small-business, family-dynamics, friendship, amateur-sleuth, Indiana, cozy-mystery, murder, greed, small-town

I think it's nice to see small town detectives utilizing select female civilians on a case because it would ease the ones being questioned as well as protect the department from certain kinds of lawsuits. Too bad that's probably not a reality (what do I know, I live in a suburb).
Anyway, this is a great cozy involving newly married Jazzi, her extended family, her husband's brothers, and numerous friends. Even though I had read the first in series, I was glad that there is lots of references so I didn't feel left behind. Great characters, plenty of plot twists, red herrings, and misdirection plus there is a wedding coming up soon and lots of cooking and baking. Excellent read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

The Body in the Apartment by Judi Lynn
Book #4: Jazzi Zanders Mystery Series
Source: NetGalley and Lyrical Press
Rating: 4½/5 stars

If Jazzy Zanders believed in such things, she may start to believe she’s something of a divining rod for dead bodies. Yet again, through no fault of her own, Jazzy has stumbled upon a dead body and the good Detective Gaff has called on Jazzy to help sort out the crime.

Unfortunately, this particular crime is hitting disturbingly close to home as Jazzy’s brother-in-law, Bain is suspect number one of Detective Gaff’s list. Bain’s bad attitude certainly doesn’t help his case and with no option to leave town, he’s forced to stay with Jazzy and Ansel until he can be cleared of the crime. To complicate the mystery, homes all over town are being broken into and ransacked with nothing taken but a sense of security. Though both Jazzy and Gaff can’t see the immediate connection between the murder and the break-ins, they know there has to be one.

With each new break-in, Jazzy and Ansel’s life becomes a bit fuller. Bain has moved in temporarily, Radley is over often with his new romantic interest, and family friend Walker has also developed a crush who has become a permanent fixture at Sunday dinners. Though murder shouldn’t have a happy or positive effect, broadening their family and friends’ network sure seems to be a side effect of this particular murder. As it happens the broadening of the circle helps Jazzy and Gaff piece together the puzzle that has been plaguing their days and nights. Unfortunately, what Jazzy and Gaff discover is a very violent ex-con willing to go to any lengths to get what he wants.

The Bottom Line: One of the hallmarks of a good author is his/her ability to take a beloved series and put it through its paces. That is, cause the characters to evolve, find new and interesting ways to test the characters, have a constant fresh perspective all while never losing the original spirit and essence of said characters. That is absolutely happening with this series and the deeper in I get, the more I am enjoying myself. As with the other books in this series, I liked the plot in this book, but I most enjoyed the broadening of the social circle. Jazzy and Ansel love to help others and to entertain and that is so very evident in their weekly Sunday meals. The Sunday meals are probably my favorite part of these stories as this is where you really see the spirit of love, friendship, acceptance, loyalty, and community shine. Though it sounds bad to say so, I sure hope Jazzy Zanders keeps stumbling over dead bodies 😊

The Body in the Apartment is the fourth installment in the Jazzie Zanders Mystery series.

Jazzie and her husband, Ansel, are helping his brother Radley move out of their home and into his new apartment. But when Ansel and Radley's older brother, Bain, shows up and tries to convince Radley to come back home to work on the family farm, it puts a damper on what should have been a great day. While the men are moving furniture into the apartment, Radley's boss is shot to death with Bain's missing gun and his apartment is ransacked. Told not to leave town by the detective, Jazzie and Ansel have no choice but to let Bain and his grumpy attitude, stay with them until he's eliminated as a suspect.

I found this book to be an enjoyable and relaxing read. The story moves at a good pace, and the cast of characters are fleshed out. Jazzie is likable, intelligent, dedicated to her friends and family and passionate about her job. It was refreshing to see a heroine not putting herself in dangerous situations and is content to let the police handle the investigation. The murder mystery was interesting but had little to no suspense leading up to the reveal, and the culprit was not a surprise. I found it very unrealistic that a detective would take a civilian to question witnesses and that he would be so reliant on her for help. Overall, this is a lighthearted and fun cozy mystery, with delicious-sounding food, heartwarming family relationships, and plenty of romance. I will definitely be reading future installments in this series.

I received an ARC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in the review are completely my own.

Jazzi Zanders and her handsome husband, Ansel, have settled into their new home and are happy to welcome friends and family, but not when it includes Ansel’s obnoxious older brother, Bain.

Bain is in town to persuade his other brother, Radley, to return to the family farm. Radley has no intention of going back to that lifestyle and an argument ensues until Bain slams out of the apartment. Moments later, Radley’s work supervisor is murdered on the next floor and Bain becomes the chief suspect after his gun goes missing from the glovebox of his pickup.

Bain is forced to move in with Jazzi and Ansel while the investigation is under way and drives the newlyweds crazy. Jazzi is determined to figure out who the killer is before she does some murdering of her own- on her brother-in-law!

Jazzi tags along with Detective Gaff as he questions some ex-cons and searches for clues, all while renovating a home and catering a wedding.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was Jazzi’s love of cooking a feeding the people in her life. You can tell she gets great joy from caring for others and is an important underlying theme in the story.

I give The Body in The Apartment 4 lovely kisses- A fun read!

The Body in the Apartment is the fourth installment in the A Jazzi Zanders Mystery series set in River Bluffs, Indiana and featuring house flipper Jazzi Zanders, her husband Ansel and cousin Jerod. The trio is continuing the massive renovation on the three story home they recently purchased to flip, and Ansel's brother Radley, who recently left home to get away from his tyrannical father and brother, has found an apartment and is moving out of Jazzi's home.

Moving day has arrived and with the whole family helping to move Radley into a building where is boss Donovan also resides they are surprised when Ansel's other brother Bain appears demanding that Radley return home to once again work on the family farm. Radley is not going to be bullied by his older brother and after a nasty argument Bain storms away. Minutes later a shot rings out on the second floor and everyone races downstairs to witness Donovan staggering out of his apartment clutching his chest. Donovan passes away at the scene, the murder weapon is a gun belonging to Bain. Despite her ill feelings towards Bain, Jazzi once again teams up with Detective Gaff to track down a killer.

A twisted plot that involves a group of ex cons, the mystery is interwoven with renovation details and the ever growing relationships between families and friends. Dual nuptials, a new baby and the slow melting of a cold heart will leave you looking forward to the next installment in the series. While it still remains a little far fetched that Detective Gaff relies so much on Jazzi, it was a relief that the author has finally stopped making continual reference to Jazzi and Ansel's sex life.

I received an advanced copy of The Body in the Apartment from NetGalley via Lyrical Press. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

Judi Lynn
The body in the apartment.
I really enjoy this series with Jazz and family.
The puzzle is perfect and it has me guessing with a few red herrings and plenty of fun characters..
Love the flipping side of this series.
Many thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for my advance copy for my honest review.
Definitely recommend this book.

I so enjoyed the first two books in this series about Jazzi, Ansel, and Jerrod, who flip houses in their small Indiana hometown. The 3rd book had me feeling a bit less charmed; and the 4th book, The Body in the Apartment, is somewhat annoying to me. I know that many others will summarize the plot, etc., but I am going to simply explain why I am finding this series a bit unbelievable. I know the author is going for a homey environment with friends, and family, interwoven throughout the plot, which I think that she does very well. 1) The idea that a detective would need the assistance of Jazzi to interview witnesses, potential criminals, is somewhat ridiculous. There are moments when I am reading these passages thinking that what if Jazzi comes across someone incredibly dangerous, and there she is with the detective asking questions. Oh wait! She has and does. 2) Why is Ansel always carrying his dog, George, everywhere they go? Surely, they know that an animal who doesn't exercise is not healthy. 3) I was good with the 2 cats until Jazzi mentioned that she declawed them so that they wouldn't scratch anyone. Really? You also removed any defensive measure that they can take against someone/something trying to hurt them. 4) Food is absolutely integral to the series, but sometimes it seems a bit tiresome. 5) Perhaps most annoying to me is the constant use of "my" when describing a spouse/significant other, most especially Jazzi's use of "my Viking, my Norseman, etc. Even the detective's wife is described as "my Ann". Tiresome! If I thought flipping houses was this fun, quick and simple, I would seriously consider it as a career choice. Now, I will write that they are popular in my library; and yes, I will continue to purchase them for our collection. I just wish that they were a bit more realistic. The series is starting to feel a bit like Cabot's Cove with Jessica Fletcher.

Once again a terrific addition to the Jazzie series. One body, then 2, new romances, weddings, character and friends as family. Interesting plot that keeps moving. And if course Grab whose premonitions I love. One of the best pseudo partnerships in Gaf and Jaz. Jaz helps and never jumps into bad situations
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for allowing me this arc

I really enjoyed this book. It's lively action, fast-paced and the characters are for the most part likeable. I liked the blend of the home and family life with the investigating. The characters feel relatable. #TheBodyintheApartment #NetGalley

This one was a little different to the many cosy murder mysteries I've read. The main character, Jazzi, is on the scene when the crime takes place and it is evident she has a great relationship with the detective-in-charge who recognises her skills in getting people to open up. She doesn't try to take the lead but does spend time mulling over possibilities and responding to requests for help whenever she is called on.

There is a lot of stuff included in the book that does not relate to the solving of the initial murder. At first it felt complementary, helping me understand the ensemble cast as there is a lot of detail on the social aspects of Jazzi's life (eg: her penchant for cooking for very large groups and the progress with the work on the house that they are working on to flip). Eventually, I found this a bit much though I am sure other readers will enjoy it.

The plausibility of some of the timelines and storylines was definitely in question at times but I did appreciate the depth of the relationships described and the strong bonds which were evidence of an investment made in caring for and supporting each other despite a range of difficult circumstances.

I didn't really feel a strong tension in the storyline, but it was still very enjoyable.

With thanks to #Netgalley, Kensington Books and the author for my advanced reader copy. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I do identify with Jazzi's issues with Ansel's family, I'd be trying to solve the mystery as soon as possible in her shoes as well. The home renovations are always my favorite part of this house flipping series.

I don't know why I love these books more...the fact they are about a team of house-flippers and that work fascinates me, or the fact that the books are so skillfully written that you never ask yourself "why are these people involved in the investigation?" My biggest pet peeve with cozies is when the main character sticks herself in the middle of an investigation and has no business doing so. That never happens with this series, and I so appreciate that! This was a great mystery with a lot of suspects and several red herrings. I couldn't put this down once I started it. Can't wait for the next one!

Jazzi and her husband are getting ready to move his brother into his own place. Leaving the family farm was difficult to do, but Radley knew it was inevitable.
When his brother Bain tries to convince him to return home, things go into crisis mode when a body is found, killed by a gun owned by Bain.
Jazzi and her husband know Bain didn’t do it, but until they can find another suspect, they are stuck Bain and his sour attitude.

I really enjoy this series, all the characters mesh well with each other and I’m always caught up in the home renovations they are doing.
While this certainly can be read as a stand-alone, you may want to take the time to start at the beginning.

Jazzi and Ansel are helping his brother Radley move into his new apartment. What should be a great day turns sour when the third brother, Bain, shows up and tries to bring Radley home to work on the farm. When Radley refuses to go with his brother, Bain decides to tag along. While the guys help move furniture into the new apartment, Radley’s boss and friend is found murdered in his apartment and it turns out Bain’s gun was used to murder the man. Now Jazzi and Ansel have Bain staying with them, making fur a not so happy home.

As time goes on it seems the murder is tied to a group of ex cons, some who seem to be trying to go straight, but none of which the police can get enough evidence on for the murder. When one of the ex cons is murdered it takes things up another notch. While Jazzi helps the detective to put some people at ease when he speaks with them, she also trying to flip a house and cater a double wedding. Will being a caring and giving person backfire on Jazzi and Ansel and draw the wrath of the murderer before the police can solve the case? It’s a race to the altar and the evidence..

Another solid entry in this flipping cozy mystery series. Just when you think you don’t care for one of the characters the writer shows another side of them and you find yourself rooting for them. Well written and solidly developed characters that keep me coming back for more.