I'm against the majority of reviewers, but I really didn't care for the novel.

I'm always a sucker for a cat on the cover of books and I thought it would be fun to read about a house flipper. Even though I hadn't read the previous novels, I didn't feel that I was missing out on who the characters were and how they interacted.

It felt the novel was just too long. There were a lot of unnecessary information that I kept skimming over. I won't be continuing on with this series.

Thank you to Netgallery and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book that I have read in this series but I did not need to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. I will definitely look for more books by Diane Kelly.

Whitney Whitaker and her cousin, Buck, have partnered to flip houses and have just closed on an old church and parsonage. Their first day on their property, they find it full of horses and horse manure and owner of the horse farm next door states that he is the rightful owner by the power of adverse possession. While they go to court to prove their claim, Buck and Whitney begin work to turn the church and home into an entertainment venue and restaurant.

After the delivery of a shipment of custom stained glass, Whitney’s cat, Sawdust, discovers the body of the delivery driver in the church steeple. Whitney’s friend, Detective Collin Finn, is on the case and Whitney looks for clues to help him find the killer.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reading copy.

A delightful cozy mystery. It is entertaining and engaging. There are cats and horses for us animal lovers. A smidgeon of romance. Clever murder mystery that kept me guessing. The location adds to the charm. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Here is the church, here is the steeple…

Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck have successfully flipped houses, but this is the first time they’ve attempted to renovate a house of worship. Still, the colorful stained glass in the country church has caught Whitney’s eye, and she’d love to breathe new life into the abandoned building. What’s more, the place has perfect acoustics. Could the worship hall be reborn as an entertainment venue with its parsonage repurposed as a pre-show bistro?

Open the doors, and see all the trouble.

The owner of the horse farm next door has asserted a legal claim to the church property, rendering their title uncertain. If that’s not bad enough, while rehabbing the church, Whitney’s cat Sawdust discovers a bombshell in the bell tower—the body of the man who’d delivered their beautiful new replacement windows. What transpired in the spire? Who rang the man’s bell and why?

The steeple is keeping its secrets and, when a second body turns up, things become even less clear. Can Whitney help Detective Collin Flynn solve the crimes before someone else is sent to meet their maker? (Fantastic Fiction synopsis)

I have read other series by Diane Kelly, and really enjoyed her writing. Unfortunately, this is the first in her House-Flipper series that I have read. My absolute favorite thing that Diane Kelly does is how she writes chapters in the animal’s POV. It gives a new perspective to the story, but also gives the author and the characters a more loving personality that I think flows through the novels.

Whitney is, unfortunately, not one of those amateur detectives that I like. As a working, independent woman I liked her, but when she became the detective I was annoyed. She doesn’t appear to think before she acts which puts herself and potentially others in danger. Up to the end, I did like her and her cat Sawdust. I liked that she worked with her cousin, and that she was a tom boy with some girly tendencies.

The mystery was interesting, and seemed to smooth out towards the end. I wasn’t surprised by one of the murders while the other I felt was appropriately complex.

Overall I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

I absolutely love this series and it’s turned into one of my favorite cozies, so I’ve been looking forward to this book.

Whitney and her cousin Buck flip houses, and their newest project is a church. They tun into problems quickly, from the horse farm next door who claims ownership of the lands to the delivery driver who turns up dead, to the discovery of jewel smuggling, so there’s certainty no shortage of difficulties. When there’s a second death, the man who was trying to claim there land, Whitney quickly realizes there’s something big going on and wants to find out why.

I love Whitney, Buck and Collin, Whitney’s detective boyfriend. It was almost like catching up with friends, along with their supporting cast of characters. Diane Kelly did a great job keeping you guessing on the mystery and trying to find out if all the murders and illegal activities are connected. The chapters written from Sawdust’s perspective continue to be fun and unique and laugh out loud funny. I’m certainly looking forward to the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Batten Down the Belfry by Diane Kelly! I’ve previously read her book Getaway with Murder which features a woman starting a lodge that she first renovates. I loved the renovation aspect of the story and wished for a series focusing on that and here it is! I haven’t read the previous books in the series and aside from a few spoilers of characters dating or becoming friends I was able to enjoy it and understand everything! I loved the Nashville setting and think it would be so fun to read the series before a trip to Nashville or as a virtual escape! On to the murder: I didn’t see it coming which was refreshing! I’m going to go back and read the previous books in the series and can’t wait for the next!

Batten Down the Belfry was a fun read. The main character, Whitney Whitaker and her cousin, Buck Whitaker rehab and flip houses as a business. They have bought an old church on five acres of land. When they arrive at the church they find horses grazing on their property. Their neighbor, Nolan Sibley says that he owns the church and the land. They end up going to court to straighten out who owns the property. The supporting characters add to the story. While they wait for the court date they decide to start rehabbing the church, which they plan to make into an entertainment center. The stain glass windows need to be fixed so Whitney finds a woman named Laurel Cromwell who is an artist who can repair the windows. This is where the story takes the reader on an adventure of intrigue. When the glass windows are delivered the delivery man, Gerald Woodruff is found murdered in the Belfry tower. Soon after Laurel comes and tells them that she has delivered the wrong windows and needs these windows returned. Whitney's boyfriend, Collin Flynn is a homicide detective who is assigned to this murder case. Whitney's roommate, Colette, is dating Buck and is a professional chef. The rectory they decide to make into a bistro restaurant which Colette will be the chef there.

Whitney and Buck go to court and win their case. Upon returning to the church they go to the belfry and upon looking out they see Nolan dead on his horse farm property. They think the two murders are related and Whitney decides to help her boyfriend find who killed the two men. This is where the story takes two paths. One has to do with questionable drugs and the other is money laundering.

I will let the reader find out where the story line goes and who murdered the two men.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an advance copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review. This is a book 4 in the series, but the first one for me. It definitely works as a standalone, I had no trouble getting up to speed with the story. I found the house flipping setup to be interesting. I have redone quite a few houses. Although there’s always something unexpected I have never found a dead body! The clues throughout led to the culprits. I would read others in this series.

This was the first book I have read in this series. I found the main characters, Whitney and her cousin Buck to be hard working and likeable. The supporting characters are also interesting with all their own unique personalities. The idea of turning an old church into a concert hall and how they proceeded to do it was interesting. The initial murder and how it was done was interesting and Sawdust (the cat) being the only witness was a different twist. I enjoyed the story of the renovation and the mysteries though I did suspect the murderers before they were revealed, especially in the second one. I did find the story dragged a bit when it got technical explaining a few issues.

Genre: cozy mystery
Pub date: 2/22/22
In one sentence: House flipping gets a twist when Whitney and Buck decide to renovate an old church into a concert venue - but murder and a property dispute get in the way...

This is the first book I've picked up in the House-Flipper Mysteries, and I enjoyed getting to know Whitney and Buck! It was fun to read about their renovation project (custom stained glassed windows!!) Sawdust the cat was an interesting addition as well - a few chapters are written from his perspective. The mystery wasn't my favorite - I think because I really disliked the neighbor next door - but I'd definitely give another book in the series a try.

I think readers who like cozy mysteries and home improvement/renovation shows will enjoy this one!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book just as much as the last ones! I love the banter between Whitney and her cousin and the blooming relationship between him and her roommate (I cannot remember her name). I'm glad they have finally gotten together!

I like the way the properties change in each book so while there is always a body that pops up on site, the circumstances are ever changing! This makes it easy to want to pick up the next book. I always fly right through these!

I continue to be impressed with this series, it seems to keep getting better with each book. Obviously I understand it’s completely ridiculous they could flip anything that quickly and they things would work out so well for them immediately, but the characters are a fun bunch and they continue to bring in new characters while still giving us a little of the old characters. The mysteries are fun and she doesn’t do anything too risky or stupid. However, I still do not understand why we need a few random chapters from Sawdust’s perspective.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by St. Martin’s Press and #NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


An exciting cozy mystery with twists and turns!

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of BATTEN DOWN THE BELFRY (Book 4 of the House Flipper Mysteries), by Diane Kelly, in exchange for an honest review. Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck have purchased a church as their next flip. They don’t quite know what they’re going to do with the property, but they’re eager to start. However, the adjoining horse farm has been using the property as grazing grounds for their horses and has, therefore, filed a claim of adverse possession and ownership. So, the trouble begins. With a vision in mind, the Whitakers begin their renovations with repeated interference by the horse farm. However, trouble becomes mayhem when a delivery man is murdered in the belfry. Poor Sawdust has an affinity for finding dead humans. Whitney, with the assistance of Detective Collin Flynn, works to uncover the killer before murderous scandal sabotages another project.

I love this series. I recommend it to fans of humorous cozy mysteries.

