Dead Bolt by Juliet Blackwell is the second book in the “Haunted Home Renovation” mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian (Penguin), December 2011

There’s no room at the inn when it’s full of ghosts.

General Contractor Melanie Turner’s latest restoration is a historic Queen Anne Victorian in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood. Trouble is, she’ll have to work around the owners, the Daley family, who refuse to leave during the construction. But when eerie things start happening around the site, the Daleys threaten to call off the renovation for fear the work is disrupting ghosts who live on the property.

But the ghosts aren’t the only ones getting in the way of the renovation. The Daley’s neighbors aren’t exactly thrilled by the muss and fuss of the construction project. When Mel’s father finds a dead body, Mel must tack on one more task to her growing to-do list. She has to finish the job, bring the house back from the brink, and complete her greatest renovation project yet: restoring her reputation.

All Mel wanted to do was bring an old house back to its glory days, but no, she has to deal with owners who want to live on the premise, ghosts who wants all of them out and a dead body. Mel will have to ghost-bust some clues to find a killer among the living. Oh man, I was so wrapped up in the telling of this story that I could not put this book down. With witty and amusing conversations, a strong, lovable and down to earth protagonist, great supporting cast and a mystery to die for, this well-written tale is an enjoyable read in this delightfully captivating and fantastic series that will leave you with an urge to renovate.

FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book