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The Country Club Murders #2
Guaranteed to Bleed
With his dying breath, Bobby Lowell begs Ellison Russell, “Tell her I love her.”
Unable to refuse, Ellison struggles to find the girl the murdered boy loved. Too bad an epically bad blind date, a vindictive graffiti artist, and multiple trips to the emergency room keep getting in the way.
Worse, a killer has Ellison in his sights, her newly-rebellious daughter is missing, and there’s yet another body in her hostas. Mother won’t be pleased.
Now Ellison must track down not one but two runaway teenagers, keep her promise to Bobby and elude the killer—all before her next charity gala committee meeting.
Unable to refuse, Ellison struggles to find the girl the murdered boy loved. Too bad an epically bad blind date, a vindictive graffiti artist, and multiple trips to the emergency room keep getting in the way.
Worse, a killer has Ellison in his sights, her newly-rebellious daughter is missing, and there’s yet another body in her hostas. Mother won’t be pleased.
Now Ellison must track down not one but two runaway teenagers, keep her promise to Bobby and elude the killer—all before her next charity gala committee meeting.
268 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2015
1115 people are currently reading
2555 people want to read
About the author
Julie Mulhern
41 books1,655 followersJulie Mulhern is the USA Today bestselling author of The Country Club Murders and the Poppy Fields Adventures.
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.
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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 414 reviews
April 18, 2021
Ellison Russell is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery stars. Why do I love reading about Ellison? 1) Location, location, location -- Ellison lives in the old money/beautiful houses part of town and I love reading about what it is like to live there. 2) She's a mom -- even though I am the mom of boys, I can still relate to parenting a teenager. 3) Snark -- Ellison's inner monologue cracks me up and she is feisty. I like her spunk. 4) Twisty, turny murder mysteries that take some thinking to solve. 5) A solid love triangle -- Ellison definitely has two eligible men vying for her attention and secrets. Anarchy Jones and Hunter Tafft are very different, but both care about Ellison very much. So, that's it. This second book begins at a high school football game and it isn't long before Ellison has a dead body to deal with. Now that I have finished two books in The Country Club Murders I am definitely down for number three.
July 12, 2015
Having adored Julie Mulhern’s debut novel, The Deep End, I couldn’t wait to begin the sequel — literally! I started Guaranteed to Bleed as soon as I finished The Deep End. While the series’ debut sported more twists than a spiral staircase, the sequel instead dealt more deeply with one facet. To reveal what would be to unfairly spoil the fun.
Mulhern kicks off the novel with Ellison Russell, artist, widow, and renegade member of Kansas City’s WASP elite, stumbling on yet another body: Bobby Lowell. With his dying breath, Bobby whispers to Ellison: “Tell her I love her.” Bobby and Ellison’s teenage daughter Grace have been pals since kindergarten, and Grace and her longtime friends take Bobby’s murder hard, as does Grace’s new friend, Donna Richardson. But not as hard as Alice Standish, one of the other girls at Suncrest Country Day School — a very odd one. Who would kill a 16-year-old boy? Could it be the besotted Alice? Or a drug deal gone bad? Or something more menacing still? And who is the mystery girl who Bobby loved? Ellison, determined to carry out a dying boy’s wish, is driven to find her. Complications ensue, leading Grace and Donna to disappear, driving Ellison — and the reader — to panic.
I really enjoyed Guaranteed to Bleed. Characters — old and new — nearly leapt off the page, and I couldn’t stop reading the novel. It had the same fun vibe as The Deep End and the same spot-on flavor of the 1970s. And the novel’s complex resolution makes particular sense to those of us who lived through that less-enlightened decade. Readers won’t regret enjoying the further adventures of Kansas City’s most interesting artist.
Having read two Mulhern novels back-to-back, I can’t wait for the third in the series so I can catch up with Ellison’s further exploits. In the meantime, I imagine Ellison stumbling into her kitchen to drink heaven in a cup produced by her Mr. Coffee machine, and I raise my own coffee cup in her honor.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Henery Press in exchange for an honest review.
Mulhern kicks off the novel with Ellison Russell, artist, widow, and renegade member of Kansas City’s WASP elite, stumbling on yet another body: Bobby Lowell. With his dying breath, Bobby whispers to Ellison: “Tell her I love her.” Bobby and Ellison’s teenage daughter Grace have been pals since kindergarten, and Grace and her longtime friends take Bobby’s murder hard, as does Grace’s new friend, Donna Richardson. But not as hard as Alice Standish, one of the other girls at Suncrest Country Day School — a very odd one. Who would kill a 16-year-old boy? Could it be the besotted Alice? Or a drug deal gone bad? Or something more menacing still? And who is the mystery girl who Bobby loved? Ellison, determined to carry out a dying boy’s wish, is driven to find her. Complications ensue, leading Grace and Donna to disappear, driving Ellison — and the reader — to panic.
I really enjoyed Guaranteed to Bleed. Characters — old and new — nearly leapt off the page, and I couldn’t stop reading the novel. It had the same fun vibe as The Deep End and the same spot-on flavor of the 1970s. And the novel’s complex resolution makes particular sense to those of us who lived through that less-enlightened decade. Readers won’t regret enjoying the further adventures of Kansas City’s most interesting artist.
Having read two Mulhern novels back-to-back, I can’t wait for the third in the series so I can catch up with Ellison’s further exploits. In the meantime, I imagine Ellison stumbling into her kitchen to drink heaven in a cup produced by her Mr. Coffee machine, and I raise my own coffee cup in her honor.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Henery Press in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2025
8/10: 4⭐️’s
This is going to be a bit short (for me). I absolutely adore Ellison. You know how there are certain characters that you wish you knew in real life and were friends with? Ellison is at the top of that list for me. She has the sarcasm down to an art. She is snarky and wonderful and she doesn’t let her fear get in her way. Plus, dealing with her mother seems like it would be a full time job with overtime, and she somehow manages that on top of everything else. And she is an artist. And uses all those wonderful paint colors when she describes things, which I love.
She has two very different men pining for her. I still know who I would choose, but Ellison is struggling to trust men after her husband’s betrayal.
I didn’t find the actual murder mystery portion of this book as good as the first one, but I had so much fun with Ellison again that I am okay with that.
Little 6 year old Betty…though her appearance in the story was brief, I LOVED her. She would be a handful, but in the best possible way. You would be exasperated, but also probably trying to hide your own smile, if you were her parent. Someone like me, that smile would be huge and no way to hide it! As long as I wasn’t responsible for her, that is. Gosh darn she was great!!
And Grace. Ellisons daughter. Gotta love Grace.
I have the next two books on hold and hoping they get to me soon because this is such a fun group of charades.
I am undecided how I feel about the murder wrap-up. But the rest was entertaining for sure.
Guess I had more to say than I thought!
Rating posted: 11/18/25
Original review posted: 11/19/25
Ps….don’t read this book while hungry!! Your stomach will start to grumble in jealousy of the food mentioned in the book! At least mine did!!!
This is going to be a bit short (for me). I absolutely adore Ellison. You know how there are certain characters that you wish you knew in real life and were friends with? Ellison is at the top of that list for me. She has the sarcasm down to an art. She is snarky and wonderful and she doesn’t let her fear get in her way. Plus, dealing with her mother seems like it would be a full time job with overtime, and she somehow manages that on top of everything else. And she is an artist. And uses all those wonderful paint colors when she describes things, which I love.
She has two very different men pining for her. I still know who I would choose, but Ellison is struggling to trust men after her husband’s betrayal.
I didn’t find the actual murder mystery portion of this book as good as the first one, but I had so much fun with Ellison again that I am okay with that.
Little 6 year old Betty…though her appearance in the story was brief, I LOVED her. She would be a handful, but in the best possible way. You would be exasperated, but also probably trying to hide your own smile, if you were her parent. Someone like me, that smile would be huge and no way to hide it! As long as I wasn’t responsible for her, that is. Gosh darn she was great!!
And Grace. Ellisons daughter. Gotta love Grace.
I have the next two books on hold and hoping they get to me soon because this is such a fun group of charades.
I am undecided how I feel about the murder wrap-up. But the rest was entertaining for sure.
Guess I had more to say than I thought!
Rating posted: 11/18/25
Original review posted: 11/19/25
Ps….don’t read this book while hungry!! Your stomach will start to grumble in jealousy of the food mentioned in the book! At least mine did!!!
June 10, 2020
Ellison Russel is spending this particular Friday night in September 1974 at a high school football game. Not because she loves the sport, but because her daughter, Grace, is a cheerleader. Unfortunately, early in the second half, she stumbles on Bobby Lowell who begs Ellison “Tell her I love her” before he dies. Bobby and Grace grew up together, so the murder hits close to home. Ellison isn’t trying to solve things, but she can’t help but figure it out as she tries to figure out who the mysterious woman is. Will she pass on Bobby’s message? Will she find the killer?
I’m glad I was finally able to return to Ellison’s world. The story is strong. It doesn’t unfold in typical cozy mystery fashion, but that didn’t bother me. I got more and more involved the further into the book I got. Ellison is a great main character, and I loved watching the growth in the character here. The rest of the cast is also great, although I wish her Mother weren’t so focused on everything being perfect. I find it funny at times, but it can be annoying. The book walks a fine line between humor and more serious themes, and the result is rich. The book does venture into some PG-13 topics, but know that going into the book and you’ll be fine since it never gets too graphic. I do recommend reading book one before you read this one since it includes fallout from the events of that story. Hopefully, it won’t be so long before I visit Ellison again.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I’m glad I was finally able to return to Ellison’s world. The story is strong. It doesn’t unfold in typical cozy mystery fashion, but that didn’t bother me. I got more and more involved the further into the book I got. Ellison is a great main character, and I loved watching the growth in the character here. The rest of the cast is also great, although I wish her Mother weren’t so focused on everything being perfect. I find it funny at times, but it can be annoying. The book walks a fine line between humor and more serious themes, and the result is rich. The book does venture into some PG-13 topics, but know that going into the book and you’ll be fine since it never gets too graphic. I do recommend reading book one before you read this one since it includes fallout from the events of that story. Hopefully, it won’t be so long before I visit Ellison again.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 16, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Ellison Russell’s day was pretty normal until she drops her fancy lipstick under the bleachers at a football game. After that hold on tight because you won’t be able to put this book down.
Like the first story in the series, The Deep End, it takes place in 1974. Again Ellison’s mom, part of the Country Club set, is not happy with the way her daughter is living her life. I love that Ellison is getting stronger. It seems the trip to Europe after her husband’s death really helped her. She is not letting her mother totally take over but her mother is hard at work trying to find her a new husband. All of their conversations are wonderful and a few will have you cheering and laughing out loud.
Trying to live a normal life just isn’t in the cards for Ellison after she finds a injured student. His last words before he died, “Tell her I love her.” That is all Ellison wants to do but she keeps finding herself drawn into the investigation. It doesn’t help her daughter has known the young man almost all her life and is now grieving him as well as her father. Homicide Detective Anarchey Jones isn’t happy about Ellison’s involvement but she seems to be able to reach people he can’t – like Alice Standish, a young girl that is crazy in love and just plain crazy. She gave me shivers.
Julie Mulhern has a gift for creating lifelike 3 dimension characters that almost leap off the pages. It would be hard to choose a favorite. She has a way of drawing you into their story that makes the real world just fall away. I started reading this late at night thinking I would just read a chapter or two and the next thing I knew I was at the end and the sun would be rising soon. She made me laugh, she made me cry, she made me remember life in the 70’s when I was just a teenager. I would have been a high school freshman when this story took place. While none of my friends were murdered we did lose a few so the words and the actions of the teens were very genuine to me.
There was also a very important story within the story. I was so impressed by the was it was written, the way Ellison handled the situation, and blended into the main plot seamlessly.
An excellent read! I think we have just scratched the surface of Ellison Russell. I am anxious for the next installment.
Ellison Russell’s day was pretty normal until she drops her fancy lipstick under the bleachers at a football game. After that hold on tight because you won’t be able to put this book down.
Like the first story in the series, The Deep End, it takes place in 1974. Again Ellison’s mom, part of the Country Club set, is not happy with the way her daughter is living her life. I love that Ellison is getting stronger. It seems the trip to Europe after her husband’s death really helped her. She is not letting her mother totally take over but her mother is hard at work trying to find her a new husband. All of their conversations are wonderful and a few will have you cheering and laughing out loud.
Trying to live a normal life just isn’t in the cards for Ellison after she finds a injured student. His last words before he died, “Tell her I love her.” That is all Ellison wants to do but she keeps finding herself drawn into the investigation. It doesn’t help her daughter has known the young man almost all her life and is now grieving him as well as her father. Homicide Detective Anarchey Jones isn’t happy about Ellison’s involvement but she seems to be able to reach people he can’t – like Alice Standish, a young girl that is crazy in love and just plain crazy. She gave me shivers.
Julie Mulhern has a gift for creating lifelike 3 dimension characters that almost leap off the pages. It would be hard to choose a favorite. She has a way of drawing you into their story that makes the real world just fall away. I started reading this late at night thinking I would just read a chapter or two and the next thing I knew I was at the end and the sun would be rising soon. She made me laugh, she made me cry, she made me remember life in the 70’s when I was just a teenager. I would have been a high school freshman when this story took place. While none of my friends were murdered we did lose a few so the words and the actions of the teens were very genuine to me.
There was also a very important story within the story. I was so impressed by the was it was written, the way Ellison handled the situation, and blended into the main plot seamlessly.
An excellent read! I think we have just scratched the surface of Ellison Russell. I am anxious for the next installment.
October 18, 2015
Guaranteed to Bleed is as fabulous as The Deep End! I think I loved it even more but that may just be because I am already connected to the characters. Ms. Mulhern not only writes a story that holds me from beginning to end, she create characters that grab the reader and touch our hearts. The country club set is far out of my experience but the focus is on people with strengths and weaknesses, kindness and pettiness, pain and caring. They mystery is complex and heart wrenching but for me the greatness of the story comes from watching Ellison survive the struggles of life. I have to admit that I enjoy the two men who are attracted to her and hope that in time she can heal enough to trust their support, but I am afraid the series might end then and I want it to last for a long time. I was thrilled to receive a copy of the wonderful book from the author, and I wish I could write a review worthy of it; I loved it!
March 13, 2022
A great second book in the Country Club Murders series. Again it takes place well before cellphones and internet.
I love Julie Mulherns writing style and the way she describes things.
I can't wait to read more....
I love Julie Mulherns writing style and the way she describes things.
I can't wait to read more....
October 9, 2017
I get that this series has glowing reviews, but I find I have a true love-hate relationship with these books. They are well-written, and Ellison can be very funny, which is brought out by the excellent audio narrator fit. What I don't so much like . . .
Back in 1974, I was a kid about her daughter's age living from a roughly similar background, though in New Jersey not Kansas City (it is never clear if the books are set in MO or KS, but I assume the former). Cutting to the chase, her world seems more new money than "old" to me. Yes, I was a boy, but I don't recall any older women as dragon-ish as the ones here? I have to suspend disbelief to a certain extent in these stories, so along with a lack of "place" (commented on by other reviewers) the book earns three stars from me. The idea of Ellison "happening" to find herself in an S&M club (previous book) and a drag club (this one) in 1974 Kansas City seems a bit . . . contrived, but I can let that go. Not really keen on the love triangle thing either, but it seems to be de rigeur in cozies? Finally, although she's a talented painter, a rich, good-looking woman who spends much of her free time at The Club strikes me as a tad . . . vapid.
As I said earlier, she can be very funny at times, and the next book's plot seems interesting, so I'll give it a try!
Back in 1974, I was a kid about her daughter's age living from a roughly similar background, though in New Jersey not Kansas City (it is never clear if the books are set in MO or KS, but I assume the former). Cutting to the chase, her world seems more new money than "old" to me. Yes, I was a boy, but I don't recall any older women as dragon-ish as the ones here? I have to suspend disbelief to a certain extent in these stories, so along with a lack of "place" (commented on by other reviewers) the book earns three stars from me. The idea of Ellison "happening" to find herself in an S&M club (previous book) and a drag club (this one) in 1974 Kansas City seems a bit . . . contrived, but I can let that go. Not really keen on the love triangle thing either, but it seems to be de rigeur in cozies? Finally, although she's a talented painter, a rich, good-looking woman who spends much of her free time at The Club strikes me as a tad . . . vapid.
As I said earlier, she can be very funny at times, and the next book's plot seems interesting, so I'll give it a try!
March 30, 2019
Read in one day. I absolutely loved this one!
This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites! I love the heroine's biting sense of sarcasm, it's exactly my kind of humor. The Southern Country Club setting is absolutely delicious and I bet still has a lot of potential for backstabbing and lots of murders.
On any other heroine I bet I'd be pretty tired of bad things happening wherever she goes by now, but Ellison's lovely sarcastic comments keep me so entertained, I couldn't care less how improbable it is that she keeps stumbling over all those dead bodies. I like that she's not your every day amateur sleuth who just keeps sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. She or her daughter are always affected personally, and she doesn't go out of her way to be a busybody, and I really love that. The books balance heavy subjects with humor in just the perfect way for me, and I really need to read the rest of them as soon as possible...
This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites! I love the heroine's biting sense of sarcasm, it's exactly my kind of humor. The Southern Country Club setting is absolutely delicious and I bet still has a lot of potential for backstabbing and lots of murders.
On any other heroine I bet I'd be pretty tired of bad things happening wherever she goes by now, but Ellison's lovely sarcastic comments keep me so entertained, I couldn't care less how improbable it is that she keeps stumbling over all those dead bodies. I like that she's not your every day amateur sleuth who just keeps sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. She or her daughter are always affected personally, and she doesn't go out of her way to be a busybody, and I really love that. The books balance heavy subjects with humor in just the perfect way for me, and I really need to read the rest of them as soon as possible...
February 8, 2017
Excellently written. Just like this first book this one was on the line between cozy and non-cozy, and there is a pretty strong love triangle. However, there are enough great parts to override those. Recommend!
May 27, 2024
A lot to like here. Ellison's voice is great, and I really like the world and can easily picture it. And given that I know where the love triangle is ultimately heading, I thought how Ellison handled her knowledge at the end of the story to be really interesting. I honestly just wish it were easier to access the early books in the series from my libraries. I don't love doing these via audio, and that's my only option for the next 5-6 books. It's really going to slow me down, when I could otherwise see myself binging them.
September 4, 2015
It was year 1974. Ellison Russell was only supposed to get her pricey lipstick which fell off the stands during a chaotic football game. What she found instead was the body of a dying boy about the age of her daughter. Bobby Lowell. With just only a few seconds to spare, he told Ellison, "“Tell her I love her.”
If you were the one in Ellison's place, what would you do?
Ellison's daughter, Grace, held an impromptu sleepover the night Bobby Lowell died, and we met her other friends, Kim, Peggy & Debbie plus the new girl, Donna. Together they mourned his death, especially Grace who recently lost his father. Ellison herself was overwhelmed by the situation, especially with blood in her hands. Would she ever discover the girl Bobby loved? Would she be able to tell her he loved her?
Even though Ellison's focus was to find the girl Bobby had loved, she unknowingly uncovered the possible reasons why he was killed. There was the case of the overly infatuated girl, Alice Standish who had been pining for Bobby's attention for so long, it made her look obsessed. There was also her father who hid behind mascara, long lashes and queer clothes. There's also the grieving best friend Jack McCreary and his father John who had been grumpy and rude to Ellison whenever she asked about Jack's friendship with Bobby. And the newcomer, Donna, who's got secrets of her own. Dirty little secrets that involved her stepfather.
A great addition to the list of interesting characters were Detective Anarchy Jones, the police officer who clearly had feelings for Ellison, & there's lawyer, Hunter Tafft, whom Ellison tried hard to get away from. I also liked that the story was set in the 1970's. It brings major throwback to the time when avocado green telephones were the "IT" thing. No gadgets, no touch screens, no wi-fi connection. Communication between people were personal, intimate and heartfelt.
Guaranteed to Bleed is guaranteed to make you holler, scream, guess, second guess and guess again. I must admit I was twice mistaken with my guesses about Bobby's murderer but I knew about the girl he loved. An amalgamation of different characters will surely make this story a delight and pleasure to read. Julie Mulhern is now one of the authors I'll definitely watch out for!
If you were the one in Ellison's place, what would you do?
Ellison's daughter, Grace, held an impromptu sleepover the night Bobby Lowell died, and we met her other friends, Kim, Peggy & Debbie plus the new girl, Donna. Together they mourned his death, especially Grace who recently lost his father. Ellison herself was overwhelmed by the situation, especially with blood in her hands. Would she ever discover the girl Bobby loved? Would she be able to tell her he loved her?
Even though Ellison's focus was to find the girl Bobby had loved, she unknowingly uncovered the possible reasons why he was killed. There was the case of the overly infatuated girl, Alice Standish who had been pining for Bobby's attention for so long, it made her look obsessed. There was also her father who hid behind mascara, long lashes and queer clothes. There's also the grieving best friend Jack McCreary and his father John who had been grumpy and rude to Ellison whenever she asked about Jack's friendship with Bobby. And the newcomer, Donna, who's got secrets of her own. Dirty little secrets that involved her stepfather.
A great addition to the list of interesting characters were Detective Anarchy Jones, the police officer who clearly had feelings for Ellison, & there's lawyer, Hunter Tafft, whom Ellison tried hard to get away from. I also liked that the story was set in the 1970's. It brings major throwback to the time when avocado green telephones were the "IT" thing. No gadgets, no touch screens, no wi-fi connection. Communication between people were personal, intimate and heartfelt.
Guaranteed to Bleed is guaranteed to make you holler, scream, guess, second guess and guess again. I must admit I was twice mistaken with my guesses about Bobby's murderer but I knew about the girl he loved. An amalgamation of different characters will surely make this story a delight and pleasure to read. Julie Mulhern is now one of the authors I'll definitely watch out for!
April 28, 2017
I love this series. I love all of the vintage fashion. I love the characters. Usually I start listening to an audiobook, get to anxious and buy the kindle version and search for any missing scenes and read the last few chapters and then move on. The books in this series are so awesome that even when I know what happens because I'm a spaz, I listen to the entire book.
June 17, 2018
Once again Ellison Russell is thrust into a murder investigation. When she finds Bobby Lowell, she makes it her goal to fulfill his dying wish - "tell her I love her". Who is the mysterious "her"? Why did someone kill the teenager under the bleachers at the football game? Who knew there was such a sordid side to the Kansas City country club set? Another fast-paced mystery by author Julie Mulhern, I loved Guaranteed to Bleed, and am eagerly advancing to the next in the series. A+
October 26, 2023
Loving this cozy mystery series.
August 4, 2024
I really enjoy Ellison’s reluctant role as local mystery unraveler. The world feels very lived in and makes me feel as if I know exactly what it was like to be a part of a 1970s country club set in Kansas - regardless of how accurate or not that might be, lol. I’m giving this one 4 stars instead of 5 because the ending came together almost a little too quickly and too neatly. But I still eagerly look forward to chasing down more mysteries with Ellison and this rich cast of characters.
July 18, 2023
Unexpectedly dark (cw for sexual abuse of a minor), which considering the body count in the first one is really saying something. Voice continues to be absolutely great, could maybe have done without the crossdressing double date part (Ellison was surprisingly cool about it, though), just because it seemed unnecessary. I am here for the budding love triangle, though, which I almost never would say.
November 19, 2017
I love a cozy mystery and have recently discovered this series by local Kansas City author, Julie Mulhern. This is book 2 in the Country Club Murder series, based in the mid-1970s (the period references to clothing, drinks and music are some of my favorite parts of the books!). As a Kansas Citian, my most favorite part is imagining the real-life inspiration for the fictional schools, people, and places that appear in her books. In this book, Ellison Russell finds another dead body under the stands at a high school football game. Before the boy died, he told Ellison to "tell her I love her". Ellison's mission is to find the girl who was the object of his affections and pass on the message. In the process of digging for information so that she can pass on the boy's final words, Ellison stumbles onto other information that eventually leads her to understand who the murderer is.
January 30, 2020
I love this series. Good enough that I have reread all of her books several times and get something new out of them every time. This book picks up a few months after the last one ended telling the story of how Ellison stumbles upon a dying boy cares enough about doing the right thing to want to fulfill his last wish. The characters are well written and feel real. That Mulhern can create a world set in the 70's that you can really get a feel for and characters that are quirky but not so overly so that it's annoying is a tribute to her writing skill. A true cut above most of today's mysteries.
I can't recommend her books enough.
I can't recommend her books enough.
June 24, 2021
A mostly light hearted and fun cozy mystery.
Ellison got herself involved with murder again when she found a almost dead Bobby underneath the stands. This book has a lot of fun characters although I sometimes got a bit lost on who's who and there are 2 women with nearly the same name Cece or Kiki I think. Being in the Country club and living in a nosy town actually makes this book twice the fun.
Looking forward to the next book to see what happens next with Anarchy and Hunter. I kinda wish Ellison ends up with Hunter
Ellison got herself involved with murder again when she found a almost dead Bobby underneath the stands. This book has a lot of fun characters although I sometimes got a bit lost on who's who and there are 2 women with nearly the same name Cece or Kiki I think. Being in the Country club and living in a nosy town actually makes this book twice the fun.
Looking forward to the next book to see what happens next with Anarchy and Hunter. I kinda wish Ellison ends up with Hunter
January 6, 2025
These are so funny. I'm not sure what decade they're supposed to be set in but it's so interesting to have mysteries set in a pre cell phone era. It really changes the dynamic. The mystery is pretty well done. The character development is top notch. I think I'll keep coming back to this series.
January 31, 2020
This was an amazing book and a great addition to a cant stop reading series!
November 30, 2025
I really enjoy the characters even if the stories have some darkness.
March 11, 2017
Another brilliant murder mystery by the queen of cozy mysteries! Loved it from start to finish and I am now onto the third quite literally back to back. I can't give enough praise!
July 29, 2022
Read it in one day. Couldn't put it down.
Ok, I read books 1, 3, &4 before book 2. While each story can stand alone and do not need to be read in order, character development does. While the story plots are good, the continuing character development is what brings me back. That said, I find book 2 the best of the four I've read so far. Maybe because I feel the character development was an integral part of the plot.
Ok, I read books 1, 3, &4 before book 2. While each story can stand alone and do not need to be read in order, character development does. While the story plots are good, the continuing character development is what brings me back. That said, I find book 2 the best of the four I've read so far. Maybe because I feel the character development was an integral part of the plot.
July 9, 2024
I am all in on The Country Club Murders series, and this book made me laugh even more than the first one did. However, the mystery is much weaker, and it's hard to recommend unless you want to spend time with Ellison (which, fortunately, I do). And I really enjoy the love triangle! Do you think that Julie Mulhern regrets naming one of her characters "Anarchy"? It's a funny throwaway line in the first book, but might be an ill-advised choice if you are going to write 16 more books in the series.
November 1, 2015
Trouble always seems to land on Ellison Russell’s doorstep. She is always in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Just ask her mother. When a dying teenager asks her to tell his girlfriend he loves her, she’s on a mission to find out who the girl is and to give the message to her. It’s not as easy as it might sound.
I love Ellison. She’s a very realistic character…she’s dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter and an overbearing mother. To make matters worse, she lives a “high society” type life and has to deal with the gossipy country club crowd. Unfortunately for Ellison, she never seems to be able to please anyone, especially her mother and daughter.
Ellison isn’t one of those amateur sleuths who sticks her nose into a murder investigation just because she feels like it. In fact, she’s not investigating the murder at all. She simply wants to give Bobby Lowell’s girlfriend his dying message. The odd thing is, nobody seems to know he was dating anyone, let alone being in love.
The search leads Ellison is a few dangerous directions, but that only makes her determination stronger.
This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the first. The 70’s setting is one that interests me, probably because I grew up in it. It’s kind of humorous to go back to a world without cellphones and social media. How quickly we forget :)
Besides being a cozy mystery, this has a taste of chick lit too. Ellison is continually paired up with awful blind dates and gets herself into some wacky situations. She's a single mother trying to live her life, but outside circumstances are always getting in the way. Namely, murders!
The storyline flows beautifully. The characters are well-developed and complex. They literally come to life on each page. This series is a winner and I’m looking forward to the next Ellison adventure.
FTC Disclosure: The author and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
I love Ellison. She’s a very realistic character…she’s dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter and an overbearing mother. To make matters worse, she lives a “high society” type life and has to deal with the gossipy country club crowd. Unfortunately for Ellison, she never seems to be able to please anyone, especially her mother and daughter.
Ellison isn’t one of those amateur sleuths who sticks her nose into a murder investigation just because she feels like it. In fact, she’s not investigating the murder at all. She simply wants to give Bobby Lowell’s girlfriend his dying message. The odd thing is, nobody seems to know he was dating anyone, let alone being in love.
The search leads Ellison is a few dangerous directions, but that only makes her determination stronger.
This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the first. The 70’s setting is one that interests me, probably because I grew up in it. It’s kind of humorous to go back to a world without cellphones and social media. How quickly we forget :)
Besides being a cozy mystery, this has a taste of chick lit too. Ellison is continually paired up with awful blind dates and gets herself into some wacky situations. She's a single mother trying to live her life, but outside circumstances are always getting in the way. Namely, murders!
The storyline flows beautifully. The characters are well-developed and complex. They literally come to life on each page. This series is a winner and I’m looking forward to the next Ellison adventure.
FTC Disclosure: The author and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 25, 2022
Another delightfully twisty story! Every time I thought I knew the ending, more twists! Well done and worth the time.
The author deals with serious social issues, but somehow still creates a highly readable and enjoyable tale. That's no small talent.
The author deals with serious social issues, but somehow still creates a highly readable and enjoyable tale. That's no small talent.
January 23, 2016
Ellison Russell has just returned from a trip to Europe with her daughter Grace, and is hoping for a little normalcy in her life. Her husband’s murder and a few other disastrous events have left her a bit stressed.
So she is attending a football game to root for her daughter and friends. Suddenly, she drops her lipstick under the bleachers. She starts digging around for it…after all, it was an expensive brand she bought in Paris. Imagine her surprise to discover a boy, who turns out to be Bobby Lowell, one of Grace’s friends, bleeding to death. He whispers to her: “Tell her I love her.”
Who did he mean? And who would have shot Bobby? These and other questions drive Ellison to do what she seems compelled to do: find answers.
But more bodies turn up before the end of Guaranteed to Bleed, along with a few disastrous secrets that could have motivated any number of people to kill Bobby and others. Why is Jonathan Hess, India’s new husband, and daughter Donna’s stepfather, such a bully, pushing his way into her home after a sleepover? What led Grace and Donna to run away, hiding out as if they have secrets they couldn’t tell?
The returning characters from Book One included Anarchy Jones, the homicide detective; Hunter Taftt, the attorney who has his eye on Ellison; her mother Frances, whose glares could wither anyone who crossed her; and Ellison’s best friend Libba.
Set in the 1970s, I enjoyed the reminders of that era like landlines and payphones, as well as mentions of Watergate and Nixon. The humorous and somewhat snarky voice of our first person narrator, Ellison, kept me turning pages, trying to guess what might happen next. Another delightful read from the author. 4.5 stars.
So she is attending a football game to root for her daughter and friends. Suddenly, she drops her lipstick under the bleachers. She starts digging around for it…after all, it was an expensive brand she bought in Paris. Imagine her surprise to discover a boy, who turns out to be Bobby Lowell, one of Grace’s friends, bleeding to death. He whispers to her: “Tell her I love her.”
Who did he mean? And who would have shot Bobby? These and other questions drive Ellison to do what she seems compelled to do: find answers.
But more bodies turn up before the end of Guaranteed to Bleed, along with a few disastrous secrets that could have motivated any number of people to kill Bobby and others. Why is Jonathan Hess, India’s new husband, and daughter Donna’s stepfather, such a bully, pushing his way into her home after a sleepover? What led Grace and Donna to run away, hiding out as if they have secrets they couldn’t tell?
The returning characters from Book One included Anarchy Jones, the homicide detective; Hunter Taftt, the attorney who has his eye on Ellison; her mother Frances, whose glares could wither anyone who crossed her; and Ellison’s best friend Libba.
Set in the 1970s, I enjoyed the reminders of that era like landlines and payphones, as well as mentions of Watergate and Nixon. The humorous and somewhat snarky voice of our first person narrator, Ellison, kept me turning pages, trying to guess what might happen next. Another delightful read from the author. 4.5 stars.
October 5, 2015
Guaranteed to Bleed, by Julie Mulhern, is the second of her Country Club Murders mystery series. It is the fall of 1974 and Kansas City socialite Ellison Russell has recently returned from a summer in Southern Europe, a summer to rest and recuperate from the occurrences of early summer when she was widowed, a murder suspect, and almost a murder victim.
Returning home, Ellison expected her daughter to be reunited with lifelong friends who would support her grieving process. Instead, one of her childhood friends is murdered and Ellison is the one to come upon the young man as he lay bleeding. His last words ask Ellison to "tell her I love her," but Ellison doesn't know who she is, or who would do this to Bobby.
Ellison is reintroduced to Detective Anarchy Jones and again represented by Hunter Tafft. In the course of the investigation, Ellison must deal with an unexpected house guest, runaway teenagers, and an attempted break in that results in a body in the hostas shot by an unknown assailant that escapes over the fence.
A woman ahead of her time, Ellison is strong, self supporting, and figuring out how to establish herself in a world quite different than today. She has a strong sense of fairness and seeks to fulfill Bobby's final wishes as well as balance the needs of her daughter, her houseguest, and the law.
Following the stellar work in Ms. Mulhern's first book in this series, The Deep End, this book is equally well written and has the same level of intricate plot and rich characters. I highly recommend this book and this series.
Returning home, Ellison expected her daughter to be reunited with lifelong friends who would support her grieving process. Instead, one of her childhood friends is murdered and Ellison is the one to come upon the young man as he lay bleeding. His last words ask Ellison to "tell her I love her," but Ellison doesn't know who she is, or who would do this to Bobby.
Ellison is reintroduced to Detective Anarchy Jones and again represented by Hunter Tafft. In the course of the investigation, Ellison must deal with an unexpected house guest, runaway teenagers, and an attempted break in that results in a body in the hostas shot by an unknown assailant that escapes over the fence.
A woman ahead of her time, Ellison is strong, self supporting, and figuring out how to establish herself in a world quite different than today. She has a strong sense of fairness and seeks to fulfill Bobby's final wishes as well as balance the needs of her daughter, her houseguest, and the law.
Following the stellar work in Ms. Mulhern's first book in this series, The Deep End, this book is equally well written and has the same level of intricate plot and rich characters. I highly recommend this book and this series.
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