Scandal on Rincon Hill

Sarah Woolson #4

by Shirley Tallman

Bringing Victorian San Francisco to colorful life, Tallman offers an entertaining mystery will appeal to fans of Anne Perry and Rhys Bowen.Library Journal

A body is found just blocks from attorney Sarah Woolson's home on Rincon Hill. Sarah is on the case, but 19th-century San Francisco is soon thrown into a state of panic as a gruesome crime spree begins to take hold of the city.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Shirley Tallman is an accomplished screenwriter and author who resides with her husband in Eugene, Oregon. She is currently working on various movie projects and the fourth book in the Sarah Woolson series. "

Reviews

[Jeanne Adamek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A definite fun read. I like charcters that are smart and perhaps a bit bossy, but not perfect. I enjoyed the Christmas setting. The mystery wasn't much. For me that did not detract from the story as the characters ad descriptions more than made up for this lack. I would reccommend this book to anyone who would like to read a well told story that flows with memorable characters.

[Amy Rosenkoetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the same feminist vein as Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody Emerson and Laurie R. King's Mary Russell is Shirley Tallman's Sarah Woolson. Sarah is blessed with a family that understands her very masculine proclivities and her attempts at being a lady lawyer in an era where that just wasn't done. Set in turn-of-the-20th-century San Francisco, the story was beautifully written and had a lot of outstanding characters in it - and they were all 3-dimensional! The potential romances were well done and not overly concerned with heaving bosoms, which seems to be a hallmark of material from these eras. This is the 4th book in the series, but I never felt like there was information hidden from me about the first three books. It does, however, make me want to go back to read them!

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy this series set in 1880-1890's in San Francisco. Tallman weaves many tidbits of history into the story such as the rivalry between Isaac Kallock and Charles DeYoung that resulted in DeYoung shooting Kallock and Kallock surviving the gunshot. Then Kallock's son guns down DeYoung, the editor-in-chief of The San Francisco Chronicle. Again, Tallman exposes the hatred directed toward the Chinese and the distinct class levels. Other interesting topics are presented such as Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species and The Descent of Man and the use of photography for police work. The story presents a child's desire for a certain career and a parent's choice of a career for the child. In this novel, three young men are murdered in the neighborhood of the Woolsons and Sarah attempts to seek justice for a rich man's mistress. Also, 28-year-old Sarah has two men romantically pursuing her. This is a fun and entertaining series, and I eagerly await the next book.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Sentence: The nightmare began early on the morning of Sunday, December 4.

Sarah Woolson is only the third female attorney to be licensed in California and is struggling to get her private practice off the ground. A brutal murder occurs on Rincon Hill, near her home, followed shortly by a second murder. Neither victim had been robbed. Both had attended the same party. Two young, very recently immigrated Chinese men are arrested, Sarah’s former client, powerful tong leader Li Ying, hires her to prove their innocence.

At the same time, Sarah has been hired by beautiful young woman. She had a written contract with a morality-touting publisher to be his private mistress. When she became pregnant, within that time, he cut off all support. Now, she wasn’t Sarah to sue him.

Ms. Tallman skillfully takes the reader back to 1881, pre-earthquake San Francisco. She creates a solid sense of the places, styles and attitudes of the time. She particularly illustrates the bigotry against the Chinese.

Living in the Bay Area, it is particularly fun for me to read about locations I know and her descriptions of food are delectable. I did wonder, however, whether those who don’t know San Francisco might feel a bit lost and wished a map or photos had been included. The dialogue, which reflects the syntax of the period, adds to the sense of time and provides an indication of each characters social status.

For those who’ve not read prior books, enough background is given so that one understands the characters and their relationships. Sarah is a wonderful character. She is independent and has a good logical mind, as well as a sense of humor. I particularly like the relationships with men that Tallman has created as they are natural and realistic.

The story is well thought out and well plotted. Because it is built layer upon layer, it did seem to slow down a bit in the middle, but that doesn’t last long. While some may feel the resolution seems convenient, to me it seemed logical and appropriate.

While I don't feel this is the strongest book in the series, I did enjoy it and am looking forward to the next book.

SCANDAL ON RINCON HILL (Hist Mys-Sarah Woolson-San Francisco-1881) – G+
Tallman, Shirley – 4th in series
Minotaur Books, ©2010, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312386979

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scandal on Rincon Hill by Shirley Tallman is the fourth book of the Sarah Woolson mystery series set in San Francisco in December 1881. Sarah is the daughter of a prestigious court judge, sister to a prominent physician. Her mother desperately wishes Sarah would marry a suitable (high-society) bachelor and raise a family. Sarah must constantly fight pressures to conform to expectations; she's an independent, feisty young woman flying in the face of convention. She is an attorney, trying to make a go of her own firm. Her father is proud of her accomplishments, and her brother Samuel is her best pal and confidante. Samuel also defies convention and parental expectation: for 5 years he's kept it secret from the rest of the family that he is newspaper reporter Ian Fearless. A very good friend on the police force often tips Samuel to breaking news, allowing him to scoop crime stories.

Samuel is off on a story when his police detective friend calls one night; Sarah goes to the crime scene. The victim was bludgeoned, not far from their prestigious neighborhood. The victim was last scene at a dinner party, arguing about Darwin's controversial publications.

In her office during the day, Sarah almost gets a new client: a "kept woman" for several years was thrown out when she became pregnant. Sarah is struck by the startling beauty of the young woman and her baby, shocked and horrified so young a girl would be in such an arrangement. When her new client is threatened away from the office by thugs, Sarah resolves to find her and fight for her. After Sarah finds out where the woman is currently living, of course it's not at all suitable for Sarah to visit such a place; she has to trick her attorney friend Robert into taking her.

When additional murders occur in the Rincon Hill neighborhood, Sarah is the only one who believes all the murders must be connected. Under pressure to solve the case and make the neighborhood safe again for its wealthy residents, the police arrest recent Chinese immigrants. Sarah cannot let them be wrongly punished; she boldly alerts the tong lord from her first mystery adventure (A Murder on Nob Hill) and agrees to defend them.

Sarah and Samuel team up successfully to solve all the mysteries, but Samuel's secret is revealed. He must make a career choice. Meanwhile Sarah is surprised by unexpected romance. Read the series in order for best enjoyment of the characters' development.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy this series. It has several aspects that appeal to my reading tastes and has become one of my "go-to" series to read.

First off I like the character of Sarah. She is a trailblazer determined to live a life that fulfills her, despite society not yet having accepted that women can do more than being a wife and mother. Sarah's becoming a lawyer and actually practicing is a challenging life, but one she perseveres to live and I enjoy cheering her on.

All the supporting characters in this series are also well-written. Sarah's family, her two very different love interests, and the members of the Chinese community all offer interesting twists on the murders Sarah inevitably becomes involved in solving.

San Francisco is a location that I enjoy in books, and it is well described in this series, such that the city is almost an additional character and I like learning about what the city was like in the early 1900s.

This is a series my library has in audiobook format and the narrator is perfect, both for Sarah's voice and character and in how she brings to life the other characters, so if you are audiobook fan this is a good series to listen to.

Overall, this is an entertaining, well-written, dependable series if you like strong female characters, San Francisco, or both.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) This is the 4th book in the series. A man has been murdered near the Woolson’s home on Rincon Hill. When a second man is murdered in the same area, they find a connection to a party where there was a heated discussion regarding evolution. Sarah has a potential client with an unusual breach of contract dispute and she is pulled into the murder case when 2 young, recent Chinese immigrant men are accused of the murders. Between the cases and working to try to figure out who the real murderer is, Sarah is being romanced by Piers, who has returned from his business travels in the Pacific. But an unexpected kiss under the mistletoe is about to change her perspective. In the meantime, her brother Samuel must make a choice between the law and being a writer/journalist. This was an interesting mystery that kept me guessing on who the murderer might be.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable read and my favorite of the series. That said, the romance triangle is very irritating and am glad in a way that there is only one more book in the series. I couldn’t stand to read about the relationship with her law colleague. A sexist overbearing bully. If the author was going to write a romance into the series then make this guy have a few redeeming qualities. And why create a character that is a perfect match for her and yet she prefers the jerk? Please. It’s so not true to the character for her to fall for someone that is so disrespectful of her abilities even after she has proven herself while the other love interest supports her in all things. I know I’m harping on the romance aspect when these are murder mysteries but it is so out of step with the tone of the series and comes close to ruining them.

