Blake, The Girl in His Shadow and The Surgeon’s Daughter.