The Girl in His Shadow

The narrative of a woman who, before the rest of the world, accepted her belief in scientific medicine

After losing her parents to a devastating pandemic, Nora Beady was raised by eccentric physician Dr. Horace Croft and has limited knowledge of traditional life. Nora was groomed to become an expert in suturing and drawing anatomical depictions of dissections, while other young ladies were raised to occupy themselves with needlework and watercolor painting.

Although women who are discovered practicing medicine suffer severe punishments, Nora is Croft's most dependable and covert helper in his private practice. That is, until Dr. Daniel Gibson, the newest surgical resident, shows there. Unbeknownst to Dr. Gibson, the calm, intelligent young ward of Horace is a surgeon more skilled and experienced than even he is. Nora needs to shift into a new, difficult character in order to keep Dr. Croft and his business safe from scandal and dissolution: that of a refined young lady.

However, pretense has its bounds. Even if it means granting Gibson the ability to undo everything Nora has worked for, she cannot turn a blind eye to the misery of the patients. Nora also has to make a difficult decision after making a discovery that has the potential to alter the profession forever. allow the world recognize her for who she is, even if it means being destroyed by her own legacy, or stay unseen and allow the men in her immediate vicinity take credit for her work.