Dead As A Door Knocker
House-Flipper Mystery, Book #1
Diane Kelly
5 Stars

Synopsis:

The first in a brand-new cozy series from Diane Kelly set in Nashville—where the real estate market is to die for.

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 property forecloses and Whitney loses her investment. . .and maybe her own life. (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Whitney is a strong smart woman and she is very talented in carpentry. So when the opportunity to buy a house and flip it presents itself, she jumps at the chance. Her cousin Buck helps her and together they go into the house-flipping business. There was a lot of action contained within the pages of the book. I would have been discouraged by the mishaps that befall the house, but Whitney did not give up. I enjoyed getting to know Whitney and Buck and I enjoyed their relationship, with its bickering and banter. I also enjoyed getting to know, Collette, Whitney’s friend. She may be a love interest for Buck, we will have to wait and see. And Whitney’s cat, Sawdust, is adorable and adds to the story.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick, easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching the house come to life. I really enjoyed reading the chapters that were written from Sawdust’s point of view. I thought that was really clever and added humor to the book.

The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. With twists and turns and a few red herrings thrown in, it was not an easy one to solve.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book, when it is published.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Howdy, howdy!  Since I missed last month's book review, I figured I would go ahead and do it this week.  After all, I'm only a week late.  That's not too bad, right?  For January, I picked up an advanced reader copy (ARC) of the first book in a new cozy mystery series.  Dead as a Door Knocker is the the first book in Diane Kelly's House Flipper Mysteries.  As usual, I must thank NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.  Now, we might as well get to the review!

Dead as a Door Knocker introduces us to Whitney Whitaker, a 28-year-old who enjoys helping her cousins remodel houses and harbors dreams of becoming a real estate guru.  She lives with her parents and her cat, Sawdust, in Nashville and works at a small mom-and-pop property management firm.  When the firm's biggest client offers her a deal on a property that's too good to be true, she jumps on it.  However, the guy is murdered on the site and everything goes haywire from there.

I'm just going to come out and say it: I didn't like this book.  The story was the same as every other cozy, which could have been fine.  Combine it with the fact that the main character is extremely unlikable and not even the parts from the cat's point of view could save it.  Why is Whitney unlikable?  First off, she's 28 and acts like she's 15.  If she doesn't get her way, she pouts or throws a fit.  Second, she's a bully.  She runs around questioning people like she's a cop or something, ambushing people and even forcing her foot in doorways so people can't close the door, then has the gall the get upset when she gets a glass of iced tea thrown in her face.  I had zero respect for her.

The background characters were flat and only served to enable Whitney's antics.  She dragged her cousin and her best friend around as bodyguards, neither of whom ever bothered pointing out when she was crossing boundaries.  The detective let her go based on weak arguments and tantrums.  I get that it's a story and all, but it still needs to be believable.  None of these characters came across as actual people, especially the police.

As far as the writing goes, it was a tight, quick read.  Every other sentence seemed like a well-worn cliché or at least a play on one.  If the author was aiming to make Whitney sound like a 15-year-old, she was spot on.  But don't go into it hoping for the 28-year-old we're supposed to be getting.

Ultimately, I was super disappointed in this story.  I just couldn't get past the characters.  It's not a series I'll be following.

Overall, I gave Dead as a Door Knocker one star out of five.  Pretty sure this is a first for me.  I honestly feel bad.  I really wanted to like it, but nope.  If you're okay with childish characters and unrealistic police officers, try it.  Otherwise, you're not missing anything.

This was a very fun cozy read, the start to a fun new series. Whitney is a bit of a Jane of all trades, but her love for working on houses may be winning out. She has the opportunity to flip a great little property, and hopefully make a tidy profit while she is at it. Unfortunately, problems seem to manifest from the moment the paperwork is signed, and the don't stop with a visit from the fire department. Entertaining, a few plot twists, and some well developed characters make this a series to watch.

This is my first book by Diane Kelly and it won't be my last! I was hooked from the start! I enjoyed her writing style and the story was very enjoyable. Just the right amount of mystery and humor. Being a huge animal lover I also enjoyed how she allowed Sawdust a voice! It reminded me of the movie I just saw... A Dog's Way Home!

