“Cold as Ice" A Country Club Mystery By Julie Mulhern: Review/Giveaway

by Cynthia Chow

Details on how to win a copy of this book at the end of the review & links to purchase it.

When Ellison Russell felt the harbinger sensation of “Danger!”, she thought that it may have been due to the too-handsome teenager taking her daughter out on a date. Or perhaps it could be running into three-time divorced Hunter Tafft at the neighborhood cocktail party, as Ellison still isn’t close to making any kind of commitment. Since the death of her cheating spouse, her most rewarding relationship has been with Mr. Coffee. It’s not like there’s a lot of good examples of happy marriages around as examples, as the party is cut short when a guest is slapped by an accusatory wife, alcohol is spilled, and a sofa goes up in flames. The fact that the alleged mistress also dallied with Ellison’s own late husband does little to make her sympathize with the slappee, especially when it is the furious and inebriated wife who ends up dead in the country club freezer.

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The rival for Ellison Russell’s affections, homicide detective Anarchy Jones, would prefer that they complete a date without another murder or Ellison being involved. The threat against her daughter’s financial future prevents this, as only proving Tom Michaels’s innocence would allow him to receive his wife’s life insurance, pay off his immense loans, and prevent failure of her late husband’s bank. In the country club society of 1974, where the wives go to “rest” at rehab clinics while their husbands make the important decisions, Ellison bucks the trend by thrillingly taking charge and tracking down a killer. All while planning what could be a disastrous Thanksgiving dinner with her sister-in-law, her partner, and multiple murder suspects.

Image source: Henery Press

I continue to adore this series and the growth of Ellison Russell as a single mother living in the uppercrust society of the seventies. Ellison’s wry sense of humor has allowed her to survive the discovery that her husband was a serial philander, being suspected of murder, having a ruthlessly judgmental mother, and raising a teenage daughter. Grace may inadvertently make their home the site of an alcohol-flowing, adult-free party house, but Ellison acknowledges that this doesn’t mean she’s a failure as a parent, or that she alone has to clean it up. Grace and Ellison’s relationship is a true joy to behold, as Grace has been blessed with her mother’s intelligence and her acerbic wit, tools that will prevent her from being groomed to fit into a specific lifestyle. Fans of romance will be invested in seeing who wins Ellison’s affections, and even more torn when it could lead to a broken heart. This continues to be an original series that satirizes society while plotting out an intricate mystery and developing its characters to realistic completion.

Check out other Henery Press mysteries on their website.

To enter to win a copy of Cold as Ice, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “ice,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 25, 2017. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please included your mailing address. If entering via comment please be sure to include your email address.

You can use these links to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

Cold as Ice

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.