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Rebecca Schwartz #2
The Sourdough Wars
An alternate cover edition can be found here.
When the heir to the Martinelli family's renowned sourdough starter is murdered before they were to auction it off, Rebecca Schwartz is determined to discover if he died for a handful of dough. The more she sifts through the tangled relationships of the city's bread-making dynasties, though, the closer she gets to the recipe for murder....
When the heir to the Martinelli family's renowned sourdough starter is murdered before they were to auction it off, Rebecca Schwartz is determined to discover if he died for a handful of dough. The more she sifts through the tangled relationships of the city's bread-making dynasties, though, the closer she gets to the recipe for murder....
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1984
989 people are currently reading
1716 people want to read
About the author
Julie Smith
259 books403 followersAuthor of 20 mystery novels and a YA paranormal adventure called BAD GIRL SCHOOL (formerly CURSEBUSTERS!). Nine of the mysteries are about a female New Orleans cop Skip Langdon, five about a San Francisco lawyer named Rebecca Schwartz,two about a struggling mystery writer named Paul Mcdonald (whose fate no one should suffer) and four teaming up Talba Wallis, a private eye with many names, a poetic license, and a smoking computer, with veteran P.I. Eddie Valentino.
In Bad GIRL SCHOOL, a psychic pink-haired teen-age burglar named Reeno gets recruited by a psychotic telepathic cat to pull a job that involves time travel to an ancient Mayan city. Hint:It HAS to be done before 2012!
Winner of the 1991 Edgar Allen Poe Award for best novel, that being NEW ORLEANS MOURNING.
Former reporter for the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE and the San Francisco CHRONICLE.
Recently licensed private investigator, and thereon hangs a tale.
Resident of New Orleans, Louisiana
In Bad GIRL SCHOOL, a psychic pink-haired teen-age burglar named Reeno gets recruited by a psychotic telepathic cat to pull a job that involves time travel to an ancient Mayan city. Hint:It HAS to be done before 2012!
Winner of the 1991 Edgar Allen Poe Award for best novel, that being NEW ORLEANS MOURNING.
Former reporter for the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE and the San Francisco CHRONICLE.
Recently licensed private investigator, and thereon hangs a tale.
Resident of New Orleans, Louisiana
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
May 11, 2013
It's not you, book, it's me. I lost respect for your main character when she and her buddy decided to go speeding after a would-be burglar through the streets of San Franciso, and then led the police on a high-speed chase until the police got in an accident. The fact that they were quite chastened by that does not change the fact that it was a dumbass move to start with. And then they went and got in a stupid argument/fight, and Rebecca's short stint in jail was obviously written to be funny, but I didn't find it so because of the circumstances. And I just haven't been willing to pick the book up again.
I bought it at a used book sale because it involved a mystery and baking - two of my favorite things! And it was going fine until I developed this dislike for the main character. It's full of vivid and interesting characters, and I was willing to forgive Rebecca for her somewhat excessively tough-girl attitude (bearing in mind that this was published in the 80s), but I just don't want to experience her point of view any more.
Sorry, book. Better luck with another reader.
I bought it at a used book sale because it involved a mystery and baking - two of my favorite things! And it was going fine until I developed this dislike for the main character. It's full of vivid and interesting characters, and I was willing to forgive Rebecca for her somewhat excessively tough-girl attitude (bearing in mind that this was published in the 80s), but I just don't want to experience her point of view any more.
Sorry, book. Better luck with another reader.
June 14, 2018
Too many reasons to hate this book.
One. It was racist. Using slurs against not just one but two different minorities.
Two. The high speed chase away from the police, resulting in a car crash. She's a LAWYER FOR PITY'S SAKE!
Three. The "gays"?! No Rapist in the "Gay's" neighborhood?! WTF.
Four. The whole story was so damn convoluted. Seriously. Cryogenic frozen sourdough starter worth $500,000 that people are committing robbery and murder for?
Five. It's supposed to be at a high tech secured place, yet it's stolen not once but TWICE!?!
Six. The boyfriend leaves his girlfriend with a GUN WIELDING PERSON TRYING TO Illegally HOLD THEM, and takes off to GET A STORY FOR THE NEWSPAPER!!! AND SHE TOOK HIM BACK!
Seven. TOO MANY MORE TO LIST!
Seriously. Just don't.
One. It was racist. Using slurs against not just one but two different minorities.
Two. The high speed chase away from the police, resulting in a car crash. She's a LAWYER FOR PITY'S SAKE!
Three. The "gays"?! No Rapist in the "Gay's" neighborhood?! WTF.
Four. The whole story was so damn convoluted. Seriously. Cryogenic frozen sourdough starter worth $500,000 that people are committing robbery and murder for?
Five. It's supposed to be at a high tech secured place, yet it's stolen not once but TWICE!?!
Six. The boyfriend leaves his girlfriend with a GUN WIELDING PERSON TRYING TO Illegally HOLD THEM, and takes off to GET A STORY FOR THE NEWSPAPER!!! AND SHE TOOK HIM BACK!
Seven. TOO MANY MORE TO LIST!
Seriously. Just don't.
October 16, 2015
Enjoyable legal murder mystery
I gave this book four out of five stars, because of believable characters and a well written plot. Rebecca's Jewish mother is overbearing and just what you would imagine. She has some laugh out loud lines.
I gave this book four out of five stars, because of believable characters and a well written plot. Rebecca's Jewish mother is overbearing and just what you would imagine. She has some laugh out loud lines.
November 22, 2012
I picked this book up at a library sale a few weeks ago. This is a pretty old "cozy " mystery, originally published in 1984. So, naturally there is mention of the current events and issues of that time. But, overall I found that pretty easy to overlook. The mystery was pretty good.
Attorney Rebecca Schwartz and her reporter boyfriend Rob, along with Chris, Rebecca's colleague, investigate the death of Chris's lover, Peter. Peter owns a recipe for sourdough that was a family secret and plans to auction it. But, with Peter's murder, the auction is off. Did someone really murder Peter over a bread recipe?
Rebecca's family is nutty, her boyfriend is only moderately tolerable, but she puts up with them as best she can. She finds herself in a number of dangerous situations as more dead bodies are found.
A light, easy, fast read. A good. who done it.
overall a B - / C +
Attorney Rebecca Schwartz and her reporter boyfriend Rob, along with Chris, Rebecca's colleague, investigate the death of Chris's lover, Peter. Peter owns a recipe for sourdough that was a family secret and plans to auction it. But, with Peter's murder, the auction is off. Did someone really murder Peter over a bread recipe?
Rebecca's family is nutty, her boyfriend is only moderately tolerable, but she puts up with them as best she can. She finds herself in a number of dangerous situations as more dead bodies are found.
A light, easy, fast read. A good. who done it.
overall a B - / C +
July 12, 2018
A nice quick read. I definitely did not have this one figured out until the reveal. I like the MC, but I don't know why she didn't contact someone before confronting the killer. :P Overall, though, it was a good mystery and kept my interest. I'll keep reading this series.
April 23, 2019
Interesting concept for a mystery that keeps you guessing right to the end.
February 22, 2024
This book is 💩
The main character is awful
Her boyfriend is a jerk of the first degree
Her law partner is awful
This book is awful
The main character is awful
Her boyfriend is a jerk of the first degree
Her law partner is awful
This book is awful
November 15, 2021
I found it less of a mystery as a romance
November 27, 2018
Excellent characters, dialogue, and mystery plot. But why, oh, why does a smart, educated protagonist so stupidly confront a killer?!
January 17, 2014
There are three reasons why I read Sourdough Wars. I grew up in Marin Co. and so the San Francisco angle intrigued me. Second, after spending two years in France I am enamoured with all things bread, and I remember the great sourdough French bread. The third reason is that it was free.
I subscribe to Bookbub and Sourdough Wars was one of the daily specials.
I am going to cut top the chase and say that if I had paid full price for this book I would feel a little cheated. It is not a bad book, but I feel that it does not live up to its potential. The first jacket blurb calls The Sourdough Wars: A Cozy and Humorous San Francisco Mystery. This is the beginning of the failure. The novel has its humorous moments, but too many of them feel forced and even more, it fails at being cozy.
Now when I think cozy in the genre of murder mystery, I think of Lord Peter Whimsey, or Albert Campion, or sometimes Hercule Poirot. I can see the author trying to put this into the same area, but to me it just fails in giving me the cozy feeling of those older works. Some of it might be that I feel more nostalgia for those older times than I do four modern San Francisco. I cannot quite put my finger on it.
Now, as a murder mystery it is pretty good. The denouement was a surprise to me. It may be lacking a little bit in the set up, because I felt that the murderer was acting a little out of character at the end, and I blame that on the author not presenting the character properly. Also, there are two murders and I do not feel like we, the readers, are given enough information to figure things as the protagonist does.
So, The Sourdough Wars is an adequate, but not spectacular murder mystery than fails to give us the cozy feeling that it seems intent on providing. It is still only $2.99 for Kindle, and at that price is still a good value.
I subscribe to Bookbub and Sourdough Wars was one of the daily specials.
I am going to cut top the chase and say that if I had paid full price for this book I would feel a little cheated. It is not a bad book, but I feel that it does not live up to its potential. The first jacket blurb calls The Sourdough Wars: A Cozy and Humorous San Francisco Mystery. This is the beginning of the failure. The novel has its humorous moments, but too many of them feel forced and even more, it fails at being cozy.
Now when I think cozy in the genre of murder mystery, I think of Lord Peter Whimsey, or Albert Campion, or sometimes Hercule Poirot. I can see the author trying to put this into the same area, but to me it just fails in giving me the cozy feeling of those older works. Some of it might be that I feel more nostalgia for those older times than I do four modern San Francisco. I cannot quite put my finger on it.
Now, as a murder mystery it is pretty good. The denouement was a surprise to me. It may be lacking a little bit in the set up, because I felt that the murderer was acting a little out of character at the end, and I blame that on the author not presenting the character properly. Also, there are two murders and I do not feel like we, the readers, are given enough information to figure things as the protagonist does.
So, The Sourdough Wars is an adequate, but not spectacular murder mystery than fails to give us the cozy feeling that it seems intent on providing. It is still only $2.99 for Kindle, and at that price is still a good value.
February 3, 2018
The Sourdough Wars by Julie Smith is Smith's second book in her Rebecca Schwartz mystery series. She also writes the Skip Langdon and Tabitha Walls' series. Rebecca Schwarz is a lawyer based in San Francisco working in partnership with her friend, Chris Nicholson. This mystery finds them involved in the world of Sourdough bread and bakeries.
Both attend a play by acquaintance Peter Martinelli. Martinelli, it turns out, comes from a family that had been successful in the sourdough bread industry, supposedly very big in the San Francisco area. He inherited the 'starter' dough for their famous sourdough bread. Martinelli is persuaded to sell this starter dough off at an auction, which sparks interest from rival bakers, the brothers Tosi, Sally Devereaux (a smaller baker) and Clayton Thompson, rep for a major bread-making conglomerate. All the interested parties arrive for the auction but when Martinelli doesn't show up, Rebecca and her boy-friend Rob the reporter discover his dead body (murdered).
This begins an investigation by Rebecca, Rob and Chris into the world of sourdough bread and who might be guilty of the murder. It's a fun ride, in a similar vein as those of Lilian Jackson Braun's 'Cat who' mysteries, or Karen Kijewski's Kat Colorado mysteries. There are plenty of suspects, including all the competing parties and even Peter Martinelli's sister, who had also wanted the starter dough.
Combined a quick paced mystery / adventure with lots of action, you also have Rebecca's relationships, with her Jewish parents, her sister and boyfriend and all of the other's mentioned. It's not a complex mystery, just an entertaining one. Enjoy. (3 stars)
Both attend a play by acquaintance Peter Martinelli. Martinelli, it turns out, comes from a family that had been successful in the sourdough bread industry, supposedly very big in the San Francisco area. He inherited the 'starter' dough for their famous sourdough bread. Martinelli is persuaded to sell this starter dough off at an auction, which sparks interest from rival bakers, the brothers Tosi, Sally Devereaux (a smaller baker) and Clayton Thompson, rep for a major bread-making conglomerate. All the interested parties arrive for the auction but when Martinelli doesn't show up, Rebecca and her boy-friend Rob the reporter discover his dead body (murdered).
