Customer Reviews

Murder on Nob Hill

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The first installment in a new series featuring the intrepid lawyer, Sarah Woolson, "Murder on Nob Hill" was a very satisfying and engrossing read. I enjoyed the book on every novel -- the mystery was a good and intriguing one, the detective-heroine, Sarah Woolson, was engaging and likable, and the pacing and the manner in which the novel was crafted was superbly done. All in all, the Sarah Woolson mystery series has all the hallmarks of being a really good one, and I for one, am rather excited about this.

Sarah Woolson, the youngest child and only daughter of a respected judge, has always wanted to practice law (like her father); but even though she's qualified, getting a respected law firm to hire her is another matter altogether because its 1880 in San Francisco, where the common wisdom is that a woman's place is at home and not in the work place. But with the help of her brother, Sarah is able to finagle an interview at Shepherd, Shepherd, McNaughton and Hall (one of the stuffier law firms); where through sheer highhandedness (Sarah actually "steals" a very valueable client, the newly widowed Mrs. Annjennet Hannaford whose much older husband was recently murdered in a rather brutal manner, from right under Shepherd's nose) she's able to land a job as a junior associate at the firm. One would think that things would finally be looking up for Sarah, except that her client, Annjennet Hannaford, ends up getting arrested for her husband's murder! The police and district attorney think that they have an ironclad case (motive and opportunity); and the lawyers handling Annjennet's criminal defence have all but conceded defeat, going so far as to prepare a defense based on an insanity plea. But Sarah is sure that Annjennet is innocent, and fearing that she's the only one in Annjennet's corner, is bound and determined to discover who the real murderer is, no matter the danger...

Obviously I shouldn't start books just before my planned bedtime because "Murder on Nob Hill" was so engrossing a read that I just had to keep on reading until I reached the last page. The plot was a very intriguing one and Shirley Tallman did a good job of ensuring that the book unfolded swiftly and smoothly. And while it is true that the prose is a bit verbose, once I got into the flow of things, this truly was something I hardly noticed after a while. I thought that the character portrayals were very good, esp that of our plain-speaking and forceful heroine, and this, together with the historical ambiance went a long way towards making this a very enjoyable and successful novel. My favourite bits, however, were the ones in which a very calm and rational sounding Sarah would (successfully) counter the somewhat hysterical and irrational arguements of her male counterparts would claim that she didn't have it in her to be a good lawyer. All in all, a fantastic first installment in what promises to be a wonderful mystery series.

I completely and thoroughly enjoyed this book! What a treat from start to finish!

First of all, I loved the cover of the book. As a fan of the Victorian era, this beautiful cover just beckoned me to open it's pages from the moment I laid eyes on it. Once opened, it did not disappoint. Sarah Woolson is an inspiring, fiesty main character who pushes Victorian oppression of women to the limit with every move she makes. A 19th century Legally Blonde comes to mind. From the start, one is compelled to see Sarah through each swipe of near-disaster and every victory over the male characters who would see her back down in defeat.

History buffs will also find this novel a wonderful jaunt back to the roots of San Francisco. Ms. Tallman has obviously done a great deal of research, as I did not find one detail that was inaccurate or out of character with this great city's beginnings in the 1800's.

As far as suspense, Ms. Tallman has weaved such a tightly wrapped, fast paced tale of intrique, that I was kept guessing until the very end. There are so many twists and turns that it is hard to put the book down until one has reached the final breathless conclusion of who really "done" it.

I hope that Ms. Tallman goes on to write a sequel to this wonderful murder mystery. I will be one of the first to buy a copy!

Sincerely,

KL Hunter
Danville, CA

Great read!!! I particularly enjoyed the feisty heroine, Sarah Woolson. Really good background - I felt like I was in 1880 San Francisco. Excellent writing, fascinating story, great characters. Interesting details on what it must have been like to be a woman attorney at this time in history, woven into the fabric of the story. Also, lots of action. The story keeps you guessing "who done it" until the very end. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery!!

A well-written historical mystery that deals with sexism, racism and drugs,but in a manner that allows the reader to enter into that world of the 1870's without being depressed or angry. The author's knowledge of San Francisco makes the reading all the more enjoyable to anyone who has visited or lived there.

I don't know where Patricia Ann "Bookmark" is coming from. Did she read the same book I did?

MURDER ON NOB HILL is anything but slow-moving and boring. I thought it was a terrific historical novel. Not only did it move FAST, but the author kept me guessing about the identity of the killer until the very end. I've lent this book to lots of my mystery-lover friends, and they all agree with me that Sarah Woolson is the best new mystery character to come along in years! She's intelligent, fun, clever, out-spoken and dedicated to helping the underdog. I don't know how Patricia the "Bookmark" could say she's "spoiled". How can you call someone spoiled who's willing to give their life to make sure you get justice in a court of law? I thought she was anything BUT spoiled! (Sorry, but the "Bookmark's" review really got me fuming.)

I've also read the second book in the series, THE RUSSIAN HILL MURDERS, and I think it's also SUPER! And in the Russian Hill book, Sarah actually goes to court to defend a man accused of murder. I can't wait to read the new Sarah Woolson mystery, hopefully VERY SOON! Keep 'em coming, Shirley! And don't pay any attention to Patricia the "Bookmark". You've got a red-hot mystery series going here.

I forgot to mention that I was born and raised in San Francisco, and lived there until I got married. That's another great thing about Shirley Tallman's Sarah Woolson Series. She's really got the heart of San Francisco down pat! MURDER ON NOB HILL is by far one of the VERY BEST HISTORICAL MYSTERIES I've read in a long, long time!!!

In MURDER ON NOB HILL, the first of a series, we meet 27 year old Sarah Woolson, a young woman determined to follow in her father's footsteps and become a lawyer. To reach her goal she has managed to be one of the first women to pass the California Bar exam and become a licensed attorney but she now needs to find a firm that will hire her, no easy task in 1880. By use of subtrefuge and audacity she does manage to gain a place in one of San Francisco's most prestigious, and stuffy, law firms by means of poaching one of their wealithiest clients, a young widow accused of murder. As Sarah begins to investigate the case she is lead on a chase that leads through the seamier sides of San Francisco both in the highest and lowest classes, all the while dealing with society's prejudice against women.

The plot has some interesting twists and turns and may hold a surprise or two along the way, but it is never in serious doubt that Sarah's client will not go free or that Sarah will not keep her job. This series, despite it's cosmopolitan setting is definitely in the cozy vein, where the mystery is secondary to the characters involved. In MURDER ON NOB HILL we are introduced not only to Sarah but to her family and several interesting subplots as well. Also a particularly annoying colleague is set up as a potential romantic interest for Sarah.

Perhaps just as interesting as the various plots and subplots we also have the always lovely San Francisco, here shown in her earlier years when street cars were new and daring rather than quaint and charming, Chinatown was mysterious and dangerous rather than a popular tourist attraction.

Fans of the long running AMELIA PEABODY series will probably also enjoy the ongoing adventures of Sarah as she struggles against the conventions of the Victorian era.

All the elements I look for in a good book are here. Sarah is an excellent character; smart and gutsy, with an interesting family and a begrudging helper. The depiction of San Francisco and the issues of the time are well done without overwhelming the basic story. I learned new things and was kept in suspense at the same time. The plot is tight, the mystery expends and the story progresses. I am delighted to know I have the second in the series waiting on my shelf.

Set in the early 1880's, _Murder on Nob Hill_ is as much mystery as historical fiction, as Tallman weaves clues to the murder with remarkable historical detail: the place of women, social class, racial issues, and great imagry of San Francisco. While the romantic sub-plot was something I could have done without, the story and its characters more than made up for it. A very enjoyable read, which will hopefully be the beginning of a series. Great summer reading.

In 1880, though females are not accepted as lawyers twenty-seven years old Sarah Lorraine Woolson, who learned the law from her father, Superior Court Judge for the County of San Francisco, feels capable and ready. She pulls a name game ploy using her brother Samuel, which enables S.L. Woolson to gain entry into the firm of Shepherd, Shepherd, McNaughton and Hall, attorneys-at-law. Then she "steals" a wealthy client Annjennet Hannaford when the distraught widow decries a lack of legal service from the firm's lawyer Mr. Wylde. This presumptuous act forces fuming senior partner Joseph Shepherd to acknowledge Sarah as a junior associate.

Three weeks ago, someone murdered Cornelius, Annjennet's husband of seven years, leaving her as the prime suspect and without assets. Sarah immediately enables her client to obtain money while the estate remains in probate. Not long afterward, the police arrest Annjennet and her lover for the murder. While the law firm believes she is guilty, Sarah follows the money trail of how Hannaford and three partners made a fortune. When the partners are also killed as gruesomely as Hannaford, Sarah continues her inquiries while shaking up the male legal establishment.

MURDER ON NOB HILL is an entertaining historical legal thriller starring a courageous and charming champion. The story line brings to life the sexist glass ceiling that leaves competent females beneath the lowest rung of the food chain while also providing insight into laws such as the Married Woman's Property Act. Chutzpah Sarah is a wonderful protagonist and her firm's appointed shadow Robert, with his "wardrobe" and "courtside manner" problems, adds a touch of romantic frustration to a fine tale.

Harriet Klausner

I wasn't sure about this book at first, but it definitely grows on you. It is an in depth historical that really tries to give some good historical background.