Nan's Arsonist: A Six Sigma Mystery

By Robert Barry. Milwaukee: American Society for Quality, Quality Press, 2004. $25. ISBN 0-87389-626-2. 306 pages.

Wow!! What an interesting format for a quality improvement book. Although this is the second in the series for the author, it is easily read without prior knowledge from the first book. It involves a mystery that takes place in a hospital setting with Six Sigma quality methodology intertwined throughout. The book reads like a novel and is presented in a real-life format, which makes for fast and easy reading for individuals involved in healthcare.

The book is well organized, well written, and provides the readers, even if they are not familiar with Six Sigma, with a tool to link quality issues into their daily practice routine. The book gives excellent scenarios to bring daily tasks in congruence with quality performance.

This book is an excellent resource for the advanced practice nurse/clinical nurse specialist. It provides the integration for quality practice and healthcare in an easy-to-understand format.