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Miss Julia #21
Miss Julia Takes the Wheel
The delightful new installment of the beloved and New York Times bestselling Miss Julia seriesWhen Miss Julia's regular doctor goes on vacation with his wife, leaving a replacement in his stead, Miss Julia is immediately concerned. Never one to miss an opportunity to entertain--or size up--a newcomer, she invites the charming Dr. Don Crawford, and his painfully shy wife, Lauren, to dinner. While Miss Julia and Sam both note Lauren's obvious lack of social skills, it's her friends Hazel Marie and Binkie that pick up on some of Dr. Crawford's less palatable qualities. Meanwhile, Lloyd has gotten his first car, and LuAnne, fresh off her divorce, has started a job at the local funeral home and is in urgent need of an occupation-appropriate makeover--Miss Julia has enough on her plate. Yet there is just something she can't place about the Crawfords, and she won't rest until she gets to the bottom of it. As always, hijinks ensue as Ann B. Ross delivers this delightful and entertaining installment, Miss Julia Takes the Wheel, in her bestselling Miss Julia series.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2019
356 people are currently reading
663 people want to read
About the author
Ann B. Ross
61 books937 followersAnn B. Ross, who taught literature at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, is the author of Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind, one of the most popular Southern debut novels in years, Miss Julia Takes Over, Miss Julia Throws a Wedding, and Miss Julia Hits the Road. She lives in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
December 1, 2019
I've quit a few authors because of their magical negro stories (e.g., Sue Monk Kidd), but it's taken me far too long to break up with Ann B. Ross, the author of the Miss Julia series. Though my focus is primarily on authors of color, there are some white authors I still read - John Grisham, Joshilyn Jackson, to name a few. I thought Ann B. Ross was a little problematic but it took me reading her latest, Miss Julia Takes the Wheel, to realize she's a full blown racist, though she'd likely deny it. It's not enough that she's relegated the only black characters in her fictional North Carolina town to Julia's maid and her husband's former manservant, but the way she makes them speak? In this book, she has Lillian (the maid) sounding like she just escaped the plantation, using "liberry" instead of library and dropping her "g"s so words become hangin' instead of hanging, etc. And wouldna instead of wouldn't. And it's not just Lillian who speaks like this, but also James, the manservant. If every person in town spoke like this and it was the town's dialect, I wouldn't be bothered, but only the black people? Then she has the nerve to reference where Lillian lives, to someone looking to buy property, as an avoidable part of town since it's where the poor and less desirables lived. So essentially where the black people live? Then she turns around & mentions buying up the blocks in the neighborhood and gentrifying the area. So that's a lot, right? Then she has her characters watching Faux Snooze. I was done. I am done. Deleted the book from my Kindle because I was afraid she was going to find a way to sneak a MAGgot statement in before I knew it. I feel like I gave this author so many times to prove she wasn't one of those well meaning white women who was just stuck in another era. The problem is, she is stuck in another era, an era where black people were servants in her lily white world.
April 20, 2019
I love reading the "Miss Julia" books - so well written! But I'm disappointed to discover that Sam and Julia are rich conservatives who watch FOX.
May 16, 2019
Miss Julia's dr leaves for vacation and she isn't happy about the fact that her own dr will be gone and is wary of the temp he has employed. She tries to be friendly with the wife and is rebuffed more than once. She hears the new dr is buying an old house to fix up and rent out and decides that she will do the same. She decides to have Lloyd age 15 be the buyer and learn about remodeling and working with his hands. Lloyd also has his learners permit and is given a huge old car to learn on. Miss Julia has Lloyd drive her around to give him practice and finds a drug house. How she figures out what is going on is typical Miss Julia.
June 8, 2020
Have you ever felt like you've come home.....that is how I've felt in reading the lastest of Ann B. Ross' books "Miss Julia Takes the Wheel." This is a most delightful book and our favorite characters are there and it feels a lot like home.
