This was a readable book but lacking in a few aspects . The idea of the book and the mystery element were really good but it just fell short for me in parts which cut my overall enjoyment

Written from multiple points of view, The Secret in the Wall is a top-notch historical cozy mystery. The author balanced those points of view so that they made sense and always furthered the plot line. Parker has an excellent grasp of her characters and writes each with their own distinct voice that clearly defines them.

I loved the historical references and the backstory about the US Mint in San Francisco and Alcatraz Island. Those details blended in perfectly and added the ambience needed to immerse the reader in the story. And the story, that moved steadily forward at a deliberate pace that built suspense as it progressed. Even what appeared to be a side story about the protagonist’s ward and a new friend was woven into the main story seamlessly until the two plots converged in a tension-packed finale. Terribly fun reading, especially if you love historical fiction.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. The beginning got me quite intrigued but I found that it really did drag on. I enjoyed the adventures of the girls and the whole mystery, which I won’t give away here. I continually wanted to go to the end to see what happens. For me, I like a bit more adventure in my mystery. I received this as an ARC and freely give my review.

This mystery was interesting because of the San Francisco setting, but it was lackluster in characters and plot. Thank you for the opportunity.

I didn't love this entirely. The premise and set up were interesting but the story felt kind of flat in places for me. The characters were good but they weren't really helped by the writing and i think if that had been better perhaps they could've been a bit more interesting to follow.

Loved it, well researched, This is a historical cozy set in San Francisco in the late 19th century. When renovations on the house uncover a skeleton and a fortune in gold coins hidden in a wall. There are soon murders, mistaken identities, betrayals, theft, spies, on top of the mysterious skeleton in the wall

This is the second book I read in this series and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a well plotted and gripping historical cozy mystery, an enjoyable and solid mystery.
Good character and plot development, a mystery that kept me guessing.
The historical background is well researched and vivid.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Secret in the Wall is the 8th Silver Rush cozy mystery by Ann Parker. Released 15th Feb 2022 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 400 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a solidly plotted, character driven historical cozy set in San Francisco in the late 19th century. Main protagonist Inez Stannart is a financial partner in a boarding house venture when renovations on the house uncover a skeleton and a fortune in gold coins hidden in a wall. There are soon murders, mistaken identities, betrayals, theft, spies, and more skullduggery piling on top of the mysterious skeleton in the wall. The buildup and resolution/denouement were a bit more sombre than is usual for cozy mysteries, but still well done and satisfying.

There is no very explicit on page content. The language is slightly salty, especially for the time period and the fact that this is a historical cozy. One of the murders is quite gory, but the violence occurs off-page and is not written objectionably. Despite being the 8th book in the series, it works perfectly well as a standalone self-contained mystery. The author is adept at giving necessary back-story without info dumping or spoon feeding readers.

Four stars. Engaging and worth a look for fans of historical cozies.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Inez Stannert and her ward Antonia have moved from Colorado to San Francisco in this 8th book in the Silver Rush Mysteries. Inez owns D&S House of Music and Oriental Curiosities and she invests in businesses run by women like Moira Krause’s and her boardinghouse. They have purchased the joined home next to her existing property and Moira hopes to be able to double the number of tenants she can host. Moira insisted on a special ceremony to complete the sale and knock the wall that will connect the two properties but the event didn’t quite go as planned. When the sledgehammer broke through the wall a skeleton and a bag of gold coins cascaded out of the wall. When the authorities put all their attention on the coins Inez decides to investigate the body. Why would someone hide a body within the walls? What secret was that person hiding? Working with a PI from her past they try to get the answers before it is too late.

I first have to say this is the 8th book in the series and the first I have read but I escaped right into it very easily. The author gives enough backstory for new readers to understand the characters and their relationships without giving away too much that would deter those readers from going back and reading the previous books.

Inez Stannert is a unique individual, especially for a woman in the late 1800s. Savvy and street smart she makes herself at home with men and women alike. She is respected and driven to help others to succeed. She is also is doing her best to raise a strong-willed pre-teen ward who tests her a lot in this story. I really enjoyed the young amateur sleuths of Antonia and Moira’s daughter Charlotte and their scheming ways to spend time together to search the Treasure House. I really felt for Antonia when she made a horrific discovery and did her best to keep a stiff upper lip when you know a 12-year-old should never have to see such a thing even back in the 1800s. All of Ms. Parker’s characters are dynamically written with multiple layers some of which are kept well hidden or slowly revealed.

