Dead as a Door Knocker by Diane Kelly is the first book in the NEW “House-Flipper” cozy mystery series. Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, coming January 29, 2019.
WILL THIS KILLER DEAL LEAD TO A DEAD END?
Meet Whitney Whitaker. A hopeless romantic when it comes to real estate, she knows what it takes to find–and flip–the home of one’s dreams. A fixer-upper is like catnip to Whitney: she can’t resist the challenge of turning an eyesore into a priceless work of art. So when one of her clients decides to liquidate a crumbling property, Whitney seizes the opportunity to purchase it for a song. But soon a curious incident of the cat in the night-time leads to a change in tune. . .
Sawdust is the name of Whitney’s cat–of course. Whitney’s passion for gut-renovation may be a mystery to him but one thing Sawdust knows for sure is this: Dead bodies don’t belong in flower beds. So why is there one in this new, albeit old, house? Now it’s up to Whitney, along with the help of hot-and-cold Nashville Police Detective Collin Flynn, to find the truth about what happened before the mortgage company forecloses and Whitney loses her investment. . .and maybe her own life.
This was a fun book to read. Whitney is all set to have her dream come true when unfortunately, a body is found in a house she recently purchased and then she becomes the prime suspect only because of a prior altercation. What else is she to do but look for someone who has a stronger motive, thus begins her foray into amateur sleuthing and I enjoyed every aspect of this well-written whodunit that was lighthearted and fresh.
I’ve read previous books by the author and I’m happy to include this in my collection of Diane Kelly books. She writes a mystery that kept me immersed in all that was happening, with engaging dialogue and I especially love Sawdust and the demon he is afraid of. Boy, did I laugh when the demon’s identity was revealed. The author peppered the tale with a few suspects and clues that had me guessing a time or two and then it came to fruition as the drama hit a feverish pitch and I couldn’t stop until the killer’s identity was reveal and it was his downfall that had me cheering. Bonus to me was that Sawdust had his own chapters. Too darn cute. Boasting a lovable cast of characters with a small-town feel, this was a terrific start in this series and I hope it is here to stay for a while. I can’t wait to see what adventures awaits Whitney and Sawdust in this delightfully charming new series.
**********
FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the author.
Sounds Fun love the title and cover
Shared on Twitter 😍❤😍
Thanks, Linda! The cover artists did such a great job. The cover is perfect!
Yes they did Great 👍
Can’t wait to read this. I really enjoyed her IRS heroine, Tara. Funny stuff!
So glad you enjoyed the IRS series, Kimberly! Tara was a lot of fun to spend time with as a writer, too. I hope you’ll like Whitney just as much!
Such a good author. I am looking forward to this new series…❤
Thanks, Barbara! You made my day!
I can hardly wait to read this new series!!! I loved her IRS series & love her Paw Enforcement series!!
And I love my readers right back! Thanks, Cecilia!
I LOVE animals as characters and especially love when the author gives them their own “voice.” Sounds like a fun read.
Then you’ll love Sawdust, Connie. He’s a little charmer. : )
Love the cover. Putting this is on my tbr list
Great, Sharon! I agree – the cover is so cute!