I know, don't judge a book by its cover, but look at the pug! Okay, meet Jazzi, her cousin and her husband, the crew of this book. They are literally digging into renovating a charming house that brings to mind a stately manor. When they do the walk-through they stumble upon a time capsule, a teenager's bedroom with pink bedspread, clothes and journals. A living shrine to a girl no longer around.

They learn that the young girl, Jessica, lost her life during the high school graduation party. The murdered is still at large and a dear friend asks Jazzi. This house-flipper turned investigator must find the killer, before the put the nail in her coffin instead.

different from the other books in the series but I loved it just as much as I have books 2- 5, which this is book 5, can'r get enough of this series and I'm so looking forward to the next one to see what happens next to our favorite characters .

This latest Jazzi mystery has two types of mysteries I tend to like, both a locked room and cold case. When she, her hubby and cousin are getting ready to flip a new purchase, they discover a bedroom of a high school girl that looks virtually untouched, albeit dusty. I liked the peeks into the girls' past with journal entries and all in all, was a really good read!

I have read several books in this series and can't wait to read the others.this one was fast paced and the characters are really likable.

Jazzi Zanders, her cousin Jerod and her husband Ansel buy homes to fix up and flip. Their current project has a locked bedroom with no key. After breaking the door down, they find a room from an young girl's past. After some investigating, Jazzi learns that the girl was murdered during her high school graduation party. The killer was never identified.
I liked the characters. The main story was interesting but there was a lot of filler.

Jazzi Zanders along with her husband Ansel and cousin Jerod are starting on their next flipping project - manor type home in nearby Merlot. During demolition, they have come across a locked room. After breaking in, they find a time capsule, the room has not been open since the 70's when the teenage occupant was murdered at her high school graduation party and it was never solved.

Jazzi finds a hope chest with years of personal journals of the victim, but none of the family want anything to do with the contents. Jazzi can't seem to let Jessica's hopes die without justice and so she sets out to find out who end this young life.

What a great mystery! There were so many variants because of the time lapse since the murder but somehow this reader was completely sucked in.

I really love Jazzi and Ansel and their family dynamics. What a wonderful contrast to the mystery. Looking forward to the next one!

I have enjoyed this house flipper series and this installment was a great addition. It was a light, fast paced read with likeable and realistic characters. The mystery was good and kept me interested and guessing.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jazzi, her husband and cousin are all partners in a property flipping business. When they find a teenage girls room sealed in a property they are working on Jazzi is determined to find the young women and return the journals and other personal property discovered within. When it comes to light that she dies from either a fall or push from her balcony Jazzi is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery,

As she investigates the events surrounding her death at her graduation party numerous secrets come out into the opening. They result in several new murders as well as the return to the area of the dead girls family returning to the area.

Will the crew get to the bottom of the mystery. Will doing so endanger the reconstruction projects they have planned. Zazzi also plans weekly dinners for her extended family and a Halloween party to baptize the game room they just built in the basement,

The characters were relatable and believable. The story is well constructed and flows nicely. I love the inclusion of facts dealing with the theme of the cozy mysteries and Ms. Lynn did not disappoint she has included numerous tips of the reconstruction trade. I recommend this novel which is a stand alone novel. You need not have read any of the previous to follow along. They have limited references to earlier adventures which for me make it easier to concentrate on the story line.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable Halloween themed cozy. I'll also note that this is book 5 in the series and the first that I have read. The book works well as a standalone but, I'm going to go back and read the others. I love house flipper/renovation cozies.. I also enjoyed the characters, they're very likable and I enjoyed the fast paced, smooth storyline. This book has a locked room, a cold case, current murders, secrets, and food, food, food! I'll definitely be looking forward to more in this fun series.

In "The Body from the Past," renovations on a house turn up a locked room that has not been changed in years. Artifacts from that room resurrect a past mystery in which a young woman fell off a balcony; her room is the one that has remained locked and untouched. Home renovators Jazzi and friends become involved in trying to solve this cold case.