Right now with House Flipping TV shows being very popular there is definitely an interest! Add a murder and the rest and Diane Kelly's book will definitely be added to many "To Be Read" lists/piles!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

This is the first book in the "House Flipper Mystery Series" by Diane Kelly. This is book is set in exciting Nashville in the real estate market and was pleasing to read from start to finish. This is one of my favorite new series of the year and I look forward to the next in series.. I highly recommend this book for all who enjoy mysteries . The author has all the definitive elements here of a great cozy series.
Our protagonist is Whitney Whitaker who happened into the career of flipping houses as a new hobby and a business. She has a eye for what people want and enjoys the transformation process. As she is working on her first house and staying there overnight with her cat, Sawdust a fire occurs. Then the original owner did not show up for their scheduled meeting but a suspicious package was left on the porch. Other suspicious occurrences happen . When she discovers his body in her garden suspicions are confirmed that nefarious people are trying to force her out and scare her. A weapon is found that she previously used on the house and soon she is the primary suspect. It is up to Whitney to clear her name so she can carry on with her new business .

I loved Sawdust the cat as her companion and sidekick. This author knows cats and the antics of Sawdust are a fun part of this series. Whitney is a fun smart protagonist with a uncanny way of reading people and finding clues. She will prove to be a successful. sleuth in upcoming books.. Her family and friends were all likable and believable. I love the way that they all support her and help her . The sleuth was multi layered and interesting. I was surprised at the ending and enjoyed the trail of clues throughout All in all a successful debut mystery of what I hope is a long and successful series . The addition of the city of Nashville is interesting and fun for a armchair traveler.
Thank you with gratitude for the ARC of this wonderful new series which does not influence my review.

Dead as a Door Knocker is the first book in the House Flipper series. I hope there will be many more.
We meet Whitney and her cat, Sawdust in this entertaining cozy mystery by Diane Kelly. Whitney is working for a Nashville property management firm and has a chance to try her hand at house flipping. She enlists her cousin to partner up with her on the flip.
When the former owner of the house turns up dead in a flower bed on her property, Whitney is thrown into the investigation. First she must clear her name and then find out who is trying to silence her permanently.
It has a great setting, likeable characters, including the nosy neighbor, humor, romance, Sawdust's opinion is included along with plenty of twists and turns to have you guessing until the end.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see what Whitney and Sawdust get into next.
I was given an ARC from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an honest review.

This will be one of my favorite new series this year! Dead as a Door Knocker appeals for many reasons, including the protagonist, Whitney Whitaker. She works at least part time for her uncle doing upgrades and other carpentry work as well as for a realtor overseeing repairs for managed properties. Her sidekick and roommate is Sawdust, the littlest kitten of his litter, who absolutely adores Whitney. The mystery is complex and challenging, and the author’s trademark humor is LOL funny.

Whitney evicts three college guys who stopped paying their rent on a home. She was upset with the damage they left. She couldn’t hide it from the home’s owner, who decided to sell the house. Because he knew Whitney, he would give her a great deal on it. When she heard the price, she knew she and her cousins could do most of the work to enhance its natural beauty and sell it quickly for a good profit. With the loan requirements complete, they begin the work. Because of the costly tools and material they would have in the home, Whit will stay there at night. She packs up a bag and Sawdust, prepared to stay. While relaxing the first evening, the fire alarm goes off, barely allowing her time to find Sawdust and escape wearing her rubber ducky jammies and slippers.

Days later, with the roof replacement underway, Whit works in the yard to put colorful flowers in front. She was to meet the former owner of the home there the prior evening for business yet to be completed, but he never showed. When she finally left that evening, Whit found an envelope with the necessary docs on the porch. The next morning, Sawdust is with her when she works in the garden…and makes a horrifying discovery. Just beneath the surface of the garden lies the dead body of the former owner of the home…and the nosy neighbor pointed the police towards a huge hammer Whit had somehow left outside all night as the likely weapon. What a fine mess this house flip has become!

I love that little Sawdust! The characters, including Sawdust, are very well depicted with loving, hard-working family members and Whitney’s work family, the owners of Home and Hearth. Whit and Buck have clearly been close through the years with their easy banter and how well they work together. I am very impressed by how the author writes about Sawdust, including the chapters dedicated to reflecting his feelings and his true cat-sonality. The “demons” he fears reminds me of the “monsters” my own cats try to escape.

