I enjoyed Hospital Hill. Ms. Anderson did a great job of helping visualize the setting and especially the atmosphere. For example, the hospital was "perched on top like a beautiful gargoyle" and "it was a strange sort of beautiful with its brick towers and fenced-in porches." I could see the location as well as feel the atmosphere. The main character was interesting and had a good back story that explained her actions. I did not solve the mystery until the author did the reveal because I was focused on a red herring so great job on not revealing too soon. There are some typos in the text which I believe are a problem for Kindle in how they format books. I am sure they will be fixed in the next edition. Lastly the history of mental illness and its treatment is something that should most definitely be discussed more. The beginning of this book takes place in the late 1950's. Over 50 years later, our society is not more enlightened or more compassionate towards mental illness. Hospital Hill can help create interest in the treatment of mental illness and hopefully start a conversation on how our society can move forward to help end stigma and truly treat mental illness instead of ignoring it. ( )

Old asylums are one of my obsessions, and this book addresses some that existed close to my home in Massachusetts. Ms. Anderson has done an outstanding job of combining bits and pieces of poignant history into an exciting tale of intrigue and suspense.

Valerie Martin spent most of her life working in Northhampton Hospital, so is not hesitant when asked to go back and organize its old records before its pending demolition. But going back to a place holding so many memories for her, good and bad, stirs new emotions in Val, who had emotionally cloistered herself years ago. When she begins to uncover evidence of foul play involving the supposed suicides of several patients, Valerie dives in to uncover the truth.

The author has a wonderful, descriptive cadence to her prose, and has obviously done a great deal of research on the subject. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history, mysteries, and literary fiction. ( )