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A Mommy-Track Mystery #5
Murder Plays House
Juliet Applebaum is a public defender turned stay-at-home mom—and a “highly likable sleuth� (Judith Kelman). Now in Murder Plays House, with a new arrival on the way, the Applebaum household is bursting at the seams. And Juliet is balancing clue-chasing and diaper-changing with a new house-hunting.
Juliet loves her kids. She loves their dirty little faces and skinned knees. She loves the ridiculous and amazing things they say. But when three-and-a-half year old Isaac evicts her husband and her from their own bed one night, love is the last thing on her mind. Juliet now recognizes the need for a few changes…starting with a bigger house. And when the new baby arrives, they’ll welcome the extra space.
But if there’s ever a bad time to search for a new house in L.A., it’s now. In a buyer- un friendly real estate market, one practically has to kill to find an affordable home. No wonder Juliet is prepared to overlook a corpse on the grounds of her would-be dream house. To salve her conscience—and get her foot literally in the front door—she vows to find the killer of the homeowner’s sister. The investigation leads her from the madness of house-hunting into a world of washed-up actors and canceled TV shows, a world more depraved than she could ever have imagined.
“Smoothly paced and smartly told.”� The New York Times Book Review
“Think Chinatown , but with strollers and morning sickness.”� Long Island Press
Juliet loves her kids. She loves their dirty little faces and skinned knees. She loves the ridiculous and amazing things they say. But when three-and-a-half year old Isaac evicts her husband and her from their own bed one night, love is the last thing on her mind. Juliet now recognizes the need for a few changes…starting with a bigger house. And when the new baby arrives, they’ll welcome the extra space.
But if there’s ever a bad time to search for a new house in L.A., it’s now. In a buyer- un friendly real estate market, one practically has to kill to find an affordable home. No wonder Juliet is prepared to overlook a corpse on the grounds of her would-be dream house. To salve her conscience—and get her foot literally in the front door—she vows to find the killer of the homeowner’s sister. The investigation leads her from the madness of house-hunting into a world of washed-up actors and canceled TV shows, a world more depraved than she could ever have imagined.
“Smoothly paced and smartly told.”� The New York Times Book Review
“Think Chinatown , but with strollers and morning sickness.”� Long Island Press
312 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 5, 2004
8 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Ayelet Waldman
30books40.3kfollowersAyelet Waldman is the author of A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life, Love and Treasure, Red Hook Road and The New York Times bestseller Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace. Her novel Love and Other Impossible Pursuits was made into a film starring Natalie Portman. Her personal essays and profiles of such public figures as Hillary Clinton have been published in a wide variety of newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Vogue, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. Her radio commentaries have appeared on "All Things Considered" and "The California Report."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 30, 2015
Waldman writes with a clear, brisk pace, capturing characters with a few wonderful details. Her Juliet is a winner with a strong, believable voice and enough savvy to make her sleuthing feel very possible. A warm, inviting series.
January 13, 2009
I keep trying to read Ayelet Waldman (married to Michael Chabon) but the stories lose my interest and I have to slog my way through to the finish.
December 10, 2016
This was a great and fascinating story that kept me entertained. I am beginning to love murder novels and I really want to read more of this series. I highly recommend it.
May 25, 2024
I did want to know who the murder was. I feel that the eating disorder was well touched by the adults but not sure if little Kids know as much as Rudy would talk about being fat in a very mature way (ironically). I had two people in mind as murderers but it was done by someone else. I liked the book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2017
I have read all her mommy track mysteries and enjoyed them all. Always interesting and enjoyable.
June 25, 2021
Ugh, I had to quit this one. The Hollywood lives surrounding the main character were too revolting.
July 20, 2022
Got about 80 pages in and couldn't bear to finish it. The spelling and grammar errors will haunt me.
November 6, 2022
New author to me. Very entertaining.
February 28, 2023
Okay, it is not great literature, but I so identify with Juliet when I was a working mom. One more to go and I will be sorry to see the end of this fun series.
January 3, 2017
good book
July 24, 2008
juliet loves her kids. she loves their dirty little faces and skinned knees. she loves the ridiculaous and amazing things they say. but when three and a half year old isaac evicts her hustband and her from their own bed one night, love is the last think foon her mind. juliet new recong nized the need for a few changes... starting with a bigger house. and when the hew baby arrives, they'll wecome the extra space.
but if there's ever a bad time to search for a new house in L.A. it's now. in a buyer unfriendly real estate market, one practically has to kill to find an affordable home. no wonder juliet is prepared to overlook a corpse on the grounds of her would be dream house. to salve her conscience and literally get her foot in the front door she nows to find the killer of hter homowner's sister. the investigation leads her from the madness of house hunting into a world of washed up actors andcanceled TV shows, a world more depraved than she would ever have imagined...
but if there's ever a bad time to search for a new house in L.A. it's now. in a buyer unfriendly real estate market, one practically has to kill to find an affordable home. no wonder juliet is prepared to overlook a corpse on the grounds of her would be dream house. to salve her conscience and literally get her foot in the front door she nows to find the killer of hter homowner's sister. the investigation leads her from the madness of house hunting into a world of washed up actors andcanceled TV shows, a world more depraved than she would ever have imagined...
January 14, 2010
Waldman's Mommy-Track mysteries are always entertaining due to her real-life sense of humor. Juliet Applebaum is as likable as a personal friend and neighbor, and I enjoy her inner-monologues.
