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Still Life With Murder (Nell Sweeney Mystery Series) Paperback – June 24, 2014

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 8,714 ratings

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“What a thoroughly charming book! A beautiful combination of entertaining characters, minute historical research, and a powerful evocation of time and place.” —NYT bestselling author Barbara Hambly

Boston, 1868: The dawn of the Gilded Age, an era of burgeoning commerce and invention, of unimaginable new fortunes and lavish excess—for some. Born into poverty, young Nell Sweeney scratches by on her wits and little else until fortune blesses her with a position as nursery governess to the fabulously wealthy Hewitts. But she soon learns that ugly secrets lurk beneath the surface of their gold-plated world.

The Hewitts’ eldest son, William, a former Union Army battle surgeon and the black sheep of the family, was reported to have died years before in a notorious Confederate prison. But one snowy February afternoon, his parents learn that he is, in fact, still alive—and in jail for having murdered a man while on opium. Infuriated by his son’s deception and convinced of his guilt, August Hewitt forbids his wife from coming to Will’s aid, so she begs Nell to help exonerate him. Nell finds that she must delve into the kind of dark and treacherous underworld she thought she’d left far behind if she is to unearth the truth before the hangman’s noose tightens around William Hewitt’s throat.

Still Life with Murder is a #1 national bestseller originally published by Berkley Prime Crime. 91K words.

“P.B. Ryan makes a stunning debut with Still Life with Murder, bringing Nineteenth Century Boston alive, from its teeming slums to the mansions on Boston Common, and populating it with a vivid and memorable cast of characters... I couldn't put the book down... I can’t wait for the next installment.” —Bestselling author Victoria Thompson

“P.B. Ryan captures an authentic flavor of post-Civil War Boston... The atmosphere is that of The Alienist, but feisty Irish nursemaid Nell Sweeney is a more likable protagonist. I look forward to seeing her in action again.” —New York Times bestselling author Rhys Bowen

“Still Life with Murder is a skillfully written story of intrigue and murder set during Boston’s famous Gilded Age. Nell Sweeney is a winning heroine gifted with common sense, grit, and an underlying poignancy. With its rich sense of place and time and a crisp, intelligent plot, readers will speed through this tale and be clamoring for more.” —Bestselling author Earlene Fowler “Utterly absorbing. Vividly alive characters in a setting so clearly portrayed that one could step right into it. A very clever plot in which each clue is clearly offered and yet the identity of the murderer is a complete surprise.” —Bestselling author Roberta Gellis “If you like fast moving, accurately drawn, historical mysteries, you won’t go wrong by trying Still Life with Murder.” —Reviewing the Evidence “This debut mystery is a winner, with a feisty heroine, a colorful historical backdrop and a strong mystery rife with complexities. An ideal blend of history and mystery.” —RT BookReviews “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
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Patricia Ryan, a.k.a. P.B. Ryan, is the USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including the #1 national bestseller Still Life with Murder. Pat's books have garnered rave reviews and been published in over twenty countries. She is currently writing book 1 of a "spin-off" of the Nell Sweeney mystery series. Visit her at pb-ryan.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hawkley Books (June 24, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0692217517
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0692217511
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.8 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 8,714 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
8,714 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the plot engaging and well-written. They describe the book as an enjoyable read with well-developed characters and a strong heroine. Readers praise the writing quality as tight and free of typos and punctuation mistakes. The historical content and pacing keep them hooked.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

823 customers mention "Plot"760 positive63 negative

Customers enjoy the plot. They find it a good, enjoyable mystery with surprising twists and memorable scenes. The story is well-paced and complete, with an unexpected ending.

"...an incredibly bright, incisive and intelligent woman who finds the puzzle intriguing and after awhile she isn't doing it just for Mrs. Hewitt but..." Read more

"...The story is well paced and complete. The writing and editing are excellent...." Read more

"This book is a mystery set in 1868 in Boston. The author gave detailed descriptions of things like William preparing and taking opium...." Read more

"...learned about each other and how they dealt with it makes for a very good story, with enough plot twists to keep anyone satisfied...." Read more

706 customers mention "Readability"698 positive8 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They appreciate the complex mystery that keeps them hooked with enough information to keep them interested. The book is described as a fantastic beginning to a great series, with intriguing characters and plot twists that capture readers' imaginations.

