I really like the characters in this series. This was a mystery that just kept becoming more complicated which kept me reading. I felt like the solution to the mystery was a little forced, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. ( )

historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, law-enforcement, museum, mystery, Philadelphia

I thought that minor archaeology in Philadelphia would be interesting in a mystery. Imagine my absolute delight in finding more than just a paved over cemetery (think of the discovery of King Richard under a British car park) but a pair of bodies and a host of beautiful brass canons commissioned by King George but never used in the American Revolution! Excellent story based in my other addiction (museums/books). The plot is ingenious and involves museum professionals, a construction manager, an FBI agent, and local law enforcement! The characters are all interesting and well developed, the imagery clear. I devoured it in one sitting! What else would you expect from a former Rev War reenactor?
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )

Digging Up History is the eight book(plus one novella). in the A Museum Mystery series.

I am so excited that this informative series has found a new publisher. I love historical mysteries and even though this isn’t a historical series the author skillfully weaves in historical events in and around Philadelphia into the stories.

Nell is busy putting together the financial spreadsheets for the upcoming board of directors meeting of the Society for the Preservation of Pennsylvania Antiquities when her summer intern, Dylan Robertson, presents her with an interesting project. While cataloging the recent collection of books from the estate of Harriet Featherstone, he finds a book from the 18th century that has been rebound and a piece of paper was used as stuffing when it was rebound. The paper is carefully removed and it appears to be a map with some writing but with its age when much of the ink has faded. Nell asks her partner, James, an FBI agent, if his office could enhance the page so that they will be able to read what is on the page. It turns out to be a map showing piers near the Delaware River which they speculate was drawn in the mid-1700s. A former member of the board and a friend of Nell’s, Marty, familiar with the area as she had family that lived in the area. Marty relates to Nell that when she was a child, she and one of her playmates had crawled into a hole in one of the houses and saw a dead body and they made a quick retreat and never told anyone of their find. As Nell, Marty, and Dylan are about to visit the area depicted on the map when Marty get a call from a family friend and developer, Barney. As Barney’s company was preparing to develop the property they start turning over bones and parts of coffins. Before it is all over, Nell and her team have found a cemetery that has been forgotten for nearly two centuries. They also find the house that Marty remembered from her childhood and find that there are actually two bodies and cache of British brass cannons in the basement of the house. With what they have found, Nell is sure that the Society will be able to get some great publicity from the find if they can learn more about the cemetery and what was found in the long-abandoned house.

Another well-plotted and told story from Ms. Connolly. There are plenty of twists and turns and I was kept guessing till the end.

I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. ( )