What do you think?
Rate this book
The Country Club Murders #6
Cold as Ice
Ellison Russell’s life resembles a rollercoaster ride. And rollercoasters make her ill.
Her daughter Grace has a crush on a boy Ellison doesn’t trust and she’s taken to hosting wild parties when Ellison goes out for the evening. Worse, the bank which represents Grace’s inheritance from her father may be in trouble. When a meeting with the chef at the country club leads to the discovery of a body, Ellison can’t afford cold feet.
She must save the bank, find the killer, and convince Grace (and herself) that powerful women don’t need men to rescue them.
Her daughter Grace has a crush on a boy Ellison doesn’t trust and she’s taken to hosting wild parties when Ellison goes out for the evening. Worse, the bank which represents Grace’s inheritance from her father may be in trouble. When a meeting with the chef at the country club leads to the discovery of a body, Ellison can’t afford cold feet.
She must save the bank, find the killer, and convince Grace (and herself) that powerful women don’t need men to rescue them.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2017
413 people are currently reading
1854 people want to read
About the author
Julie Mulhern
39 books1,662 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
February 3, 2022
Anyone else hear that Foreigner hit from 1977 when you see the cover of this book? That song has been on my mind every time I would pick this book up again to read. Ellison Russell does not discover a dead body until several chapters into the book. Usually she finds one first thing, so I kept waiting for the shoe to drop. I am not sure I like this change. Will see what happens in Shadow Dancing. It is almost Thanksgiving in Kansas City, and a crisis at the family bank puts Grace's legacy in danger. If the weather would just cooperate and Ellison could stop stumbling across dead bodies, perhaps she and Hunter could fix the money problem. Meanwhile, things are going better than ever with Anarachy--or are they? The series continues to keep my interest. On to the next one.
October 18, 2017
What a treat it is to be able to hang out with Ellison Russell and Co. and believe me it’s time well spent. This series is set back in the mid-seventies which gives it a nostalgic touch for us baby boomers. Poor Ellison can hardly catch a break, her eye-rolling sixteen-year-old daughter, Grace has taken up with teen lothario, Trip Michaels who has all the makings of turning into her late husband Henry who was a womanizer to the tenth degree. Ellison knows from experience that prohibiting her daughter from seeing Trip would only make him that much more desirable to Grace, so she can only hope he shows his true stripes before he breaks her daughter's heart too badly.
Ellison has this unique ability to stumble or be in the immediate area when dead bodies are found, it seems she’s found another one in the country club kitchen. She didn’t find the body mind you, it was the sous chef, she just happened to be going over some menus with the chef. The woman they found happens to be the wife of Tom Michaels who comes from a very wealthy family and who is the only son of Lorna Michaels who happens to be one of Ellison’s mother Francis Walford’s oldest and best friends. Laurie is also the mother of Trip who has now landed on Ellison’s most wanted list and that’s a bad place to be.
She finally accepts a date with the hunky homicide detective, Anarchy Jones and while they are eating dinner he gets a page that there is a disturbance at Ellison’s home. When they arrive it’s like a scene right out of the movie “Animal House”. Could things get any worse for Ellison? Yes, they can and do, she finds out that Grace’s inheritance is in dire straits and she’s got to get to the bottom of this situation and fast. She promises Anarchy that she will stay out of the murder investigation of Laurie Michaels but things keep pulling her in deeper and she has no choice but to find out who killed her
Not to mention Thanksgiving is right around the corner and her sister-in-law, Gwen Russel is coming to town to visit with Grace. Ellison doesn’t cook, she has a wonderful housekeeper/cook who is more like a family member that takes on those pesky domestic duties. Ellison has a love affair with her Mr. Coffee and that’s about as far as her cooking skills go. This does cause a small concern because the last time Gwen was in town she was a Vegan. One good thing about Gwen is that she changes her whims like most people change clothes and this time she’s changed more than her diet. Ellison also invites Detective Jones over for Thanksgiving Dinner. Her parents are supposed to be on their way to visit her sister, who is married to the Condom King. The weather is getting worse and itineraries may change at the last minute so this may be a Thanksgiving Dinner that the Russel family will never forget.
I could just keep going on and on about this book but I don’t want to give too much away. This is one series that can have you laughing even if you're are not at your best and I’m not at my best of health right now but it had me laughing. The dialog in this series is hard to beat, let me tell you.
“Tom Michaels will be inundated with Bundt cakes and casseroles – egg noodles and tuna mixed with cream of mushroom soup or hamburger meat and peas in cream of celery. Someone should bake a ham. And, as if the poor man wasn’t suffering enough, he might even get a few Jell-O salads. Daisy made one with pimiento-stuffed olives, sweet pickles, and walnuts in lemon gelatin. And People said I was a bad cook? I shuddered thinking about those olives staring at me like lost souls locked in a jiggly prison.” Like I stated before I could go on and on about this series. I really think it’s one of my favorites.
I would like to thank Henery Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-galley for my honest review.
Ellison has this unique ability to stumble or be in the immediate area when dead bodies are found, it seems she’s found another one in the country club kitchen. She didn’t find the body mind you, it was the sous chef, she just happened to be going over some menus with the chef. The woman they found happens to be the wife of Tom Michaels who comes from a very wealthy family and who is the only son of Lorna Michaels who happens to be one of Ellison’s mother Francis Walford’s oldest and best friends. Laurie is also the mother of Trip who has now landed on Ellison’s most wanted list and that’s a bad place to be.
She finally accepts a date with the hunky homicide detective, Anarchy Jones and while they are eating dinner he gets a page that there is a disturbance at Ellison’s home. When they arrive it’s like a scene right out of the movie “Animal House”. Could things get any worse for Ellison? Yes, they can and do, she finds out that Grace’s inheritance is in dire straits and she’s got to get to the bottom of this situation and fast. She promises Anarchy that she will stay out of the murder investigation of Laurie Michaels but things keep pulling her in deeper and she has no choice but to find out who killed her
Not to mention Thanksgiving is right around the corner and her sister-in-law, Gwen Russel is coming to town to visit with Grace. Ellison doesn’t cook, she has a wonderful housekeeper/cook who is more like a family member that takes on those pesky domestic duties. Ellison has a love affair with her Mr. Coffee and that’s about as far as her cooking skills go. This does cause a small concern because the last time Gwen was in town she was a Vegan. One good thing about Gwen is that she changes her whims like most people change clothes and this time she’s changed more than her diet. Ellison also invites Detective Jones over for Thanksgiving Dinner. Her parents are supposed to be on their way to visit her sister, who is married to the Condom King. The weather is getting worse and itineraries may change at the last minute so this may be a Thanksgiving Dinner that the Russel family will never forget.
I could just keep going on and on about this book but I don’t want to give too much away. This is one series that can have you laughing even if you're are not at your best and I’m not at my best of health right now but it had me laughing. The dialog in this series is hard to beat, let me tell you.
“Tom Michaels will be inundated with Bundt cakes and casseroles – egg noodles and tuna mixed with cream of mushroom soup or hamburger meat and peas in cream of celery. Someone should bake a ham. And, as if the poor man wasn’t suffering enough, he might even get a few Jell-O salads. Daisy made one with pimiento-stuffed olives, sweet pickles, and walnuts in lemon gelatin. And People said I was a bad cook? I shuddered thinking about those olives staring at me like lost souls locked in a jiggly prison.” Like I stated before I could go on and on about this series. I really think it’s one of my favorites.
I would like to thank Henery Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-galley for my honest review.
October 27, 2017
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Julie Mulhern gives us an icy mystery we can definitely sink our teeth into. I love the use of Foreigner title!! I had it playing on Spotify while writing my review!
Ellison Russell is shocked to learn her daughter’s inheritance is in trouble all because of one huge loan and other mistakes at the bank. She has decided to take the bull by the horns and will go to great lengths to save her daughter’s future. She also has other obligations she must attend to, like meeting with the country club chef to set the menu for her friend’s party. While there the sous chef makes a chilly discovery. Oh no! Not again! There is a dead body in the walk in freezer! Things are about to get slippery as Ellison tries to save the bank, catch a killer and bring her daughter, Grace to her senses – really, a wild party – seriously Grace. All while trying to take her relationship with Detective Anarchy Jones to the next level.
I love this series and wait very impatiently for each new story. I love going back in time to the 70’s. Life before cell phones and cable television. Where Mr. Coffee is your morning pal and gives you just what you need to start your day. The foods mentioned like tuna casserole – you know tuna with egg noodles, peas and a can of Campbell’s cream of celery soup, remind me of the meals my mom used to cook, we still have a version of the dish around here one in a while and it always brings back welcome memories.
Ellison Russell doesn’t need a man to take care of her even though her mother thinks she does. The woman can multitask like a champion and that’s a good thing because she keeps finding dead bodies everywhere. That really upsets her mother too, like Ellison is finding these bodies on purpose. It is also funny that whenever she calls the police the first thing they ask is “Did you find another one?” Definitely not the life her mother has envisioned for her.
The plot is exceptional with plenty of twists but the author gives us some side-splitting moments too. From Grace’s eye rolls to Thanksgiving dinner and so many more in between you will find yourself giggling and even laughing out loud. The dialogue throughout the entire book is absolutely stellar.
Ms. Mulhern’s books are so much fun to read and I usually read them all in one sitting. My family usually knows when I am reading them too because of the intermittent laughter. My daughter “It’s another Julie Mulhern book, isn’t it?” I just nod and smile.
This book is an absolutely perfect escape. I did have a little problem with the last couple of pages though. I was not happy at all, but that just makes me excited for the next installment and hope like hell Julie straightens things out 🙂
Julie Mulhern gives us an icy mystery we can definitely sink our teeth into. I love the use of Foreigner title!! I had it playing on Spotify while writing my review!
Ellison Russell is shocked to learn her daughter’s inheritance is in trouble all because of one huge loan and other mistakes at the bank. She has decided to take the bull by the horns and will go to great lengths to save her daughter’s future. She also has other obligations she must attend to, like meeting with the country club chef to set the menu for her friend’s party. While there the sous chef makes a chilly discovery. Oh no! Not again! There is a dead body in the walk in freezer! Things are about to get slippery as Ellison tries to save the bank, catch a killer and bring her daughter, Grace to her senses – really, a wild party – seriously Grace. All while trying to take her relationship with Detective Anarchy Jones to the next level.
I love this series and wait very impatiently for each new story. I love going back in time to the 70’s. Life before cell phones and cable television. Where Mr. Coffee is your morning pal and gives you just what you need to start your day. The foods mentioned like tuna casserole – you know tuna with egg noodles, peas and a can of Campbell’s cream of celery soup, remind me of the meals my mom used to cook, we still have a version of the dish around here one in a while and it always brings back welcome memories.
Ellison Russell doesn’t need a man to take care of her even though her mother thinks she does. The woman can multitask like a champion and that’s a good thing because she keeps finding dead bodies everywhere. That really upsets her mother too, like Ellison is finding these bodies on purpose. It is also funny that whenever she calls the police the first thing they ask is “Did you find another one?” Definitely not the life her mother has envisioned for her.
The plot is exceptional with plenty of twists but the author gives us some side-splitting moments too. From Grace’s eye rolls to Thanksgiving dinner and so many more in between you will find yourself giggling and even laughing out loud. The dialogue throughout the entire book is absolutely stellar.
Ms. Mulhern’s books are so much fun to read and I usually read them all in one sitting. My family usually knows when I am reading them too because of the intermittent laughter. My daughter “It’s another Julie Mulhern book, isn’t it?” I just nod and smile.
This book is an absolutely perfect escape. I did have a little problem with the last couple of pages though. I was not happy at all, but that just makes me excited for the next installment and hope like hell Julie straightens things out 🙂
December 19, 2025
4⭐️’s.
Mr. Coffee count: 17
12/15/25
More thoughts to eventually come. Probably. Well, maybe.
Struggling with reviews right now, but this series is so much fun! There is a lot going on in this one. Holy bananas.
That’s all I’ve got🫤. Gosh dang i really am struggling forming thoughts!! Not a reflection of the book or series. I am really enjoying this series. My brain is just, I don’t know what it’s doing, but it’s ticking me off with its worse cooperation than usual🤪. Less rambles for people to read, so there is that!
Super minimal thoughts added: 12/19/25
Mr. Coffee count: 17
12/15/25
More thoughts to eventually come. Probably. Well, maybe.
Struggling with reviews right now, but this series is so much fun! There is a lot going on in this one. Holy bananas.
That’s all I’ve got🫤. Gosh dang i really am struggling forming thoughts!! Not a reflection of the book or series. I am really enjoying this series. My brain is just, I don’t know what it’s doing, but it’s ticking me off with its worse cooperation than usual🤪. Less rambles for people to read, so there is that!
Super minimal thoughts added: 12/19/25
October 17, 2017
Author Julie Mulhern has another winner with her sixth novel in the series featuring Ellison Russell — a widowed artist and a member of Kansas City’s WASP elite. Set in November 1974, Ellison’s moody teenage daughter Grace is besotted with a handsome bad boy, Trip Michaels. In addition, the arrivals of heavy snows and Ellison’s sister-in-law Gwen, the bitchy sister of Ellison’s late and unlamented husband Henry, and Gwen’s Sapphic sidekick seem to guarantee a nightmare Thanksgiving. (It’s 1974, remember?) I won’t get into Ellison’s other troubles so as not to spoil the fun, but I will say that Cold As Ice is so enticing that I dropped everything to read it. And the ending packed a powerful, powerful punch.
Ellison’s usual friends, family and acquaintances are back: sexy Detective Anarchy Jones, Ellison’s demanding mother; Aggie DeLucci, the über-competent, caftan-wearing housekeeper; silver-haired, suave Hunter Tafft; tippling best friend Libba; acerbic man-trap Prudence Davies; and Jones’ foul-mouthed, crude assistant, Detective Peters (who gets a highly anticipated comeuppance). Don’t miss it!
While longtime Ellison fans will devour this book, newbies will be able to enjoy Cold As Ice without feeling the least bit lost.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Henery Press in exchange for an honest review.
Ellison’s usual friends, family and acquaintances are back: sexy Detective Anarchy Jones, Ellison’s demanding mother; Aggie DeLucci, the über-competent, caftan-wearing housekeeper; silver-haired, suave Hunter Tafft; tippling best friend Libba; acerbic man-trap Prudence Davies; and Jones’ foul-mouthed, crude assistant, Detective Peters (who gets a highly anticipated comeuppance). Don’t miss it!
While longtime Ellison fans will devour this book, newbies will be able to enjoy Cold As Ice without feeling the least bit lost.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Henery Press in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2017
This series keeps getting better with each book, this one did not disappoint. It is set in the 1970s era and a background of country club residents. I love the play on words. It fixed the theme. It is November and an early snowstorm is passing through the area. Mr. Coffee is still the best product, Ellison has a date, Grace throws a party a bank failure, two death both frozen, an insurance problem and a unique Thanksgiving dinner will grip you as the pages turn. Give yourself enough time to read it in one sitting. I high!y recommend this book and series.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Henery Press through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Henery Press through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book The opinions expressed are my own.
November 12, 2017
Cold As Ice
By
Julie Mulhern
What it's all about...
This is my first experience with this author’s series. These books take place near a country club in the Midwest in the mid seventies. The main character...Ellison...has a reputation for always finding dead bodies. In this instance she has found two of them!
Why I wanted to read it...
I was really getting more and more curious about this series. Although I started with the sixth one I really wasn’t lost at all. The author was expert at explaining what happened to Ellison prior to this book. The author did this in an easy skillful manner. I never really had any confusion about what happened in the five books before this one. Reading this book just made me want to read all of the others...in fact I already bought the first two.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
Ellison is an engaging character. She has a demanding mother, an annoying sister in law, a cheating dead husband ( I can’t wait to read the book that tells what happened to him ), an engaging housekeeper, an eye raising daughter, a sweet dog and an interesting love interest who just happens to be the detective on this case. All of the above characters played a part in making this book clever and kind of fast paced.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who enjoy very clever and engaging cozy mysteries with enough annoying characters to keep the pages turning...will thoroughly enjoy this book. I started with the sixth book but I am going back to read the first five...in their proper order. I have already purchased the first two.
I received an advance reader’s ecopy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I read this on my Kindle Oasis.
By
Julie Mulhern
What it's all about...
This is my first experience with this author’s series. These books take place near a country club in the Midwest in the mid seventies. The main character...Ellison...has a reputation for always finding dead bodies. In this instance she has found two of them!
Why I wanted to read it...
I was really getting more and more curious about this series. Although I started with the sixth one I really wasn’t lost at all. The author was expert at explaining what happened to Ellison prior to this book. The author did this in an easy skillful manner. I never really had any confusion about what happened in the five books before this one. Reading this book just made me want to read all of the others...in fact I already bought the first two.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
Ellison is an engaging character. She has a demanding mother, an annoying sister in law, a cheating dead husband ( I can’t wait to read the book that tells what happened to him ), an engaging housekeeper, an eye raising daughter, a sweet dog and an interesting love interest who just happens to be the detective on this case. All of the above characters played a part in making this book clever and kind of fast paced.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who enjoy very clever and engaging cozy mysteries with enough annoying characters to keep the pages turning...will thoroughly enjoy this book. I started with the sixth book but I am going back to read the first five...in their proper order. I have already purchased the first two.
I received an advance reader’s ecopy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I read this on my Kindle Oasis.
July 26, 2017
It's a very rare occasion for me to read a book in one or two sittings these days, there's so much going on in my life that I rarely have the time. I started Cold as Ice by author Julie Mulhern last night, and finished it first thing this morning (I woke up at 4am and immediately picked it up again!). It is a wonderfully crafted, incredibly fast-paced pleasure to read, and a nostalgic trip back to the 70's for those of us who grew up in that decade (I'm a Gen-X girl). Ms. Mulhern weaves a tale of suspense and mystery among the members of the privileged country club set in Kansas City, Missouri. Imagine a life without cell phones (people actually had to take and leave messages!!!), internet, and all of today's technology. Imagine having to drive somewhere to talk to someone when you needed to speak with them, the days before caller ID when you had no idea who was on the other end of the phone before you answered....this is the setting Ms. Mulhern takes us back to, and it's like opening a perfectly preserved time capsule. Not only are her nostalgic descriptions spot on, the mystery is so well-written that I even gasped at the end when the murderer was unmasked. Ellison has her hands busy with hunky detective Anarchy Jones, Hunter the thrice -married lawyer who wants to be more than friends, Libba the bestie who enjoys her men and her drinks, teenage daughter Grace, and Mother (with a capital M - need I say more?!?). Very, very well done! This is the 6th book in the series and the first that I've read. It held its own completely, and it worked perfectly as a standalone. Cold as Ice by Julie Mulhern receives my highest recommendations to anyone looking for a good mystery! A+++
July 28, 2017
BEST OF THE SERIES SO FAR!!
It is quite a feat when an author writes Book Six in a Series and the storyline is more complex than usual and the ending leaves you quickly turning the page because you know there has to be MORE. More of the wonderful Ellison who always stays true to who she is; she just can't help herself. More of Ellison and her relationship with Grace as Grace becomes a teenager and deals with friends and dating relationships. More of Ellison and her Mother and situations involving their Country Club friends and the differences in the way the two relate to people. More of the suspense, mayhem, intrigue and dead bodies appearing at random times. Oh so much MORE of Anarchy Jones! More hilarious scenes that only Mulhern can describe! More fabulous life in the 70's! I was provided an ARC by Henery Press and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.
It is quite a feat when an author writes Book Six in a Series and the storyline is more complex than usual and the ending leaves you quickly turning the page because you know there has to be MORE. More of the wonderful Ellison who always stays true to who she is; she just can't help herself. More of Ellison and her relationship with Grace as Grace becomes a teenager and deals with friends and dating relationships. More of Ellison and her Mother and situations involving their Country Club friends and the differences in the way the two relate to people. More of the suspense, mayhem, intrigue and dead bodies appearing at random times. Oh so much MORE of Anarchy Jones! More hilarious scenes that only Mulhern can describe! More fabulous life in the 70's! I was provided an ARC by Henery Press and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.
August 27, 2017
I couldn't put it down.
October 13, 2017
“Cold As Ice” earns 5/5 Bell-bottomed, ABBA loving, Thumbs Up…Heeey!
Ok, do you remember the 70s? I do…graduating college, pre/post twenty-one, first job in LA, and big dreams ahead of me, but…murder? Not in my 70s! However, Julie Mulhern puts us right in the middle of it with book six in her Country Club Murder Mystery series; television shows, pop culture, and 70s mores were all a blast from the past. I have read so many rave reviews, but decided to join in with the newest release rather than starting from the beginning. As a newbie, I found that there was enough information into background and character connection to keep me engaged. Although some events were mentioned that I am eager to go back and read previous stories: details around her ‘late’ husband, and she runs a bank?
Julie’s excellent writing style starts with Ellison Russell realizing Disaster! doesn’t send an invitation, so when it arrives, it is ignorantly welcomed in the form of her daughter’s handsome boyfriend. Is it that handsome equals untrustworthy? It is according to Ellison’s experience with her philandering, ‘late' husband. Having sent her daughter off on a dinner/movie date with said boyfriend, she joins her BFF Libba at a party with friends and foes in attendance. One foe (Prudence Davies a dalliance of her late husband) and a friend (the boyfriend’s mother Laura Michaels) have a bit of a conflict escalating into accusations, insults, vodka in the face, more name-calling, broken glass, and fire! It seems another of Prudence’s dalliances has been exposed, and threats of “I could kill you!” Daisy was right, “Remember this… This is the sort of thing that leads to murder.” And that’s exactly what happens…along with so much more: single parenting issues, bank loans that could close its doors, and a ‘heart hiccup’ making romance with a man named ‘Anarchy.’ I love it, and you don’t have to have lived during the seventies to enjoy this series, especially this newest release. It is a clever mystery with well developed characters, Ellison a favorite, that will keep you engaged to the final “Oh, No!” ending.
"Disclosure: A review copy of this book was selected by me from NetGalley. However, all of the above opinions are my own.”
Ok, do you remember the 70s? I do…graduating college, pre/post twenty-one, first job in LA, and big dreams ahead of me, but…murder? Not in my 70s! However, Julie Mulhern puts us right in the middle of it with book six in her Country Club Murder Mystery series; television shows, pop culture, and 70s mores were all a blast from the past. I have read so many rave reviews, but decided to join in with the newest release rather than starting from the beginning. As a newbie, I found that there was enough information into background and character connection to keep me engaged. Although some events were mentioned that I am eager to go back and read previous stories: details around her ‘late’ husband, and she runs a bank?
