Rebecca Schwartz Books

Returning from jail after being caught in a police raid while playing piano at a feminist co-op bordello, San Francisco attorney Rebecca Schwartz returns home to find the bludgeoned body of a part-time prostitute and college student. Reprint.

“…a brisk and breezy item, which—like sourdough itself—has its own distinctive and satisfying flavor.” -San Diego Union “… an awful lot of fun , and it will make you unbearably hungry for fresh-baked bread.” - San Jose Mercury-News TO YOU, ITS JUST A FROZEN LUMP OF DOUGH; TO SOME, IT'S LIFE AND DEATH... Especially to handsome Peter Martinelli, who wants to auction off the fabled sourdough starter from his family’s famous bakery. But who’d buy a frozen hunk of flour and water ? Only, it turns out, every bakery in San Francisco, a national food conglomerate, and an upstart ringer with a mysterious backer. Someone would even kill for it. And does. Enter lawyer sleuth Rebecca Schwartz, whose client is her own partner, glamorous Chris Nicholson, Martinelli’s main squeeze before the ill-starred auction. Rebecca noshes her way through the case in hilariously unorthodox style, tasting some great bread along the way , but also uncovering so many ancient jealousies, long-simmering feuds, and seething resentments that she barely escapes death by doughball. NOTE: THIS STORY IS COMPLETELY REALITY-BASED! A SAN FRANCISCO BAKERY MADE PAGE ONE NEWS BY FREEZING THEIR STARTER — ONLY WITHOUT THE BLOODSHED. The slapstick style, over-the-top action, and witty dialogue make Rebecca Schwartz an easy choice for fans of Janet Evanovich, Stephanie Bond, Dorothy Cannell, Elizabeth Peters, Sarah Strohmeyer, and Jennifer Crusie. A tasty treat of a San Francisco mystery—a crisp, tangy story you’re sure to get a rise out of.

Lawyer-sleuth Rebecca Schwartz heads to an Easter morning sunrise service and gets the shock of her life when she sees a real body nailed to the cross. Rebecca learns the man was a tourist. And he's only the first to die. A man identifying himself as the Trapper is out to destroy San Francisco's tourist trade by killing visitors. But when the cops arrest an innocent man as the Trapper, Rebecca takes on an impossible defense and goes undercover to find a killer . . .

THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS IN THE REBECCA SCHWARTZ SERIES, DEATH TURNS A TRICK AND SOURDOUGH WARS, ARE NOW AVAILABLE AS AUDIOBOOKS! “ A delightfully modern sleuth. ” — Minneapolis Tribune “ If you haven't discovered Smith yet, now is the time to do so . . . Move over, Sara Paretsky. ” —KPFA-FM (Berkeley, CA) WHAT'S THE ETIQUETTE WHEN YOUR HOSTESS IS ARRESTED FOR MURDER? San Francisco lawyer Rebecca Schwartz has occasion to wonder when she and her weekend hostess, Marty Whitehead, find a body floating in the 30-foot kelp tower at the Monterey Aquarium , and Marty's promptly dragged off to the slammer. Rebecca quickly grasps the Emily Post solution—sign on as Marty's lawyer, try to keep her client's two young kids out of the deep end, and somehow avoid drowning in the sea of lies gushing from Marty's mouth—and everyone else’s. There’s a lot of intrigue among the aquarium’s oceangoing primates, as well as rumors of a pearl beyond price. For Rebecca, the sea and all its animals have always held a huge attraction, but now her attention turns to a particularly fine specimen of Homo sapiens —hot marine biologist Julio Soto. As her investigation picks up speed, she finds she better act fast to keep Julio from sleeping with the fishes he collects. Because if she doesn’t, he could be next in line for the shark tank—along with Rebecca herself. Author's note: I wrote this after I'd written the first book in the Skip Langdon Police Procedural Series, which is a much darker proposition than the Rebecca Schwartz books. Usually. But some readers have remarked that this one is a good deal darker than the three previous titles in the series. It does have some scary scenes, but I think Rebecca kept her sense of humor. Try it—money back if you don't like it! I promise. Just write me at booksbnimble@gmail.com. Thanking you in advance for your kind indulgence—Julie Smith “ Nobody gets inside her characters like Julie Smith. ” -Linda Barnes, author of the Carlotta Carlyle series “ Smith is a gifted writer. ” - The Washington Post Book World

"Nobody gets inside her characters like Julie Smith." Linda Barnes When Rebecca Schwartz learns that her best friend and legal partner Chris Nicholson is accused of murder and won't give an alibi, Rebecca gets curious. To her amazement, Rebecca finds that her partner has a secret life--and so did the victim, dashing critic Jason McKendrick. For that matter, so does everyone else in the case, causing Rebecca to wonder what planet she's stumbled onto. One thing she knows with certainty: She has to shake some skeletons from the closets--and fast--or Chris is going to prison....

A BAFFLING CALL, FOLLOWED BY TRAGEDY! If you’re a lawyer, and someone you haven’t heard from in years calls to ask how to execute a holographic will, what are you to think if he dies the next day? This is a dark, dark story…actually very unlike San Francisco attorney Rebecca Schwartz’s usual outings. Rebecca’s usually given to displaying her wit and using her wits, but she mostly does the latter here—so perhaps this one will appeal more to noir than cozy fans. Even with her usual humorous turn of mind dialed down a notch, Rebecca’s still an ace detective, still operating in a meticulously drawn Bay Area, still solving a baffling murder mystery, so, when all said and done, still a female sleuth to love! Just one having a bad day. For all fans of female protagonists , Bay Area mysteries, and the occasional case of literary shivers!

A ROOMMATE SEARCH TURNS DARK… When Julie Smith’s much-loved lawyer sleuth, Rebecca Schwartz, helps a friend move, she’s pretty surprised to find the new roommate digging a grave. This mystery short story’s a bit darker than most of Rebecca’s adventures, although the irrepressible San Francisco lawyer manages to keep her famous sense of humor. A great introduction for those who haven’t yet read Rebecca, introduced the same year as Kinsey Millhone and V.I. Warshawski, but a completely different brand of female sleuth—a bit less super-human, we’re afraid. Rebecca’s loveable for her very bumbling human-ness rather than her super-powers. At the time, she was a bit hard-boiled, but mysteries with female sleuths have changed so much her humorous adventures could now be considered on the cozy side. (Except for the sometimes-un-cozy language. A warning to readers offended by such —stick fingers firmly in ears!)