Under the Cover of Mercy ~ Review

Under the Cover of Mercy

By Rebecca Connolly

Under the Cover of Mercy is one of those hidden gems. It is a book that, while interesting to look at, is so much more than its cover appears. Much like its main character Edith Cavell, there is a depth that is the heart of the story. Or, as Edith's second-in-command observes, Edith's Christianity defined her every action. It wasn't a trait of her character but the center of her existence.

Edith Cavell wasn't about to let anyone dictate who she could treat. Nor was she going to be a guard over those the Germans have deemed to be "enemies" to prevent their escape. As a nurse and as the Head Nurse of the Berkendael Medical Institute, she had a duty not only to the wounded but to her own conscience. How could she heal these men only to subject them to further abuses at the hand of the Germans who had taken control of her beloved Brussels? 

With her faith and convictions to guide her, Edith put her life on the line to help those who were injured recover and escape the Germans who would have been captured or succumbed to their injuries. This action placed both her and her hospital in danger, but she couldn't say no when God lay a mission both her very path.

This book is based on the true-life story of Edith Cavell, who dedicated her life to the cause that she felt God had called her to. One has to wonder, after reading Under the Cover of Mercy, just how strong one's own convictions would be in the face of such opposition and risk. Could I do as Edith knowing what discovery would cost if I failed?

This is an excellent book and one I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone who is looking for historical or biographical fiction. The setting of war-torn Brussels would appeal to those who want to learn more about WWI. And anyone who likes to learn about little-known and unsung heroes will appreciate this new offering from Rebecca Connolly.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Can one nurse on a mission of mercy and rebellion turn the tide of WWI?

November 1914

The Great War has come to Brussels, and Edith Cavell, Head Nurse at Berkendael Medical Institute, faces an impossible situation. She has sworn an oath to help any who are wounded, under whatever flag they are found. But Governor von Lüttwitz, the ranking German officer, has ordered her and her nurses to also stand guard over the wounded Allied prisoners of war and prevent them from escaping.

Edith feels that God called her to be a healer, not a jailer. How can she heal these broken boys, only to see them returned to the hands of their oppressors to be beaten again?

So when members of the Belgian resistance, desperate for help, bring two wounded British soldiers to her hospital in secret, she decides she will heal the soldiers, and then help smuggle them out of the hospital to freedom.

With her loyal friend and fellow nurse, Lizzie, by her side, Edith establishes her hospital as a safe house for the resistance, laboring tirelessly to save as many soldiers as she can. Working under the watchful eyes of the German army, Edith faces challenging odds as she fights to bring hope to her small corner of a war-torn world.

Based on a true story, Under the Cover of Mercy is the remarkable account of one woman who defied an entire nation in order to heal those who needed her help the most.

About the Author:

REBECCA CONNOLLY is the author of more than two dozen novels. She calls herself a Midwest girl, having lived in Ohio and Indiana. She’s always been a bookworm, and her grandma would send her books almost every month so she would never run out.

Bookfairs were her carnival, and libraries are her happy place. She received a master’s degree from West Virginia University.

Learn more about Rebecca and her books at rebeccaconnolly.com

Other Books by Rebecca Connolly:

A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice

Advance Praise:

“Remarkable tale based on the real-life of Edith Cavell, head nurse at Berkendael Medical Institute in Brussels in 1914. The war is raging, and British Edith, along with her nurses, tend to patients on both sides of the divide, even the German ones. The one thing she won't do, though, is detain soldiers for the Germans. She is strict in her decision that she and her nurses will care for patients but will not work as prison guards. Members of the Belgian Resistance come to Edith to ask her aid in hiding beaten-down soldiers until they can be treated and then helped to escape. Edith feels compelled to help these men. Soon [the Germans] arrest her, put her on trial, and order the death penalty. Edith draws on her faith and belief in God as her fate is drawn out. Christian and historical fiction readers alike will devour this fast-paced novel of faith and bravery.”

—Booklist

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