56) Crowned and Moldering by Kate Carlisle

The Blurb :

When Mac Sullivan—famous thriller writer and Shannon’s new beau—first moved to Lighthouse Cove, California, he bought the historic lighthouse mansion that the town is named after. Mac needs help cleaning up the place, and Shannon is more than happy to get her handywoman hands on the run-down Victorian.

But during demolition, a grisly discovery is made among the debris—the bones of a teenage girl who went missing fifteen years ago. Locals had always assumed Lily Brogan ran away from her difficult life, but it seems her troubles followed her to the grave. If Shannon has any chance of getting her renovation back on track, she’ll need to tackle the cold case. But with new suspects coming out of the woodwork every day, she’ll have to be careful to pry the right secrets and clues from the poor girl’s problematic past…

My Thoughts :

This third installment in the Fixer-Upper Mysteries was another pleasant read.  While the murder mystery plot this time around was a bit of a cold case there was quite a lot going on all over the place to keep things nice and fresh.  A new face appeared and some old stories were told.  It was another lovely visit to Lighthouse Cove.

I really enjoy the concept of this cozy.  The renovation/contractor angle is an interesting one and it isn't too forced.  There are always some nice little bits and pieces mentioned but it isn't too much.  I also really like the characters.  The suspense regarding Shannon's relationships is also keeping me reading.  Actually so much of this series is enjoyable and I can't wait for more.

Lighthouse Cove is a place I would love to visit and Shannon is someone I would love to call a friend.  I am really looking forward to the fourth installment which comes out later this year and I will definitely continue to listen to this series because the narrator does a great job.

Definitely worth reading and one I can recommend listening too.  Also there is a little, tiny paranormal twist.  Don't get your hopes up though!  It is really very very minuscule but it is still there and I like it.

48) This Old Homicide by Kate Carlisle

The Blurb :

Valentine’s Day is approaching, and while Shannon is delighted to be friends with not one but two handsome men, not everyone in town is feeling the love. After her elderly neighbor Jesse Hennessey fails to make his daily appearance at the local diner, Shannon swings by his place to check on him. Not only does she find Jesse dead—of an apparent heart attack—but she also realizes that his home has been ransacked.

Someone suggests that a thief was searching for a priceless necklace Jesse claimed to have retrieved from a capsized sailing ship, but Shannon doesn’t believe it. Everyone knows Jesse had a penchant for constructing tall tales—like the one about him having a hot new girlfriend. But his death is soon ruled a homicide, and shady suspects begin popping out of the woodwork. When another victim turns up dead, Shannon is convinced she must find the killer before someone else gets nailed....

My Thoughts :

This second Fixer-Upper Mystery was a wonderful book to listen to.  The narrator does a lovely job of pulling you into the story and I found myself grabbing my earphones whenever I could.  The location, the characters and the mystery were once again well written and interesting and I enjoyed going back to visit them all again so soon.

While the story and sometimes the writing is a little weak, this was well worth reading.  There was less construction talk which was nice in one way but sad in another.  After all this is supposed the Fixr-Upper Mystery series so there should be a little more of the Fixing!  Despite that the murders were interesting and easy to follow but the case was a nice and hard one to solve.

I had my suspicions but like Shannon I didn't put all the pieces together until she did.  Mainly because the author didn't give the reader all the facts until Shannon had them.  Which is a nice change.  I hate main characters who have all the pieces and still can't get the puzzle solved.  It is frustrating and not as interesting.

Looking forward to listening to the next installment sometime soon.  I know I read too many cozies but there are way too many good ones around.  Also this one showed some promise of becoming a little paranormal.  So maybe the series will get more ghostly!

41) A High-End Finish by Kate Carlisle

The Blurb :

Shannon’s home-renovation and repair business is booming, but her love life needs work. On a blind date with real estate agent Jerry Saxton, she has to whip out a pair of pliers to keep Jerry from getting too hands on. Shannon is happy to put her rotten date behind her, but when Jerry’s found dead in a run-down Victorian home that she’s been hired to restore, the town’s attractive new police chief suspects that her threats may have laid the foundation for murder.

Determined to clear her name, Shannon conducts her own investigation—with the help of her four best friends, her eccentric father, a nosy neighbor or two, and a handsome crime writer who’s just moved to town. But as they get closer to prying out the murderer’s identity, Shannon is viciously attacked. Now she’ll have to nail down the truth—or end up in permanent foreclosure.…

My Thoughts :

Let's start off by saying I really liked this one.  I don't know what I liked about it but I really enjoyed listening to this one and I found myself listening to the book as often as I possibly could.  Which meant I finished it pretty quick too, an achievement because lately I haven't been having much luck with Audios.

This first in a series has been on my radar for a while and I believe I was gifted the Kindle version by someone and then it popped up really cheap for me on Audible (always check Audible prices if you have the Kindle version.  Sometimes the book is a lot cheaper than the original price if you buy both).   I decided the chances of me getting to the book were higher if I listened to it and so I snapped this up and started listening.

I really liked the setting, the characters were nice and the mystery was good.  The main character was very likable and I enjoyed her chatter and observations.  The narrator had a nice voice so that helped too.  I didn't really put things together until the end although I had my suspicions of who the murderer was.  It was a nice easy plot to follow even though there were a few too many characters to keep track of at times (Shannon's friends).

All in all I really enjoyed this one and already used an Audible credit and got the second book in the series.  This was a great cozy and I am looking forward to see what happens next and get to know the other characters and the location better.  Although I could do without the really bad Scottish accent and the cliche character it belongs to I am really excited about listening to more of this series.