Dead End Street

Museum #7

by Sheila Connolly

The New York Times bestselling author of Privy to the Dead returns to Philadelphia for more history—and a chilling mystery . . .
 
When the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society discovers it owns some unique real estate, a deadly plot unfolds . . .
 
Society president Nell Pratt believes life is finally going her way. Everything’s running smoothly at work, and her love life is thriving. Then some unexpected news rocks her foundation. Two members of a local neighborhood rescue program, Tyrone Blakeney and Cherisse Chapman, inform Nell that her society owns an abandoned row house in a rundown area of Philadelphia and they insist on taking her to see the property before its date with the wrecking ball.
 
But soon after they arrive at the house, Cherisse is fatally shot and Tyrone is badly injured. The police believe it’s just random violence in a bad neighborhood, but Nell thinks there’s more to it and is determined to find answers before someone else becomes history . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary

297 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 7, 2016

About the author

Sheila Connolly taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several non-profit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company providing genealogical research services.

She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.

Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.

Reviews

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nell Pratt learns that Society owns a dilapidated row house in distress neighborhood. She goes with two reclamation workers to see the property and is involved in a drive-by-shooting. The Society is offered an anti-bellum home with an endowment to keep the building as it now.The question arises as Nell assembles material for the Board meeting. "Should the Society concentrate on only the "GOOD" or do they have a duty to saved the failure of neighborhoods as well?" Nell is still shaken from the shooting and efforts to answer the question who was the target and why is in the background. Nell must find the solutions to these problems before her life ends.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkey Publishing Group through NetGalley for an honest review I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book The opinions are my own.

[Theda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been a huge fan of Connolly's museum series. Not so much with this one. Thin on plot, irritatingly bloated with social commentary on urban blight.

I had so looked forward to reading this next book in the series and I'm quite disappointed.

Holding out hope for the next one !!

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead End Street is the seventh book in the A Museum Mystery series.

Dead End Street is another well told and informative story from Sheila Connolly.

Nell Pratt, president of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society, has been contacted by Tyrone Blakeney, head of the North Philadelphia Neighborhood Partnership. Blakeney is trying to organize people to take back the The North Philly area from the drug dealers and attempt to revitalize it. He has learned that the society owns a plot of land and is contacting Nell to see what help the society can provide of the history of the neighborhood. Blakeney and Cherisse Chapman, who works for the city, convince Nell to go with to take a look at the society's property. As they are sitting in the car, another passes by starts shooting. Cherisse ends up being killed and Blakeney some bullet wounds. The assailant is unknown and the reason for the shooting is a mystery.

More of Nell's time is spent on looking into what the society can do to provide a history of the neighborhood and what it looked like in it's earlier times and not trying to find out who the shooter might have been.

A story that takes place in this is book is about Penelope and Phoebe Oliver wanting to sell their family's home that dates back to the 1700's. The sisters would like to find a buyer that will keep it much the way it is and keep on necessary maintenance. Nell knows the it is too much for the society to take on, but with the help of Marty she hopes to be able to find a willing buyer.

Ms. Connolliy's books are always well written and quite informative as to the history of Philadelphia.

I am once again looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Stephen Howell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh, Sheila Connolly. Your protagonists are always so clueless, as if they've never lived a day in a real life. I feel like if you live and work in urban Philadelphia, that you'd have some black friends, and not be such a walking cliché! I know that Sheila Connolly meant well, this is a theme that I honestly feel like she shouldn't have written about, and while she did redeem herself a bit, it still came off with some ignorance. I have a lot of black friends that I love dearly, but as a white person I still wouldn't write a book with this theme.
The mystery was a mystery to me until the end, so that's redeeming.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good entry in the series. It’s so interesting to see history get woven into today. I like the characters and Nell is always trying to go good and help people.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything is going smoothly in Nell's world when she discovers that the Society apparently owns another building (which surprises her as she thought the Society had divested themselves of all buildings bar the one they are housed in).  She agrees to go to see it but whilst there the car they are traveling in is shot at and one of her companions is killed (Nell herself had dived out of the car!) She now needs to figure out if she was the target, what is she supposed to do with the building (and do they owe any back taxes for it!) and where is the Society supposed to go from here .... all in a day's work!

It seems this is the last in the series which is a shame - but all loose ends were tied up which is good!

[William Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another series I really like. Takes place in Philadelphia and besides a lot of mystery and great characters I get to read about some of the history of the area.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost didn't finish this book. The first 55% was like slogging through thigh-deep mud. I gave it one more try; at something like 65-70%, it finally moved along enough that I could finish it. That's the reason I gave it two stars instead of one.
This book is more of a vehicle for a commentary than a cozy mystery. Sure, there is a mystery, but it plays second fiddle to the themes of decaying cities, white guilt, elitist blinders, and the relevance of more recent history. The author's thoughts on those would have been more effective in an op-ed. Whether you agree or not with the author's opinions, they were too heavy-handed here and caused the novel to be agonizingly slow, preachy, and boring. Only the last quarter of the book was well-paced, and yet everything came together far too smoothly.
If the next book in the series follows the same pattern, I'm done. I get more than enough politics, etc., on the news, Facebook, ad nauseum.

[Jenn Ravey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book deeply problematic. Nell, director of the historical society in Philadelphia, is approached by someone from the city as well as a community activist. The society owns a row house in a bad part of town and sees in it and opportunity to combine forces with the society in revitalizing the neighborhood.

However, as they go to view the property, there is a drive-by shooting with tragic results. In a way, I like when a cozy mystery tackles more complex social issues, such as gentrification. But Nell's constant use of the words "thug" and "slum" and equating those living in low-income areas with criminals was off-putting and belied her slow coming to terms with how to do her job but also be socially aware.

I probably would not have finished this because the mystery takes a backseat to the moral dilemma, but I was actively irritated by the book, which is sometimes enough to spur me on.

[Nora-adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I see a bright future for Nell, Marti and the organization as she drags them kicking and screaming into a new world.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Someone shoots at nonprofit president Nell, who's visiting a slum property. Then it's mostly urban renewal, not mystery.

[Lali & Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have generally enjoyed the Museum Mystery series starring Nell Pratt, director of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society. In this installment, Nell has two unexpected visitors who inform her that the society owns a dilapidated row house in North Philadelphia, even though the Society had supposedly divested itself of all property holdings in the 1910s. When Nell goes to visit the property, located in a rundown and virtually abandoned part of town, she becomes the victim of a drive-by. While Nell escapes unscathed, the shooting results in one death and serious injury to another.

Then the next 200 pages or so is a discussion of Nell's growing belief that the Society should tell the history of the entire city, not just the history of the white wealthy elites. Page after page describes her inner thoughts on how this can be achieved, while still fulfilling the stated purpose of the Society. Then she discusses her ideas with Marty, with James, with all the employees of the Society, with the owner of a major construction company, and so on. There is a worthy message in all of this but the extent of the discussion overwhelms the mystery in what is supposedly a mystery book. Nell does absolutely no sleuthing at all. Or, if she did, it was so buried in social commentary, mealtimes and "subtle" references to after-dinner lovemaking that I missed it.

In the end, the shooter and his accomplice is discovered, Nell is the hero of the Society again, and is all is well with her world. I only have one book to go in the series, which I will definitely read, but am hoping it will be more of a mystery than I found here. Nell is still an intelligent, relatively likable protagonist but I like her best as an amateur sleuth.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

About on par with the rest of the series, but there does seem to be major changes happening to the characters, as well as to Nell's Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society.

In the opening chapters, Nell is attacked in a drive-by shooting, which changes her focus for the society. She also admits that some of the change comes from "white guilt."

The story was engrossing, whether this is a wrap-up or just a shift in the series. (I have not seen any more books in it but there may be.)

I liked what is hinted that may come to the Latoya character. It seems appropriate.

I knew the why of the shooting even if the details of the arrangement evaded me.

I did also realize what several other reviewers pointed out - that even while trying to do good, Nell still ends up being offensive in her word choices sometimes. Cringy.

Favorite quote:

"It might be tricky to present that particular past in a way that didn't underscore how badly things had gone wrong since, or paint the current situation as hopeless."

"Hopeless" is too strong a word, but setting that last part of the sentence aside, I'm not convinced it's always a bad thing to reveal where and how things went awry, because then we can learn from it and perhaps improve it.

I know that not everyone was having a good time in the "good old times," which is not something to be glossed over, so not everything needs to be brought back, and yet ...

The above quote from the book reminds me somewhat of

"This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.'" - Jeremiah 6:16

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy, fast read. Not a 'fair play' mystery since there is no way the reader can solve the mystery before the reveal. Actually, I'm not sure that judging this book on its own I'd call it a mystery.
The motivation and circumstances of Cherisse's murder don't seem to 'fit' the rest of the book/series. Cherisse was killed because the shooter wasn't very bright. And he was only shooting because she was having an affair with Tyrone. That conversation between Raheem, Tyrone and Vee with Nell as captive audience was just weird. The tone of the conversation didn't match the rest of the book.

The protagonist (Nell) really isn't an amateur detective. Arguably she isn't any kind of detective. Actually in some ways she's a very sensible character. As another character says of Nell, "[she] did everything right. . .[she] didn't go snooping, [she] didn't pressure anyone--it all came to [her]." I don't dislike Nell--and it's nice to have a main character who isn't an idiot--but she's not what most readers would expect in a mystery.

Connolly provides a fair amount of context and information about neighborhood redevelopment and the difficulties of historic preservation. I'm not sure why I keep reading this series. I don't have any emotional reaction or attachment to the characters or settings. My interest is purely intellectual.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author it's in from the very first sentence. Love the look inside the history Philadelphia. This one finds our NELL PRATT embroiled in yet another tense mystery. She finds out that the historical society owns a house in a undesirable section of the city. A young woman from the city and a man from an organization who informs her of the house they proceed to the area where there are shots fired into the vehicle she is riding in. Both of the other occupants of the vehicle are shot and one subsequently dies. She begins asking questions to get to the bottom of this. It of course does help that she has a boyfriend in the FBI who looks out for her welfare.

