Helpful Score: 1
Dead as a Door Knocker takes readers to Nashville, Tennessee where Whitney Whitaker lives in the tiny guesthouse on her parent's property with her adorable cat, Sawdust. She puts her business degree to work at managing properties for clients of Hearth & Home Reality and keeps her construction skills sharp working part-time for Whitaker Woodworking. Whitney is hoping to start selling real estate once she obtains her license. Whitney is a smart, interesting and spunky woman. When Rick Dunaway offers to sell a home to Whitney at a good price, she jumps at the chance. She knows it is a good investment, but Whitney cannot afford it on her own. Thus, enters her cousin, Buck Whitaker. Whitney should have known that Rick had an ulterior motive. When Rick turns up dead in the flower bed and Whitney is without an alibi, the new homicide detective believes he has a slam dunk case. But Whitney is not going down without a fight. I like how Whitney with the aid of Buck and her friend, Colette nose around for information. The mystery is multifaceted. There are a couple of potential suspects and good clues to help readers identify the guilty party. I enjoy Diane Kelly's writing style. I was drawn into the story and I kept reading until I finished it. We get to know Whitney along with her family and her best friend. I am happy that the author took the time to establish our main character. I especially enjoyed the chapters written from Sawdust's perspective. They are entertaining. I found myself laughing as Sawdust described the âdemonâ that zips around the floor (robot vacuum cleaner). Dead as a Door Knocker is a good start to A House Flipper Mystery series (4 out of 5 stars). Dead as a Door Knocker has relatable characters, home renovations, a caring family, good food, a dead body and an adorable cat.
I loved this book.
Pamela C. (pj-s-bookcorner) reviewed Dead as a Door Knocker (House Flipper, Bk 1) on + 885 more book reviews
Looking forward to the next in the series. When Whitney buys a house to renovate & flip, little did she know that she'd find the former owner's body in her flower bed and become one of the prime suspects in his death.
Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Dead as a Door Knocker is the debut of the House-Flipper Mystery series set in Nashville and featuring Whitney Whitaker, property manager, realtor trainee and house flipper. The worst part of Whitney's job as a property manager is evictions and she's got her hands full with the three rowdy college students months behind in their rent.
Property owner Rick Dunaway is well known as a cheapskate when it comes to repairs and this time after surveying the damage left behind by the boys he offers to sell the house to Whitney just to get it out of his extensive property portfolio. Whitney who works part time doing carpentry work with her cousins Buck and Owen, desperately wants the house thinking it would be a great flip, so she reaches out to Buck for help securing a mortgage.
With the sale finalized and the renovations underway, Whitney and Buck are soon faced with random acts of vandalism from egging to arson. Convinced that the damage is the work of one disgruntled student, Whitney is shocked when her cat, Sawdust digs up the dead body in the front garden.
Detective Collin Flynn is convinced that Whitney is the killer and she sets out with the help of her cousins and best friend, Colette to unearth the real murderer. Plenty of suspects include the college students, the neighbors on both sides, and the victim's employees and business partner.
A quick, fast paced plot with a spunky heroine and supporting characters. The author pens enough twists and turns that the final reveal feels like a hammer blow to the head. The main story line is broken up with chapters narrated by Sawdust. A refreshing family dynamic and a hint of romance will leave readers looking for the next in the series.
Property owner Rick Dunaway is well known as a cheapskate when it comes to repairs and this time after surveying the damage left behind by the boys he offers to sell the house to Whitney just to get it out of his extensive property portfolio. Whitney who works part time doing carpentry work with her cousins Buck and Owen, desperately wants the house thinking it would be a great flip, so she reaches out to Buck for help securing a mortgage.
With the sale finalized and the renovations underway, Whitney and Buck are soon faced with random acts of vandalism from egging to arson. Convinced that the damage is the work of one disgruntled student, Whitney is shocked when her cat, Sawdust digs up the dead body in the front garden.
Detective Collin Flynn is convinced that Whitney is the killer and she sets out with the help of her cousins and best friend, Colette to unearth the real murderer. Plenty of suspects include the college students, the neighbors on both sides, and the victim's employees and business partner.
A quick, fast paced plot with a spunky heroine and supporting characters. The author pens enough twists and turns that the final reveal feels like a hammer blow to the head. The main story line is broken up with chapters narrated by Sawdust. A refreshing family dynamic and a hint of romance will leave readers looking for the next in the series.
