Miss Julia Paints the Town (Miss Julia Series #9) » (~)

Ann B. Ross holds a doctorate in English from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and has taught literature at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

The inimitable Miss Julia is back and ready for a fight in her latest rollicking adventure

The sleepy town of Abbotsville is abuzz over the mayor's plans to replace the old courthouse with luxury retirement condos. On top of that, several of the town's husbands seem to have flown the coop. As usual, it falls to Miss Julia to save the day-and the courthouse- even if she has to expose a few of the town's not-so- well-kept secrets.

Fans simply can't get enough of Ann B. Ross. Her author events consistently draw crowds of readers craving another book featuring her feisty, white-haired heroine. Miss Julia Paints the Town is certain to satisfy their craving and draw new fans to this hilarious and heartwarming series.

Publishers Weekly

A local busybody and amateur sleuth, Julia Springer Murdoch tackles the disappearance of three of her friends' husbands and a plan to turn the old North Carolina courthouse into condos. Although Cynthia Darlow has read other Miss Julia novels, she doesn't sound like a native Tarheel. All of Julia's female friends sound pretty much alike, especially during rapid-fire verbal exchanges. Despite differences in social background, they all drawl out their sentences and place interrogative emphasis and extra syllables on important and final words. The Black women (who all seem to work as housekeepers) have deeper voices and poor diction. Except for references to Viagra and automobile accidents, the novel could be set in the antebellum South. Darlow keeps the tone light and quick, but the audio doesn't end quite fast enough. Simultaneous release with the Viking hardcover (Reviews, Jan. 7). (Mar.)

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