I really enjoyed this one. Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are renovating a church. They are going to turn into a entertainment venue. All is going okay until a delivery driver is killed on their property.
I like that Whitney’s cat Sawdust gives his take on things as well.
#battendownthebelfry#netgalley

Another installment in the wonderful reno series.
The Whittaker cousins have found another project, an abandoned church and parsonage. Arriving at it right after the closing, they're confronted by horses, loads of manure and someone insisting they're trespassing.
They contact their title company to figure it all out and continue to work on the property. A delivery man turns up dead in the belfry and Whitney is at a loss as to why. When they win at court because the man insisting the property was his didn't show, they were elated......until they found him dead by his barn.
Ms. Kelly's tale of intrigue is fast moving, dotted with romance and humor along with a lot of suspense. Whitney and her police detective boyfriend Collin chased down any lead they came across, no matter how far fetched, and some seemed very far fetched.
This book was a delightful escape that I finished in less than a day, I was that engrossed. I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse gratis and offer my opinion in the same spirit.

This is the 4th installment in the "House Flipper" Mystery series by cozy author Diane Kelly. The author knows how to write enticing cozies and is a favorite author of mine. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

The two cousins that are protagnist are Buck and Whitney. Whitney has a charming cat named Sawdust that is a fun addition to this series. The author knows cats and all their charms . Sawdust is a main charcter of this series that is catnip for all cozy cat lovers. The house flipping cousins have purchased a old church for their latest project but a neighbor is opposed to their project. When two murders occur they are on the case to determine if they are being set up or are in danger. Sawdust has laugh out loud moments as always . The sleuth really kept me guessing to conclusion to a pleasing conclusion. The charcters and cat are all likable and add to the setting. A winning addition to this series and another purrfect book from Diane Kelly.

Batten Down the Belfry is the fourth installment in the House-Flipper Mystery series featuring Whitney Whitaker, her cat Sawdust and cousin Buck. Coming off the successful flip of a ramshackle motel into luxurious condos the duo has now purchased a country church and parsonage. Whitney comes up with the idea to turn the church into an arts venue - concerts, plays, etc. and her roommate Collette (who is now dating Buck) will run the parsonage turned restaurant.

But, Nolan Sibley the horse breeder next door is claiming that he owns the land and buildings due to his filing for adverse possession. Neither Whitney or Buck like the man - and they especially don't like the way he uses the cattle prod on his horses.

Whitney hires a woman to create stained glass windows for the church and when the delivery man turns up dead, she and Buck are unwittingly exposed to a jewel smuggling operation. So, they team up with Collin Flynn, Whitney's boyfriend and homicide detective to track down a killer. When Nolan is found dead in his pasture everyone must work quickly to salvage the flip.

The return of series regulars, two adorable cats and an interesting murder plot that weaves in jewels and horse breeding, combined with warm and friendly relationships make for a fun addition to the series.

I received an advanced copy of Batten Down the Belfry from NetGalley via St. Martin's Press. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

Although the going seemed slow initially, by the end of the book I was thoroughly invested in trying to sort out who did it. This was a new series to me but "Batten Down the Belfry" worked quite well a a stand-alone, especially for someone like me who had no real interest or knowledge about fixing up and flipping houses. The fact the "house" in this instance isn't even a house but a run-down rural church only added to the interest. The main characters seemed likeable and left me rooting for them to make a success of this, I guess you'd call it, failed flip project.

Toss in a horse ranch next door with an antagonistic owner that claims he owns the property Whitney and her cousin Buck just purchased, wandering horses, the prospects of the property when refurbished becoming part of the Nashville entertainment scene, murderous money making schemes, and, yes, murder, and there is a lot to take in. Although I had an inkling about the identity of the killer of the antagonistic neighbor, like Whitney and Collin, her police boyfriend, I had no clue who killed the deliveryman in the belfry until the very end. Kudos to Diane Kelly for weaving together such an intricate plot so well. She even managed to give Sawdust, Whitney's cat, a role in the action.

Finally, while you go add this to your "to be read" list, I'm tempted to ponder what the Stained Glass Cookies in one of the recipes at the end might taste like. They sound beautiful, that's for sure.

Thanks to #NetGallery and #StMartinsPress for the ARC.

Batten Down the Belfry by Diane Kelly (House Flipper Mystery #4) 5 stars

After their successful flip chronicled in "Murder With A View", Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck have their eye on an abandoned church in Nashville. The church is in a rural area but still within driving distance from downtown. After evaluating their options, Whitney and Buck determine that the church would make a great small entertainment venue. Unfortunately, their new next door neighbor is disputing the ownership of their land. After a mysterious death of the person who delivered their custom made stained glass windows and another mysterious death of the cantankerous neighbor, Whitney has her hands full trying to figure out who is trying to put a spanner on their renovation.

As soon as I got the notice I dropped my usual schedule and put this one on top. This was a wonderful book and a very fast read. There were several red herrings and the true criminals were well hidden until the later part of the book. I love the family relationships in the book and their is a nice bit of romance towards the end. I really hope that this series will continue, but if it doesn't the characters are left in a pretty good place in their lives.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC.