I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. New series and new-to-me author -- a combo I love!

The basics: When Jaime's marriage crumbles she finds the only thing she takes away from the divorce is also crumbling. A victorian house. A house in terrible repair that needs a huge amount of restoration work. But Jaime has mad skills when it comes to restoring and decorating homes. And she really needs a project. But even her skills can't help when she knocks down a wall and finds.....

A dead body.

This book is a fun read. I really like the characters, the setting, the background story! I will definitely stick with this series. I love the idea of renovating an old house like this (minus the dead body though, thank you). I lack the skills Jaime has though, so I will just enjoy reading about demo and construction/renovation projects. The book has just the right mixture of humor and amateur sleuthing. A cat. And lots of interesting characters. Definitely a cozy series I will enjoy!

The cover art is cute and colorful. Love it!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

A very solid foundation on which to build a a fun cozy series! I am a huge fan of home renovation shows(love me some Chip & Jo!) so a home reno based cozy series is a favorite cozy theme for me. This one was really good. I liked the setup for the series with Jamie coming off a divorce and is now finding her independence and success on her own terms away from her dirtbag ex. The mystery had me guessing and I like the secondary characters that look to be the core of the series going forward. I am excited to see where this series goes and I am here for it!

I think this story was cute. I liked Jaime as a character, and liked the home renovation aspect. If you like HGTV or DIYing, you might like this one. I didn’t love it though and probably will not continue reading the series.

This was a fabulous first book. I found the characters to be likeable and the interesting. Jamie Moore (previously King) has spent the last decade and a half working with her now ex-husband, Jamie King, in his renovation and construction business. Henry comes from a wealthy family and his dad has made sure that in the event of a divorce, Henry would have everything, and Jamie would have nothing. As a parting gift, Henry gives her a dilapidated house they were planning on flipping. The joke is on him, though when Jamie starts working her buns off to fix it up. Jamie takes the first swing to take down a wall and finds a mummified body.

This is such a great read, and I am looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

As a HGTV and cozy mystery fan, I was excited to read this cozy. I loved the playful dialogue and learning about the characters.

Jamie is a newly divorced woman who ran a home renovation business with her ex. When she buys a home to renovate, she's in for a surprise when she discovers a body in the wall! Even more surprising, she knew the victim.

Carpenter does a great job of creating a fun and fast-paced mystery to keep readers guessing until the end. There's a great cast of quirky characters and the home renovation angle is unique. I would read more books in this series.

This is a delightful introduction to a new cozy mystery series. Jaime is intelligent and feisty and not given to TSTL moments. The mystery is engaging. The setting is inviting, and I am glad to see a new home renovation series to join the ranks of Kate Carlisle and Sarah Graves.

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

A cute cozy with a surprise ending that really wrapped up the story perfectly.

Death by Demo is a story set in a small town in North Carolina, near Charlotte, where everyone knows everyone. Jaime and her husband worked together to build a successful contracting company working in renovations. All was well until her cheating husband ended their marriage and left her nothing but an old house needing renovation, due to a prenup. I liked Jaime and was pulling for her. She is smart, really the brains in the company and she plans to make a go of it, starting with the house. But when she is demoing a makeshift wall in the house, she discovered the body of a popular local woman and things come to a halt. She is determined to find the killer for the sake of the dead woman and for her livelihood. It turns out that several people had access to the house and more since a key was known to be in an outside building. Jaime and her friend Lara work through suspects as Jaime does some sleuthing on her own. Things get dicey and scary before it is all over. This is a good read for those who enjoy cozy mysteries with a home renovation theme and strong, smart, and determined women.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

This was a cute cozy but employed a lot of tropes, which is typical for the first in a series. It was an easy read but I am not sure I'd read another in the series.

The first in a the Home Renovation series, it’s the only book that comes up under the author’s name; given the quality of the writing, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s published under a different pen name.

The story is narrated in third person, past tense, from the deep point of view of one Jaime Moore; recently divorced after fifteen years of propping her husband up, pretty much literally, and finding herself cut off from the company she helped build, and from the work she loves, she’s understandably angry.

She’s also funny, competent and intelligent; Jaime’s internal dialogue makes her so very relatable.

Jaime’s life imploded through no fault of her own, and for a while she drifted in a sea of anger and despair; now that she finds herself at rock bottom, that anger and aimlessness morph into determination: if all she has is this one house, she’ll make it shine, and it will be the foundation of her new life.

