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The Country Club Murders #1
The Deep End
Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life.
It’s 1974 and Ellison Russell’s life revolves around her daughter and her art. She’s long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry, and the women with whom he entertains himself. That is, until she becomes a suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. The murder forces Ellison to confront her husband’s proclivities and his crimes—kinky sex, petty cruelties and blackmail.
As the body count approaches par on the seventh hole, Ellison knows she has to catch a killer. But with an interfering mother, an adoring father, a teenage daughter, and a cadre of well-meaning friends demanding her attention, can Ellison find the killer before he finds her?
It’s 1974 and Ellison Russell’s life revolves around her daughter and her art. She’s long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry, and the women with whom he entertains himself. That is, until she becomes a suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. The murder forces Ellison to confront her husband’s proclivities and his crimes—kinky sex, petty cruelties and blackmail.
As the body count approaches par on the seventh hole, Ellison knows she has to catch a killer. But with an interfering mother, an adoring father, a teenage daughter, and a cadre of well-meaning friends demanding her attention, can Ellison find the killer before he finds her?
255 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2015
2974 people are currently reading
16339 people want to read
About the author
Julie Mulhern
40 books1,624 followersJulie Mulhern is the USA Today bestselling author of The Country Club Murders and the Poppy Fields Adventures.
She is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean--and she's got an active imagination. Truth is--she's an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions.
She is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean--and she's got an active imagination. Truth is--she's an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 994 reviews
February 14, 2021
So fun to have an irreverent mystery series set in Kansas City and in the 70's! It's like having our own Stephanie Plum -- there is even a potential love triangle. Ellison Russell is having a bad week and it all starts with the dead body she bumps into while doing her morning laps. That body is her husband's mistress. Aack! And the hits keep coming with unwelcome surprises in her driveway and bursting out of her den. The real killer is out there and I enjoyed the hunt. Just thought the pacing was a bit off, so just four stars this time. Looking forward to future installments in The Country Club Murders series.
December 24, 2015
I loved The Deep End’s Ellison Russell from the very first page. Funny, astute, and rebellious — well, as rebellious as a member of Kansas City’s WASP elite could be (not much; cf. Mrs. Bridge). Ellison thought she had already seen her life implode. It’s 1974, and Ellison’s career as a successful artist means she’s creative, independent, and makes more money than her smug banker husband Henry. Remember that it’s 1974? In those less enlightened times, Henry’s masculinity is threatened, and he’s taken up with another woman from their country-club set, Madeline Harper. Eight months later, Mr. and Mrs. Russell may be living in the same luxury home, but their marriage is over, and they’re waiting the few years until their 16-year-old daughter Grace goes to college to officially pull the plug.
But things could definitely get worse for Ellison Walford Russell — and, of course, they do. During an early-morning swim, she discovers Madeline’s body in the country club’s pool. She’d be the No. 1 suspect if her husband hadn’t disappeared the night before. Now Ellison Russell is about to find out more than she ever wanted to know about Henry Russell — and just about every member of her country club. But unless she figures out who killed Madeline Harper and why, Ellison will never be able to restore some semblance of a life for her daughter Grace.
What a fabulous novel! I couldn’t stop reading! In The Deep End, author Julie Mulhern hasn’t just created a delightful protagonist in Ellison Russell and a riveting mystery; she’s also perfectly evoked the 1970s, right down to Halston gowns, caftans, TR6 sports cars, telephones actually attached to walls, plaid pants, Diane Von Furstenberg’s ubiquitous jersey wrap-dresses, Bargello afghans, those heavenly Dr. Scholl’s sandals, Tab, wife-swapping, The Way We Were, blue and purple eyeshadows, and the interminable Watergate hearings. (Also, Hermès bags. Only those are timeless.) Readers will love the atmosphere, the well-plotted mystery, and a charming woman who’s just finding out that doing what you’re supposed to won’t get you as far as doing what you want. Highly recommended.
But things could definitely get worse for Ellison Walford Russell — and, of course, they do. During an early-morning swim, she discovers Madeline’s body in the country club’s pool. She’d be the No. 1 suspect if her husband hadn’t disappeared the night before. Now Ellison Russell is about to find out more than she ever wanted to know about Henry Russell — and just about every member of her country club. But unless she figures out who killed Madeline Harper and why, Ellison will never be able to restore some semblance of a life for her daughter Grace.
What a fabulous novel! I couldn’t stop reading! In The Deep End, author Julie Mulhern hasn’t just created a delightful protagonist in Ellison Russell and a riveting mystery; she’s also perfectly evoked the 1970s, right down to Halston gowns, caftans, TR6 sports cars, telephones actually attached to walls, plaid pants, Diane Von Furstenberg’s ubiquitous jersey wrap-dresses, Bargello afghans, those heavenly Dr. Scholl’s sandals, Tab, wife-swapping, The Way We Were, blue and purple eyeshadows, and the interminable Watergate hearings. (Also, Hermès bags. Only those are timeless.) Readers will love the atmosphere, the well-plotted mystery, and a charming woman who’s just finding out that doing what you’re supposed to won’t get you as far as doing what you want. Highly recommended.
November 23, 2014
Couldn't get enough of the biting sense of humor, the characters, the plot. I found myself constantly re-reading passages because of Mulhern's descriptive elements and wit. Her nod to cultural references of the 70's, woven in just enough to not slap you in the face with the setting, made me want to investigate forgotten events and moments of the era.
Delightful.
Delightful.
February 27, 2022
What a captivating read! I knew of this series for years but never got around to actually reading the first book now. I wish I had done it sooner! Fast, fun and furious....LOL
I can't wait to read the second book but may have to download the audio version since I would like to finish knitting my sweater and just couldn't do it because I just HAD to read instead!
I can't wait to read the second book but may have to download the audio version since I would like to finish knitting my sweater and just couldn't do it because I just HAD to read instead!
August 17, 2017
I was a teenager in an upper middle class household (New Jersey, not Kansas City) at the time this was set, and this is not the first time I'm going to say that an author has gotten "old money" wrong. From my experience the folks described seem more "new" money than "old", although I suppose writers can emphasize things for effect. Moreover, there aren't that many dowager dragons terrifying their offspring. I suspended disbelief, and moved on, while reading the story.
Not sure how old the author might be, but in 1974 I doubt there were S&M clubs about, certainly not ones with their own matchbooks (to be awkwardly discovered). In Kansas City, I'd think such a club, if it'd existed, would've been a bit more . . . under the radar. That aspect failed for me, but maybe I'm picky, or jaded?
Another reviewer said she got nothing Kansas City out of it ("could've been anywhere really"), which seems fair to me. Moreover, aside from no internet nor mobile phones, the occasional 70s references seemed forced, with one of them (I forget exactly which) I swore was after 1974. Sue Grafton's alphabet series does a much more natural job of a setting a decade later.
I liked that she was proud to have an openly gay best friend at the time (stereotypical though he was), as well as Ellison's being funny often enough. Her new housekeeper Aggie sounds a hoot, definitely a reason to keep reading! The love triangle thing gets old fast, but I can live with it.
Not sorry I read it, and will try the next one.
Not sure how old the author might be, but in 1974 I doubt there were S&M clubs about, certainly not ones with their own matchbooks (to be awkwardly discovered). In Kansas City, I'd think such a club, if it'd existed, would've been a bit more . . . under the radar. That aspect failed for me, but maybe I'm picky, or jaded?
Another reviewer said she got nothing Kansas City out of it ("could've been anywhere really"), which seems fair to me. Moreover, aside from no internet nor mobile phones, the occasional 70s references seemed forced, with one of them (I forget exactly which) I swore was after 1974. Sue Grafton's alphabet series does a much more natural job of a setting a decade later.
I liked that she was proud to have an openly gay best friend at the time (stereotypical though he was), as well as Ellison's being funny often enough. Her new housekeeper Aggie sounds a hoot, definitely a reason to keep reading! The love triangle thing gets old fast, but I can live with it.
Not sorry I read it, and will try the next one.
January 6, 2015
THE DEEP END is the debut mystery novel by Julie Mulhern. (Julie is a fellow 2014 Golden Heart® finalist and I received a free copy of her book from her publisher Henery Press.)
It’s 1974 in Kansas City. Ellison Russell, an artist, heads to her country club for her customary early morning swim. She never expected to find the body of her husband’s dead mistress floating in the pool.
Life gets not just complicated but messy and confusing for Ellison and her daughter Grace. Henry, Ellison’s husband has disappeared and not one but two more mistresses show up. Add in a kinky dominatrix, blackmail, an overbearing mother, and an attractive (and kind) police detective and poor Ellison is toast.
THE DEEP END is a classic “fair play” mystery with clues and red herrings sprinkled throughout. I enjoyed this one a lot (and not just because I kinda sorta know the author or because I got a free copy of the book).
The hard part of reviewing mysteries is not giving away any spoilers. So, I’ll say just a few more things:
The murderer is nicely foreshadowed.
Henry is vile and fully deserves the fate Mulhern gave him.
The secondary characters are fully-fleshed out and add to the story.
Ellison’s rationale for not telling the police everything she knows makes sense and didn’t make me roll my eyes or say, “Oh, please,” even once. This is a chronic pitfall of amateur sleuth stories, since often the whole thing could be wrapped up at the end of Chapter Five if the protagonist just trusted the police to do their job. Not so with THE DEEP END.
To prove that I’m not just gushing heedlessly, I did have one teeny tiny issue with THE DEEP END that I’ll mention.
Ellison felt just a tad too stoic to me. In some places I felt like she was too detached from what was going on around her. I would have liked a bit more emotion from her in a few places. Sometimes over the top is called for and I felt Mulhern kept her reined in too tightly.
But that didn’t detract from my enjoyment and my ability to heartily recommend THE DEEP END.
The cover declares that THE DEEP END is one of The Country Club Murders. I’m eager to read the next book in the series. Mulhern has laid the groundwork for an ongoing series, much like Margaret Maron’s Deborah Knott, Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Schlutz, or Earlene Fowler’s Benni Harper. I think Ellison Russell will be a worthy addition to the roster of amateur sleuths alongside Deborah, Goldy, and Benni.
It’s 1974 in Kansas City. Ellison Russell, an artist, heads to her country club for her customary early morning swim. She never expected to find the body of her husband’s dead mistress floating in the pool.
Life gets not just complicated but messy and confusing for Ellison and her daughter Grace. Henry, Ellison’s husband has disappeared and not one but two more mistresses show up. Add in a kinky dominatrix, blackmail, an overbearing mother, and an attractive (and kind) police detective and poor Ellison is toast.
THE DEEP END is a classic “fair play” mystery with clues and red herrings sprinkled throughout. I enjoyed this one a lot (and not just because I kinda sorta know the author or because I got a free copy of the book).
The hard part of reviewing mysteries is not giving away any spoilers. So, I’ll say just a few more things:
The murderer is nicely foreshadowed.
Henry is vile and fully deserves the fate Mulhern gave him.
The secondary characters are fully-fleshed out and add to the story.
Ellison’s rationale for not telling the police everything she knows makes sense and didn’t make me roll my eyes or say, “Oh, please,” even once. This is a chronic pitfall of amateur sleuth stories, since often the whole thing could be wrapped up at the end of Chapter Five if the protagonist just trusted the police to do their job. Not so with THE DEEP END.
To prove that I’m not just gushing heedlessly, I did have one teeny tiny issue with THE DEEP END that I’ll mention.
Ellison felt just a tad too stoic to me. In some places I felt like she was too detached from what was going on around her. I would have liked a bit more emotion from her in a few places. Sometimes over the top is called for and I felt Mulhern kept her reined in too tightly.
But that didn’t detract from my enjoyment and my ability to heartily recommend THE DEEP END.
The cover declares that THE DEEP END is one of The Country Club Murders. I’m eager to read the next book in the series. Mulhern has laid the groundwork for an ongoing series, much like Margaret Maron’s Deborah Knott, Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Schlutz, or Earlene Fowler’s Benni Harper. I think Ellison Russell will be a worthy addition to the roster of amateur sleuths alongside Deborah, Goldy, and Benni.
