Setting: Kansas City, Missouri, 1974, home of socialite Ellison Russell
Characters
- Ellison Russell, socialite, widowed mother to teenager Grace
- Anarchy Jones, handsome, rough-around-the-edges, smart police detective who has been involved with Ellison since her first found body
- Khaki White, sought-after decorate, ex-wife of attorney Hunter Tafft, a suitor of Ellison’s
- Aggie, Ellison’s housekeeper
Plot: Shortly after welcoming Khaki into her home for a consultation about redesigning Ellison’s study, Ellison leaves to pick up her housekeeper, Aggie, whose beloved Bug, Bess, has finally run its last errand. When the pair return, they find Khaki dead. Given Ellison’s track record, it’s no surprise that Anarchy’s new partner is immediately suspicious of her. Ellison tries to stay out of the investigation, but circumstances seem to keep pulling her back in. After a mishap at her mother’s home, Ellison is forced to host a party at her place. By the end of the night, another body lies dead on Ellison’s floor. Everyone’s at a loss for suspects, but it seems as though Ellison stumbles on the truth before even fully putting the pieces together herself, and now the killer has her firmly in his sights.
Pacing: Steady
Predictability: Low
Wild Card: Watching the Detectives is a fast-paced, fun, addictive read featuring some of my favorite characters in mystery fiction. Ellison is someone who I like a lot and admire – an artist, a mother, an independent woman in a time when that was not something women aspired to be. But she is also human; a woman who struggles with the expectations society and her family place on her and are at odds with the woman she wants to be. This series is a favorite of mine because of the great characters and the wonderful writing – stories told with humor, heart, and intelligence.
Hit, Miss, or Draw: Hit
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About the Book
Ellison Russell wanted a decorator, not a corpse. Too bad she finds Mrs. White in the study killed with a revolver. Things go from bad to worse when she finds Mr. White in the dining room killed with a candlestick. With so many bodies, is it any wonder Detective Anarchy Jones’ new partner considers Ellison a suspect?
With the country club gossips talking a mile a minute, an unexpected cocktail party, a visit from Aunt Sis, and a romantic decision, Ellison hardly has time to think about murder. Unfortunately, the killer has plenty of time to think about her.
The Country Club Murders Series
About the Author
Julie Mulhern is the USA Today bestselling author of The Country Club Murders.
She is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean–and she’s got an active imagination. Truth is–she’s an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions.
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May 22 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
May 23 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
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May 24 – I Wish I Lived in a Library – REVIEW
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May 27 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – INTERVIEW
May 28 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy. &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
May 29 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
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May 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
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The Girl with Book Lungs 
Good review! I’ve never heard of this series before, so I wondering if it’s like the mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries? The ’70s time period and the upper class backdrop seem to help these stories stand out from the rest.
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