[Mary Corso · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yawn

What a snooze fest. I quit reading it twice but I didn't want to miss any forward movement for the characters. No worries. There wasn't any. Romance is handled by vague references like "and then we had our own celebration" (wink, wink) and once again it was more "a week in the life of Nell and James" than a mystery.

This story was about a middle class neighborhood becoming crime ridden and an attempt to turn that around mixed with white liberal guilt - wow, I'm boring myself just summarizing. Maybe if you are a sociology major or an urban planner you MIGHT find this story interesting. But I doubt it.

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book stands out differently since it does entail more about poverty and the opposite. Nell Pratt believes life is finally going her way. Everything’s running smoothly at work, and her love life is thriving. Then some unexpected news rocks her foundation. Two members of a local neighborhood rescue program, Tyrone Blakeney and Cherisse Chapman, inform Nell that her society owns an abandoned row house in a rundown area of Philadelphia and they insist on taking her to see the property before its date with the wrecking ball. Unfortunately this turns into one person being killed when they are outside of the property. Is this about the property or something else?

[Adrianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the 7th installment of this Museum Mystery series Nell goes on a courtesy call to view a row house the Society still owns in a bad neighborhood of Philly with two people who really care about renewal for the neighborhood. Nell ends up getting shot at and one person ends up dead and Nell is so shaken up she decides to go along with the project because I don't know, its the right thing to do? The murder featured in this book ends up being very personal and very drama filled.

I liked the urban renewal part and the fun snarky relationship Nell has with Detective Hrivnak.

More Nell, and murder, and museums, please Mrs. Connolly? :)

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story it didn't have the history combined with a current mystery that I have come to expect. It was there but not quite. Nell Pratt though didn't find someone she knew or someone associated with the society who had died. She got a close and personal experience with extreme violence which ended up being professional beneficial in the long. Still worth reading if you enjoy cozy mysteries.

[Jacquelyn Schingeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cozy mystery that started out with the museum director discovering that they museum still owned a run down property in Philadelphia. Of course, a murder takes place but the story spent more time talking about the issue of run down neighborhoods and what could be done to remedy that than I think was spent on the murder mystery. This was my first book to read in this series so I have no knowledge of whether this is the norm.

[Chels Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Woof, so little of this book was the actual mystery itself. Not giving it a 1, because I was impressed that the author attempted to take on white guilt and gentrification, even if she ended up perpetuating harmful stereotypes anyway. (But really.. how are you conscious enough to write about these topics but then make all the criminals Black and magically bring in other characters into the crime just because they are also Black? 👀👀)

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Another “meh” book in the series (which has gone down the further I’ve read). The author admits her intentions for the book in the Forward, and I think she achieved her goals, but at the expense of the story/mystery/murder IMO. The ending was too quick to tidy up neatly, and Nell’s role in the ending was odd. Overall, I’m just hoping the final book in the series rekindles the enjoyment of the first several books.

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend (AC) sent me 7 books from this series--this is the last of the ones I have, though at least one site shows there's one more. I'm not sure I'll go seek it out though.

I am a little disappointed that the author has Nell and James living together and sleeping together but no real commitment it seems from either side.

This book seems to take the series on to a different tack than how it began. I hope that the planned changes to neighborhoods does take place.

[Deborah Almada · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different but good book in the series, near death experience( drive by shooting) has Nell reevaluating the Society and how to bring it into the 21st century and use it's assets to better the city while preserving it's history . Oh yeah she also needs to find out who shot at her and her companions!!!!!!!

[Jeanie Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Nell gets caught in a drive by shooting, it sets off a reaction in Jame's that shakes Nell up,
and surprising her even more so, is the fact that the Society still owns a building in the north slums
of Philadelphia!!

Nell is again up against her favourite detective, and James stays out of it.

The who and the why are revealed in the second last chapter and all's well. that ends well.

[Valerie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have enjoyed many of the other books in this series but this one was very hard to even get through. Boring is not the right word but what comes to mind. It started out good the murder in the mystery happens but then you spend 200 pages discussing housing issues and noy even trying to figure out who done it in a murder mystery. Doubtful i will read anymore of the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another one of those books that I didn't realize was in the middle of a series because the library didn't have the previous books, and I borrowed it anyway before checking Goodreads. I thought this was a decent cozy mystery, though there were definitely some clumsy and awkward moments of the author attempting to talk about race and gentrification...

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this one Nell is surprised and somewhat distressed to learn that the Society still holds the title and responsibility for a residential property in a dangerous section of Philadelphia not far from the Society building. The two who informed her persuade her to go with them when a drive-by shooting occurs.

[Valerie Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting topic! I brought this paperback camping with Me. Nell is very much a worry wort, but a great President for the society. The characters and area were fleshed out very well. I liked that this book, in a series,works great as a standalone.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for those of us who are historic preservationists and museum enthusiasts. Although the murder mystery is a small part of the book, it isn't easy to solve and it is integral. I love Nell! I hope this is not the last of this series.