This begins an investigation by Rebecca, Rob and Chris into the world of sourdough bread and who might be guilty of the murder. It's a fun ride, in a similar vein as those of Lilian Jackson Braun's 'Cat who' mysteries, or Karen Kijewski's Kat Colorado mysteries. There are plenty of suspects, including all the competing parties and even Peter Martinelli's sister, who had also wanted the starter dough.
Combined a quick paced mystery / adventure with lots of action, you also have Rebecca's relationships, with her Jewish parents, her sister and boyfriend and all of the other's mentioned. It's not a complex mystery, just an entertaining one. Enjoy. (3 stars)
September 10, 2013
The premise of the story is good. The characters, other than the main characters, are interesting enough. It's just that the author seemed to think we know all about the main characters, so doesn't give us any description or insight into them (and yet, I was about half-way through before it came to light the partner of the first-person narrator is a woman). The wonderful city of San Francisco didn't play a big enough role. And near the end, it was all talk, talk, talk, about who did what and why to justify the silly, convoluted finale. It's light, but I doubt I'll pick up the next Rebecca Schwartz story.
September 20, 2016
Rebecca and Chris are running an auction of sourdough starter for Peter Martindale. They have buyers vying for the dough and then the buyers get a warning call telling them not to buy it. Then Peter is discovered murdered after he doesn't show for the auction. Then there is a second murder of one of the prospective buyers. Rebecca works on solving the crimes with her newspaper reporter Rob.
July 21, 2017
Not so great!
This could at some times be entertaining, but was so unrealistic most of the time. I almost quit reading it, but for some reason stuck it out to the end. I did, after all want to know who stole the sourdough starter, and who the murderer was. It was a rather abrupt ending, but my questions had been answered. If you like a quick read and don't mind unrealistic humor, you might enjoy this book.
This could at some times be entertaining, but was so unrealistic most of the time. I almost quit reading it, but for some reason stuck it out to the end. I did, after all want to know who stole the sourdough starter, and who the murderer was. It was a rather abrupt ending, but my questions had been answered. If you like a quick read and don't mind unrealistic humor, you might enjoy this book.
March 10, 2015
This was a short and clever book about four people battling for a cryogenic container of sourdough starter, taking place in San Francisco. It is a race to the death for several of the participants. Rebecca Schwartz is an attorney who is in the running, so to speak. Would this prize be worth it? For the glory, apparently yes!
December 30, 2013
When lawyers, Rebecca and Chris setup an auction of a famous SF Bakery's sourdough starter for a client, they have no idea it would lead to murder. A fast-paced read filled with interesting characters
Want to read
January 27, 2020DigitalBookSpot
TheFussyLibrarian
Rebecca Schwarts Mysteries, 1-3
TheFussyLibrarian
Rebecca Schwarts Mysteries, 1-3
January 15, 2025
Spoilers at the end
Oof. So originally I was going to give this 2 stars and call it a day, but once I hit the midway point of the book, I ended up skipping about 50 pages and reading the end to speed up the process, so I can't give this the extra star I was originally intending. I tried to keep in mind that this book was published in the 80s and therefore may not have aged that well. It hasn't aged well at all. I thought I could look past the mention of rapists in a gay neighborhood, but the main character made it a point to talk about how she felt safe with "the gays" because she didn't feel like she was going to get raped at least 4 times on the same page. When I read cozy murder mysteries, I don't feel like they have to have a ton of character building or world building or too much explanation of anything because it is a cozy mystery. This one, however, seemed to be all over the place and I wasn't interested enough to keep going, and considering how short this book is, that's saying something. I didn't love how the main character was portrayed as a lawyer, but did a lot of things a lawyer wouldn't do and while she "felt guilty" she didn't do anything to change what she was doing etc. I couldn't find a character to connect with and overall, I was bored.
The ending: Anita killed Sally (had to go back and look because I could't remember her name), Sally killed Peter. Anita wanted a bakery, Sally wanted people to take her seriously. Rebecca is still with her shitty boyfriend Rob, Sean started dating Bob Tosi. I'm not willing to read any more of this series
Oof. So originally I was going to give this 2 stars and call it a day, but once I hit the midway point of the book, I ended up skipping about 50 pages and reading the end to speed up the process, so I can't give this the extra star I was originally intending. I tried to keep in mind that this book was published in the 80s and therefore may not have aged that well. It hasn't aged well at all. I thought I could look past the mention of rapists in a gay neighborhood, but the main character made it a point to talk about how she felt safe with "the gays" because she didn't feel like she was going to get raped at least 4 times on the same page. When I read cozy murder mysteries, I don't feel like they have to have a ton of character building or world building or too much explanation of anything because it is a cozy mystery. This one, however, seemed to be all over the place and I wasn't interested enough to keep going, and considering how short this book is, that's saying something. I didn't love how the main character was portrayed as a lawyer, but did a lot of things a lawyer wouldn't do and while she "felt guilty" she didn't do anything to change what she was doing etc. I couldn't find a character to connect with and overall, I was bored.
The ending: Anita killed Sally (had to go back and look because I could't remember her name), Sally killed Peter. Anita wanted a bakery, Sally wanted people to take her seriously. Rebecca is still with her shitty boyfriend Rob, Sean started dating Bob Tosi. I'm not willing to read any more of this series
January 28, 2019
Rebecca's friend and law partner, Chris, has been dating Peter Martinelli, a struggling actor. Over drinks one evening, Peter reveals that he still has the 'starter' for his parents' famous Martinelli sourdough bread, which has been cryogenically frozen to preserve it. Someone suggests he auction it off to raise money for the small theater he works for. Rebecca gets her boyfriend, news reporter Rob, to do an article about the proposed auction to raise awareness. It all seems like fun and games, until potential bidders begin receiving threatening phone calls, and someone is murdered. Rebecca can't help but feel somewhat responsible, and now that Rob has a real story, he drags her into some of his escapades as they attempt to find the culprit.
The premise was rather silly--people willing to kill for a frozen lump of dough--but the author made it seem plausible. Rebecca ended up in one unfortunate situation after another, and her misadventures were truly laugh-worthy. Characters were portrayed well, even the transient ones, and it was nice to revisit the regulars.
Fun and quirky, with some heart-pounding action thrown in for good measure. It also made me hungry for sourdough bread!
The premise was rather silly--people willing to kill for a frozen lump of dough--but the author made it seem plausible. Rebecca ended up in one unfortunate situation after another, and her misadventures were truly laugh-worthy. Characters were portrayed well, even the transient ones, and it was nice to revisit the regulars.
Fun and quirky, with some heart-pounding action thrown in for good measure. It also made me hungry for sourdough bread!
August 25, 2021
This is book #2 in the Rebecca Schwartz cozy mystery series. The two books are stand-alones, so you can enjoy this one w/o reading the first.
Rebecca is a feminist Jewish lawyer in San Francisco (as we read constantly). She and her partner, Chris, are involved in Chris' new love interest's decision to sell his family's sourdough starter in order to save the theater which he loves. For those who don't know (like me), San Francisco is apparently famous for its sourdough breads. Anyway, Chris, Peter (the love interest, an actor), and Rebecca plan an auction to sell the sourdough. Only four people apply to bid at the auction however: two brothers who own competing bakeries; a representative of a corporation; and a woman trying to make the big-time w/ her sourdough bakery. However, Peter doesn't show up on the day of the auction.... and so the action begins.
There is the obligatory scary moments for our heroine, and people who are not as they seem. Rebecca's new love interest, the reporter Rob that we met in Book #1, fails her a couple of times - is his job an obsession to the point that he would endanger Rebecca to chase a story? The characters are far more inter-related than upon first glance, and I did not figure out the murderer until told - always a positive in a cozy for me.
However, I just didn't ever get into this one the way I did the first one, so 3 stars.
Rebecca is a feminist Jewish lawyer in San Francisco (as we read constantly). She and her partner, Chris, are involved in Chris' new love interest's decision to sell his family's sourdough starter in order to save the theater which he loves. For those who don't know (like me), San Francisco is apparently famous for its sourdough breads. Anyway, Chris, Peter (the love interest, an actor), and Rebecca plan an auction to sell the sourdough. Only four people apply to bid at the auction however: two brothers who own competing bakeries; a representative of a corporation; and a woman trying to make the big-time w/ her sourdough bakery. However, Peter doesn't show up on the day of the auction.... and so the action begins.
There is the obligatory scary moments for our heroine, and people who are not as they seem. Rebecca's new love interest, the reporter Rob that we met in Book #1, fails her a couple of times - is his job an obsession to the point that he would endanger Rebecca to chase a story? The characters are far more inter-related than upon first glance, and I did not figure out the murderer until told - always a positive in a cozy for me.
However, I just didn't ever get into this one the way I did the first one, so 3 stars.
June 13, 2018
This is awful. The thing about cozy mysteries is they are expected to be fun, whilst providing sharp observational humor and decent plot quiz. Let's begin by saying that this book begins very slowly and by the time the murder occurs you wish every single character you've met so far would die a horrible slow death. From the perpetually confused main character to her unethical best friend to the entire cast of secondary incredibly badly written characters.
There is a little bit of excitement as the body is discovered, but the investigation is shoddy interpersed with drawn out yakking by the main heroine. I don't know if the author was supposed to be an example of a Jewish girl investigating the murder, but as a Jewish woman I felt irritated at the heroine and barely managed to control my yawning when the murder was solved. All in all, if you are into cozy mysteries, avoid this one. It's a good example of how not to write in this genre.
There is a little bit of excitement as the body is discovered, but the investigation is shoddy interpersed with drawn out yakking by the main heroine. I don't know if the author was supposed to be an example of a Jewish girl investigating the murder, but as a Jewish woman I felt irritated at the heroine and barely managed to control my yawning when the murder was solved. All in all, if you are into cozy mysteries, avoid this one. It's a good example of how not to write in this genre.
May 2, 2024
I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue the Rebecca Schwartz series, but after I picked up this title, I didn't put it down until it was done.
In our second foray into the life of a San Franciscan Jewess attorney Rebecca Schwartz, she's representing the broke scion of a bankrupt breadmaker whose only asset is the century-old family sourdough starter. He sets up an auction to sell, and lets just say that things escalate _very_ quickly.
It's a bit dated by 2024 standards, including what may have been a scandalous subplot anywhere but in San Francisco in 1982, but it was a fine little read for a vacation in a chaise lounge.
Recommended, and looking forward to Tourist Trap.
In our second foray into the life of a San Franciscan Jewess attorney Rebecca Schwartz, she's representing the broke scion of a bankrupt breadmaker whose only asset is the century-old family sourdough starter. He sets up an auction to sell, and lets just say that things escalate _very_ quickly.
It's a bit dated by 2024 standards, including what may have been a scandalous subplot anywhere but in San Francisco in 1982, but it was a fine little read for a vacation in a chaise lounge.
Recommended, and looking forward to Tourist Trap.
June 13, 2018
Bread, aka, money, is one of the reasons people kill. But, in Sourdough Wars by Julie Smith, it’s the actual come-from-an-oven type of bread that is the motive for murder. The heir to a sourdough empire is murdered on the eve of auctioning off his cryo-frozen sourdough starter. Lawyer Rebecca Schwartz and her partner decide to represent the estate of the deceased and, oh by the way, try and find out who killed him.
Sourdough Wars by Julie Smith is a tongue-in-cheek cozy mystery that rises up from page one and envelopes you in the aroma of good food and even better story-telling. An eclectic cast of characters, and the author knows how to put them through their paces to keep you entertained page after delightful page.
Three cheers and five stars for this book.
Sourdough Wars by Julie Smith is a tongue-in-cheek cozy mystery that rises up from page one and envelopes you in the aroma of good food and even better story-telling. An eclectic cast of characters, and the author knows how to put them through their paces to keep you entertained page after delightful page.
Three cheers and five stars for this book.
April 19, 2023
After reading and loving the first book in this series, I was excited to read the second book. However, I was greatly disappointed. Whereas some of the characters in the first book were endearing with their quirky behavior, it became tiresome in this one. Plus, I didn't expect the next mystery to again be a murder mystery.
Rebecca Schwartz is a determined force to be reckoned with when there is a crime to solve. But she is very reckless when it comes to her actions. She charges in where a little more thought might have been warranted. Much of the story was a little too predictable, but thankfully not everything. There was still a surprising ending. At least I can say that much in the book's favor.
Rebecca Schwartz is a determined force to be reckoned with when there is a crime to solve. But she is very reckless when it comes to her actions. She charges in where a little more thought might have been warranted. Much of the story was a little too predictable, but thankfully not everything. There was still a surprising ending. At least I can say that much in the book's favor.
June 21, 2017
Disclosure: I live in San Francisco so am always interested in books taking place in my city. There is comfort in knowing where the action takes place and and checking the accuracy of how that atmosphere of the city is captured.
Given all SF loving its sourdough bread, the premise of the story is fun....the opportunity to resurrect the use of a most famous "starter" for the sourdough. Those vying for the starter all know each other and are part of the industry. The plot has many twists and turns, not all of them believable in the current traffic clogged SF streets. But a satisfying read for a day at the beach.
Given all SF loving its sourdough bread, the premise of the story is fun....the opportunity to resurrect the use of a most famous "starter" for the sourdough. Those vying for the starter all know each other and are part of the industry. The plot has many twists and turns, not all of them believable in the current traffic clogged SF streets. But a satisfying read for a day at the beach.
July 29, 2017
I found this book somewhat interesting. The San Francisco setting and idea of a mystery centered on rival sourdough bakers seemed intriguing. That someone would kill for sourdough starter seemed implausible... especially more than one murder. This was stretching it!!! But where this book really lost me was the irresponsible car chase, the part where the heroine was nearly smothered in a trough of dough and the ending. Why do these detectives always go to confront the killer and find themselves on the wrong end of the gun? I think this went over the top a few too many times.
I wanted to like it more than I did
I wanted to like it more than I did
June 8, 2018
I stumbled across this series and read this book basically because it was a mystery and free. I also love San Francisco and make sour dough bread. It was entertaining but something was missing. Perhaps some of this was because this was the second in the series and the author seemed to make the assumption that all the background I needed had already been presented. Perhaps it was that it was written in 1975 which put it in a weird time/space continuum: everything was modern, but there were no cell phones or computers, and being gay was still a big secret. That made the read like driving with a flat tire.
June 23, 2018
Fun and easy!
I jumped into this series in the middle (read books 4 and 5 first) and t g eye were easy to slip into. This step back was fun, great mystery but again the authors style is like she expects her books to be made into tv movies so many things happen 'off screen' this the need for long monologues when it's time to solve the mystery. You will never guess as much of what you need to piece it together is either written down and shown to another character or whispered or heard on a phone call. Good thing these are light weight pieces of fluff. I'll keep them in rotation between biographies and literary fiction.
I jumped into this series in the middle (read books 4 and 5 first) and t g eye were easy to slip into. This step back was fun, great mystery but again the authors style is like she expects her books to be made into tv movies so many things happen 'off screen' this the need for long monologues when it's time to solve the mystery. You will never guess as much of what you need to piece it together is either written down and shown to another character or whispered or heard on a phone call. Good thing these are light weight pieces of fluff. I'll keep them in rotation between biographies and literary fiction.
August 14, 2018
Same impression after reading Death Turns a Trick. The author does a good job in character development and story line, but tends to be repetitive and rambles, sometimes making the plot a little convoluted. I would actually put the books in a Young Adult library given the writing style. except for the subject matter which is definitely adult. It is easy reading, the books only take a couple hours to finish, and the editing is very good as far as eliminating grammar and spelling errors. I have started book #3, Tourist Trap, and so far the style is consistent.
June 3, 2022
Meh.
Apparently, properly made sourdough bread is a thing in Northern California. Likely it dates back to gold rush times. Anyway, a sourdough magnate dies and his "starter" is to be auctioned off. There are something like four groups vying for the starter, but people in the groups begin dying. Then too, it appears that the starter is not where it's supposed to be. It can't be found.
Rebecca Schwartz, a Jewish/Feminist lawyer gets involved along with her journalist boyfriend, Rob Burns, and a couple of others. It was an ok story, but not all that great.
Apparently, properly made sourdough bread is a thing in Northern California. Likely it dates back to gold rush times. Anyway, a sourdough magnate dies and his "starter" is to be auctioned off. There are something like four groups vying for the starter, but people in the groups begin dying. Then too, it appears that the starter is not where it's supposed to be. It can't be found.
Rebecca Schwartz, a Jewish/Feminist lawyer gets involved along with her journalist boyfriend, Rob Burns, and a couple of others. It was an ok story, but not all that great.
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