This is the 3rd installment in the Jazzi Zanders mystery series. Jazzi is a house flipper with her cousin Jerod and her fiancé Ansel. While on their current job they make arrangements with Darby a cement contractor to get cement for the foundation. Darby asks to look around as he is thinking of flipping houses during the offseason. While inside Thane (Jazzi’s sister’s boyfriend) who is providing as estimate on a new furnace and Darby have a run-in and almost come to blows. The next day when Darby doesn’t show to deliver gravel they call his company and someone else comes to deliver it only Darby is dead in the gravel and Thane is a suspect. Detective Gaff arrives and begins to work the case. I will say I am always a little surprised how he brings Jazzi along as he questions suspects and works the case. I imagine this is highly unlikely in real life but they have a great relationship. Darby was the father of Thane’s best friend Walker and he vanished a couple years earlier with his mother. He always wondered if Darby had done something to hurt them. There are plenty of suspects as Darby was not a well-liked guy and seemed to be downright mean to everyone. Jazzi is also getting ready for her upcoming wedding which is going to be in their home. I do enjoy this series and all the relationships with family and friends so I just go along with Gaff and Jazzi working the case as if this is normal. Looks like one of Ansel’s brothers might be coming to town as that was hinted at the wedding. Likeable characters and I will continue to follow this series. Recommend.

The Body in the Gravel
Author: Judi Lynn
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: September 24, 2019
4 Stars

Jazzi Zanders, along with her fiancé Ansel and her cousin Jared have taken on their biggest house flipping project to date. It’s a huge project for them that encompasses an incredible amount of work both inside and outside the house. One of the outside projects involves some cement work. They hire a man called Darby, whom they have worked with since they first started their business, to do the work. While waiting for Darby to show up to pour some concrete for a corner of the foundation of the house, a friend of theirs, Thane, shows up to take a look at the furnace in the house. Darby shows up shortly after to pour the concrete. After his job is done, Darby walks into the house, and the next thing the trio hears are loud voices coming from the basement. Darcy and Thane are going at each other. It seems that Thane believes that Darby had killed his wife, Rose, and his son, Walker, who happens to have been Thane’s best friend. Darby storms off and says not to call him back if Thane is going to be there.

One of their next projects is the driveway. It needs to be ripped up, a new layer of gravel laid, and then new concrete. The flippers call on Darby again who agrees to help. Darby never shows up with the gravel though. Jazzi calls him, but instead reaches one of his employees, Earl, who says that Darby hasn’t been in all day. Earl said their gravel was already loaded, and he would come out to deliver it. Once Earl stars dumping the gravel though, a body falls out. The four onlookers see that the body is Darby’s. Jazzi calls her detective friend, Gaff, to check things out. Thane becomes Gaff’s first suspect because of the argument the two had. Jazzi knows that Thane is not guilty and decides to help clear his name. As the investigation continues, it becomes apparent that Darby was a very mean spirited old man, who upset a lot of people, and the suspect list grows and grows. Jazzi doesn’t want to believe that most of the people on the list could be capable of murder so she continues to help Gaff.

I love, love, love this series! The mysteries in all three books have been spectacular! They are each fun, unique, and great whodunnits. The characters are all so well written, that like Jazzi you become fond of so many of them that you don’t want to believe they are capable of murder.

Like I said in my review of the previous book, The Body in the Wetlands, Jazzi is a great character who is the total package. In addition to cooking large family meals, spending time with her fiancé, and helping to solve a murder, Jazzi is taking on her largest flipping project to date. On top of that, she and Ansel are taking on their own biggest personal project, their wedding. They are doing all their own planning and most of the prepping for the wedding. It is a huge undertaking! To make the process even more stressful, Ansel’s family has shown interest in coming to the wedding. Will Jazzi be able to pull the wedding off while being pulled in so many other directions?

I also really enjoy the working relationship between Gaff and Jazzi in this cozy mystery. I think it is a very unique law enforcement/civilian relationship. Gaff has a lot of respect for Jazzi, and has really grown to depend on her. She is sort of become his people liaison. In turn, Jazzi has a lot of respect for Gaff both as a detective and as a family man.

This book could easily be read as a stand alone story because the author does a great job of catching the reader up. However, why would you want to do that to yourself, when there are two other great books out there? Grab the first book, your favorite beverage, cuddle up, and dig in. Then work your way through all three books. You won’t be disappointed!

I’m super excited that there is already a fourth book, The Body in the Apartment, in the works. It has a projected release date of March 17, 2020.

Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #TheBodyInTheGravel #KensingtonBooks

When the gravel for a driveway is poured and reveals the corpse of the man who was supposed to be making the delivery, house flipper Jazzi Zanders finds herself plunged into another murder investigation. Darby's wife and son vanished years ago and although bodies were never found, some people believe that he did more than just drive them off with his awful behavior. Plenty of people might have wanted him dead and now he is.



I picked this one up thinking it was the second book in the series, but it's actually the third. The romance that I enjoyed in the first book has progressed into a happy relationship, although Jazzi almost can't be bothered to pick out a wedding dress. I'm glad they're happy and that the author isn't playing around with jealousy and misunderstandings.



The mystery is interesting. I found myself caring about the people involved and wanting to find out what had actually happened. Jazzi accompanies a police detective on his interviews and never really does any investigating on her own. And there is so much food! Every meal is planned, and shopped for, and cooked, and eaten. I'll be watching for the next book so I can spend more time with Jazzi and Ansel and their family and friends.

In this, the third mystery for Jazzi, and her partners Ansel and Jerod in house flipping, wedding bells are getting ready to ring for her and Ansel Only days away and she still hasn't picked out a wedding dress. Work on flipping a large house is, at this point, more important and they have hit a snag. There are lots of things Jazzi, Ansel and Jerod can do to rehab a house but when they find that the furnace, foundation and gravel driveway need work they hire Darby to do the gravel work. He's a real piece of work and is a no show. The company sends another truck and more than gravel spills out. Darby's corpse is an unexpected part of the load. If that wasn't bad enough, it turns out that their friend Thane, who helps on the projects, has a rocky history with Darby and that leads the police to place him in first place on the list of suspects. Knowing that Thane couldn't possibly be the killer, Jazzi again joins with Det. Gaff to investigate. (As this is fiction, I don't mind that a police detective would so willingly allow a civilian to work a case with him.) Soon they find that Darby really ticked off a long list of people and there are a slew of suspects to investigate.
Along with giving the reader a good puzzle to unravel, the core characters of her family and friends is very well written. For example, in a previous book, when Jazzi is trying to decide on the layout of the dining area, she reaches her decision by focusing on her family and their weekly meals together. It's the heart of the house and must be able to welcome all who come to share a meal. This series has a big heart at its center - her family and friends anchor her and I like the romance that has led to her wedding. So many cozy mysteries keep the romance simmering so long I want to tell them to get moving already. Plus there is a sweet dog. Yes, this series has it all and I know I will keep them with pleasure.

Fun, House Flipper Cozy Mystery
This book is the third in a series. Each book can stand alone, but the reader will enjoy it more by reading them in order. This cozy mystery involves a group of close friends/family that buy and rehab houses for profit (house flipping). I enjoy these books because I did that for 12 years. The mysteries are cozy but not predictable. This author is wonderful in making the story come alive and making the reader work their brains for the solution. I have yet to determine the culprit before the reveal in any of her books. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

The Body in the Gravel by Judi Lynn is the 3rd book in the Jazzi Zanders mystery series, and another great addition. I found this book to be very interesting and enjoyable. Jazzi Zanders , her boyfriend Ansel, and her cousin Jerod buy houses together and flip them. When the cement layer, Darby, is a no show at the latest remodel, the company finally sends a different driver. While laying out the gravel, Darby's body is found in the gravel. Jazzi is determined to find out what really happened. This book has a bit of everything, humor, mystery, romance, and great characters. I look forward to the next book in the series, and I highly recommend this book, and the whole series.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

This is a great story about families and friends. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I wish I had the talent to fix up houses. I think that would be so much fun. George is one spoiled dog. I loved it! Good thing he isn’t a huge dog. Cats expressions can be just as described in this book. So funny! I loved getting to know Jazzi, Ansel, and company. I hope I can hang out with them again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

The Body In The Gravel is the third book in the third book in The Jazzi Sanders Mystery series.

Jazzie and her cousin, Jerrod, and her fiance Ansel are busy working on their next fixer-upper hoping to get all the outside work done before cold weather sets in. They are waiting for Darby, their cantankerous concrete and gravel man to deliver a load of gravel for the driveway. When the call Darby’s office to see where he is, Earl, one of his drivers, says he never showed up for work. Earl says that the truck is loaded and he will be right over. As he begins to dump the load the body of Darby fall to the on to the gravel. As Detective Gaff is investigating the scene, Thane, Jazzie’s Heating and A/C contractor arrives and comments “now I will never know what happened to Rose and Walker”. They are Darby wife and son who had disappeared one night around a decade ago and Thane quickly becomes the prime suspect. As the investigation goes on more suspects are added to the list and Gaff asks Jazzi for her help in sifting through the possible suspects. Darby’s three drivers have all had run-ins with their boss, a couple of drinking buddies and even the lady that he had dated also has to be ruled out, also are added to the list.

Also on Jazzi plate is her upcoming wedding to Ansel and her sister and mother are about to kidnap her to take her shopping for a wedding dress.

I really like this series, I would never attempt to do what Jazzi work entails, but I certainly enjoy reading about what it takes to make-over a home. The story is well-written and plotted. It has plenty of red herrings that kept we guessing till the end. There is a wonderful cast of character that I would love to call my friends.

Delicious sounding recipes are also included in the book.

I definitely will be watching for the next book in this enjoyable series.

This is the third book in the Jazzi Zanders Mystery series. Jazzi and Ansel are preparing for their wedding. They along with cousin Jerrod are working on a fixer upper house with the most problems they have ever faced. When they are ready to fix the driveway they ask Darby for a load of gravel. It doesn’t arrive when expected and one of Darby’s other Driver’s brings it to the house. When it is dumped Darby tumbles out.
So the investigation with Gaff begins. Gaff takes Jazzi with him to talk with suspects or people that knew Darby. Even after reading the first two books, I still don’t really get Gaff taking Jazzi with him. This is a big town. There have to be plenty of police and why doesn’t Gaff have a partner? I know it works with the author’s story but it strikes me as strange every time.
The story went on for quite a while without any real direction as to who killed Darby. The murderer was certainly a cool customer when it come to interacting with the police.
I really like that the book ends with Jazzi and Ansel’s wedding. I like that the series isn’t just about the murders but about the characters lives and that important parts like the wedding aren’t left out.

This is the 3rd Jazzy Sanders mystery. I have read the previous books in the series and found them delightful. I highly recommend this series.
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

In this next in series our intrepid savvy protagonist Jazzie is busy on a huge project with her recent house purchase she jointly bought with her fiance Ansel and cousin Jerod, The three hope to fix it up to flip the house which is Jazzie's business. The house is a nightmare and Jazzie soon finds not only is it sinking but it needs a new foundation. Against her better judgement she hires a man with a bad reputation of being a suspect in his wife and child's disappearance as well as being a flake on the job. She hears him get into arguments with others on the job and when his body is found she knows she has to find out what happened to him and who is responsible. She also wants to solve the mystery of his missing family once and for all. Jazzie cannot help but to get involved even when warned off of the case. Jazzie is determined to help Detective Gaff find the murderer. They have worked several cases together in the past so he welcomes her to tag along to interview suspects as she has a way to get people to open up to her. often using food to entice people. Soon suspects abound and Jazzie has her hands full planning her wedding and trying to solve the murder.

I like all the different elements of the sleuth that were surprising to the end. Jazzie wears a lot of hats in this next book and I like that she is in forward motion with a fast pace to solve the murder and plan her wedding. This is a enjoyable series that I will continue to read.

House-flipper Jazzi is back for the third book in the Jazzi Zanders Mystery series by Judi Lynn. Jazzi, her fiancé Ansel, and her cousin Jerod have a new project with a big home that requires a lot of work. One of their first tasks involves repairing the cement foundation and redoing the driveway. They contract with Darby, a cantankerous old man, for the cement work. When Darby turns up dead, Jazzi is on the case to find the killer.

I've read the previous two books in this series and recommend reading them in order: 1) The Body in the Attic, 2) The Body in the Wetlands. That said, they can be read out of order. The personal stories are continued, but the mystery is standalone for each book.

For me, this series is an okay cozy read. The writing is a bit clunky and I sometimes shake my head with the characters dialogue and actions. Still, I find it entertaining. My biggest fault with this series is how the detective on the case always involves Jazzi and asks for her help in solving the case. It's a fictional story though, so I can gloss over that absurdity and enjoy the mystery. Mainly, I enjoy cozy mysteries with house flipper protagonists, so I'll keep reading this series.

A light, cozy mystery. Likable characters and a decent mystery.

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

The Body in the Gravel is the third in the series but it was the first one I have read. I was able to get up to date quickly.
Jazzi , Ansel, and Jerod are tackling a three story remodel and that includes the driveway. When the load of gravel is delivered, the body of the owner of the trucking company, Darby, is also dumped in the driveway. This opens the door to discovering a side of Darby they didn't know.
Jazzi is drawn into the investigation with the police. With so many suspects and then a second murder, Jazzi is running around and running into walls. Not only is she doing a house flip, she is also planning her wedding.
I enjoyed this story and if you love pets and/or cooking, you will enjoy it too!
There are great characters and a great setting. As I said before, plenty of suspects and twists and turns. You also see her love of family and friends. There is also a realistic view of "not so happy" families.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley and Kensington Books and have given my honest review.

