Hilda Wade

Hilda Wade is a medical mystery novel largely written by Grant Allen and completed by Arthur Conan Doyle after Allen's death in 1899. The story features Hilda Wade, a quick-witted and courageous nurse who possesses an uncanny intuition for diagnosis – what the narrator calls «premonitory wisdom.» Set in London's St. Margaret's Hospital, the novel unfolds as a series of episodic adventures in which Hilda aids (and often outshines) the doctors in solving medical puzzles and criminal intrigues. From detecting a poisoner on the ward to uncovering the tragic secret behind her own father's fate, Hilda proves a formidable «lady detective» in a starched apron. Doyle, fulfilling Allen's outline, ensured the final chapter tied up Hilda's personal quest: exposing the wrongdoing of the charismatic but sinister Professor Sebastian, under whom she serves. The novel stands out for making a female protagonist the hero of deduction – a rarity in its time – and for its blend of medical drama with Sherlockian sleuthing (indeed, Hilda's logical prowess invites comparison to Holmes, but with a warmer bedside manner). Hilda Wade is both a gripping hospital thriller and a showcase of Doyle and Allen's shared progressive view that a woman could be the smartest character in the room.