When Miss Julia's regular doctor goes on vacation with his wife, leaving a replacement in his stead, Miss Julia is immediately concerned. Never one to miss an opportunity to entertain--or size up a newcomer, she invites he charming Dr. Don Crawford, and his painfully shy wife, Lauren, to dinner. While Miss Julia and Sam both note Lauren's obvious lack of social skills, it's her friends Hazel Marie and Binkie that pick up on some of Dr. Crawford's less palatable qualities.
Meanwhile, Lloyd has gotten his first car, and LuAnne, fresh off her divorce, has started a job at the local funeral hime and is in urgent need of an occupation-appropriate makeover--Miss Julia has enough on her plate. Yet there is just something she can't place about the Crawfords, and she won't rest until she gets to the bottom of it.
As always things ensue as Ann B. Ross delivers this delightful and entertaining installment, "Miss Julia Takes the Wheel." It is worth every minute of the read. Highly Recommend.
When Miss Julia's regular doctor goes on vacation with his wife, leaving a replacement in his stead, Miss Julia is immediately concerned. Never one to miss an opportunity to entertain--or size up a newcomer, she invites he charming Dr. Don Crawford, and his painfully shy wife, Lauren, to dinner. While Miss Julia and Sam both note Lauren's obvious lack of social skills, it's her friends Hazel Marie and Binkie that pick up on some of Dr. Crawford's less palatable qualities.
Meanwhile, Lloyd has gotten his first car, and LuAnne, fresh off her divorce, has started a job at the local funeral hime and is in urgent need of an occupation-appropriate makeover--Miss Julia has enough on her plate. Yet there is just something she can't place about the Crawfords, and she won't rest until she gets to the bottom of it.
As always things ensue as Ann B. Ross delivers this delightful and entertaining installment, "Miss Julia Takes the Wheel." It is worth every minute of the read. Highly Recommend.
July 4, 2019
Abandoned, about page 20 on my kindle.
I remembered, when I read this whole paragraph about how Julia can’t do things like yoga or ti chi because she’s a “Presbyterian”, that Julia had been turned into a bitch of a character in the last book.
God forbid yoga for health damages her spiritual well being (heavy eye roll) or that girls be interested in the kid whose name I can’t know remember because, you know, he’s cute and a good kid.
By about the time she started to slowly flip her lid about the new doctors wife not immediately accepting her dinner invite she proffered I stopped reading.
It’s a bummer because I liked Miss Julia books. Too bad Miss Julia was changed to be an insufferable, intolerant, unkind character.
I remembered, when I read this whole paragraph about how Julia can’t do things like yoga or ti chi because she’s a “Presbyterian”, that Julia had been turned into a bitch of a character in the last book.
God forbid yoga for health damages her spiritual well being (heavy eye roll) or that girls be interested in the kid whose name I can’t know remember because, you know, he’s cute and a good kid.
By about the time she started to slowly flip her lid about the new doctors wife not immediately accepting her dinner invite she proffered I stopped reading.
It’s a bummer because I liked Miss Julia books. Too bad Miss Julia was changed to be an insufferable, intolerant, unkind character.
May 21, 2019
Talk about political rantings!! When Miss Julia's regular doctor takes a long vacation he leaves Dr. Crawford in his place. When she finds out he is a DO, her rantings start. LuAnne has finally divorced Leonard and is working at the local funeral home, Lloyd has his first car (not the sports car he wanted), Mildred's husband has a heart attack, and something is not right with the Crawfords. Of course, MJ has to butt in everywhere. The only real story was obvious all the way through, but the author dragged out a non-story to the end. Boring and blah.
July 29, 2023
Quite a good mystery in this book. Really enjoyed.
February 23, 2019
'I left that alone, for it's unbecoming to criticize a woman's husband. To her face, at least.'
