Murder in a Mill Town

I believe this in P.B. Ryan's second book in the gilded age mysteries and it's a really great series.

Murder in a Mill Town by P.B. Ryan is the second fantastic book in the Gilded Age series featuring Boston governess Nell Sweeney. When a poor Irish family's daughter disappears, they turn to their employer's wife, Violet Hewitt, for help. Violet turns to Nell to investigate Bridget's disappearance and finds more than she bargained for, including a figure from her past. The reader finally gets to find out the truth of Nell's past in this book, and it's not pretty. I love the dialogue between Nell and William. It's filled with electric undercurrents and double entendres without being dirty. While Bridget's disappearance may be the main plot of the book, the true story is the growing relationship between Nell and William. Williams' opium addiction is again dealt with, and he finds himself with even more reasons to try and beat it. And just when readers are hoping that the two can be together, Ryan ingeniously throws a monkey-wrench in the works, ensuring many more books with brilliant banter and longing looks. I can't wait to read the next book!

This is the second book in one of the best Historical Murder Mystery series I've read. If you like Anne Perry (who delves into some pretty nasty Victorian vices) or better yet Dianne Day (the Freemont Jones series) then you should like this series. But buy the first book too - Still Life with Murder, since the main characters unfold across the two books.

For the many fans of historical mysteries in Victorian America (esp if you're a huge Victoria Thompson fan), here's another addicting and absorbing series to check out: P. B. Ryan's Gilded Age Mysteries, featuring intrepid governess and sleuth, Nell Sweeney. I haven't read "Still Life Under Murder" yet, but based on my favourable impression of "Murder in a Mill Town," I will definitely be reading that book soon. When mill worker, Bridget Fallon, fails to return home after a night out with her ex-felon boy friend, her mother is naturally frantic. By now Bridget has been missing for three days, and Mrs. Fallon cannot get anyone to take her fears seriously. Everyone, from the police to Harry Hewitt (the second son of that fabulously rich and upper-class family) who runs the mill, assumes that Bridget has run off with her beau, Virgil Hines. But Mrs. Fallon is sure that her daughter wouldn't do anything like that, and is afraid for Bridget's safety. Undeterred, Mrs. Fallon turns to Mrs. Hewitt (Harry's mother) in order to ask for her help. Being kind hearted and moved by Mrs. Fallon's obvious distress, Mrs. Hewitt in turns asks Nell Sweeney (her granddaughter's governess) to look into the matter. A child of the streets, Nell has raised herself to her current position through sheer hard work and determination. If anyone can help the Fallons, it's Nell. And because Nell has a great affection for her employer, she agrees to do a spot of investigating. Little did Nell expect, however, that this investigation would bring her face to face with a past that she had thought to be long buried -- a past, furthermore that could jeopardize the new life she has carved out for herself... Swiftly paced and with quite a few cunning plot twists, "Murder in a Mill Town" was an enjoyable read from start to finish. At the heart of the series is the character of Nell Sweeney: an intelligent, intrepid and courageous woman who doesn't hesitate to do the right thing no matter the cost. Nell, is the main reason why this series really works and is so compelling. And by throwing in Nell's complicated and darker past into the mix, "Murder in a Mill Town" became an even more engaging and poignant read. With good historical detail and a cast of well fleshed out characters, "Murder in a Mill Town" makes for great reading.

As a child she lived in the poor house until she met Duncan who took her out of there. Neither Duncan nor Nell Sweeney had enough money to live on his salary so she started picking pockets and became known as Cornelia Catpurse because she was so good at it. After Duncan was found guilty of theft and thrown in jail for thirty years wealthy Bostonian Viola Hewitt hired her to be a governess for her adopted daughter Gracie.Viola asks Nell to find out where Bridget Fallon and her boyfriend Virgil are and because she loves her benefactor Nell agrees. Viola's son, Will, an opium and morphine addict who makes his living as a gambler helps Nell. When they find Bridget and Virgil, the pair has been dead for a few days, the victim of murder with the evidence pointing to Will's brother Harry. While trying to clear Harry, Will and Nell become captives of the perpetrator.Nell is one of the strongest, most honorable and dearest heroines to grace the pages of an amateur sleuth novel. She doesn't let anyone stop her from doing what she believes is right even if it means putting herself in danger. She plays many roles and can fit in as the mistress of a mansion or a pick pocket, which makes it easy for all types of people to confide in her. The mystery is well constructed and the revelation of the killer will come as a shock to readers. P.B. Ryan knows how to write a tale that will grip and keep readers interest throughout the novel.Harriet Klausner