On the eve of the American Civil War, a brilliant, headstrong midwife from New York, is dreaming of becoming a surgeon...Introducing Mary Sutter. Eager to escape the pains of a broken heart and a life in the shadow of her more beautiful twin sister, she travels to Washington to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Working in the heart of the battlefields, surrounded by suffering, in makeshift operating theatres and on overcrowded wards, she comes under the guidance of William Stipp and James Blevens, two surgeons who unwittingly fall in love with Mary's courage, will, and stubbornness. In the face of extreme hardship - and resisting her mother's pleas to return home to help with the birth of her sister's baby - Mary chases her ambition to become a surgeon in the desperately overwhelmed hospitals of the capital. Like Cold Mountain, this is a powerfully evocative novel, rich with historical detail and Mary Sutter is a truly unforgettable heroine whose unwavering determination and vulnerability will resonate with readers everywhere.