In this twentieth Miss Julia book, Ann B. Ross once again takes her readers on a wonderful ride (no pun intended) as we enter into the land of hijinks with Miss Julia Murdoch. Miss Julia's doctor has taken an extended vacation with his wife and hired a replacement in his stead. She is not one to welcome change, so she decides she must do something about this situation. Miss Julia, ever the consummate southern gracious lady, invites them over to dinner along with two other couples she knows and loves. The doctor's wife, Lauren, is an odd duck for sure and afterwards, Hazel Marie and Binkie pick up on some strange vibes from the doctor himself.
In the meantime, Miss Julia's long time friend, LuAnne, who has divorced her philandering husband of 30 years, has just taken a job at the local funeral home. Add to the pot the fact that Lloyd has just gotten his first car, even though he is ashamed to be seen driving it, and you have all the ingredients necessary for a rollicking good time. And Miss Julia never fails to deliver. How that woman manages to get herself into the scrapes she does never ceases to amaze me. But she soldiers on like a good Southern lady, even when she's knee deep in mud in the pitch black dark.
Put your seatbelt on and get ready for a hilarious ride as Miss Julia once again proves she is up to the task of setting folks straight in Abbotsville, NC. We see wonderful characters from previous books as well as a few new ones, who we'll never see again. My husband always says to me when I'm reading a Miss Julia book, 'What's Miss Julia up to now?' So I read to him and he laughs right along with me. Come along for the ride. Highly recommended.
*My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book. No positive review was expected. All the opinions stated here are expressly my own.
In this twentieth Miss Julia book, Ann B. Ross once again takes her readers on a wonderful ride (no pun intended) as we enter into the land of hijinks with Miss Julia Murdoch. Miss Julia's doctor has taken an extended vacation with his wife and hired a replacement in his stead. She is not one to welcome change, so she decides she must do something about this situation. Miss Julia, ever the consummate southern gracious lady, invites them over to dinner along with two other couples she knows and loves. The doctor's wife, Lauren, is an odd duck for sure and afterwards, Hazel Marie and Binkie pick up on some strange vibes from the doctor himself.
In the meantime, Miss Julia's long time friend, LuAnne, who has divorced her philandering husband of 30 years, has just taken a job at the local funeral home. Add to the pot the fact that Lloyd has just gotten his first car, even though he is ashamed to be seen driving it, and you have all the ingredients necessary for a rollicking good time. And Miss Julia never fails to deliver. How that woman manages to get herself into the scrapes she does never ceases to amaze me. But she soldiers on like a good Southern lady, even when she's knee deep in mud in the pitch black dark.
Put your seatbelt on and get ready for a hilarious ride as Miss Julia once again proves she is up to the task of setting folks straight in Abbotsville, NC. We see wonderful characters from previous books as well as a few new ones, who we'll never see again. My husband always says to me when I'm reading a Miss Julia book, 'What's Miss Julia up to now?' So I read to him and he laughs right along with me. Come along for the ride. Highly recommended.
*My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book. No positive review was expected. All the opinions stated here are expressly my own.
June 25, 2019
Miss Julia and Sam watch Fox News??? Say it isn't so! I mean, obviously Miss Julia's judgement is suspect since she is always getting involved in every kind of imaginable scrape. But I had a higher opinion of Sam. Please, Ann B. Ross, do NOT go into their political leanings. I would like to keep reading this series!
In this installment, we delve into the medical system and healthcare, plus the ready availabiliy of drugs. Lloyd is growing up and learning to drive. Miss Julia is at loose ends and spends far too much time speculating about her neighbors and the new couple who have arrived to temporarily replace the local, much-loved, doctor and his wife who are on a long-overdue vacation. Of course, speculation is soon replaced by active involvement, and Miss Julia is off again on another adventure.
It seemed to take a long time to develop this story, then it wrapped up quickly. Not my favorite Miss Julia, but still an entertaining read on a summer's day!
In this installment, we delve into the medical system and healthcare, plus the ready availabiliy of drugs. Lloyd is growing up and learning to drive. Miss Julia is at loose ends and spends far too much time speculating about her neighbors and the new couple who have arrived to temporarily replace the local, much-loved, doctor and his wife who are on a long-overdue vacation. Of course, speculation is soon replaced by active involvement, and Miss Julia is off again on another adventure.
It seemed to take a long time to develop this story, then it wrapped up quickly. Not my favorite Miss Julia, but still an entertaining read on a summer's day!
April 24, 2019
Miss Julia Takes the Wheel by Ann B. Ross. (hardback)
This was my 13th book in the Miss Julia series and I couldn't be more disappointed. I've enjoyed everyone one of them, especially those narrated by Cynthia Darlow. That talented reader/actress brought out the best in Miss Julia. Sadly I doubt that even her talents could have improved on this lackluster book. The sense of humor was absent as well as the camaraderie.
Just nothing here to recommend.
This was my 13th book in the Miss Julia series and I couldn't be more disappointed. I've enjoyed everyone one of them, especially those narrated by Cynthia Darlow. That talented reader/actress brought out the best in Miss Julia. Sadly I doubt that even her talents could have improved on this lackluster book. The sense of humor was absent as well as the camaraderie.
Just nothing here to recommend.
September 7, 2022
I'd considered giving up on this series earlier, during one book in which Miss Julia seemed to be more malicious than most, but I have seen a couple of good books since then. I think I wouldn't go hunting for more in the series, but if they fall into my lap, I'd probably read them, and hope for the better ones with more of a laugh.
I enjoyed the book (somewhere between 3 and 4 stars), and I'd recommend it (4 stars) to people who'd continued on with this series this far. I'm doubtful that newcomers to the series would understand all the characters involved, and I had to go back and look up one character myself. I doubt I'd re-read the series, though, so it's not a 5-star book.
Still, laughter is a much-needed, much-valuable commodity in our society today. This is satire.
This one had a little slower plot than some of the others (which is why it might be a 3), although it had a good ending, with most of the absurdities happening there. I could envision myself getting into such a scrape trying to help a child out.
I also enjoyed seeing Miss Julia teaching a new teen driver. Actually, though, he did too well off the bat for that to have been very realistic. People let him attempt things too quickly when he was too new to it - like going through a drive-through, for instance. Our kids didn't try that until they were nearly through the learning process.
I had figured out what was going on with the newcomers long before Miss Julia did, but I'd considered other possibilities, too.
It did make me laugh outright a few times, and for that, I'd give it a 4-stars after all.
Miss Julia can't be taken too seriously. This is satire, something I think many reviewers didn't pick up on. Most of Miss Julia's views are nonsense, or, even if they aren't, they're arrived at in a nonsensical manner, not worth being offended over. She doesn't come by her views rationally. She pretty much scorns everyone and everything, so it's not personal. She is a gossip and a busybody, being overly helpful. She isn't a character to emulate, but she does, usually, have a good heart and wish people well. Yes, she (and Mildred, too) do decide too much on others' behalfs, without consulting them.
As always, I loved Sam's calm character, and Lillian's advice, which usually goes unheeded.
One other reviewer did complain about the racism in the book, as far as Lillian living in the undesirable part of town. I agree that the comments about it did sound racist. There was some additional history in one of the earlier books ("Miss Julia Hits the Road", #4) about why Lillian, and some of the other characters, chose to live there despite its problems. I console myself with the thought that Ann Ross made Lillian's character out to be one of the wisest, even if nobody pays attention to her.
Several of the reviewers complained about Miss Julia watching FOX news. That surprised me, too, because it puts her at odds with her thoughts in the earlier books in the beginning of the series. There was also the change in that her first pastor was too conservative for her, and this pastor is too liberal for her. It made me wonder if she's more centrist, or if she's switched political parties somewhere along in the missing books I haven't read. Somehow I doubt that she's switched political parties - I doubt that an author would make that bold of a statement in a book trying to appeal to everyone and generate sales - although you never know. So I imagine that she's more of a centrist character politically. Still, FOX news surprises me, given her earlier thoughts and background. It makes me wonder if it's Sam's influence on her. I don't know what his political views are/were.
I wondered if this was written back in a time before politics were quite so divisive as they are today, but nope, 2019, pretty divisive then, too.
Favorite quotes:
"I wouldn't get too involved with somebody else's problems. It could be misinterpreted and resented."
"Lloyd, some people jus' can't be helped. They won't let you."
I enjoyed the book (somewhere between 3 and 4 stars), and I'd recommend it (4 stars) to people who'd continued on with this series this far. I'm doubtful that newcomers to the series would understand all the characters involved, and I had to go back and look up one character myself. I doubt I'd re-read the series, though, so it's not a 5-star book.
Still, laughter is a much-needed, much-valuable commodity in our society today. This is satire.
This one had a little slower plot than some of the others (which is why it might be a 3), although it had a good ending, with most of the absurdities happening there. I could envision myself getting into such a scrape trying to help a child out.
I also enjoyed seeing Miss Julia teaching a new teen driver. Actually, though, he did too well off the bat for that to have been very realistic. People let him attempt things too quickly when he was too new to it - like going through a drive-through, for instance. Our kids didn't try that until they were nearly through the learning process.
I had figured out what was going on with the newcomers long before Miss Julia did, but I'd considered other possibilities, too.
It did make me laugh outright a few times, and for that, I'd give it a 4-stars after all.
Miss Julia can't be taken too seriously. This is satire, something I think many reviewers didn't pick up on. Most of Miss Julia's views are nonsense, or, even if they aren't, they're arrived at in a nonsensical manner, not worth being offended over. She doesn't come by her views rationally. She pretty much scorns everyone and everything, so it's not personal. She is a gossip and a busybody, being overly helpful. She isn't a character to emulate, but she does, usually, have a good heart and wish people well. Yes, she (and Mildred, too) do decide too much on others' behalfs, without consulting them.
As always, I loved Sam's calm character, and Lillian's advice, which usually goes unheeded.
One other reviewer did complain about the racism in the book, as far as Lillian living in the undesirable part of town. I agree that the comments about it did sound racist. There was some additional history in one of the earlier books ("Miss Julia Hits the Road", #4) about why Lillian, and some of the other characters, chose to live there despite its problems. I console myself with the thought that Ann Ross made Lillian's character out to be one of the wisest, even if nobody pays attention to her.
Several of the reviewers complained about Miss Julia watching FOX news. That surprised me, too, because it puts her at odds with her thoughts in the earlier books in the beginning of the series. There was also the change in that her first pastor was too conservative for her, and this pastor is too liberal for her. It made me wonder if she's more centrist, or if she's switched political parties somewhere along in the missing books I haven't read. Somehow I doubt that she's switched political parties - I doubt that an author would make that bold of a statement in a book trying to appeal to everyone and generate sales - although you never know. So I imagine that she's more of a centrist character politically. Still, FOX news surprises me, given her earlier thoughts and background. It makes me wonder if it's Sam's influence on her. I don't know what his political views are/were.
I wondered if this was written back in a time before politics were quite so divisive as they are today, but nope, 2019, pretty divisive then, too.
Favorite quotes:
"I wouldn't get too involved with somebody else's problems. It could be misinterpreted and resented."
"Lloyd, some people jus' can't be helped. They won't let you."
August 19, 2019
This book made me SO mad that I have to list my grievances in order:
1. When did Miss Julia turn into a grumpy, crotchety, know-it-all, nosy-parker
old lady?
2. Dr Hargrove is a small town GP - a cradle to grave doctor, who coddles
Miss Julia’s every ache and pain with a diagnosis of old age.
