Dying to Get Married: The Courtship and Murder of Julia Miller Bulloch

by Ellen Harris

Details the true story of the brutal murder of Julia Miller Bulloch by her husband of ten weeks, who was put on trial for the crime and convicted only of involuntary manslaughter

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Crime

267 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1991

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes you through the whole case from the lives of Julie Miller and Dennis Bullock from childhood until that awful day Dennis took the life of Julie. Even though he was not charged with murder. Julie just wanted what most of us want love and family while Dennis just wanted money.

Ellen Harris digs deep into all the facts of this case and when you get to the end it makes you wonder how this man got away with the awful way he murdered his wife. The woman he was supposed to have loved. Julie's death was nothing short from one of the most horrific ways of death I can imagine.
Lee Ann Howlett Does a really great job of narrating this book.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Bonnie Krueger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this years ago since I have always lived close to where this happened. Unbeknownst to me I actually used to work with the victim's brother. It made her attack and death that much more chilling. It's heartbreaking.

[Lynn Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

NO PICS

An interesting tale about an S&M lothario who essentially "bondaged" his wife to death. Of course, as a reader, one wants, at a minimum, to see a picture or two of such a man, yet the author included no pictures except the small picture of the wife on the book's cover - a major dis-service. Overall, the story was written in a grammatically correct, chronological manner- and, as indicated earlier, was interesting, but it didn't have that "gripping" factor that separates an excellent book from a good one

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this a long long time ago- when I worked at the Endicott Library as a teenager. I read it like a morality tale and took it to heart. I credit it with ensuring I will always be a feminist and teaching me I am better off alone then with the wrong man. Sadly, Ms. Miller Bulloch's husband was found guilty of killing her but his sentence was shockingly lenient.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A psychotic marries a sociopath with predictable and tragic results. The author has loaded the book with opinion and speculation, and while my conclusions were often in agreement, I prefer to draw them without coercion.

[✨Fallon Rasinski✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️5/5⭐️

I don’t know if I should even give this book five stars. It’s such a hard, painful read.


Julie Miller deserved so much more life than what she got. I will not use Bulloch in ties with Julie. That’s too much connection to Dennis. He is a POS who deserved death.
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This man and his lawyer made Julie out to be something she wasn’t. Someone she would never be. Dennis learned too much from watching the Bundy case. He was too educated. Too handsome. Too horrible.
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Julie deserved someone who would love her endlessly. Not someone who would end her life so traumatically. Dennis never wanted a steady relationship. He wanted someone to live out his odd, deranged fantasies. And when they wouldn’t, he switched to someone else who fit the bill. Disgusting man.
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I don’t have much else to say except for the fact that the justice system screwed over Julie Miller. I hope they all realized what they did.

Remember Julie Miller 🕊️

[Diane Earhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is interesting and compelling. Harris sometimes write with an undercurrent of sarcasm that might have been meant to add some humor to a horrifying truth, but it missed its mark. As a person portrayed in the book, there was a little more literary license taken than I appreciate, and a lot of the information appears to be garnered from public records (because she sure never talked to me about any of my encounters). As true crime goes, it's an interesting read.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women take note

Me Harris has given a tribute to a young woman, who did not deserve to die. This is a very moving account of a intelligent woman, who wanted what all desire-- to be loved. She encountered instead evil. A man, who married her for her possessions. A man who truly had no soul.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems just a little disorganized. It does tell the story, but some minor details are begun without followup.

Lee Ann Howlett performs competently. Of course, being true crime, there's not much to challenge her performance.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Kalonicea O'Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written capturing the warped Dennis and the vulnerable July who only wanted love.

Brilliantly written capturing the bizzar Dennis and the vulnerable July who only wanted to be loved.
I thought Dennis's replies at cross examination ridiculous and unbelivable. He should have been taped up like poor Julie. He virtually got away with murder.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of my dark obsession. True crime portrayal of the marriage of a young woman to a man she met through a personal ad. His only motive was to get hold of her money and by the time they had been married about four months he killed her and set her house on fire to try to cover up his crime.

[Maria Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because of the St Louis connection. The author did a very good job of describing the unique social dynamics of “ the biggest small town in America”. The murder case was an interesting one but ultimately the result was very frustrating.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeply disturbing story.. It's horrifying that this guy has been released and walks among us.

[Christianne Jemmett · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to give this book 5 stars but my kindle would not allow. An excellent book that is well written, interesting and has a real human element to it

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just an absolutely sad situation from beginning to end.

[steffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I managed to read this book in only 2 days because it was absolutely fascinating and I couldn't put it down. Ellen Harris managed to capture this intriguing case in a well-written manner. It helps that everything is in St. Louis, so my interest was completely enraptured anytime a landmark or a street name was brought up. The case itself, and the people involved, are of course fascinating if not disgusting (Dennis Bulloch) as well.

While I normally don't delve into non-fiction, nor am I usually attracted to books about law, or criminal cases, I actually recommend this one. I'm not sure if it's attraction was mostly due to the location being where I live, or due to the interesting details of the case itself, but either way, I truly enjoyed this well-written take on a truly sad situation.

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grim, sad story set during the 1980s MBA Avalanche, about an amazingly cold man who married a woman higher up in the financial heirarchy than he was, then killed her for her money. It was good to see him go down. The photo section will chill you to the bone. Usually the cover of a book says "shocking photos!" and you open it to find smiling studio portraits of all the judges and attorneys involved, plus baby pictures of the killer. You won't have that experience with this book.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a hard book to read due to the subject. Good true crime book but so heartbreaking.

[Salty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ann Rule would have done it better.