"...But she is also an incredibly bright, incisive and intelligent woman who finds the puzzle intriguing and after awhile she isn't doing it just for..." Read more

"I was intrigued by the description of the plot and the book did not disappoint...." Read more

"Congratulations to Ms Ryan. I loved this book! I've loved mysteries since I started reading Agatha Christie at the age of 11...." Read more

"...This is a fantastic beginning to a great series of books" Read more

502 customers mention "Character development"480 positive22 negative

Customers find the characters well-developed and engaging. They praise the strong, determined heroine with great heart and mind.

"...The characters are deeply and wonderfully drawn. The plot/mystery is fun to read as it unfolds and the denouement is a surprise...." Read more

"...Nell is an intriguing lead character, coming from a rough life and learning nursing from a doctor who tended to her...." Read more

"...All the characters are so clearly defined that I wouldn't have been surprised to find them in the room with me...." Read more

"...There was a fair amount of bad language. While Nell is an interesting character, I wasn't left wanting to read more of this series...." Read more

338 customers mention "Writing quality"312 positive26 negative

Customers find the book's writing engaging and well-crafted. They praise the author's tight prose and active voice. The writing is easy to read, free of typos and punctuation errors, and conveys the atmosphere of the era effectively. Readers find the story compelling from the first paragraph and appreciate the editing that keeps them engaged throughout.

"...Ms Ryan's prose is tight and she relies heavily on active voice. I was so impressed that I actually started looking to find something wrong...." Read more

"...This character is very well written. You feel you know her. I could feel her bristle and blush and get indignant...." Read more

"...I would have liked a little more excitement, personally, but the writing was good...." Read more

"...The author conveys the atmosphere of the era very well, and it actually becomes part of the story...." Read more

223 customers mention "Historical content"219 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the book's historical content. They find it well-written, with a mix of historical detail and interesting characters. The story takes place in the Gilded Age, with vivid descriptions of post-Civil War Boston. The author recreates the late 1860s and captures their imagination.

"...You can read that elsewhere. I love the post Civil War setting, and Boston is a good choice for most of the action...." Read more

"The setting of this book is Boston, in the Gilded Age - the post-Civil War era from the late 1860's to almost the turn of the century...." Read more

"...This book does give some detail about Nell's past, not all of it...." Read more

"...It kept my interest with with journeys into the past. A delightful story that has an unexpected ending and a slight hint of romance to it...." Read more

119 customers mention "Pacing"92 positive27 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find the storyline engaging and the setting keeps them interested. The characters are described as smart, stubborn, and likable.

"...But she is also an incredibly bright, incisive and intelligent woman who finds the puzzle intriguing and after awhile she isn't doing it just for..." Read more

"...goes to work for the wealthy Hewitt family as a governess, the book picks up the pace...." Read more

"...And it is the characters who move this story at a rapid pace. I wanted to know what they would do next...." Read more

"...This murder mystery was slow moving and had no action. But it did have suspense and great character development...." Read more

94 customers mention "Intelligence"94 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's intelligence. They find the characters intelligent, insightful, and practical. The author does an excellent job researching the details and making the work so much more engaging. The book becomes a study in psychology with its well-researched content and subtle clues about Nell's experiences.

"...But she is also an incredibly bright, incisive and intelligent woman who finds the puzzle intriguing and after awhile she isn't doing it just for..." Read more

"...Both characters were keen and insightful, with their own (sometimes different) opinions about the world and those who ran it...." Read more

"Brilliant leading female character of great heart and mind led to follow clues that leads her down some dark alleyways and eventually to the truth...." Read more

"...She has had checkered past. The author does a great job of dropping hints about Nell and her experiences...." Read more

95 customers mention "Enlightenedness"54 positive41 negative

Customers have different views on the book's enlightenment. Some find it informative about opiate use, equipment, and dens of iniquity. It provides an educational perspective on life during that time period, with accurate descriptions of the dens. However, others feel the mysteries are not complex, but well-developed. They also mention the plot drags through over half of the book, with constant jumping to conclusions.

"...The descriptions of the opium dens seem spot on and the dens play a significant part in the story...." Read more

"...I have to say that I really struggled with the drug addiction of one of the characters who I guessed would end up being a series main character...." Read more

"...The medical aspects were accurate for the time...." Read more

"...'s efforts to make the characters "real" rather labored and tiresome...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2010
    Set in post Civil War era Boston, this book introduces us to Nell Sweeney, a young Irish woman who, through a series of fortunate circumstances becomes the governess for a rich, Boston Brahmin family.

    As the book goes on we learn that Nell has a past she is struggling to overcome and she has done an admirable job. So much so that even though she knows her origins are very low, her current deportment, manner and speech cause others to mistake her for a 'Lace Curtain' Irish. She becomes attached to both her young charge and Mrs. Hewitt, the matriarch of the wealthy Hewitt clan who gave her the opportunity to live and work in luxury.

    But soon shocking news comes to the Hewitts that their eldest son Will (presumed long dead and buried in a mass grave after having been imprisoned in the notorious Andersonville prison) is not only alive but has been arrested for murder outside a whorehouse/opium den. Because Mrs. Hewitt is disabled and Mr. Hewitt isn't hurrying to clear Will's name, she implores Nell to find out what really happened. Because Nell feels very grateful to Mrs. Hewitt for her new life, she can't deny the woman anything and sets out to discover what she can about Will's fake death and the current murder.

    Soon Nell finds herself treading streets she thought she'd escaped from as she unwittingly find herself caught up in trying to clear Will's name and find out what happened to cause him to never reveal to his family that he was still alive.

    Before I give my impressions of the plot and the characters of this story, I must first talk about the atmosphere and the sense of time and place of this book. Of all the things, this is what stands out most for me as I was reading and truthfully what I believe made the book so darned enjoyable.

    'The Gilded Age',as it is known, is a time that came out of the post Civil war. A time of rapid economic and industrial growth where vast fortunes were made. It was a time of the Astors, the Vanderbilts and the Rockefellers. A time where consumption was conspicuous. It is during this time that this book is set and the author makes wonderful use it. Her depiction of the wealth, the almost languid entitlement of that upper class is incredibly textured. I could easily see in my mind's eyes the family portraits of the Hewitts with their aristocratic faces and their careless elegance.

    But it doesn't end there. Where there is incredible wealth there is also incredible poverty. Workhouses, poorhouses, asylums, and all the dens of iniquity that serve both groups. Through her investigation Nell meets corrupt cops, opium eaters, various whores, cardsharps and moneylenders.

    As a character Nell is poised between having been a denizen of both world. We feel her anxiety that one slip up and her comfortable position with her well made, expensive clothes and her place in the family could be gone in a snap. She is doing what she is doing out of real affection and gratitude, but she is uncomfortable seeing what could have been.

    But she is also an incredibly bright, incisive and intelligent woman who finds the puzzle intriguing and after awhile she isn't doing it just for Mrs. Hewitt but for herself as well.

    Which brings me to Will. What a fascinating character. He is complicated and complex. A gentleman to his toes but one who is incredibly, deeply troubled. He and Nell are the heart and soul of this book (and I am glad to know he continues as a character in the rest of the series). I think I fell in love with him. And he isn't and easy person.

    Which brings me to the story/plot itself. This is a wonderful mystery. I have read reviews that say it is reminiscent of The Alienist and I have to agree. But it is more compulsively readable than that book. Even though I gave a plot synopsis at the start of this review, I gave absolutely nothing away. i barely even scratched the surface. There are a lot of layers to this book and the enjoyment comes from reading them and finding out what is around the corner.

    The characters are deeply and wonderfully drawn. The plot/mystery is fun to read as it unfolds and the denouement is a surprise.

    LOVED this book
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2021
    I was intrigued by the description of the plot and the book did not disappoint. Nell is an intriguing lead character, coming from a rough life and learning nursing from a doctor who tended to her. We learn more about that relationship as the story unfolds. When she goes to work for the wealthy Hewitt family as a governess, the book picks up the pace. Nell becomes involved in finding out the details of a murder accusation involving Mrs Hewitt's eldest son. I won't go into the details of the story. You can read that elsewhere. I love the post Civil War setting, and Boston is a good choice for most of the action. The story is well paced and complete. The writing and editing are excellent. There are a couple mild swear words but please don't let that put you off. The descriptions of the opium dens seem spot on and the dens play a significant part in the story. There is more to learn about Nell and the Hewitts, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2012
    Congratulations to Ms Ryan. I loved this book! I've loved mysteries since I started reading Agatha Christie at the age of 11. After 45 years, I'm pretty hard to please. However, from the first page of Still Life with Murder to the last I was hooked. I couldn't put it down. It is a rare writer who can stop me from skimming over pages or keep me reading until 2 a.m. two nights in a row. I only stopped when I simply couldn't stay away any longer.

    All the characters are so clearly defined that I wouldn't have been surprised to find them in the room with me. And it is the characters who move this story at a rapid pace. I wanted to know what they would do next.

    The urgency of the situation Nell finds herself involved in is tangible. From the beginning there is a sense that she is a force to be reckoned with even though her past is largely a mystery. She sets about solving the murder and does it without taking her clothes off or cursing like a sailor! But she's no shrinking violet. She finds herself in disreputable places talking to people that no "lady" of the 19 century would have considered.

    In the current market, where blatant and copious sexual acts and foul language appear to be required to make a story interesting to readers, Ms Ryan clearly shows you can write a riveting story without more than a cursory glance in that direction. I don't remember any swear words and the two mentions of nudity were not what I'd consider obscene. Yes, sex was mentioned...but since the murder in question occurs at a brothel one would expect some connection. But again, the reader is not assaulted with graphic language to give a blow by blow account of what was going on in the rooms upstairs. After all, as Nell points out, she was a nurse of sorts.

    I have to say that the writing was impressive. Unlike a lot of the free Kindle books I've seen, this one was well edited. Ms Ryan's prose is tight and she relies heavily on active voice. I was so impressed that I actually started looking to find something wrong. That soon grew tiring because I couldn't find anything. I'll leave that to others.

    Did I say I loved this book? I'll be looking for more.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Andrew Bedford
    5.0 out of 5 stars A really gripping read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 28, 2023
    I purchased this in April 2019 and have finally got around to reading it. I am glad I did. Set in Boston, US it is a good late 1880s/early 1900s murder mystery. Good characters; a believable storyline; some good twists due to wrong assumptions. Overall I recommend.
  • Sharon E. Leighton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical mystery
    Reviewed in Canada on January 14, 2018
    I liked this so much that I bought a second copy to give as a present. Well-done historical mysteries are my favorite kind of story. It was easy to get lost in Nell's world - the aftermath of the War Between the States, with soldiers trying to make new lives for themselves, and sometimes not doing very well. The reasons behind the excessive use of opium and its products at the time, and the extreme difficulties that an addict must endure, were explored with intelligence and compassion. There was a strong hint of a possible romance later in the series, with this book laying a good foundation in the development of strong, believable characters about whom the reader can care, and the tenuous partnership created by the two seeing each other through some very difficult times. I'll be looking for the sequel.
  • Marg Clark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Murder Mystery
    Reviewed in Australia on December 15, 2019
    Set in the 19th Century, a look at how difficult life could be for a woman investigator. Nell had a very difficult youth but fortunately was rescued by a generous Dr who trained her in the duties of nursing. The difficult aspect of her early years together with her medical knowledge helped her to sort through the issues of a gentleman from a wealthy family accused of murder. A really great read
  • Barbara
    4.0 out of 5 stars Avid Reader
    Reviewed in Italy on May 8, 2015
    Thoroughly enjoyable read, couldn't put it down. Looking forward to more of Nell Sweeney and the current characters of the household.
  • Christine
    5.0 out of 5 stars great read
    Reviewed in Spain on October 13, 2014
    I loved this book and could not put it down, And was surprised at the outcome, a great read look forward to reading more.