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January 27, 2022im not sure yet....this book was WILD! lol
August 21, 2025
The Deep End by Julie Mulhern
Synopsis /
Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life.
It’s 1974 and Ellison Russell’s life revolves around her daughter and her art. She’s long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry, and the women with whom he entertains himself. That is, until she becomes a suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. The murder forces Ellison to confront her husband’s proclivities and his crimes—kinky sex, petty cruelties and blackmail.
As the body count approaches par on the seventh hole, Ellison knows she has to catch a killer. But with an interfering mother, an adoring father, a teenage daughter, and a cadre of well-meaning friends demanding her attention, can Ellison find the killer before he finds her?
My Thoughts /
Country Club. What first springs to my mind when I hear those two words are sprawling brilliantly green impeccably manicured golf courses, men in neat slacks wearing collared shirts, white socks and golf shoes; women wearing tailored shorts or skirts with a matching shirt, cute white socks with matching coloured golf shoes. Sitting down for drinks and canapé after finishing "the back 9". Tennis Courts. Swimming Pools. Restaurants. Memberships.
And then…. there's the "Country Club" in this story!!!
It’s 1974 and Ellison Walford Russell is doing fine, well except for the fact that her husband is missing and his girlfriend is dead. So, yes, apart from that life is going swimmingly…..then:
My morning swim doesn’t usually involve corpses. If it did, I’d give up swimming for something less stressful, like coaxing cobras out of baskets or my mother out of bed before ten. Watching the sun rise over the seventh green is often the best part of my day. I dive into the pool while the water is still inky. When the light has changed from deepest indigo to lavender, I break my stroke, tread water and admire the sky as it bleeds from gold to yellow to pink. It’s a ritual, a metaphorical cleansing, a moment of stolen peace.
Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life.
A murder suspect. Me. Ellison Walford Russell. Mother was going to kill me.
This is my first Julie Mulhern read and this reader thought it was a well-written cozy mystery that thoroughly entertained me from the first to the last page. Mulhern's main character, Ellison Russell is an artist – she sees colour and pattern in everything and as such her vocabulary is descriptively rich and vivid. Set in the 70's, the younger generation of today might think of that as "historical-fiction", but this reader grew up in the 70's, so for me the 70's references were a reminiscent trip along memory lane.
To the story: Ellison's life revolves around her daughter and her art. Unhappily married, she's long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry and the long line of women with whom he liaises. But when one of those "other women" turn up dead, floating in the Country Club pool, Ellison somehow becomes the police's number #1 suspect! Country Club life just got difficult. The people whom she thought of as friends were eyeing her suspiciously and gossiping over lunch. In an effort to take herself off the suspect list, Ellison begins her own investigation.
This was a fast-paced read with engaging characters. Mulhern writes with wry humour and that is always an added bonus for this reader. Writing with humour makes even the most annoying characters somehow a little more likeable.
Funny, compassionate and endearing, The Deep End is a well-crafted cozy, with murder, mayhem and a touch of humour, I'm looking forward to adding the rest of the series to my TBR.
Synopsis /
Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life.
It’s 1974 and Ellison Russell’s life revolves around her daughter and her art. She’s long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry, and the women with whom he entertains himself. That is, until she becomes a suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. The murder forces Ellison to confront her husband’s proclivities and his crimes—kinky sex, petty cruelties and blackmail.
As the body count approaches par on the seventh hole, Ellison knows she has to catch a killer. But with an interfering mother, an adoring father, a teenage daughter, and a cadre of well-meaning friends demanding her attention, can Ellison find the killer before he finds her?
My Thoughts /
Country Club. What first springs to my mind when I hear those two words are sprawling brilliantly green impeccably manicured golf courses, men in neat slacks wearing collared shirts, white socks and golf shoes; women wearing tailored shorts or skirts with a matching shirt, cute white socks with matching coloured golf shoes. Sitting down for drinks and canapé after finishing "the back 9". Tennis Courts. Swimming Pools. Restaurants. Memberships.
And then…. there's the "Country Club" in this story!!!
It’s 1974 and Ellison Walford Russell is doing fine, well except for the fact that her husband is missing and his girlfriend is dead. So, yes, apart from that life is going swimmingly…..then:
My morning swim doesn’t usually involve corpses. If it did, I’d give up swimming for something less stressful, like coaxing cobras out of baskets or my mother out of bed before ten. Watching the sun rise over the seventh green is often the best part of my day. I dive into the pool while the water is still inky. When the light has changed from deepest indigo to lavender, I break my stroke, tread water and admire the sky as it bleeds from gold to yellow to pink. It’s a ritual, a metaphorical cleansing, a moment of stolen peace.
Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life.
A murder suspect. Me. Ellison Walford Russell. Mother was going to kill me.
This is my first Julie Mulhern read and this reader thought it was a well-written cozy mystery that thoroughly entertained me from the first to the last page. Mulhern's main character, Ellison Russell is an artist – she sees colour and pattern in everything and as such her vocabulary is descriptively rich and vivid. Set in the 70's, the younger generation of today might think of that as "historical-fiction", but this reader grew up in the 70's, so for me the 70's references were a reminiscent trip along memory lane.
To the story: Ellison's life revolves around her daughter and her art. Unhappily married, she's long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry and the long line of women with whom he liaises. But when one of those "other women" turn up dead, floating in the Country Club pool, Ellison somehow becomes the police's number #1 suspect! Country Club life just got difficult. The people whom she thought of as friends were eyeing her suspiciously and gossiping over lunch. In an effort to take herself off the suspect list, Ellison begins her own investigation.
This was a fast-paced read with engaging characters. Mulhern writes with wry humour and that is always an added bonus for this reader. Writing with humour makes even the most annoying characters somehow a little more likeable.
Funny, compassionate and endearing, The Deep End is a well-crafted cozy, with murder, mayhem and a touch of humour, I'm looking forward to adding the rest of the series to my TBR.
August 10, 2019
This has to be the most upper-middle class book I have ever read.
I mean, Agatha Christie often gets criticized because only upper-class characters are involved, and the servants and blue-collar people are largely ignored in her books, but this takes the cake.
Maybe it's the lack of social-awareness that we expect from contemporary authors, maybe it's just utter strangeness of characters' lives, but it's really, really hard to empathize with those country-club members. Sometimes I had the feeling I was reading about the inhabitants of some strange planet, the rules of which did not apply to my life at all. I'm not against science-fiction, but then again, it was supposed to be about real people? Who did not feel real at all?
Take the bland heroine, who is a huge push-over, with an overbearing mother and a cheating husband. We are told she is a painter (why so many woman painters in crime-fiction nowadays?), she has a flamboyant gay agent, and a wise teenage daughter. She (the painter) goes to huge lengths to conceal important information about the murders from the police, merely, because she doesn't want her daughter to know her father was a ? I don't know, doesn't seem too bad having in mind all those MURDERS that are happening around them?
She investigates her husband's affair and finds out he
Luckily, other men notice the unbelievable beauty and integrity of the protagonist and we have two beautiful, well-to-do men lusting over her, but, like, very subtly, two kisses almost happening, but not happening. "How could he exchange someone like YOU for someone like THAT? [very sexual and thus very degenerate person]" Wow!
We are lead to believe the protagonist slowly becomes more independent and self-sufficient during the course of the narrative, but this is shown in "what kind of rich people planet does she inhabit?" way. For example,
*A type of dress, apparently.
Really?? She's rebelling against her mother and rules of society, and, instead of not giving a fuck about the bra straps, or not giving a fuck if her nipples were visible, she TAPES HER NIPPLES?? What kind of rebellion is that?
I don't know, this book is probably just too-removed from anything resembling normal life for me, that I couldn't really enjoy it, and the witty remarks of the protagonist fell flat.
I mean, Agatha Christie often gets criticized because only upper-class characters are involved, and the servants and blue-collar people are largely ignored in her books, but this takes the cake.
Maybe it's the lack of social-awareness that we expect from contemporary authors, maybe it's just utter strangeness of characters' lives, but it's really, really hard to empathize with those country-club members. Sometimes I had the feeling I was reading about the inhabitants of some strange planet, the rules of which did not apply to my life at all. I'm not against science-fiction, but then again, it was supposed to be about real people? Who did not feel real at all?
Take the bland heroine, who is a huge push-over, with an overbearing mother and a cheating husband. We are told she is a painter (why so many woman painters in crime-fiction nowadays?), she has a flamboyant gay agent, and a wise teenage daughter. She (the painter) goes to huge lengths to conceal important information about the murders from the police, merely, because she doesn't want her daughter to know her father was a ? I don't know, doesn't seem too bad having in mind all those MURDERS that are happening around them?
She investigates her husband's affair and finds out he
Luckily, other men notice the unbelievable beauty and integrity of the protagonist and we have two beautiful, well-to-do men lusting over her, but, like, very subtly, two kisses almost happening, but not happening. "How could he exchange someone like YOU for someone like THAT? [very sexual and thus very degenerate person]" Wow!
We are lead to believe the protagonist slowly becomes more independent and self-sufficient during the course of the narrative, but this is shown in "what kind of rich people planet does she inhabit?" way. For example,
"Are you wearing a bra?" Mother sounded scandalized.
I wasn't. Bras were as passe as poodle skirts. I usually wore one anyway, but the Missoni* didn't allow for any extraneous straps. Instead, I'd slapped Band-aids across my nipples and hoped Mother wouldn't notice.
*A type of dress, apparently.
Really?? She's rebelling against her mother and rules of society, and, instead of not giving a fuck about the bra straps, or not giving a fuck if her nipples were visible, she TAPES HER NIPPLES?? What kind of rebellion is that?
I don't know, this book is probably just too-removed from anything resembling normal life for me, that I couldn't really enjoy it, and the witty remarks of the protagonist fell flat.
January 12, 2015
Ellison Russell swims every morning in the pool at her Country Club. This morning, however, there's a difference...while on her first lap, she touches the body of her husband's mistress - and instantly becomes a suspect in the murder. To make matters worse, her husband has disappeared also. It doesn't help when she tells Detective Jones, the police detective investigating the murder, that she and her husband were on the verge of divorce, and she knew about the mistress.
What we have here is an excellent first book and an excellent mystery. Ms. Mulhern weaves a tidy tale of murder, blackmail, and life behind the scenes in the Country Club set of the 70's. In fact, it could even take place today, and if it weren't for the references to music and television of that time, you might never know when everything occurred. We believe Ellison is only trying to protect her daughter, and that without taking chances she still puts herself in danger. Her attempt at keeping herself removed from the situation while still involved with all the people she knows, eliminating them one by one as the guilty party, is easy enough to see, and like real life, she makes missteps along the way in those she thinks might be the murderer.
There are hints of attraction to both Detective Jones and Hunter Tafft, the attorney her mother has obtained for her, and we see Ellison fighting her emotions down and feeling guilty that she has them in the first place. We also are with her when she comes to the realization of who the murderer is, and when discovered, the reasons behind it make perfect sense. When I discovered the killer (before Ellison herself did) I had that 'aha moment', yet it did not detract at all from the rest of the book. And although I was tempted several times to look at the last few pages and discover if I was right, I did not, and implore you not to do so either, because it will be worth it in the end to 'see how it all comes out.'
All in all, again an excellent mystery, highly recommended, and I eagerly await the next in the series. This book will be released in February 2015. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review but this in no way influenced my decision.
Complete review at: www.joannesbooks.blogspot.com
What we have here is an excellent first book and an excellent mystery. Ms. Mulhern weaves a tidy tale of murder, blackmail, and life behind the scenes in the Country Club set of the 70's. In fact, it could even take place today, and if it weren't for the references to music and television of that time, you might never know when everything occurred. We believe Ellison is only trying to protect her daughter, and that without taking chances she still puts herself in danger. Her attempt at keeping herself removed from the situation while still involved with all the people she knows, eliminating them one by one as the guilty party, is easy enough to see, and like real life, she makes missteps along the way in those she thinks might be the murderer.
There are hints of attraction to both Detective Jones and Hunter Tafft, the attorney her mother has obtained for her, and we see Ellison fighting her emotions down and feeling guilty that she has them in the first place. We also are with her when she comes to the realization of who the murderer is, and when discovered, the reasons behind it make perfect sense. When I discovered the killer (before Ellison herself did) I had that 'aha moment', yet it did not detract at all from the rest of the book. And although I was tempted several times to look at the last few pages and discover if I was right, I did not, and implore you not to do so either, because it will be worth it in the end to 'see how it all comes out.'
All in all, again an excellent mystery, highly recommended, and I eagerly await the next in the series. This book will be released in February 2015. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review but this in no way influenced my decision.
Complete review at: www.joannesbooks.blogspot.com
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2015
The Deep End is a very well written and professionally edited murder mystery. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down.
The heroine is a country club wife, barely existing while under the thumbs of her philandering husband and manipulative mother. Only her art gives her hope. When she discovers the body of her husband's mistress she becomes the prime suspect in a series of murders. She decides she must solve the murders in order to prove her innocence.
At times I was annoyed with the h's passivity, but she did begin to grow stronger as the plot developed. The secondary characters were interesting, especially the two men that become romantic interests.
The plot was full of twists and turns. It held my interest and at times contained a quirky humor. I didn't figure out who the murderer was until it was revealed.
I highly recommend The Deep End and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.
The heroine is a country club wife, barely existing while under the thumbs of her philandering husband and manipulative mother. Only her art gives her hope. When she discovers the body of her husband's mistress she becomes the prime suspect in a series of murders. She decides she must solve the murders in order to prove her innocence.
At times I was annoyed with the h's passivity, but she did begin to grow stronger as the plot developed. The secondary characters were interesting, especially the two men that become romantic interests.
The plot was full of twists and turns. It held my interest and at times contained a quirky humor. I didn't figure out who the murderer was until it was revealed.
I highly recommend The Deep End and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.
September 23, 2024
This book was simply wonderful - it had every single thing I want in a cozy mystery. Dark humor, a good old fashioned who-done-it, and a hot to trot detective with “kind eyes.” I immediately moved on to book two and I am thrilled there are 8 in the series.
August 14, 2019
Ellison Russell is devoted to her teenage daughter, Grace, and her art. She and her husband are still living together, but that is only because they have decided to wait to get divorced until Grace is out of the house. Part of Ellison’s routine is a swim at dawn in the country club’s pool. On this particular June morning in 1974, she swims into a dead body in the pool. Worse yet, when the police arrive and pull the body out of the pool, she recognizes the victim as Madeline Harper, her husband’s mistress. Ellison knows that she makes a pretty compelling suspect in the woman’s murder, as does her husband. She knows she is innocent and she believes that her husband may be an adulterer, but he isn’t a killer. However, the fact that he’s suddenly left town for parts unknown doesn’t make him appear innocent. Can Ellison figure out what really happened to Madeline?
I’ve been hearing about this series for years, but I kept putting off starting it. I wish I’d read it sooner. The plot starts out right away and gives us plenty of action and twists along the way. I never saw the solution coming until Ellison figured it out either. The main characters are all strong and help pull us into the world, although I do wish that we had a little more context for some of the supporting players. I was also bothered by Ellison’s love life; it just felt inappropriate for this book. I’m sure in future books I will be fine with what is set up here. The subject matter does stray to the edges of cozies, but I thought how things were handled here was fine and it didn’t bother me. I greatly enjoyed the humor in the book, mostly coming from Ellison’s narration on things. Yet it is perfectly balances with some of the more serious elements of the plot. I can see why this series has so many fans, and I’m already one of them. Now, to find time to visit Ellison again.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I’ve been hearing about this series for years, but I kept putting off starting it. I wish I’d read it sooner. The plot starts out right away and gives us plenty of action and twists along the way. I never saw the solution coming until Ellison figured it out either. The main characters are all strong and help pull us into the world, although I do wish that we had a little more context for some of the supporting players. I was also bothered by Ellison’s love life; it just felt inappropriate for this book. I’m sure in future books I will be fine with what is set up here. The subject matter does stray to the edges of cozies, but I thought how things were handled here was fine and it didn’t bother me. I greatly enjoyed the humor in the book, mostly coming from Ellison’s narration on things. Yet it is perfectly balances with some of the more serious elements of the plot. I can see why this series has so many fans, and I’m already one of them. Now, to find time to visit Ellison again.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 13, 2015
I loved the cover art - that's the first thing that caught my eye about this mystery. The second was the rating. I was expecting a whole lot, I guess I was bound to be disappointed. It's not bad, but it's not exceptional either.
It's a book about a weak-willed woman from the country club set of 1970s Kansas City, Missouri who finds the body of her husband's mistress floating in the pool. She decides to figure out the mystery of who did it for some reasons she knows best, finds several more bodies, comes close to dying herself and finds the killer when she stumbles upon the evidence in a very unconvincing fashion.
On the pro side, it's light, fun and page-turning. The book is written well - it's humorous, but isn't downright silly. I didn't hate the main character, at times I even sympathized with her. And she grows a spine. But it also fulfills some of the tropes of the cozy mystery genre - the heroine without any credentials trying to solve a mystery but actually doing little to no sleuthing (she doesn't even bother reading her husband's most recent mail, the one that's just lying there), the overbearing mother character, the love triangle (gag me with a spoon).
Quibbles notwithstanding, it's good enough that I'll be interested in continuing with this series, and not just to complete it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
It's a book about a weak-willed woman from the country club set of 1970s Kansas City, Missouri who finds the body of her husband's mistress floating in the pool. She decides to figure out the mystery of who did it for some reasons she knows best, finds several more bodies, comes close to dying herself and finds the killer when she stumbles upon the evidence in a very unconvincing fashion.
On the pro side, it's light, fun and page-turning. The book is written well - it's humorous, but isn't downright silly. I didn't hate the main character, at times I even sympathized with her. And she grows a spine. But it also fulfills some of the tropes of the cozy mystery genre - the heroine without any credentials trying to solve a mystery but actually doing little to no sleuthing (she doesn't even bother reading her husband's most recent mail, the one that's just lying there), the overbearing mother character, the love triangle (gag me with a spoon).
Quibbles notwithstanding, it's good enough that I'll be interested in continuing with this series, and not just to complete it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
February 16, 2019
This was just the right cozy mystery I needed! It was sweet, the heroine's biting sarcasm was hilarious, and the country club setting was just as scary as the actual murders. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series!
January 29, 2015
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an free advance copy of this book. I am surprised to see all of the 5 star reviews for this book. This isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it, but the high ratings may lead some people to be disappointed. The Deep End is a very light funny mystery set in the 1970's amongst the Kansas City upper crust. What makes this book worth reading are the narrator's acerbic but sef-deprecating observations of her family, friends and foes and also all the references to the 1970s social and political context. A fun light read, but I wouldn't recommend going in with higher expectations.
January 16, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Set in the 1970’s this book treads close to the cozy/non-cozy mystery line due to some very interesting interests of some of the characters. Since it tells you in the synopsis I am not giving anything away by telling you sex of the kinky variety takes place and could be the reason a certain woman ends up dead floating in a country club swimming pool. It was the swinging 70’s!
Ellison Russell is unhappily married but sticking it out for her child and for appearances. How things appear to the world or other members of the country club are very important to Ellison’s mother and she is sure to tell her daughter that several times a say. As the story goes on Ellison becomes much stronger and really could care less what other people think shocking her mother and giving readers a good giggle or two.
I enjoyed the references to Watergate, and old television shows like Kojak and The Streets of San Francisco. A time before cell phones and when you wanted privacy on the phone the squiggly phone cord was stretched to reach into a closet or another room. A time when news was found in a newspaper not on a computer.
Julie Mulhern does a great job pulling us back in time and into Ellison’s world. She fills the story with very colorful characters and a plot that keeps us guessing the entire journey. She also makes us laugh and that is always a plus.
The Deep End is an excellent start for The County Club Murder series. Ellison really evolved in this story and I look forward to where the author takes her next.
Set in the 1970’s this book treads close to the cozy/non-cozy mystery line due to some very interesting interests of some of the characters. Since it tells you in the synopsis I am not giving anything away by telling you sex of the kinky variety takes place and could be the reason a certain woman ends up dead floating in a country club swimming pool. It was the swinging 70’s!
Ellison Russell is unhappily married but sticking it out for her child and for appearances. How things appear to the world or other members of the country club are very important to Ellison’s mother and she is sure to tell her daughter that several times a say. As the story goes on Ellison becomes much stronger and really could care less what other people think shocking her mother and giving readers a good giggle or two.
I enjoyed the references to Watergate, and old television shows like Kojak and The Streets of San Francisco. A time before cell phones and when you wanted privacy on the phone the squiggly phone cord was stretched to reach into a closet or another room. A time when news was found in a newspaper not on a computer.
Julie Mulhern does a great job pulling us back in time and into Ellison’s world. She fills the story with very colorful characters and a plot that keeps us guessing the entire journey. She also makes us laugh and that is always a plus.
The Deep End is an excellent start for The County Club Murder series. Ellison really evolved in this story and I look forward to where the author takes her next.
September 7, 2020
Edited to add now that I've finished listening the murderer was exactly who I thought it would be for exactly the reason I thought they'd do it. It is broadcast pretty clearly with an offhand comment that Ellison makes about what she'd regret later. GODDAMMIT, WHY DO AUTHORS DO THAT?
I am not even done yet. I hate this book so much I am finishing it FOR SPITE. The audio narrator performance is fine, considering the terrible, terrible material. I have sped it up to 1.4x speed. As of right now, we are 2 victims and 2 attempted victims in. I'm in the middle of Chapter 25.
First of all, any woman old enough to legally drink who still calls her father 'daddy' is going to be useless, stuck up, and swan around life in a fog of learned helplessness. Ellison is one such dumbass.
There are several times the language of the book rings much more modern than the mid 70s. Just turns of slang here and there which are out of the 90s or later. The author should have watched some old eps of 70s dramas to get the dialogue right. Further, I doubt that anyone called avocado green and harvest gold kitchens dated in 1974. Maybe too much a slave to current trends. Little things like this sort gaffe in the running commentary make it seem very post 1974.
I think we are supposed to believe these are old money rich folks but Ellison and her crowd act like new money rich folks. Old money doesn't care as much about appearances when they are amongst themselves because they are so assured that they are entitled to their bad behavior by dint of their position in life. They have less to prove. Also, rich teenagers didn't get lowly jobs in the 70s as with Grace's babysitting. They shadowed at the office of one of 'their sort' or went to sleep away camp.
Kink Shaming and demonizing people who are into BDSM is a pillar of this plot. It honestly reads like the author read a couple terms on the internet, watched a couple of episodes of CSI with the old "Lady Heather" character and thought "I could write a mystery!" Just so you know, she could not. Despite all the kink shaming, Ellison is supposedly A O K with her gay best buddy. But none of the discussions of 'the scene' have a ring of accuracy about them. If Ellison was so prudish, and so concerned about appearances, she would have been, at least in 1970s KC MO, much more circumspect about Powers. The phrase 'confirmed bachelor' wasn't even used! Furthermore, none of the flirtation with Hunter or A. Jones would have been something she'd have engaged in. Half of Ellison's raison d'etre was clinging to her sexual control and therefore superiority to her husband and his dirty, dirty subs. And the owner of club K. I don't think the owner of club K would have been quite so interested in yanking Ellison's chain. She'd have been mostly concerned with discretion and protecting the privacy businesses like hers guarantee to their clients.
Much like the appalling 50 shades books, the author diagnoses a "perversion" toward kink as being caused by insecurity. "My wife makes too much money so I have to spank her or a bunch of other women to feel like a man." Right. Earned income is an afterthough for old money because the old rich make the majority of their income not from what they earn but from what they've inherited. And it's highly, highly unlikely an artist of any caliber would make so much money that someone high up in a bank during the semi-regulated 70s would be intimidated by it. Instead, he'd consider his artist wife just another thing he owns that reflects glory back on him. Jobs are for amassing power to this type, not about getting richer.
For all the talk of colors in terms of the names of the paints that produce them, Ellison doesn't talk about her art like an artist does. She talks about how painting makes her feel emotionally and about the physical experience of painting. She doesn't talk about her art much other than how much loot it makes and how she doesn't care about the loot. She doesn't consider herself part of any school of art the way most artists do.
I am not sure why she keeps yammering on about her goddamn hostas. It is, in my experience, nearly impossible to kill hostas. Seriously. I have tried.
I am not even done yet. I hate this book so much I am finishing it FOR SPITE. The audio narrator performance is fine, considering the terrible, terrible material. I have sped it up to 1.4x speed. As of right now, we are 2 victims and 2 attempted victims in. I'm in the middle of Chapter 25.
First of all, any woman old enough to legally drink who still calls her father 'daddy' is going to be useless, stuck up, and swan around life in a fog of learned helplessness. Ellison is one such dumbass.
There are several times the language of the book rings much more modern than the mid 70s. Just turns of slang here and there which are out of the 90s or later. The author should have watched some old eps of 70s dramas to get the dialogue right. Further, I doubt that anyone called avocado green and harvest gold kitchens dated in 1974. Maybe too much a slave to current trends. Little things like this sort gaffe in the running commentary make it seem very post 1974.
I think we are supposed to believe these are old money rich folks but Ellison and her crowd act like new money rich folks. Old money doesn't care as much about appearances when they are amongst themselves because they are so assured that they are entitled to their bad behavior by dint of their position in life. They have less to prove. Also, rich teenagers didn't get lowly jobs in the 70s as with Grace's babysitting. They shadowed at the office of one of 'their sort' or went to sleep away camp.
Kink Shaming and demonizing people who are into BDSM is a pillar of this plot. It honestly reads like the author read a couple terms on the internet, watched a couple of episodes of CSI with the old "Lady Heather" character and thought "I could write a mystery!" Just so you know, she could not. Despite all the kink shaming, Ellison is supposedly A O K with her gay best buddy. But none of the discussions of 'the scene' have a ring of accuracy about them. If Ellison was so prudish, and so concerned about appearances, she would have been, at least in 1970s KC MO, much more circumspect about Powers. The phrase 'confirmed bachelor' wasn't even used! Furthermore, none of the flirtation with Hunter or A. Jones would have been something she'd have engaged in. Half of Ellison's raison d'etre was clinging to her sexual control and therefore superiority to her husband and his dirty, dirty subs. And the owner of club K. I don't think the owner of club K would have been quite so interested in yanking Ellison's chain. She'd have been mostly concerned with discretion and protecting the privacy businesses like hers guarantee to their clients.
Much like the appalling 50 shades books, the author diagnoses a "perversion" toward kink as being caused by insecurity. "My wife makes too much money so I have to spank her or a bunch of other women to feel like a man." Right. Earned income is an afterthough for old money because the old rich make the majority of their income not from what they earn but from what they've inherited. And it's highly, highly unlikely an artist of any caliber would make so much money that someone high up in a bank during the semi-regulated 70s would be intimidated by it. Instead, he'd consider his artist wife just another thing he owns that reflects glory back on him. Jobs are for amassing power to this type, not about getting richer.
For all the talk of colors in terms of the names of the paints that produce them, Ellison doesn't talk about her art like an artist does. She talks about how painting makes her feel emotionally and about the physical experience of painting. She doesn't talk about her art much other than how much loot it makes and how she doesn't care about the loot. She doesn't consider herself part of any school of art the way most artists do.
I am not sure why she keeps yammering on about her goddamn hostas. It is, in my experience, nearly impossible to kill hostas. Seriously. I have tried.
November 8, 2014
Ellison Russell puts up with a lot--a manipulative mother, a brazenly adulterous husband--to keep her life with her daughter on an even keel. It takes a murder to launch her onto the path of finding her own voice and coming into her own.
This book is flawless. From the attention-grabbing opening line to the provocative last sentence, the pace never let up. Not for a moment. With an economy of words, the author created a vivid setting and a taut emotional journey. I loved the complex relationship Ellison had with all the people in her world--each one was drawn with detail and depth. Yes, her mom's controlling, but she loves her daughter fiercely. And, most of all, I loved watching her grow stronger with every new--terrible--development. Tragedy didn't break her--it brought out the woman she was meant to be.
I can't recommend this book enough.
This book is flawless. From the attention-grabbing opening line to the provocative last sentence, the pace never let up. Not for a moment. With an economy of words, the author created a vivid setting and a taut emotional journey. I loved the complex relationship Ellison had with all the people in her world--each one was drawn with detail and depth. Yes, her mom's controlling, but she loves her daughter fiercely. And, most of all, I loved watching her grow stronger with every new--terrible--development. Tragedy didn't break her--it brought out the woman she was meant to be.
I can't recommend this book enough.
November 8, 2014
Have you ever judged a few chapters in a writing contest that are so exceptionally original, fast-paced and funny that the last page comes too way soon? The characters and tone stay with you long after you put it down? You comment to the author on the score sheet that you can't believe she isn't published yet, and how you wish you could have finished reading the rest of the story.
Julie Mulhern was the author of that work and many months later she emailed and asked me to be a beta reader the rest of THE DEEP END.
Solid mystery plot with great twists and a zany cast of characters the heroine has to deal with as if navigating a mine field. It's written in 1st person and the heroine's dry humor and snarky thoughts leave you laughing until you snort!
I assure you this is a KNOCKOUT DEBUT RELEASE! Julie Mulhern is an author to watch.
Julie Mulhern was the author of that work and many months later she emailed and asked me to be a beta reader the rest of THE DEEP END.
Solid mystery plot with great twists and a zany cast of characters the heroine has to deal with as if navigating a mine field. It's written in 1st person and the heroine's dry humor and snarky thoughts leave you laughing until you snort!
I assure you this is a KNOCKOUT DEBUT RELEASE! Julie Mulhern is an author to watch.
May 25, 2018
Excellent murder mystery story, set in 1970s Kansas City's Country Club set: all hats, gloves and Bundt cakes. Plus sweet sweet bitchiness more deadly than the many lethal blunt instruments. A good sense of pace (my, those bodies just keep turning up) and an attractive heroine. The first in a series, so a little can be forgiven by way of setting up the background (which is done well); some hints of romance to come. I could have done with a little more on the MC and her art (which came out of nowhere), but hopefully that will get covered in the rest of the series, which I've just downloaded.
An iced tea, and I'm set.
An iced tea, and I'm set.
January 30, 2015
I love a plot that keeps me guessing and surprises me. This one did just that. The heroine is strong and grows throughout the story to become everything I love in a lead character. The twists and turns offered new surprises that I didn't expect, which is one of my favorite things in a novel.
I highly recommend THE DEEP END.
I highly recommend THE DEEP END.
February 6, 2017
An excellent first book in a series, I deducted a star only because I expected a cozy and this book was right on the line between cozy and non-cozy. Overall a wonderful book set in an atypical timeperiod for mysteries. Recommend!
August 10, 2017
This book has been on my "to-read" shelf for quite awhile. I came across the e-book and decided to dive in. I don't have many quiet chances to read, but whenever I did get the chance, I found the story pretty entertaining. Love the snarky main character, Ellison. Kinda reminds me of myself! 😜
February 8, 2021
A very funny and entertaining mystery.
July 6, 2024
This book was such a fun summer read! I loved the narrative voice. If you like mystery series and are looking for something to read on vacation, this would be perfect. Thank you to Jess for an excellent recommendation (as always!).
Ellison Russell is recently estranged from her husband—but still under the thumb of her redoubtable mother—when she finds a body in the country club's pool. The stakes just ratchet up from there, with more murders and attempted murders, and Ellison is caught in the middle. Most of the action happens at the country club where Ellison and her parents are members, and it's fun to read those scenes since the book is set in 1970s Kansas City. (I can't believe what a social scene this is. Are country clubs still like this today??) I liked the cast of characters and loved Ellison's voice, which is dry and quite funny. The writing is definitely sparse, but the book gallops along at such a quick pace that I didn't mind.
Some thoughts:
Ellison Russell is recently estranged from her husband—but still under the thumb of her redoubtable mother—when she finds a body in the country club's pool. The stakes just ratchet up from there, with more murders and attempted murders, and Ellison is caught in the middle. Most of the action happens at the country club where Ellison and her parents are members, and it's fun to read those scenes since the book is set in 1970s Kansas City. (I can't believe what a social scene this is. Are country clubs still like this today??) I liked the cast of characters and loved Ellison's voice, which is dry and quite funny. The writing is definitely sparse, but the book gallops along at such a quick pace that I didn't mind.
Some thoughts:
July 17, 2023
So, I don't love the vaguely kink-shamey content (FMC's husband is jealous of her success, decides he is into BDSM as a way of reasserting his masculinity and when she opts out, he demands they open their marriage and he starts going to a kink club and flaunting other women in her face, so SHE has a good reason for her feelings, but the whole book is not great on this), but the voice in this is EXCELLENT and I'm looking forward to trying more mysteries, hopefully without that.
February 7, 2015
If Agatha Christie had decided to write something akin to “Fifty Shades of Grey,” she might have ended up with “The Deep End” by Julie Mulhern. This certainly isn’t your grandmother’s cozy mystery, and I loved it. This is a Cozy Mystery with an edge. Ms. Mulhern walked a fine line in this mystery with a tantalizing topic while still being acceptable to most cozy readers.
The book is set in 1974, but it felt modern day to me. As the story opens Ellison Russell, during her normal morning swim at the country clubs discovers the body of her husband’s mistress floating dead in the pool. As Ellison is the obvious suspect, she starts investigating to determine who else would have a reason to kill her husband. She discovers her husband’s proclivities and his crimes.
Ellison Russell makes an interesting protagonist. She is a successful artist with a flourishing career. She is a loving mother who is trying to hold a marriage together for the sake of her daughter. Her social life revolves around the country club where her mother is a grand dame, controlling society just like she tries to control her daughter’s life.
For the rest of the review see: http://www.examiner.com/article/read-...
The book is set in 1974, but it felt modern day to me. As the story opens Ellison Russell, during her normal morning swim at the country clubs discovers the body of her husband’s mistress floating dead in the pool. As Ellison is the obvious suspect, she starts investigating to determine who else would have a reason to kill her husband. She discovers her husband’s proclivities and his crimes.
Ellison Russell makes an interesting protagonist. She is a successful artist with a flourishing career. She is a loving mother who is trying to hold a marriage together for the sake of her daughter. Her social life revolves around the country club where her mother is a grand dame, controlling society just like she tries to control her daughter’s life.
For the rest of the review see: http://www.examiner.com/article/read-...
February 2, 2015
I loved this book so much. The protagonist has to be one of my favorites in a series. Ellison was someone who felt like my friend. I genuinely cared about her and what was happening to her. She made me laugh, she made me cry, she made me shake my fist... It took me forever to figure out who the villain was and that takes some work. In most mysteries by page ten I know exactly what the twist is going to be. This was a fabulous read by a magnificently talented author. I can't wait for more in the series.
March 6, 2015
The Deep End is an awesome book! It held my interest from the first page to the end, and I can't wait to read the sequel. I'm more of a country girl than a country club girl, so I wasn't sure I'd like the heroine. But she is a real person with the same emotions, fears and needs as the rest of us. I was totally intrigued with the fascinating characters...some a little offbeat and quirky...and the plot which kept me guessing until the exciting ending. GOOD JOB, JULIE MULHERN! Keep writing and I'll keep reading!
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