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P. B. Ryan

Author of Still Life with Murder

45+ Works 2,982 Members 84 Reviews

About the Author

Disambiguation Notice:

Patricia Burford Ryan writes romance novels as Patricia Ryan, mystery novels as P.B. Ryan and erotica novels as Louisa Burton. She is the twin sister of Pamela Burford Loeser (Pamela Burford).

Series

Works by P. B. Ryan

Still Life with Murder (2003) 823 copies
Murder in a Mill Town (2004) 201 copies
Silken Threads (1999) 191 copies
Naughty or Nice? Four Novellas (2001) — Author — 184 copies
Death on Beacon Hill (2005) 178 copies
Murder on Black Friday (2005) 155 copies
Murder in the North End (2006) 144 copies
A Bucket of Ashes (2007) 137 copies
House of Dark Delights (2007) 123 copies
Heaven's Fire (1996) 101 copies
The Sun and the Moon (2000) 93 copies
Falcon's Fire (1995) 76 copies
Burning Up: Tales of Erotic Romance (2003) — Contributor — 66 copies
Hale's Point (2012) 63 copies
Bound in Moonlight (2007) 61 copies
Secret Thunder (1997) 49 copies
Wild Wind (1997) 48 copies
Whispers of the Flesh (2008) 38 copies
Shelter from the Storm (2010) 29 copies
In the Garden of Sin (2009) 26 copies
A Burning Touch (1995) 20 copies
The Black Sheep (2012) 19 copies
All of Me (2000) 16 copies
Million Dollar Baby (2000) 15 copies
A Fatal Four-Pack (2013) 15 copies
In Hot Pursuit (1998) 13 copies
For the Thrill of It (1996) 10 copies
My Best Friend's Girl (2016) 9 copies
Pure and Simple (2012) — Author — 7 copies
Twice the Spice (1997) 7 copies
Bodyguards Boxed Set (2013) 6 copies
Windswept (2014) 6 copies
Bad Boy Heroes Boxed Set (2013) — Contributor — 5 copies
Summer Heat (1998) 4 copies
Wounded Heroes Boxed Set (2013) 4 copies
Rising Tide (2015) 3 copies
Omega 1 copy
Sündiger Mond (2011) 1 copy

Associated Works

Ten Shades of Sexy Sampler (2012) — Contributor — 80 copies
The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance (2011) — Contributor — 35 copies
Marriage of Convenience Boxed Set (2013) — Contributor — 16 copies
Reunion Boxed Set (2013) — Contributor — 7 copies

Tagged

1860s (16) 19th century (34) American (15) anthology (36) Boston (120) Civil War (17) contemporary romance (16) cozy (14) cozy mystery (15) ebook (163) England (19) erotic (13) erotica (57) fantasy (27) fiction (194) freebie (15) Gilded Age (55) Gilded Age Mystery (23) governess (46) historical (96) historical fiction (106) historical mystery (112) historical romance (61) Kindle (160) Massachusetts (20) medieval (43) murder (14) mystery (299) Nell Sweeney (51) nook (27) own (21) post Civil War (15) read (34) read in 2011 (12) read in 2012 (17) romance (140) series (58) to-read (384) unread (14) Victorian (19)

Common Knowledge

Legal name
Ryan, Patricia Burford
Other names
Ryan, Patricia
Burton, Louisa
Birthdate
1954-08-09
Gender
female
Nationality
USA
Places of residence
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
New York, New York, USA
Rochester, New York, USA
Occupations
novelist
Relationships
Burford, Pamela (twin sister)
Disambiguation notice
Patricia Burford Ryan writes romance novels as Patricia Ryan, mystery novels as P.B. Ryan and erotica novels as Louisa Burton. She is the twin sister of Pamela Burford Loeser (Pamela Burford).

Members

Reviews

We are introduced to Nell Sweeney who finds herself a governess for a child she helped birth. It is a wealthy family in Boston. The mistress learns that her son that she was told had died during the Civil War was alive and accused of murder. She sends Nell to find her son and to help get the truth. She learns that this son is the father of the child she is helping to raise and that this son is innocent. A good read.
 
Flagged
bentstoker | Jan 26, 2024 |
I found the historical fiction in this mystery to be particularly good -- of course, it is set in Boston which increased its interest for me!
The mystery was good, with a nice twist.
 
Flagged
leslie.98 | 34 other reviews | Jun 27, 2023 |
Murder on Black Friday
4 Stars

Following the 1869 gold market crash, Dr. William Hewitt and Nell Sweeney investigate the apparent suicides of two prominent Bostonians. An examination of the bodies reveals that at least one was murdered, and the investigation into the suspicious death exposes the secrets that many would kill to keep hidden.

An intriguing mystery with one of the most contemptible victims I have come across in this genre. Although it is possible to figure out the culprit and motivation, the journey toward the revelations is very compelling, and Ryan is very adept at bringing her characters to life within a limited number of pages.

Nell and Will's relationship comes to a crossroad and each must make a choice that will change their lives forever. The strength of their feelings for each other is palpable, but the obstacles to their future are significant. It will be interesting to see the direction in which Ryan takes these characters.

In sum, a short yet enjoyable read and I am eager to accompany Nell on her next investigation.
… (more)
 
Flagged
Lauren2013 | 5 other reviews | May 5, 2023 |
A Bucket of Ashes
4 Stars

Nell Sweeney's amateur sleuthing comes to a satisfying, if rather short, end as this final installment in the series is actually a novella.

While Nell does become involved in a case, the investigation takes a back seat to the developments and ultimate resolution of her complex relationship with Will Hewitt. Suffice it to say that everything is wrapped up neatly and fans of their romance will not be disappointed.

The minor mystery revolves around the discovery of a dead body in a burned-out barn, which soon turns out to be that of Nell's long-lost brother, Jamie. Nell sets out to learn the truth surrounding the crime of which he was accused and may have contributed to his death.

In sum, the Nell Sweeney series is a wonderful cozy style historical mystery with a touch of action and lovely romance. Highly recommended.
… (more)
 
Flagged
Lauren2013 | 5 other reviews | May 5, 2023 |

Lists

Awards

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Statistics

Works
45
Also by
4
Members
2,982
Popularity
#8,556
Rating
½ 3.7
Reviews
84
ISBNs
91
Languages
4

Charts & Graphs