Customer Reviews

The Russian Hill Murders (Center Point Premier Mystery (Large Print))

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am so enjoying this series. The story moved right along, kept me interested and wanting to know what was coming. The final courtroom scene was a bit melodramatic, but didn't put me off the book. Tallman has created a smart, feisty character supported by her family but fighting society's norms, and the supporting characters are equally interesting. I definitely want to know what happens to them and eagerly await the next book.

As I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series,I had high hopes for The Russian Hill Murders,and Ms Tallman met and surpassed my expectations. The characters are well developed (and delightful, I might add),and the plot is just intricate enough to keep you guessing. I had a lot of fun trying to come up with "whodunnit" before Sarah Woolson.The writing is articulate, and there is a sense of excitement at all times. Highly recommended

Shirley Tallman delivers a splendidly intriguing and suspenseful follow-up to "The Nob Hill Murders" in this second Sarah Woolson mystery novel, "The Russian Hill Murders." Definitely, this is a series to look out for!

When first a member of the new Women's and Children's Hospital, and then someone else who vehemently opposed the hospital's existence suddenly die, Sarah Woolson, San Francisco's first female lawyer, is intrigued and perplexed. The authorities dismiss both deaths as accidental, but Sarah has a feeling that there is something more to both deaths. However, she's too busy trying to help a client collect damages for a wrongful death suit, as well as having to put up with the bad tempered crochets of her hostile employer. And then the hospital's accountant dies under highly suspicious circumstances. This time there is evidence that the man was poisoned. And because he had had a very acrimonious relationship with the hospital's hot tempered Chinese cook, the police immediately jump to the conclusion that the cook is guilty of poisoning the accountant. And when they find the poison in the kitchen, they immediately arrest the man for murder. Sarah cannot believe that the cook has been arrested on such a slender piece of evidence, and fears that racial prejudice may at the root of the cook's arrest. So that when Li Ying, San Francisco's most powerful Tong lord whom Sarah met in "The Nob Hill Murders" requests that she defend the cook during the criminal trial, Sarah readily agrees. And even though Sarah realises that she has to contend not only with the racial prejudice of the jury, but also with the sexist opinions of the court and the jury, she's determined to do the best for her client -- and in this instance it means that she will have to discover the identity of the real murderer herself before it's too late!

I enjoyed Shirley Tallman's "The Russian Hill Murders" so much that I had to finish it in one sitting. The plot unfolded at a brisk and continuous pace; and the manner in which the author bridged both of Sarah's cases, cleverly done. Also nicely done was how the author maintained the suspense and how she portrayed San Francisco, both its people and the town, of the late 1800s. But what really made this novel a stellar one is the author's vivid and credible characterisation of her heroine, Sarah Woolson, and how she fitted the mystery around Sarah's stalwart character: a woman who believes strongly in the equality of sexes as well as the races, and who is not afraid to fight for what she believes in or to right a wrong. And it is this strong sense of justice and fair play that made "The Russian Hill Murders" a wonderful and absorbing read, and made me root for Sarah right to the end.

Super mystery! Well written and full of suspense. I couldn't put it down until the very end. I thought I'd figured out whodunit, but turns out I was wrong. Kept me guessing until the last chapter.

Sarah Woolson is an out-spoken, fun, funny, well-developed and intelligent heroine. I love the way she takes charge of a situation and sticks with it until the end. I also loved Pierce Godfrey, and hope we'll see him again soon. What a hunk!!!

Keep 'em coming! Can't wait until the next book.

This is the second volume of the Sarah Woolson series set in 1880's San Francisco, following just a few months after the events of MURDER ON NOB HILL. Sarah, one of the first women to be admited to the California Bar, had managed to gain a position in one of most prestigious law firms in San Francisco. Although she had managed to represent her clients well and managed to uncover a murderer Sarah was not a valued, or even welcome member of the law firm.

As the RUSSIAN HILL MURDERS begins she has managed to further enrage her employers by first accepting the widow of a sweatshop worker as a client and then agreeing to defend a Chinese cook who has been charged with murder. Poor Sarah cannot even seem to get a rest in her private life as first one and then another member of her social set die under mysterious circumstances, one right in front of her.

Sarah, along with fellow attorney Robert Campbell follow the trail of clues through the varied levels of late Victorian San Francisco society. Despite the cosmopolitan setting this series is very much in the cozy style, the true attraction here is on the characters and subplots rather than the actual mystery. The mysteries here are moderately challenging, with perhaps a twist or two to keep the reader guessing but what really holds the reader's interest here are the subplots....especially those concerning Sarah's love life (or lack thereof) now that a second (and perhaps even a third) potential suitor has been introduced into the series.

This series will appeal to those cozy mystery fans who also enjoy a historical setting. In many ways Sarah is reminiscient of Elizabeth Peter's AMELIA PEABODY. The two both share outspoken opinions at odds with Victorian ideas on women's rights and social classes. THE RUSSIAN HILL MURDERS could be enjoyed by itself but beginning with MURDER ON NOB HILL would probably be preferred.

I love this book/cd. The Russian Hill Murders are just as great as the Nob Hill Murders. I love how it's set in the 1800's. I listen to the CD's in the car to and from work. They are entertaining and make the traffic go so much faster (haha).

I do enjoy this series. I love the time period, the descriptions of San Francisco, and Sarah Woolsen as the female attorney protagonist. In the first book, I found I could believe almost the whole story line -- which is fine that I might have to stretch a bit to make it work for me. The second book made me feel the same way until I got to some of the later courtroom scenes. I'm surprised my eyes aren't stuck in the back of my head because of how many times I rolled my eyes toward the back of my head toward the end of the book. The later scenes were not plausible for a variety of reasons and were even more frustrating when the scene as written was not necessary to the plot. I'll give one example here. At one point Ms. Woolsen is going "to go outside the box" and begin questioning a witness in the gallery/audience. The only fear Ms. Woolsen has is that of being disciplined by the local bar association. This is ridiculous because the judge is cantankerous, only has had comtempt for Ms. Woolsen throughout the proceedings, in past scenes has actually threatened Ms. Woolsen with sanctions, and actually would have the immediate power to sanction an attorney for inappropriate behavior in his courtroom. The judge says nothing while Ms. Woolsen acts completely inappropriately -- sanctionably -- in his courtroom. If the judge were true to his character and that of a judge-in-real-life he would have sanctioned Ms. Woolsen immediately, not letting the circus in his courtroom go on and on. Of course, Ms. Tallman would have had to come up with a different way to expose the murderer to the reader. That would have been preferrable to the scene as written. I would actually rate this book at a 3 1/2 but that isn't an option so I'll give Ms. Tallman the benefit of the doubt.

The Russian Hill Murders by Shirley Tallman is the second installment in the Sarah Woolson series. In this entry Sarah ends up defending a Chinese cook for two murders and representing a young widow whose husband was killed in a fire at a sweatshop. It should surprise no reader of mysteries that of course the cases are connected. Sarah works again with Robert, another young lawyer, and adds a teen-aged carriage driver named Eddie to her circle. This series is written in 1st person which creates problems for the reader. I think the main deficiency in this series is the lack of sympathy for the main character. Sarah is beautiful, wealthy, well-heeled, romantically pursued, educated, and spoiled by her family. Some characters can be all of those things and still beloved by the reader, but Sarah just comes across as headstrong and uncaring of other people's feelings. The criminal is fairly obvious through the book, even if the motive isn't, but it seems a bit foolish that Sarah is the only one to see the clues.

When I read MURDER ON NOB HILL, the first book in Shirley Tallman's great new mystery series, I thought it couldn't get much better. (I couldn't put the book down until I'd read the very last page.) Then I read THE RUSSIAN HILL MURDERS, and realized that it could.

THE RUSSIAN HILL MURDERS was not only cleverly plotted and meticulously researched (I felt like I was right there in 1880s San Francisco), but I loved the way Tallman seamlessly weaved in both of her heroine, Sarah Woolson's, cases. After my experience reading MURDER ON NOB HILL, I really should have known better than to begin one of Tallman's mysteries right before going to bed, but I just couldn't resist and once again ended up sitting up half the night! I kept telling myself just one more page, but I couldn't put it down. I thought I'd guessed the killer's identity (Tallman leaves clues throughout the fast-paced story), only to find out I was wrong -- again. This author is really GOOD!!

All I can say is keep them coming, Shirley! Even if it means another sleepless night, I can't wait for the third book in the Sarah Woolson series!

Outstanding and intriguing read! Strongly recommended!!!

In _The Russian Hill Murderss_, Tallman's Sarah Woolson has several cases to solve: who is responsible for the accidntal death of Lily Mankin's husband? who is responsible for four (seemingly unrelated) murders, and how will the intrepid Ms. Woolson manage to free her client - a fiesty, wholly unpleasant and generally cantankerous Chinese cook - accused of two of the killings? While involved in such serious business, Ms. Woolson must also combat the social expectations (and limitations) placed on women in the mid- 19th century: a mother who wants to marry her off, a boss who wants her fired (the law is, after all, almost exclusively a male domain), and others underestimating her intelligence, pluck, courage and resolve.

While I truly enjoyed the story and the reappearance of characters introduced in Tallman's first novel, _Murder on Nob Hill_, I didn't think it was as good as her earlier work. The climatic unveiling of the REAL killer in a court-room seemed a bit melodramatic for me, and the way in which "loose ends" were tied up seemed a bit contrived and forced. But don't let this discourage you from reading _The Russian Hill Murders_. Tallman is a wonderful writer, and I look forward to seeing more of her work.