Whit tries to determine who the real killer is, as the detective acts as if she may have done the deed. Whit is certain that her home inspector, Bobby, was involved, as she heard him on the phone with what sounded like his bookie, and he needed fast money. Did the former owner bribe him to keep the faulty wiring out of his report and not get enough? Maybe the owner’s biggest property management competitor is behind it, since he wanted to get his hands on the property. There are several plot twists that shuffle the suspects but simply don’t bring the right person to light. I was stumped, and totally surprised when seeing who the killer really was, and why. It was not someone I had considered at all. The end is satisfying, with all loose ends tied up. I highly recommend this clean, fun cozy to fans of the author and anyone who enjoys cats and property management or construction.

From a grateful heart: I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

This is the first in a delightful new series about Whitney Whitaker and her cat Sawdust. She’s as passionate about good woodworking as she is about fixing up homes. Working for a property management company in Nashville means Whitney must not only tend to repairs and rentals, she must also evict tenants if need be. This book begins with her evicting three college boys who have damaged much of the classic old house they rented. The boys are angry and threaten her as they leave. The owner of said home, Rick Dunaway, is on site to inspect the damage with Whitney and offhandedly says he would sell the home to her at a discount. His main competitor in the real estate development business, Thad Gentry, is overseeing a project at the house next door and had just made an offer on the house.

Whitney works the finances and invites her cousin Buck, also a woodworker, to help her fix and flip this lovely old home. Whitney moves into the home on a temporary basis while the work is completed. On her first night a fire breaks out with dense smoke spreading everywhere. Whitney rescues Sawdust, and the two get out of the house just before the flames engulf part of the roof. The cause of the fire is something the home inspector should have caught. With finances squeezed tight, Whitney asks Rick Dunaway to cover the large deductible the insurance company imposes before reimbursement. He agrees to pay the amount and is to meet Whitney at the house on Friday night to give her a check.

Whitney waits at the house for hours, but Dunaway never shows. However, when Whitney decides to give up on waiting, she discovers a package outside the front door containing the check he’d promised. The next morning she and Sawdust return to the house and decide to brighten things up with flowers in the front beds, after she cleans up the eggs thrown at the front door. As she plants, Sawdust plays in the dirt and uncovers a finger. Then a hand. Whitney is horrified.

The bad news keeps coming, with Whitney doing her best, with Buck’s help, to deal with the murder investigation, and everything that follows. Whitney and Buck investigate with Nashville Police Detective Collin Flynn on the case. It is as if this house is jinxed. I dare not share any more details so as not to spoil another reader’s fun in jumping from paragraph to page to chapter to see what happens next!

The story was delightful, delivered with suspense and humor and a big dose of catnip. The mysteries were real with several suspects and a side story that fed the main plot. Solutions twisted and turned around each other until the real culprit was revealed. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I look forward to the next in the series.

After writing a couple of long mystery series (the Death and Taxes series and Paw Enforcement series) here we are introduced to Whitney Whitaker and her first attempt at house flipping. It's off to a very rocky start. She lives in the converted pool house in her parent's back yard, sharing the tiny abode with her cat, Sawdust. Living there and keeping an eye on her parent's house and dog when they travel counts as rent and allows her to sock away most of her earnings for her dream of entering the real estate market. For now she divides her time between working as a carpenter with her cousins and acting as a property manager for a small mom and pop business. All is going well and Whitney is looking forward to taking her real estate exam and possibly becoming an agent. Fate has other plans and makes them known when she has to evict a group of really nasty tenants - college kids who trash the house, upset the neighbors, are known to the police and one of them threatens her. Out they go and she turns her attention to repairing the vast damage they have done. Those floors were refinished by her own hands and now they are a mess. When the owner makes her an offer to buy the house, at a much lower price than its market value, she contacts her cousin and they pool their money to buy the house and flip it. Their joy rapidly turns to horror when, on the first night of home ownership, the house catches on fire with Whitney and Sawdust inside! When the fire inspector tells her that the cause is faulty wiring and the inspector Whitney had hired seems like he is hiding a pretty big secret, well what more can go wrong. The answer is plenty! As this is a murder mystery, a corpse is soon to make an appearance.
The corpse doesn't enter the story until about the 30% point. Don't let that put you off. The pace is not slow or tedious. We get to know Whitney, her family and friends and it takes awhile to set up everything for the corpse to arrive almost on her doorstep. Followed closely by the police who put her on the prime suspect list. As if she and her cousins aren't dealing with enough problems flipping their first house now their new partner is murder.
I liked the human family and friends but I really did get a kick out of the short aside chapters penned by her cat, Sawdust. A nice touch. I hope both of them have a series that runs as long as the previous series by Diane Kelly.

