Still Life with Murder

Nell Sweeney Mystery, Book 1

By: P.B. Ryan

Narrated by: Leigh Ryan

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

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 dismal 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 three years before in a notorious Confederate prison camp. But one snowy February afternoon, his parents learn that he is, in fact, still alive—and in jail for having murdered a man while intoxicated 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.

©2003 Patricia Burford Ryan (P)2014 Patricia Burford Ryan

Critic reviews

"A beautiful combination of entertaining characters, minute historical research, and a powerful evocation of time and place. I'm very glad there will be more to come." ( New York Times best-selling author, Barbara Hambly)

"P.B. Ryan makes a stunning debut with Still Life With Murder...I can't wait for the next installment." (Best-selling author, Victoria Thompson)

"If you like fast-moving, accurately drawn, historical mysteries, you won't go wrong by trying Still Life With Murder." (Reviewing the Evidence)

Excellent

What a fantastic book. The Plot was excellent and it kept me engrossed. I was hoping for more information or wrap up on the main characters.

I love Nell Sweeney!

I read this book in print when it was first released, and was excited to listen to the audio book now that it's finally available. The story is great and the characters quite likable, but the narration by newcomer Leigh Ryan is fantastic. I enjoyed her use of different voices for the characters - sometimes that can be annoying, but in this book it works well! The book grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let up until it's over. I can't wait for the remaining books in this six-book series to be released!

Great start to the series!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I already have! Listened to the book in the car, and it was a wonderful story.

What did you like best about this story?

I really loved the setting. The world of gilded age Boston was so clear and fascinating. Great characters, compelling story.

Have you listened to any of Leigh Ryan’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't, but I'm looking forward to listening to the next book in the series. She's got a lovely voice, very easy to listen to.

Wonderful first in the series

Any additional comments?

I read all the books in the series and loved them. The following books only get better. These characters are so well presented that they stay with you. Nell and Will are simply wonderful. I loved the audiobook and most of the characters' voices were well acted. I will be buying the audio books as they come out.

Smart, fascinating female lead!

What did you love best about Still Life with Murder?

I loved Nell, and how Leigh Ryan voiced her. What a strong, fun protagonist to have in a historical mystery. You really get on her side immediately, and stay with her for the whole ride.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Absolutely! I usually try and figure out a mystery as it goes, but I was genuinely surprised! Will struck a chord with me, and he balanced out Nell's personality perfectly. What a pair!

Which character – as performed by Leigh Ryan – was your favorite?

Hands down, Nell! But she voiced many great characters including a little girl, an irish police officer, and a brooding english drug addict.

Any additional comments?

What an excellent listen, with an ending that got my heart racing. Looking forward to the next in the series!

Still life

Very intriguing story but it left too many loose ends. Is there a sequel I am very interested.

Tiresome Narration

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I love historical fiction, and was interested in this time period, but by the end of the narration, all I could focus on was the poor narration. Really took away from the storyline.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I wasn't on the edge of my seat, but it was an interesting premise.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator's voice was very distracting. She seemed to develop a rhythmic way of talking by the end of the book; her performance made me realize how talented skilled narrator must be.

Any additional comments?

The only thing stopping me from buying the second book in the series is that it's narrated by the same person. Can't listen to her again.

Very inappropriate narrator voice

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

This was actually a pretty good story. What made it difficult for me was the narrator's voice. She sounds too young to impart the required gravity to the subject matter (murder, prostitution, drug addiction, to name a few examples) or to distinguish nuances such as irony. it really did sound like a 15 year old reading a bedtime story to an 8 year old. All of the women characters in the novel either were older by age or by trials and tribulations, but they all sounded like innocent young girls of the present era. Trying to do male characters with that voice is ridiculous. I really would like to explore the other books in this series, but if the narrator is the same, I won't bother.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The narrator's voice prevented identification with any of the characters.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Leigh Ryan?

Natalie Ross, Lisa Coleman is excellent- if she can do a Bostonian 19th century accent. I'm sure there are many female narrators with more mature voices and better skills.

Larger than life

I understand that some people will like this book for the reasons I couldn't quite embrace it. To me, main character isn't believable. In spite of the author's effort to bring in some of the social sensibilities of the era, she feels too modern.
Still, I read the entire book. It was certainly enough to hold my attention. Don't think I will read any more in the series.
In terms of the performance of the book, Leigh Ryan grew on me although I didn't care for some of her upper crust male voices.

I was swept away by Nell's search for the truth...

What did you love best about Still Life with Murder?

Still Life with Murder is the first book of an amazing mystery series which follows governess, Nell Sweeney, as she goes through 1860s Boston, looking to uncover the truth about a grisly murder that is tied to the upper-class family she works for. I was thrilled to see that it was now an audiobook, and I had so much fun listening to this story again.

What about Leigh Ryan’s performance did you like?

Leigh Ryan captured Nell's voice magnificently, and her impressive stock of characters and dialects wove seamlessly into the story. Really lovely voice, I can't wait to see how she handles the rest of the series.

Any additional comments?

If you like a rich historical mystery with unexpected twists, Still Life with Murder is a wonderful read, and an exciting listen!