I've followed Inez Stannert's path from the very first Silver Rush book, Silver Lies. It's a life that has been anything but ordinary and has had more than its share of surprises along the way. It's always a pleasure to see a favored series get stronger with each book, and I'm happy to say that The Secret in the Wall is the best Silver Rush mystery yet. I mean, who doesn't like a mystery that has a skeleton behind the wall, a bag of gold coins, secret passages, secret staircases, and secret rooms? And I haven't even mentioned Alcatraz yet!

Parker always does an excellent job of weaving historical facts into her mysteries, and this time she has the American Civil War and California's part in it to work with. It may be the 1880s, but The Secret in the Wall proves that the Civil War and all its conflict is bubbling away, barely beneath the surface.

What put the smile on my face and raised the enjoyment factor of reading this book tenfold was Inez's ward, teenage Antonia. The daughter of a murdered prostitute, Antonia was left to her own devices until taken in by Inez. Antonia chafes under any sort of authority, and the only reason why she puts up supervision from Inez is that she does respect the older woman. Inez is finding it difficult to keep Antonia on a solid path because she doesn't want to break the girl's amazing spirit. Inez had enough of that herself growing up in a wealthy family on the East Coast. Antonia seems to go out of her way to do the opposite of what she's told, and this only proves that Inez is trying to raise a fiercely independent younger copy of herself.

In The Secret in the Wall, Antonia makes a new friend, and since the new friend lives right next door to where the body in the wall was found, Antonia wants to have a lot of sleepovers at her new friend's house so they can sneak over to explore next-door's secret rooms and passageways. The young girls' investigations mirror Inez's with possibly grave consequences. It's amazing to me how Parker has created a character who exasperates me to no end yet still makes me laugh. Suffice it to say, when Antonia wasn't making me mentally rip my hair out, I was having the time of my life creeping around a derelict house with her in the wee hours of the morning.

And if you're in the mood for some fun in 1880s San Francisco, I strongly recommend joining Inez and Antonia in The Secret in the Wall.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

Oh what a book! This was everything I loved! Secrets! Bodies! Skeletons! In the walls! All of the above!!

This was a riveting read! Go ahead and recommend this to friends who don’t care about sleep, because this will definitely keep them up at night.

“The Secret in the Wall” (Silver Rush #8)
By: Ann Parker

Great Surprise Twist on Mystery Motive

What a surprise for two new building owners when they begin renovations and a long-dead body and a bag of gold fall from a torn-down wall.

Thus begins the mysterious shenanigans and perilous pursuits in Ann Parker’s 8th installment of her Silver Rush Series, “The Secret in the Wall.”

For the grownup Nancy Drews and Hardy Boys in all of us that enjoy laugh-out-loud cozy mysteries that are fun, yet with adult aspects as well, “The Secret in the Wall” is a terrific read.

From ghostly nocturnal noises that go bump in the night; to two mischievous little girls with a nose for sleuthing; hundreds of US gold Eagle coins yet to be claimed; and mysterious break-ins— all in 1880s San Francisco—"The Secret in The Wall” has more interesting secrets than those in the wall.

Without giving away the unexpected conclusion, Author Ann Parker does a terrific job in building this intriguing story with facts that are totally unexpected in this fascinating mystery.

I was completely intrigued by the ending that has links to the War Between the States—that is indeed unexpected since the story is set in California—not a state one typically associates with that particular event.

For a page-turning cozy mystery that has a unique plot twist, “The Secret in Wall” is a fun choice.

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The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs

REVIEWER: J.Hunt
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Secret in the Wall” (Silver Rush Series #8)
Author: Ann Parker
Genre: | Mysteries & Thrillers | Historical Fiction
Publication Date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: Poison Pen Press

With Sincerest Appreciation to NetGalley, Author Ann Parker, and Publisher Poison Pen Press for Providing this Advance Reader’s Copy for Review.

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once I get going on requesting ARC's, I admit that I can carried away. As I result, I sometimes request books that sound great (and sometimes are) but realized in hindsight that it's not one I'm liable to read. Maybe the title reminded me a bit of my Nancy Drew (a favorite second only to Trixie Beldon) because I completely missed the fact that it's far from the first book in a series, one that by all appearances seems quite good, but not enough of a 'my kind of read' to go back and check out all the others. Can be read as a standalone, which is a perk in its favor, as is the fact that it's a pretty solid historical mystery that evokes a realistic sense of time and place.