I liked the theme of home renovation of "fixer uppers" which seems so popular for TV shows. This was a unique take on a cozy mystery. This book is part of a series, and I had not read the other books in the series. I felt as if I was walking into the middle of a movie, and was bombarded with too many characters to keep track of. It was an entertaining cozy mystery, although it could use some clarification about the characters at the beginning.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Jazzi has discovered bodies in each of the previous books in this series, but this time, it is a cold case. When Jazzi and her team find a bedroom locked in the house they are working on to flip, they get it open to find out that it was the bedroom of a girl who had been murdered several year ago. The family is contacted, but they want none of her belongings. Jazzi can't bring herself to destroy her journals and personal treasures so she takes them home and begins to read them. Jazzi finds out that the man suspected of pushing the young girl off the balcony to her death is an acquaintance. He is still suspected, even though it could not be proven. He asks Jazzi to help him out by investigating for him, of course she can't refuse.

Jazzi is a great protagonist. She has a loving family, is happily married, works hard, is a great cook and loves entertaining. Her team made up of her husband and cousin all get along together and have close relationships. These stories are also about their personal life as well as the mystery. They are light and easy to read. I like that Jazzi doesn't take chances or do anything foolish to figure out what happens. She works with, yes you heard it right, with a police detective, which keeps her safe. There was not showdown or gripping reveal in this story, it was just questioning, talking to people, and a bit of insight from her grandma that led to revealing who was behind the cold case and a more recent death. I will say that I did not enjoy this one as much as the others in this series, but it was a fun, cozy with some Halloween fun thrown in.

This mystery was so so good. I enjoy cold case stories and this one was unusual and exciting. There is no shortage of suspects and motives and it kept me guessing throughout the book. I really really enjoyed this cozy! Definitely one of the best of the series.

In The Body From The Past, what's not to love about renovating a home with your best friend, spouse, with a murder thrown in as the cherry on top? Jazzi and company are at it once more. Finding a beautiful house to renovate that they can afford isn't always easy, but when this house comes on the market, they can't resist. It's big, grand and will be stunning when they are finished. It's a house-flippers dream. Except they weren't expecting the house to hold secrets and a mystery they must solve before completing the project.

Home renovating is one of the favorite subjects in the cozy genre today. Readers love the descriptions of the old houses and the transformations that the main characters perform. Jazzi can't keep herself from investigating an old murder, and even if she could, she wouldn't. Being a house flipper out to make a profit doesn't make her cold and heartless when it comes to helping friends, family, and strangers. Jazzi is an easy to like character, with a cast behind her that keeps readers wide-eyed and intrigued. Jazzi sets out to find the killer of a young girl who dreamed of a life away from this house and a future that only held promise.

There are plenty of suspects for readers to sink their teeth into, a few twists and turns that will keep readers guessing, and a whole lot of entertainment. Finding the killer isn't all that difficult, but finding the evidence may be. Jazzi has her hands full with renovating the house, but she still has time to find the killer of a young girl who never got the chance to make her dreams come true. The writing is wonderfully descriptive, the mystery cloaked in possibilities, and a resolution that keeps readers happy. The Body From The Past is easy to read, fast-paced cozy that will leave house-flippers and DIY folks with a need to read every word.

4.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Jazzi Zanders mystery series by Judi Lynn.

During a home renovation project, Jazzi stumbles upon some old journals from a young girl who died years earlier. What is portrayed in the pages of the diary are nothing like the whispers she hears from the community about how the girl deserved to die. Jazzi decides to dig into this mystery and figure it out.

I like multiple things about this series. I love that Jazzi is married and her significant other is with her during some of her investigations, or at least supports her. I love that she speaks about her love of cooking and she tells us what she is cooking for her guys and how she manages to fit that task into her day. I also love that this mystery was unconventional. It was a cold case that everyone overlooked and the authorities took people’s word for things instead of investigating.

