The Queen of Hearts

Kimmery Martin’s debut novel, The Queen of Hearts, is a page-turning medical drama that has it all: romance, life-and-death decisions, complicated friendships, and nail-biting moments. Pediatric cardiologist Zadie Anson and trauma surgeon Emma Colley have been best friends since summer camp. But it wasn’t until their third year of medical school, when together they endured stressful training, difficult breakups, and unfathomable losses, that they realized the true value of their friendship. Now happily married to their husbands and raising kids together in Charlotte, North Carolina, they are shocked when Nick Xenokostas, their chief resident from medical school, joins Emma’s practice. Nick’s arrival brings back unhappy memories, forcing Zadie and Emma to confront their past, a test of friendship that may not end with forgiveness.

With narration that oscillates seamlessly between past and present, Martin unravels an intricate weave of lies, secrets, and betrayal. Martin’s pacing is impeccable, as she offers just the right amount of information at the perfect time. Drawing on her personal experience as an ER doctor, Martin provides accurate medical knowledge, which she writes in gripping detail. Although the novel’s ultimate reveal is predictable, the entire journey is exciting, full of surprising twists and turns. The only hint that Martin is a novice writer is that her two female narrators share an almost indistinguishable voice. Otherwise, The Queen of Hearts is an alluring read.