February 20, 2012
In Ross’s delightful 13th Miss Julia cozy set in Abbotsville, N.C. (after 2011’s Miss Julia Rocks the Cradle), Miss Julia decides to tackle long-neglected redecorating projects while her husband, Sam, is on a trip to the Holy Land. Home improvement gets put on hold after Miss Julia learns that her stepdaughter Hazel Marie’s PI husband, J.D. Pickens, is in the hospital in West Virginia, where he was working on a case, and the local sheriff refuses to release him. Miss Julia and nurse’s aide Etta May Wiggins drive to West Virginia, where they wind up stooping to devious and amusing means to rescue J.D. Back home, Miss Julia has to contend with kooky Agnes Whitman, a former Abbotsville resident who’s returned with a host of tattooed cult followers. Those who like smiles with their crimes will be satisfied. 4-city author tour. Deborah Schneider, Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents.
October 1, 2012
Southern novelist Ross returns with her annual Miss Julia adventure--readers have looked forward to a new installment every spring since 1999. With her spouse on a two-week trip to the Holy Land, a bored Miss Julia embarks on a redecorating project to create a study for him. She almost immediately becomes embroiled in two rescues--one in West Virginia and the other in her North Carolina hometown. In her usual take-charge spirit, Julia manages these rescues along with a side-splitting road trip and the comical remodeling of at least three rooms in her home. Series narrator Cynthia Darlow brings to life madcap fun reminiscent of Lucille Ball; her portrayal of the various Southern voices is excellent. VERDICT This 13th volume is a must for those keeping up with the series and its interesting characters but will also be enjoyed by those approaching Ross for the first time. [The Viking hc was a New York Times best seller.--Ed.]--Sandra C. Clariday, Tennessee Wesleyan Coll., Athens
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