An early famous nurse detective, Sarah Keate, was the creation of the extremely prolific mystery writer Mignon G. Eberhart, known as the "American Agatha Christie"--in fact, Sarah starred in Eberhart's debut novel.

Sarah, red-haired, freckled, sharp-tongued, and not young, embarks on her first mystery case when a patient at St. Ann's Hospital suddenly and mysteriously dies--on a dark and stormy night, of course--and she herself is among the suspects: "I, Sarah Keate, occupied a prominent place in the list of suspects, for had I not been in the south wing? Had I not been in a position to administer the morphine that caused the patient's death? Had I not been the one to find him?" (The Patient in Room 18).

The Patient in Room 18, 1929
Nurse Sarah Keate helps Lance O'Leary solve a series of murders and the theft of radium from St. Ann's Hospital. [Available at Amazon.com]

While the Patient Slept, 1930
On a private duty case, Sarah becomes entangled in murders that seem to involve a mysterious jade elephant that has a strange habit of disappearing. [Available at Amazon.com]

The Mystery of Hunting's End, 1930
Someone murdered Huber Kingery five years ago, and now the suspects are reunited at the same hunting lodge where he died in a locked room--and bodies are piling up inside as the snow is piling up outside. [Available at Amazon.com]

From This Dark Stairway, 1931
Sarah discovers a surgeon's murdered body huddled in an elevator one night, and the patient he was about to operate on has mysteriously vanished from the hospital. [Available at Amazon.com]

Murder by an Aristocrat, 1932
[Available at Amazon.com]

Wolf in Man's Clothing, 1942
Nurse Drue Cable, Sarah's coworker on a private duty case, is suspected of murder when her former father-in-law--who destroyed her marriage--dies from an overdose of digitalis. [Available at Amazon.com]

Man Missing, 1953
[Available at Amazon.com]

Movies

Nurse Keate also graced the big screen--often with a slight name change. She starred in the following movies.

While the Patient Slept, 1935
Starring Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee. Directed by Ray Enright, 67 minutes, B&W. Based on the novel of the same name.

The Murder of Dr. Harrigan, 1936
Starring Kay Linaker, Ricardo Cortez, and Mary Astor. Directed by Frank McDonald, 66 minutes, B&W.

Murder by an Aristocrat, 1936
Starring Marguerite Churchill and Lyle Talbot. Directed by Frank McDonald, 60 minutes, B&W. Based on the novel of the same name.

The Great Hospital Mystery, 1937
Starring Sally Blane, Thomas Beck, and Jane Darwell. Directed by James Tinling, 58 minutes, B&W.

The Patient in Room 18, 1938
Starring Ann Sheridan and Patric Knowles. Directed by Bobby Connolly and Crane Wilbur, 58 minutes, B&W. Based on the novel of the same name.

The Dark Stairway, 1938
Starring Dorothy "Chili" Bouchier and Hugh Williams. Directed by Arthur Woods, 72 minutes, B&W. Based on the novel From This Dark Stairway.

Mystery House, 1938
Starring Ann Sheridan, Dick Purcell, and Anne Nagel. Directed by Noel Smith, 56 minutes, B&W. Based on the novel The Mystery of Hunting's End.

Related Web sites

Mignon G. Eberhart

Mignon Eberhart Bibliography

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