Julie’s excellent writing style starts with Ellison Russell realizing Disaster! doesn’t send an invitation, so when it arrives, it is ignorantly welcomed in the form of her daughter’s handsome boyfriend. Is it that handsome equals untrustworthy? It is according to Ellison’s experience with her philandering, ‘late' husband. Having sent her daughter off on a dinner/movie date with said boyfriend, she joins her BFF Libba at a party with friends and foes in attendance. One foe (Prudence Davies a dalliance of her late husband) and a friend (the boyfriend’s mother Laura Michaels) have a bit of a conflict escalating into accusations, insults, vodka in the face, more name-calling, broken glass, and fire! It seems another of Prudence’s dalliances has been exposed, and threats of “I could kill you!” Daisy was right, “Remember this… This is the sort of thing that leads to murder.” And that’s exactly what happens…along with so much more: single parenting issues, bank loans that could close its doors, and a ‘heart hiccup’ making romance with a man named ‘Anarchy.’ I love it, and you don’t have to have lived during the seventies to enjoy this series, especially this newest release. It is a clever mystery with well developed characters, Ellison a favorite, that will keep you engaged to the final “Oh, No!” ending.
"Disclosure: A review copy of this book was selected by me from NetGalley. However, all of the above opinions are my own.”
October 31, 2017
An absolute delight. Head back to the early 70s and the country club scene in Kansas City. Not the usual setting for a mystery series, but it has unerring sense of place, delightful characters and a killer that I didn't see coming. Highly recommended.
Thanks to netgalley and Henerys Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to netgalley and Henerys Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2017
It's nearing Thanksgiving in Kansas City, and life is -sort of - getting back to normal for Ellison Russell. But while everything seems to be going along smoothly, it just...isn't. Her daughter Grace has been caught throwing a wild party in her absence, and while that may seem to be enough of a headache, it only gets worse when her bank president tells her the bank - her late husband's legacy to Grace - may be going under due to an unpaid loan.
The loan, owed by Tom Michaels, is the father of a boy Ellison does not want Grace seeing. But each time she tries to call Tom, he's unavailable. And when she does get a chance to speak with his wife Laurie, she leaves before anything is resolved.
But it's while she's at the country club planning a party for a friend when the sous chef opens the walk-in freezer to find Laurie's frozen body that it turns into a nightmare. Another body. The wife of the husband with a million dollar loan. And the mother of a boy with lax morals who seems to be interested in her daughter. Life is definitely not normal for Ellison Russell.
While warned to stay out of this investigation by the ever-present homicide Detective Anarchy Jones, Ellison's maybe-boyfriend she doesn't want to say anything about the bank. Ellison needs to know if Laurie left life insurance, and for how much; hopefully enough to cover the loan; and she she needs the help of Hunter Tafft, her attorney who's also highly interested in her personally, to find out what can be done to place a lien, if possible; and, horror of horrors, she also needs to enlist the help of her intimidating mother, Frances.
But it isn't going to be easy. She needs to stay under the radar of the police to conduct her own investigation - because if Tom is convicted of the crime they'll be no life insurance. To top it off, her late husband's sister Gwen is spending the holiday with them, and Gwen doesn't (and never has) approved of Ellison. This holiday may be more memorable than Ellison would like it to be.
But then things get worse: Ellison discovers another body, one which may very well have ties to the first. With the suspect list dwindling, the body count growing, and Tom as the police's likely culprit, Ellison needs to work fast before the bank closes its doors forever...
Once again, Ms. Mulhern has taken us back to 1974, a time with no cellphones or computers, and all information must be gathered the old-fashioned way: through the grapevine. It's a simpler time when people didn't depend on daily updates online, but through telephone calls, people needed to actually talk to one another, and Google was a thing of the future. She does this, and more, admirably.
I found the book quite entertaining, with just enough components to make it realistic - a mother raising a sixteen-year-old daughter alone and trying to do her best; and adding that to the other storyline, weaving them together seamlessly and effortlessly; both essential to the book's plot.
The narrative carries us along easily, rolling our eyes much as Grace did, at some of the wordplay between characters (who are all delightful, by the way), giving us an engaging tale of life in another place and time - albeit one littered with dead bodies along the way (but then again, isn't that why we're reading this series in the first place?)
When we learn the identity of the killer and come to the end of the book, we see that actions have consequences, and consequences affect our lives, for good or bad. Whether right or wrong, the choices we make color our lives forever, and learning from them is the hardest -and maybe the most bittersweet - lesson of all.
Although you might be tempted to peek at the ending, I urge you not to do so. Unfolding the story as it is written will add to a wonderful journey through words and images in your mind. Highly recommended and I look forward to the next in the series.
The loan, owed by Tom Michaels, is the father of a boy Ellison does not want Grace seeing. But each time she tries to call Tom, he's unavailable. And when she does get a chance to speak with his wife Laurie, she leaves before anything is resolved.
But it's while she's at the country club planning a party for a friend when the sous chef opens the walk-in freezer to find Laurie's frozen body that it turns into a nightmare. Another body. The wife of the husband with a million dollar loan. And the mother of a boy with lax morals who seems to be interested in her daughter. Life is definitely not normal for Ellison Russell.
While warned to stay out of this investigation by the ever-present homicide Detective Anarchy Jones, Ellison's maybe-boyfriend she doesn't want to say anything about the bank. Ellison needs to know if Laurie left life insurance, and for how much; hopefully enough to cover the loan; and she she needs the help of Hunter Tafft, her attorney who's also highly interested in her personally, to find out what can be done to place a lien, if possible; and, horror of horrors, she also needs to enlist the help of her intimidating mother, Frances.
But it isn't going to be easy. She needs to stay under the radar of the police to conduct her own investigation - because if Tom is convicted of the crime they'll be no life insurance. To top it off, her late husband's sister Gwen is spending the holiday with them, and Gwen doesn't (and never has) approved of Ellison. This holiday may be more memorable than Ellison would like it to be.
But then things get worse: Ellison discovers another body, one which may very well have ties to the first. With the suspect list dwindling, the body count growing, and Tom as the police's likely culprit, Ellison needs to work fast before the bank closes its doors forever...
Once again, Ms. Mulhern has taken us back to 1974, a time with no cellphones or computers, and all information must be gathered the old-fashioned way: through the grapevine. It's a simpler time when people didn't depend on daily updates online, but through telephone calls, people needed to actually talk to one another, and Google was a thing of the future. She does this, and more, admirably.
I found the book quite entertaining, with just enough components to make it realistic - a mother raising a sixteen-year-old daughter alone and trying to do her best; and adding that to the other storyline, weaving them together seamlessly and effortlessly; both essential to the book's plot.
The narrative carries us along easily, rolling our eyes much as Grace did, at some of the wordplay between characters (who are all delightful, by the way), giving us an engaging tale of life in another place and time - albeit one littered with dead bodies along the way (but then again, isn't that why we're reading this series in the first place?)
When we learn the identity of the killer and come to the end of the book, we see that actions have consequences, and consequences affect our lives, for good or bad. Whether right or wrong, the choices we make color our lives forever, and learning from them is the hardest -and maybe the most bittersweet - lesson of all.
Although you might be tempted to peek at the ending, I urge you not to do so. Unfolding the story as it is written will add to a wonderful journey through words and images in your mind. Highly recommended and I look forward to the next in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2018
I can't remember another series where the standard has remained so high throughout. Funny, well-plotted, strongly characterised - everything is done just right. With a couple of delicious pleasures thrown in: the 1970s setting ("The Rockford Files", shearling coats, the heady sophistication of drinking Blue Nun) and the narrator's gloriously bitchy and snobbish mother. Think Maggie Smith drinking lemon juice.
“Henry’s sister is coming for Thanksgiving,” [I said]...
An audible breath reached through the phone lines. “What religion is she now?”
“Hindu...But she goes through phases,” I added. “She might be a Buddhist or a Jainist.”
If I closed my eyes, I could see Mother. She was sitting at her desk with her ankles crossed and her lips pinched in a tight line. She held a pen in her right hand and with it she drew neat three-dimensional boxes on the pad positioned next to her phone. No free-form doodles for Mother. Just boxes. Boxes with precise angles and clean lines.
A put-upon sigh traveled from her house to mine. “If she doesn’t want to be an Episcopalian, why can’t she be a Presbyterian?”
Thoroughly recommended.
“Henry’s sister is coming for Thanksgiving,” [I said]...
An audible breath reached through the phone lines. “What religion is she now?”
“Hindu...But she goes through phases,” I added. “She might be a Buddhist or a Jainist.”
If I closed my eyes, I could see Mother. She was sitting at her desk with her ankles crossed and her lips pinched in a tight line. She held a pen in her right hand and with it she drew neat three-dimensional boxes on the pad positioned next to her phone. No free-form doodles for Mother. Just boxes. Boxes with precise angles and clean lines.
A put-upon sigh traveled from her house to mine. “If she doesn’t want to be an Episcopalian, why can’t she be a Presbyterian?”
Thoroughly recommended.
August 4, 2017
I love the Country Club Murders books, and this was no exception. However, “Cold as Ice” was a bit different. There was no dead body in the first chapter. Ellison goes with Libba to a cocktail party (“Libba was early. Somewhere in Hell they were having a heckuva snow ball fight”). Her hostess comments: “I’m glad you didn’t find any dead people on the driveway.”, followed by Libba’s: “The night’s still young”, turning to Ellison: “You find a body nearly every week. I figure you’re due”. Still none in the second chapter. Am I really reading a Country Club Murder book? Has Ellison finally stopped being a corpse magnet? Finally, at the end of the third chapter Grace yells “I think I have found a body” – relief from the reader! But all is not what it seems. The next body is not found by Ellison, but she was in the vicinity – surely something is wrong here.
At least Frances Walford is still on form, ordering Ellison’s (and everyone else’s) life about, volunteering her for charity events and for hosting a family Thanksgiving Dinner. Ellison is learning from her mother, and Grace is learning from Ellison. Soon the book has all three generations channelling Frances Walford. Sadly, Grace hasn’t quite reached full power yet: “Grace’s eyes shot daggers my way. But they were a sixteen-year-old’s daggers, which, for one accustomed to Mother’s daggers, were about as sharp as butter knives”. As the body count rises (not a spoiler – you know it will!) Frances exasperatedly complains “That’s two this week, Ellison. If you keep this up, we won’t have any friends left.” In fact, that is what I have been thinking myself for the last three books. Why do Ellison and her family still have any friends? Why hasn’t membership of the Country Club been designated a health hazard? Thank goodness it is still operating, as these books are so enjoyable.
As always, the writing and the imagery are superb: “Jeannie Westcott wore a mink coat, leather gloves, and a distraught expression”, “The boy on the couch looked like the last survivor of a disaster. A disaster worse than Airport, The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno combined”
There are additionally a few situations involving moral questions that have to be dealt with. This is one of the few mainstream American books I know of, that mentions sex education, abortion and lesbianism in non-judgemental terms. Ellison is having to deal with Grace growing up, and is torn between being overprotective and forbidding, and working out what advice to give, that will be accepted. She is also dealing with defining her and Grace’s positions as competent women in a world dictated by men. Both are having some problems with the men in their lives. Can the men be encouraged to change – or is it already too late.
You will never guess the person (or persons?) responsible for the murders until the final reveal. Red herrings come thick and fast, and just because Ellison desperately needs it not to be Tom Michaels, does not mean he is innocent. The Country Club is hiding another myriad of scandals – affairs, financial fraud, depravity, fashions faux pas … There is so much material here for many more books in the series. I look forward to reading all of them.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
At least Frances Walford is still on form, ordering Ellison’s (and everyone else’s) life about, volunteering her for charity events and for hosting a family Thanksgiving Dinner. Ellison is learning from her mother, and Grace is learning from Ellison. Soon the book has all three generations channelling Frances Walford. Sadly, Grace hasn’t quite reached full power yet: “Grace’s eyes shot daggers my way. But they were a sixteen-year-old’s daggers, which, for one accustomed to Mother’s daggers, were about as sharp as butter knives”. As the body count rises (not a spoiler – you know it will!) Frances exasperatedly complains “That’s two this week, Ellison. If you keep this up, we won’t have any friends left.” In fact, that is what I have been thinking myself for the last three books. Why do Ellison and her family still have any friends? Why hasn’t membership of the Country Club been designated a health hazard? Thank goodness it is still operating, as these books are so enjoyable.
As always, the writing and the imagery are superb: “Jeannie Westcott wore a mink coat, leather gloves, and a distraught expression”, “The boy on the couch looked like the last survivor of a disaster. A disaster worse than Airport, The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno combined”
There are additionally a few situations involving moral questions that have to be dealt with. This is one of the few mainstream American books I know of, that mentions sex education, abortion and lesbianism in non-judgemental terms. Ellison is having to deal with Grace growing up, and is torn between being overprotective and forbidding, and working out what advice to give, that will be accepted. She is also dealing with defining her and Grace’s positions as competent women in a world dictated by men. Both are having some problems with the men in their lives. Can the men be encouraged to change – or is it already too late.
You will never guess the person (or persons?) responsible for the murders until the final reveal. Red herrings come thick and fast, and just because Ellison desperately needs it not to be Tom Michaels, does not mean he is innocent. The Country Club is hiding another myriad of scandals – affairs, financial fraud, depravity, fashions faux pas … There is so much material here for many more books in the series. I look forward to reading all of them.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
September 7, 2017
Setting: Kansas City, 1974
Characters: Ellison Russel is a widow and mother to teenager, Grace. She's also the daughter of the formidable society matron, Frances Walford. Ellison isn't quite ready for a relationship, but she has two men - lawyer Hunter Tafft and Detective Anarchy Jones - are both after her affections. There's also Ellison's best friend, Libba, her fantastic dog, Max, and a host of country-club-set friends and acquaintances.
Plot: A teenager's party and a boyfriend's indiscretion kick off the mystery in Cold As Ice. it's nearly Thanksgiving and an early blizzard is coming to town. 1974 has been rough on Ellison and her family; she just can't seem to stop stumbling over or finding dead bodies, much to her mother's chagrin. Having finally accepted an offer of a date with my boyfriend Detective Anarchy Jones, Ellison is horrified to find their dinner interrupted by a call from the police - coming from her house. When she arrives home, she finds her daughter in tears and her home in shambles. But that's just the beginning. As events begin to snowball, Anarchy begs Ellison not to get involved in any investigation, for her own safety and his peace of mind. But she just can't help herself. This time, however, there's more at stake than safety; Ellison is investigating to save her daughter's legacy from her father. What she doesn't realize is that, by doing so, she may be freezing out everyone around her and leaving herself stranded on ice.
Pacing: Steady - it's a book that's hard to put down!
Predictability: Low
Wild Card: I said it on Facebook and I'll say it again: Julie Mulhern is just mean! Finally - finally! - to the delight of all of us on #TeamAnarchy, it looks like Ellison and Anarchy are going to take the next steps to a more formal relationship. But then she goes and tosses in a wrench and breaks all of our collective hearts. It's just mean. But, I can't be too upset with her. She does manage, every time, to spin a story that grabs and keeps my attention. This is absolutely one of my favorite series and one that I recommend to friends time and again.
Characters: Ellison Russel is a widow and mother to teenager, Grace. She's also the daughter of the formidable society matron, Frances Walford. Ellison isn't quite ready for a relationship, but she has two men - lawyer Hunter Tafft and Detective Anarchy Jones - are both after her affections. There's also Ellison's best friend, Libba, her fantastic dog, Max, and a host of country-club-set friends and acquaintances.
Plot: A teenager's party and a boyfriend's indiscretion kick off the mystery in Cold As Ice. it's nearly Thanksgiving and an early blizzard is coming to town. 1974 has been rough on Ellison and her family; she just can't seem to stop stumbling over or finding dead bodies, much to her mother's chagrin. Having finally accepted an offer of a date with my boyfriend Detective Anarchy Jones, Ellison is horrified to find their dinner interrupted by a call from the police - coming from her house. When she arrives home, she finds her daughter in tears and her home in shambles. But that's just the beginning. As events begin to snowball, Anarchy begs Ellison not to get involved in any investigation, for her own safety and his peace of mind. But she just can't help herself. This time, however, there's more at stake than safety; Ellison is investigating to save her daughter's legacy from her father. What she doesn't realize is that, by doing so, she may be freezing out everyone around her and leaving herself stranded on ice.
Pacing: Steady - it's a book that's hard to put down!
Predictability: Low
Wild Card: I said it on Facebook and I'll say it again: Julie Mulhern is just mean! Finally - finally! - to the delight of all of us on #TeamAnarchy, it looks like Ellison and Anarchy are going to take the next steps to a more formal relationship. But then she goes and tosses in a wrench and breaks all of our collective hearts. It's just mean. But, I can't be too upset with her. She does manage, every time, to spin a story that grabs and keeps my attention. This is absolutely one of my favorite series and one that I recommend to friends time and again.
November 9, 2017
Ellison Russell’s life resembles a rollercoaster ride. And rollercoasters make her ill. Her daughter Grace has a crush on a boy Ellison doesn’t trust and she’s taken to hosting wild parties when Ellison goes out for the evening. Worse, the bank which represents Grace’s inheritance from her father may be in trouble.
When a meeting with the chef at the country club leads to the discovery of a body, Ellison can’t afford cold feet. She must save the bank, find the killer, and convince Grace (and herself) that powerful women don’t need men to rescue them.
My Thoughts: The pages turn rapidly in Cold as Ice, and, as always, I am swept up into Ellison’s world of 1974 Kansas City, Missouri. The Country Club set figures into this new mystery, just as the ones before, and we meet some characters who might not have been in previous books, but they are all connected somehow to Ellison and to her mother Frances Walford.
Ellison and her mother have their issues, but in the end, they have each other’s back…but sometimes glare at each other and make choices that conflict.
Grace, Ellison’s teen, is as snippy and eye-rolling as ever, but she does surprise occasionally by stepping in and helping out.
Anarchy Jones, the detective who always seems to appear at the right time, is even more drawn to Ellison in this outing…but as the pages turn, he is more and more frustrated with her inability to stay out of his latest investigation. She is determined to save the day herself and not depend on a man, and he is determined to be the one to solve the case and her problems.
What will happen when their goals clash? Will they go their separate ways? Will there be anything for the two of them afterwards?
I loved this book…and enjoyed Ellison’s quirks: chatting with her Mr. Coffee; mixing it up with all the suspects in the case; and taking risks that could change everything in her life. Definitely 5 stars for me.
When a meeting with the chef at the country club leads to the discovery of a body, Ellison can’t afford cold feet. She must save the bank, find the killer, and convince Grace (and herself) that powerful women don’t need men to rescue them.
My Thoughts: The pages turn rapidly in Cold as Ice, and, as always, I am swept up into Ellison’s world of 1974 Kansas City, Missouri. The Country Club set figures into this new mystery, just as the ones before, and we meet some characters who might not have been in previous books, but they are all connected somehow to Ellison and to her mother Frances Walford.
Ellison and her mother have their issues, but in the end, they have each other’s back…but sometimes glare at each other and make choices that conflict.
Grace, Ellison’s teen, is as snippy and eye-rolling as ever, but she does surprise occasionally by stepping in and helping out.
Anarchy Jones, the detective who always seems to appear at the right time, is even more drawn to Ellison in this outing…but as the pages turn, he is more and more frustrated with her inability to stay out of his latest investigation. She is determined to save the day herself and not depend on a man, and he is determined to be the one to solve the case and her problems.
What will happen when their goals clash? Will they go their separate ways? Will there be anything for the two of them afterwards?
I loved this book…and enjoyed Ellison’s quirks: chatting with her Mr. Coffee; mixing it up with all the suspects in the case; and taking risks that could change everything in her life. Definitely 5 stars for me.
November 14, 2017
At 6:30 on a Friday evening, Ellison Russell sensed Disaster, but what about her daughter going on a date to see Benji with a handsome, polite young man from their social group or her attending a cocktail party with her best friend Libba? Who could have foretold the disastrous sequence of events that would occur over the next several days?
As expected, Cold As Ice, Julie Mulhern’s sixth novel in the Country Club Mystery Series is a winner. It jumps right into the current story while catching up readers who are new to the series. With a lot of legitimate suspects, Ellison stays busy following leads as she tries to save a failing bank which is her daughter’s inheritance from Ellison’s licentious, now dead, husband and negotiate landmines in her relationships with her domineering mother and her teenage daughter. Meanwhile two love interests, a lawyer and a detective, provide aid in her investigations while vying for her affections.
All of the investigation occurs in the midst of family chaos and is delivered with a heavy dose of wry humor. Mr. Coffee continues to be the only man Ellison can truly depend on. The setting is decorated with multiple authentic touches of the seventies. It is a book I didn’t want to put down, but I didn’t want it to end either.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
As expected, Cold As Ice, Julie Mulhern’s sixth novel in the Country Club Mystery Series is a winner. It jumps right into the current story while catching up readers who are new to the series. With a lot of legitimate suspects, Ellison stays busy following leads as she tries to save a failing bank which is her daughter’s inheritance from Ellison’s licentious, now dead, husband and negotiate landmines in her relationships with her domineering mother and her teenage daughter. Meanwhile two love interests, a lawyer and a detective, provide aid in her investigations while vying for her affections.
All of the investigation occurs in the midst of family chaos and is delivered with a heavy dose of wry humor. Mr. Coffee continues to be the only man Ellison can truly depend on. The setting is decorated with multiple authentic touches of the seventies. It is a book I didn’t want to put down, but I didn’t want it to end either.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2019
4.5 Stars
I always enjoy visiting the Country Club murders series. It is one of my favorite series worlds. If had never started reading ARCs I don’t think I would have ever found it. Anarchy is definitely my favorite fictional detective. I am not sure what it is that pushes him over top. Could be the name or the fact that he is still sort of a mystery man even in book six.
Who knew the country club set could be so devious. Well, I guess we always knew but knowing Ellison will find the bodies just seems to bring out the bad in them all and it spills over into murder.
Ellison is meeting with a chef at the country club when the sous chef unlocks the freezer and finds a dead body. Technically, Ellison didn’t find it but everyone still blames her for it, especially her mother. The woman is so sigh inducing. Then days later another woman is found dead in her car and Ellison does find her. Maybe she is just a murder magnet.
An underlying storyline is featuring Tom Michaels and how his gambling put the bank Ellison owns into jeopardy. Of course, the first dead body is Tom’s wife, Laurie. So, it figures into the mystery at some point.
The ending had me sad. I don’t like Anarchy to come away angry. I want that happily ever after, dang it! Maybe I could travel back to 1974 and comfort the man.
Another great offering from Julie Mulhern! This is one of my favorite cozy mystery worlds. Take a gander and check it out. I am sure you will love it as much as I do.
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.
I always enjoy visiting the Country Club murders series. It is one of my favorite series worlds. If had never started reading ARCs I don’t think I would have ever found it. Anarchy is definitely my favorite fictional detective. I am not sure what it is that pushes him over top. Could be the name or the fact that he is still sort of a mystery man even in book six.
Who knew the country club set could be so devious. Well, I guess we always knew but knowing Ellison will find the bodies just seems to bring out the bad in them all and it spills over into murder.
Ellison is meeting with a chef at the country club when the sous chef unlocks the freezer and finds a dead body. Technically, Ellison didn’t find it but everyone still blames her for it, especially her mother. The woman is so sigh inducing. Then days later another woman is found dead in her car and Ellison does find her. Maybe she is just a murder magnet.
An underlying storyline is featuring Tom Michaels and how his gambling put the bank Ellison owns into jeopardy. Of course, the first dead body is Tom’s wife, Laurie. So, it figures into the mystery at some point.
The ending had me sad. I don’t like Anarchy to come away angry. I want that happily ever after, dang it! Maybe I could travel back to 1974 and comfort the man.
Another great offering from Julie Mulhern! This is one of my favorite cozy mystery worlds. Take a gander and check it out. I am sure you will love it as much as I do.
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.
November 8, 2017
This was my first book by this author, and I received it for free on netgalley. I really enjoyed the writing style, and the characters were not your typical cookie cutter cliche group of characters. Well thought out plot. I enjoyed that the main characters life was not perfect. Her daughter is in love with a guy no one really wants their daughter to be involved with, Her dead husband is still creating havoc in her life, and her mother is another story altogether. It is very easy to relate to, filled with tongue in cheek humor. The ending is a little abrupt, but in no way takes away from the book. I cannot wait to read another book by this author!
October 14, 2017
Ellison is a mom of a teenager and also a Widow of a husband who cheated on her with many of her friends. This was my first visit to the people in this town, but there are other books in this series and thanks to Net Galley I was able to get an advance ecopy of this one. I am going to see if I can start at the first one and work my way up to this one. It was that good!
The characters are all likable even the bad ones, the book is well planned out and arranged and just the right amount of suspense to keep you reading until the end!
The characters are all likable even the bad ones, the book is well planned out and arranged and just the right amount of suspense to keep you reading until the end!
September 20, 2017
Cold As Ice is the sixth book 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, fun, and a little quirky. The mystery is interesting and witty statements and humor are dispersed throughout the book, which is fast paced, with lots of twists and turns and enough suspects to keep the reader engaged. The final reveal came as a surprise to me. The setting for this series is Kansas City in the 1970’s and all the details are right on target. Family dynamics play a large part in the story and the trials and tribulations of raising a teenager are addressed in this book. I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy well-crafted cozy mysteries.
Ellison Russell is a widow, an artist, the mother of a teenager daughter, and a magnet for murder victims. Ellison isn’t sure she’s ready for a relationship, but two handsome and caring men, Detective Anarchy Jones, and a lawyer, Hunter Tafft, are interested in pursuing one with her. Ellison is enjoying a dinner date with Anarchy, but it’s cut short when his beeper goes off and he learns the police have been called to Ellison’s home. When they arrive, they discover her teenage daughter, Grace, is having a party and out of control teenagers everywhere. Grace blames her boyfriend, Trip Michaels, for the party. Ellison is devastated when she learns her deceased husband’s bank is in trouble and his legacy to Grace is in jeopardy. While Ellison is meeting with Chef Paul at the country club, the sous-chef discovers the body of Laurie Michaels in the freezer and later, she discovers another body in a car. Ellison is determined to save the bank and discover who is murdering people.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Ellison Russell is a widow, an artist, the mother of a teenager daughter, and a magnet for murder victims. Ellison isn’t sure she’s ready for a relationship, but two handsome and caring men, Detective Anarchy Jones, and a lawyer, Hunter Tafft, are interested in pursuing one with her. Ellison is enjoying a dinner date with Anarchy, but it’s cut short when his beeper goes off and he learns the police have been called to Ellison’s home. When they arrive, they discover her teenage daughter, Grace, is having a party and out of control teenagers everywhere. Grace blames her boyfriend, Trip Michaels, for the party. Ellison is devastated when she learns her deceased husband’s bank is in trouble and his legacy to Grace is in jeopardy. While Ellison is meeting with Chef Paul at the country club, the sous-chef discovers the body of Laurie Michaels in the freezer and later, she discovers another body in a car. Ellison is determined to save the bank and discover who is murdering people.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
March 6, 2018
No spoilers
Oh. My. God. I love this series. I hoarded this book to wait for Diamond Girl. Which I will be starting in a few minutes. I hope it does not leave me hanging like Cold As Ice. Is it too soon to ask when the next book is coming?!
Oh. My. God. I love this series. I hoarded this book to wait for Diamond Girl. Which I will be starting in a few minutes. I hope it does not leave me hanging like Cold As Ice. Is it too soon to ask when the next book is coming?!
June 11, 2019
I am more convinced than ever that Julie Mulhern is one of the best cozy authors currently writing. Highly, highly recommend!
September 5, 2017
Cold As Ice by Julie Mulhern is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
With the holidays approaching, Ellison is busy, and when she meets the boy her daughter is dating, she can't help but wish her dead , cheating husband was still alive.
Ellison doesn't like Trip, he appears sweet on the outside, but it's what's on the inside that has her worried.
When Ellison finds out her daughter's inheritance is spinning out of control, a dinner with her lawyer is just what she needs. What she doesn't expect is the arrival of Anarchy Jones, telling her she needs to get home, Now!
Ellison walks in to every parents nightmare, an underage party spiraling out of control.
The party will seem like nothing when Ellison stumbles upon a murder and causes her mother to give her the cold shoulder.
Fans of the country club murder series are sure to grab this wild cozy mystery.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
With the holidays approaching, Ellison is busy, and when she meets the boy her daughter is dating, she can't help but wish her dead , cheating husband was still alive.
Ellison doesn't like Trip, he appears sweet on the outside, but it's what's on the inside that has her worried.
When Ellison finds out her daughter's inheritance is spinning out of control, a dinner with her lawyer is just what she needs. What she doesn't expect is the arrival of Anarchy Jones, telling her she needs to get home, Now!
Ellison walks in to every parents nightmare, an underage party spiraling out of control.
The party will seem like nothing when Ellison stumbles upon a murder and causes her mother to give her the cold shoulder.
Fans of the country club murder series are sure to grab this wild cozy mystery.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
September 13, 2017
Great story. Loved that there was enough info about all the characters to help introduce me (as someone who had not read earlier books in the series) and not make me feel super lost. I predicted who the killer was about 3/4 of a way through the book, but I liked that it didn't give away too much and I was still so curious to see how everything played out -- and if I was right -- that I flew through the last part of the book. Interesting twist I didn't expect at all!
I received an ARC from the author in a Goodreads giveaway.
I received an ARC from the author in a Goodreads giveaway.
August 8, 2017
Mulhern never fails to thrill and keep you hooked in this series. Ellison is the typical seventies woman struggling to be independent. If you lived it, the author takes you right back to those days when women were emerging from the you must have a man status.
Mulhern hits the nail on raising a teenager, struggling with a dysfunctional family, realizing you can survive without a husband to look after you and being part of the country club set.
Throw in some dead bodies, fraud, romance, and book six of the series keeps you tangled all day and night like the first five did!
And this time there is a cliff hanging ending that makes you want the seventh book to be done tomorrow!
Don't miss this one and prepare to wait anxiously for book seven!
Mulhern hits the nail on raising a teenager, struggling with a dysfunctional family, realizing you can survive without a husband to look after you and being part of the country club set.
Throw in some dead bodies, fraud, romance, and book six of the series keeps you tangled all day and night like the first five did!
And this time there is a cliff hanging ending that makes you want the seventh book to be done tomorrow!
Don't miss this one and prepare to wait anxiously for book seven!
August 5, 2017
The books in this series just keep getting better and better! I've loved this book series from the very first book!!
I was fortunate enough to read this book via Netgalley - I want to thank them, the author and the publisher for the opportunity.! I totally recommend this for all lovers of cozies ❤ I loved loved loved it!!!
I was fortunate enough to read this book via Netgalley - I want to thank them, the author and the publisher for the opportunity.! I totally recommend this for all lovers of cozies ❤ I loved loved loved it!!!
February 7, 2018
4.5 stars! I love this series that takes place in the 70s. If is so wonderful to see families spend time together without cell phones, video games etc. taking the place of face to face communication. Once again, Ellison and her daughter Grace go back and forth from eye rolling to hugs. Having a sixteen year old daughter brings a lot of angst into her life. When Grace goes out to dinner with handsome detective Anarchy Jones, Grace allows Trip, her newest beau and what he things is god's gift to women, over with a few friends. It quickly turns into a wild party with kids spilling onto the lawn and in every room in the house. When Grace turns Trip down, he finds Dawn, his old girlfriend, whom he uses for what he wants. When the police are called, Ellison and Anarchy head to the house where Ellison is shocked to see what is going on. She hopes this will wise up her lovely daughter to Trip, but she does not want to forbid their relationship. Fast forward to Ellison finding Trip's mother dead a few days later at the Country Club. Add in some financial worries, embezzling, the usual partying and drinking of the Country Club set, and you are in for a delightful story.
Ellison has this unique ability to stumble or be in the immediate area when dead bodies are found, and this story has her find two. She is a pretty together lady most of the time. She is taking care of her daughter, trying to date and decide who to date, is an accomplished artist and in this book gets involved in a situation at the bank that was left to her daughter by her dead ex-husband. She has her moments with "Mr. Coffee" her sounding board, but is quite a strong woman. I admire her guts, brains and even her parenting skills. Grace is your typical sixteen year old. She thinks her mother is old fashioned and doesn't really know what it is like to be a teenager. Between rolling her eyes and slamming doors, she really is listening to what her mother says and makes pretty good decisions for the the most part. The typical first love scenario where her heart is broken then miraculously healed, only to be broken again is well handled. I love how she deals with the attempted suicide of a classmate. Anarchy is wonderful. He cares for Ellison and deals with her foibles well. He worries about her investigating crimes and that she will be injured. He does get frustrated when he feels she is interfering with his investigation though. I really want these two to get together. I think they are real good for each other. This was quick read, I didn't want to go to bed last night until I finished. This is a mystery with a lot of humor and family drama thrown in for good measure. Thanksgiving Dinner will have you laughing and praying that you never have one like it. This is a wonderful addition to the series and if you are a cozy mystery lover, especially where there is also humor, you will love this one. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
Ellison has this unique ability to stumble or be in the immediate area when dead bodies are found, and this story has her find two. She is a pretty together lady most of the time. She is taking care of her daughter, trying to date and decide who to date, is an accomplished artist and in this book gets involved in a situation at the bank that was left to her daughter by her dead ex-husband. She has her moments with "Mr. Coffee" her sounding board, but is quite a strong woman. I admire her guts, brains and even her parenting skills. Grace is your typical sixteen year old. She thinks her mother is old fashioned and doesn't really know what it is like to be a teenager. Between rolling her eyes and slamming doors, she really is listening to what her mother says and makes pretty good decisions for the the most part. The typical first love scenario where her heart is broken then miraculously healed, only to be broken again is well handled. I love how she deals with the attempted suicide of a classmate. Anarchy is wonderful. He cares for Ellison and deals with her foibles well. He worries about her investigating crimes and that she will be injured. He does get frustrated when he feels she is interfering with his investigation though. I really want these two to get together. I think they are real good for each other. This was quick read, I didn't want to go to bed last night until I finished. This is a mystery with a lot of humor and family drama thrown in for good measure. Thanksgiving Dinner will have you laughing and praying that you never have one like it. This is a wonderful addition to the series and if you are a cozy mystery lover, especially where there is also humor, you will love this one. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
October 24, 2017
Cold As Ice Brings the Heat
I know this sounds silly to say, but I always forget how much I enjoy these series. I’m quickly reminded when I continue to binge read every installment that Julie Mulhern throws at me.
Cold as Ice is the sixth installment of the Country Club Murders Mystery Series. Ellison Russell is doing her best to be a strong, independent businesswoman and mother in the 1970s. It doesn’t make life any easier that she keeps finding dead bodies. In this book, she is dealing not only with dead bodies, but troubles at the bank (her daughter’s inheritance from her father), as well as trying to help her teenage daughter navigate the waters of life and love.
If you want a quick and entertaining book with some meat on its bones, these are my top reasons to read Cold as Ice.
Ellison is Strong & Motivating
Ellison is a strong woman. Her husband is deceased and she is raising a teenage daughter by herself. We see her deal with business life, family dynamics, love, and murder. She does it all with style and grace. I love that the author also gives us snippets into what Ellison is thinking (versus what she actually says out loud). A nice reminder that everyone struggles on the inside. But we have a choice as to the light and attitude we share with the world.
Fast Paced and Creative
Julie Mulhern is such a great writer. I’m amazed how quickly I read each installment of this series. Her writing is creative, edgy, and enjoyable. I’m always sad how quickly the book is behind me, because she always leaves me wanting more!
A Series to Fall in Love With
This series is great. The book can stand alone, but if you’re looking for a new series to read this winter, I’d recommend going back to the beginning. The characters are multi-dimensional and they really grow and evolve throughout the series.
https://cozyexperience.com/cold-ice-b...
I know this sounds silly to say, but I always forget how much I enjoy these series. I’m quickly reminded when I continue to binge read every installment that Julie Mulhern throws at me.
Cold as Ice is the sixth installment of the Country Club Murders Mystery Series. Ellison Russell is doing her best to be a strong, independent businesswoman and mother in the 1970s. It doesn’t make life any easier that she keeps finding dead bodies. In this book, she is dealing not only with dead bodies, but troubles at the bank (her daughter’s inheritance from her father), as well as trying to help her teenage daughter navigate the waters of life and love.
If you want a quick and entertaining book with some meat on its bones, these are my top reasons to read Cold as Ice.
Ellison is Strong & Motivating
Ellison is a strong woman. Her husband is deceased and she is raising a teenage daughter by herself. We see her deal with business life, family dynamics, love, and murder. She does it all with style and grace. I love that the author also gives us snippets into what Ellison is thinking (versus what she actually says out loud). A nice reminder that everyone struggles on the inside. But we have a choice as to the light and attitude we share with the world.
Fast Paced and Creative
Julie Mulhern is such a great writer. I’m amazed how quickly I read each installment of this series. Her writing is creative, edgy, and enjoyable. I’m always sad how quickly the book is behind me, because she always leaves me wanting more!
A Series to Fall in Love With
This series is great. The book can stand alone, but if you’re looking for a new series to read this winter, I’d recommend going back to the beginning. The characters are multi-dimensional and they really grow and evolve throughout the series.
https://cozyexperience.com/cold-ice-b...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews