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Friday, December 4, 2015

Book Brief: Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern


Guaranteed to Bleed 
(The Country Club Murders #2)
by Julie Mulhern
Henery Press, 2015
254 pages
source: purchased e-book

My thoughts:
The murders and mayhem continue... and there's another dead body in Ellison Russell's hostas. I could not have asked for more entertaining, comfortable, and light reading fun over the recent Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The Country Club Murders  are all about plot. The 1970s setting adds a nostalgic angle (though not as prominent here as in the first novel) and the backdrop of the country club gives it that "wealthy people behaving badly" theme I always enjoy.

Ellison Russell is a totally likable main character, her mother is surely a "force of nature", and her two potential love interests provide just the right dose of cozy romantic tension.  Will she fall for Detective Anarchy Jone or lawyer Hunter Tafft? Perhaps we'll find out next time...

I was never a big cozy mystery fan before discovering this series. Now, after just two novels, they have become my escapist reading of choice. I can hardly wait for book three!

My rating:

16 comments:

  1. Cozies are great to escape into. This sounds like a great series!

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    1. Kathy - Cozies are really beginning to grow on me!

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  2. I too am extremely picky about my cozies! I prefer the more realistic, slightly darker kind, not the ones with vapid main characters. I know that if you are hooked on these that it must be a go-to series, so thanks!

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    1. Rita - I am such a cozy novice, so don't have much to compare this to. Still, I enjoyed every page! Do you have any series to recommend?

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  3. Hmmmm, this is the second mystery series post I've read today. Might as well put this on my list, too.

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    1. Care - Not sure what it is with me and cozies lately, but this series has been such fun to read!

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  4. I used to read cozy mystery after cozy mystery and found such a love for them. I've had the first in this series on my tbr list for a while. You're really making me want to bump it up, especially with it being your go-to.

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    1. Kathy - The cozy mystery world is all new to me. I'm having a great time with it though!

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  5. This is a new to me series ... I'll have to check it out. Cozies are the best escape reading.

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    1. Beth F - I agree ...and look forward to exploring other cozy series!

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  6. I'm not a huge fan of cozies, but this series sounds like it might be worth checking out. I still want to read more of the Coffee House mystery series by Cleo Coyle. I wasn't wowed by the first, but I love the setting. :)

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    1. Les - Not sure where this sudden craving for cozies came from, but I'll have fun indulging it for now. Will check out the Coffee House series.

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  7. This book sounds fun. Having worked at a Country Club in my youth I think that it is a great setting for a murder mystery.

    I think that my wife might really like this book so I will recommend it to her.

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    1. Brian Joseph - Hard to say whether I love the country club or the 70s more... the combination is just perfect for a cozy mystery series!

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  8. I am seriously loving murder and mayhem this time of year...hmmm!

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    1. Patty - I'm shocked by how appealing these murders and mayhem are to me right now;-)

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