The Secret Healer
2 primary works
Book 1
In the fourteenth century, opportunities for women are limited to the home. But spirited young Madlen finds her calling as assistant to the city’s trusted midwife, Clara. Working alongside Clara, Madlen develops a surprisingly soothing technique and quickly becomes a talented healer.
After Clara’s tragic death, Madlen alone rushes to assist the birth of a local nobleman’s child. But rather than the joy of birth, Madlen walks into an accusation of murder and witchcraft because of her extraordinary gifts. Forced to flee her own town, she establishes a new identity in the home of her aunt. Yet even though it endangers her life, she cannot resist the urge to help the sick patients who seek out her miraculous treatment. When she meets handsome Johannes—an investigator hired by the Church to bring her to justice for sacrilegious acts—she becomes drawn to the very man that could destroy her.
Will Madlen’s gifts bring about her downfall? Or can love and reason prevail in a time of fearful superstition?
Book 2
In medieval Germany, Madlen Goldmann left her passion for medicine behind to live a life of quiet contentment with her devoted husband, Johannes, and their children. But when Madlen's aunt delivers the news that Johannes's father, Peter, has gone blind, Madlen must use her healing skills to help just one more time.
While caring for her father-in-law, Madlen assists a handsome young doctor, Franz von Beyenburg, in a procedure to restore Peter's sight—something she never dreamed possible. When Dr. von Beyenburg invites her to attend his medical lectures in Heidelberg, Madlen realizes it's an unprecedented opportunity to expand her knowledge.
But to do so, she must return to the town where she was falsely accused of murder, face the scorn of her fellow male students, and assuage her husband's unease—all obstacles that seem insurmountable. Will she risk it all to realize her dream of saving lives—whether society is ready for her or not?