Whitney Whitaker is a property manager with dreams of making it big in real estate. When she gets the chance to buy a property to flip it, she thinks it might be too good to be true. And it is. Especially when a dead body is found buried in the flower bed.

The first book in a new cozy mystery series. Whitney is a likable character. She is single, living in her parent's guest house, and working all the time. She's a hard-worker with good relationships with her family and friends. In addition to her family and friends, Whitney has a cat, Sawdust. The reader gets insights to their relationship, since a few chapters are from Sawdust's point of view.

A cute and entertaining cozy mystery. With this being the first book in a series, a lot of the story is spent getting to know the characters. The murder mystery doesn't get started right away, but when it does, it's clear Whitney needs to investigate on her own to find the killer.

A fantastic start to the House-Flipper mystery series. I look forward to reading more about Whitney in future books.

I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dead as a Door Knocker by Diane Kelly is the 1st book in the House-Flipper Mystery series, and a great start. Whitney Whitaker manages real estate properties and when a trashed home is offered to her cheap, she jumps at the chance to fix it up and flip it. When a dead body is found on the property's front yard, things get complicated. Whitney is determined to find the real killer and not lose her investment. I really enjoyed this book, it has a lot of action and suspects to sort through. I can't wait for the next book in the series. If you love cozy mysteries than I highly recommend this one. Ms. Kelly is no stranger to writing good books.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Whitney and her cat Sawdust are living in the poorhouse on her parents estate, with Whitney working as a property manager for a real estate company and moonlighting for her cousin's contracting crew. When one of the properties she manages is offered for sale to her a deep discount, Whitney enlists her cousin Buck to partner with her and dip their toe into the flipping business. Almost immediately everything that can go wrong does--and in a big way. When it culminates in Whitney finding a body in the flower bed, she and her crew of friends must find out who the real murderer is--so that Whit doesn't go down for the crime.
This was my first book by Diane Kelly, and I was very happy with it. I picked it up planning to read a few chapters before bed and ended up staying up to finish it. I loved that there were little bits from Sawdust the cat interspersed throughout--that was really cute. If I had one complaint, it was that I don't know of any homicide detective that would talk so openly about an ongoing investigation with any civilian, much less a person of interest-- but as it's fiction, I'm letting that go. Overall, I really enjoyed this and can't wait for the nest in this series.

This was a fun read. It was quick and light. I enjoyed it and look forward to more in this series. I would recommend it to others.

The first in a delightful new cozy mystery series by Diane Kelly Dead as a Door Knocker is a total winner with terrific characters and a cute as can be cat named Sawdust. I like that Whitney Whitaker is a woman in a male dominated field who holds her own and is comfortable in her own skin. I truly enjoyed this and look forward to future installments.

Dead as a Door Knocker by Diane Kelly
Book #1: House-Flipper Mystery Series
Source: NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Whitney Whitaker leads a charmed life! She has a tiny, totally suited to her pool house she shares with her cat, Sawdust; she is on the verge of becoming a proper real estate agent, and she loves her jobs working as a property manager and skilled carpenter. Just when she thinks her life can’t get any better, Whitney gets an offer she just can’t refuse. With the help of her cousin, Whitney buys a gorgeous home for a song that she and her cousin can repair, upgrade, and flip for a healthy profit. Yeah, life is going along quite nicely for Whitney Whitaker.

Right up to the moment it’s not . . . .

Within 24 hours of buying the to-be-flipped house, Whitney and Sawdust find themselves in the middle of a fire and struggling to get out. The very next morning, the fire investigator informs Whitney the fire started thanks to super-old wiring which absolutely cannot be true since her trusted inspector cleared the house in order for her to buy it. As if all that weren’t enough, within the next week, the man Whitney bought the house from is found dead just out front in her flower bed. Oh, and he was killed with one of her tools. Yeah, life is suddenly not going quite as nicely for Whitney Whitaker.

