Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Hard-Boiled Chicks

Hard-Boiled Chicks: Three Kickass Female Detectives

Rate this book
Forget hard-boiled dicks, fellas... it's hard-boiled chicks in this tough-as-nails anthology featuring a trio of badass leading ladies.Hard-Boiled Chicks is a collection of the grittiest, edgiest, and darkest mysteries award-winning Julie Smith has to offer. These stories highlight cold-blooded cop killing and civilian justice gone awry, murder staged as an overdose on New Orleans' streets, and the discovery of a party girl's body in her own gaudy pool. Not for the faint of heart, these hard-as-nails mystery novels chronicle three celebrated female sleuths at their most thick-skinned--and will leave readers steeped in realism... and shivering.

CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION“If it’s gritty realism you’re craving, gently simmered with spicy suspense and marvelously memorable characters, Smith is the perfect New Orleans tour guide.” —The Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Sure, New Orleans is known for corruption, but suddenly the good guys get a break—an honest police chief. And then someone guns him down. When a terrifying organization called The Jury takes out the cop-killer, Detective Skip Langdon’s on the case. But no one cares! After all, the guy was a cop-killer. Skip cares really a lot—because she suspects The Jury’s the brainchild of her old nemesis, self-described preacher Errol Jacomine.

LOUISIANA LAMENT

"From biker bar to college campus, the chase is on ... readers will remain hooked until the killer's comeuppance in the clever conclusion." -Publisher's Weekly

One stormy day Talba gets an emergency call from Janessa, the sister she barely knows, and arrives to find a body floating in a swimming pool—the mortal husk of Allyson Brown, known in New Orleans literary circles as the Girl Gatsby. Like Gatsby, Allyson was one of those mysterious rich people who move to town, give amazing parties, and seem made of moonbeams. Investigating, Talba finds the reality behind the Gatsby glamour.

OTHER PEOPLE'S SKELETONS

Secrets spill out of these pages like hornets out of a nest, each with its own distinct sting, as author Smith weaves a thrill-packed and complicated San Francisco mystery that’s as much about how little we know about our nearest and dearest as it is about whodunit.

Rebecca’s shocked when Chris Nicholson, her glamorous law partner, is arrested for murder--but not nearly so shocked as when she discovers Chris can’t come up with an alibi. What she was doing, Chris says, involves a secret so damaging she’d be drummed out of San Francisco legal circles if anyone knew. All she’ll say is what her secret isn’t--crime, drugs, sex, alcohol, addiction, illness (mental or otherwise), or an eating disorder. So what’s left? Sure enough, when Rebecca uncovers it, her world tilts on its axis.

Editor's These are complete novels. None is the first in the series--they chosen for their grit and street-savvy. But no problem--none of the series need to be read in order.

821 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2018

336 people are currently reading
201 people want to read

About the author

Julie Smith

268 books405 followers
Author 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

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
33 (39%)
4 stars
24 (28%)
3 stars
16 (19%)
2 stars
7 (8%)
1 star
4 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
34 reviews
September 30, 2018
👍👍👍

I especially enjoy the skip Langdon stories. I get lost in them and read in one sitting! Believable characters and situations. My pet peeve is trying to read books that are poorly proof read and edited.. Kudos on the smooth read. Easy to readj without a lot of unrelated nonsense added for fluff. Read them all so far now! Keep writing them, Julie! I will definitely keep reading! Thank you!
Profile Image for Ruth Caves.
477 reviews3 followers
May 25, 2019
Courage

I had already read the first book and liked it, so I was interested in reading the rest of the series. The second book was filled with so many characters and plot twists that it was a little difficult to follow. The third book was the best , much more personable. Easy to relate to a character that has to change so many ingrained preconceived ideas about wacky people and what normal looks like.
71 reviews2 followers
April 23, 2018
3 novels plus 2 short stories,

I received these books and stories for free from Amazon to read and review. An amazing variety of women strong and smart who solve mysteries and challenge the stereotype. This is a sample of her 3 genres of mysteries to delight and intrigue the reader.
Profile Image for gwen graves.
1,227 reviews3 followers
January 8, 2018
The first book wasn’t bad. The short story was kind of dumb. The second book was ok. The last was boring. I gave it two stars because of the first and second books otherwise I would have given it a minus star.
298 reviews2 followers
June 7, 2020
Okay

Entertaining. If you don't like violence not for you. 3 books, 3 different female leads. Each book is part of a series and left things hanging, relationships, but the mystery is solved. The last one wasn't to my taste.
Profile Image for Kerry Sharp.
Author 5 books5 followers
June 11, 2020
Great

What's not to like about three quality books in a bundle.
Our hard boiled chicks are not, they are feeling women doing their jobs the best way they can.
All the characters are dimensioned, the plot intricate, and pacing is good.
A must read.
366 reviews
March 10, 2022
Hard Boiled Chicks

Fantastic reads! You have 3 different books with 3 different detectives . All 3 were really fantastic but I think really liked the last book best. They will all keep you waiting for what comes next. Definitely a must read
Profile Image for Sandra Olson.
Author 26 books29 followers
February 17, 2019
Keeps your attention

I liked the characters but it is hard to read about so much sadness without it affecting you, too. Good mystery, though.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews137 followers
added-it
May 16, 2021
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/16/2021)! 🎁
1,475 reviews
December 29, 2020
You just can't beat these books by Julie Smith. Such interesting characters and happenings.
334 reviews3 followers
April 20, 2021
This is a great set of stories with different heroines in each. The scenes and characters are well described and believable, and you will be able to sort through each of the books to pick your favorites!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews