Quality of Care [Mass Market Paperback]

Elizabeth Letts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2006

Clara Raymond is the kind of obstetrician any woman would want-caring, skilled, dedicated. But she is caught off guard when a pregnant woman is wheeled onto the labor and delivery floor with what seem to be minor complaints. The patient turns out to be Lydia Benson, a childhood friend who once saved Clara's life after a terrible horseback-riding accident. And at Lydia's side is her husband Gordon Robinson, a man whom Clara once loved passionately and then left-although she has never forgotten him.

That night in the labor and delivery rooms the brief reunion goes tragically wrong. For Clara, the consequences will include a journey to California and to her own past-and a rediscovery of hope in a place she never expected.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Elizabeth Letts is a practicing certified nurse-midwife who trained at Yale University School of Nursing. A former competitive equestrian rider, she also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (March 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451214102
• ISBN-13: 978-0451214102
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,370,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elizabeth Letts is the award-winning author of two novels, QUALITY OF CARE and FAMILY PLANNING, and one children's book, THE BUTTER MAN. QUALITY OF CARE was a Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, and Books-A-Million Book Club selection. An equestrian from childhood, Letts represented California as a junior equestrian, and was runner-up in the California Horse and Rider of the Year competition. She currently lives with her husband and four children in Baltimore, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional!, March 18, 2005

By 

Maudeen Wachsmith "BeachReader" (Port Townsend, WA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quality of Care (Mass Market Paperback)

I like these NAL Accent books. They're trade paperback size and on the bottom it says "Fiction for the Way We Live" - Other authors in this line include a favorite of mine, Lisa Wingate; and several books I have in my TBR pile. I even like the feel of this book. The smooth pages, the size. I also like the conversation guide in the back which includes an interview with the author as well as a discussion guide. I do admit to sometimes reading the conversation guide before the book, allowing for spoilers sometimes, but it has never ruined my enjoyment of the book itself.

I am a sucker for a good medical story and this is a doozy. Letts, a midwife herself, writes about Dr. Clara Raymond an obstetrician who is on-call but busy with another patient when a childhood friend (Lydia) who is 34 weeks pregnant arrives in labor and delivery. Lydia happened to marry Clara's former live-in boyfriend, Gordon but Clara has lost touch with the two until they show up rather unexpectedly at the hospital. Lydia has vague symptoms but since Clara is busy with the other patient, goes unattended by other than the nursing staff for a brief period of time. Soon things go tragically wrong and eventually Clara ends up taking a trip to her childhood home in California to find answers regarding her own past. This book is really well done and is a great debut by an author to watch. The California portion of the book takes place on a horse ranch and it says in the bio that the author is not only a midwife but a former competitive equestrian. I enjoyed nearly everything about this book and my only big complaint is that the book wasn't longer. For those of you who are tired of the run-of-the-mill women's fiction or coming-of-age stories, I would highly recommend QUALITY OF CARE for a great chance of pace. This is an exceptional read and I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next. It can't be too soon for me.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ, March 7, 2005

By 

book_junkie35 (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Quality of Care (Mass Market Paperback)

Letts has written a beautifully lyrical and compelling story full of well-drawn characters. As she reveals the layers of Clara's story, she pulls the reader into a vivid world that will stick with you long after you've put the book down. And don't count on putting it down until you've read every word. This is a book to be devoured in one sitting!

Quality of Care will have an obvious appeal to horse lovers and those with an interest in medicine, but the issues addressed in this novel will matter to any reader. Highly recommended.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book!, April 14, 2005

By 

D. Aten "daten18" (SW Idaho) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quality of Care (Mass Market Paperback)

I've always loved medical novels. It was great to read a really good medical novel that wasn't a thriller type story.

Great story, believable characters, well written, very descriptive - felt like I was there.

I hope this is just the first in a long list of titles from Elizabeth Letts.