Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind

Miss Julia, a recently bereaved and newly wealthy widow, is only slightly bemused when one Hazel Marie Puckett appears at her door with a youngster in tow and unceremoniously announces that the child is the bastard son of Miss Julia's late husband. Suddenly, this longtime church member and pillar of her small Southern community finds herself in the center of an unseemly scandal-and the guardian of a wan nine-year-old whose mere presence turns her life upside down. With razor-sharp wit and perfect "Steel Magnolia" poise, Miss Julia speaks her mind indeed-about a robbery, a kidnapping, and the other disgraceful events precipitated by her husband's death. Fast-paced and charming, with a sure sense of comic drama, a cast of crazy characters, and a strong Southern cadence, Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind will delight readers from first page to last.

The follow-up to Ann B. Ross's beloved debut that kicked off the New York Times bestselling series. Look out for Ann Ross's newest, Miss Julia Raises the Roof, coming April 2018 from Viking. When Miss Julia burst on the scene in her fictional debut, Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind, this proper lady of a certain age found her orderly world turned upside down when Hazel Marie Puckett appeared with her nine-year-old son, Little Lloyd, who looked disturbingly similar to Miss Julia's late husband. Now, in Miss Julia Takes Over, with her sharp tongue and iron backbone intact, Miss Julia must tackle another disruption when Hazel Marie doesn't return from a dinner date with a fund-raiser who, in Miss Julia's opinion, wears his shorts too tight. Frantic and unable to persuade the local police that Hazel Marie is in danger, Miss Julia hires J. D. Pickens to investigate, despite her reservations about his taste for beer and women. She and Little Lloyd help search for Hazel Marie, running into adventures ranging from a most indelicate display of fisticuffs to a high-speed car chase on the track of a NASCAR Speedway, all the while standing strong ...because if Miss Julia doesn't take care of things, who will? Fast paced, funny, and full of colorful characters you'll want to meet again and again, Miss Julia Takes Over is a zany race through the South you'll not soon forget.

Miss Julia faces a double dose of trouble-this time right under her own roof. Miss Julia's iron will and kind heart have assured her a spot among the most beloved characters of Southern literature. In her latest adventure, Miss Julia whisks Hazel Marie off to the doctor when the latter admits she's been feeling poorly. The news floors them both: Hazel Marie is pregnant with twins. Unfortunately, she's also just sent her beau, Mr. Pickens, packing. Miss Julia needs a plan-and fast. So when Sam's house is robbed, Miss Julia declares that only J. D. Pickins, P.I., can get his things back. Playing Cupid and solving the crime might seem like a tall order but readers everywhere know that Miss Julia always delivers the goods.

Read the 3rd installment in tyhe New York Times bestselling series about Miss Julia, the proper lady of a certain age with a backbone of iron and perfect Steel Magnolia poise, not to mention the sharpest tongue south of the Mason-Dixon Line. And don't miss Ann Ross's newest, Miss Julia Raises the Roof, coming April 2018 from Viking. In Miss Julia Throws a Wedding, we find her feeling a little wistful when Hazel Marie, once her late husband's paramour and now her best friend, prepares to move out and live in sin with that marriage-shy Mr. Pickens. Suddenly, to Miss Julia's delight, a wedding is in the offing: Handsome Deputy Coleman Bates and attorney Binkie Enloe announce their plans to run down to the courthouse and tie the knot. But Miss Julia insists they have a real wedding ceremony and vows to make it happen. When a missing preacher, a crowd of uninvited guests, and a queasy bride threaten the happy event, Miss Julia is there to restore order, confirming her undying motto: if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!

Imagine Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show with a lot more backbone and confidence," wrote Publishers Weekly about Miss Julia, Ann Ross's endearing Dixie doyenne of decorum. Don't miss her latest, Miss Julia Raises the Roof, coming April 2018 from Viking. In her latest romp, Miss Julia—now Mrs. Sam Murdoch—returns from her whirlwind elopement, only to find herself roped into Hazel Marie's scheme to raise money by throwing a beauty pageant. Though it all seems a tad distasteful, it's nothing compared to the revelation that Pigeon Forge, the marriage mill across the state line that wedded Julia and Sam, might not be legitimate. And a flustered Julia can't help wondering whether she and Sam can keep up appearances before the town finds out they might be living in sin.

In the 5th installment of the New York Times bestselling Miss Julia series, Miss Julia has finally met her match. Don't miss Ann Ross's newest, Miss Julia Raises the Roof, coming April 2018 from Viking. With devoted fans across the country, Miss Julia—that endearingly sharp-tongued southern belle of a certain age—has no shortage of admirers. But in Miss Julia Meets Her Match, our feisty heroine must come to terms with her most ardent admirer of all: longtime beau Sam Murdoch, who wants to tie the knot. While it’s hard to resist Sam’s charm, Miss Julia isn’t about to give up her independence so easily. After all, there are plenty of other matters that require her attention, including a Holy Land theme park to be built on her property, a possible affair between the mayor and the preacher’s secretary, and the arrival of her housekeeper Lillian’s five-year-old pistol of a great-granddaughter. In the midst of all the commotion, can her cool-as-a-cucumber head help her heart make the decision of a lifetime?

The delightful new installment of the beloved and New York Times bestselling Miss Julia series Miss Julia has decided to turn over a new leaf. It's time to stop meddling in other peoples' lives, she thinks--but her hands are full before long! Her neighbor Mildred is sent into a tizzy when a grandchild she's never met shows up on her doorstep. And Mildred's husband keeps forgetting who she is, so she's all on her own. Meanwhile, Etta Mae is worried about losing her job now that the Handy Home Helpers is up for sale. Luckily, Miss Julia has experience dealing with children dropped on doorsteps, and sweeps in to lend a hand. But there's something missing in that child's life, and Miss Julia knows exactly what it is.

Miss Julia finds herself an executrix on a desperate hunt for a valuable collectible amid a jumble of the estate's antiques, and if she finds a prize she can honor Miss Mattie's last wishes.