On my blog today, I am joining a Coffee Pot Book Club Book Blast, to share news of the recent publication of Till Taught by Pain, by SUSAN COVENTRY, the fascinating story of William Stewart Halsted, the American surgeon, and his desperate quest for effective anaesthesia.
What is the book about?
Inspired by the groundbreaking discoveries of ether and chloroform anesthesia, William Stewart Halsted pursues a surgical career with ruthless ambition, daring to perform operations deemed impossible by his peers. His reputation skyrockets with each bold success—until his quest for an effective local anesthetic leads him to inject himself with cocaine.
Caroline, the niece of Confederate General Wade Hampton, seeks to escape the constraints of post-war South Carolina by training as a nurse. When she takes a position at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital, she finds herself captivated by the brilliant yet troubled chief of surgery, Dr. Halsted.
Till Taught by Pain is a poignant exploration of love and sacrifice, as Caroline grapples with the difficult choice between enabling her husband’s addiction and supporting his pioneering career. As their lives intertwine, both must confront the consequences of ambition, the nature of love, and the toll of personal demons on their shared dreams.
Book details
Till Taught by Pain was published on November 4th 2025 by Regal House Publishing, and is available from various sources as an eBook and in paperback.
Buy links
About the author
Susan Coventry is a retired physician with a lifelong historical fiction obsession. Her first novel, The Queen’s Daughter, was a YA historical set in the Middle Ages. For Till Taught by Pain, she switched from YA to adult novels and moved on from Medieval Europe to turn-of-the-20th century U.S..
She lives in Louisville, KY with her historian husband, Brad Asher.
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Thank you so much for hosting Susan Coventry on your fabulous blog today, shining a bright book spotlight on her compelling new novel, Till Taught by Pain.
Take care,
Cathie xo
The Coffee Pot Book Club