At the discovery of the body of beautiful actress Virginia
Kimball, with her maid lying dead beside her, Boston can
talk of nothing else. The police, corrupt and paid to look
the other way, determine Virginia found her maid stealing
from her and they traded fatal shots. No mention is made of
the mysterious Red Book, which Virginia used to supplement
her income with a little blackmail on the side.
Sick at the slander that says his niece murdered Virginia
Kimball, Brady, a driver for the wealthy Hewitts, asks Nell
Sweeney to investigate her death. Nell, governess to the
Hewitt's adopted child, has had success solving murders in
the past. With the encouragement of her employer, Nell
tries to clear Brady's niece, with the help of the Hewitt's
black sheep son, Will.
Nell pokes into the indiscretions of Boston high-ranking
men, while they are determined to block her investigations.
Running into the harsh prejudice against the Irish makes
Nell more resolved to uncover the killer.
DEATH ON BEACON HILL continues Ms. Ryan's excellent Nell
Sweeney series. The rich characterization and her strong
evocation of place, coupled with a well-plotted tale, make
for a rich story. Add a clever conclusion and Ms. Ryan
delivers a fascinating read.
Boston governess Nell Sweeney returns in an all-new Gilded
Age Mystery
1869: As governess to the Hewitts, Irish immigrant Nell
Sweeney belongs to no particular caste--hers is halfway
between her Irish brethren and the Boston Brahmin. But now,
a double murder involves both maid and mistress--and it
will take cooperation by rich and poor alike to solve it.
© 2003-2025 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy