Product Description

Love at first sight turns into newlywed bliss for former librarian Aurora Teagarden— until violence cuts the honeymoon short.

Wealthy businessman Martin Bartell gives Roe exactly what she wants for their wedding: Julius House. But both the house and Martin come with murky pasts. And when Roe is attacked by an ax-wielding maniac, she realizes that the secrets inside her four walls—and her brand-new marriage—could destroy her.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8021 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 240 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780425222034
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
In this best of the series to date, Aurora (Roe) Teagarden, the former librarian returned to her roots in Lawrenceton, Ga., marries Martin Bartell, the rich, secretive and charismatic businessman she met in Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (1994). For their home, Martin buys the house once occupied by T.C. Julius, his terminally ill wife Hope and their teenage daughter. Six years earlier, the Julius family had disappeared without a trace, leaving only Hope's mother in the garage apartment. Martin lets the apartment to an old Vietnam buddy, Shelby Youngblood, and his wife Angel, who seem suspiciously like bodyguards to Roe. As questions about Martin's past and present disturb her newfound happiness, Roe determines to solve the Julius family mystery, enlisting Angel's help. A vicious attack and a stunning discovery lead the two women to New Orleans and a dramatic set of answers to puzzles old and new. The author's brisk, upbeat style keeps tension simmering under the everyday surface, while Roe's inclination to girlish chatter (a trial in earlier works) is restrained.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Aurora Teagarden, who gave up librarianship when she inherited money, marries the handsome businessman she met in Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (LJ 3/1/94). They settle down in his wedding gift to her: the so-called Julius house, named for the family who disappeared from it six years earlier. Aurora eventually discovers what really happened; unfortunately, she also uncovers a few unsavory things about her husband. Suspense sprouts from tiny seeds planted early on, and the tensions of a new marriage and an old mystery provide much fertilizer. Good reading, augmented by solid characterization and occasional humor.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Not as Good as Previous Books, But Still A Great Author!
The Julius House is the fourth book in the Aurora Teagarden series. Aurora "Roe" has finally recovered from her injuries incurred at the end of the last book and is happily engaged to Martin Bartell, her handsome, older, richer boyfriend. For her wedding gift, Martin buys her the Julius house, the perfect house for her. Many people think she is crazy for living there due to the sudden disappearance of the Julius family who used to live there. Roe doesn't worry about it in the slightest and concentrates on glorying in her happily engaged status. She loves being the bride instead of the bridesmaid and pushes any doubts about her soon-to-be-husband aside. When they return from their perfect honeymoon in England, Roe settles in to redecorate and get settled. She is surprised when Martin informs her that two of his friends are down on their luck and that they will be moving into the apartment over the garage. Still, Roe is in love and excited to meet some of Martin's friends and does her best to welcome them. She soon discovers, however, that they are really there to guard her. When pressured, Martin confesses that he is a gunrunner in South America and that he is always worried about retaliation. To take her mind off of this confession, Roe decides that she is going to find out what happened to the Julius family and drags her bodyguard along for the ride. She soon discovers that sometimes it is better to let secrets remain buried...

I admit that the whole Roe/Martin wedding was a little contrived, but Roe really has wanted to get married all of her life and is extremely flattered that such an attractive, wealthy gentleman would be in love with her. It was fun to see Roe's thought processes as she dealt with extreme changes and challenges in her new life. I quite enjoyed the whole Julius family subplot and, though the ending was a little bit too shocking, Roe's whole investigation was quite logical and shows how one determined person can often put clues together that other people missed. As with the her other books, Charlaine Harris offers the reader a host of interesting supporting characters, many amusing details about the mystery and a fun, fast read for those who enjoy this type of genre. I feel that Harris' other mystery series starring Lily Bard (Shakespeare set) is stronger and her Dead Until Dark series is cleverer, but anything that Harris writes is worth reading!

Book #4 in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries
"The Julius House" by Charlaine Harris is the fourth book in her series about Aurora Teagarden. (Follows Real Murders: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery, Bk. 1, A Bone To Pick: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery, Book 2 and Three Bedrooms, One Corpse: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery) Roe is now happily engaged to Martin Bartell, but nothing is as it seems. Martin has just gifted Roe with the old Julius house as a wedding present, and she is happily planning on moving them in. Depite its history (the Julius family mysteriously vanished years ago), she finds it enchanting. She even finds no problem with letting a couple of Martin's friends live on the property. That is, until she finds out that they're her bodyguards. Besides dealing with her husband, Roe decides she wants to figure out what happened to the Julius family.

I enjoyed this book as much as I did the earlier ones. It did take me a bit to warm to Martin, but I've decided that he's just what Roe needs. And unlike "Three Bedrooms, One Corpse", I did not solve the mystery before Roe! Everytime I thought I had figured it out, something new would be revealed, and I'd have to rethink my whole theory.

I fully recommend this series! Next is Dead Over Heels: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery, Bk. 5, followed by Fool And His Honey: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery, Bk. 6, Last Scene Alive (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries), and Poppy Done To Death: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery, Bk. 8.

Or if you'd like to try a different series by Charlaine Harris, check out the Lily Bard mysteries.(Shakespeare's Landlord (The First Lily Bard Mystery), "Shakespeare's Champion", Shakespeare's Christmas", "Shakespeare's Trollop", and Shakespeare's Counselor")

Or her new supernatural Southern Vampire Mysteries (Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Bk. 1), "Living Dead in Dallas", "Club Dead", "Dead to the World", "Dead as a Doornail", "Definitely Dead", and "All Together Dead")

Cozy with a dark side
In the fourth book of this series, Roe Teagarden marries her handsome businessman boyfriend, Martin Bartell. He buys her a house she has admired which once housed a family who mysteriously disappeared. During the course of the story, Roe discovers the mystery of the Julius family as well as some rather unsavory things about her husband. This book is not as fun as the earlier books of the series and her marriage seems contrived as Martin and Roe seem to have little in common other than a physical attraction.