Visiting a psychic is outside the norm for Ellison Russell. Finding bodies is not. Unfortunately, the psychic’s crystal ball says she’ll soon be surrounded by death. Again. Drat.Now there’s a corpse in the front drive, a witchy neighbor ready to turn Ellison and her (not so) little dog into toadstools, and a stripper named Starry Knight occupying the guest room. How did 1975 go so wrong so … 1975 go so wrong so quickly?
Ellison must handle Mother (who’s found a body of her own), make up with a certain handsome detective, and catch a killer, or the death surrounding her might be her own.
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SHADOW DANCING by Julie Mulhern | A Henery Press Mystery. If you like one, you’ll probably like them all.
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I really enjoyed this book. While I have only read the first book in the Country Club series, it really didn’t feel like I had missed a whole lot. (And to be honest, I didn’t enjoy the first book that much!) But now that I’ve had a chance to read another book by Julie Mulhern, I will be reading more of this series.
The author has you laughing out loud at some of the things that Ellison says and thinks. Her family is a hoot…from a sassy, independent daughter to her overcontrolling, judgmental mother. And Anarchy…well, let’s just say that I would let him eat crackers in my bed any day!
This book is full of murder, mystery, intrigue, crazy antics, excitement, and family relationship issues. It keeps you flipping the pages to find out what will happen next. I love the lingo and the way Ellison manages to keep finding or being involved with dead bodies. But she just keeps on plodding along and has you chuckling at her thought processes with each incident.
I am looking forward to more adventures with Ellison and the rest of the Country Club murder series. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Classy, cool, and confident, Shadow Dancing is a witty page turner that is not to be missed.
This is one of my favorite series and I’m very thankful to have found it. Julie Mulhern does an amazing job of combining humor and more serious social issues, all while keeping a cozy mystery feel. The book is full of depth and just like past installments of the series and always leaves me wanting more. I stayed up late into the night reading this book, which I always think is a true testament to how enjoyable and addicting a book is. I can’t wait for the next one.
https://cozyexperience.com/shadow-dancing-book-review/
Shadow Dancing is the seventh book in Julie Mulhern’s country club murders series. In this rather poignant tale, Ms. Mulhern uses her skills of twisting plot line and well timed humor to explore greed, corruption, and trafficking of young girls.
When a young girl runs out in front of Ellison Russell’s slow moving car, Ellison quickly stops, jumps from the car, and goes to her aid. The girl, who says her name is Leslie Smith, swears she is unhurt and dances around to prove it. Ellison guesses the girl to be no older than 15 and questions why she is not in school but out running around in only a sweater on such a bitterly cold day.
Leslie refuses to allow Ellison to take her home. The mother in Ellison refuses to leave the girl outside in such cold weather. Ellison removes her coat, giving Leslie the coat. The girl insists she will return it so Ellison gives her the address to do so, which the girl puts into the pocket.
The following day, Ellison’s least favorite policeman, Detective Peters, visits her. The young girl has been discovered murdered and Ellison’s information was in her pocket. Thus unfolds the story which ultimately puts both Ellison and her daughter, Grace, in the sights of a most unexpected murderer.
Once more, Julie Mulhern has provided her readers with a fast paced page turner with strong social undertones set in the 1970s. I was thoroughly engaged from the first line until the last. I sincerely recommend this book!
All the books in this series are exceptional. Love the characters.
Shadow Dancing, Country Club Mystery #7, is a humorous cozy mystery. The series is set in 1970’s, Kansas City and is very true to the time. The main character Ellison, as is her habit, becomes involved with another corpse. There’s a psychic, her sassy daughter, swoon-worthy beau and plenty of twists to delight the reader.
Awesome series! Wonderful characters!
Great story by a wonderful author!!
This was #7 in The Country Club Murders series. And each one just keeps getting better. Another great book from Julie Mulhern. This time Ellison Russell doesn’t find a body right off the bat, she sees a psychic who warns her about things to come. There are parts that make you chuckle and parts that surprise you. Julie keeps you guessing as to whodunit right up until the end. She also does a great job touching upon issues from that time. And what can you say about Anarchy, the smoking hot detective. Looking forward to the next one to see what’s in store for Ellison, her family, the revelation from her Dad, and her love life. Never a dull moment in that household. Like Ellison’s daughter, Grace, said in the book–‘life at our house is never boring.’
Dollycas’s Thoughts
She’s done it again! Julie Mulhern has topped herself again!
It’s 1975 and Ellison Russell has been dragged to a psychic by her best friend Libba. She is not interested in learning what is in the future, she has a heck of a time just keeping up with the present. When the psychic tells her death may be surrounding her soon, all she thinks is Not Again!!
This story was mega entertaining. Remember the days before cell phones and cable television, when kids played outside, kitchens had avocado appliances and living rooms had shag carpeting! Julie Mulhern takes us there.
Ellison has her hands full with her daughter Grace, her mother, her friends, and Detective Anarchy Jones. Grace makes a new friend, well sort of. Her mother makes an unusual discovery in her closet. Libba took her to a psychic! Her relationship with the good detective has hit the skids but there is still that spark when they are in proximity of each other, plus he needs to keep her safe. She is also busy with her dog Max. Let me tell you, one of his adventures had me laughing so hard I had tears running from my eyes. My daughter was laughing too because she knew exactly whose book I was reading. “Julie Mulhern??”
I love the characters in this series. They are expertly written and feel like old friends. Their dialogues are fantastic. The way Ellison has learned to handle her mother always makes me smile.
The story is very well plotted. One little accident sends Ellison life reeling. A dead body in her front yard, a strip club, another murder. Can’t this woman catch a break? While there is a lot of humor in this story, the reason behind the murders is a very serious issue. It takes a talented author to mesh it all together.
As has become my custom with this author’s books, I devoured this story all in one sitting. The television is turned off, my feet go up, and I escape right into Ellison’s world. The only thing missing is my own Mr. Coffee.
This entire series is extraordinary, so I do recommend you start at the beginning and read them in order. But . . . if you wish you can jump right in with this one, I bet then you will know you have to read them all. For me, every one of them has been a Perfect Escape.
Ellison Russell hasn’t found a dead body in a couple of months, and hasn’t seen Detective Anarchy Jones in the same amount of time either. Once a man is shot dead in her driveway, and her daughter Grace’s life is threatened, Ellison and Anarchy work together to protect Grace and discover who’s behind the murders plaguing the seedier side of Kansas City. In Shadow Dancing, the 7th book in her Country Club Murders series, author Julie Mulhern has perfectly captured the 1970s, and has crafted a mystery that will keep the reader enthralled from the first page to the last. Very highly recommended!
Julie Mulhern does an amazing job of blending humor and social issues in creating Shadow Dancing, a delightful mystery that will stay with the reader for a long time. This meshing of serious contemporary problems with laugh-out-loud humor is the hallmark that make Ms. Mulhern’s work stand out in a field of strong mystery novels.
Our beloved Detective Anarchy Jones can’t stay way when Ellison’s kindness to a teen pulls her into the terrifying world of child prostitution that threatens not only her life, but also Grace’s. Ellison’s parent’s unintentionally reveal some big secrets right it the middle of the chaos created when murder once again visits the artists home. Giving in to Libba leads to some hilarious moments, one of which Ellison may never be able to wash from her mind!
Love it, Love it, Love it. I so very much appreciate NetGalley and Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of Shadow Dancing so even before I receive my personal copy of this fantastic novel, I can shout about it to my friends!
#NetGalley #ShadowDancing