San Francisco Values — James Turner

The San Francisco real estate market has clawed its way back from oblivion, but still it's nothing compared to the heady bubble days of 2005. Just ask real estate queen Ella Barker. She's at the top of her career, a master of San Francisco's hysterical housing market, when some maniac comes along and start slaughtering real estate agents. Ella considers this outrageous under any circumstance, but it's especially unwelcome in a market where a child's future earnings are mortgaged, Open House lines stretch for blocks and prices go up by the hour. Then Ella gets word the most expensive home ever in San Francisco is coming on the market, so she sets out to rake in the mega-commission. But first she has to get the listing, which means winning over the elderly, eccentric seller, a woman whose closest advisor is her gorgeous, aggressive, bisexual maid from Rio. Ella's also got clients with a troublesome case of buyer's remorse, a vindictive television reporter making scurrilous accusations and a sexy new man with the most unexpected tastes behind closed doors. Ella runs a dangerous obstacle course through San Francisco's gossipy, backstabbing terrain, trying to crown her career with a monster sale. All she has to do is stay alive long enough to close the deal. sfvaluesbook.com