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Lady Lawyer Mysteries #2
Death of a Rancher's Daughter: #2 In the Lady Lawyer Mysteries
In the midst of a midlife crisis, lawyer Sandra Salinsky finds herself coerced into defending a ranch's Latina señora, who has been accused in the shooting death of one of the rancher's twin daughters. Set in a small town deep in the Texas Hill Country, this murder mystery encompasses a jury trial wherein the defense team battles not only what they and the rancher - who is the defendant’s best friend - feel is an unwarranted murder charge, but also the prejudice towards Hispanic people in their anglo community. Before the case is decided, Sandra and her lawyer mother sidekick will witness the ugly underbelly of white privilege as it exists in 21st century America.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 26, 2020
About the author
Susan P. Baker
21 books75 followersMy English war bride mother was a real penny pincher, but in the early years of their marriage, my parents had to pinch pennies. Not long after my mother arrived in the U.S., she encouraged my father to complete his education. He used the GI Bill to obtain a law degree while she was having four babies and working part time doing such odd jobs as collecting the money out of coin-operated machines in washaterias.
We moved to Galveston when I was four, which is when my father claimed he taught me to read. We lived on the water, swimming, fishing, and crabbing in Offatts Bayou. As far as I can remember, we had no purchased books in our house when I was growing up. We didn't have the money. But Mom took the four of us to the Rosenberg Library every two weeks where we'd check out the maximum number of books allowed, six each. We even took library books on vacation with us so we could read them in the car instead of fussing and constantly asking, "Are we there yet?"
I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. I used to write little stories as well as entertain my invisible friend, Sally, who lived in my side of the closet. My parents discouraged me from seeking a writing career, so after several false starts I eventually obtained a BS in Criminal Justice.
I finally was hired as a Probation Officer about a week before I started law school. I was married with a couple of kids of my own by then, so I worked and attended Law School (in Houston) for three years.
I mostly practiced criminal and family law. In fact, I was board certified in family law. After eight years of practicing law, I ran for district court judge and was elected. I was the first woman in Galveston County to run.
By that time, I was writing a lot. I'd published My First Murder. I moved away and back to Galveston several times and now live in Cypress near my younger daughter.
People often approach me with ideas for books, but with a background like mine, I have no shortage of my own.
We moved to Galveston when I was four, which is when my father claimed he taught me to read. We lived on the water, swimming, fishing, and crabbing in Offatts Bayou. As far as I can remember, we had no purchased books in our house when I was growing up. We didn't have the money. But Mom took the four of us to the Rosenberg Library every two weeks where we'd check out the maximum number of books allowed, six each. We even took library books on vacation with us so we could read them in the car instead of fussing and constantly asking, "Are we there yet?"
I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. I used to write little stories as well as entertain my invisible friend, Sally, who lived in my side of the closet. My parents discouraged me from seeking a writing career, so after several false starts I eventually obtained a BS in Criminal Justice.
I finally was hired as a Probation Officer about a week before I started law school. I was married with a couple of kids of my own by then, so I worked and attended Law School (in Houston) for three years.
I mostly practiced criminal and family law. In fact, I was board certified in family law. After eight years of practicing law, I ran for district court judge and was elected. I was the first woman in Galveston County to run.
By that time, I was writing a lot. I'd published My First Murder. I moved away and back to Galveston several times and now live in Cypress near my younger daughter.
People often approach me with ideas for books, but with a background like mine, I have no shortage of my own.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 23, 2021
This is one of those rare books where I literally didn’t want it to end. It wasn’t just that I cared about the story, it was that I couldn’t get enough of Sandra’s and Erma’s hilarious, abrupt, profane, totally real dialogue. I felt like I was there with them in every scene, and I didn’t want to be anywhere else. Surely I could learn things from these two tough broads!
But that’s not the only reason I enjoyed the book. I’ve read all of Susan Baker’s Mavis Davis mysteries, and have now finished the two Lady Lawyer mysteries. Though I enjoyed the others, Susan’s authorial craft reached its pinnacle in this story. The characters were convincingly strong, entertaining, imperfect, and appealing (or nefarious, as the plot required), and the plot was convoluted enough to be interesting.
I also appreciated the realism of the story from a “lady lawyer” perspective. From my experience as a lawyer, the legal procedures and experiences were on-point. It’s rare to read a “legal” thriller where it sounds like the author was actually a practicing lawyer, as is the case here. Everything rang true. I enjoyed the procedural details, the accuracy of the judges’ and clerks’ attitudes, the frustration of figuring out the unwritten rules of a new court, the anxiety over what evidence to offer or what witness to call, the unpredictability of cross-examination and the satisfaction when it goes well, etc. And the occasional hostility or sexism rang true as well. When the two lawyers walked into a courtroom to find a group of men staring down at them balefully and silently, I felt it. I’ve been there.
And that leads me to another of my favorite things about this book. These women take no prisoners and no guff. Although some characters are foolish enough to underestimate them because of their gender, THEY don’t have any doubts about their prowess. They swagger, they drink, they cuss, they have fun, and if they feel down or anxious, they pull themselves up and soldier on. They are the role models I wish I’d had more of in my early years of lawyering.
And now I want more. Lady Lawyer #3 please!
But that’s not the only reason I enjoyed the book. I’ve read all of Susan Baker’s Mavis Davis mysteries, and have now finished the two Lady Lawyer mysteries. Though I enjoyed the others, Susan’s authorial craft reached its pinnacle in this story. The characters were convincingly strong, entertaining, imperfect, and appealing (or nefarious, as the plot required), and the plot was convoluted enough to be interesting.
I also appreciated the realism of the story from a “lady lawyer” perspective. From my experience as a lawyer, the legal procedures and experiences were on-point. It’s rare to read a “legal” thriller where it sounds like the author was actually a practicing lawyer, as is the case here. Everything rang true. I enjoyed the procedural details, the accuracy of the judges’ and clerks’ attitudes, the frustration of figuring out the unwritten rules of a new court, the anxiety over what evidence to offer or what witness to call, the unpredictability of cross-examination and the satisfaction when it goes well, etc. And the occasional hostility or sexism rang true as well. When the two lawyers walked into a courtroom to find a group of men staring down at them balefully and silently, I felt it. I’ve been there.
And that leads me to another of my favorite things about this book. These women take no prisoners and no guff. Although some characters are foolish enough to underestimate them because of their gender, THEY don’t have any doubts about their prowess. They swagger, they drink, they cuss, they have fun, and if they feel down or anxious, they pull themselves up and soldier on. They are the role models I wish I’d had more of in my early years of lawyering.
And now I want more. Lady Lawyer #3 please!
December 15, 2025
Death of a Rancher’s Daughter by Susan P. Baker, the second installment in the Lady Lawyer Mysteries, drops Sandra Salinsky into a case that cuts far deeper than courtroom procedure. In the middle of a personal reckoning, Sandra is pressured into defending a Latina ranch señora accused of killing one of a rancher’s twin daughters a charge that feels as politically charged as it is legally fraught.
Set in a tight-knit Texas Hill Country town, the story uses the murder trial as its backbone, but the real tension comes from what surrounds it. The courtroom becomes a mirror for the community itself, exposing quiet assumptions, open prejudice, and the unspoken power dynamics that shape whose voices are believed. As Sandra and her formidable lawyer mother work the case, they’re forced to confront not just conflicting evidence, but an entrenched system tilted against their client.
What makes this mystery stand out is its willingness to be uncomfortable. Baker doesn’t shy away from examining white privilege, cultural bias, and the way justice can bend under social pressure. Sandra’s midlife crisis adds another layer, grounding the story in vulnerability and making her fight for her client feel personal rather than procedural.
Readers drawn to courtroom mysteries, socially conscious crime fiction, and strong female leads navigating flawed systems will find this novel especially compelling. It’s a mystery that understands that truth isn’t uncovered in isolation it’s fought for.
At its core, Death of a Rancher’s Daughter asks a pointed question:
Can justice exist when a community has already made up its mind?
Set in a tight-knit Texas Hill Country town, the story uses the murder trial as its backbone, but the real tension comes from what surrounds it. The courtroom becomes a mirror for the community itself, exposing quiet assumptions, open prejudice, and the unspoken power dynamics that shape whose voices are believed. As Sandra and her formidable lawyer mother work the case, they’re forced to confront not just conflicting evidence, but an entrenched system tilted against their client.
What makes this mystery stand out is its willingness to be uncomfortable. Baker doesn’t shy away from examining white privilege, cultural bias, and the way justice can bend under social pressure. Sandra’s midlife crisis adds another layer, grounding the story in vulnerability and making her fight for her client feel personal rather than procedural.
Readers drawn to courtroom mysteries, socially conscious crime fiction, and strong female leads navigating flawed systems will find this novel especially compelling. It’s a mystery that understands that truth isn’t uncovered in isolation it’s fought for.
At its core, Death of a Rancher’s Daughter asks a pointed question:
Can justice exist when a community has already made up its mind?
January 3, 2021
Awesome
Susan writes with the legal knowledge of a judge and the humor of being a BOI (Born in the island). I will look forward to her next book.
Susan writes with the legal knowledge of a judge and the humor of being a BOI (Born in the island). I will look forward to her next book.
April 7, 2022
Likeable characters, compelling mystery, right through to the end.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews