Time to relax in Connecticut with a young doctor beginning her own country practice. This is exactly what you imagine: a young woman finding success in her career, and respect in the community.
Enid Barnes M.D. is the daughter of a respected New York doctor, intent on beginning general practice in Chesterton, Connecticut. The villagers seem a tough nut to crack as they already have a family doctor who was raised here, Tom Jackson. Besides, a man can do a much better job. Despite the unfriendliness of neighbours, one of her first patients is young mother Margaret, whose five year-old daughter Dolores is having convulsions of Cortical Atrophy. Dr. Jackson wants her institutionalized for her own well-being. Enid corroborates, but Margaret is almost insane trying to prevent this.
Wealthy Mrs. Seaton looks down on the village from her estate on the Ridge, unwilling to fund a needed hospital because Dr. Jackson won't be told who to treat. She sees herself as queen mother, and tries to get Enid under her thumb.
When Dolores dies in her sleep, Margaret is found holding the girl saying "I killed my baby!" With Margaret charged with the death, Mrs. Seaton is quick to spread the lie that Dr. Jackson is guilty as well, and he is charged with manslaughter. Quite a scandal, which Enid must turn around with the help of Mrs. Seaton's nephew Joshua Trestle, a new lawyer. Gossip reaches the New York papers, causing a bigger rift in the community. Enid must move sympathy to Margaret's side, prove herself a reliable doctor, clear Dr. Jackson's name, and for author Beth Myers to squeeze in an unexpected romance in the last two pages.
This was as advertised. Enid is a strong and capable doctor in the Dr. Kildare mold. Myers manages to pack a lot of story into relatively few pages - Enid's practice, the angry community, and a court case including a last-minute surprise witness! At 122 pages, it only took an entertaining night to read. After all the work Enid does the romance is superfluous, the requisite 'kiss' is only suggested after the fact.
In my paperback copy, a previous owner signed the name Marie on several pages. I can find no reviews for this book online. Perhaps this will save this novel from obscurity.
My other doctor/nurse reviews:
1954 / Paperback / 122 pages
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