Even if I was happy to meet again the quirky cast of characters this is not the best novel in this series.
I find it slow paced and it somehow failed to keep my attention.
Hope the next instalment will be better.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Thank you netgalley for the early copy of The Body in the Gravel.

Jazzi Zanders and her crew of house flippers return in the third installment of the mystery series. She and her fiancee, Ansel and cousin, Jerod are hard at work on their new house flip. When one of their contractors turns up dead on the job site Jazzi goes to work trying to solve his murder. She is also finishing plans for their wedding in a few days and hosting family meals in meantime.

This is the second Jazzi Zanders mystery I have read and I enjoy the light hearted mystery centered around a close knit family and good food. The concept that they are house flippers is fun. These are stand alone books and a light enjoyable read.

Jazzi, Jerod, and Ansel know that house flipping can unearth all sorts of problems- and bodies- but this time out they thought they would be ok. Yes the house had problems but it looked like cement can fix it. Sure, maybe it can, but then Darby, the pretty rotten guy they hired is found dead and well, all bets are off. It's pretty unrealistic that Detective Gaff allows Jazzi to come along and involves her in the investigation but that's what happens here. Once you get past that (if it's a problem for you), you'll find they actually make a good pair. Jazzi and Ansel have a little more ahem of a relationship than you usually find in cozies but it never wanders into the steamy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read for cozy fans (and fans of house flipping) and it would be fine as a standalone.

Compared to some others in this series I didn’t find this as quickly moving and tightly written. I enjoy the different people in the group and think the addition of ansel’s brother in future novels will be an added bonus. When things start moving near the end it winds up very well

A House Flipping Mystery
Jazzie Flanders, her cousin Jerod and fiance Ansel run a renovation business flipping houses. Hard at work on their latest, the driveway gravel comes with a surprise...the owner of the business bringing the delivery...dead in the gravel dumped from the truck.
Ms. Lynn's well written tale brings out plenty of suspects and motives, for the man is not well liked ...by anyone.
Anton is sure one suspect the man's estranged son didn't do it, but did his mother's new husband, an angry employee, cheated friend? There are many suspects with as many reasons. Jazzie aids the Detective Gaff in his suspect interviews.
Colorful descriptions of places and people make this an interesting, quickly moving tale. Her characters are multi-faceted in this engrossing cozy.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse.

I have read the first two books, titled The Body in the Attic and The Body in the Wetlands, so knew what to expect from her third Jazzi Zanders' book in the series. Thus, I was not surprised by The Body in the Gravel, but I was disappointed. There are times when formulaic writing works, and there are times when it quickly gets boring. The Body in the Gravel did not prove the exception to boring. Jazzi and her fiance, Ansel, are flipping another house with her cousin. Of course, Jazzi discovers another body. Yes, in the gravel! Luckily, there is always time for her to accompany Detective Gaff on his visits to the various suspects, because... well, just because. I still do not understand why any detective would allow a civilian along for interviews. One would think that at some point a suspect would not agree to discussing personal business in front of a stranger, or even an acquaintance. Even more annoying is the constant reference to Ansel as "her viking" or "the Norseman". Initially, Jazzi refers to Ansel as her viking, but concedes that her cousin, Jerrod, and sister's boyfriend, Thane, refers to him as the Norseman. Really? Thus, the reader has to endure both endearments for the remainder of the book. I only need to read it once, twice, perhaps thrice, before it becomes tiresome. The non-sexual sex is also tedious, but that tedium is exceeded by the constant references to George, the pug, and carrying him everywhere. Pet peeve alert! I have four dogs, and it would never occur to me to carry any of them, unless one of them was hurt, or I was attempting to get them into a car for a visit to the vet. Dogs need exercise. Carrying a dog is not healthy for the animal. End pet peeve. I enjoyed the first book; the second book a little less; but the third book is the end for me. I think that this could be a fun series, but these various fictional formulas seem indulgent, rather than a good way to propel forward the series. I did order it for my library as I already had the first two, but will probably skip the fourth, unless there is a serious change in the series. Thank you to Net Galley for a free copy.

This is an interesting cozy mystery. Lots of home repair and food preparation in addition to the murder. It kept me guessing. Unusual family dynamics.

Jazzi, her fiance Ansel and her cousin Jerod have bought a house to fix up and sell. When the gravel for the driveway is delivered it comes with a body. The victim is not popular and there are no end of suspects.

The pace of the story is good and there are some interesting characters. My only complaint is the constant references to Jazzi and Ansel going to bed, although not explicit it seems unecessary in a cosy.