P. B. RyanBesprekingen

We are introduced to Nell Sweeney who finds herself a governess for a child she helped birth. It is a wealthy family in Boston. The mistress learns that her son that she was told had died during the Civil War was alive and accused of murder. She sends Nell to find her son and to help get the truth. She learns that this son is the father of the child she is helping to raise and that this son is innocent. A good read.

I found the historical fiction in this mystery to be particularly good -- of course, it is set in Boston which increased its interest for me!
The mystery was good, with a nice twist.

Murder on Black Friday
4 Stars

Following the 1869 gold market crash, Dr. William Hewitt and Nell Sweeney investigate the apparent suicides of two prominent Bostonians. An examination of the bodies reveals that at least one was murdered, and the investigation into the suspicious death exposes the secrets that many would kill to keep hidden.

An intriguing mystery with one of the most contemptible victims I have come across in this genre. Although it is possible to figure out the culprit and motivation, the journey toward the revelations is very compelling, and Ryan is very adept at bringing her characters to life within a limited number of pages.

Nell and Will's relationship comes to a crossroad and each must make a choice that will change their lives forever. The strength of their feelings for each other is palpable, but the obstacles to their future are significant. It will be interesting to see the direction in which Ryan takes these characters.

In sum, a short yet enjoyable read and I am eager to accompany Nell on her next investigation.

A Bucket of Ashes
4 Stars

Nell Sweeney's amateur sleuthing comes to a satisfying, if rather short, end as this final installment in the series is actually a novella.

While Nell does become involved in a case, the investigation takes a back seat to the developments and ultimate resolution of her complex relationship with Will Hewitt. Suffice it to say that everything is wrapped up neatly and fans of their romance will not be disappointed.

The minor mystery revolves around the discovery of a dead body in a burned-out barn, which soon turns out to be that of Nell's long-lost brother, Jamie. Nell sets out to learn the truth surrounding the crime of which he was accused and may have contributed to his death.

In sum, the Nell Sweeney series is a wonderful cozy style historical mystery with a touch of action and lovely romance. Highly recommended.

I really liked this series, one of the best I've read.

I enjoyed reading this to a certain extent but, in the end, I just didn’t find it plausible enough to take seriously. I couldn’t suspend my disbelief that a detective would allow a governess, for whatever reason, to be actively involved in his investigation (interviewing witnesses, examining the corpse). And Nell was a bit too competent (asking the pertinent questions, noticing things the seasoned detective apparently didn’t). I did find some of the historical context interesting, the Andersonville camp in particular, as I’d never heard of it before. But I don’t think enough was made of the Boston setting, and the art aspect was so irrelevant I’m not sure why it was included in the title. Finally, the Irish speech patterns and characterisation didn’t always ring true to me. Though at least the author avoided the more obnoxious “sure and begorrah” stage Irish nonsense that some authors still seem to think passes as authentic.

don't really see what everyone else saw in this. It was okay. More to come

3.5 stars.

Set in Boston in 1868, Nell Sweeney (who has her secrets relating to her past life) works as a governess in the wealthy Hewitt household.
She helps solve the mystery of their eldest son who was thought to have been killed in the Civil War, of why is was still alive and charged with murder.
What I didn't like and skimmed was the description of how a man smoked opium which covered several pages.

Very good character-based historical mystery set in post-Civil War Boston. Neil and Will are great characters. Will definitely read more by P.B. Ryan.

The historical fiction/mystery fan in me absolutely loved this story! As first book in the six book Gilded Age Mystery series, author Patricia Ryan (writing as P.B. Ryan) strikes the right balance between setting the stage, introducing the characters, getting some character development rolling and hitting the ground running with a well-crafted mystery. The setting – Boston in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War – is a wonderfully depicted as Ryan’s attention to detail makes the city, its societal norms and its dark underbelly of opium dens and gambling houses, come to life. Right at the start, we learn that Nell’s past life is one that she would just as soon not dredge up, while Will’s past 5 years is equally a closely guarded history. All of the characters have very realistic qualities of flaws and values/virtues – even police Detective Colin Cook stands out as being more than I would have initially expected. The story has some great relationship development between Nell and Viola, Nell and Will and even Nell and Detective Cook as he allows Nell to tag along on some of his investigative visits. If you like your stories to have a hint of possible romance, Ryan caps that off with a potential developing attraction between Nell and Will. Always a nice tease for the other books in the series. Ryan also has a knack for creating a mystery that is a puzzle to unravel and still makes sense in the end.

On the downside, I struggled with the latitude that Nell seems to have within the Hewitt household - okay, with only certain members of the household - allowing her to spend hours at a time out and about on the case when she is supposed to be tending to young Gracie. I also found that I wished there was more development regarding the Hewitt family dynamics, as Ryan either leaves some things unexplained and simply glosses over other things. Maybe these areas are touched upon in the later books in the series.

Overall, a well-crafted mystery, a wonderful first book in a new series for me and one I can highly recommend to fans of Lyndsay Faye's Timothy Wilde trilogy.

Love Bytes by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 4
Two geeks finally act on their attraction. Sweet story although I wanted to smack his family and wanted him to stand up to them.

Great story. Close to a five star but the ending was rushed and without an epilogue.

More erotic adventures of the denizens of Chateau de la Grotte Cachee. This book consisted of three novellas. I thought the epistolary style of the first was a strange choice of format; the sex was decent enough, but I didn't care for the story. The second novella was undoubtedly the best, and by far the most lurid. The third was my least favorite; I thought the story was dull, the sex rushed and uninspired, and the ending unfinished. I can only guess that it's continued in a later volume. I will still continue this series, because the premise is so cool and sexy, but I wasn't impressed with this book.

Too often in erotica, fantasy creatures are ignored. (Or maybe I just haven't read much erotica.) But this book lets you imagine sex with vampires as well as androgynous elf-like succubi. What's not to like?

My Review

This story totally lost my good vote when it turned to bondage. This could have turned into a good story for me.

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.

Murder in a Mill Town
4 Stars

When a young woman working at the Hewitt family mill disappears, her parents approach the Hewitt matriarch for help locating her and Viola, in turn, enlists the aid of her inquisitive governess, Nell Sweeney. As Nell begins to investigate, she finds herself confronting shadows from her past that not only put her position at risk, but endanger her life as well.

The mystery is well-paced with Nell following clues and questioning witnesses. The identity of the villain is unexpected, although in hindsight the evidence is apparent, and the climax is one of the most intense I’ve encountered in this genre.

Nell’s relationship with the Hewitt’s prodigal son, Will, continues where it left off in the previous installment. While their romance is more of a slow-burn, the spark is definitely there and they are moving in the right direction.

More details are also forthcoming with regard to Nell’s murky past and it would seem that her husbandwill be playing more of a role in the future. This is actually one aspect of the story that does not appeal and hopefully the author will not drag it out indefinitely.

In sum, Murder in a Mill Town is a solid sequel and I look forward to reading more in the series.

Entertaining fluff, in spite of the off putting cover.

Having just visited Boston, I enjoyed the setting. Also the heroine, Nell Sweeney. An interesting character who is not always right and who has secrets of her own. An enjoyable start to a new mystery series.

STILL LIFE WITH MURDER by Patricia Ryan/ PB Ryan
Have read other works by this author and have enjoyed the books.
1860's on the Cape and life at the summer cottage, more like a mansion.
Hewett's are about to have another in the family. The new nursery maid, Nell tries to adjust to living in the city and on the Cape during the summer months. She also has to help raise the child under religion of the family.
She knows much of the family's dark secrets. She's a great one to sketch.
She is asked to help save their son William after he's been found, in a jail accused of murder. Mrs. Hewett can only rely on Nell to help as her husband has banned her from doing so herself.
The jail is so much part of her past life and she tries to find clues and people who saw what happened to try to help William...
Very detailed descriptions of hard subjects as she is witness to some of the investigations of scenes of events that occurred.
Like learning about all their dark secrets and how things worked back in time.
Lots of twists and turns and unpredictable things and you won't know who was the culprit til the end and it won't be who you think it is, who all the clues are pointing to.
Excerpt from the next book is included along with author bio.
via Smashwords½

Great start to a new series for me. Historical mystery with a strong, smart heroine. I really liked Nell Sweeney. The story begins with Nell being unexpectedly hired as a governess for the wealthy Hewitt family. Fast forward to secrets, murder, and intrigue with William, the black sheep of the family. The family is in turmoil as the police are convinced they have the right man.

Not to worry, Nell is on the case. The mystery is intriguing and I really enjoyed the relationship between Will and Nell. I thought the ending was satisfying and I immediately went out and got the next book. 4 stars.

I didn't initially consider myself a Mystery fan. I just didn't think I had the patience for being almost completely in the dark about the outcome of an initial problem, and then there was the way one has to find the answer to that conflict - through searching a room, a house, a hallway, by talking to characters, reading between the lines of their stories etc. With that in mind I thought mysteries were slow reads - a whole lot of problem-solving and not enough direct action, or magic. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was great if you were into that sort of thing, but I didn't think it was for me.

Boy, was I wrong.

I got this book because they were offering it for free on Kindle, and I thought, ok, sure, I'll power through a mystery. Power through, hah! I devoured this book in one night. The suspense was wonderful, the characters extremely well-developed, and then there was Nell and Will. Two damaged, strong protagonists who seized me by the heart and never let go. Their dialogue was enchanting, and their interaction fascinating. Coupled with this was a very well-researched setting in post-Civil War Boston, with the social machinations that came with that. Everything is so detailed and told in such a way that you really feel a part of that society.

I am officially a Mystery convert. Truth.

Not quite as explosive as the first book, but still an extremely enjoyable read! Nell's relationship with Will progresses and becomes a firm friendship (with the hint of something more!), as they try to find the killer of one of Harry Hewitt's mill workers, Bridget Sullivan. Again, the characters are engaging and Will/Nell's relationship is wonderful to follow! I love Will as a character, especially. His teasing ways with Nell, the clear affection and joy he feels for Gracie. The added intrigue with Duncan Sweeney added another element to the story, which I enjoyed. And, of course, the attention to historical detail in creating the setting, mood, and secondary characters was amazing! A good follow-up to the first.

Almost as good as the first!! I loved finding out about Virginia Kimball and her world - I almost wish I knew her before she died, myself! The conflict was well situated, so that it kept you guessing right till the very end, and the climax extremely well done. As always, Will captured my heart and squeezed it a few times for good measure, and his and Nell's interactions were both sweet and gratifying. I enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Isaac Foster and Orville Pratt! Nell really came into her own in this book, I felt, and realized that she really does enjoy solving mysteries, rather than in the previous two where she felt slightly forced by her employer to do so. A satisfying addition to the series =D.