Jaime has a very solid base; for starters, she knows what she’s doing and is not afraid of hard work. She also has the unconditional support of her family and her closest friend, Lara; the fact that all of them basically go, “you can do this, you have been doing this, essentially by yourself, for over a dozen years”, is very healing. As she tackles both the house renovation and the murder investigation, the things she does well come back to her, boosting her confidence.

And as Jaime interacts professionally with the people around her as a newly single person, she’s touched to realize how much so many of them like her, and surprised to realize that many resented the way her ex subtly put her down. It matters that they don’t blame Jamie for it, or let her blame herself. Because relationships are complicated, as people are, and evolve (or devolve, as the case may be) over time.

Generally in cozies there’s lack of plausibility to justify the amateur sleuth’s involvement in a murder investigation; here the author provides a very reasonable motive and a sensible goal for Jaime, through Lara:

“You are the one who cares about getting access to the house. This will be just one case of many for the sheriff’s department. For you it’s the thing that matters most. You’ll be way more motivated than (Detective) Scoles to get this resolved.” (Lara, Chapter 3)

That touch of realism is very welcome, and Lara’s suggestion–that Jaime use the time she can’t work on the house due to police presence, to find out what she can and pass whatever she learns to Scoles–is sensible and, as far as they know at that point, safe.

The worldbuilding is also more realistic than most cozies; Green River a small town, but that’s still almost twenty thousand people, and it’s also surrounded by other towns, and within easy driving distance of yet more. Yes, Jaime knows a lot of the people in the town proper because she’s lived there all her life and has worked with/for them for a good fourteen years, but the world of the novel is big enough for her not to know everyone or even everything about those she does know.

Jaime is very funny, on the slightly snarky side when on purpose (her internal dialogue, for example), and in the sweet straight-man-of-comedy when unintentionally.

“Fair enough.” (Jaime) nodded. ” A plan it is. But a plan for what, exactly? And don’t say for sneaking back into the house in the middle of the night to work on renovations, because that’s not going to happen.” Lara looked at her sadly. “You are no fun.” “Never have been.” (Chapter 3)

(Jaime) “Why are the things we don’t want to do always the things we need to do?” “Because if we wanted to do them, they’d already be done” (Lara) held out a glass. “Sad fact of life.” (Chapter 4)

The author doesn’t shy from calling out the sexism inherent to some fields of work; Jaime reflects on having been condescended to by every man she worked with–from day laborers to clients–despite her being, at the time, the co-owner of the company; and on her friend’s electrician company having a few bumps when she took the reins over from her father, but now is doing better than ever since women would rather deal with someone who won’t condescend on the basis of perceived gender.

Something else that’s well done is that Jaime doesn’t lose sight of the victim as a person.

“Cilla had been tossed aside. Disregarded. Dismissed. Thanks to Henry, Jaime had had a taste of what that felt like. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself until she’d done everything she could to get justice for Cilla.” (Chapter 11)

One thing Jaime has always believed about herself is that she’s not a thinker, but as the person that kept all the many balls of multiple renovation projects and job sites from colliding or falling at King Contractors , she’s very good at thinking several steps ahead and catching small details before they turn into major issues.

Speaking of which, we actually see Jaime working on the renovation in ways that make sense; the author either knows renovation/construction, or did her research properly. Ditto the stray cat at Jaime’s Queen Anne: Demolition–Demo, for short–acts like an actual cat, from beginning to end.

The mystery is really well done; there are a number of viable suspects, all with plausible motives and opportunity to commit the murder. It is also a fair play mystery; all the information you need to figure out who’s guilty is there.

Jaime is very sensible in her approach to her investigation, keeping the detective in charge appraised of everything she learns, as she learns it–even when she feels dismissed or brushed aside. The fact that she solves the crime and rescues herself is icing on my reading cake.

The ARC had a few minor copy-editing issues, but the writing itself is excellent.

There’s just a bit of copaganda; not so much to claim that the cops will lose sleep over solving the case, but that they not only are pretty competent, but care about it.

This is one of the best cozies, if not the best, I’ve read this year.

The only thing that bothered me is Jaime’s internalized shaming of her situational depression, as something “she let herself fall into”. The idea that if people “just had some willpower” they would not be depressed is a scourge in society.

Death by Demo gets a 9.00 out of 10.

This is the first book in A Home Renovations series. I was really excited to get a copy of this book and it didn’t disappoint.

Jaime is just divorced by and left with nothing but a home that was determined ‘not worth renovating’ by the company she co-owned with her ex husband. However, she was young and in love when she was given a prenup to sign. That one decision left her with nothing when he decided he didn’t need her anymore.

She decides she will fix up this house and it will be the start of her own new company. While doing some demolition, she knocks down a wall to find a body that looks like it’s been there a while. Now she is going to have to put her renovations on hold when she is already eager to get through with them so she can start making some money.

There are quite a few characters that we will hopefully gain more information on within the series. I know now that I don’t like her ex husband, his new girlfriend or his dad, which is the point. However, I don’t really get much of a feel for anyone else. They are there but there wasn’t enough of them to really make an impression. The best friend is in this but not so much a friend as a partner or sounding board for the murder investigation they are doing.

The police are not stupid in this one and they seem to be ahead of her on most things. The police never tell her to stop investigating on her own.

I love that this is a woman who can do ‘man’ things. However, I did get annoyed with the whole ‘men don’t think women know anything’ that was written into the story. This trope is tired and most men don’t act like that these days. There are some but not like books make it out. The only time I ever really had this happen is when I worked in a male dominated environment. Anyways, I digress.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think fellow lovers of cozy mysteries will too. If you enjoy renovation settings then this would also be one to pick up.

Death By Demo is the first book in the A Home Renovation Mystery series by Callie Carpenter.

Jaime Moore is recently divorced after having caught her husband having an affair with their construction company’s receptionist. They spent fifteen years building their construction/ interior design business. After signing a prenup agreement, all Jaime has to show for the fifteen years is a rundown Queen Anne house and her original small cash contribution for the fifteen years. She loves the old home, even with all the work needed to renovate it. She has been sleeping on her BFF, Lara, sofa since her marriage fell apart.

Jaime has decided it is time to start the project with Spring arriving in Green River, North Carolina. With her trusty sledgehammer, Jaime and Lara head to the house to begin work. Their first project is in the kitchen, where Jaime has decided that if a wall is removed, there will be more usable space. After a couple of swings with the sledgehammer, the wall crumbled to the floor. After the dust settled and the debris removed, they were shocked to find that someone had placed the body of a female and then built the wall to hide her. The police arrive, and it doesn't appear that the female died of natural causes, and the police will declare the house a crime scene, stopping any more work from being done. It will soon be learned that the body is that of Cilla, a friend from high school. Since Jaime and Lara knew the deceased, they felt compelled to see if they could learn who they might be.
They will find several suspects, including Jaime’s ex-husband, her rumpled attorney, and her neighbor.

This book is a well-written and plotted story in this new series. The characters are well-written and plotted with interesting characters.

Jaime definitely redeemed herself when she started being nice to and feeding the resident cat she kept meeting at the house renovation site. I loved how she and Lara were like sisters and could talk through anything that came along even though Lara’s head was all spreadsheets and finance and Jaime was tools and construction. Jaime seemed like she’d gotten the raw end of a divorce but she was determined to make it work and be a success.

That showdown and what followed was pretty exciting, and I was really proud of Jaime how she got the upper hand on the perp…and what she could’ve done to them. The very ending was just awesome and the perfect solution for Jaime’s new life. And there was someone else I’d been rooting for to get to know her better too, and I believe that might just happen. Can’t wait for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Death by Demo by Callie Carpenter has Jaime starting over after catching her husband in flagrante delicto. Unfortunately, Jaime was a young, lovesick idiot who signed an ironclad prenuptial agreement (she refused to listen to reason). Her ex-husband is gracious enough to give her a rundown Queen Anne Victorian. The first whack with Jaime’s new sledgehammer reveals a dead body which shuts down Jaime’s renovation. Jaime is not given a time when she can get back into the house. She decides to conduct her own investigation. Death by Demo by Callie Carpenter is the debut of A Home Renovation Mysteries. I found Death by Demo to be easy to read. Jaime is a likeable character (for the most part). I did not like that she made the cliché mistake of falling in love and getting married out of high school (I made the same idiotic error). Jaime also signed a prenup without reading it or having it checked out by a lawyer. I have read a couple of cozy mysteries recently with similar storylines (recently divorced main characters thanks to cheating ex-husbands). I did not understand how her ex-husband ended up with the business that they started together (did she sign away her rights to half the business as well). I liked the cat, Demo that Jaime found in the shed at the house. The mystery was straightforward. There is a small suspect pool. There are clues to help readers solve the crime (they are repeated endlessly). Jaime’s best friend sets up a spreadsheet, so Jaime knows which tasks to complete plus it lists the suspects and clues. Some readers may be surprised by the twist (avid cozy mystery readers will not be). The whodunit is neatly wrapped up at the end. There is too much repetition in the story. Jaime’s prenup, being wild in love, finding her ex-hubby with another woman, and the condition of the house are just a few of the details repeated endlessly. I found Death by Demo to be lackluster. It needed action and pizzazz. Death by Demo is a cat cozy with a Victorian reno, an uncovered victim, a nice neighbor, a helpful friend, a sledgehammered shed, and a friendly feline.

