For me, there’s a big difference between a typical day before that morning and after.
Before that morning, I’d get up early, pull on a swimsuit and head to the country club.
After – well, after is another story. This story. It begins like this. . .
My morning swim doesn’t usually involve corpses. If it did, I’d give up swimming for something less stressful, like coaxing cobras out of baskets or my mother out of bed before ten.
Watching the sun rise over the seventh green is often the best part of my day. I dive into the pool while the water is still inky. When the light has changed from deepest indigo to lavender, I break my stroke, tread water and admire the sky as it bleeds from gold to yellow to pink. It’s a ritual, a metaphorical cleansing, a moment of stolen peace.
After all, I have a teenage daughter, a mother with strong opinions, a Weimaraner named Max who plots to take over our house on his path toward world domination, and a husband. Much as I’d like to, I can’t leave him out.
I kicked off my Dr. Scholl’s, tossed my husband’s button-down onto a deck chair, dove into the dark water and gasped at the sudden, encompassing cold. That shock of chilly water against my skin is better than coffee when it comes to waking up. Maybe not better. Faster.
My legs kicked, my arms sliced and I settled into the comforting rhythm of the Australian crawl. My fingers knifed through the water, anticipating the smooth parting of liquid. They found fabric and the horrific touch of cold flesh.
Turns out swimming into the lifeless body of your husband’s mistress can ruin your whole day. Becoming a murder suspect can ruin your whole life.
Now, Mother is interfering, my husband, Henry, is missing and I am learning things about Henry that no wife should ever know. My advice? If your husband is caught in flagrante in the coat closet at the club Christmas party, divorce him. Of course, hindsight is twenty-twenty. If I’d only known Henry’s sordid affair might lead to murder. . .
You can read more about Ellison in The Deep End, the first book in the new “Country Club Murder” mystery series, published by Henery Press.
This is the 8th stop on the The Deep End Great Escapes Tour. Click HERE to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for the chance to win one of five e-copies of The Deep End. More stops on the tour can be found here.
Meet the author
Julie Mulhern is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time 
whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean—and she’s got an active imagination. Truth is—she’s an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions. She is a 2014 Golden Heart® Finalist. The Deep End is her first mystery and is the winner of The Sheila Award. Visit her at www.juliemulhern.com or on Facebook.
Sounds like a good one. What a swim!
Ellison would call that swim life-changing and not just for the body in the pool. Thanks so much for taking time to comment!
The Deep End sounds like a great book!
Thanks, Jen! I had such fun writing about Ellison and her friends and family. Thanks so much for stopping by and for taking time to comment!
Fun!
Gram – The Deep End was fun to write – from start to finish. I hope that comes through on the pages. Thanks for stopping by and for taking the time to leave a comment! It warms a debut author’s heart!
Julie, I love how your heroine describes her family and only Max the dog gets a name. I can’t wait to read the book.
Stephanie – if you knew Max (aka Sam), you’d love it even more! Hope you enjoy The Deep End!
always looking for new cozy series. Thanks.
Mary Lou – Hope you enjoy it!
Sadly, the author is my kind of housecleaner. However, her book is also right up my alley and that’s a good thing.
Nancy – I can ignore things until the dust lions roar! Hope you enjoy The Deep End! Thanks for taking time to comment!
I’ve been trying to win this book on goodreads and now here … fingers crossed.
Kicha,
My fingers are crossed for you as well!
Very interesting! Will have to follow this series/author.
Mary Jane – I hope you enjoy The Deep End and I thank you for visiting on FB!
Sounds good!
Thanks, Wendy Lee! And thanks for taking time to comment!!
Wow Julie! Way to wake me up better than coffee! This sounds like an amazing book and I look forward to reading it! Thanks to you and Dru for the opportunity to win this book.
Barbara – it Ellison who thinks a swim might be better than coffee. My personal opinion is that there is NOTHING BETTER THAN THE FIRST CUP! Thanks so much for your kind words! I hope you enjoy The Deep End!
This is worse than any alarm clock in the world – what a yucky wake up! I’m hooked already! Thank you both for the interview and giveaway!
Thanks for taking time to leave a comment, Jeanie – and, yes, it would be an awful way to wake up!
Now I’m intrigued.
Glad to hear it!
ok, I need to read this!!
thank you for the giveaway!!!
Good luck, Cyn!
What an excerpt–and what a morning swim!
Thanks, Holden! It’s why I prefer coffee! Thanks for taking time to comment!