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The Country Club Murders #7
Shadow Dancing
Visiting a psychic is outside the norm for Ellison Russell. Finding bodies is not. Unfortunately, the psychic's crystal ball says she'll soon be surrounded by death. Again. Drat. Now there's a corpse in the front drive, a witchy neighbor ready to turn Ellison and her (not so) little dog into toadstools, and a stripper named Starry Knight occupying the guest room. How did 1975 go so wrong so quickly? Ellison must handle Mother (who's found a body of her own), make up with a certain handsome detective, and catch a killer, or the death surrounding her might be her own.
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First published June 19, 2018
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About the author
Julie Mulhern
39 books1,669 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 231 reviews
March 17, 2022
Ellison finds herself dancing in the shadows of danger once again in this seventh episode of the Country Club Murders series. Oddly enough, the first "body" to surface in this chapter is a box of ashes in the Walford hall closet. Mother (Frances) is appalled and asks her daughter for help. Things are just beginning to get interesting. Some bits I really appreciated about this one include the spotlight on the plight of teenage runaways and the predators that circle, the excellent character development of our favorite characters (Anarchy Jones in particular), and the nod to Minsky's Pizza -- one of my favorite local businesses. Oh, and Mr. Coffee is still going strong.
June 22, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
She’s done it again! Julie Mulhern has topped herself again!
It’s 1975 and Ellison Russell has been dragged to a psychic by her best friend Libba. She is not interested in learning what is in the future, she has a heck of a time just keeping up with the present. When the psychic tells her death may be surrounding her soon, all she thinks is Not Again!!
This story was mega entertaining. Remember the days before cell phones and cable television, when kids played outside, kitchens had avocado appliances and living rooms had shag carpeting! Julie Mulhern takes us there.
Ellison has her hands full with her daughter Grace, her mother, her friends, and Detective Anarchy Jones. Grace makes a new friend, well sort of. Her mother makes an unusual discovery in her closet. Libba took her to a psychic! Her relationship with the good detective has hit the skids but there is still that spark when they are in proximity of each other, plus he needs to keep her safe. She is also busy with her dog Max. Let me tell you, one of his adventures had me laughing so hard I had tears running from my eyes. My daughter was laughing too because she knew exactly whose book I was reading. “Julie Mulhern??”
I love the characters in this series. They are expertly written and feel like old friends. Their dialogues are fantastic. The way Ellison has learned to handle her mother always makes me smile.
The story is very well plotted. One little accident sends Ellison life reeling. A dead body in her front yard, a strip club, another murder. Can’t this woman catch a break? While there is a lot of humor in this story, the reason behind the murders is a very serious issue. It takes a talented author to mesh it all together.
As has become my custom with this author’s books, I devoured this story all in one sitting. The television is turned off, my feet go up, and I escape right into Ellison’s world. The only thing missing is my own Mr. Coffee.
This entire series is extraordinary, so I do recommend you start at the beginning and read them in order. But . . . if you wish you can jump right in with this one, I bet then you will know you have to read them all. For me, every one of them has been a Perfect Escape.
She’s done it again! Julie Mulhern has topped herself again!
It’s 1975 and Ellison Russell has been dragged to a psychic by her best friend Libba. She is not interested in learning what is in the future, she has a heck of a time just keeping up with the present. When the psychic tells her death may be surrounding her soon, all she thinks is Not Again!!
This story was mega entertaining. Remember the days before cell phones and cable television, when kids played outside, kitchens had avocado appliances and living rooms had shag carpeting! Julie Mulhern takes us there.
Ellison has her hands full with her daughter Grace, her mother, her friends, and Detective Anarchy Jones. Grace makes a new friend, well sort of. Her mother makes an unusual discovery in her closet. Libba took her to a psychic! Her relationship with the good detective has hit the skids but there is still that spark when they are in proximity of each other, plus he needs to keep her safe. She is also busy with her dog Max. Let me tell you, one of his adventures had me laughing so hard I had tears running from my eyes. My daughter was laughing too because she knew exactly whose book I was reading. “Julie Mulhern??”
I love the characters in this series. They are expertly written and feel like old friends. Their dialogues are fantastic. The way Ellison has learned to handle her mother always makes me smile.
The story is very well plotted. One little accident sends Ellison life reeling. A dead body in her front yard, a strip club, another murder. Can’t this woman catch a break? While there is a lot of humor in this story, the reason behind the murders is a very serious issue. It takes a talented author to mesh it all together.
As has become my custom with this author’s books, I devoured this story all in one sitting. The television is turned off, my feet go up, and I escape right into Ellison’s world. The only thing missing is my own Mr. Coffee.
This entire series is extraordinary, so I do recommend you start at the beginning and read them in order. But . . . if you wish you can jump right in with this one, I bet then you will know you have to read them all. For me, every one of them has been a Perfect Escape.
May 25, 2018
“Some people found pennies in parking lots. I found bodies. And not just in parking lots. I found bodies everywhere.” Ellison Russell is back, hoping against all hope, that she will not come into contact with a corpse ever again. She has had a break for over eight weeks now, so the Country Club and Ellison are overdue a cadaver or two.
However, this time, it is the normally imperturbable Frances Walford who becomes very perturbed when locating a dead person in her closet. It is a complete mystery who the dead person is, and more particularly why they are in Frances’ closet. A job for Aggie’s private detecting skills.
When not detecting or looking after the Russell household, Aggie is busy with her new man, Mac: “The man was the approximate size of a rhinoceros with the disposition of a Labrador puppy”. Meanwhile, Aggie’s employer, Ellison, is trying to take a break from romance (as well as corpses) following the parting of ways from the magnificent Anarchy Jones. Unfortunately, Libba has not got the message and is determined to set Ellison up with the handsome, but unappealing, Wright. At least Wright is just boring and bored. Libba’s own date, Bill, is outright cringeworthy: ““I bet you’re great at soliciting donations.” Bill combined being patronizing and salacious in just two sentences. It had to be some kind of record … “I think it’s great the way you girls find ways to keep busy,” said Bill. When I declined dessert, the waiter had taken my fork. Too bad. I knew exactly where I’d sink the tines.”
However, all is not lost. As the danger to Ellison and her daughter, Grace, mounts, Anarchy arrives back on the scene: “Looking at the distant expression on Anarchy’s lean face—all harsh planes and remote valleys—and the coldness in his eyes cured the flutters in my stomach. Instead of fluttering, the flutters drooped in a dejected, hang-dog manner”. Can Ellison and Anarchy ever rekindle their mutual attraction? Or is the other man in her life – Mr Coffee – Ellison’s only chance at requited love?
Apart from possible romance, the story races through visits to a medium and ‘conversations’ with the dead, child exploitation and prostitution, dubious real estate practices, family secrets and affairs, threats, danger and – of course – bodies.
I love this series and cannot get enough of it. Long may it continue.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
However, this time, it is the normally imperturbable Frances Walford who becomes very perturbed when locating a dead person in her closet. It is a complete mystery who the dead person is, and more particularly why they are in Frances’ closet. A job for Aggie’s private detecting skills.
When not detecting or looking after the Russell household, Aggie is busy with her new man, Mac: “The man was the approximate size of a rhinoceros with the disposition of a Labrador puppy”. Meanwhile, Aggie’s employer, Ellison, is trying to take a break from romance (as well as corpses) following the parting of ways from the magnificent Anarchy Jones. Unfortunately, Libba has not got the message and is determined to set Ellison up with the handsome, but unappealing, Wright. At least Wright is just boring and bored. Libba’s own date, Bill, is outright cringeworthy: ““I bet you’re great at soliciting donations.” Bill combined being patronizing and salacious in just two sentences. It had to be some kind of record … “I think it’s great the way you girls find ways to keep busy,” said Bill. When I declined dessert, the waiter had taken my fork. Too bad. I knew exactly where I’d sink the tines.”
However, all is not lost. As the danger to Ellison and her daughter, Grace, mounts, Anarchy arrives back on the scene: “Looking at the distant expression on Anarchy’s lean face—all harsh planes and remote valleys—and the coldness in his eyes cured the flutters in my stomach. Instead of fluttering, the flutters drooped in a dejected, hang-dog manner”. Can Ellison and Anarchy ever rekindle their mutual attraction? Or is the other man in her life – Mr Coffee – Ellison’s only chance at requited love?
Apart from possible romance, the story races through visits to a medium and ‘conversations’ with the dead, child exploitation and prostitution, dubious real estate practices, family secrets and affairs, threats, danger and – of course – bodies.
I love this series and cannot get enough of it. Long may it continue.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
May 14, 2018
Shadow Dancing is the seventh installment in Julie Mulhern’s awesome Country Club Murders series. Ms. Mulhern’s writing style is crisp and clear, the storyline is well developed, and the characters are entertaining. The setting for this series is the 1970’s and all the details are right on target from telephones that must be plugged into the wall to work to the shag carpets. The mystery is interesting, and witty statements and humor are dispersed throughout this fast-paced book, which has lots of twists, and turns and enough suspects to keep the reader engaged. Family dynamics play a large part in the story and the sensitive subject of child prostitution is addressed in this book. There are lots of laughs and intrigue in this book and I was kept guessing until the final reveal. I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy well-crafted, clean mysteries.
Ellison Russell, who lives in Kansas City, Missouri, is a widow, an artist, the mother of a teenager daughter, loves Mr. Coffee, and seems to attract murder victims but it’s February and no bodies have appeared so far this year. Libba, Ellison’s best friend, takes her to see Madame Reyna, a physic, who tells her there will be death all around her, that she let the “one” go, but Mr. Right was still coming, and that Henry, her deceased husband, has a message for her about finding death soon and that Grace, their daughter, will be in danger. On the drive home, Ellison’s distracted and hits a teenaged girl who had dashed between two cars and into the street. The girl, who said her name is Leslie Smith, assures her that she’s okay and refuses medical aid or the ride Ellison offers. The girl said she had an argument with her boyfriend and because she doesn’t have a coat or gloves, Ellison gives hers to her, saying she can keep them, but Leslie asks for her address so she can return them. After learning about multiple frantic calls from Frances, her mother, Ellison rushes to her house and learns she found a box of ashes in her hall closet. Frances wants Aggie DeLucci, Ellison’s housekeeper who used to be a private investigator, to figure out whose ashes she found. Detective Peters shows Ellison a photo of the girl she knows as Leslie Smith, she explains their relationship, and he informs her that the young girl was found shot to death in a downtown alley. When Detective Anarchy Jones comes to question Ellison about Leslie, she learns her name is really Leesa Lisowski, a runaway from Chicago, and that she was a prostitute. When danger threatens not only her life, but also Grace’s into harm’s way, Ellison is grateful Anarchy is there to take care of them. In the midst of all the death and threats, Ellison’s mother, Frances, and her daddy, Harrington, reveal a secret they’ve held onto for over forty years.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Ellison Russell, who lives in Kansas City, Missouri, is a widow, an artist, the mother of a teenager daughter, loves Mr. Coffee, and seems to attract murder victims but it’s February and no bodies have appeared so far this year. Libba, Ellison’s best friend, takes her to see Madame Reyna, a physic, who tells her there will be death all around her, that she let the “one” go, but Mr. Right was still coming, and that Henry, her deceased husband, has a message for her about finding death soon and that Grace, their daughter, will be in danger. On the drive home, Ellison’s distracted and hits a teenaged girl who had dashed between two cars and into the street. The girl, who said her name is Leslie Smith, assures her that she’s okay and refuses medical aid or the ride Ellison offers. The girl said she had an argument with her boyfriend and because she doesn’t have a coat or gloves, Ellison gives hers to her, saying she can keep them, but Leslie asks for her address so she can return them. After learning about multiple frantic calls from Frances, her mother, Ellison rushes to her house and learns she found a box of ashes in her hall closet. Frances wants Aggie DeLucci, Ellison’s housekeeper who used to be a private investigator, to figure out whose ashes she found. Detective Peters shows Ellison a photo of the girl she knows as Leslie Smith, she explains their relationship, and he informs her that the young girl was found shot to death in a downtown alley. When Detective Anarchy Jones comes to question Ellison about Leslie, she learns her name is really Leesa Lisowski, a runaway from Chicago, and that she was a prostitute. When danger threatens not only her life, but also Grace’s into harm’s way, Ellison is grateful Anarchy is there to take care of them. In the midst of all the death and threats, Ellison’s mother, Frances, and her daddy, Harrington, reveal a secret they’ve held onto for over forty years.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
May 9, 2018
The #7 Version of the country club series is one of the best of the series. It takes place in 1975 and Mr. Coffee is still an important factor in the life of Ellison Russel. Her best friend, Libba takes Ellison to a physic who tells she let a good one go and soon she there will be death all around her. Max misbehaves and he had me laughing out loud as he involves her neighbor.
Ellison's Mother is upset by all the bodies Ellison finds and now her Mother is in a panic has had found? She also has secret that will effect Ellison's life. Bodies keep turning up in Ellison's yard bringing Anarchy Jones back in the Ellison's life. Who is Starry Knight? The twists and turns this book will have to turn the pages in order to what is going to have next. Will Ellison finds some answers before she becomes a victim? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Henery Press for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
Ellison's Mother is upset by all the bodies Ellison finds and now her Mother is in a panic has had found? She also has secret that will effect Ellison's life. Bodies keep turning up in Ellison's yard bringing Anarchy Jones back in the Ellison's life. Who is Starry Knight? The twists and turns this book will have to turn the pages in order to what is going to have next. Will Ellison finds some answers before she becomes a victim? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Henery Press for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
December 19, 2025
4.5⭐️’s. Wow I got through that fast. Really surprised especially with how tired I was.
Mr. Coffee count: 40
Rating and Mr. Coffee count posted: 12/15/25
More thoughts to come eventually
Not sure why I am even trying to type anything right now since book 8 review was a bust. So I will just say this: this is such a fun series. This particular book was a little stressful at times with a major surprise and entire shift in the family dynamics. If Mr. Coffee hasn’t been his own character in the other books, he for sure is in this one!
Such a fun series, with great characters. Read in order if you are able. Each book has its own murders to be solved, but with character development and relationships and timeline of events mentioned etc, reading in order is what I would really recommend.
Brief additional thoughts added: 12/19/25
Mr. Coffee count: 40
Rating and Mr. Coffee count posted: 12/15/25
More thoughts to come eventually
Not sure why I am even trying to type anything right now since book 8 review was a bust. So I will just say this: this is such a fun series. This particular book was a little stressful at times with a major surprise and entire shift in the family dynamics. If Mr. Coffee hasn’t been his own character in the other books, he for sure is in this one!
Such a fun series, with great characters. Read in order if you are able. Each book has its own murders to be solved, but with character development and relationships and timeline of events mentioned etc, reading in order is what I would really recommend.
Brief additional thoughts added: 12/19/25
June 21, 2018
To All my Goodreads friends - Read this series! It is literary deliciousness!
June 17, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. While I have only read the first book in the Country Club series, it really didn't feel like I had missed a whole lot. (And to be honest, I didn't enjoy the first book that much!) But now that I've had a chance to read another book by Julie Mulhern, I will be reading more of this series.
The author has you laughing out loud at some of the things that Ellison says and thinks. Her family is a hoot...from a sassy, independent daughter to her overcontrolling, judgmental mother. And Anarchy...well, let's just say that I would let him eat crackers in my bed any day!
This book is full of murder, mystery, intrigue, crazy antics, excitement, and family relationship issues. It keeps you flipping the pages to find out what will happen next. I love the lingo and the way Ellison manages to keep finding or being involved with dead bodies. But she just keeps on plodding along and has you chuckling at her thought processes with each incident.
I am looking forward to more adventures with Ellison and the rest of the Country Club murder series. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The author has you laughing out loud at some of the things that Ellison says and thinks. Her family is a hoot...from a sassy, independent daughter to her overcontrolling, judgmental mother. And Anarchy...well, let's just say that I would let him eat crackers in my bed any day!
This book is full of murder, mystery, intrigue, crazy antics, excitement, and family relationship issues. It keeps you flipping the pages to find out what will happen next. I love the lingo and the way Ellison manages to keep finding or being involved with dead bodies. But she just keeps on plodding along and has you chuckling at her thought processes with each incident.
I am looking forward to more adventures with Ellison and the rest of the Country Club murder series. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 17, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. While I have only read the first book in the Country Club series, it really didn't feel like I had missed a whole lot. (And to be honest, I didn't enjoy the first book that much!) But now that I've had a chance to read another book by Julie Mulhern, I will be reading more of this series.
The author has you laughing out loud at some of the things that Ellison says and thinks. Her family is a hoot...from a sassy, independent daughter to her overcontrolling, judgmental mother. And Anarchy...well, let's just say that I would let him eat crackers in my bed any day!
This book is full of murder, mystery, intrigue, crazy antics, excitement, and family relationship issues. It keeps you flipping the pages to find out what will happen next. I love the lingo and the way Ellison manages to keep finding or being involved with dead bodies. But she just keeps on plodding along and has you chuckling at her thought processes with each incident.
I am looking forward to more adventures with Ellison and the rest of the Country Club murder series. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 19, 2018
SPECTACULAR!!
Shadow Dancing (The Country Club Murders #7) is spectacular! This book is best read in order in the series as opposed to a stand alone. If you’ve followed the series, you already love the characters of Ellison, Grace, Aggie, Detective Anarchy Jones, Ellison’s parents, Ellison’s grouchy, nosy neighbor and last but definitely not least, her Country Club friends. In this latest installment, the author deftly takes her readers on an incredible fast paced adventure. Her humor is infectious and her timing spot on. There is an abundance of suspense to keep you wondering how many more bodies might be found. The author’s characterizations are superb! It is interesting to see the changes she has made in each character throughout the series and all the backstories that tie them together. The plot also sheds light on a horrific real life issue that is becoming all too familiar and the author handles the subject well. This is one of my favorite series and each new book continues to get better! I was provided an ARC of this book by Henery Press & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.
Shadow Dancing (The Country Club Murders #7) is spectacular! This book is best read in order in the series as opposed to a stand alone. If you’ve followed the series, you already love the characters of Ellison, Grace, Aggie, Detective Anarchy Jones, Ellison’s parents, Ellison’s grouchy, nosy neighbor and last but definitely not least, her Country Club friends. In this latest installment, the author deftly takes her readers on an incredible fast paced adventure. Her humor is infectious and her timing spot on. There is an abundance of suspense to keep you wondering how many more bodies might be found. The author’s characterizations are superb! It is interesting to see the changes she has made in each character throughout the series and all the backstories that tie them together. The plot also sheds light on a horrific real life issue that is becoming all too familiar and the author handles the subject well. This is one of my favorite series and each new book continues to get better! I was provided an ARC of this book by Henery Press & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.
May 30, 2018
Shadow Dancing by Julie Mulhern is the 7th book in the Country Club Murders series, and another great book. This book takes place in 1975 in Kansas City Missouri, I love the uniqueness of this setting before everyone had all the modern technology. Ellison Russell is a widow and single mom to teenage daughter Grace. With dead bodies to be investigated the mystery begins. This book is funny, with twists and turns that keep you reading and guessing. I read this book in one day, because I could not put it down. I strongly recommended this book and series for cozy mystery book fans.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 2, 2024
Okay I swear I’m slowing down a bit (in part because life demands it, in part because I’m picking up some minor inconsistencies from book to book since I’m reading them so fast). Still into it, really enjoying the sense of time and place that this series has.
November 3, 2023
There was a lot going on with this book, but I didn’t mind the busyness. Ellison continues to challenge herself and those around her to be better. This series tackles another difficult situation young women without money and resources face. Ellison confronts her own biases head on and tries to get others to do so as well. Unfortunately she sees a different side to people she likes or loves. Both her independence and coffee addiction continue to grow.
October 7, 2018
Ellison Russell — a widowed artist and a member of Kansas City’s WASP elite —runs into a young girl who calls herself Leslie Smith. By runs into, I mean literally with her Triumph sports car. Luckily, the girl, while frightened, was unhurt; however, compassionate Ellison, seeing the girl without a coat, hat or gloves out on this frozen day in February 1975, lends the waif her own coat and gloves. The teenager insists on getting Ellison’s name and address to return the items.
Which is why the police come to Ellison when the girl is murdered in a downtown alley.
To tell much more would be to ruin the surprises that author Julie Mulhern has sprinkled throughout this hilarious and clever novel, the seventh in this five-star series. But I do want to say that, as in Cold as Ice, Mulhern has drawn attention to any important topic: this time, the plight of teenage girls with no place to go.
While longtime Ellison fans will enjoy Shadow Dancing more, those new to the series will still adore this book. Highly recommended to both types of readers.
Which is why the police come to Ellison when the girl is murdered in a downtown alley.
To tell much more would be to ruin the surprises that author Julie Mulhern has sprinkled throughout this hilarious and clever novel, the seventh in this five-star series. But I do want to say that, as in Cold as Ice, Mulhern has drawn attention to any important topic: this time, the plight of teenage girls with no place to go.
While longtime Ellison fans will enjoy Shadow Dancing more, those new to the series will still adore this book. Highly recommended to both types of readers.
June 19, 2018
Julie Mulhern does an amazing job of blending humor and social issues in creating Shadow Dancing, a delightful mystery that will stay with the reader for a long time. This meshing of serious contemporary problems with laugh-out-loud humor is the hallmark that make Ms. Mulhern’s work stand out in a field of strong mystery novels.
Our beloved Detective Anarchy Jones can’t stay way when Ellison’s kindness to a teen pulls her into the terrifying world of child prostitution that threatens not only her life, but also Grace’s. Ellison’s parent’s unintentionally reveal some big secrets right it the middle of the chaos created when murder once again visits the artists home. Giving in to Libba leads to some hilarious moments, one of which Ellison may never be able to wash from her mind!
Love it, Love it, Love it. I so very much appreciate Edelweiss, NetGalley and Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of Shadow Dancing so even before I receive my personal copy of this fantastic novel, I can shout about it to my friends!
#Edelweiss #NetGalley #ShadowDancing #HeneryPress
Our beloved Detective Anarchy Jones can’t stay way when Ellison’s kindness to a teen pulls her into the terrifying world of child prostitution that threatens not only her life, but also Grace’s. Ellison’s parent’s unintentionally reveal some big secrets right it the middle of the chaos created when murder once again visits the artists home. Giving in to Libba leads to some hilarious moments, one of which Ellison may never be able to wash from her mind!
Love it, Love it, Love it. I so very much appreciate Edelweiss, NetGalley and Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of Shadow Dancing so even before I receive my personal copy of this fantastic novel, I can shout about it to my friends!
#Edelweiss #NetGalley #ShadowDancing #HeneryPress
Want to read
June 29, 2020Head back to Kansas City in the 70s and meet up with Ellison Russell, her daughter, Grace, and police detective Anarchy Jones as murder and mayhem pop up in the country club set. Slyly satirical and out-and-out good fun. Seventh in the series, but still as fresh as the first!. HIGHLY recommended!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2018
Quit the coffee
This could be a really good series if the heroine didn’t constantly talk about and to her Mr. Coffee machine. It becomes really annoying. I know she wants the 70’s feel but find something besides the gimmicky Mr Coffee
This could be a really good series if the heroine didn’t constantly talk about and to her Mr. Coffee machine. It becomes really annoying. I know she wants the 70’s feel but find something besides the gimmicky Mr Coffee
May 14, 2018
While Ellison Russell is relieved that her life seems to be getting back to normal - almost - since she's not finding dead bodies every week, it's a strain to realize that she might have blown her relationship with police detective Anarchy Jones and is wondering how to fix it.
But things just aren't meant to be 'normal' for Ellison. Her friend Libba has dragged her to a psychic and Ellison pooh-poohs everything the woman says. Then when she hits a young girl with her car (the girl isn't hurt) but she seems to be freezing so Ellison literally gives her the coat off her back. Vowing to return the coat, Ellison goes home. But then she receives a visit from Anarchy's dreaded partner, Detective Peters, and he wants to know why her name and address were in the girl's possession...because the girl was found dead.
Now the psychic is calling Ellison at home, telling her she must meet with her because the dead girl, Leesa, has a message: She wants her to save a friend of hers named Starry Knight before she, too, is found dead somewhere. It is only by chance - and a blind date set up by Libba - that Ellison sees a young girl in the company of a man she had seen herself earlier when out with her daughter Grace - and not in a good way, either - and confronts them, finally convincing the girl to go with her.
Fortuitously, the girl turns out to be Starry - whose real name is Jane. Ellison takes her home with her, vowing to figure out a way to get her away from the life she's fallen into. But Ellison doesn't know that in doing so, she not only has put herself in danger, but also Grace, and even though it's brought Anarchy back into her life, is it worth the risk to take the chance and lose everything she holds dear?...
We are once again living the the 1970s, long before there were computers, cell phones, no GPS to track people and the technology many have come to take for granted. Because of this, it makes for a very good book indeed, when everyone had a land line and you either used it or drove to someone's home to speak with them.
When Ellison finds that her life might be in danger (again) this time Anarchy feels the need to spend the night (on her sofa) to protect her from the threats. As she's perfectly fine with this, her mother Frances is not. What will the neighbors think? More so, what will Frances think? But she has problems of her own: she's discovered an urn in her closet and she's called upon Ellison to find out to whom it belongs.
So Ellison and Aggie are hitting the local library microfiche to see if they can discover anyone who might have been displaced within the last few months but before they can find out Frances tells Ellison she knows who it is, and the answer rocks Ellison from her head to her toes. The end result puts a serious strain on her parents' lives, and now she's dealing with the fallout from that, too.
While the book is downright serious and sober, there are quite a few humorous moments that you can't help but chuckle at; and I actually found myself wanting to throttle Libba (and can't figure out why Ellison hasn't done so thus far).
It is a tale that is dark as midnight and riveting to boot; it shows us while reality slaps us in the face there are still those that refuse to believe the truth. As the pieces fall together, we see the ugliness in the world that masks itself in normality. Those that appear to be anything but sinister can be very much so. And Ellison, in all her wisdom of finding those bodies and having faced ugliness in the past - including from her own husband - is no stranger to seeing it close to home.
It is a story well-crafted, a narrative both dark and light; one that is always entertaining and magnificently written. As always, Ms. Mulhern draws us into Ellison's world and keeps us happily engrossed in what she has set down on paper and made to become real; her characters are animated and believable; her descriptions are convincing and give us something to look forward to when we first open the book.
In the end, when the killer is found and the story ends, we are left with a satisfying feeling that all is right with the world again (at least for awhile). I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
But things just aren't meant to be 'normal' for Ellison. Her friend Libba has dragged her to a psychic and Ellison pooh-poohs everything the woman says. Then when she hits a young girl with her car (the girl isn't hurt) but she seems to be freezing so Ellison literally gives her the coat off her back. Vowing to return the coat, Ellison goes home. But then she receives a visit from Anarchy's dreaded partner, Detective Peters, and he wants to know why her name and address were in the girl's possession...because the girl was found dead.
Now the psychic is calling Ellison at home, telling her she must meet with her because the dead girl, Leesa, has a message: She wants her to save a friend of hers named Starry Knight before she, too, is found dead somewhere. It is only by chance - and a blind date set up by Libba - that Ellison sees a young girl in the company of a man she had seen herself earlier when out with her daughter Grace - and not in a good way, either - and confronts them, finally convincing the girl to go with her.
Fortuitously, the girl turns out to be Starry - whose real name is Jane. Ellison takes her home with her, vowing to figure out a way to get her away from the life she's fallen into. But Ellison doesn't know that in doing so, she not only has put herself in danger, but also Grace, and even though it's brought Anarchy back into her life, is it worth the risk to take the chance and lose everything she holds dear?...
We are once again living the the 1970s, long before there were computers, cell phones, no GPS to track people and the technology many have come to take for granted. Because of this, it makes for a very good book indeed, when everyone had a land line and you either used it or drove to someone's home to speak with them.
When Ellison finds that her life might be in danger (again) this time Anarchy feels the need to spend the night (on her sofa) to protect her from the threats. As she's perfectly fine with this, her mother Frances is not. What will the neighbors think? More so, what will Frances think? But she has problems of her own: she's discovered an urn in her closet and she's called upon Ellison to find out to whom it belongs.
So Ellison and Aggie are hitting the local library microfiche to see if they can discover anyone who might have been displaced within the last few months but before they can find out Frances tells Ellison she knows who it is, and the answer rocks Ellison from her head to her toes. The end result puts a serious strain on her parents' lives, and now she's dealing with the fallout from that, too.
While the book is downright serious and sober, there are quite a few humorous moments that you can't help but chuckle at; and I actually found myself wanting to throttle Libba (and can't figure out why Ellison hasn't done so thus far).
It is a tale that is dark as midnight and riveting to boot; it shows us while reality slaps us in the face there are still those that refuse to believe the truth. As the pieces fall together, we see the ugliness in the world that masks itself in normality. Those that appear to be anything but sinister can be very much so. And Ellison, in all her wisdom of finding those bodies and having faced ugliness in the past - including from her own husband - is no stranger to seeing it close to home.
It is a story well-crafted, a narrative both dark and light; one that is always entertaining and magnificently written. As always, Ms. Mulhern draws us into Ellison's world and keeps us happily engrossed in what she has set down on paper and made to become real; her characters are animated and believable; her descriptions are convincing and give us something to look forward to when we first open the book.
In the end, when the killer is found and the story ends, we are left with a satisfying feeling that all is right with the world again (at least for awhile). I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
June 20, 2019
This is the seventh book in the Country Club Murders series. You don’t need to read this series in order but know going in that this is set in the past: 1975 Kansas City. And Ellison is always finding dead bodies that seems to appall all of her country club colleagues. We can actually blame this whole trend on Ellison’s dead ex-husband. He started it, after all.
Ellison Russell started 1975 with a new resolution: no more dead bodies. It is really beyond her power at this point. The fortune teller has spoken. Her daughter is in danger and The One, aka Detective Anarchy Jones, is nearly out of her reach. What’s a girl to do?
Even Ellison’s mother is getting in on the “finding a dead body” gig. It was just a pile of cremated ashes in a box but for Ellison’t mom it might as well have been an actual bleeding dead body in her hall closet.
Ellison’s best friend, Libba takes her to a fortune teller on the more seedy side of town. While leaving there she nearly runs over a teen who darts out in front of her car. The girl is scared and has no coat in the dead of winter. The girl refuses Ellison’s request to take her home. So, Ellison does the only thing she can at the moment… she gives the girl her navy pea coat off her back and a slip of paper with her name and phone number. Later when Anarchy’s partner Peters comes knocking on her door, she learns the girl is dead. Anarchy doesn’t actually make an appearance till about 20% into the book.
This accidental brush with a girl who ends up being a teen prostitute figures into the whole scenario behind the plot of this book. This, the fact her mother has her searching the last four months of obituary pages for the identity of the ashes/remains she found in her hall closet and it makes this whole story quite a page turner.
Anarchy stays overnight on the couch on three separate occasions to keep her safe and I am not sure how Ellison managed to maintain control of her emotions during those times. There were quite a bit of fainting scenes in this story too. This is by far my favorite story in the Country Club Murder series. The only problem I have is that the woman never seems to be alone…. ever. Someone is always coming over or calling. How can a girl get some quiet time with her detective if no one will ever leave her alone?
A thrilling, roller-coaster ride. Just a lot of excitement all around. Pus, this book has so much Anarchy I was positively drooling. Anarchy has definitely attained book boyfriend status for me.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
Ellison Russell started 1975 with a new resolution: no more dead bodies. It is really beyond her power at this point. The fortune teller has spoken. Her daughter is in danger and The One, aka Detective Anarchy Jones, is nearly out of her reach. What’s a girl to do?
Even Ellison’s mother is getting in on the “finding a dead body” gig. It was just a pile of cremated ashes in a box but for Ellison’t mom it might as well have been an actual bleeding dead body in her hall closet.
Ellison’s best friend, Libba takes her to a fortune teller on the more seedy side of town. While leaving there she nearly runs over a teen who darts out in front of her car. The girl is scared and has no coat in the dead of winter. The girl refuses Ellison’s request to take her home. So, Ellison does the only thing she can at the moment… she gives the girl her navy pea coat off her back and a slip of paper with her name and phone number. Later when Anarchy’s partner Peters comes knocking on her door, she learns the girl is dead. Anarchy doesn’t actually make an appearance till about 20% into the book.
This accidental brush with a girl who ends up being a teen prostitute figures into the whole scenario behind the plot of this book. This, the fact her mother has her searching the last four months of obituary pages for the identity of the ashes/remains she found in her hall closet and it makes this whole story quite a page turner.
Anarchy stays overnight on the couch on three separate occasions to keep her safe and I am not sure how Ellison managed to maintain control of her emotions during those times. There were quite a bit of fainting scenes in this story too. This is by far my favorite story in the Country Club Murder series. The only problem I have is that the woman never seems to be alone…. ever. Someone is always coming over or calling. How can a girl get some quiet time with her detective if no one will ever leave her alone?
A thrilling, roller-coaster ride. Just a lot of excitement all around. Pus, this book has so much Anarchy I was positively drooling. Anarchy has definitely attained book boyfriend status for me.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
June 23, 2018
Ellison must handle Mother (who’s found a body of her own), make up with a certain handsome detective, and catch a killer, or the death surrounding her might be her own.
Ellison Russel has started the New Year with a new goal in her mind, no more bodies in her life, everything was going good until her friend made her to visit a medium...
But Ellison's concern is not only about the dead bodies but her mother's reaction to another body, because a rich family has to maintain appearances, don't you know?
I started this book one night and I didn't go to sleep till I finished, really, it was addictive!
What I loved about the story was not only the mystery on it, that it was not so difficult to solve but the characters, they felt so real that I simply wanted to know more.
Ellison is the glue of her family, they have a quite special family and some secrets on their own; her daughter is a teenager, so she has her own ideas of what is good and bad... Her mother is posh, really posh, and is only concerned about appearances, but her actions are so extreme that are hilarious! And the poor father, he just wants to be happy. You can see that is more or less the typical family, simply with a lot of money and some bodies that appear from time to time at Ellison's life, that of course makes her routine more interesting.
We have one more interesting character on the plot, the detective Anarchy Jones, who has been dating Ellison but they fell apart... After the appearance of the new body in Ellison's life they will have to meet again, the main question is will they solve their problems or the sparks will have disappeared?
What I "disliked" more about the book was Ellison's friend Libba, she doesn't seem to have a very high standard for herself or women in general, dating someone with money doesn't mean it would be a good man or someone to love... I suppose there was a story behind Libba's behaviour, but I started the series on this book, so for what I could read about her, is not a friend I would like near me...
Be prepared for a story with mystery, acidic humour, bodies and romance; really what else do we need?
This is the 7th book of "The Country Club Murders" series, but you can read it as standalone.
Ready for a visit at the Country Club?
Ellison Russel has started the New Year with a new goal in her mind, no more bodies in her life, everything was going good until her friend made her to visit a medium...
But Ellison's concern is not only about the dead bodies but her mother's reaction to another body, because a rich family has to maintain appearances, don't you know?
I started this book one night and I didn't go to sleep till I finished, really, it was addictive!
What I loved about the story was not only the mystery on it, that it was not so difficult to solve but the characters, they felt so real that I simply wanted to know more.
Ellison is the glue of her family, they have a quite special family and some secrets on their own; her daughter is a teenager, so she has her own ideas of what is good and bad... Her mother is posh, really posh, and is only concerned about appearances, but her actions are so extreme that are hilarious! And the poor father, he just wants to be happy. You can see that is more or less the typical family, simply with a lot of money and some bodies that appear from time to time at Ellison's life, that of course makes her routine more interesting.
We have one more interesting character on the plot, the detective Anarchy Jones, who has been dating Ellison but they fell apart... After the appearance of the new body in Ellison's life they will have to meet again, the main question is will they solve their problems or the sparks will have disappeared?
What I "disliked" more about the book was Ellison's friend Libba, she doesn't seem to have a very high standard for herself or women in general, dating someone with money doesn't mean it would be a good man or someone to love... I suppose there was a story behind Libba's behaviour, but I started the series on this book, so for what I could read about her, is not a friend I would like near me...
Be prepared for a story with mystery, acidic humour, bodies and romance; really what else do we need?
This is the 7th book of "The Country Club Murders" series, but you can read it as standalone.
Ready for a visit at the Country Club?
February 19, 2019
SHADOW DANCING: Prophecy and a Good Mother
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
A good woman meets a troubled girl in 1970s Kansas City.
I have missed many books in this series but it has totally captured my attention. I enjoy the mysteries, and Ellison is so well-mannered, so capable, so kind and thoughtful, that it is hard to imagine how she gets involved in these criminal events where she seems to find bodies all over the place. In this case, the body in question brings up high emotions for Ellison, and she misses the man she was falling for but they are “on a break.”
Ellison is a good woman, devoted mother, a successful artist, and part of high society in 1970s Kansas City. She has an unholy relationship with her beloved Mr. Coffee machine. But for seven books now she seems to find bodies. dead bodies. This is anathema to Ellison’s mother who reminds me of the elder Mrs. Stevens, Darrin’s mother, in the 1960s and 70s TV Show Bewitched. That Ellison hasn’t strangled her by now is a testament to how good a person she is.
What I really love in this series is how well the period of time, in particular how women’s issues, and the barriers of station are portrayed. People “like her,” do not have anything to do with people like the young woman she meets in the first few pages. But, it is comical how America adopted the concept of class based on money. The relationship of status and women’s liberation is subtly presented.
And, I love the way women’s issues are coming to life naturally as Ellison feels her independence as a widow and she is naturally becoming a feminist. I began my working life in the late 1970s and it is an eerie feeling to identify with a contemporary book about a period in which I lived and which changes I experienced. You’ll love the way her fund raising and successful painting career are presented.
I find the stories suspenseful, entertaining and well written. Callie Beaulieu does a great job with a delicate hand on the change in voices. I am reading the stories out of order and I am enjoying them hugely, but I believe I would have a better experience if I read them in order.
And, I can almost perfectly see Ellison and “a certain handsome detective” in the sweet romance that is developing between them. I also love the discussion of designer clothes in the book.
I will have a post on the next story later this week.
I reviewed book 2 in the series in December, 2016: http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
A good woman meets a troubled girl in 1970s Kansas City.
I have missed many books in this series but it has totally captured my attention. I enjoy the mysteries, and Ellison is so well-mannered, so capable, so kind and thoughtful, that it is hard to imagine how she gets involved in these criminal events where she seems to find bodies all over the place. In this case, the body in question brings up high emotions for Ellison, and she misses the man she was falling for but they are “on a break.”
Ellison is a good woman, devoted mother, a successful artist, and part of high society in 1970s Kansas City. She has an unholy relationship with her beloved Mr. Coffee machine. But for seven books now she seems to find bodies. dead bodies. This is anathema to Ellison’s mother who reminds me of the elder Mrs. Stevens, Darrin’s mother, in the 1960s and 70s TV Show Bewitched. That Ellison hasn’t strangled her by now is a testament to how good a person she is.
What I really love in this series is how well the period of time, in particular how women’s issues, and the barriers of station are portrayed. People “like her,” do not have anything to do with people like the young woman she meets in the first few pages. But, it is comical how America adopted the concept of class based on money. The relationship of status and women’s liberation is subtly presented.
And, I love the way women’s issues are coming to life naturally as Ellison feels her independence as a widow and she is naturally becoming a feminist. I began my working life in the late 1970s and it is an eerie feeling to identify with a contemporary book about a period in which I lived and which changes I experienced. You’ll love the way her fund raising and successful painting career are presented.
I find the stories suspenseful, entertaining and well written. Callie Beaulieu does a great job with a delicate hand on the change in voices. I am reading the stories out of order and I am enjoying them hugely, but I believe I would have a better experience if I read them in order.
And, I can almost perfectly see Ellison and “a certain handsome detective” in the sweet romance that is developing between them. I also love the discussion of designer clothes in the book.
I will have a post on the next story later this week.
I reviewed book 2 in the series in December, 2016: http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
June 2, 2018
Visiting a psychic is outside the norm for Ellison Russell. Finding bodies is not. Unfortunately, the psychic’s crystal ball says she’ll soon be surrounded by death. Again.
Drat.
Now there’s a corpse in the front drive, a witchy neighbor ready to turn Ellison and her (not so) little dog into toadstools, and a stripper named Starry Knight occupying the guest room.
How did 1975 go so wrong so quickly?
Ellison must handle Mother (who’s found a body of her own), make up with a certain handsome detective, and catch a killer, or the death surrounding her might be her own.
My Thoughts: Whenever I open the pages of a new Country Club Murder novel, I know I am in for a treat. Like all the previous novels, Shadow Dancing brings Ellison Russell back to us in a delightful way.
As always, Ellison is up to her eyeballs in murder…and when she visits that psychic, she opens another strange door.
Mr. Coffee feels like another character in these books, as Ellison loves her coffee…and her coffee maker. She regularly talks to hers.
Ellison’s mother Frances Walford is her usual judgmental self, but with her own anxieties in this outing. I always enjoy seeing what she will do next.
Let’s not forget Anarchy Jones, who was on the outs with Ellison at the end of the last book. He is back now, and as protective as ever.
1970s Kansas City reminds me of how I enjoyed that era, with no cell phones and the quirky décor of the homes.
How does Ellison get drawn into the lives of girls working in strip clubs? What will she learn about some of the men who frequent those places? What new danger lurks for her? After several murders and a few red herrings, Ellison figures out who is behind the mayhem. Another 5 star read.
***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.
Drat.
Now there’s a corpse in the front drive, a witchy neighbor ready to turn Ellison and her (not so) little dog into toadstools, and a stripper named Starry Knight occupying the guest room.
How did 1975 go so wrong so quickly?
Ellison must handle Mother (who’s found a body of her own), make up with a certain handsome detective, and catch a killer, or the death surrounding her might be her own.
My Thoughts: Whenever I open the pages of a new Country Club Murder novel, I know I am in for a treat. Like all the previous novels, Shadow Dancing brings Ellison Russell back to us in a delightful way.
As always, Ellison is up to her eyeballs in murder…and when she visits that psychic, she opens another strange door.
Mr. Coffee feels like another character in these books, as Ellison loves her coffee…and her coffee maker. She regularly talks to hers.
Ellison’s mother Frances Walford is her usual judgmental self, but with her own anxieties in this outing. I always enjoy seeing what she will do next.
Let’s not forget Anarchy Jones, who was on the outs with Ellison at the end of the last book. He is back now, and as protective as ever.
1970s Kansas City reminds me of how I enjoyed that era, with no cell phones and the quirky décor of the homes.
How does Ellison get drawn into the lives of girls working in strip clubs? What will she learn about some of the men who frequent those places? What new danger lurks for her? After several murders and a few red herrings, Ellison figures out who is behind the mayhem. Another 5 star read.
***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.
June 5, 2018
It's February 1975 and Ellison Russell is glad to have not found another dead body this year. She is dragged by her friend Libba into visiting psychic Madame Reyna and then ends up hitting a coatless teenaged girl with her car on the way home. Ellison gives the shivering girl her coat and is shocked when she gets a visit from the police informing her that Leslie was found murdered in a downtown alley. Then Ellison gets a frantic phone call from her mother Frances who has found a box of cremated remains in her hall closet. Who left them there and why? Ellison and her housekeeper Aggie search the obituaries hoping to find the deceased's identity.
Meanwhile, Madame Reyna insists Leslie has been trying to contact Ellison with a message to save her friend Jane aka Starry Knight. Ellison does not want to get involved but the fates align and she ends up meeting Starry at a hotel lobby after a reluctant double date with Libba/Bill and handsome and rich developer Wright.
Unfortunately, Ellison does end up finding a body shot in her house's driveway. And then she starts getting threatening phone calls and strange cars outside her home. Can Detective Anarchy Jones protect her and daughter Grace? Can Ellison help Starry? A 40-year bombshell secret involving Ellison's parents adds another interesting subplot to the story.
This was another fun-filled entertaining read and great entry in the Country Club Murders mystery series.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Henery Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
Meanwhile, Madame Reyna insists Leslie has been trying to contact Ellison with a message to save her friend Jane aka Starry Knight. Ellison does not want to get involved but the fates align and she ends up meeting Starry at a hotel lobby after a reluctant double date with Libba/Bill and handsome and rich developer Wright.
Unfortunately, Ellison does end up finding a body shot in her house's driveway. And then she starts getting threatening phone calls and strange cars outside her home. Can Detective Anarchy Jones protect her and daughter Grace? Can Ellison help Starry? A 40-year bombshell secret involving Ellison's parents adds another interesting subplot to the story.
This was another fun-filled entertaining read and great entry in the Country Club Murders mystery series.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Henery Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
October 16, 2018
I love this series but.....
I love this series and have binge read all the currently available books. The characters are interesting and colorful (especially Aggie). The story in this outing (#7) ramps up the action considerably! Mulhern is very good at weaving current social issues into the story in a way that informs the reader without turning preachy. The issue intertwined in this story had to do with teen trafficking and Ellison standing up for the teen. WELL DONE ELLISON! My issue with the story was that once the murders were solved, which had very little to do with the teen trafficking issue, the teen went back to her local home like everything was okay. That didn't strike me as logical if she was being controlled by a local ring. My second issue was with the blind date guy - if he was so uninterested as to cut the date short, why did he send the huge bouquet, show up at Ellison's home (and how did he know the address) with more flowers and push for another date? Other than these issues, I love the conversations with Mr. Coffee and Max, the mother/daughter - daughter/mother relationships, the learning to stand up for herself, the resolution with the neighbor, and the slowing building romance. Highly recommend this series and eagerly await #8!
I love this series and have binge read all the currently available books. The characters are interesting and colorful (especially Aggie). The story in this outing (#7) ramps up the action considerably! Mulhern is very good at weaving current social issues into the story in a way that informs the reader without turning preachy. The issue intertwined in this story had to do with teen trafficking and Ellison standing up for the teen. WELL DONE ELLISON! My issue with the story was that once the murders were solved, which had very little to do with the teen trafficking issue, the teen went back to her local home like everything was okay. That didn't strike me as logical if she was being controlled by a local ring. My second issue was with the blind date guy - if he was so uninterested as to cut the date short, why did he send the huge bouquet, show up at Ellison's home (and how did he know the address) with more flowers and push for another date? Other than these issues, I love the conversations with Mr. Coffee and Max, the mother/daughter - daughter/mother relationships, the learning to stand up for herself, the resolution with the neighbor, and the slowing building romance. Highly recommend this series and eagerly await #8!
July 8, 2018
Julie Mulhern’s Shadow Dancing is the seventh installment in the Country Club Murders series,set in Kansas City in the 1970s. Ellison Russell and her sixteen-year-old daughter Grace have an uncomfortable habit of finding bodies, but as this book opens, it’s been quite a while. It’s also been quite a while since Ellison has seen Detective Anarchy Jones. And she’s not entirely sure how she feels about that. The situation changes when Ellison’s socialite mother finds an unidentified box of ashes in her hall closet. A visit to a psychic and a minor traffic incident lead Ellison back into the world of investigating murders, especially when a body turns up on her own driveway. All this may upset her mother, but it also brings Anarchy Jones back to her door.
Shadow Dancing includes Mulhern’s usual wit and humor, with Grace’s wisecracks, her friend Libba’s terrible taste in men, and some unwelcome surprises for her mother. Mulhern also investigates the serious subject of human trafficking an teen prostitution, as Ellison and Grace do their best to help a girl who calls herself Starry Knight.
Shadow Dancing includes Mulhern’s usual wit and humor, with Grace’s wisecracks, her friend Libba’s terrible taste in men, and some unwelcome surprises for her mother. Mulhern also investigates the serious subject of human trafficking an teen prostitution, as Ellison and Grace do their best to help a girl who calls herself Starry Knight.
April 6, 2018
Eight weeks into 1975 without finding a dead body and Ellison wants nothing to do with the one in her mother's closet, even if it is in a tidy box.
Ellison knew letting Libba drag her off to Madame Reyna wasn't a good idea but she had no idea what troubles were in store.
Try as she might, trouble finds Ellison and when danger pulls Grace into harm's way Ellison is glad for Det. Anarchy Jones, even if he isn't in the country club circle her parents favor.
When Frances & Harrington's secrets unravel in front of Ellison, she is confronted with a new dynamic relationship I expect we will explore in the next book.
To get the best reading experience I suggest reading this series from the beginning.
The humor and 1975 era allowed this to stay a cozy while dealing with some scary situations.
I volunteered to read an ARC from Henery Press through Net Galley.
Ellison knew letting Libba drag her off to Madame Reyna wasn't a good idea but she had no idea what troubles were in store.
Try as she might, trouble finds Ellison and when danger pulls Grace into harm's way Ellison is glad for Det. Anarchy Jones, even if he isn't in the country club circle her parents favor.
When Frances & Harrington's secrets unravel in front of Ellison, she is confronted with a new dynamic relationship I expect we will explore in the next book.
To get the best reading experience I suggest reading this series from the beginning.
The humor and 1975 era allowed this to stay a cozy while dealing with some scary situations.
I volunteered to read an ARC from Henery Press through Net Galley.
April 10, 2018
There is only one thing I'm not happy about... and that is that although I reviewed #3 and #4 in this series, I apparently missed out on #5 and #6... and so, I missed out on some great writing.
Julie Mulhern knows exactly what her readers want. A group of interesting characters, a good mystery and a good dose of humor and romance.
I love the character of Ellison, who is nearing 40, mother of a teenager but still able to wonder about the world, to fall in love head over heels and to learn from her mistakes. And it's great to read about people that are not constantly twittering and posting but have actual connections and conversations ;-).
I will check NetGalley even more regular now because I really don't want to miss the next one in this delightful series.
Julie Mulhern knows exactly what her readers want. A group of interesting characters, a good mystery and a good dose of humor and romance.
I love the character of Ellison, who is nearing 40, mother of a teenager but still able to wonder about the world, to fall in love head over heels and to learn from her mistakes. And it's great to read about people that are not constantly twittering and posting but have actual connections and conversations ;-).
I will check NetGalley even more regular now because I really don't want to miss the next one in this delightful series.
July 24, 2018
One of my favorite series. Set in the 1970's, this series is a blend of mystery, comedy and intrigue.
Ellison and her daughter can't hep but stumble over dead bodies, and Shadow Dancing is no different.
Curl up with a cup of tea and join Anarchy Jones as he and Ellison are hot on the trail of another murder investigation.
I volunteered to read and review and ARC of this book offered by the publisher and NetGalley.
Ellison and her daughter can't hep but stumble over dead bodies, and Shadow Dancing is no different.
Curl up with a cup of tea and join Anarchy Jones as he and Ellison are hot on the trail of another murder investigation.
I volunteered to read and review and ARC of this book offered by the publisher and NetGalley.
October 12, 2018
A psychic's vision that Ellison will be surrounded by death and her daughter in danger comes true, and it begins with offer of help after Ellison accidentally hits a teenage girl with her car. The next day, Ellison learns the girl was a prostitute and found shot to death in a shady part of town. The psychic is haunted by the girl's spirit and insists that Ellison warn the girl's friend of impending danger. This pulls Ellison into the disturbing crime investigation by none other than the handsome detective she has been avoiding. The psychic's premonitions come true and Anarchy and Ellison are thrust together as they strive to solve the murders and keep Ellison's daughter safe.
Engaging story with a few surprises thrown in. Great characters. Max adds a dash of humor to the story and the fact that Ellison's snooty mother found a body in her closet was priceless.
Engaging story with a few surprises thrown in. Great characters. Max adds a dash of humor to the story and the fact that Ellison's snooty mother found a body in her closet was priceless.
May 2, 2018
I'm starting Shadow Dancing: Julie Mulhern is one of my favorite authors, and I am happy to dive in to the latest Ellison extravaganza!
I read this in one sitting, and loved every bit of it. What a wonderful chapter in the crazy life of Ellison Russell! Love the characters, love the mystery, love the hilarious writing. More, please!
*eARC Netgalley*
I read this in one sitting, and loved every bit of it. What a wonderful chapter in the crazy life of Ellison Russell! Love the characters, love the mystery, love the hilarious writing. More, please!
*eARC Netgalley*
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