Springtime. Love is in the air. So is murder.When Ellison Russell, reluctant finder of bodies, chairs a gala in conjunction with the museum’s Chinese funerary exhibit, she expects disaster. So, she’s not remotely surprised when a body turns up.Ellison is willing to leave the investigation to the police till an attempt is made on her life.Now she’s juggling evading a killer, her aunt’s … killer, her aunt’s overly-amorous beau, her dog’s new love interest, and Mother’s displeasure.
With bodies piling up, if Ellison’s not careful, staying alive might be impossible.
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
Tap into your inner BeeGees –
Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother
You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Feel the city breaking and everybody shaking, people
Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive
and sit back and prepare to have your funny bone tickled and your mind tested by the latest Country Club mystery from Julie Mulhern.
Ellison Russell is in charge of the museum’s Chinese Exhibit Gala and she has vowed to her mother there will be no dead bodies found this time. Well, when she sneaks away for a few minutes with her boyfriend, Detective Anarchy Jones, that plan goes terribly awry. They find a body in one of the closed exhibits. No matter how much money Ellison has raised the body will be the only thing people focus on. Ellison agrees to stay out of the investigation and let Anarchy handle it. She does a great job at that until the killer comes after her. If she plans on Stayin’ Alive she needs to find out who is trying to take her down.
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Julie Mulhern is one of my favorite authors and I wait as patiently as possible for each new book. She never disappoints. What really makes these stories sing is the genuine characters and their fantastic dialogue.
Protagonist Ellison gets stronger in each story. She still has her mother who gets upset about every body she finds (like she plans to find them), that Anarchy is not right for her, the clothes she wears, the friends she hangs out with, well you get the point, but Ellison is learning to deal with the overbearing woman and that makes me happy. Her relationship with Anarchy is progressing in an interesting way and that makes me happy too. This time her Aunt Sis played a major role and she was my favorite character.
All the other characters I love have returned too and some really bring the funny.
“Sorry, I’m late!” Daisy burst into the card room like a whirlwind. Her slip showed. She needed a comb. A lollipop and multiple tufts of hair stuck to her sweater (the candy on the sleeve, the hair everywhere). “I’ve had a morning.”
“Sit.” Libba held out her wine glass.
Daisy sat, took the glass, gulped, and handed it back. “Thank you.”
“Which kid, and what did he do?” asked Jinx.
Daisy closed her eyes. “How bad can it be?”
Libba didn’t have children. She’d never experienced bad.
“David snuck into our bathroom. He knows it’s off-limits, ever since the lipstick incident.” The lipstick incident had translated into new wallpaper for most of the house. “He stole my razor from the shower and—” She paused for a shuddering breath.
“And?” I asked. One of Daisy’s offspring running loose with a razor was a terrifying proposition.
“He shaved the cat.”
“He what?” Jinx’s brows touched her hairline.
“The cat fell asleep on his lap and he shaved off its fur.” Daisy rubbed her face. “There’s cat hair everywhere. And the poor cat, it’s hiding under the bed.”
“He shaved the whole cat?”
“The side that was exposed.”
“So the other side still has hair?” Jinx’s mouth twitched.
“Yes. The poor cat is humiliated.”
“It’ll grow back.”
That wouldn’t comfort the cat.
In addition to the humor, Ms. Mulhern writes a complex mystery filled with intrigue and mayhem. The pace is fast. Ellison is involved up to her neck. Reliant on her friend Mr. Coffee, Aggie to keep the house in order, Anarchy doing his best to keep her safe, Grace sometimes being the adult in the room, her friends being there to bounce ideas off of, and an unexpected guest to keep her on her toes, Ellison does her best to solve more than one mystery.
Mulhern is not afraid to fictionalize heavy topics to shine a light but give her readers an entertaining story as well. Fabulous twists kept me totally engrossed and guessing right up until the end.
I love stepping back to the ’70s and hanging out with the ladies who lunch and play bridge. Julie Mulhern has done her research and brings the time to life in her own unique way.
I highly recommend every book in this series and her Poppy Fields Adventures too. Stayin’ Alive was a Perfect Escape and I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
I should have been posting rave reviews for “The Country Club Murders” since the very first book. This is an amazing series, set in the 1970’s, and I can’t wait for each new addition to the series. In the earlier stories, Ellison Russell found out that her husband was cheating on her and then found his body in his study…dead…murdered. Detective Anarchy Jones arrived and Ellison was never the same. She has a teenage daughter, a mother who is a major snob, she talks to her Mr. Coffee machine and has an unfortunate habit of finding dead bodies. In this latest title, Ellison and Anarchy are coming to terms with their attraction and relationship when she finds another body. Ellison learns bits of information, while playing bridge, to pass on to Anarchy during an investigation. The books are light hearted (except for the murders, but they are never graphic), the characters are amazing and the stories are just plain fun to read. I recommend the entire series. (by paytonpuppy)
This is one of my favorites series by far. Mulhern writes in such an intelligent and witty way and manages to infuse humor into serious topics that make for entertaining books. I can kiss my day goodbye when I start a book in this series because I know I will want to do nothing but read all day!
https://cozyexperience.com/stayin-alive-book-review/
The tenth installment of the Country Club Murders is just a fabulous as those that precede it! I loved every page and look forward to reading #11. Ellison and company are all up in her business when she continues to find bodies – dead bodies. There is a new addition to this one and it is hilarious!
Every book in this 1970’s era series is a winner! I love the characters and all the references to the 70’s television and lifestyle. Mystery and a little romance — it is a whole lot of fun!
A fantastic read. A great mystery. Mulhern shares clues with the reader, as she shares Ellison’s life with them. Yes, it’s improbable that she would find so many dead bodies, but so many amateur sleuths build up a body count as well. They have to get involved in the investigation some way.
I’ve loved all of the Ellison Russel books, this one is no exception-I wish there were many more waiting for me to read.
Stayin’ Alive is the 10th in Julie Mulhern’s Country Club Murders series. As if Ellison didn’t have enough on her plate with Aunt Sis and Karma visiting, she’s also chairing the Chinese exhibit gala. And what would a gala be without a dead body? Ellison is off chasing murder suspects yet again.
This series is my absolute favorite. I love the fact that Ellison is a strong protagonist with an independent streak a mile-wide. The supporting characters are quirky yet full of charm. I never fail to laugh out loud when reading about Ellison’s escapades and have a hard time waiting for the next in the series.
The Country Club Murders series is terrific. Stayin’ Alive is the tenth in the series and it 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. This time it all starts at the Chinese Exhibition gala at the Nelson Museum that Ellison is chairing. She and Anarchy find the first body. And then she finds another one at the Country Club and almost becomes one herself. Then the third one is found. Very well thought out plot with great characters, some laughter, a little romance and definitely mystery right to the end. The dynamics between Ellison, her daughter Grace and her Mother are always fun to follow. This time I really got a chuckle out of Pansy, the flower digging yellow Labrador. This series is set in the 70’s with no cell phones, but lots of coffee. And what about Detective Anarchy Jones for her love interest? Things are definitely heating up. He’s told her his secret and there is travel in their future. Looking forward to the next one.
Stayin’ Alive is the latest installment in Julie Mulhern’s Country Club Murders, set in Kansas City in the mid 1970s. The setting here is part of the phone, taking the reader back to the days when people did not carry cell phones or while away their time on computers. Ellison Russell is an artist, the mother of a teenage daughter, and a widow, and her talent for stumbling over bodies matches that of Jessica Fletcher. This horrifies her mother, who regards Ellison’s involvement in murder investigations—and her friendship with homicide detective Anarchy Jones—as a threat to her social standing.
In Stayin’ Alive, Ellison chairs a fund raising gala for a local museum’s touring display of Chinese funerary art—and finds a body during the festivities, albeit in a closed section of the museum. And that’s not the last body. Meanwhile Ellison’s relatives and friends contribute both information and aggravation, and Max, Ellison’s incorrigible dog, falls in love. It seems like nothing surprises Ellison any more—until she finds out that even Anarchy Jones has been keeping a secret from her.
This is number 10 in the series. I recommend reading the Country Club Murders from the beginning, because it’s so much fun getting to know the characters and following the threads running through Ellison’s adventures.
Stayin’ Alive by Julie Mulhern is a fabulous series, with colorful characters and a well-plotted mystery, all of which I enjoyed immensely.
Will Ellison and Anarchy find the killer before Ellison is the next victim?
This mystery was set in Kansas City, 1975. It was wonderful to remember some of the items that Ellison uses. Although Ellison clearly has a better fashion sense than my family as they wore mostly Beeline clothes.
Ellison Russell
Ellison is our main character and sleuth. She is such a wonderfully put together person. Ellison has to deal with being a widow whose husband was murdered and was a cheat. Yet, she seems to be moving on slowly but in the forward direction. Ellison is a dead body magnet; seriously, she admits it to herself.
Ellison also has a very proper and strict mother, who wants to control Ellison’s life. Yet, Ellison is learning to deal with her mother. She also has a teenage daughter, who gets along great with everyone. Ellison doesn’t have a job, but she manages to stay busy with the country club, charities, and her sleuthing. Oh, and let us not forget her dog or house guests. Aunt Sis is a kick in the pants. I am so happy for her.
I loved Ellison’s down to earth attitude, even when she is trying to figure out how to get her heart and mind in the same rhythm. She is also intelligent and sees the patterns in the recent rash of murders.
Anarchy Jones
Anarchy is Ellison’s boyfriend and a police detective. He is in love with Ellison, but he also has a secret that may come between him and Ellison. Anarchy is a fantastic detective and such a gentleman. I love the way that he seems to know just what Ellison needs and when.
The Mystery
We have three women strangled at different locations. They have similarities, but they don’t have a solid connection. Then there is an attempt on Ellison, who doesn’t have a connection to the other three victims. This is where Anarchy needs to figure it out before Ellison is the fourth victim.
Five Stars
This book is the first that I have read in the Country Club Mysteries, but I loved it and plan to add these incredible historical cozy mysteries to my TBR. In the meantime, my rating for Stayin’ Alive by Julie Mulhern is five stars. Once I got into the book, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Well done, Ms. Mulhern.
If you haven’t read one of the books in this series, you really should. I highly recommend them.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Stayin’ Alive by Julie Mulhern.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book on your site.
Until the next time,
~Jen
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Ellison is in charge of the gala for the museum, a high point among the country club set, and sure to not meet her mother’s expectations. That’s a given when she and Anarchy stumble on the body of Phyllis Goddard. Aunt Sis, Karma, and Grace help Ellison as she helps Anarchy. Aunt Sis adds to the sparks with her new beau and poor Max is pegged as the dog digging up the neighbors’ flowers.
True to form, the characters, including Mr. Coffee, move the story along at a steady pace. Ellison is in the wrong place more than once with more than one condolence call. The tension is mixed with some humor and the ending isn’t expected. Although this is the 10th in the Country Club Murders, it can be easily read as a stand alone.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
Fantabulous! The best yet! I kept hearing that Stayin’ Alive was the best of this awesome series and I have to agree.
WHO WILL BE THE NEXT TO DIE?
STAYIN’ ALIVE (The Country Club Murders Book 10) is going to require super spy skills by readers. The main one being: Where can you hide in plain sight and read this from cover to cover? Trust Me. You won’t want to put it down!
Ellison is in the midst of hosting he biggest social event of the year – the China Exhibition. In spite of of Mother’s fears, Ellison has pulled off a grand event as well as raising more money than any other Host City. Now, if the evening can just end without any disasters. For Ellison, a disaster always means finding a dead body. As the evening winds down, she and Anarchy manage to stumble upon a dead body in one of the closed China exhibits. What an ending to the perfect evening.
It is from this point that author Julie Mulhern takes Ellison through her most intense challenges to date. So much chaos in such a short time! Be ready for murders, mayhem (by man, woman & beast), mystique and matrimony. What would Ellison do without Libba as her sounding board, Aggie to take care of every crisis – big & small, Anarchy to come to her rescue, Grace to support her, Jinx to inform her, Mr. Coffee to soothe her, Max to test her and her Mother to love her, even if she gets on her nerves. Will Ellison be able to Stay Alive even when surrounded by all those who love her?
Overall, a book that will keep you interested, entertained and have you laughing hysterically!
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.