Join a book club that is reading The Girl in His Shadow: A Novel!

The Ten Member Limit Club

A group of 10 or less random people wishing to make lasting friendships over books. Now accepting new members!

Learn More

The Girl in His Shadow: A Novel

By Audrey Blake

ADD TO MY SHELVES

Recommend book

THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

"An exquisitely detailed journey through the harrowing field of medicine in mid-19th century London."--Tracey Enerson Wood, USA Today bestselling author of The Engineer's Wife and The War Nurse

An unforgettable historical fiction novel about one woman who believed in scientific medicine before the world believed in her.

London, 1845: Raised by the eccentric surgeon Dr. Horace Croft after losing her parents to a deadly pandemic, the orphan Nora Beady knows little about conventional life. While other young ladies were raised to busy themselves with needlework and watercolors, Nora was trained to perfect her suturing and anatomical illustrations of dissections.

Women face dire consequences if caught practicing medicine, but in Croft's private clinic Nora is his most trusted--and secret--assistant. That is until the new surgical resident Dr. Daniel Gibson arrives. Dr. Gibson has no idea that Horace's bright and quiet young ward is a surgeon more qualified and ingenuitive than even himself. In order to protect Dr. Croft and his practice from scandal and collapse Nora must learn to play a new and uncomfortable role--that of a proper young lady.

But pretense has its limits. Nora cannot turn away and ignore the suffering of patients, even if it means giving Gibson the power to ruin everything she's worked for. And when she makes a discovery that could change the field forever, Nora faces an impossible choice. Remain invisible and let the men around her take credit for her work, or step into the light--even if it means being destroyed by her own legacy.

Fans of The Other Einstein and The Paris Library will relish this riveting and empowering story about one woman's fight to follow her dreams and build a life--and legacy--beyond what is expected of her.

Praise for The Girl in His Shadow:

"A suspenseful story of a courageous young woman determined to become a surgeon in repressive Victorian England. Fluidly written, impeccably researched, The Girl in His Shadow is a memorable literary gift to be read, reread, and treasured."--Gloria Goldreich, author of The Paris Children

Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Sourcebooks Landmark:

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

ADD TO MY SHELVES

Recommend book

BUY THE BOOK

Published May 4, 2021

414 pages

Average rating: 7.82

118 RATINGS

Community Reviews

Write a review...

Margie Pettersen

Oct 27, 2025

6/10 stars

Good historical fiction of a young girl during Victorian times who becomes a physician’s assistant. Her guardian, Dr. Croft has let her attend medical lectures with him, ostensibly to take notes, and allows her to do dissections of the dead. She reads all the medical books available and becomes quite knowledgeable. When Dr Croft takes on a new assistant, Dr Gibson, she is hesitant to reveal her considerable knowledge. Eventually she resumes her position along side Dr. Croft. When present she makes observations and suggestions that make Dr Gibson ill at ease and diminished. One day when Dr Croft is away, one of his close friends comes to the door in extreme pain from an abdominal issue. It was during this time that Nora and Croft had been experiencing with the use of ether with rats. She has even tried it on herself. Dr Gibson is aghast when she suggests abodominal surgery since opening a patient this way has meant sure death in the past. However, the patient will die without intervention so she performs the surgery, notices a twisted intestine and corrects the problem. The unauthorized illegal surgery was answered success. The best part takes place when she, Croft, and Gibson testify in court to defend their accomplishment - a successful abdominal surgery while under ether. Her eloquence at the trial draws the attention of a visiting Italian physician and surgeon who invites her to study medicine with him.

janetlowe97

Aug 28, 2025

A historical fiction novel about Nora Beady, an orphan raised by a brilliant but unconventional surgeon, Dr. Horace Croft, in mid-19th century London. Trained in secret as a skilled surgeon herself, Nora must hide her abilities from a new surgical resident, Dr. Daniel Gibson, to protect Croft's practice. When her groundbreaking discovery of a new surgical ether saves a life but exposes her, Nora faces a choice between remaining hidden or stepping into the light to claim her work, even if it means being destroyed.

Maverick27

Oct 25, 2024

7/10 stars

I love a good medical fiction story. This one did not disappoint! Better than the show House meets Downton Abbey.

Ali Nurmikko

May 14, 2024

2/10 stars

The first 40% of this book was a listless read. It felt like a lot of runaround to set up the importance of the detail of Nora Beady’s existence in Dr. Croft’s home and her risk to his practice, though essential. Once the dialogue was better written for enjoyable conversation between characters, the story alluded to slight romance and heroism. Once the story continued, I enjoyed the strength of Nora Beady as an insistent, knowledgeable, and dignified woman who was overlooked by the outside world. Dr. Croft understood her talents and intellect, as well as the other characters that came to know her more personally. It was a beautiful resolution to see her rise from the shadows in the end.

Sally St Clair

Feb 03, 2024

10/10 stars

Loved the characters, and appreciate the research of Victorian medical practices from the 19th century. Fascinating author(s) notes as well.