This particular mystery, set in Los Angeles like the rest of the series, was focused on bulimia and anorexia and its direct affects on Hollywood inhabitants such as celebrities and actresses. It was sick, yet interesting to gain more insight on the disease, and also fun to pinpoint whodunnit. While the plot was engaging and fast-paced, the main component I did not like about the book was the fact we as readers could NOT figure out who the murderer was until the very end. *POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD*** We were not introduced to the murderer's character until the end of the book, and it wasn't until AFTER we met this character were we given the clue that put the mystery together.
Otherwise, all in all I enjoyed the book, and of course I am looking forward to reading the next installment.
This particular mystery, set in Los Angeles like the rest of the series, was focused on bulimia and anorexia and its direct affects on Hollywood inhabitants such as celebrities and actresses. It was sick, yet interesting to gain more insight on the disease, and also fun to pinpoint whodunnit. While the plot was engaging and fast-paced, the main component I did not like about the book was the fact we as readers could NOT figure out who the murderer was until the very end. *POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD*** We were not introduced to the murderer's character until the end of the book, and it wasn't until AFTER we met this character were we given the clue that put the mystery together.
Otherwise, all in all I enjoyed the book, and of course I am looking forward to reading the next installment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2010
Juliet Applebaum, ex-public defender / PI, is house hunting in between sleuthing assignments. While touring "the perfect house", Juliet and her real estate agent friend, Kat, walk in to the guest house and find a murdered woman in the bathtub. It turns out that the home owner is the well known L.A. fashoin designer Murray Felix. The victim is his sister, Alicia, an unemployed actress. Initially, Juliet promises Felix to investigate this crime in the hope of gaining his favor so he will sell her the house. The more Juliet found out about Alicia's life, the more absorbed she became with the investigation. It turns out that Alicia had a severe case of anorexia and was web master of a site to encourage anorexic teens to continue this lifestyle. Soon Juliet starts to wonder if the eating disorder may be the key to Alicia's murder instead of a direct connection to the movie industry.
October 28, 2015
Juliet Applebaum is 7 months pregnant with her third child when the new owners next door to their rental decide to tear down and rebuild their house. Juliet's husband works nights and the daytime noise forces him to give in to her desire for a home. While looking at a home about to be listed with a Realtor friend they come across the owner's sister murdered in her bathtub. Juliet is a former defense attorney turned stay at home mom who has joined forces with a retired cop to run a private investigative service. She only works part time. She gets the owner to take their firm on as both and investigative team to look for the killer and also as a go between with the police. Juliet's husband is a screenwriter for horror flicks, so there is lots of inside information about the entertainment industry and the length that people will go to make it in the industry. This is the only one I've read in the series and I think I will try to find #1 to see how this all began.
Read
April 6, 2008This is the first book on the "Whodunit? Murder, Misogyny, and Mayhem" syllabus. It is easy to read, contains moments of comic relief, encourages students to analyze the rules of the genre, and raises issues that are already of concern for many young women (plastic surgery, diets, eating disorders, and the effort to juggle work and parenting). Personally, I have a sneaking affection for beleaguered protagonist Juliet Applebaum.
May 13, 2009
I'm always looking for a good new mystery series to read for fun. I was at the library checking out Final Solution by Michael Chabon and read that his wife wrote mystery novels so I thought I'd try one out. It was alright, so I might read the others this summer. She's no Dorothy Sayers, but who is, really?
September 10, 2016
I love this series. It is about Juliet who used to be a public defender but quit to raise her children and now works as partner in a PI firm. This one has her investigating death of a actress that she found dead in the house she was considering buying. This book is a fun easy read. What I think of when I think of cozy mysteries.
April 4, 2014
My favorite book of Ayalet's. I think because the characters by now were completely well rounded. The story is compelling and even though this was written a long time ago the story is still very timely. How many women and girls suffer from anorexia & or bulimia? I know girls Ruby's age that are on diets. It's rather scary.
Juliette always remains likable and real. The mystery is good as well.
Juliette always remains likable and real. The mystery is good as well.
February 4, 2009
Another quirky, funny mystery. Number 5 in the series. This one was about eating disorders. Wow, kind of interesting to read a book about people whose problem is starvation. Quite opposite from me, who's neverhad a problem with NOT eating! Great mystery, I so enjoy this series.
May 12, 2011
Now on to the next one....I enjoyed this story along with characters. I can completely identify with the main character with regards to her opinion of being a mother as well as many other things. I think that's why this semi-fluff works for me.
April 30, 2014
After really loving Red Hook Road, and being floored by Love and Treasure, I discovered the Mommy Track Books. They are really enjoyable, with a little more than must "chick lit". This one is delightful. LOVE Ayelet Waldman!
July 3, 2007
I really liked this one - very endearing and fun and I'm not even a mommy. Can't wait to read the rest of the Mommy-track series.
May 18, 2008
Interesting, funny, thought-provoking, I learned some new stuff; I love reading about a PI who is a stay-at-home mom and nursing mother!
February 2, 2008
Perfectly adequate mystery, but no real literary merit.
March 27, 2008
The Mommy-Track Mysteries:
1. Nursery Crimes
2. The Big Nap
3. Playdate With Death
4. Death Gets a Time-Out
5. Murder Plays House
6. The Cradle Robbers
7. Bye-Bye, Black Sheep
1. Nursery Crimes
2. The Big Nap
3. Playdate With Death
4. Death Gets a Time-Out
5. Murder Plays House
6. The Cradle Robbers
7. Bye-Bye, Black Sheep
May 23, 2008
mother of toddlers, who is working to become a PI gets involved with solving a murder after finding the body at a house she is looking at to buy. mom problems thrown in,funny and enjoyable read.
Read
October 23, 2008M Wal
May 4, 2009
I love this mystery series and would recommend it to anyone who's a mother of young children and enjoys mysteries.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
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