The Girl without a Name by Sandra Block

Zoe Goldman is at it again. She is being drawn into the mystery of one of her patients and doing things she shouldn't to uncover the girl's identity. In "The Girl Without A Name", the patient, Jane Doe, does not know who she is or what she was doing when the police found her. She only remembers chasing a car. The authorities take Jane Doe to the hospital and the search for her identity begins. Zoe is tasked to help Jane Doe solve the mystery of her identity. Zoe, with her  coworker Jason and her new attending boss Dr. Berringer, works as an intern on the psych floor of the Childrens Hospital in Buffalo NY.

Her boyfriend is an Emergency Room Doctor who is ready to take the next step in his career. While Tom and she are working out their future, Zoe's old flame is texting her his doubts about marrying the woman he dumped Zoe for. All of this is distracting her from studying for the exam that will make her a doctor. She flunked it once when she was attacked by a different patient, who turned out to be her sister. The sister who killed her birth mother. With the fact that her step mom has recently succumbed to Alzheimer's disease, poor Zoe has been having a rough time in her life lately.

Jane Doe presents a mystery that captures her interest and Zoe can't help herself from trying to figure out who she is. The staff call her Candy, Jane Doe's gentle personality. 
Then Candy turns into Daneesha. Daneesha is a tough, firebrand who takes no prisoners and refuses to take the meds they prescribe. Neither identity can remember what happened to her or who she is. When for no reason Candy returns to her catatonic state, Zoe realizes time is running out to find out who she is.

I love Zoe Goldman, a complicated but endearing woman who struggles with her own self doubts and anxiety. In the end, she must rely on her instincts with the help of her detective friend to find the answers, but will it be in time to help Candy/Daneesha? 
Loved this one as much as the first in the series and looking forward to the third, "The Secret Room", which was published in April of  2017! A solid 4.5 Stars!!

Patty Pick for 8/3/17 is "Little Black Lies" by Sandra Block

Zoe Goldman has secrets, some she doesn't even know she has. The nightmares have returned with the pressure of residency. Zoe is a resident in the psych ward of a hospital, working her way to being a Psychiatrist. Her mother's death haunts her and she feels guilty wanting to know the details, since her adopted mom is dealing with dementia. Discussing that night always upsets her mom and Zoe knows that time is running out to find out the answers she wants to know about her real mother and the night she died. Her dreams make it seem like the answers are so close, but even with therapy Zoe can not discover what is right there in her memory and unlock the secrets to the past.

As the plot twist and turns, many secrets and lies will be revealed to Zoe. Zoe lives with her step-brother in the town where she grew up. She is separated from her longterm boyfriend, Jean Luc since they finished college and went their separate ways. Even though she can spend more time with her adopted mom, being back in Buffalo has made her nightmares return. The nightmares about the night her real mother died. Her 

brother is worried about her.  

One of her patients, Sofia, is trying to win her own freedom from her past. Sofia, a violent killer who has been locked away since she was a teenager, has been on her best behaviour for a while. Zoe's boss wants to set her free, but there's something about Sofia that does not set well with Zoe. All the while, Zoe is dealing with her own personal issues, like ADHD, and since her return all of her inner demons seem to be torturing her. With Zoe's family and the characters she works with at the hospital, you are going to like them all. Well most of them. Don't let the cover fool you, prepare to stay up and finish this one like I did. 

I know that the story of Zoe Goldman has been turned into a trilogy by the talented author, Sandra Block. I can't wait to read the next two as I loved this one and Zoe. You will, too but beware there are many scary twists and turns coming your way. "The Girl Without A Name" and the soon-to-be released, "The Secret Room" will give us more time with Zoe. I can't wait! All 5 Stars are shining or rather burning for "Little Black Lies"!