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The Tenement Nurse
New York City, 1922
Millie Carpenter is in the business of mercy. Two years as a field nurse during the Great War taught her much about suffering. Still, when she returns to Manhattan, she employs her mercy in the impoverished tenements of the Lower East Side, where she serves as a Visiting Nurse to Italian immigrants.
Millie's passion for helping people is powerful. But when Maria, a pregnant patient, is suddenly murdered at the hands of her abusive husband, Millie knows what she must do to stop him.
Maria's daughter, Angeline, has been stashed away in an orphanage by her mother's cunning brother, Marco. Millie feels responsible for Angeline and begs to know where she is. Marco agrees to tell her where his niece is under the condition that Millie performs a sinister favor for him. Except one favor turns into two. Then things come to a screeching halt when Marco insists that Millie must kill someone she knows to find Angeline's location.
Millie's once humdrum life transforms into days filled with poison, murder, speakeasies, and dangerous gangsters she begins to call friends. Now, more than ever, she must challenge her idea of right and wrong while trying to save those around her. With an expansive knowledge of pharmaceuticals, Millie finagles the delicate line between tonic and toxin.
Millie Carpenter is in the business of mercy. Two years as a field nurse during the Great War taught her much about suffering. Still, when she returns to Manhattan, she employs her mercy in the impoverished tenements of the Lower East Side, where she serves as a Visiting Nurse to Italian immigrants.
Millie's passion for helping people is powerful. But when Maria, a pregnant patient, is suddenly murdered at the hands of her abusive husband, Millie knows what she must do to stop him.
Maria's daughter, Angeline, has been stashed away in an orphanage by her mother's cunning brother, Marco. Millie feels responsible for Angeline and begs to know where she is. Marco agrees to tell her where his niece is under the condition that Millie performs a sinister favor for him. Except one favor turns into two. Then things come to a screeching halt when Marco insists that Millie must kill someone she knows to find Angeline's location.
Millie's once humdrum life transforms into days filled with poison, murder, speakeasies, and dangerous gangsters she begins to call friends. Now, more than ever, she must challenge her idea of right and wrong while trying to save those around her. With an expansive knowledge of pharmaceuticals, Millie finagles the delicate line between tonic and toxin.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2023
58 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Kate Gemma
2 books16 followersKate has been jotting down stories since she was a little girl reading Agatha Christie novels over her mother’s shoulder in bed- faking being asleep so she didn’t have to leave and go back to her own room.
That soon led to recapping dreams early in the morning before they were forgotten, creating worlds to escape to when the real one wasn’t cutting it, and endless short stories written on looseleaf paper and bound together by duct tape so that they felt like REAL books.
Kate is originally from Long Island. She now resides in Connecticut with her husband, son, and two dogs where she loves the quiet and fresh air but misses the bagels....ohhhh the bagels.
That soon led to recapping dreams early in the morning before they were forgotten, creating worlds to escape to when the real one wasn’t cutting it, and endless short stories written on looseleaf paper and bound together by duct tape so that they felt like REAL books.
Kate is originally from Long Island. She now resides in Connecticut with her husband, son, and two dogs where she loves the quiet and fresh air but misses the bagels....ohhhh the bagels.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 14, 2023
THE TENEMENT NURSE is about a visiting nurse who serves Italian immigrants in New York City and is blackmailed by the brother of one of her patients into doing increasingly sinister favors. This was such an immersive, transportive read, rich in detail that made 1920s New York come alive. Kate Gemma’s writing is consistently clever, and her talent for dialogue makes the characters leap from the page. There are several huge surprises in this book, including a final-page reveal that had me grinning maniacally, and I flew through it in only two days.
January 29, 2024
When the main character gives her shocking confession to a priest in the first chapter, I was instantly gripped and wanted to know what led nurse Millie Carpenter to commit murder.
Readers will certainly side with the protagonist after discovering the difficult predicaments she finds herself in. You can’t help but root for her while sitting on the edge of your seat.
The author does a fantastic job at building realistic character profiles and telling the story in such a way that keeps you guessing and wanting more. The story is full of surprises!
I loved the buildup and how everything tied together.
This suspenseful story left me in awe with an ending I didn’t see coming.
I highly recommend this page-turning book!
Readers will certainly side with the protagonist after discovering the difficult predicaments she finds herself in. You can’t help but root for her while sitting on the edge of your seat.
The author does a fantastic job at building realistic character profiles and telling the story in such a way that keeps you guessing and wanting more. The story is full of surprises!
I loved the buildup and how everything tied together.
This suspenseful story left me in awe with an ending I didn’t see coming.
I highly recommend this page-turning book!
January 24, 2024
I was given a review copy of this book and I enjoyed it despite its disturbing theme.
It takes place in 1920s New York where nurse Millie Carpenter, back from the Great War, helps Italian immigrants as a Visiting Nurse. The story is told as a confession...
I liked the writing style (except for 'off of', which should have been 'off' or 'from'). I enjoyed the peek into the era and the sense of place. It's brutal in many ways, honest and believable.
The characters suited the plot and I appreciated Millie's strength and resolve.
Recommended.
It takes place in 1920s New York where nurse Millie Carpenter, back from the Great War, helps Italian immigrants as a Visiting Nurse. The story is told as a confession...
I liked the writing style (except for 'off of', which should have been 'off' or 'from'). I enjoyed the peek into the era and the sense of place. It's brutal in many ways, honest and believable.
The characters suited the plot and I appreciated Millie's strength and resolve.
Recommended.
March 2, 2024
Verbose use of adjectives comes to mind. And a thing for describing how a character brushes hair from her cheek, or tucks it behind an ear. The story took turns I did not see coming. Could not warm up to the characters. It was just ok.
February 2, 2024
Easy quick read with twists I did not see coming.
December 25, 2023
Great for an indie historical crime release (and in need of a light read over the holidays)
July 23, 2023
The Tenement Nurse tells the story of a vigilante nurse in 1920s New York City. It's vividly populated by gangsters, speakeasy patrons, as well as poor immigrants and rich socialites. The protagonist is trying to be her own woman while trying to get over her brother's death and her experiences as a WWI military nurse.
Her moral dilemma and the choices she makes to protect the women and children she serves are compelling. I admired her despite her actions.
A well written story set in a time and place that isn't often portrayed.
Her moral dilemma and the choices she makes to protect the women and children she serves are compelling. I admired her despite her actions.
A well written story set in a time and place that isn't often portrayed.
January 2, 2023
A great read from front to back! Another amazing book by Kate Gemma, Couldn’t put it down!
July 17, 2023
Couldn’t put this book down !
May 3, 2024
After seeing much horror in the Great War, Millie continues her work as a nurse in one of the poorest areas in NYC. All she wants to do is help the impoverished women and children in her care, but when her pregnant patient is murdered, Millie seeks vengeance. Guilt-ridden over her decision and desperate to find her deceased patient’s missing child, she becomes embroiled in scandal and murder with no seemingly way out.
This heartbreaking tale was clever and well-written, though slow at times. The descriptions and details were spot on, and I felt like I could really see and smell NYC in the 1920s. I loved the twist at the end.
Readers of historical fiction and crime dramas should give this book a try.
4 Stars
This heartbreaking tale was clever and well-written, though slow at times. The descriptions and details were spot on, and I felt like I could really see and smell NYC in the 1920s. I loved the twist at the end.
Readers of historical fiction and crime dramas should give this book a try.
4 Stars
May 31, 2025
What I thought this novel was about -- a nurse serving the inhabitants of a tenement building. The story would be based on the medical needs and interactions between a nurse and patients. But instead, the story was about an individual serving justice hidden in plain sight. The ending was quite satisfying.
October 29, 2023
Millie has come home from WWI to New York. She lives in a boarding house and works as a home nurse in the tenements. She loves her work and does all she can to protect the poor woman and children she sees. A fast moving story of historical 1920s New York. A great very quick read. Enjoyable!
August 3, 2025
It was okay. Didn’t find it as page-turning as some of the other reviewers. I could not connect with Millie and understand her rashness to some of her actions. I found the ending predictable.
January 18, 2026
This book still haunts me two weeks later because where do these types of nurses come from??!! And the scary thing is, we’ve seen these people on Snapped and other true crime shows!!! I mean, I can really see this happening back in the 1920s!!! Yikes!!! 😳
Aside from creeping me tf out, this was a really good book. I loved the authors writing style and the vivid descriptions of the various scenes of the book. I did predict the final plot twist but it still delivered nonetheless.
I highly recommend and I will be reading more from Kate Gemma.
One more thing, I don’t know if there were trigger warnings but do yourself a favor a check them. 🥴
Aside from creeping me tf out, this was a really good book. I loved the authors writing style and the vivid descriptions of the various scenes of the book. I did predict the final plot twist but it still delivered nonetheless.
I highly recommend and I will be reading more from Kate Gemma.
One more thing, I don’t know if there were trigger warnings but do yourself a favor a check them. 🥴
July 6, 2023
"Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been ten years since my last confession. I have broken the sixth commandment."
Tenement nurse starts with a shocker and the story doesn't let up throughout the entire book!
Millie has seen it all in WWI and when she comes home, she gets a job as a nurse in the tenements where she sees a different kind of war - the one to survive. She befriends a pregnant woman with a young daughter and an abusive husband. How can she help? Her decision changes everything, but was it for the better? I don't want to say anymore, except I'm still shocked at the ending.
This book is well-written. The treatments the nurse administers seem to be well-researched. The characters are just as you would expect them to be...but I'm still thinking about that ending... WOW!
Read this one. You won't regret it.
Tenement nurse starts with a shocker and the story doesn't let up throughout the entire book!
Millie has seen it all in WWI and when she comes home, she gets a job as a nurse in the tenements where she sees a different kind of war - the one to survive. She befriends a pregnant woman with a young daughter and an abusive husband. How can she help? Her decision changes everything, but was it for the better? I don't want to say anymore, except I'm still shocked at the ending.
This book is well-written. The treatments the nurse administers seem to be well-researched. The characters are just as you would expect them to be...but I'm still thinking about that ending... WOW!
Read this one. You won't regret it.
September 29, 2023
This was a fun read and the author did a great job transporting you to the 1920s. I dont read a ton of historical fiction because often it feels bogged down, but this thriller managed to stay crisp and engaging.
It was a reasonably quick read, great for a rainy weekend. It started a touch slow but once it got going I enjoyed that moral dilemma and how Millie had to try to decide where she stood and what her definition of 'right' was. I did not see the ending coming, and dont want to say anything that may spoil it. But if you enjoy historical reads this one is for you.
It was a reasonably quick read, great for a rainy weekend. It started a touch slow but once it got going I enjoyed that moral dilemma and how Millie had to try to decide where she stood and what her definition of 'right' was. I did not see the ending coming, and dont want to say anything that may spoil it. But if you enjoy historical reads this one is for you.
November 5, 2023
Best book I’ve read in a long while
June 24, 2023
Was hard to put down once I started reading this book! Well written and will take you back to a different era! Absolutely loved this book!
September 29, 2023
Read this one! Tenement Nurse grabs you from the beginning and holds onto you until the end. Loved the setting and character development. Terrific book!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews