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.

Three very different young women serve as air ambulance nurses bravely flying into WWII combat zones risking their lives to evacuate the wounded. Irish Maeve joined the RAF after her fiancé was killed; streetwise Etta fled London’s slums in search of a better life, and farm girl Betty enlisted to prevent the wounded from dying like her brother.

Newspapers have given these women 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. The friends grapple with their loss all while keeping a stiff upper lip and continuing to care for casualties as they’re being strafed by the Luftwaffe.

Inspired by true events this novel is a tribute to a group of overlooked heroes who kept calm and carried on, while the fighting raged about them. These courageous women proudly did their bit for King and country and found solace and camaraderie in the lasting friendships forged in war.

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!