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If you could solve a murder… where would it be?
A cozy small town?
A charming bookstore?
Or… a glamorous country club filled with secrets, scandals, and perfectly dressed suspects?
For our latest ReaderCrate Book Club author interview, we stepped into a world of vintage elegance and intrigue with USA Today bestselling author Julie Mulhern—and it was every bit as fun as it sounds. Watch the replay here
As part of our March ReaderCrate theme, Grounds for Suspicion, we featured Julie’s novel The Deep End—a witty and twisty installment in her beloved Country Club Murders series.
If you’re new to ReaderCrate—welcome! I’m Alyssa Granlund (also writing as Lyssa Lund), and I created ReaderCrate to bring readers and authors together through cozy mystery experiences each month.
And this interview?
A perfect example of why I love what I do.
Julie Mulhern is a USA Today bestselling author known for her charming, humorous cozy mysteries set in the 1970s.
Her Country Club Murders series follows Ellison Russell, a reluctant sleuth navigating high society, complicated relationships, and the occasional dead body.
Think:
✨ vintage fashion
✨ witty dialogue
✨ layered characters
✨ and just enough scandal to keep things interesting
One of the most distinctive elements of Julie’s books is their setting.
The 1970s bring a unique blend of:
social expectations
evolving independence for women
and a backdrop of elegance mixed with tension
Julie shared how much she enjoys researching the time period—sometimes diving into vintage magazines and cultural details to make the world feel authentic and alive.
And it shows.
At the heart of the series is Ellison Russell, a character readers quickly connect with.
She’s not your typical detective.
She’s navigating:
family expectations
social pressures
and situations she never expected to find herself in
…including murder investigations.
Julie described her characters as feeling almost like family—and that emotional connection is exactly what draws readers in.
Like many authors, Julie’s journey started with a love of reading—classics like Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie.
That love eventually turned into storytelling of her own.
When it comes to writing, she focuses on:
strong characters first
layered plots
and stories that balance mystery with humor
Because let’s be honest—sometimes solving a murder is just a little more fun with a bit of wit.
This was one of our favorite parts of the conversation.
Julie shared that a great cozy mystery isn’t just about the crime—it’s about the world you get to step into.
Readers come for:
✨ the puzzle
✨ the characters
✨ the setting
✨ and the feeling of escape
And her books deliver all of it beautifully.
Without giving anything away…
The Deep End pulls readers into a world where appearances aren’t always what they seem—and where even the most polished environments can hide secrets beneath the surface.
It’s clever. It’s engaging. And it’s incredibly fun to read.
This conversation with Julie is exactly why I created ReaderCrate.
There is something so special about:
📚 discovering new authors
✨ connecting with stories
💛 and feeling like you’ve found your next favorite series
If you loved March’s Grounds for Suspicion…
Just wait until you see what’s coming.
🌷 April’s crate: Petals & Peril
Where everything is blooming… including the body count.
This one includes:
🎁 a beautiful, meaningful piece of artwork
📚 new cozy mysteries to fall in love with
💛 and that same curated ReaderCrate experience
👉 You can learn more at ReaderCrate.com
Now I want to hear from you…
💄 Would you rather solve a mystery in a country club or a small town?
📚 Have you read Julie Mulhern yet?
🕵️♀️ And what’s your favorite cozy mystery setting?
Tell me in the comments—I’d love to know!
