Lyin' Eyes: The Country Club Murders Book 13

What can I say, these books have wonderful characters and interesting plots. I have read the whole series twice and enjoyed them as much the second time.

I have read by julie, and they have all been entertaining. Julie keeps the 70s motif going as Ellison finds more bodies and continues snooping. I loved that Ellison takes a stand for equal rights for women and equal pay, when not playing detective. And she keeps talking to Mr. Coffee as usual....

I don't want to say too much and spoil the plot line. But I am so happy to see Anarchy and Ellison married! Yay. Loved how the murder didn't over command all the wedding festivities. Just enough detective work to satisfy us mystery buffs and a ton of great scenes with Ellison and Anarchy. I am not sure if Ellison's mother will ever change but Anarchy's whole family gives her a fun for her money on being awkward and annoying. Definitely a great read!

I dinged this book a notch because of the editorial gaffs. It looked like the author as well as the publisher was in a hurry to get this one to market. The most humorous segment was the wedding rehearsal with Frances Walford and the saddest was the treatment of Prudence Davies who made previous stories very entertaining (an integral part of this series). I still think the best of the series was book four's bridge game and a somewhat later novel's episode with the fortune teller. Anarchy Jones' family will not replace the characters developed earlier even with their quirky names for humor. Because I've read all of the previous episodes, I ordered the next book, but I'm somewhat skeptical as the protagonist is now married.Nota Bene: As an aside to how women were treated in the 1970s, which was brought to mind after reading Ellison's confrontation with the bank manager, I must indicate my banking experience with securing a home mortgage was appalling. In order for my spouse's income to be considered in the mortgage repayment schedule, she was required to sign a contract commitment that she would not become pregnant. Can one imagine this occurring today??

Another 5 star to Mulhern. I very much enjoy the 70's era this series is written in, although that was still the period in which women were expected to be house wives and depend on their husbands for support. Things have changed... mostly, although it is still known that men earn more than women for doing the same job. But I digress.This is the first series in which the scene is set in this time period that I have read and I read A LOT of books. I grew up in the 70's and 80's myself. Mulhern creates very real characters that I wouldn't mind trying to know - minus the murders, of course.Ellis is not the first character I've read about that is obsessed with coffee; however, she is the first who speaks to her coffee with love and adoration and, get this, the coffee "talks" back and sometimes Grace catches her just as she had finished giving it a such wink. Lol. Should Anarchy be jealous? Ha-ha.Another mystery solved with the help of several people and I honestly wished this book hadn't ended so soon. I'd love to read another hundred pages. I suppose there will be a Book 14 one day that will have Ellis and Anarchy finding an Italian murdered and that will need solving before the newlyweds return home.My next review will be The Hope Chest by Carolyn Brown. Reading that will begin shortly.

I say this each time I purchase a book in this series: This is my favorite so far. But each time the story gets better as we watch Ellison grow from a 'mere housewife' to the woman she has become, to the wife of the man who adores her just the way she is. You feel part of the family somehow - bravo she stood up to the manager at the bank for the female employees! She stood her ground when meeting up and speaking with her soon to be in laws; she stood up to her Mother again and again (the marriage is a done deal, Francis, embrace it!) In the meantime, Ellison sets a record in body finding. . .three, but in all fairness, the third wasn't actually HER find...she was just chasing her pup. Anarchy being able to walk away from the case to be a hubs and the tears Grace sheds in happiness for her Mom somehow become yours as well. It again, is surprising of the 'who did what', just when I think I've figured it out. . .darn if I wasn't wrong. You really should start this series from book 1, you will not be sorry until you finish the last. . . and have to wait for the next.

I love Julie Mulhern’s Country Club Murders series. This is the thirteenth book in the series and it just keeps getting better. Ellison Russell, dead bodies and hunky Detective Anarchy Jones...a combination that continues to make it hard to put the book down. Right off the bat Ellison finds two bodies at the thrift shop and then one while she and Anarchy were walking Max. Or rather Max finds the body. This happens just days before her wedding to Anarchy and honeymoon in Italy. Can they figure it out and not disrupt everything? If the murders don’t cause issues, then the combination of both her mother and Anarchy’s family might. Does she become Mrs. Jones amid all this? You’ll have to read it to find out. The story contains a very well thought out plot with great characters, lots of laughter, romance and definitely mystery right to the end. The dynamics between Ellison and her Mother are always fun to follow. This series is set in the 70's with no cell phones, but lots of coffee. And how can you not chuckle as Ellison has conversations with her Mr. Coffee. Already looking forward to the next one.

Another great instalment in the Country Club Murders series, and this one has a real sense of jeopardy and suspense: no, not whether Ellison will find a corpse (because she always does), neither whether the crime will be solved (because it is always – eventually), but whether Ellison and Anarchy will actually manage to get married. The odds are not in their favour.First there is the (perpetual) problem of Ellison discovering a pair of dead women at the local thrift shop. Will Anarchy have to postpone the wedding (tomorrow!!!) while he works on the case?Thankfully. Detective Peters takes over (a sigh of relief) “Detective Peters made Peter Falk’s Columbo look like a neat freak. He was gruff, irascible, slept in his raincoat, and only tolerated me to keep peace with Anarchy. … He grunted. “What we got?” Reluctantly, I separated from Anarchy’s chest. “Two dead women.” “You’re finding them in multiples now?””BUT Peter’s new partner intimates that Ellison might be a prime suspect (relief shut down).And then there are the bride’s and groom’s mothers, who are trying their best to have the wedding called off – forever. There is a scene early on where Aunt Sis lets slip an historical indiscretion of Frances, that makes her seem quite human and vulnerable. Momentarily, your sympathy is with Frances. BUT, her appalling behaviour at the wedding rehearsal consigns all sympathy to the dustbin.The mothers do attempt apologies – but their sincerity is highly dubious. AND we finally meet Anarchy’s father and his siblings. How Anarchy turned out to be such an amazing human being with family like that, is beyond my comprehension.As if that were not enough, Prudence asks Ellison for a job at the bank, as she has heard that Ellison is insisting on equal pay for women there (Go Ellison!!!), conveniently forgetting how horrible she has been towards Ellison in the past: “Prudence regarded other women’s claims on men as a personal challenge. How she attracted men was a mystery. Sugar and spice and everything nice had aged into vinegar and acid and everything evil.”So, with family tensions at an all time high, a multiple murderer on the loose with no decent leads, a suspicious policeman and Prudence – it does not look good for a wedding, and the planned honeymoon in Italy looks even more unlikely to come off. Surely, the author cannot make us wait for the next book to find out if our heroine will finally become Mrs Ellison Jones.?No spoilers here – you will just have to read the book to find out.As always, I highly recommend this book – indeed the whole series. Excellent, witty writing and characterisation, with a tricky murder (or three) thrown in for good measure.

Lucky 13 begins with arrangements unfolding as Ellison's house is transformed into a wedding venue.Cleaning out the last of Henry's things leads to finding 2 bodies at the thrift store. Max the dog adds to the chaos and Anarchy's family bump heads with Frances over their displeasure with Ellison. Can this couple make it down the aisle and off to Italy for a honeymoon or will solving murders continue to side track them?I had a great time with the entire cast of this fun filled series set in 1975 Kansas City. Missouri.

I have enjoyed this series from start through book 13. Fun..suspenseful..great characters! However, it seemed the book had not been edited well...missing words, etc. Surprising considering the reputation of the author.