Still Life With Murder

Nell Sweeney Mysteries #1

by P.B. Ryan

Book One of P.B. Ryan's #1 bestselling historical mystery series.  
Long thought to have died during the Civil War, opium-smoking former battle surgeon Will Hewitt is arrested for murder, and it's up to governess Nell Sweeney to prove his innocence.
 
"A beautiful combination of entertaining characters, minute historical research, and a powerful evocation of time and place. I'm very glad there will be more to come." New York Times bestselling author Barbara Hambly

"P.B. Ryan makes a stunning debut with Still Life With Murder...I can't wait for the next installment." Bestselling author Victoria Thompson 

"If you like fast moving, accurately drawn, historical mysteries, you won't go wrong by trying Still Life With Murder ." Reviewing the Evidence

" Still Life With Murder is sheer perfection... gripping... powerful... unforgettable...You'll know you've read one hell of a story after you turn the last page!" Reader to Reader Reviews
A full-length novel of 91,000 words
Post-Civil War Boston
Originally published by Berkley Prime Crime as Book One of the Gilded Age mysteries

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Ebooks, Crime

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

About the author

Pseudonym used by Patricia Ryan.

Reviews

[Adina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook narrated by Leigh Ryan

Still Life with Murder is a nice, fun start of a cozy mystery series, set in Boston in 1868.Young Nell Sweeney is working together with a small town doctor when she helps with the birth of the daughter wealthy Hewitts’ maid. As the mother refuses to take care of the child, by reason unknown, the mistress of the house decides to adopt the baby and employs Nell as nursery governess. With time, the two develop a strong trusty relationship. The two oldest of the family’s children, Will and Robbie, both died while prisoners in a Confederate prison camp. Three years after the war ended, the Hewitts are informed by their lawyer that Will is actually alive and in prison, accused of murder. Mrs. Hewitt asks Nell to be her intermediate and discuss with her son in jail and, later, to try to prove Will’s innocence.

It is a light mystery, with characters and a plot interesting enough to keep me reading with enthusiasm. It soon becomes obvious that the author is also a romance writer since there are some hints of a budding romance between the two main characters. I am keen to continue with the series when I need something fun and light to cheer me after some heavy books.

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boston 1868: Die junge Irin Nell Sweeney kommt aus armen Verhältnissen, aber nun arbeitet sie als Gouvernante bei der reichen Familie Hewitt. Alles könnte nun gut sein, doch dann gerät der älteste Sohn der Hewitts unter Mordverdacht. Er streitet die Tat nicht ab, aber Nell glaubt dennoch an seine Unschuld und fängt an, Fragen zu stellen. Damit gefährdet sie ihre neue Stellung, und doch kann sie nicht aufhören...
**
Mein Leseeindruck:
Die Geschichte hat mich sehr positiv überrascht. Es ist der erste Fall der jungen Nell Sweeney, Gouvernante mit Herz und Detektivin aus Leidenschaft, so wie es auf dem Klappentext des Buches steht. Und es stimmt wirklich; Nell Sweeney ist eine sehr sympathische und kluge junge Frau, die ich gleich ins Herz schließen konnte.
Es hat mir Freude gemacht, Nell bei ihren Ermittlungen zu begleiten. Bis zum Schluss konnte ich das Ende nicht vorhersehen. Die Geschichte ist zwar nicht umwerfend spannend, aber ich fand sie sehr unterhaltsam und interessant, außerdem auch durchaus durchdacht.
Der Schreibstil ist ebenfalls sehr angenehm. Die Geschichte lässt sich gut und flüssig lesen, außerdem hat mir der historische Hintergrund gut gefallen.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was 1868 in Boston and Nell Sweeney had been apprenticed to Dr Greaves for the past four years. He had taught her a lot, for which she was grateful. The night they were called to assist in a birth was the turning point in Nell’s previously harsh existence. Viola Hewitt offered Nell a governess’ position in their home and Nell was thankful to accept.

Viola was grief stricken at the loss of two of her sons in the Confederate war. William was her firstborn and though the black sheep of the family, Viola loved and missed him terribly. And Robbie had been idolised by all – the loss of the two young men was devastating. But it was when a friend of Viola’s husband arrived with news about William that lives changed once again. And suddenly Nell was embroiled in the appalling secrets of the past. What was she to do? Was it possibly for Nell to unearth the truth behind the backs of those who were determined to bring the ultimate sentence?

Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan is an excellent historical mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s also the first in the Nell Sweeney Mysteries, so I’ll be reading more! Nell’s character is one I really liked; strong, determined and not frightened to speak her mind (to her detriment sometimes!) Highly recommended.

[Kerrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still Life With Murder is the first of six books in the Nell Sweeny Mysteries series by P.B. Ryan. This novel starts just as the Civil war is ending. Nell Sweeny is a surgical assistant to Dr. Greaves in Cape Cod. Before working for him, Nell was born into an impoverished family and had taken up with the wrong man. She is thankful that Dr. Greaves gives her free room and board in exchange for working as his assistant. Despite her dark past, she is very clever and a quick learner.

One stormy night Dr. Greaves is called to the palatial summer home of the wealthy Hewitt family to deliver one of the servant’s babies. In a strange turn of events, the servant declares she does not want the newborn girl and Viola Hewitt says she will adopt the child. Mrs. Hewitt then asks Nell to move to Boston to be the child’s governess. Even though Nell does not have the necessary educational background, the offer is too good to pass up. She comes to care for Grace as if she were her own child.

Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt had four boys. The two oldest, Will and Robbie, both died while prisoners in a horrific Confederate prison camp. Three years after the war ended, the Hewitts are shocked when their attorney tells them that is Will alive and in Boston living under a false last name. Unfortunately, he has been charged with the murder of a man outside a business that is a combination of a house of ill repute, a gambling hall, and an opium den. Will is found kneeling over the dead man and the case against him seems fairly clear.

Mr. Hewitt never cared for his eldest son, he has paid off the police detective to make sure Will is found guilty and hanged. Mrs. Hewitt, who still loves him, decides to help Will without her husband finding out. She enlists Nell Sweeny to do whatever is necessary. Knowing that her governess job is at risk if Mr. Hewitt discovers her actions, Nell must proceed cautiously. Unfortunately, Will, who is now an opium addict, refuses to cooperate. Even though she makes several wrong assumptions along the way, Nell is finally able to figure out whodunit. [I had it figured out before she did.]

I enjoyed this novel, with one exception. There is an excessive amount of time spent discussing opium. We learn in great detail about how and where opium is consumed, the effects of the drug, lethal doses, etc. There are also minor (non-graphic) descriptions of attempted rape, sex with prostitutes, a child being sold by an opium-addicted parent, and gambling over dog fighting with rats to show the undesirable company Will has been keeping.

4-Stars. This is going to be my book club’s August 2021 selection. This novel was first published on July 1, 2003. I listened to the Audible audio which was 9 hours and 37 minutes long.

[Ingie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review written June 3, 2016

4 1/2 Stars - A wonderful audiobook gem

Still Life With Murder is the first book in the historical mystery serial, Nell Sweeney Mysteries with five books so far. I had hopes for a good series start. — They are all fully met.



I listened to the $2 WSfV audiobook (incl a freebie kindle) — 9:45 hours very well narrated by Leigh Ryan.

**********************************************

Boston 1868

« Young Irish immigrant Nell Sweeney is governess for the adopted daughter of wealthy Bostonians Viola and August Hewitt. Nell has become a favorite confidant of Viola. The pair had four grown sons, the eldest two thought to have died in Andersonville* during the Civil War. »

I don't want to reveal too much about the plot. I liked to be surprised more than once and I honestly wasn't "sure" until the very end. Some of the stories in this story truly touched me and I felt both the grieving horror from their old memories and those sweet moments here and now.

...So, if you like a good thoughtout historical mystery, a whodunnit with a bit of flair, a tiny splash of light romance, a wise and courageous young curious heroine, as well as some social realism (the horrors of the civil war, the nasty prisoner camp, the problems with abuse of drugs and general living poverty 150 years ago) then you might like this book as much as me. Add a perfect narrator in Ms Ryan (the author?).

Still Life With Murder gets a big loud applause from me. I am generous this beautiful early summer evening and rounds up to five brilliant stars. — I will absolutely continue this series.

**********************************************

I LIKE - everything about this audiobook


****
*) Learn more about Andersonville Prison Camp, Georgia during the American Civil War, where 13.000 (of 45.000) men died, here: click (Wikipedia)
**) I often read romances but this is not a romance with a HEA or steamy love scenes. This book is a traditional "whodunnit" mystery with some light romantic elements.

[Ceki · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOTE: This is definitely not cozy mystery and I've seen people shelf this series as such! Just a piece of warning because there is nothing cozy about this! It is a dark historical tale with mystery elements and zero romance (at least in the first book)! Some of the possible triggers are: opium addiction, prostitution, abuse, PTSD (after the American Civil War), depictions of horrors from Andersonville Prison, the corruption etc.

With that being said, I still loved the story. I was immediately drawn in by the storytelling and characters. This is far from any historical romance and cozy mystery because it depicts the real horrors of the 19th century America and the consequences of the Civil War. And most importantly - nobody was able to escape it, both the rich and poor ended up as victims.

Nell Sweeney is a poor governess with a tragic past who wants to lead a normal quiet life but ends up solving the mystery around her employers' son William Hewitts. It is obvious at the end that William will become a potential romantic candidate, but during the novel they are more like colleagues turning into friends. To be honest, I really loved William as a hero, because he managed to stay a good man even though he's been through shit and survived somehow.

Nell was okay-ish, her martyr and always-good-and-forgiving attitude annoyed me hence one star minus in the rating. Both she and William reminded me of Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane from Silent in the Grave. William is the same Byronic hero with a tragic past and mysterious present - it is obvious that his story will be told in layers and he will pop out now and there to spice up the story. However, Still Life with Murder is much darker and the characters are more flawed aka realistic.

It seems to me that P.B. Ryan is better at developing characters than Deanna Raybourn and I'm glad for that.

4/5 - great mystery, interesting and developed characters with enough historical background to keep it realistic and intense, recommended to the fans of dark historical mysteries.

[Jaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐
would have been a solid four star had it not been for the seriously slow start (along with those with tedious descriptions of imbibing opium and its after effects). In hindsight I realise that the author was setting stage for the forthcoming sequels, which am definitely going to check out at the earliest.

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a REAL soft spot for historical mystery series, especially with a good romance subplot (see Deanna Raybourn for my fave!) I picked up several #1s in some series, and this one was one of the most enjoyable of the batch.

It's set in the post-Civil War US, which I thought was interesting and non-standard. It's a BIT perplexing in that there are some modern sensibilities that don't feel 100% organic to the time, but I overlooked it because there were some fun characters and settings. I really liked the lead character Nell, I enjoyed the family conflict, and even though I was one step ahead of the mystery, the research of the period really drew me through the book. Quite enjoyed it, and will be reading the next one!

[☮Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book, well written and descriptive of a time I don't often read about, 1860s Boston. Nell is a girl with a past, who is hired to become governess to an adopted baby in a wealthy home. The only thing her employer knows about her is that she was employed as a nurse of sorts and has a good head on her shoulders. Three years later as Nell sets about to help her employer free a son of murder charges, Nell's past transgressions, now known only to Nell, are slowly revealed to the reader. Her past and personality make her just a delightful character, a surprise to us around every corner with many tricks up her sleeves. I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still Life with Murder
4 Stars

Three years after the end of the Civil War, Nell Sweeney, a young woman born into poverty, finds her way into the home of the Hewitts, a wealthy Bostonian family. When William Hewitt, a former military surgeon and black sheep of the family, is accused of murder, his mother and Nell’s benefactor, begs the young governess to help her eldest child. To uncover the truth, Nell must delve deep into Boston’s dark and dangerous underbelly, but the greatest threat might just come from the enigmatic William himself.

Interesting historical setting, especially the details about Andersonville prison during the Civil War and in its aftermath. The heroine is also very appealing, but the mystery is on the predictable side.

Nell is a spirited yet practical heroine and there are just enough hints about her murky past to make her particularly intriguing. William is similarly ambiguous. He has obviously been traumatized by his experiences during the war, but there is also something fundamentally dark and ominous about him.

The mystery is pretty straightforward and it is possible to guess the identity of the culprit quite easily. Nevertheless, it is fun to follow along as Nell investigates, although she does get into some rather unrealistic situations that require a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief. Some of the other twists and turns to do with the various characters are also obvious, but compelling enough to continue with the series.

All in all, a promising start to an interesting series.

[Merry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A typical murder mystery set in post-Civil War Boston, with the protagonist being a young woman, Nell Sweeney, with a less than respectable past who becomes a governess in a wealthy family. The book had all the right elements to be a great story, but totally fell down in my eyes. The author spent pages and pages describing the technical aspects of how a man smoked opium (I really didn't need all that detail!); the rich woman Nell worked for did things (getting drunk, blabbering her family secrets to an employee...) that just seemed quite unlikely given the timeframe when the story is set; and Nell convinced an investigator to let her tag along as he interviewed witnesses -- all this in the 1860's when women were expected to be shielded from unsavory characters and to swoon if a bad word were uttered in their presence. I don't think so. I enjoyed the book more when I used my speed reading skills so I didn't get into all the details that just didn't mesh with the setting. I was disappointed in the writing, or perhaps it's the editing that was lacking. So much of the dialog was "He said, she said, then he said, then she said." I was shocked when I saw (just now) that the book has so many high ratings. So perhaps it's just me, but I don't think it deserves high marks at all.

[Literary Lusts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good historical mystery with romantic elements. It's pretty high on my list of favorite genres to read. In Still Life With Murder it's setting is Boston, MA just after the end of the Civil War. Typically the American Civil War is not one of my favorite time periods to read about but I had read some good reviews of the series and wanted to give it a try. The mystery wasn't so much a traditional whodunit but the protagonist trying to get a man accused of murder away from the hangman's noose. The characters were layered and the time period and setting felt well researched and described. There is a building relationship by the end of the book between the two characters but it's only barely breaking the surface so expect a very slow burn to grow throughout the series. If historical mysteries with female protagonists are something you like or would like to try this is worth checking out.

[Anna Catharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nell Sweeney lebt als Gouvernante im Haushalt der reichen Bostoner Familie Hewitt, selbst stammt sie aus ärmsten Verhältnissen und hat in jungen Jahren schon viel Leid und Gewalt erfahren. Als der totgeglaubte Sohn der Hewitts plötzlich unter Mordverdacht wieder auftaucht, bittet Viola Hewitt Nell, als heimliche Vermittlerin sich für ihren Sohn einzusetzen. Die Geschichte ist zwar eine historischer Kriminalroman, aber man erfährt sehr viel über das Leid der Menschen im Amerikanischen Bürgerkrieg, Gewalt, Folter, psychische Traumata und Opium-Abhängigkeit. Dabei ist der Kriminalfall fast schon etwas nebensächlich. Die Geschichte ist zwar sehr düster, aber doch plätschert sie über weite Teile auch einfach so dahin.

Vor fünf Jahren habe ich das Buch bereits auf englisch gelesen und nur 2 Sterne vergeben. Versehentlich habe ich es mir dann noch mal auf deutsch gekauft und es hat mir beim zweiten Lesen doch deutlich besser gefallen. Ich hatte nicht viele Erinnerungen an das erste Lesen, nur, dass die Geschichte sehr dunkel und indirekt gewalttätig war und dass mir die Charaktere zu distanziert waren. Das kann ich heute nur noch zum Teil bestätigen. Ja, es ist eine sehr bedrückende Geschichte, aber nie direkt brutal oder blutig. Die Personen, allen voran Nell und William mochte ich sehr gerne und ich kann mir sehr gut vorstellen, später auch die anderen Bände der Serie zu lesen.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A murder mystery, but wrapped in a historical novel set in the Gilded Age in Boston circa 1868, this book is deliciously full of detail about the lives of both the incredibly wealthy Bostonians and the seamiest residents who move through the alleys and wharves of the rougher slum side of town.

The protagonist is Nell Sweeney, a brainy young Irish girl who can move comfortably in both extremes of society. We are introduced to her as a 22 year old apprentice to a seasoned doctor in the Cape Cod area. He has been called out, on the proverbial dark and stormy night, to the Hewitt "summer cottage," to attend the birth of the child of one of the Hewitt servants. Both Dr. Greaves and Nell find it odd that the family has remained in Cape Cod after the season is over, and secondly, that they attach enough significance to the birth of a servant's child to call a doctor out to attend the birth.

Author P.B. Ryan drops clues from the beginning about Nell's origins in the lower class and her good fortune of coming under the tutelage of Dr. Greaves. Her nursing skills and her good manners lead Viola Hewitt to offer her the job of governess for the infant on the night of the birth. When the mother rejects her child, Viola decides to adopt the child and find the birth mother and her husband another place with another wealthy Boston family. Viola is a strong-willed woman, but she does have four grown sons as well as a physical infirmity that consigns her to a wheel chair most of the time, so a governess is required, not just by the standards of society, but by Viola's physical limitations.

Another bond that Viola and Nell share is their artistic side. Viola has spent her leisure time painting portraits of her handsome young sons, whereas Nell has a great memory for details and often sketches in the evening what she has observed during daytime hours. The book title alludes to the artistic interests the two women share, as well as the apparently serene life they are living, when under the surface so much more is happening.

After the birth of little Gracie, the story fast forwards three years and transitions from Cape Cod to the opulent Boston Commons mansion of the Hewitt family. We are introduced to the grief the family has experienced in the tragic loss of their two older sons in the recently ended War between the States. Abruptly one day early in 1868, the family receives startling news that the eldest of their sons, William, is alive, but arrested in jail and charged with murder. He has been arrested under an assumed name, but one of the officers recognizes him from his run-ins with the law as a free-wheeling younger man. Viola's formidable husband August is disgusted and inflamed that William, not the favored Robbie, has survived, but he masks that negative emotion with a profession that their son has done his mother a grievous harm by not coming home...allowing the family to presume him dead for years. August has no intention of helping William, believing he is getting only what he deserves.

Viola is heartbroken but determined to help her son. She knows she can't overtly defy her husband so she makes Nell her agent to take a message to William. Nell is shocked to see William's condition...the police tried unsuccessfully to beat a confession out of him...but the most shocking part is the revelation that he is an opium addict and absolutely refuses help from his mother or from Nell.

Nell turns out to be a match for the police detective whose job it is to gather the witnesses who will assure that William is hanged for the murder. She wangles her way into his company as he goes back to the site of the crime and is with him when he interviews the unsavory witnesses. Though detective Cook has insisted that she remain silent, she asks insightful questions, which he quickly realizes are quite helpful.

Though on the surface it appears that William's guilt is obvious, Nell becomes more and more vested in ferreting out the truth, which it appears she must do with very little help from William. In the process of telling a compelling story, Ms. Ryan gives graphically revealing details of the Civil War prison camp where Robbie died and William received the injuries that ultimately led to his addiction. The reader also sees the depths of depravity involved with opium addiction with none of the exotic glamor that one might assume otherwise (from, say, Sherlock Holmes stories...). This is really a good read, and the good news is that it is the first of several mysteries featuring the bright and beguiling Ms. Sweeney. Check it out!

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting murder mystery set in Boston, post-Civil War. The Hewitt family is one of Boston's most elite. But they are not immune to tragedy, as two of their 4 sons died in Andersonville Prison during the war. Or did they?
A gruesome murder has been committed in an unsavory neighborhood and the main suspect (caught at the scene) is identified as Dr William Hewitt, the oldest of the Hewitt sons and long believed dead. Only now he's an opium addict, as well as a murder suspect. August Hewitt is lifting no finger to help his son, but Viola Hewitt would pull any strings she can to save Will.
Viola's instrument is Nell Sweeney, nanny to Viola's adopted daughter Grace. Nell is reluctant, but also intelligent and not a sheltered miss.
Over the course of the book many secrets are revealed (of course)as we get to know the Hewitt family, Nell and Will.
Nell is an interesting young woman, Will is a bit more of an enigma. The main policeman involved, Detective Colin Cook, is well-developed. Some of the minor characters come across as 'types' rather than real people, but that's okay.
The writing level is strong and clear, and my interest was held.
And now to track down the next in the series

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das dieser Krimi dunkler wird, wusste ich schon beim Cover, aber zeitweise war es mir dann schon zu dunkel. Wäre es kein Rezensionsexemplar gewesen, weiß ich nicht, ob ich es bis zum Ende gelesen hätte. Es hat halt keine verträumte, düstere Aura, wie ich es beim Cover erwartete, sondern war nur düster. Dennoch hat es sich gelohnt am Krimi dran zubleiben, denn letztlich hat er mir gut gefallen.  Der Krimi ist gut geschrieben und konnte mich in die Seiten reinziehen. 

Nell Sweeney ist Gouvernante, die im Auftrag ihrer Arbeitgeberin ermittelt, um deren Sohn vor dem Galgen zu bewahren. Die Personen sind so beschrieben, dass man sie sich wirklich vorstellen kann.  Ob ich zu der Reihe zurückkehren werde? Nein, wahrscheinlich nicht. Ich bin nicht die Leserin, die sich für Opiumhöhlen, Ratten-Hund-Kämpfe und Sadismus im Krieg begeistern kann. Wen diese Thematiken nicht abschrecken, hat gute Chancen, diesen Krim zu mögen.

[Jane Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not entertained. I wanted it to be over.

If you like murder mysteries with the feel of a jigsaw puzzle, then you might like this. I was not drawn to the characters or the events. Part of the time I was angry at the accused guy for not defending himself or saying anything to anyone that could help him. It’s like he wanted to hang for murder. There is a surprise at the end which should appeal to some.

Viola is in a wheelchair. Her son is accused of murder. She asks Nell to take messages to her son and investigate the murder. I enjoyed the first part of the story where Nell meets Viola and becomes her employee. But after that, it turned into typical mystery conversations and eventual discovery of the truth. I was impatient and trying to read fast.

Some of the subject matter was depressing. Two men were prisoners in Andersonville, Georgia, one of the worst prisons in history - no food, no water, guards killed prisoners for fun. The story takes place shortly after the civil war, but there are descriptions of things from Andersonville.

This is the first book in the Nell Sweeney Mystery series. I preferred two other books by this author. “Pure and Simple” is mystery with romance. “Hale’s Point” is romance.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Kindle count length: 5,403 (324 pages). Swearing language: moderate, including religious swear words. Sexual content: none, other than mentioning prostitutes with men. Setting: 1864 and 1868 Massachusetts. Copyright: 2003. Genre: mystery.

[Judy Iliff · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a happy accident this was! Still Life With Murder (a Nell Sweeney mystery formerly Gilded Age Mystery) was a free download on Kindle. As of a couple of hours ago, I bought the other 5 in the series.

The setting for this book is Boston and Cape Cod shortly after the Civil War. Nell Sweeney has been a doctor's assistant apprentice of sorts for a doctor on Cape Cod. When she goes with the doctor to the home of a summer resident, she makes such an impression on the wife, Viola Hewitt, that she's hired as the governess to Viola's newly adopted daughter.

About three years after she goes to work for the Hewitts, they learn that their oldest son did not die at Andersonville as they had been left to believe. Unfortunately, he's been arrested for murder in Boston. Viola cannot believe her son would kill anyone especially since he's a doctor. August Hewitt, however, would just as soon this son hang. Because Viola had polio she cannot go to Dr. Will and talk to him. She can, however, send Nell to do her bidding - and she does. The biggest problem is Will will not confess to nor defend himself in the case. Part of his problem is he's addicted to opium.

Again I have discovered an author who has developed a strong female character who doesn't do things simply because she's told to not do them. The setting is well described and easy to picture in all it's horror and beauty.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful read. It starts off a bit slow, but quickly gains speed and at times I didn't want to put it down. The mystery aspect is well written, and I was pleased not to have been able to guess the outcome. The historical aspect was also well written, it takes into account the position of women in the time period while also allowing the heroine freedom to run around investigating a murder. The descriptions of Boston were fun too, reading about the town as it was post Civil War. And for the foodies out there, there is even a menu printed in the book. Clothes fiends will be pleased as well because we are kept informed as to what Nell is wearing. The characterization is also well done (at least with the major characters) and you really feel as though you understand the motivations and feelings of everyone involved. One downside is that pretty much everyone has a mysterious past. And we never find out the details of Nell's past, though I suppose that's what the rest of the series is for...

I got this ebook free from Amazon, but I'll be back for more (even though I'll have to pay for it).

See my full review at Examiner.com

[Marla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had bookmarked this book when browsing Amazon, but I couldn't see paying $7.99, the price of a new paperback, for an ebook I didn't know anything about. Then it came up on the free book list recently and I snatched it up. I'm glad I did because I loved it, and I love that the next five books in the series are currently priced at $3.99, a more reasonable price for an ebook.

I thought it was a well balance book, the author created Nell as a character with a background that made it very reasonable that she could fit in with the standards for the late 1800's, but still work outside of them as well to solve the mystery. I also liked that, while there is an attraction between the two main characters, it doesn't take up too much of the story, it's still a mystery story with a hint of romance rather than a romance story with some mystery, if that makes sense. =)

I used a spoiler tag below, but it's more of a half spoiler than a full-on spoiler. =)
I was suspicious of the same character as the Nell was, which turned out to be wrong, but I didn't mind, finding the reveal at the end to be satisfying and not contrived.

I also enjoyed using my dictionary function and looking up period words that I wasn't wholly familiar with.

[Pen-rye-n · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went back and forth on reading this book. Set in the 1800's? Back when women were little more than accessories? Yeah. Pass. Give me a hardcore, ass-kicking heroine any day.

I ended up ordering it after reading the reviews on Amazon & what do you know? Nell Sweeney, former "kinda" nurse, turned governess, is as kickass as any heroine in any other period.

As far as the mystery goes, Ryan kept me guessing right up until the Big Reveal. Just when I would think I had it all figured out & was praising myself for cracking another mystery before the main character, Ryan would throw a curveball & I was back at square one. And as for Nell herself? I still haven't figured out her mystery.

I fell in love with the characters I was supposed to, hurt for Viola Hewitt, the mother of suspected murderer Dr. Will Hewitt, wanted to cuddle little Gracie Hewitt, detested August, the resentful stepfather to Dr. Will & rooted for Nell throughout.

Ryan, I'm a believer. Bring on the rest of the series.

[Kathleen Garlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting premise. A bright and beautiful young woman named Nell Sweeney,with a past she'd prefer to forget, becomes an integral part of the wealthy Hewitt family in Boston shortly after the end of the American Civil War. The Hewitt's have secrets as dark as Nell's, secrets they would prefer to remain hidden, but of course that's not possible, not in any self-respecting mystery series.

Nell is strong, resourceful, and smart in a time and place when women, especially Irish women, were viewed as decorative drudges. I enjoyed her voice: it was intelligent and funny. Her counterpart is Will Hewitt, a Civil War surgeon who has been left physically and emotionally damaged by his experiences in the hellhole that was Andersonville Prison. An opium addict, like many men injured during the war, Will has been accused of a brutal murder at a Boston opium den. Nell is drawn into the investigation at the request of Will's mother, Viola Hewitt, and must navigate the seamier side of Boston in order to determine if Will is really as guilty as he seems.

Nell's is an enjoyable narrator: she's smart, funny and has a past she's reluctant to reveal--even to her readers. Will is witty and distant, a damaged enigma, who may or may not be a savage murderer. What's not to like?

I'll tell you. I had a hard time buying Nell's entry into the Hewitt family. It seemed a bit out of sync for the time and the social status for the Hewitts as Boston Brahmins and Nell as the child of Irish immigrants. Also, Viola Hewitt's bonding and confidences with Nell seemed too good to be true. Especially for a transplanted Englishwoman. For me, Viola was one of the more unbelievable characters. Kind of a Mary Sue. Her husband, August Hewitt, was a stereotype, as were a few of the supporting characters. The big reveal about the murdered man was kind of obvious, but a bit of juggling at the end managed to keep the central mystery fresh. At least for me.

Still and all, I enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Three and one-half stars rounded up to four because I really enjoyed spending time with Nell and Will.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this series on the Daily Kindle Deals and can never resist a historical mystery. I had no expectations and was pleasantly surprised how fantastic this book turned out to be. I loved the setting; Boston shortly after the Civil War. The author did a fabulous job of balancing the mystery, along with historical aspects. The relationship between Nell and William was filled with banter, but strong emotional moments as well. I look forward to that possible slow burn romance.

I am already addicted to Nell's story and plan to start book 2 ASAP.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Life With Murder, the first book in a mystery series featuring 19th century Irish-American governess Nell Sweeney, starts off the series with a bang.

Nell, a onetime workhouse denizen on Cape Cod, has plenty of pluck and intelligence. She serves in the Boston home of Viola Hewitt, an unconventional British-born matron who elevated Nell from physician's assistant to governess for an adopted daughter. For three years, Nell had delighted in caring for Grace Lindleigh Hewitt. With two grown sons killed at Andersonville, the pestilential Confederate prison camp, Mrs. Hewitt sees the toddler Gracie as the light of her life, and Nell loves both of them with all her heart.

Suddenly, Mrs. Hewitt and Nell discover that one of the Hewitt sons thought dead is actually alive -- when he is arrested for the murder of a sailor in the courtyard of an opium and gambling den. Mr. Hewitt is determined to avoid a scandal at any cost -- even if the prodigal son, William Hewitt, now a hopeless opium addict, hangs. Mrs. Hewitt, crippled by polio, knows there's only one person she can trust to investigate and save her son from the gallows: Nell Sweeney.

Still Life With Murder is a real page turner with lots of plot twists, and author P.B. Ryan will keep you guessing until the last few pages. Ryan also laces the novel with a plethora of researched historical details on medicine and the class social strata of the late 1860s -- although, as Ryan so ably builds the suspense, you might not notice how much you're learning.

Within minutes of finishing Still Life With Murder, I was downloading the Kindle edition of the sequel, Murder in a Mill Town. What an auspicious beginning to a sequel! And, just to sweeten the already sweet reading experience, Kindle readers can download Still Life With Murder for free.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1, in the Nell Sweeney Historical Mysteries

This is a murder mystery with an historical flavor to it is set in the post-Civil War era of the 1868, in the affluent society circles of Boston. This novel is wonderful combination of murder mystery, history and romance and one that transports us into the Gilded Age with accuracy and timely details.

From the start I was captured by the main character of Nell Sweeney, a doctor’s apprentice turned high-society governess. Working for a wealthy family Nell soon becomes entangled in family secrets and must find out the truth in order to clear Will, the eldest son, from a murder charge.

Although the outcome is quite predictable, the twists and turns are compelling and the situations the heroine gets herself into certainly adds to the excitement. While Nell investigates clues we travel with her to brothels, opium den and gambling halls and we learn along the way more about the kind of men she has to deal with. This is the first installment so not all is revealed about the strength of her character. We are told just enough to pique our interest. The novel is full of details about the wealthy Bostonians’ life as well as the one of poor people living in the rougher parts of the city. The story also brings graphically details of the Civil War prison camp’s life and the treatment of its prisoners.

This story is smooth in tone and pacing, it sparkles with chemistry and sharp dialogue and provides hours of entertainment.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a long time to understand the appeal of mysteries. When I was a child, I couldn’t even stand the suspense of watching Lassie. Even though everything worked out fine in the end, I would leave the room when my family watched that program.

When I started working for the Pamunkey Regional Library, my boss suggested I try talking books. The library system is spread out over four counties in central Virginia and my job required a lot of driving. So I picked up some books on tape and found I liked that form of reading.

I decided to try some of the Grande Dames of mystery – Allingham, Sayers and Christie. I figured those mysteries couldn’t be too bloody and I would just have to deal with the suspense. With audiobooks you can’t turn to the last page to see if it all turns out okay.

I finally understood the appeal of mystery stories, especially series. So when a volume of a series is available for free on BookBub or somewhere else, I download them. That is the long way to say why I read this book by Ryan.

I like the book and I may someday look for the rest of the series. Nell Sweeney is an interesting character and I like how she uses her brain. Her “partner,” William Hewitt is also appealing and smart. Learning about that time period in Boston also has some charm for me. All in all this was a fast, entertaining read.

[Heidi (can’t retire soon enough) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the first in this series. Reminiscent of Anne Perry's Monk series, this Gilded Age mystery is set in Boston. Great historical detail combined with a host of interesting and slightly tortured characters. And I'll admit I've fallen a little in love with Will. An added bonus was a mystery with just enough red herrings to keep me from guessing the ending. Can't wait for the next one!

[Shaunesay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mystery story with interesting characters! I'm definitely interested in the rest of the series!

[Literary Chanteuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Lynn Put · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really really good! I enjoyed several aspects about this story from the setting, Boston 1868 to the main character Nell who was written as a strong intelligent women with a good backstory. The mystery and the great writing kept me reading and guessing as the story slowly unraveled and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.