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Ravenwood Mysteries #4

Conspiracy of Silence

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Atticus Riot is left standing over a corpse holding a smoking gun. And he’s just realized a dead man could get him killed. Four words hold the key to his partner's murder. Four words marking him and everyone he loves for death.

Harried and hunted from all sides, Bel and Riot uncover a web of secrets that ensnares them both. There is only one way out—a gamble so risky that their lives will never be the same.

390 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2018

252 people are currently reading
163 people want to read

About the author

Sabrina Flynn

22 books260 followers
Sabrina lives in perpetual fog and sunshine with a rock troll and two crazy imps. She spent her youth trailing after insanity, jumping off bridges, climbing towers, and riding down waterfalls in barrels. After spending fifteen years wrestling giant hounds and battling pint-sized tigers, she now travels everywhere via watery portals leading to anywhere.

She is the award-winning author of the epic fantasy series Legends of Fyrsta and the historical mystery series Ravenwood Mysteries.

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5 stars
403 (59%)
4 stars
213 (31%)
3 stars
52 (7%)
2 stars
3 (<1%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
Profile Image for Merry.
887 reviews288 followers
August 29, 2024
Fantastic addition to a great series.5*! I recommend reading the series starting with book one as each book is better than the last. The story takes place in San Francisco California in 1900. It was lawless with drugs, prostitution, child abuse, and political corruption. Well written characters with a good mystery and the ending wow I didn't see that coming. There is an age difference between the main characters, but it just adds to the flow of the plot. Witty dialogue and humor make the pages fly.
Profile Image for Erin.
653 reviews28 followers
April 18, 2018
A great continuation/conclusion to Record of Blood, which left us with a "to be continued." After four books, we're finally able to connect the dots about what happened to Ravenwood.

This series has such a great sense of place and time. San Francisco has always been a vibrant city, but there is something just particularly interesting about turn of the century and Flynn has highlighted all the fascinating details of San Francisco's more unsavory history perfectly. And I love Bel and Riot so much; they are wonderful characters independently, but together they are even better. Watching their burgeoning partnership (and more) over the series is the best part of these books. Now we're getting into (or rather, getting a more direct view of, since so many of the hints in earlier books are just starting to make sense now) more complex plot lines as well, so trifecta!

If you are into historical mysteries, this is a must read series!
Profile Image for Lyn.
27 reviews3 followers
May 17, 2018
Conspiracy of Silence is book #4 in the Ravenwood series, and continues the narrative of detective Atticus Riot (I love that name!), Isobel Amsel Kingston (“Bel”), and an amazing cast of characters who bring 1900 San Francisco vividly to life. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down – that’s not a cliché, that’s the truth! The very first chapter takes off at full speed and never lets up, leaving the reader with a very satisfying ending, but also wanting to read more, to see where life, and love, takes Bel and Atticus. The author’s attention to detail, in the history of San Francisco in general, and the Chinese community in particular, is quite impressive. Though I believe this book could be enjoyed as a standalone read, I highly recommend starting with book #1 From The Ashes and continue reading them in order - this is storytelling at its best and you won’t want to miss one sentence of it!
17 reviews
October 29, 2018
Step back and imagine

Murder, mystery ,intrigue, drama, love, life ,and death! If that's not enough, you don't really like to read! Sabrina Flynn is an excellent dream weaver!
Profile Image for Joan Maten.
338 reviews5 followers
August 23, 2025
This series continues to enthrall. The plots are complex with layers of intrigue that keep the reader guessing. Bel and Riot are both complex characters. It’s sometimes difficult to keep all the facts in mind. Bel approaches her investigations like a chess game. The novels are written the same way. The reader has no idea what the next move might be.

I thoroughly enjoy Flynn’s writing. She gives us a little information and holds back much while the reader tries to work it out. It’s also fascinating that many of the characters are based upon historical characters. I’m already looking forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Jen Bee.
159 reviews7 followers
October 31, 2018
One of the few series set in the States that I really enjoy. Flynn writes with passion and humour that is most entertaining. It took me a long time (for me) to read this because I started the kindle book and I don’t have much time to sit and read, then the audiobook came out just before I finished it. Phew! I ❣️ Riot, and Miss Bel. May there be many more, complete with their irregulars and Ravenwood Detective Agency.
Profile Image for Tamara.
1,152 reviews5 followers
December 15, 2023
WOWZER

This story was so gripping and wonderful…. I love the characters and plot that Sabrina Flynn winds. This story like all of the previous in this series are just so great.

Highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Krista.
1,125 reviews31 followers
May 3, 2025
Ok- 5 stars, you finally got me. I didn't rush with this one, as it is a curious combo of the trial of Isobel and flash backs that build up to the trial. It wasn't a book to rush through and there were a few drier spots where I took a break. But it all comes together beautifully. Lots of questions are answered.

The courtroom twist at the end was really well done as well as felt natural between her and Alex. And Riot and Bel have found a way to be together!

I love how the author takes all the fodder from the past news stories and mixes it up for a fantastic mystery. The "Historical Afterword" has become as fascinating as the story, I really appreciate the insight!

Highlights and Spoilers:

I love how their relationship has developed:
"I hear you cover the detective Atticus Riot."
"On occasion." Mostly mid-mornings, she thought. He covered her, too.
----------
"My breasts have to be the flattest pillow you've ever laid on."
She felt him smile. "What they lack in volume, they make up with enthusiasm."

Love this with Jin:
"That's a mighty big plan for a girl who can't even hoist a sail. Were you planning on bobbing away?"
A string of Cantonese cuss words punctuated each tug on the halyard. "Yiu!" Jin let go of the line, and the gaff dropped with a thud. "I hate you, Faan Tung!"
"That's Captain Faan Tung, to you. You've tangled the lines." Isobel pointed to the top of the mast.
Jin turned red with fury.

Again, incorporating the kids in these stories allows for some humor and lol moments like this one:
Jin's entire body was rigid, her jaw set, fists curled into white balls. (She had just shared a tragic story)
Grimm stared at the girl, his face a stony mask, but Tobias was oblivious to the deeper significance of her words. "There wasn't no mention of a trunk in the story."
Maddie was too stunned to correct his grammar.
"Would you be quiet!" Sarah hissed at Tobias.

The Pagan Lady gets hit:
Her Lady. Isobel was not a sentimental person. But this hurt.

And so true:
As always, when she limped into the kitchen, she was greeted by warmth. Miss Lily stood in dressing gown and cap. She looked from one twin to the other, a thoughtful look in her eyes. They wore nearly identical clothing.
Lotario took off his cap, and his golden hair tumbled free. "This should help."
Jin narrowed her eyes at him.
"I had it figured out," Lily said. "Mr. Morgan will be the one who is battered. You're as bad as Tobias."
Profile Image for Alice.
36 reviews
May 15, 2018
The fourth Ravenwood Mystery doesn't disappoint. In fact, it grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the last page. Starting with a trial and moving back and forth between that present and past actions, the reader is catapulted through a series of events that threaten the freedom, the burgeoning love, and the very lives of Bel, Riot, and their odd group of friends who have now bonded into a family. Slowly, like peeling an onion, the enormity of the conspiracy by those who have controlled San Francisco for decades is revealed while people die and hope runs out for Bel and Riot. Throw in a possible plague and a dramatic shipwreck and this book takes your breath away. I couldn't put it down.
Profile Image for Heatherinblack .
742 reviews9 followers
May 20, 2018
loved it, er

it was brilliant up to the very end. too convenient for me at that period of history. love the relationships. the characters and the action. wanted to do nothing but read the book as soon as i opened it. can’t decide if this was a trilogy or there will be more. torn as to whether i think it can go on. what could be better?
Profile Image for Victoria Zigler.
Author 62 books235 followers
October 4, 2018
Great characters, a fascinating plot, and a wonderful ending.
3 reviews
May 19, 2018
More Please

After finishing book 3, I could hardly wait for #4. It didn't disappoint. Of course, I now can hardly wait for the next one. Keep writing Sabrina.
Profile Image for Carrie.
703 reviews38 followers
May 30, 2025
I can't say enough about this series.... it's getting better as it goes.

I struggled with the time jumps/parallel timeline of the last book (Record of Blood) and while this installment did have a bit of a fast forward/rewind element, it was contained into a much shorter time period so it didn't feel as discordant to me.

In Conspiracy of Silence, Riot and Isabel are trying to bring the mystery of Ravenwood's death to a close while avoiding the eyes of her husband, keeping their "family" safe and generally just trying to stay alive. I wasn't sure how I would feel about them as a couple but I shouldn't have feared. We saw major growth from Isobel and I really hope that continues as she is so young and well, damaged, that I would love to see her move towards a happier place. Riot is also working to come to terms with his past, his involvement in his partner's murder and the ramifications of all that is discovered.

I seriously want to reread this series because I know I missed foreshadowing despite intently listening. That is how layered and complex the story is... the more I read Sabrina Flynn the more I'm realizing that something that seemed frivolous at the time to my brain is really a major clue!
Profile Image for Simona.
113 reviews10 followers
August 5, 2018
Four stars, maybe four and a half. I guess this will be the last book in the series and I found it very enjoyable. A warning: this one should be definitely read after the other 3, or at least after the 3rd, if you hope to understand the events unfurling.
Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Darla C. James.
118 reviews1 follower
September 20, 2018
GREAT SERIES

I've now read all the books n the series and I highly recommend it - great characters, interesting plots and really first rate writing - what else is needed but a comfortable reading chair and a beverage of choice....this is a series to sink into.
4 reviews2 followers
May 18, 2018
Great Series

I want more AJ and Bel. These two remind me of Grissom and Sara. Of CSI. Just a great ride. I hope there are more.
3 reviews2 followers
July 1, 2018
One of my new favorite authors!

Until my wonderful Amazon fire I was limited to audio books due to my vision. The fire makes it very easy to listen to books not yet in audio format. I have discovered few authors that rank up there with Elizabeth George, Ruth Rendall, Kate Morton...
Ms. Flynn and Annalie Wendeberg are two of my new favorites. This entire series is wonderful. I rarely read a book twice, but I went back to the 3rd book in this series so I could thoroughly enjoy this 4th book in the series. These are characters i would like to follow for years as I have done with Lynley and Havers.
I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed it so much i downloaded Ms. Flynn's fantasy series which is not a genre K usually read. An author with this kind of skill may convert me!
Profile Image for Chelsea Barton.
Author 1 book11 followers
October 20, 2018
This series feels like a cup of chicken noodle soup at this point. Always a favorite, always love a Watson cameo, and always appreciate just great writing. Looking forward to whatever the author has next!
Profile Image for Sharon.
295 reviews
June 24, 2018
Wow!!!

I couldn't put it down. I especially liked how Isabel confused and angered the judge to manipulate the results of the trial. I am looking forward to the next book when Riot and Isobel finally get Sarah back home. A lot of research goes into these books by Ms. Flynn. She has a great talent for taking real facts and incorporating them into a story that captivates the adventurous spirit in one's soul.
220 reviews5 followers
June 24, 2018
Loved it!

I found this series by accident on Kindle Unlimited and immediately read the first two books. I gladly purchased the next two so I could follow Riot and Miss Bel's adventures. I hope a fifth book is in the offering! Visiting San Francisco in the early 1900s is always a favorite and Sabrina Flynn is a wonderful story teller!
30 reviews
July 1, 2018
This is a series that just keeps getting better. Great main characters in Bel and Riot, with fabulous interactions between the two, and a very entertaining supporting cast. Twists and turns once again make the plot unpredictable, at times I was on the edge of my seat! Love these books and hope there will be more.
240 reviews5 followers
October 10, 2018
Sabrina Flynn is an author I enjoy reading. I like her characters and how she develops them. The plots are historically interesting. I have read the four works in the Ravenwood series and look forward to the next volume.
Profile Image for Lyn.
27 reviews3 followers
May 17, 2018
Conspiracy of Silence is book #4 in the Ravenwood series, and continues the narrative of detective Atticus Riot (I love that name!), Isobel Amsel Kingston (“Bel”), and an amazing cast of characters who bring 1900 San Francisco vividly to life. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down – that’s not a cliché, that’s the truth! The very first chapter takes off at full speed and never lets up, leaving the reader with a very satisfying ending, but also wanting to read more, to see where life, and love, takes Bel and Atticus. The author’s attention to detail, in the history of San Francisco in general, and the Chinese community in particular, is quite impressive. Though I believe this book could be enjoyed as a standalone read, I highly recommend starting with book #1 From The Ashes and continue reading them in order - this is storytelling at its best and you won’t want to miss one sentence of it!
Profile Image for Kelly.
187 reviews6 followers
June 10, 2018
This book was entertaining, as is the rest of the series, but I just had no idea what was going on half the time! The plot seemed to start right in the middle of something that I didn't remember from a previous book, maybe? I never could get caught up, if that was the case. Hope the next installment is a bit more organized.
Profile Image for Vickie.
1,067 reviews
November 21, 2018
Outstanding series! This is one of those books that you don't want to end. So well written. Sabrina Flynn is a new favorite author. I love Bel and Riot and all the supporting characters and looking forward to the next in the series.
11 reviews
July 29, 2018
Great series

Just finished the fourth book in Ravenwood series. Such a good read and great characters. Look forward to the next one.
Profile Image for Jen.
2,030 reviews67 followers
December 31, 2018
While I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous books, I still like the characters and look forward to the next one.
Profile Image for Karen_Lee_Reads.
1,301 reviews46 followers
March 28, 2021
Conspiracy of Silence
(Ravenwood Mysteries #4)
Written by: Sabrina Flynn

It’s time for a reckoning, there is so much that has happened some of what has been going on needs to be tied up with possibly a not so pretty bow and allow Riot and Bel to move forward.

It all happens in this book! As is with each Ravenwood Mystery there are numerous story threads happening most of them moving towards closing out some of the stories from book one, Book of Ashes up to Record of Blood.

I love this 1900 San Francisco world that Sabrina Flynn has brought to readers, but what I cherish as a reader is the characters she has brought to us, Riot, Bell, Lotario, Tim and yes most especially Zephaniah Ravenwood. Without Zephaniah we would not have these mysteries.

When reading these books I feel like I’m walking through Chinatown with Riot, that I’m whizzing along on a bicycle with Bel, having tea a Ravenwood House and taking in all that 1900 San Francisco gives us.

Sabrina Flynn has given readers layer upon layer of mystery, characters we can’t stand, a mysterious and hidden tong, an introduction to a Chinese Detective and shown the underbelly of San Francisco’s powerful business and community leaders and how much like other big cities of the time the amount of graft and underhanded dealing that go on that normal people have no idea of. Having said all that, it’s only the tip of the iceberg for all that has occurred. Along with all of that she has given Riot and Bel their true beginning as a couple.
Profile Image for Ann.
1,728 reviews
July 29, 2021
I've very much enjoyed this series, set around the turn of the 20th century in San Francisco. This entry follows, in time, immediately after the conclusion of the previous book. So it wouldn't be a bad thing to read them one right after the other. It had been some months for me and I wasn't always 100% clear on who some characters were.

There is some jumping around in time -- only a few months, but several chapters clearly take place in late April to May, while the bulk of the action is taking place in early March. If you're not paying attention -- there is fair notice when chapters jump to the later time period -- it can be confusing.

Here, Riot and Isobel are working some minor investigations that, it turns out, tie in to the bigger question of how plague infection got to the city. It's mostly confined to the Chinatown area which mostly gives the powerful (and corrupt) of the city an excuse to inflict further restrictions on those residents.

A secondary plot involves Isobel's abusive husband discovering that she is still alive. The question becomes whether she can use it to her advantage as they come to believe that he is part of the powerful corrupt group in the city behind much of the plot.

As usual, it's quite well written and does, I think, give a good feel for the time period. I hope further books have more of a complete plot and less focus on the continuing situation, except as concerns characters growth and relationships.
Profile Image for Rebecca Reddell.
Author 9 books45 followers
November 2, 2020
"A story reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes meeting Nick and Nora Charles meeting Veronica Mars."

Each story gets better and better. I love this series SO much, and I'm surprised by how fast I've read each novel and how quickly I've fallen in love with the characters. #4 in the series, Conspiracy of Silence, is no exception to the devious plot quirks, intense crimes, and further development of a much-loved detective and courageous woman-sleuth. Atticus Riot is such a great character, and you find more and more about him to respect and appreciate as the series builds. Isobel Amsel Kingston is a bright, bold, and brave character who takes to the PI life like a duck to water. The author does a spectacular job of making you fall in love with the characters, care about their plights, cheer them on, get sucked into the world they live, and feel the concrete believability of her 1900 San Francisco setting. She mixes historical fact and fiction with a practised and seasoned ease, and it leaves you wanting more. I adore this author's work, and I sincerely hope this series doesn't end any time soon.

Take a chance, pick up From the Ashes (Book One), and start reading this whole series! It's on my list of 2020 Best Books! ;)

Find out more on my blog book review of From the Ashes: https://rebeccaswriteinspirations.blo...
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