My Amazon Review:I have not been reading cozies for long, but I was attracted to this series because I'm writing a historical cozy series set in the San Francisco Bay Area around the turn-of-the-century and wanted to read some cozies that deal with same area and a similar time frame. I found the first of this series to be an absolute delight. I loved the main character, who is a true 19th century strong and professional woman. Some may find her unrealistic, given the limitations that were imposed upon women during that time, but I've done a lot of reading and research plus a master's degree that focused on women and literature of this time period and Sarah Woolson is a totally believable character (alibi, not a common one, but still believable). The Woolson family were nicely portrayed and the story was fast-moving and compelling. Unlike many cozies I've read, the mystery was very central here and everything that happened in the book happened for a reason - no random happenings as I've seen in some other cozies that seem to just be there to fill up space. The only exception for me was the scene where Sarah asks to be part of a rescue mission for a young Chinese girl from slavery. The subsequent action-packed scene fit into the book but I would have liked her reason for requesting to join the rescue (which would have been highly unusual in those days) more believable.One thing that made this book such a delight for me was that it was WELL WRITTEN. I come from a literature background and there is nothing that spoils the enjoyment of a book in an genre more for me than a poorly written or, at best, mediocre writing style. Sadly, I have read quite a few cozies so far that fit this description. So it was refreshing to read a book that clearly showed that the writer took pains to learn the basic writing do's and don'ts and made it easy to focus on the story and the characters rather than be constantly irked by a poor writing style.The only reason why I give this book 4 rather than 5 stars is because I was a bit disappointed in the character of Robert Campbell. I felt he was a bit of a caricature of the enraged male lawyer and his constant dimwittedness as to the connection between information about the investigation that were obvious within itself without Sarah pointing them out to him got to be a little unbelievable. Since this is clearly a main character in the series, it would have been great to see his character a bit more three-dimensional. I will definitely be reading the other books in the series!
I'm glad I happened upon this book in the library, as it ended up being an enjoyable read and a good mystery. The heroine, Sarah Woolson, is a real spitfire and very opinionated; while sometimes annoying, she is for the most part a great lead character - and at times very funny. Her family is very interesting and they are a great addition to the cast of characters. I also loved Robert Campbell, a fellow associate attorney at their firm, a big and loud Scot alway objecting to Sarah's ideas and plans, but then getting involved despite himself. Their bickering and squabbling is often amusing and I'm personally hoping that their relationship develops into a more, umm ... harmonious one, shall we say ;-).Tallman's writing is very simple and her storytelling straightforward, not that either of these things are bad. One criticism I do have is that sometimes it seemed like she needed a better editor, as you have the same word that would appear twice in one sentence or in two consecutive sentences. May seem like a picky objection, but for me it was noticeable and bothersome.The mystery itself was very well-done and definitely keeps the reader engaged. You start to develop a theory, which gains shape as additional things are revealed. It is a mystery, though - not blatantly obvious - and has some great twists and turns. Another great aspect of this book is that the historical setting feels very authentic. I look forward to reading the other books in the series!The Sarah Woolson Mystery SeriesBook 1 - Murder on Nob Hill (4 stars)Book 2 - The Russian Hill Murders (4 stars)Book 3 - The Cliff House StranglerBook 4 - Scandal on Rincon Hill
What do You think about Murder On Nob Hill (2004)?
Picked up the audio book version for a long drive and didn't get to it until this week.It was ok. I liked setting it in 1880s San Francisco, and felt that part was well done. Normally preachy social reformers (which thoroughly describes the main character) bore me, but this was pretty inoffensive, and was actually important to the plot. Some of the secondary characters had me scratching my head a little, as their development didn't seem to have anything to do with the book and felt kind of tacked on.The mystery itself was reasonably well done until the author drops the big clue, then the book goes on for another 3 chapters. The ending was surprisingly unsatisfying.The voice actress was superb tho, so it was easy to listen to on the way to and from work.
—Pete Storm
Finds often are rare, and this book belongs to that group. I've rarely, if ever, derived so much from so obscure a book. The last time was the Pizza Lovers' Mysteries. That's what I like about cozy mysteries. They contain more finds than any other genre. There's not as many obscure but delightful books in other genres, like Sci Fi, Horror, Young Adult, Chick Lit, Historical Fiction, Thrillers, etc. The cozy mystery genre has logically and unhesitatingly become my number one genre. Sarah Woolson faces a can of worm's worth of prejudice, ignorance, bigotry and stupidity in her struggles for being accepted in the labor force as a bona fide lawyer. She displays a cool demeanor whose limits, when they are tested, expand further on as the story progresses. Her environment is volatile and stressful. The vitriolic behavior from so called rational men is nauseating. Now I know what type of gutsy females it took to give the world women's suffrage(this book is placed in the 1880's, prior to that breakthrough). Amid all that there is the plot (a story with a very good pacing, involving three major murders that never sway away from this reader's attention) which is well written in the kind of language I revel in. The prose is usually the deciding point for me between liking a book and loving it. I'm also of the opinion that the scarcity of lyricism and economy of distractions heighten the value I place on this book. If J.D Robb's books are too hot and Mills and Boons books are too cold, then Shirley Tallman should be congratulated for writing a book which is just right for me.
—Luffy Monkey D.
Set in San Francisco in 1880, Sarah Woolson is an upper-class woman, educated at the law. After successfully passing the bar, she manufactures a ruse to get an interview at a stuffy law firm. Before the stodgy male partners can eject her, she has fast talked herself into a client and a trial job. Her client, recently widowed, needs Sarah's assistance to access the money of her own inheritance.In the course of fighting to get accepted, the widowed client soon becomes accused of her husband's gruesome murder. Convinced of her client's innocence, Sarah battles circumstances, repressive laws and a stratified society to prove her client's innocence. A well crafted mystery drawn on the history of the times, the author provides us with an engaging heroine with a lively mind and an equally lively temper and impetuosity.
—Gail