3. Is Miss Julia really qualified to judge the medical system of the US?
4. My son is a DO and I resent her implication that they aren’t as good as an
MD - exact same training. He is a world renowned interventional
Radiologist.
5. A podiatrist is a Doctor a chiropractor is not - Miss Julia makes them both
sound like snake oil salesmen.
6. Is Dr Crawford handsome or not, depends on which page you’re on.
7. I can’t believe Miss Julia reads John Sanford, those books just ooze sex
and obscene language.
8. No self respecting California (I’m a native) would ever say yes ma’am,
even a Southern California one - so why does Mrs Crawford?
9. Sam DOES NOT promise Lloyd a little red coupe, it keeps saying he did.
10. I wish I’d counted how many times the word worry appears in this book,
that’s all they all seem to do.
11. Lillian is the best character, too bad she is characterized using a po’ black
dialect, so demeaning.
12. FOX news, that was the final straw - you can’t Trump that!
I have read all the books in the series and will keep doing so, this one just rubbed me wrong from the get go!!
1. When did Miss Julia turn into a grumpy, crotchety, know-it-all, nosy-parker
old lady?
2. Dr Hargrove is a small town GP - a cradle to grave doctor, who coddles
Miss Julia’s every ache and pain with a diagnosis of old age.
3. Is Miss Julia really qualified to judge the medical system of the US?
4. My son is a DO and I resent her implication that they aren’t as good as an
MD - exact same training. He is a world renowned interventional
Radiologist.
5. A podiatrist is a Doctor a chiropractor is not - Miss Julia makes them both
sound like snake oil salesmen.
6. Is Dr Crawford handsome or not, depends on which page you’re on.
7. I can’t believe Miss Julia reads John Sanford, those books just ooze sex
and obscene language.
8. No self respecting California (I’m a native) would ever say yes ma’am,
even a Southern California one - so why does Mrs Crawford?
9. Sam DOES NOT promise Lloyd a little red coupe, it keeps saying he did.
10. I wish I’d counted how many times the word worry appears in this book,
that’s all they all seem to do.
11. Lillian is the best character, too bad she is characterized using a po’ black
dialect, so demeaning.
12. FOX news, that was the final straw - you can’t Trump that!
I have read all the books in the series and will keep doing so, this one just rubbed me wrong from the get go!!
May 17, 2019
Honestly, my favorite part of the latest Miss Julia book was LuAnne Conover getting a job at a funeral home. Always one for gossip, it's a place she'll probably excel. Miss Julia, on the other hand, borrows trouble from the get go, and seems more naïve than usual about the goings on in and around her town. Lloyd is getting his driver's license, a lot of dialogue and movement occurs as he ferries Miss Julia and Mildred Allan around the county. This is a very long running series and I generally enjoy them much more than this outing for a great escape.
September 12, 2020
I didn’t like this one although it wasn't too bad to read to the end. Once I considered the writer’s portrayal of Miss Julia as satire it made more sense. Miss Julia became less irritating with that in mind and served to highlight some of my own biases.
March 12, 2019
Another delightful installment in the Miss Julia series. This time around Miss Julia’s regular doctor has taken an extended vacation and leaves Dr. Don Crawford as a fill-in. Ever the duty conscious Southern lady, Miss Julia invites the good doctor and his wife over for a dinner party. While Miss Julia seems concerned with the lack of social graces exhibited by the doctor’s wife, others of the party feel something amiss about Dr. Crawford himself. Meanwhile Miss Julia’s time is further distracted by the every day trials and tribulations of her family and friends, all requiring her assistance and intervention.
Fans of the Miss Julia books as a well as fans of cozy mysteries in general will be anxious to pick up this latest book in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Fans of the Miss Julia books as a well as fans of cozy mysteries in general will be anxious to pick up this latest book in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 24, 2022
DNF
Miss Julia is one of the most unlikable and obnoxious characters I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading. Everything and everyone is wrong or isn’t “raised right” according to this character if they’re not white (this is not stated outright but painfully obvious that that is what the author was gong for), rich, Presbyterian, and southern. This may have been a good story but I’ll never know because I couldn’t take more of the constant complaining about how she “can’t” do tai chi because she’s Presbyterian, a doctor got their degree in Haiti (heaven forbid!), and even the length of a man’s pants being too long for Miss Julia’s liking. 32 pages of her were 32 too many.
Miss Julia is one of the most unlikable and obnoxious characters I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading. Everything and everyone is wrong or isn’t “raised right” according to this character if they’re not white (this is not stated outright but painfully obvious that that is what the author was gong for), rich, Presbyterian, and southern. This may have been a good story but I’ll never know because I couldn’t take more of the constant complaining about how she “can’t” do tai chi because she’s Presbyterian, a doctor got their degree in Haiti (heaven forbid!), and even the length of a man’s pants being too long for Miss Julia’s liking. 32 pages of her were 32 too many.
February 14, 2019
Another great Miss Julia book.
I wish it was alittle longer, and finshed up the story alittle more. But really enjoyed this one.
As always very entertaining.
#MissJuliaTakesTheWheel #NetGalley
I wish it was alittle longer, and finshed up the story alittle more. But really enjoyed this one.
As always very entertaining.
#MissJuliaTakesTheWheel #NetGalley
April 21, 2019
One of the highlights of the year is April when the new Miss Julia book come out. This one certainly did not disappoint with the usual cast of characters. The ending was not what I expected, but still good.
April 28, 2019
I thoroughly enjoy this series!
August 27, 2020
I just love Aunt Julia and the things she gets into. Sam is definitely her soul mate..
February 24, 2021
Another great Miss Julia adventure!
September 20, 2022
Loved, loved this book. You can’t get any better book to read than one by Ann B. Ross and especially the Miss Julia series! Miss Julia takes the wheel is such a delight to read!
December 8, 2022
Not one of her better books...didn't like the premise...didn't care for the Lauren subplot
May 8, 2019
I enjoy Miss Julia books, every book is like visiting good friends.
April 9, 2019
Miss Julia Takes The Wheel is the 2ist installment of this fun, kind of cozy mystery series. Actually, I'm not sure how to categorize this book. It was easy to jump right in to this series, though I definitely want to go back and read the earlier books.
Its fun and funny and sometimes even frustrating with the octogenarian heroine, Miss Julia. Miss Julia is a wealthy, busybody, that mostly has a heart of gold.
This book reads like a day in the life, a clean soap opera of sorts, with Miss Julia's husband, friends, neighbors, their children and in particular the new fill in doctor and his wife, who the story centers around in a very round about way.
The Crawfords are taking over for the local doctor for the few months he's away in Europe. Miss Julia is unsure of them, especially the wife, from the very start.
We get a lot of snippets about Miss Julia's views on healthcare, on the news she watchs (Fox...dear god!) and on how to keep poor 15 year old Lloyd from becoming girl crazy. (You know, like most 15 year old boys do). Her solution certainly doesn't seem like something the average teenage boy would want to do, but Lloyd doesn't come across as average either.
It was a light, entertaining read, with a small touch of mystery. Julia sort of falls into solving it without any sleuthing.
The book plods along, but that kind of pacing is mostly the norm for a lady in her 80s.
There was only one issue I had and that was with how Mildren's husband Horace's heart attack was dealt with. He was in the hospital an extraordinarily long time without mention of surgery etc and Mildred didn't seem to understand anything in regards to his condition.
I can easily see this series being adapted for television. All of the characters are so vivid fun to get to know. I look forward to reading more of Miss Julia's adventures.
Its fun and funny and sometimes even frustrating with the octogenarian heroine, Miss Julia. Miss Julia is a wealthy, busybody, that mostly has a heart of gold.
This book reads like a day in the life, a clean soap opera of sorts, with Miss Julia's husband, friends, neighbors, their children and in particular the new fill in doctor and his wife, who the story centers around in a very round about way.
The Crawfords are taking over for the local doctor for the few months he's away in Europe. Miss Julia is unsure of them, especially the wife, from the very start.
We get a lot of snippets about Miss Julia's views on healthcare, on the news she watchs (Fox...dear god!) and on how to keep poor 15 year old Lloyd from becoming girl crazy. (You know, like most 15 year old boys do). Her solution certainly doesn't seem like something the average teenage boy would want to do, but Lloyd doesn't come across as average either.
It was a light, entertaining read, with a small touch of mystery. Julia sort of falls into solving it without any sleuthing.
The book plods along, but that kind of pacing is mostly the norm for a lady in her 80s.
There was only one issue I had and that was with how Mildren's husband Horace's heart attack was dealt with. He was in the hospital an extraordinarily long time without mention of surgery etc and Mildred didn't seem to understand anything in regards to his condition.
I can easily see this series being adapted for television. All of the characters are so vivid fun to get to know. I look forward to reading more of Miss Julia's adventures.
March 11, 2022
This book was on the sale shelf at the library. I think one of my friends has read books in this series (though apparently not this one unless it wasn't entered on GoodReads).
I did not realize how far into this series this book was (book 21) until I came on here to review it. I wouldn't suggest starting the series with this book. Though the main plot can be read as a stand alone, there are backstories that weren't fully explained (at least as best I could tell). For example, why Lloyd and Miss Julia share in a trust.
Both Miss Julia and Mildred seem to plan things without consulting others. While there's nothing wrong with researching before approaching another, making too detailed a plan without consulting the others involved or planning out how a future should go can lead to disappointment when the others's actions don't match with what you planned.
I found Miss Julia a bit irritating and I don't really see wanting to find other books in the series.
I did not realize how far into this series this book was (book 21) until I came on here to review it. I wouldn't suggest starting the series with this book. Though the main plot can be read as a stand alone, there are backstories that weren't fully explained (at least as best I could tell). For example, why Lloyd and Miss Julia share in a trust.
Both Miss Julia and Mildred seem to plan things without consulting others. While there's nothing wrong with researching before approaching another, making too detailed a plan without consulting the others involved or planning out how a future should go can lead to disappointment when the others's actions don't match with what you planned.
I found Miss Julia a bit irritating and I don't really see wanting to find other books in the series.
January 4, 2022
Stubborn and opinionated, Miss Julia is less inclined to use her considerable wealth to push others around in this chapter of her life. Julia is upset when her doctor plans a lengthy vacation, leaving his patients with a new doctor and his antisocial wife. Julia and her friends try to winkle the wife out of her shell, with limited success. Julia and her loving second husband Sam indulge in several diatribes about the current medical system. Their neighbor has a heart attack and Julia is stuck driving his wife to the rehab facility to visit. Her first husband's son is learning to drive, and his high school friends get involved in big trouble. Her good friend LuAnn gets a job while her divorce is pending--with the local funeral home! I think that most readers will be suspicious of the ultimate villain's aims before Julia is, but it's always nice to stop in and visit.
August 30, 2020
The Miss Julia Series is tied with The Southern Sisters Mysteries by Anne George and The Cat Who Series by Lilian Jackson Braun for my all time favorite series!! The characters are lovable and once you start reading the first one, you just can’t stop! You are on the edge of your seat dying to know what happens next until you get through every book! I searched for years for another great series like this and I couldn’t be happier to have found this one! A true treasure! There aren’t many great writers that can capture my attention like Ann B. Ross has in this series. Well worth the time! If you’re on audible, the narrator is amazing!
April 25, 2019
This is the first Miss Julia book I've read, and it's also my last. Southern ladies with money and too much time on their hands...not my cup of tea. More than once I considered returning the book to the library without finishing it, but I decided to keep on with it...what a waste of time!
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