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“It’s always a good day when a new Nell Sweeney book arrives.” —CA Reviews July 1870: Nell Sweeney’s position as governess for the venerable Hewitts of Boston affords her a unique perspective in an era of sharp class distinctions. Neither servant nor gentlewoman, she can fit in among the denizens of a waterfront tenement or the bluebloods of Colonnade Row. But there are many of the latter who regard her as just another good-for-nothing Irisher. Nell is shocked to learn that her friend Detective Colin Cook is a fugitive from justice, having reputedly killed a petty criminal in a North End concert saloon called Nabby’s Inferno, after which he fled the scene of the crime. Cook’s nemesis on the force, the loathsome Constable Skinner, thinks Nell knows where the Irish detective is hiding. She doesn’t, nor does she believe that Cook is capable of murder. To gather evidence in Cook’s favor, Nell must venture into the most depraved and crime-ridden neighborhood in the North End. William Hewitt, back home from his sojourn in Shanghai, isn’t about to let her undertake such a dangerous investigation on her own. Posing as husband and wife, they infiltrate the so-called “Murder District,” but the more they find out, the more hopeless it looks for Cook. Originally published by Berkley Prime Crime. 60K words. “This is the latest in a unique and enjoyable series. The necessary background is easily dispensed with, making it easy for newcomer and longtime reader alike. The author uses the historical period to great advantage, depicting the class separations and prejudices that existed at the time without romanticizing them. Nell and Will are both fascinating characters. From wholly disparate backgrounds, they should have no common ground. But they each have past pains and secrets that allow them to understand each other. They make a great sleuthing team, as well. It’s always a good day when a new Nell Sweeney book arrives.” —CA Reviews “Plucky Nell and her helpmate Will are well developed characters who are likeable and smart. The cast of supporting characters in this book is colorful and well drawn, making the book an easy read. All of the books in this series are enjoyable; Murder in the North End is no exception…. I eagerly await the next Gilded Age mystery.” —Cozy Library “Murder in the North End is a light read that you can cozy up to on a cold winter night in your easy chair by the fire...” —MyShelf.com
Of the series, so far (I haven't read the last book yet), this is the most complicated. As a mystery, the interesting things are the facts of the case, facts and facets of the era, and Will and Bell's sleuthing. However, as a mystery alone, it is worth only four stars, since the solution is unexpected and it fits with the facts, but it is essentially impossible to arrive at the solution as the reader. I suppose exceptionally intuitive readers might, but intelligence alone won't get you there. Where the book really shines is in the characters - the evolution of Will and of Nell, the further involvement of Colin Cook and learning about his life, learning a bit more about Martin, and the development of all of the secondary characters, especially Denny. However, that requires a participation in the whole series. If you have kept up with the series, then the story is golden and feels way too short. In addition, speculation runs rampant in the reader's mind. As a mystery and a continuation in the series, the book has surprises, is well-written, and authentic in detail and period, for the most part. (The following parenthetical is a very minor spoiler to a point that has no significance to the mystery in this novel and very little to the plot, and only if this is the first Nell Sweeney mystery that you are considering. While Harvard had a reputation as a good medical school in the States, medical education in the U.S. was horrible, until the founding of Johns Hopkins in 1893, which taught medicine using the scientific method as it was taught in Europe. Harvard, which was considered the best here, did not even have anatomy classes and almost no student actually examined a body, living or dead, before leaving school. Harvard was considered one of the best medical schools, because the students had to have had an undergraduate degree for the most part, unlike many other medical schools. It was harder to get into a liberal arts college than medical school. Thus, it is unlikely that Harvard would have offered a course in forensic medicine that included, potentially, anatomy lectures.) Looking at the novel as both a mystery and an ongoing story involving Nell Sweeney, I would highly recommend it. Even as just a mystery, it is very entertaining.
