Governess Nell Sweeney has left her shady past behind her, or so she thinks. When old friend and former lover Dr. Cyril Greaves brings her the news of her brother's death, Nell is stunned. Although they've been estranged for years, she finds the loss of her last surviving sibling to be a shock. And Nell is even more astounded when she learns that he was suspected in the murder of a Cape Cod woman.

Jamie Murphy may have had his brushes with the law, but his history included thefts, not violent crimes. His overtly criminal acts led to the separation between himself and Nell. Despite their impoverished childhood, Nell was determined to better herself and she did, after a long, hard struggle. While Nell is dealing with the terrible news of Jamie's death, she's also coping with a possible pregnancy, which would ruin her hard-earned reputation.

Nell begins to look into her brother's death with the help of Dr. Greaves, bringing them closer together. With two suitors, Nell has a secret that keeps her from marrying either one. Will she be able to figure out a way out of the bonds that trap her in an uneasy situation? Will she be able to keep her job—and a relationship with her charge Gracie—if the truth of her past comes out? And will the man who possibly has made her pregnant, Will Hewitt, return safely from war-torn France before Nell is forced to make an untenable decision?

A BUCKET OF ASHES is the sixth and final Gilded Age mystery, taking place in post-Civil War Massachusetts. As the finale of a series, there's a lot of wrapping up of previous loose ends and less focus on the primary mystery. As a new reader to the series, I was able to follow the storyline, but I feel I would have gotten more out of the story had I read the earlier books. So readers are encouraged to read the series in order for more reading pleasure. Ms. Ryan has written an enjoyable conclusion to her historical mystery series.