Praise for The Sharp Edge of Mercy
“Mayo brings her characters and settings to life with deft prose and careful research… A compelling and diverse historical novel.”
— Kirkus Reviews – read the whole review here.
“Mayo is an accomplished writer, conveying emotion through gesture and posture, pacing her plot carefully, and adding the right amount of foreshadowing. She excels, too, at recreating a sense of New York in 1890 . . . . Highly recommended.”
— Historical Novel Society – read the whole review here.
“A timely novel that speaks of racism, economic disparities, and the role of the frontline healthcare workers in the hospital setting… a captivating window into a bygone era that reminds us that as much as things change, some things stay the same. This is a beautifully written book you won’t put down until the last page.”
— Lynne Hinton, NY Times Best Selling Author of The Beekeeper’s Wife and The View From Here
“THE SHARP EDGE OF MERCY is a stunning tale of a woman caught between the ethics of the day and the truth of the human heart. Mayo writes with enormous eloquence, transporting the reader into the distant past in a manner that feels familiar and immersive. An absolutely riveting book!”
— Crystal King, author of Feast of Sorrow and The Chef’s Secret
“With her well-drawn characters and crisp prose, Connie Hertzberg Mayo’s novel is a treat to read. I look forward to whatever she does next.”
— Stacie Murphy, author of The Amelia Matthew Mystery series
“Readers who loved Addison Armstrong’s The Light of Luna Park, and Susan Meissner’s The Nature of Fragile Things will enjoy author Connie Mayo’s story of shattering secrets, of perseverance, and of love of family above all else.”
— Tracey Enerson Wood, author of International and USA Today Best Seller The Engineer’s Wife and The War Nurse
“Mayo deftly weaves Lillian’s story of ambition, love, loyalty and friendship set against challenges of race, class, disability, sexual preferences and questions of medical ethics. This is historical fiction that anticipates many of the weightiest issues of today through an engaging read.”
— Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness and Hard Cider
“THE SHARP EDGE OF MERCY is a powerful and gripping story of inner strength, determination, and the imbalance of power. It deals head on with weighty and relevant issues like end of life care, bigotry, medical ethics, and the uneasy bargains people make in an attempt to survive. With sharp dialogue and a rich setting, this work of historical fiction had me rooting for Lillian from the first pages.”
— Emily Cavanagh, author of Her Guilty Secret and Everybody Lies
“In THE SHARP EDGE OF MERCY, young nursing assistant Lillian Dolan is caught between controversy and conscience in a compelling tale that will captivate lovers of historical fiction.”
— Kristen Harnisch, international bestselling author of The Vintner’s Daughter series
Praise for The Island of Worthy Boys
Book Review: Historical Novel Society
“A thrilling and often quite moving narrative about youth and second chances in an age with fewer social safety nets… The novel brings an alien world vividly to life.”
Book Review: Bostonia
“Deftly explores some thorny issues—forgiveness, compassion, resilience, the individual’s responsibility to society. Sadly, it also serves as a reminder that a child’s future is still too often determined by the circumstances of his birth.”
Press for The Island of Worthy Boys
Q & A with Connie
Jungle Red Writers
6 Historical Fiction Books To Read This Fall
BuzzFeed
Local Author Spotlight
Sharon Public Library
