Abandoned insane asylums always have a sense of foreboding. The Gables, an old asylum, is the setting for the 8th book in the Fixer-Upper series. Jane Hennessey, Shannon Hammer’s best friend, bought a wing there and plans to turn it into a fancy hotel with all the bells and whistles. So, Shannon will be busy - not just because she’s Jane’s bestie, but also because she’s a contractor and will be starting the renovations.

For reasons unclear to Shannon, there are some people who have a problem with the projects that will be going on there and are giving Shannon a hard time. Shannon soon has a freaky experience. A protestor has shoved her into a pile of bricks and when they topple, she finds a dead body. Shannon has proved more than skilled when it comes to solving murders, so her attention is easily diverted. Shannon is now determined to discovervwho the body belonged to, how it ended up behind the wall, and even would like to identify the killer.

This book, Premeditated Mortar, does touch on some serious issues, including how terrible those suffering with mental health issues were treated in the past. With a total of eleven books so far in the series, Shannon often finds herself in a pickle, but always comes out the victor.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. this is a great quick read with charming characters that kept me guessing until the end

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. Ut was a quick and enjoyable mystery that u gobbled up in one day. I always enjoy cozy mysterys that fo not always follow the exact timetable that is expected in a cozy mystery. The actual murder doesn't happen in the very beginning of the book, but there are plenty of other mysterious events that helps in cultivating suspects. I found the details into The Gables fascinating. Mac and Shannon paired up easily break down possible suspects. The pair helped assist in a realistic manner throughout the book. Looking forward to the next installment.

Kate Carlisle is back with another installment of the Fixer-Upper Mystery series. Carlisle is one of my favorite Cozy Mystery authors, so I always look forward to a new release by her.

PREMEDITATED MORTAR finds Shannon Hammer is a whole lot of trouble when a friend Jane wants her to help her create a luxury hotel from an old insane asylum. As you can expect, it doesn’t go so smoothly for them. However, I did enjoy a lot of this book. While it’s not my favorite of the series, it certainly had a unique premise to it.

I found the beginning of the book to be especially slow, but once it gets started, I felt like the pacing got better. I’m still a fan of Carlisle’s writing style. It’s very clear and concise, but she keeps readers always on their toes.

I find this series an especially good one if you’re just getting into Cozy Mysteries or want to try one out. You don’t necessarily have to read the series in order to enjoy it, but you’ll get a better understanding of Shannon and her love life if you do.

In summary, I think PREMEDIATED MORTAR is a solid installment in the series. But I’m hoping for more action and suspense in the next one from Kate Carlisle!

This is the first book in the series I have read. And, to be honest, while the mystery was interesting, the sickly sweet, googoo eyes interactions with people in their various relationships was a little too much. I don’t mind a romantic relationship, but really!? It was just over the top. I had been excited about reading all of the books in this series, but have since removed them from my “to-be-read” list. It makes me sad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I like this series just fine, but it's generally not as good as Carlisle's Bibliophile series. That said, I think this is a stronger than usual entry. Shannon is working on restoring part of an old mental hospital being redeveloped into a hotel and shops, and it becomes the setting for the latest murder mystery. While I don't find the romance aspect of this series compelling in the slightest, Shannon and her family and friends are lovely and the mystery unspools at a good pace. For once, I didn't have the culprit completely sussed out early on, and I enjoyed that there was a twist in this story.

Shannon Hammer is excited to begin a new project which is to remodel a former state insane asylum into a small luxury hotel for her best friend Jane. During the groundbreaking ceremony, a group of protesters arrives! Shannon is pushed into a closed room in the building and discovers a body. This cozy mystery is another great tale woven by Kate Carlisle. Shannon is determined to find out the answers to this shocking discovery, but can she survive?

Premeditated Mortar is the 8th in the A Fixer Upper Mystery series by Kate Carlisle. Jane Hennessey hired Shannon and her crew to convert the Gables building number 7 into Hotel Hennessey. The Gables a historical landmark was a hospital where Jane's mother stayed for sometime and Jane wants to bring some goodness and light to this place. Dr Jones who ran The Gables believed the best way to heal insanity, as they called back then, was to provide a beautiful, quiet, comfortable, and safe environment.

First Judson Killian, as Shannon called him "carrot head" until she knew his name ends up dead. Mac and Shannon love playing Scooby-Doo game where they come up with suspects and why they are the killer. As Mac and Shannon investigated more and more they befriend one of the protestors, Ricky who informed them that Dr Fairchild that took over The Gables was his mother! Shocking!!!

This story was well written, great characters and Kate Carlisle must have done lots of research to bring this story alive on paper.

I had not read any of the previous books in the series prior to this one which might explain my issues connecting. An old mental institution is being turned into commercial properties. Contractor Shannon is in charge of the space which will become friend Jane's hotel. I had a few issues with this book. First the mystery in this cozy mystery did not take place until I was two-thirds into the book. Second Shannon had two "right hand" workers under her, but she obviously does not trust them. She constantly mentions a need to "remind them" of things - to wear masks, not make remarks about former patients, etc. Third, I can handle a bit of romance, but the workplace is not it. The constant kissing and hugging along with pre-teen sweet nothings make me wonder about the professionalism of everyone from Shannon to Jane to the police chief. I just wanted more mystery and less fluff!

I enjoy every book I read in this cozy mystery series, and enjoy the Shannon is carpenter and builder by trade a field that her father encouraged. It's nice to see cozies with a different setting and day job for the mystery solver.

3.5

Kate Carlisle is back with another installment of the Fixer-Upper Mystery series. Carlisle is one of my favorite Cozy Mystery authors, so I always look forward to a new release by her.

PREMEDITATED MORTAR finds Shannon Hammer is a whole lot of trouble when a friend Jane wants her to help her create a luxury hotel from an old insane asylum. As you can expect, it doesn’t go so smoothly for them. However, I did enjoy a lot of this book. While it’s not my favorite of the series, it certainly had a unique premise to it.

I found the beginning of the book to be especially slow, but once it gets started, I felt like the pacing got better. I’m still a fan of Carlisle’s writing style. It’s very clear and concise, but she keeps readers always on their toes.

I find this series an especially good one if you’re just getting into Cozy Mysteries or want to try one out. You don’t necessarily have to read the series in order to enjoy it, but you’ll get a better understanding of Shannon and her love life if you do.

In summary, I think PREMEDIATED MORTAR is a solid installment in the series. But I’m hoping for more action and suspense in the next one from Kate Carlisle!

The mystery in this book was really good. I definitely didn't expect the little twist at the end. I love Shannon and Mac so much. Really all the characters are really well done and this book was just so quick to read. I didn't want to put it down.

When local contractor Shannon Hammer agrees to help her friend convert part of an abandoned asylum into an inn/ spa whe stumbles upon a body. She has no choice but to help solve the murder. She also stumbles upon a mystery linked to the asylum itself. As she struggles to keep on schedule and budget she fits in time to search for clues.

Further complications arise as her friend Jane's mother was a patient at the asylum. This brings up many feelings and issues thatg Jane is hoping to put to rest by turning this building into a place of joy. They addition of protesters who wish to see the project shut down also complicates Shannon's life as well.

I love the fact that the contractor is female. It is a good example to young women that they can do and be anything they want to be., It is a quick easy read. The plot line is well constructed and i highly recommend this story to anyone.

I've had this series on my TBR list for a while, so I was glad to be able to get the new book in the series via Netgalley. Though I am jumping into the series quite a ways in the characters were relatable and easy to understand. The plot was engaging, though a little dark for a cozy mystery. Overall, I liked the book and look forward to reading the earlier titles.

I'm still such a huge fan of this series, despite this entry being a little lackluster for me. I felt the format was a little off - the mystery didn't really begin until about 60% of the way through the book, and so the ending felt rushed.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free e-copy.

This is such a fun series, and I had a great time with this cozy mystery. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the characters! Kate Carlisle is a fantastic author, and I cannot wait for the next book!

I have enjoyed this series from the start; Premeditated Mortar has not changed that fact. The characters are entirely believable, the location warm and inviting, and the mysteries are well written with enough action to make them enticing. Writing a home renovation series isn’t easy; it can be challenging to keep things fresh and new, but Kate Carlisle knows what she is doing and how to write a cozy mystery.

Shannon can be a bit much to take at times, especially when she is mooning over Mac. But when a person is passionately in love with someone, they should be mooning over them, at least for a while. It’s time Shannon and Mac take their relationship to the next level and grow as a couple instead of remaining in a teenage cloud. Shannon’s sister is adorable, and I love that she played a somewhat larger role and looks to play an even bigger one in the future. Mac is still impressive, but he definitely needs to be less involved in Shannon’s home renovation business and more with his writing career.

The murder in this book does not occur at the beginning of the book, or the middle, which is odd in a cozy. But the mystery in this book pertains more to the asylum’s past and its future than it does with a killer or victim. The murderer is, in my opinion, easy to figure out, with the obvious motive there from the start. I don’t think there was ever a doubt who the victim would be. There are plenty of suspects, although not all of them play a significant role in the investigation. The renovation of the asylum is detailed enough to make readers want to see it happen and perhaps remind them of old asylums and hospitals in their hometowns that could become beautiful.

There is some drama at the end of Premeditated Mortar that makes readers smile and look forward to the next installment. I can’t wait to read the continuation of Shannon’s story, finding out what her next renovation will be and how much trouble she can get into before she puts herself and others in danger.

I have not read any of the previous Fixer-Upper mysteries, but I have watched a couple of the Hallmark shows, so I kind of felt like I already knew the characters and town.

Shannon owns a construction company, and she’s been hired by a good friend to help renovate one wing of the The Gables, a former institution. The entire property is being revitalized, and Rachel is overseeing the project. Rachel has convinced Shannon’s boyfriend, Mac, a famous writer, to become on of the investors. When Shannon and Mac do some exploring, they find a mysterious stranger running around the abandoned property. Later on, he shows up as part of a group of protestors against the project. Even later on, one of those protestors ends up dead, the body found by Shannon of course. How are the secrets of The Gables past threatening people now?

The Gables is an interesting location, and I enjoyed all the descriptions and scenes that took place there. We learned a lot about how the patients were treated, both bood and bad. The Gables held bad memories for a lot of people.

Mac and Shannon’s relationship is a big part of the story. Shannon does a little too much thinking about whether she should have a “where is this relationship going” talk with him for my taste, but that’s a small quibble. I didn’t know many of the secondary characters, like Shannon’s sister, but they were introduced well and I felt like I got caught up on the relationships easily. They all seem nice and friendly and pared off. Does Shannon have any single friends?

There was a lot of lead up to the murder, maybe half the book. Then it seems like it solved too quickly. It was well-plotted and the clues hold together well, but we don’t really get to know many of the suspects until the halfway point. All the drama seems packed into the second half, which for me made the book seem too short, a bit rushed.

Not my favorite in the series. A body wasn’t discovered til 67% of the book was read. It was interesting to think about turning a former insane asylum into something to improve the community. I will continue reading this series because I feel invested in the characters.

Another wonderfully written cozy mystery by Kate Carlisle... Shannon and her crew undertake a year long construction project on an old asylum and sinister events begin to happen.

This one was a little heartbreaking, but filled with rays of hope at the end... the abuse people endure in asylums is horrifying and not easy to read about. Kate Carlisle does a great job of weaving empathy and compassion into her story while providing the mystery elements that keep you on the edge of your seat. I also like the construction projects, gives me some good tips for renovations around the house.

I highly recommend.