Nell Sweeney

Boston, 1868: The dawn of the Gilded Age, an era of burgeoning commerce and invention, of unimaginable new fortunes and lavish excess—for some. Born into dismal poverty, young Nell Sweeney scratches by on her wits and little else until fortune blesses her with a position as nursery governess to the fabulously wealthy Hewitts. But she soon learns that ugly secrets lurk beneath the surface of their gold-plated world.

Nell Sweeney, a young Irish-born governess in post-Civil War Boston, may not have much, but she does possess both a keen mind and a brave heart. As governess to the wealthy Hewitt family, she finds plenty of opportunities to use both - especially when the seamy side of society shows itself. The lowborn Fallons come to Viola Hewitt with a desperate plea for help. Their wayward daughter, Bridget, a pretty young employee of Hewitt Mills and Dye Works, hasn’t been seen for days.

As governess to the wealthy Hewitts, Irish immigrant Nell Sweeney belongs to no particular caste - hers is halfway between her brethren and the Brahmin. But now, a double murder involves both maid and mistress - and it will take cooperation by rich and poor alike to solve it. All of Boston is talking about the murder of Virginia Kimball. The famous actress, past her prime but still a renowned beauty, was found shot to death in her Beacon Hill townhouse, along with her young Irish - American maid, Fiona Gannon.

On Sept. 29, 1869, the gold market crumbles, and fortunes are lost in a matter of hours. When the bodies of two men, wealthy Boston Brahmins Noah Bassett and Philip Munro, are found, it's assumed that they committed suicide over their financial losses. But when Harvard professor and forensic scientist Will Hewitt autopsies the victims, he discovers that Munro was murdered. Dr. Hewitt needs help navigating the city and its complex society to find the killer. He turns to governess Nell Sweeney, who understands the world of the rich and how their power can be used to hide their secrets