[Ann Boytim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Sarah Woolson is a female attorney in a mans world and is trying to make a living in San Francisco. When a man is found murdered near Sarah's home she goes out in the middle of the night with her brother to investigate. Rincon Hill is in uproar when another murder happens and two young Chinese immigrants are accused. Sarah is determined to find the killer and her investigation leads her to one of the respected brothels in the city. Sarah has agreed to take on a client who now is living in the brothel but has a young baby to support after being the mistress of an important man but he has now abandoned her and moved on. Sarah finds herself in some difficulties but with the help of her brother hopes to find the murderer and set the innocent Chinese free

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book by Shirley Tallman. Sarah is a very interesting young woman with very forward thinking views. The time period is one I really like and the setting is very good as well.

I had not figured out who the killer was until the very end but had my suspicions about half way through. But then I moved on to someone else and was pleasantly surprised at the end.

I especially loved the visit to the house of ill repute by Sarah and Robert. The scenes there were really interesting and funny.

I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to the next book in this series.

[Catherine Siemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were so many individual elements of this book I loved, from Sarah's learning to understand why some women become sex workers (yes, I know, 19th century, but the reasoning and development is legitimate), and her defense of the Chinese men who were being unfairly railroaded. And Sarah's continuous confusion between her potential love interests, Piers and Robert. But although things are tied together in the end, it felt like a lot of disparate elements that weren't really working together. Still, I am very sad that I've only got one in the series left to read.

[Kem · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting murder mystery and somewhat different from the previous in the series. Several gruesome murders take place with no clues and lying witnesses. Sarah has several things going on and it's not easy trying to guess which has to with the murders if at all. It all comes to end with a murder in her own family home at a Christmas party. Just like that it all comes to light. She also gets a second marriage proposal from Pierce and a new one from Robert. Can't wait for the next one.

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy these Sarah Woolson mysteries. The setting is great (San Francisco late 1800's). The mysteries are interesting. There is even a potential romance brewing and love triangle. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. My only fear is that Sarah is going to take her career to the extreme and miss out on happiness she could have beyond just being a lawyer.

[Nyssy · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a book of domestic life than crime. The mystery just solved itself and no investigation was done. 🤔

[Christin]

Beat yet but...

This has been my favorite of the series so far, probably because I'm a sucker for a love story. However, there are a few things I could just not overlook. One, the praise for prostitution. Not necessarily outright praise (the author skirted all around it!), but the author's pseudo-logical arguments in favor of it. I agree that the women who have to resort to that should not be shamed or blamed but NO. It is not some form of freedom or business to be admired! I hate this lie. It tries to justify the tragedy. And, there was so little talk about how it's a man's job to stop keeping a place like this in business! Also, the Madame is just as much to blame for the victimization as the men. Okay, rant over.

Also, am I the only one who is a little annoyed by Sarah? I keep reading the series hoping it will get better...but I think she's pretty presumptuous and rather stupid. "I care so much for law and women's rights that I can't be married...but I am going to live at home on my father's largesse...but I will never be subject to a husband...oh and Robert is an idiot that I am clearly mentally superior to...but I'll just keep him around because it's convenient." I honestly think the author doesn't know how to make her likable or believable. She'll start to be likeable...then she does something foolish and arrogant or thinks completely anachronistic thoughts. It's so inconsistent! But, I'm a sucker for the time period and the clean romance, so I'll keep reading! But...only because I can get the books from the library for free!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Woolson awakens to the pebbles hitting her bedroom window. It is Samuel, a good friend of Sarah’s brother, George Lewis. George is a crime reporter. He goes but the alias of Ian Fearless. This is because their father is the Honorable Horace T. Woolson. The judge despises reporters.

There has been a body found, a few blocks away from their home. Sarah gets involved in the murder investigation. Someone is trying to cover up the murder. Sarah’s nose leads her to a brothel. Things are really heating up. Sarah better be careful or she could end up next in the morgue.

Scandal on Rincon Hill is the fourth Sarah Woolson novel. These books can be read as stand alone novels. I have wanted to check these books out since I first heard about this series but just haven’t gotten around to trying a book out until now. I was expecting a little more of a hook, which didn’t happen for me. It started off good and slowed a bit in the middle and ended alright. Though, I did still like this book. Sarah has guts and usually does things before she fully thinks them though. Somehow things always work out in the end. This book kind of took me back to the Sherlock Holmes vibe with Shirley Tallman’s writing style.

[JayeL]

I have to say that, after listening to 11 chapters, I don't find this book to be one of Shirley Tallman's better Sarah Woolson stories. The first 10 chapters are repetitive and the "independent spirit" that Sarah has chosen comes across as stupid and insipid. She comes across as completely unaware of her own feelings. The issue may be that I don't know enough about Victorian manners and expectations to judge her feelings adequately, but that whole aspect of the book is annoying me.
Chapter 17 continues the strange behavior of Sarah and adds Robert Campbell acting strangely to the mix. It is obvious to the reader (listener) what is going on, and unless Victorian attitudes about sex and relationships are firmly in play here, the whole end of the chapter left me frustrated. Shirley Tallman's writing is not at its best in this book and Chapter 17 seems to be the worst.

The author has Sarah comment, in chapter 18, that she cant' believe a prostitute could crochet so beautifully. I was surprised at this since Sarah should be smart and well educated enough to know that women do not usually plan on becoming prostitutes and in that day and age it was quite common for women to learn needlecrafts.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sarah Woolson is an attorney in San Francisco in the 1880’s – one of only two in the entire state of California. She is drawn into investigating the similar murders in her own neighborhood of a botanist and a church deacon. When a pair of recent Chinese immigrants are arrested as convenient scapegoats, Sarah comes to their defense. The setting is the most interesting element of the story and I was immediately drawn in because the first victim was a professor (somewhat before my time) at my alma mater, the University of San Francisco. However, the story, which starts out intriguing, is not satisfying at the end. And Sarah, although she is smart and independent, really needs to work on a little subtlety.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah, the only female attorney in San Francisco in 1881 and one of two in all of California, has opened up shop but has a hard time making ends meet. No one is in a hurry to hire a woman lawyer even though she has helped solve several big name cases. Her heart is always willing to take on the oppressed and marginalized and she has the smarts and support to do it. She still lives in the family home and her father and three brothers are all successful in their chosen fields. Only her mother still believes she’ll be able to see Sarah married off someday and in this book there is a marriage proposal so she’s not far off.

there's more on my blog http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/201...

[Kegel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The weakest of the series so far. The storyline is just going here and there and there's never much of an investigation of the mystery, but a lot of more or less interesting personal stuff of Sarah and her family and friends. The solution and ending doesn't make much sense, but wasn't really a surprise either because it had to end... somehow... after all. Sarah doesn't do much about her clients either - she visits them in jail a couple of times and finally stumbles into the real murderer randomly.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Scandal On Rincon Hill" murder has happened. Sara Woolson is caught up in murder. As a woman lawyer in 19th Century San Francisco, Sara has trouble just getting enough paying clients without getting caught up in mysteries she can't solve and with clients she can't seem to help due to the prevailing cultural and police prejudices. There is as much historical social commentary as there is murder mystery.

[travelmel]

saw a review in the Oregonian. It's a murder mystery (ew) but takes place in SF (yea), has romance (yea), and the author is from Eugene (yea).

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Sarah Woolson mystery. Loved the continuing love triangle with Robert and Pierce! I can't decide who I like better.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best written book, but light entertainment. I enjoyed the historical references and the attempt at archaic slang, as well as capturing some of the challenges women faced in the late 1880's.

[Paulette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last one in the series :(

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

love these books!

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun mystery featuring my favorite attorney! I really enjoy this series.

[Ericka Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enchanting mystery set in San Francisco in days gone by. I enjoyed the page-turning suspense with a touch of romance and look forward to Ms. Tallman's next installment.

[Deirdre S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery romance and family the author draws you in the solution to the mystery was a serprise. The final chapter was anticlimactic. I recamend this novel.