Death by Demo is book #1 in the Home Renovation Mystery series by Callie Carpenter.

Jaimie is recently divorced and her settlement included a run down fixer-upper. While doing the demolition work, she gets an unpleasant surprise. Needing to get back into the house, she decides to help the investigation along.

I really enjoyed this book so much I read it in one sitting. I like Jamie and her best friend, Lara. When Jamie, a non-cat person, put food out for a stray, I knew I’d like her. The pace was good and the mystery was interesting thanks to a twist with body.
I look forward to the next book.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Recently divorced Jaime was working on the historical old home that was all she'd received from the divorce settlement when she took a sledgehammer to an internal wall she'd confirmed could be removed. The shock Jaime received when the collapsing wall revealed a body sealed inside, was only overridden by the fact that she knew the person.

Because the house was now a crime scene and Jaime could no longer renovate, she decided to investigate to find the murderer. There were many suspects but the frustration Jaime felt was alleviated slightly by the conversations she had with best friend Lara and Demo the cat. How long would it take before Jaime could continue with her renovations?

Death by Demo is an excellent start to A Home Renovation Mystery series by Callie Carpenter which I really enjoyed. Well-paced and well-written, it was light hearted and fun. I'm looking forward to #2 in the series and have no hesitation in recommending this one.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was an outstanding start to a new series.

Jaime has recently divorced due to her husband's infidelity and she is starting out again in her business of restoring old homes. Of course once she begins to demolish an internal wall we all know what she is going to find behind it. However the corpse is in an unusual condition which leads to a very interesting investigation.

I enjoyed the story, the characters and the author's style of writing. The pages whizzed past and I was finished before I knew it. Always a good sign. I look forward to book two.

This was one of the twistiest cozy mysteries I've read in a while, and I loved every second of it! You're going to want to devote a whole day to binge-reading this book because it's that fun. I loved the main character and amateur sleuth Jaime and watching her journey of picking herself back up after a nasty divorce and doing what she loves--renovating houses--once again. Her friendship with Lara and the construction crew she left at her ex's construction company is so sweet, and I'm already looking forward to many more books in this series (pretty please, Crooked Lane Books).
The combination of red herrings and newly discovered information kept me guessing the murderer's identity until the very end, and it was fun to get to sleuth and learn so much about the town and the other characters with Jaime.
My only complaint would be that Mike, the next door neighbor and potential love interest, seems a bit of a cardboard cutout, but I hope he develops further in future books!

Jaime King, I mean Jaime Rutherford is having to start over. She is recently divorced from Henry King, her former business partner. They had a successful renovation business until she caught Henry shagging the secretary. Unfortunately, she signed a pre-nup and only got the money she invested into the company and an old house. As she starts to renovate the house she finds a dead body. In order to save herself she decides to investigate so she can finish renovating the old house.

I liked this book and I think it's an excellent start to a new cozy mystery. It has a lot of promise. I can't wait to see what happens next. The writing is well done.

Outstanding new cozy mystery to sink your brain into and try to hammer out the villain! Our main character is fresh from a horrible marriage that left her on the verge of broke and with only a broken-down old home that she is eager to start restoring. She's an intelligent, strong women who not only has brains, but the brawn to take on the remodel after spending years building a successful construction company with her ex. One major problem, there is a dead body in the house and now she is on the hunt to find out who put it there so she can get started on her new life! Great character development makes you really dig in and want to help find the killer as well as kick her ex's backside! A small town full of character to keep you excited about who you are going to meet next. I can't wait to see where the author takes this series as the plot was well executed and the mystery was superbly written. I want more and you will too once you read this book!