Though Whitney is generally a cat kind of girl, her questions related to the fire and murder have turned her into a bit of a dog with a bone. She and her cat’s life have been threatened, she’s been arrested and questioned, the house she’s trying to flip is costing her more money with every passing day, and she’s got no idea who’s trying to ruin her life. What Whitney does have is a dogged determination to find the truth which leads her to asking questions, poking around where she shouldn’t be, and generally putting herself into harm’s way in order to clear her name and save her burgeoning career. Unfortunately, there is one person out there who has a vested interest in Whitney not uncovering the truth and is willing to go to extraordinary lengths to ensure no one finds out the truth.

The Bottom Line: I was absolutely, totally and completely sold on this book by chapter two; chapter two is the first of Sawdust the cat’s chapters and I adore any book that gives an animal his/her own voice! But I digress . . . . overall, I found Whitney and her crazy life to be quite charming, her cat to be utterly adorable and necessary, and her family and friends to be integral to her success. With that being said, all of those elements are going to need to be present in each book to recreate the same kind of magic that came together in this book. In truth, I don’t think that’s going to be problem as the author has clearly struck on a combination that should keep the series going for a good long while.

Nice read, but a bit slow paced for my taste.
The main character is given an opportunity to buy a house that could be flipped and get a great profit.
What will be a nice fast project, will become a nightmare with more inconveniences than benefits.
When a murder occurs, she will land herself as main person of interest and will try to clear her name by finding out who did it.

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. 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 mortgaged property forecloses and Whitney loses her investment and maybe her own life.

--

Series: A House Flipper Mystery - Book 1
Author: Diane Kelly
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Business
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

The first book in this series from author Diane Kelly, Dead as a Door Knocker is an exciting debut. The characters feel like old friends and get into situations that make the reader smile and at times outright laugh. St. Martin’s has a winner on its hands. Ms. Kelly has been writing two other series and is the award-winning author of the Tara Holloway and Paw Enforcement series.

Whitney loves home renovation, she isn’t a girlie girl, and never was. When other girls wanted to play princess, she wanted to build something. She will pick up a hammer before she will a lipstick. Branching out into the home renovation business could be lucrative, and with her cousin, Buck helping it shouldn’t take long to turn a profit. But everything goes wrong right from the start. Fire, vandalism, and murder.

The characters in this first book have plenty of personality. Whitney’s cousin Buck has pluck and comes to her defense whenever necessary. Whitney’s charming employers are loving, kind and willing to help Whitney when they can even if it costs them business. The star of this book beside Whitney is her cat Sawdust. He is a lovable little furball, the chapter headings of Sawdust’s thoughts are worth the read alone.

The setting of this book in Kentucky brings to mind cool walks on quiet dirt roads along with the sounds of birds and cicada’s on hot summer days; winters may not get a lot of snow and ice, but it will still have you longing for a warm fire and hot cocoa.

The murderer is not necessarily a surprise. However, the unraveling of the clues takes a bit of thinking, as all good mysteries should. Dead as a Door Knocker is the delightful combination of fun and mystery that cozy writers strive for in their books. It is entertaining, fast-paced and well written. The plot stays true, and the twists and turns keep readers turning the page. I look forward to reading more books in this series and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a fun-filled who-done-it.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Whitney Whitaker arrives at the property she manages to evict three college age men for nonpayment of rent. They have done damage to the house and to her amazement they leave, but not without making threatening comments. When she contacts the owner of the property, he makes her an amazing offer to sell her the house, at a discount, for her to repair and flip the home. Whitney is excited about the offer and arranges, with help, to finance the purchase. She stays in the home to safeguard her equipment and things start to go wrong. Was her professional home inspector honest with her? Did the owner deceive her about the condition of the house? All this will not matter when her cat, Sawdust, finds a dead body in the flower bed. Detective Colin Flynn will arrive to investigate as to who would have wanted the man dead. This is the first in a new series by Diane Kelly who is known for her “Tara Holloway” and “Paw Enforcement” series. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is humorous, fun, and entertaining! Written to keep the reader interested from front to back. House flipping, dead bodies and cat "detectives". Whitney is your average girl next door with unusual interests. Enjoy! 📚

Really fun read. I liked that there were some chapters thrown in from the pets point of view. That was alot of fun and something different. Good mystery. Ending was a surprise. Great book!