The mystery the author wrapped her characters in was so well-plotted laced with well-referenced historical facts of California’s part in the Civil War. It really brings an authentic feel to the book and the secrets many people were holding. Moira’s boardinghouse and the house next door were right in the middle of so much of that history. The discoveries made by Inez and the girls were so enveloping. Ms. Parker really brought the place to life with her descriptive style. I truly felt as if I was taking each step right along with the characters. I could also tell she weighed each word to make sure they presented each scene perfectly.

Ann Parker takes her readers on quite an adventure in The Secret in the Wall. If you like historical mysteries I think you would enjoy this story and encourage you to pick it up. I also think the author would have no trouble creating a young adult series featuring Antonia. She is a character that I would love to keep reading about. That girl could have a wild future.

The Secret in the Wall is the eighth entry in Ms. Parker’s Silver Rush series of historical mysteries. It is published by my favorite Poisoned Pen, an excellent source of mystery fiction.

Readers (re)meet Inez Stannert, an independent woman, who has had an adventurous life. In this entry, Inez begins caring for Antonia whose mother has died. Antonia is not an easy young lady to parent as Inez discovers.

And, of course, more happens in this story. How about a dead body? How about a packet of gold coins? Who is the victim? What happened? Why? Pick this one up to find out.

Those who enjoy historical mysteries should give this one a look. I enjoyed it and will look to read others in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This was really good. I had no idea this book was part of a series when I started reading, and once I finished, I was eager to get my hands on Inez Stannert’s other adventures.

Inez is a terrific protagonist: a successful businesswoman running a music school, and also lending money to other women to start their own businesses, and who has a history of investigating.

She is observant, curious (though not as observant as she needs to be with her young charge, Antonia in this book) comfortable with numerous types of people and situations, and not terribly conservative, unlike the woman, Moira, whom she goes into business with at the book’s outset. They’ve just gotten access to the other side of the house that Moira has bought with Inez’s loan, so Moira can expand her rooming house.

When breaking down a wall separating the two joined houses, they discover a dead man with a sack full of gold coins. The more Inez digs into the man’s potential identity and the origin of the coins, things get tenser between her and Moira, with Antonia and Moira’s daughter Charlotte getting into trouble together exploring the now accessible house in the hope of finding more what they think is pirate treasure. And stumbling upon a murder.

I liked the way the author’s prose flowed, as well as a picture she drew of San Francisco near the turn of the century. The mystery drew on the messy history of the Confederate war against the country, with family loyalties and relationships becoming stressed and torn, and how this affected people in San Francisco then, and for years after.

Parts of this mystery were pretty easy to figure out, and I had a good time guessing other parts. I hope there are more books coming in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I struggled to get into this book and after a few attempts and chapters I decided to put it down. It was a little too slow and I couldn't connect to the characters. The initial synopsis was so intriguing but it didn't takeoff like I expected it to. Thank you to netgalley and the Poisoned pen press for this eARC and the opportunity for me to read in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.
In all honesty I did not finish this book. I was originally intrigued by the synopsis but had a very hard time getting into the story. I was curious about the mystery but the story felt slow. I also didn't really connect with the characters .

The secret in the wall by Ann Parker.
Silver Rush Mysteries Book 8.
Inez Stannert has reinvented herself—again. Fleeing the comfort and wealth of her East Coast upbringing, she became a saloon owner and card sharp in the rough silver boomtown of Leadville, Colorado, always favoring the unconventional path—a difficult road for a woman in the late 1800s.
A good read with some good characters. Likeable story. Bit slow but readable. 3*.

The Secret In The Wall is the eighth book in the Silver Rush Mysteries series by Ann Parker.

I’ve read all the books in this beautiful series and have to say this is the best so far.

San Francisco 1882

Inez Stannert manages the D&S House of Music and Curiosities and will, from time to time, financially help female businesswomen. In this book, Inez goes into partnership with Moira Krause to let Krause purchase the building next to her’s so Krause can expand her boarding room business. After the papers are signed, Krause has one of her boarders take a sledgehammer to the shared wall between the two kitchens to combine both buildings.

When the bricks start to fall from the wall, a skeleton appears in the debris. Also found are some tattered remains of clothing and a bag of uncirculated double eagle gold coins. Inez’s challenge is to find out whose remains have been found and who will be able to claim the gold coins. Inez’s investigation will have her look into the original owner and his brother and whether they connected to the Civil War. Inez’s searching will take her to Alcatraz Island, where she will hope to find the final piece to the puzzle.

For me, the highlight of this book was the part of Inez’s ward, 12-year-old Antonia plays. Antonia is a younger image of Inez in that she is highly independent and curious. Antonia enjoys visiting the wharves and imagining the ships are crewed by pirates and wonder they might be off to the next.

When the body is found, Antonia meets Moira’s daughter Charlotte. The two feel that the original owners were probably pirates. Antonia enjoys sharing her pirate stories with Charlotte. When Charlotte finds a secret passage, she tells Antonia, and they plan that Charlotte needs help with her fractions and that Antonia should spend the night. They will work on the fractions, but they will also explore the hidden passage and soon find a secret room. Items they find there will help Inez with her investigation when she finally learns of the items.

This book tells a wonderful story and is well-written and plotted. There were enough red herrings that I kept guessing until the end of the book as to the killer's identity.
The characters are well-developed and believable. Many of the characters I would like to call my friend.

I will be looking forward to the next book in this exciting series.

When Inez Stannert agreed to help Moria Krause purchased the house next door to her boarding house, she had no idea that the house came with a skeleton hidden in the walls and a hidden room full of secrets that date back to the Civil War. Not long after the skeleton is discovered, the locksmith who was tasked with the upkeep by the home's original owner is found murdered on the back porch. Inez woks with private detective Wolter Roeland de Bruijn to identify the skeleton and trace the bag of gold coins found alongside him. Meanwhile, Inez's ward, Antonia, teams up with Moria Krause's daughter to do some nocturnal investigating of the mysterious house.

I have been a fan of the Silver Rush series since the beginning, but I just haven't warmed up to the last few books as much as the earlier ones. I feel like something was lost when Inez gave up her saloon in Leadville, Colorado, and moved to San Francisco. The music store is much more genteel and San Francisco, while still rough and tumble, lacks the grittiness of the mining town. Inez also lost part of her personality along the way, and I just don't care for her as much as I used to. That being said, THE SECRET IN THE WALL is an enjoyable read. Despite a slow start, there were numerous twists and turns that kept me turning the page. The dual investigations conducted Inez and Antonia allow them discover different facts. My only issue with the novel was Charlotte Krause. She was unbearable.

(2.75)

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!

The Secrets in the Wall by Ann Parker is a thrilling novel set in the 1800s. The main character of the story, Inez, moves to San Francisco from Colorado. While she is working at her self-owned music store, she acquires the property right next to hers in hopes of tearing the wall down and connecting the two places.
When Inez is breaking it down, there is a skeleton and some bags of gold coins that fall out from inside the wall. And everything starts to fall into place.

This book is full of secrets and hidden architecture, which is cool, but what I didn’t find interesting was the type of mystery this book follows.

I usually read into the description/synopsis of a book before requesting the title of course, and I am not sure if I just missed that on this book or what, because I typically would not read a historical type of mystery. It’s just not my thing.

The reason I can never get into them is for the simple fact that a lot of the time the book reads boring; too much detail on the timeline and not enough on the storyline. I did feel that way with this book too, it was just super slow and in my opinion, not as entertaining as a mystery or thriller that is written in a time period closer to present.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The 8th book in the “Silver Rush” series, and the first I read.
Inez Stannert offers financial assistance to a women in business, she helps Moira Krause, boardinghouse owner, to buy the house next door to expand her business. Right after the official document signing, a hammer gets swung to start the opening of the wall between the 2 houses and out tumbles a body, and bag filled with gold coins.
Pirates, treasure, maps, keys, mystery, war, …. A story that has it all. I love the twists and turns, and Antonia (Inez ward) is strong willed but has a keen sense of adventure and I enjoyed her reasonings.
Looking forward to reading the previous books in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an early read.

I'm a lover of historical mysteries and this series of eight books is on my list. The earlier books took place in Colorado and now Inez Stannert lives in San Fransisco. It's 1882 and she and her friend, Moira Krause have bought the twin house that shares a wall with Moira's boarding house. The women intend to break through the wall of the pantry making it possible to enlarge the boardinghouse. Who would have imagined that all of 12 year old Antonia's talk about pirates and hidden treasure would become a real mystery dropped at their feet. Literally. That's just the first chapter and from then on to the last page I was hooked.
Inez is a woman who has a music store, D & S House of Music and Oriental Curiosities. She also lends money to women seeking to grown a business. Along the way she also solves mysteries. As she waits for the wall to be broken down she muses that she hopes there won't be any rats. "She shuddered and sincerely hoped not. Murderers, con men, lunatics, and thieves, she could and had faced many such without blinking. But sharp toothed rodents were a different matter." Now she faces a twenty year old skeleton with a glass eye and a bag of gold coins. Oh my!
The setting of San Fransisco is done in great detail and I was fascinated with the Civil War connection. It's one of the reasons I enjoy historical mysteries - I not only get a good puzzle to try and solve but I get a history lesson, as well. This entry to the series had it all. Inez is a very well drawn character and she speaks her mind and gets things done.
My thanks to the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review

Inez Stannert has fully established herself in her San Francisco music store, though her thoughts are often less on that establishment nowadays than on her side venture giving small loans to local businesswomen. Her latest investment has been in Moira Krause, the hard-working if superstitious boarding house owner who wants to expand to the empty property with which her establishment shares a wall. Determined and ambitious but also kind, Moira is exactly the kind of person Inez wants to help succeed.

Their business relationship is further strengthened by the fact that they're both the sole caretakers for young girls of similar ages, Moira's daughter Charlotte and Inez' ward Antonia. The girls' fast friendship entails not only the schoolwork help of which their guardians approve, but also whispered stories of pirates and adventure. Antonia, especially, longs for a far more interesting life than the one she currently leads as a respectable young girl in late 20th century America:

QUOTE
Since she'd started reading <i>Treasure Island</i>, she couldn't stop thinking what it'd be like to find a secret treasure map, hop aboard a ship like the <i>Hispaniola</i>, and sail off to an island where she could fight the bad pirates, befriend the good pirates, and uncover a chest with doubloons or pieces of eight.

But that would never happen. She sighed into the cool, salt-laden city air. Girls didn't have adventures like that. Heck, boys didn't have adventures like that, except in books.
END QUOTE

To Antonia's great delight, what should be the happy, if somewhat staid occasion of celebrating the purchase of the Krause's neighboring property is enlivened by the discovery of a skeleton in the wall they're tearing down in order to connect the buildings. Even more intriguingly, the skeleton is clutching a bag filled with gold. This thoroughly captures the young girls' imaginations, leading them to perhaps more adventure than they ever bargained for.

Moira and Inez are certainly not as thrilled as their children are by any of these developments. The caretaker of the property was already being difficult about handing over the keys, and now wants to take legal action to rescind the sale altogether after this discovery. Inez is determined not to lose her investment, so begins to investigate in order to find out who the dead person could have been and what they were doing with such a substantial sum of money. But when a fresh corpse is found outside the property, she'll have to consider whether the dead man's secrets are worth risking not only her life but her beloved Antonia's.

Inez' devotion to the young girl she's raising as her own is one of her best qualities, even if, as with other parents of the time, she isn't the most demonstrative. Though she wants to comfort a troubled Antonia, she allows her ward to cut short an important conversation:

QUOTE
"I gotta go or I'm gonna be late for school."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" She wanted to give the girl a hug, tell her that all would soon return to normal. That she would protect and care for Antonia with every fiber of her being. That she would always be there for her. Instead, she smoothed and straightened Antonia's collar with a gentle hand before moving aside and opening the door. "I'll see you after school," she repeated and watched Antonia clatter down the stairs and out the street-level door.
END QUOTE

This engaging mystery has readers traveling virtually all through 1880s San Francisco with Inez and Antonia, from Chinatown to Alcatraz and Russian Hill, as our heroines individually and together seek to get to the bottom of the mystery of the long dead skeleton and his much more recent counterpart in death. Incorporating actual historical events with the fictional proceedings makes for a thoroughly engrossing, believable novel with a unique villain and relatable leads. Though this was the eighth book in the series, I had no trouble whatsoever familiarizing myself with the cast and their stories as someone brand new to these books. This is a great jumping on point for a historical mystery series with strong female leads that promises more intrigue to come in the future!