New Release
Louisa's Lament
Annie Graham
How did Louisa Ingle go from being a hard-working nurse at London’s Guy’s Hospital to despised outcast, shunned and condemned for manslaughter?
Caught in a bitter dispute between the hospital’s modernisers and traditionalists, she was a scapegoat for the warring factions when the conflict tumbled out of control in the summer of 1880.
This is the story of that struggle and her downfall, and how she learned of the conspiracy that entangled her and drove her into deep despair at the rank injustice of her betrayal.
But it is also the inspiring true story of a group of pioneering women as they stepped out of Florence Nightingale’s shadow to establish the value of nursing as a profession for independent women.
Published: April 2023
Engrossing Read!
The book transports you to Victorian times in London through very detailed descriptions of the streets and interiors. It describes well how the religious and social conflicts of the time feed into the story. Also very interesting are the internal power struggles at the hospital. It gets into the heads of the protagonists. The author used to work in Guy's and has a strong background in Organisational Psychology and Victorian Studies - all of this feeds into providing an engrossing read.
A Great Read
A fascinating and important story told in a very engaging way. The author paints very vivid pictures of life in London during that period in history giving a fascinating context to the early struggle for nursing to be able to rise above social norms and power structures of that time to develop the skill and professionalism that we know today. She writes so well about each of the characters involved that you get drawn in to their individual stories and lives. A very good read.
Review of Book Received As A Gift
I received this book as a family gift and read it for a book club meeting. it is a mixture of novel and medical history .. A sort of Hilary Mantel style approach. The research is well conducted and the author ( who writes under a pen name) is highly qualified to write about the subject. The minutae of domestic life in Victorian times is possibly as interesting as the account of the Guys Hospital events which are the main focus.
The structure of the book is, i gather, to possibly enable a film adaption (again in the style of Mantel). It is to be hoped that this may happen.
An absorbing read based around real events and healthcare 'politics' in the late nineteenth century
This was a well told story based on real events highlighting how 'tribal' allegiances in healthcare can have terrible consequences. It also demonstrates the difficulty in affecting change especially as women in a male dominated environment and the influence of religion in people's perceptions and actions. I found it intriguing and would thoroughly recommend it.
Beautifully written account - Perfect illustration of the patriarchy.
Beautifully written account of the state of nursing and female “rights” in 19th Century London.
The illustrations are lovely and bring the story further to life.
Guy’s Hospital in the 1880’s and the pressure to reform the nurses and nursing care .
This is a fascinating historical novel which is beautifully written and presented and researched in a most meticulous way. The very toxic nature of the relationships between medical and nursing staff at Guy’s Hospital in the 1880’s is brought very clearly into focus and the complex characters beautifully portrayed against the background of the great struggle between the traditionalists and the revisionists who were desperately trying to improve the quality of the nursing staff ... Many congratulations to the author on such a fine first book and we look forward with eager anticipation to the next flash of her pen!
Vicious medical politics
This is a fascinating story of a neglected area of medical history, the struggle to reform nursing in the nineteenth century. It is written by an expert in medical politics and here the damage they can do is vividly depicted.
We read this in book club, brilliant
Louisa's Lament opened up my eyes to a whole period of the history of nursing and the power and politics involved in the development of nursing in the 19th century and the brave women who fought for patients lives and to build the foundations of modern nursing. Such a captivating read and generated a great discussion in our club...thoroughly recommend.
Great Read!
How talented to fuse history and politics into such an absorbing. Cracking work! Look forward to the next one.
A Great Read
I bought this book not knowing quite what to expect, and was very pleasantly surprised. Not since Pat Barker’s “The Silence of the Girls” have I come across a work of historical fiction that made such an impression on me... I found it fascinating to read the author’s descriptions of the area around Guy’s and St Thomas’ as it used to be in the late nineteenth century, which she brings to life with her pen in the most amazing way. Having spent many years of my youth in the hill stations built by the British in India, I was equally impressed by her descriptions of British colonial life in Ranchi. Her gift for imagery is to be seen in the actual story-telling too, for example: “Her heart raced as she felt herself fixed to the front of a runaway train as it hurtled out of control…”. A great read, strongly recommended.
A Thoroughly Absorbing Read
My husband and I very much enjoyed reading this true historical novel. We were very impressed by the authors knowledge of Victorian London and the picture she paints of hospital and prison conditions prevailing at that time. Very impressive for a first book and we think it would make compulsive viewing if a film or TV production was ever made.
Brilliantly Written
A must read for anyone who has a history of working in the NHS and observing that age-old conflict between doctors and nurses. We have come a long way since 1880 Found Louisa’s story gripping.
4.0 out of 5 stars My first foray into historical novels
I've not read this genre before so it has been an interesting and educational experience in so many ways. The historical detail of both place, etiquette, class, politics and power is fascinating. Whilst the events are shocking, there is hope here too. And whilst it traces the birth of modern nursing, as someone who works in healthcare, I see behaviours today that we would like to think would be banished to the times of this story, and that is both sad and wrong.
Age Old Conflict
I loved the detail in this book and the description of the power struggles between nurses and doctors at the time. In some ways we are still struggling… but we have also come a long way.
The author’s research into that time, her huge knowledge and lived experience of warring factions and her humanity have all had an impact. I liked the way there was compassion at the end for some of even the most odious of characters.
Roll on the next book!
Fascinating Reading
Became quickly engrossed in this fascinating account of the struggle for progress and recognition of nursing in the late 1800's. The description of religious, political and social conflict surrounding the tragic events that led to the tragic outcome for the key character were intriguing and well tied into the story. I would certainly be keen to read more written in this style.
The author’s research into that time, her huge knowledge and lived experience of warring factions and her humanity have all had an impact. I liked the way there was compassion at the end for some of even the most odious of characters.
Roll on the next book!
Fascinating Read
I found this was an interesting account of the struggle to professionalise nursing in the nineteenth century and a little known Victorian murder trial. The author's style is very accessible and the contemporary resonances arising from the story made for a thoughtful read. The author has clearly researched the historical detail of her material meticulously and the beautiful illustrations are delightful.
Author Biography
Annie Graham
Author of Louisa’s Lament
Annie has consulted and taught on inter-professional conflict for over thirty years, with a PhD in Organisational Psychology, and a special interest in medical power structures and behaviours.
Trained as a pharmacist and worked in several London Teaching Hospitals before studying economics and organisational behaviour and working as an academic.
She has a Diploma in the Social History of Medicine and an MA in Nineteenth Century Studies which she uses to write fact-based novels to illuminate the ways in which organisations succeed and fail.
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