Though her own San Francisco law firm barely tolerates her, gutsy young attorney Sarah Woolson flouts proper feminine behavior in this nineteenth-...
read full description
reviews
May 25, 2011
Juliana
rated it: 
The Russian Hill Murders is a great follow-up to the first book in this entertaining series. I obviously found it engaging and enjoyable, since I read it in one day; I immediately put a hold on the next two books at my library, as I am anxious to see what will happen next in Sarah's life ... and I'll admit, I'm also curious to see which romantic relationship develops into something.
Like Murder on Nob Hill (Book 1), the mystery here is well-done and the historical setting of the story More...
Like Murder on Nob Hill (Book 1), the mystery here is well-done and the historical setting of the story More...
Apr 16, 2011
Debbie
rated it: 
This series, set in 1890's San Francisco, rivets my attention. I like the way that Tallman incorporates history of San Francisco into the story line. The series is about a female attorney, which is very unusual during this period. During the time in San Francisco, only one female had actually passed the bar and started practicing law. Sarah Woolson received her first trial in the case of a Chinese cook accused of murdering 2 people. Tallman shows all the prejudice among the white, male jury
More...
Aug 30, 2011
Merredith
rated it:
I picked up this book at the library, because it's set in San Francisco. It's the second in the series, but they went over what happened enough that i didn't feel lost at all. This was the 1880s, and it was interesting to read what's changed in SF, and what's the same. I didn't know there was a zoo in the Mission!! So much is also very the same though. I totally recognized the city! The story itself is about a female lawyer, which i didn't know existed back then (maybe they didnt and this was m
More...
May 06, 2010
Diane
rated it:
Other than the main female character seems a bit full of herself (perhaps just overly independent), I like this series! The two I have read are well written. I love the San Francisco history I am getting from the books, and I really enjoy how she has incorporated the Chinese culture as well. I get a little tired of how she portrays the charcater Robert though, but maybe some female readers don't mind it as much as I do. All in all, another good book and I look foreward to reading books 3 and
More...
Aug 25, 2007
LJ
rated it:
THE RUSSIAN HILL MURDERS (Legal Suspense-San Francisco-1880s) – VG
Tallman, Shirley – 2nd in series
St. Martin's Minotaur, 2005- Hardcover
In spite of the pressure to resign from her employer, Sarah Woolson is determined to succeed as one of the few female attorneys. While attending a charity dinner for a Women and Children's Hospital, a wealthy woman dies of an apparent heart attack. Sarah suspects unnatural causes, particularly when others associated with the Hospital also die More...
Tallman, Shirley – 2nd in series
St. Martin's Minotaur, 2005- Hardcover
In spite of the pressure to resign from her employer, Sarah Woolson is determined to succeed as one of the few female attorneys. While attending a charity dinner for a Women and Children's Hospital, a wealthy woman dies of an apparent heart attack. Sarah suspects unnatural causes, particularly when others associated with the Hospital also die More...
Nov 30, 2011
Margaret
rated it: 
This story was great... Sarah Woolson, a young female attorney in the late 1800s when women were not given the respect they deserved, shows her courage and tenacity in times of great unfairness not only to women but to ethnic groups. She is a great mix of toughness and compassion, and shows her skill as a great defender of the truth.
I'll be looking for other books in this series.
I'll be looking for other books in this series.
Mar 08, 2011
Chelsea
rated it:
I enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one was even better! I absolutely love Sarah Woolsen. She has an infectious passion for the law and justice. She is the type of person that doesn't suffer fools, and is incredibley open about it. I admire her determination of becoming a successful attorney in a world where women were considered to have less intelligence than men. She is far more pragmatic about it than I am as I'm reading some parts in a huff! :) This series is definitely worth l
More...
Jul 20, 2009
RuthG
rated it:
This second book in the series gives a strong picture of San Francisco society in the 1880's. It's a lot of fun to read about the social conventions as well as the location of various buildings and the description of the transportation available. Once again I found the mystery interesting and cleverly planned by the author.
Oct 27, 2011
Nicole
rated it:
Cute, I made myself choose who I thought it could be half way through the book. Then, was mad at myself that it became abundantly clear who it was 10 pages afterwards... I enjoyed the twist in the courtroom. Will look into other books by this author.
Mar 17, 2011
William
rated it:
Eugene author Tallman's third mystery, also set in San Francisco in the late 1800s, was a pleasure. When I was 10 pages from the end I couldn't believe she could tie up all the plots and solve all the murders convincingly, but she did.
Jul 15, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
By far my favorite of the three Sarah Woolson mysteries. Shirley Tallman is a great author and I highly recommend this novel, as well as her others, to anyone looking for a light read or good mystery.
Sep 25, 2010
Catherine
rated it:
I'm please to say I figured out the solution to this one before it was revealed! I thought the author did a great job of including clues that were actual clues, not just suspicious behavior on the part of the criminal. It was good, and I look forward to the development of the relationship between Sarah and her red-haired peer. This is a fun series! Too bad my library doesn't have the other ones!
Apr 12, 2011
Inger
rated it:
Enjoyable, but not great or life-changing. I listened to the audiobook, which was read by one of my favorite readers, Anna Fields (Kate Fleming). Her reading probably improved the book.
Aug 06, 2010
Erika
rated it:
Went to college in SF so this was a pretty cool book to read. I love the lead character who is very strong and a bit hard headed.
Aug 02, 2010
Vicky
rated it:
Part of the reason I enjoy this series is that I love San Francisco (and gutsy females at the turn of the century).
Jan 31, 2011
Susie
rated it:
I liked this one better than the first. With the first I could figure out who the murderer was half way through the book. With this one, I didn't figure it out until the end.
May 11, 2010
Laura
rated it:
I read " Murder On Nob Hill" and really enjoyed it. Now I'm reading the sec. book in that series.
Oct 11, 2010
Emily
rated it:
I enjoyed this. The protagonist is a female lawyer in San Francisco in the late 1800's. Sarah is the first female lawyer in San Fran.
I like the characters and the historical details. I was able to solve the mystery at about the mid-point of the book.
I will continue to read this series.
I like the characters and the historical details. I was able to solve the mystery at about the mid-point of the book.
I will continue to read this series.
May 12, 2011
Maggie
rated it:
A very good cozy mystery featuring a female lawyer in 1880's San Francisco.
Oct 24, 2010
Amy
rated it: 
Too boring and annoying. I know there were independent, intelligent women in this era, as well as women (and men) who had radical-for-the-time ideas about gender and the poor and all kinds of other issues, but this protagonist is too obviously written from a modern perspective. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I solved the "mysteries" immediately, but I'm going to try to find a review with a spoiler to see if I was right.
Sep 23, 2011
Naomi
rated it:
This series is getting better and better to me. I really like how the main character is being developed in it. I would compare this series to that by Victoria Thompson. I am saddened that the author only wrote 4 books in the entire series.
Jul 31, 2007
Jojo
rated it: 
Read this by accident. It was on my parents' bookshelf so I thought it would be good (they tend to have good books). Turns out the author is from their hometown, so that's why they had it. It's not crap, but it was kind of a throwaway read. Sort of like Nancy Drew all grown up, but living in turn of the century San Francisco.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
May 16, 2008
Carol
rated it:
Entertaining historical mystery. In 19th century San Francisco, Sarah Woolson is struggling to gain respect as a female attorney in a society that doesn't approve of women in professions. She gets involved in a case where a charity hospital becomes the focus of a series of deaths.
Mar 19, 2008
Michelle
rated it:
Prefer the Fremont Jones mysteries (wish there were more of those), but this was OK. Will probably read the others. The story was good, but the characters a little one-dimensional--although there were a lot of them.
Feb 06, 2012