I have to admit that I had no clue whodunit and there were quite a lot of shocking things that came out towards the end of this that you don’t want to miss. Definitely a cozy mystery I would recommend.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
This was a really fun read and I enjoyed the fixer- upper setting of this book. The characters were well established but even though this is part of an ongoing series, I never felt lost or too spoiled to go back and read the previous books.
It is set at Halloween time and as I write this we are in October so perfect timing on my behalf. So if you’re looking for a seasonal book that is more on the cozy side rather than spooky then this could be the one for you.
Just as a side note, as a veterinary nurse, I should say it alarmed me that chilli was fed to a dog. Please don’t do that folks- dogs should not eat onions as it can lead to anaemia.
I did enjoy this though and I would recommend.

The latest fixer-upper that Jazzie, her husband, and her cousin have purchased comes with a locked room that the former owner never bothered to force her way into. If there's anything I question about the plot it's how someone could live in a house with a sealed bedroom and no curiosity about what's inside. Jazzi, of course, is brimming with curiosity and a little wary of what might be lurking behind that door. The room turns out to be a dusty shrine to a teenager who died years earlier and her family wants nothing to do with any of the girls mementos or diaries. Jazzi can't bear to toss it all into the dumpster so she takes it home and begins reading, quickly discovering that the teenager's murder was never solved. I really enjoy this series and its cast of characters. They're fun to spend time with and the mystery was intriguing, but huge chunks of the book are spent on feeding the pets and showering the mundane details of everyday life.

The Body From The Past By Judi Lyn If you Like Halloween , Murder, Family, Food and Pets. And a easy read.. This is for you.

Another winner in the Jazzi Zanders mystery series.

The Body in the Past is filled with Halloween excitement and a house with a sad past to add to the spookiness. I figured out the killer pretty early on but not the why. I enjoyed being thrown off the trail a few times.

George, the pug, still steals the show. He is one spoiled dog that is loved by all.

A quick but enjoyable read. It can be read as a standalone with no issues.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Lyrical Underground, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I'll admit I'm going to gush over it.
I read cozy mysteries but not very often but taking one look at the adorable Pug on the cover in a Halloween costume I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to feast my eyes on the story and what a treat it was. First off I loved the main characters, the couple had such charisma with each other. They are house flippers and the sparks were flying on and off the job .
I also loved how this couple who had no children yet doted on their pets, two spoiled cats and an adorable very spoiled Pug who was carried around everywhere and fed lots of treats.
Hoping to do a quick house flip the couple renovates a gorgeous but abandoned mansion not knowing what it holds. A locked door is discovered in the mansion but what secrets will be revealed behind closed doors?
When the couple explore the room they find it stock full of memories of a teen girl who was killed, pushed off the balcony at her own graduation party. Will trying to solve this case bring all the accusations to the forefront again and what about the strange things going on seemingly to hamper them from solving this case?
Despite all this we can't miss out on the fun Halloween party taking place.

Pub Date 22 Sep 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the fifth Jazzi Zanders mystery . I have read and enjoyed the entire series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own. This was a fascinating sleuth of a cold case that had many layers and suspects.

Jazzi and her husband are renovating a old house when they find a room that belonged to a teen that was left untouched for years. In contacting the family she finds out they do not want anything from the room. As Jazzi explores she finds a trail leading through the young girls life and discovers that she was murdered on her graduation night and the suspect never found. The accused was a friend of Jazzi's Brother in Law who wants to clear his name once and for all as the accusation in town has haunted him for decades. Jazzi is intrigued to find out more and wants to investigate in spite of many road blocks and the fact she finds people reluctance to talk.

This was such a well crafted interesting mystery. I loved that Jazzi has so much compassion for the dead girl and for finding out the truth of her death for her friend. I enjoyed this next in series .