The eighth in the Silver Rush Mystery series. Inez Stannert has reinvented herself once again, successfully so, and another adventure awaits, awash with twists and turns, a well drawn cast of characters.

A body in a wall! And a bag of coins! The even entrepreneurial Inez has bought a house with Moira and the renovation, well, it opens up a can of worms that Inez finds she must investigate. It's the late 1880s and Inez is still trying to cope with her at times difficult ward Antonia. Antonia decides she too will probe the mystery along with her friend Charlotte, who is Moira's daughter. All bets are off in San Francisco during this period and know that events of the past are critical. I've only read a few books in the series and have enjoyed them for the strong female protagonist in Inez, whose life has taken many turns. This latest will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

This book was so different and I loved it. It took me a little while to get through as the first half was a little slow for me, but after getting through it, I really enjoyed the experience.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

This isn't my usual cup of tea book however I loved it and I needed something to get out of my comfort zone.

Set in the late 1800s San Francisco, The Secret in the Wall is an entertaining mystery featuring a feisty female amateur sleuth, slivers of romance, murder, two young and inquisitive girls, gold coins, a skeleton and Alcatraz. What a stellar combination! And that cover...sigh...

Mrs. Inez Stannert is a bright business woman who doesn't mind getting her hands dirty with solving mysteries. She is guardian to unabashed Antonia (who is friends with younger Charlotte). She has skeletons in her closet and is shocked to discover a real life (but very dead) skeleton in the wall between her building and that of Moira. She and Wolter de Bruijn do some digging into the death and gold coins from the San Francisco Mint found with the Confederate's remains. But the skeleton isn't the only discovery.

My favourite aspect of this book are the historical details and the idea of finding hidden treasures. Learning more about San Francisco and Alcatraz (I'm a fan!) was riveting. If you like Historical Fiction with mysteries, do try this charmer.

My sincere thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book in the series. I look forward to the next!

This book drew me in with its title, reminiscent of a vintage Nancy Drew adventure. The narrative and plotline, however, did not deliver enough to sustain my interest. It wasn't clear from the outset that this book was part of a series and, while it can serve as a stand-alone story, the thin character development underscores the importance of having more to draw from to feel invested in Inez and her sleuthing sidekicks. Parker relies heavily on telling vs. showing, and her wordy descriptions often meander astray from their point or furthering the story. The sense of place here is sound, from a geographic and historical accuracy standpoint, but again, the writing lacks the magic to immerse the reader in the setting. The mystery itself wasn't particularly compelling or cleverly layered - and the tone was neither charming enough to fit the cozy genre nor hardboiled enough for a western. I love it when I pick up a series book and immediately want to read more installments, and unfortunately this book did not pique my interest in exploring further.

I received a digital pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting read. I did not realize it was part of series or I may have started with the previous books but it was still worth the read.

With a slow, steady build, the reader is treated to a story that encompasses life in San Francisco in the early 1800’s, a brief foray onto Alcatraz, and a decades old murder that is uncovered when a wall is torn down, revealing a skeleton and a bag of gold coins. In The Secret in the Wall, Ann Parker has created a story that from the adult point of view is one of murder, treason, and stolen money. This same story, as seen through the eyes of two impressionable young girls, becomes one of pirates, hidden treasure, and a house full of secret passages and hidden rooms.

In this, the eighth book in the Silver Rush Mysteries series, Parker has done extensive research into the San Francisco Mint, the use of Alcatraz as a prison for Confederate sympathizers, and the efforts women have to exert in order to succeed in the world as independent individuals. In addition to that story which is on an adult level, there are two young girls who uncover some of the clues and spin a story of pirates, treasure, and adventure to be had all in a building next door to the one in which one of them lives.

While the book is definitely one for adults, with some minor tweaking the story of the two girls, Antonia and Charlotte could become a YA novel full of adventure and youthful exploration. The two parts mesh well into one story, with each “investigation” yielding information that would be helpful to the other if they were ever to realize they were involved in the same investigation. That adds a bit of tension throughout the book as Parker moves from one investigation to the other.

This is the eighth in the series, and, while enjoyable, the reader would definitely benefit from reading at least some of the previous books in the series in order to get a better understanding of the character’s back stories both personally and between each other. The mystery itself stands alone, but Parker alludes to prior activities between some of the characters which leave the reader with some questions as to the extent of their relationships.

The characters are well developed and interesting, although some of that development has occurred in earlier books in the series which leaves a first-time reader to the series feeling a little as if they are playing catch-up. If this is a historical period that appeals to you, you may fully expect to go back to books earlier in the series and read them after finishing this one.

I appreciate the advanced read book I received from Poisoned Pen Press which enabled me to provide an unbiased review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

To start, had I realized this book was part of a series, I wouldn't have started it until I read the ones prior to it. I had a hard time getting into it. The story itself was interesting but it didn't really reach out and grab me. I love that the main character, Mrs. Inez Stannert is an independent woman of means who has taken in a child (Antonia) after her mother is murdered. I respect the storyline that makes Inez a business woman but also as a sleuth of sorts.

The story begins with Inez buying a home with the intention of expanding a boarding house attached to it, owned by another woman, Moira Krause. A body buried in the wall, gold and a secret room leads not only Inez to try to discover who that body is and how it came to be buried in the wall but also sends her ward, Antonia, on a treasure hunt.

The story takes place in San Francisco and a quick jaunt to Alcatraz, which I did find interesting.

All in all, not a bad book. I found the writing done well and the storyline good. I like a book that I can't put down and this one I could.

Murder, mystery, and secret pathways! I was intrigued by the story of Inez Strannert and the purchase of a boardinghouse with her cohort, Moira in San Francisco in the late 1800’s. When Inez decides to buy the home with Moira, they want to break down a wall so that both of their boardinghouses would be conjoined, but as they start tearing down the wall, they discover a body and a fortune of gold. As they search for the identity of the body, their two girls Antonia and Charlotte start to explore the houses and find interesting doors and pathways to areas the adults don’t even know about it! The story is pleasant and one of a mystery where they are attempting to find who committed these acts. It was a fun read and definitely one for the mystery readers to enjoy.

Original rating: 3.5 ⭐

I was concerned whether I'll have to read the previous books in the series but I'm glad this works well as a standalone if you don't want to read all the books.

I liked the storyline, the plot, the characters and the setting although I'm very curious as to how come everything was just 1-2 blocks away from Inez's store. I'm not very familiar with San Francisco's layout from back then or even now so I'll have to look into it.

The mysterious element was written very well and keeps you hooked but I've to say it was very predictable. None of the intended twists and turns surprised me in the least except maybe the locksmith murder.

I didn't like the very heavy-handed way of the author leading us towards Inez (and even Antonioa who's just a 12-year-old I should add) are "not like other girls".

It also comes with a heavy dose of sexism which is to be expected from historical fiction.

There was also an instance of cross dressing regarding a particular side character that rubbed me the wrong way.

Nonetheless, it was still enjoyable and if you don't mind predictable plots and want to start reading mystery/thriller books, you can start with this one.

The book had interesting characters and kept the reader wanting to know about the rooms and treasures. A great vintage mystery to pass the time with. This is full of hidden rooms and secret hallways. The author clearly has an impressive knowledge and understanding of San Francisco during the 1880s. This is a very good Historical Mystery that has been delivered with skill and style by the author.

The author clearly has an impressive knowledge and understanding of San Francisco during the 1880s. I found the story to be fascinating and the writing to be immersive. This book stands on its own, without having read the previous books in the series. This is book 8. I am quite impressed with Inez, our female lead. The story leads us through lots of twists and a few edge of the seat moments especially involving Inez's ward Antonia and her friend Charlotte. This is a very good Historical Mystery that has been delivered with skill and style by the author. As a lover of historical fiction and mysteries, I will be starting at book one and enjoying the full experience of the series.
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the Arc.

This one did not work for me. The characters did not do much and the whole plotline is gory and overall lousy. Thanks for the copy netgalley!

Do you remember Nancy Drew? The Secret in the Wall, is a flashback to my childhood when I used to sit up under the covers late at night with a flash light.

Ann Parker, packed this book with twists and turns at every corner . I loved the little hidden hallways and secret rooms. The whole plot had such a spooky vibe and I was into it!

This was a great murder mystery that captivates your attention early on. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. I also think that this could be read by a wide age range of readers as it is not all too graphic or sexual.

I would recommend this novel to those who love a spooky murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end!

I have not read any of the previous books in the series, this is number 8, but this is a stand alone book. It's an interesting look at San Francisco in the late 1800s and how women had to not only work in a mans world, but how they were treated. And how kids were taken as just that- kids. It takes you a few chapters to get in the right frame of thought where you're understanding the idea of women owning property was rare and if they did it was a boardinghouse, or business fronted by men. Once there, then it's easy to put yourself into the story. It's part treasure hunt, part mystery, and part detective story, which adds up to an enjoyable read! If you like historial mysteries, this will be one you'll love !