New Book Now Available!
But Not for Me is more than a crime story with a murder to solve. Told through the experiences of two women, the story explores the dark side of gentrification in one of America’s most colorful cities.
ABOUT ALLISON
(Photo: Lewis Watts, photography professor emeritus UC Santa Cruz and co-author of Harlem of the West)
BOOK
But Not For Me
New Novel Now Available
1958 San Francisco: Beatniks, Eisenhower, Fillmore District jazz and Major League baseball. As Mayor George Christopher fights an influx of organized crime and redevelopment begins to transform the city, racial and political tensions rise when a Black real estate magnate is murdered.
Kay Schiffner is a practicing lawyer by day, during a time when women were rarely hired as lawyers, and at night, secretly follows her passion for playing jazz at the Blue Moon in San Francisco’s Fillmore District, a neighborhood where good white women weren’t supposed to go.
Leitisha Boone is the Fillmore District’s only Black female club owner, having started her career in her father’s barbecue joint. She’s not about to give up her successful and elegant Blue Moon when threatened by redevelopment and betrayed by men who don’t believe women should run a business, even when threats turn deadly.
Praise
“A stellar debut! Expertly plotted and exquisitely paced, But Not for Me is a compelling crime novel, a nuanced character study, and a poignant commentary on 1950s San Francisco. Kay Schiffner and Thursday Zimpel are characters worth rooting for, and the San Francisco setting is as beautifully drawn as a perfect sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge. Highly recommended.
—Sheldon Siegel, New York Times bestselling author of the Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez novels
“In But Not for Me, set against the vibrant backdrop of 1958 San Francisco, readers are treated to a novel that is as rich in historical detail as it is in emotional resonance. This book masterfully transports its audience to a bygone era, enveloping them in the charm and complexity of a city on the cusp of change…. From the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the lively cafes of North Beach, the setting is brought to life with such authenticity that readers can almost hear the jazz music and feel the fog rolling in….The dialogue crackles with period-appropriate wit and charm, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the characters’ interactions.
But Not for Me is more than just a historical novel; it’s a celebration of a time and place that continues to capture the imagination. It’s a beautifully crafted work that shines with the warmth and sophistication of its setting. For those who cherish a well-told story that immerses them in a specific time and place, this book is an absolute gem.”
—Michelle Gagnon, bestselling author of Killing Me, and other thrillers
OTHER WRITING
Dark Yonder
Twenty of the country’s top crime writers walk into a bar… Yonder: Southern Cocktails & Brew, specifically. They each leave a tale spun in a way that only they can. Over twenty endearing stories of degenerates, criminals and regulars just itching for something to happen.
“The Door in the Floor” (Daiquiris and deception)
Shattering Glass
Shattering Glass is the first in a series of remarkable anthologies published by Nasty Woman Press, a unique non-profit publisher founded to help fund other organizations threatened by the rise of autocracy and the ongoing war against civil and human rights in the United States. A scintillating mixture of top-flight fiction from bestselling authors in multiple genres, fascinating articles, and thought-provoking essays, conversations and interviews, Shattering Glass takes as its theme the empowerment of women, with all profits from the book donated to Planned Parenthood.
“The Lesson” (Not about homelessness)
“Allison Davis’ ‘The Lesson’ delivers everything you want in a taut, contemporary crime story. Davis has obviously done her research, presenting sparkling clear, believable characters whose rich, complicated backgrounds influence their every word and action. Her story packs both a dramatic and sociological punch—with brushstrokes of nuanced, psychological moments that speak directly to the truth of our times. I’m confident Davis will soon emerge as one of the crime novelists everyone needs to read.”
—Bestselling Author Stephen Jay Schwartz
CONTACT
You can reach Allison at allison@allisondavisbooks.com or by using the button below.
MEDIA
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Photos 1 & 2: Lewis Watts, photography professor emeritus UC Santa Cruz and co-author of Harlem of the West;
Photo 3: William Werner, photographer and James Beard nominated pastry chef