Quality of Care, book review

I bought this book by Elizabeth Letts after reading another of her novels (Family Planning) and loving it. Quality of Care is Letts’ debut onto the publishing scene.

Though obstetrician Clara Raymond loves her work, her world is tipped upside-down the night a pregnant woman is admitted onto her delivery floor. To her astonishment, Clara discovers she’s Lydia, the estranged childhood friend who once saved her life in a shattering horseback-riding accident. With Lydia is her husband, Gordon – the man Clara once loved. Though Lydia’s complaints seem at first to be minor, the situation takes a catastrophic turn, leaving Clara to question her role in the outcome. The consequences of that night cause Clara to embark on a quest into her own past, which brings her at last to an unexpected peace.

Given the excellent writing in Letts’ other novel, I had high expectations for this one. But though her personal experience lends Letts a depth and breadth of knowledge to write from (she is both a practicing nurse-midwife and former competitive equestrian), I found that Quality of Care tried to be too many things at once. A medical suspense, a romance, an inspirational (that is, New Age)? Letts dabbled in all three genres, and while they can all belong together – and often do – I had the sense that this book lacked a grounding identity. Perhaps the problem stemmed from my inability to resonate with the protagonist. Many of Clara’s choices seem unlikely at best, and she fails to possess a credible gravitas I would expect of one in her profession.

In short, I was disappointed with Quality of Care, and though I still consider Family Planning a fine read, I will think twice before spending money on another of Letts’ novels.