Genre: Historical Mystery
Setting: Gilded Age Boston
POV: 3rd Person
Sensuality: Subtle
Violence: Yes, but it’s not described in graphic detail
Format: Digital (currently out-of-print but available as an ebook at Smashwords)
Why I Read It: The premise of the series intrigued me.
My Grade: B+
Still Life With Murder is the first book in P.B. Ryan’s Gilded Age mystery series featuring the governess, Nell Sweeney, and the opium-addicted former battle surgeon, Dr. William Hewitt.
At the opening of the story, it is 1864 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Nell Sweeney and her emplyoyer, Dr. Greaves, are on their way to assist at a difficult birth. A maid in the summer house of the wealthy Hewitt family is in labour and Mrs. Viola Hewitt is concerned for her welfare. When the baby is eventually delivered by caesarean, the mother refuses to have anything to do with her. Nell and Dr. Greaves are stunned when Viola Hewitt announces her intention to adopt the child. Although Viola is known as an eccentric, a Brahmin family adopting the child of a servant is unheard of.
Viola persuades Dr. Greaves to let Nell come and work for her as the baby’s governess. While Nell is sorry to leave Dr. Greaves, she’s keen to avail of the opportunity to better herself. She’s also excited at the prospect of living in Boston, where the Hewitts’ main residence is located. The Hewitt’s have four sons, two of whom are away fighting for the Union. Soon after Nell arrives, the Hewitt’s receive the news of the death of their two eldest sons, Robbie and William, who were prisoners at the notorious Andersonville Prison, one of the largest military prisons established by the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Four years later, Leo Thorpe, the Hewitt family’s lawyer and long-time friend, brings them some startling news. A man has been arrested for slitting another man’s throat during a fight. Although the man says his name is William Touchette, several people have identified him as the late William Hewitt. To Nell’s surprise, Mr. Hewitt has no desire to help his son. In fact, he seems keen for William to be convicted for murder and sentenced to hang.
In desperation, Viola asks Nell to go in her place and visit William in prison. As her husband and his wealthy friends will bribe the police, she knows William has no chance of a fair trial. Nell agrees. Over the past four years, she’s grown fond of Viola and admires her determination to live as normal a life as possible in spite of losing the use of her legs to polio.
Nell is alarmed by William Hewitt. He’s a far cry from his elegant family. A chain-smoking opium addict, Will seems indifferent to his fate. Nell knows he trained to be a surgeon before the war and she can’t understand how he can have fallen so low. Despite his dishevelled appearance, Nell is captivated by Will Hewitt. He unnerves her and she prides herself on keeping calm in all situations.
Thanks to Mrs. Hewitt’s intervention, Will is released on bail. As the police have been paid off by Mr. Hewitt, it’s up to Nell and Will to investigate the murder and prove his innocence. This is no easy feat, especially given Will’s apparent determination to hang.
I thoroughly enjoyed Still Life With Murder. It’s a character-driven mystery with an interesting plot. The chemistry between Nell and Will is sizzling, although they don’t embark upon a romance in this book. I suspect this will develop over the course of the series. Nell has a chequered past and we only learn a few details of it in this book. Suffice it to say, it will be interesting to see what happens when it finally catches up with her. Will also has an unconventional history, but to say more would spoil the story.
I’ve already read the second book in the series, Murder in a Mill Town, and I enjoyed it even more than this one (my review will be up on Saturday). I’m looking forward to spending more time with Nell and Will in the other books in the series.
I can highly recommend Still Life With Murder, especially to those readers who enjoy unusual historical mysteries with a dash of romance.
{ 4 comments }
This book sounds good, and is of particular interest to me at the moment as I’m re-reading ‘Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War’ by Tony Horwitz – which is hilarious, historical non-fiction about the modern South.
I just downloaded this book at Amazon after reading Ms Ryan’s post on DA. Glad to know I have good taste *g*.
Seriously, looking forward to reading it, sounds like my kind of book and the sequels are right there waiting for me.
Yay! I’m so happy you liked this book. Just wait until you read the fourth one!
@Trish: I’m sure I’ve read ‘Confederates in the Attic’. That’s an older book, right?
@Carolyn: I hope you like it. I’ve devoured the first three books in the series and I’m trying to force myself to space out the last three.
@heidenkind: He! Well, I’m as far as the third book, so the fourth one will come soon.
{ 2 trackbacks }