by: Connie di Marco
Series: Zodiac Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: August 8, 2017
Publisher: Midnight Ink
The stars predict a wedding-day disaster, but San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti never expected murder
Julia Bonatti is alarmed by the astrological signs looming over Geneva Leary’s wedding day, but nobody asked Julia’s opinion and being a bridesmaid means supporting the bride no matter what. Even with the foreboding Moon-Mars-Pluto lineup in the heavens, no one’s prepared for the catastrophes that strike: a no-show sister, a passed-out wedding planner, and a lethal shooting in the dead of night.
With anger and grief threatening to tear the Leary family part, Julia is determined to understand how such a terrible tragedy could occur. As she digs deeper into the family’s secrets, her astrological insights will lead her to the truth about a criminal enterprise that stretches far beyond the California coast.
Julia Bonatti, my protagonist in the Zodiac Mysteries, is an astrologer and a native San Franciscan. She was born there, grew up there and certainly knows quite a bit about the city’s history. I’ve had to do a lot of research to to keep up with Julia. She knows a lot, but more importantly, she’s also well versed in the often repeated stories that underlie the historically “accepted” versions of events.
Here’s one example ~
Way back in 1847, when San Francisco city planners were creating grids and streets and plots of land, a man named Jasper O’Farrell (who, by the way, has a street named after him), was commissioned to survey the land south of Market Street. Market Street runs a diagonal course straight through the city and on both sides, the streets are laid out in grids going in different directions. It can be rather confusing if you’re not familiar with the area, because the name of the street changes as you cross Market.
O’Farrell made each lot 100 varas square or about 300 feet on each side, four times the size of city blocks north of Market Street. Consequently as time went on, these were divided by other smaller streets and alleys.
These smaller streets are all named after women! In alphabetical, not geographical, order, they are Annie, Alice, Clara, Clementine, Eliza, Grace, Harriet, Jessie, Kate, Minna, Mary, Natoma and Zoe. One explanation for these street names is found in the 1927 South of Market Journal written by Albert P. Wheelan. Wheelan theorized that pioneers coming west without their wives and daughters and sisters were homesick and named these streets after the women they missed.
Romantic, huh?
Well, that’s not the story I was told when I lived there. It’s generally accepted that these streets were named after . . . how shall I put this? . . . famous and desirable ladies of the night who held court during the era of the Barbary Coast. Many of them were the mistresses of city officials. These streets were their domain. A lot of reconstruction has gone on in the South of Market (SOMA) area in recent years and Minna Street now even boasts an upscale club called . . . you guessed it . . . Harlot!
What do you think? Was Mr. Wheelan trying to whitewash the city’s bawdy past? Being of a suspicious mind, I’m much more inclined to accept the locals’ version of the street
names. And I’m sure Julia would too.
Purchase All Signs Point to Murder from:
The Zodiac Mystery Series:
Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink, featuring San Francisco astrologer, Julia Bonatti. The first in the series, The Madness of Mercury, was released in June 2016 and the second, All Signs Point to Murder, available for pre-order now, will be released on August 8, 2017.
Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. Some of her favorite recipes can be found in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Connie is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
Places to find Connie di Marco:
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Hi Kim, thanks for hosting me today! It's great to be visiting you today. Have a wonderful 4th of July!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Thanks for stopping by. Your guest post sounds really interesting and is thought provoking.
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