This was a very cute book, a cozy mystery that I was not expecting to stump me. I loved the characters that Charles made and I see how she is planning to continue the series. I liked that Dawna has just a touch of paranormal about her-not enough to be crazy or put anyone off, just enough to make the normal a bit extraordinary. I hope to read more of this series!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Paula Charles, and Dreamscape Media for my copy of this audiobook.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and to NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook.

I had never read anything by this author before, but decided to try a cozy mystery.

This book is about Dawna who is running a hardware store after the loss of her husband. Dawna and her daughter decide to try to solve the mystery, but will they become the killers next victims? This book was just fun and funny and the kind of thing you want to just sit down and immerse yourself into just to have a relaxing evening. I loved all the quirky characters, the ghosts, and the banter between mother and daughter.

I enjoyed the narrator for this book as well. I will definitely read more in this series and check out other books by this author.

Paula Charles's Book is a cozy mystery, and she knocked it out of the park. I love the fact that her main character, Dawna, is starting a new chapter in her life after her husband passed away. She is still running their hardware store, and she reminded me a lot of my Nonnie. Tough, loving, and always willing to fix the problems herself. Her dry sense of humor and sarcastic comments to herself made me snort with laughter. I love her relationship with her daughter. It felt real. It wasn't a perfect relationship, they would pick at each other but you knew that the love was there.

The descriptions of the book were fantastic. I could really picture the shop, her beautiful house, and I was able to get a good picture of the town, though I can't wait to find out more about all of the shops. I'm not going to go too into the mystery because what fun is that? However, I will say that I didn't guess the whodunnit. So there is that. I highly recommend this book.

Hammers & Homicide was a good introductory book to this new cozy mystery series centering on Dawna & the Hardware store her husband has left behind upon his passing. There were a lot of characters introduced here and I think it will lend itself well to future books since the community has such a varied group of folks.

I love books that have "older" people as main characters (older is a relative term and also makes me cringe a little, hence the quotes, haha)... and this was no exception. I thought the relationship between Dawna and her daughter was realistic- they bickered with each other but love each other and came together when needed to figure out what was going on and that was fun to witness. You can tell Dawna truly is an amateur sleuth but it made it all the more enjoyable. She was a determined lady, wasn't the best in terms of housekeeping, made a ton of remarks to herself and full of dry humor which was a winning combo for me.

There was humor in this story which was a pleasant surprise! Even though cozies are typically more light hearted you don't always find that so it was welcome by me! The audiobook narrator also did a good job in the delivery of things like that too which was an added bonus and can make or break moments like that regardless of how the writing is as well.

I was able to figure out the whodunnit but the ending scenes were fun to read & were full of action. One thing that threw me off a little bit was there seemed to bit a hint of paranormal in here that I didn't fully get and am unsure if it's actually there or is just a grief thing. I was just thrown off by it- it didn't add or take away from the story at all for me and wouldn't impact me either way in regards to picking up more in the series but I just thought it important to mention for those that have a preference on those elements.

This was a solid 3 stars for me, a good debut & start to a new series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced audio copy of this book. All opinions were honest & entirely my own.

Paula Charles’ Hammers and Homicide is a surprisingly wonderful read (or listen), particularly for those who enjoy cozy mysteries. While most cozy mysteries have repetitive themes, Charles’ novel offers a fresh perspective. The protagonist, Dawna, is a widow with grown children, which is not something one would expect from a typical cozy mystery. Dawna’s daughter, April, is also her sidekick, which adds a unique dynamic to the Hometown Hardware Mystery.

One of the book’s most enjoyable aspects is the relationship between Dawna and April. Charles also includes an element of the supernatural, with a ghost cat and Dawna’s deceased husband possibly haunting her home. While this may not appeal to all readers, it is not overly excessive or woo-woo.

However, there is one plot element that is mentioned at the beginning of the book and then dropped by the end, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the story. I am going to be blunt. It felt random and alone could would have been a main plot point on its own. It was a mystery that the author Charles should have resolved. Its resolution could have been better integrated into the plot.

Overall, Hammers and Homicide is an easy, fast, and fun read. The mother-daughter dynamic adds an extra layer of charm. Because the protagonist is a widow who is not interested in dating, that means that the book does not focus on romance, which can become redundant in some cozy mysteries. Romance is more of a subplot with April her daughter, and it’s not over the top or too sappy.

The audiobook, narrated by Petra Burchard, is well-done. And I hope she returns for the second book.

If you are looking for a new cozy mystery to read or listen to as an audiobook, Hammers and Homicide is worth considering. It’s a relatable and enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

I just do not enjoy this book. The main character is pretty prickly and speaks to her husband’s ghost. She starts investigating without a good reason. The vibes of the book are really right wing, small town xenophobic. It left a bad taste in my mouth honestly.

I know it sounds crazy to describe a murder mystery as giving me a warm and cozy feeling but that is how I felt this entire book. It probably helps that the first man murdered was hated but just about everyone so I didn't really feel bad for his. And the way this small ton is describes and the interactions we see really does feel like a warm hug. And the narrator was just wonderful!

In Hammers and Homicide, Dawna, a widow, is trying to adjust to life without her husband. She still feels his presence at times, but she doesn't share that with anyone.

Dawna and her husband owned a hardware store and lumber yard, and she's trying to keep the business afloat. It's not easy ti compete with the big box store that's moved to town. To make matters worse, Dawna is suddenly stumbling over bodies.

Who killed the new developer in town? And, who killed Dawna's only employee? After an overheard conversation in the supermarket, Dawna decides to conduct her own investigation. She alienates friends and neighbors alike as she seeks a killer.

Hammers and Homicide is an entertaining cozy mystery. I would highly recommend it to all cozy mystery fans.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital audio copy of this title from Net Galley.

#HammersandHomicide#PaulaCharles#NetGalley

Such a fun debut of a new cozy series. Solving a whodunnit is what I love and this book has all the fun cozy elements. I can’t wait for the next installment!

This book was delightful. I really enjoyed the town and thought that the characters were likable. I did have a little problem with how naive the main character felt at times but the story was still fun.

A perfect cozy community mystery. Set in Pine Bluff, a man is found murdered in the bathroom of Carpenter's Corner - Donna's hardware store. He's a stranger in town, just shown up to buy the historical Emery theater. When another body turns up - this time Donna's worker, Steve, she decides to look into things a little closer.

It's easy to get information when you've lived in a town for so long, though a few feathers are ruffled in the process. Soon Donna and her daughter are being watched by the police chief JT for protection after Donna receives a threatening note.

While Donna doesn't get herself embroiled in the investigation as much as some cozy mystery characters do, I felt she did just the right amount of investigating and then relying on the police. No need to shout at her to be careful! Along the way, we get a nice introduction to the town, and Donna's position in it, which is a good one for getting information.

A great first book in a series, and the narration of the audiobook had good pacing and inflections, making it an easy listen.

This was a GREAT story to listen to! AWESOME narration! Great main characters. The plot was easy to find. The story was engaging and easy to follow. Will be purchasing this book. Shout out to Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to listen and review this story.

4 STARS!

This was a fun debut to a new cozy series. I loved the them of the cozy, and I had so much fun trying to solve the mystery with the protagonist. I am excited for the next installment!

This was a super cute cozy mystery. I love the relationship Dawna has with her friends and family, even her dead husband. And she solves the mystery to boot! I hope this is the start of a series b/c I would totally be here for that! This was my 1st book by Paula Charles and I was not disappointed, I can't wait tor read more books by her.

I don't know if this is the start of a new series or not, but it's well positioned to do that.

Dawna Carpenter is a widow running the hardware store she'd started with her husband decades earlier. But now that her kids are grown and she's on her own, she's a bit lonely. Even though her youngest comes back to town, sometimes it seems more like it's to keep tabs on her and report back to the other kids than anything else. Just because she talks to her dead husband when she's home doesn't mean she's losing it.

But as she's confronted with a tenant who's an obnoxious pain, a dead body in the hardware store's bathroom, and loses her one and only employee, she realizes that she needs to figure out just what's going on.

Her amateur sleuthing gets her in trouble along the way, but of course, is appreciated by the local police. (Said tongue in cheek.)

As a cozy mystery, I found myself enjoying it, laughing at the right places, surprised when I was supposed to be. I'm not a fan of paranormal, so felt it was a little silly how she kept looking for her dead husband only to have her dead cat come visit her instead. But to each their own!

Thank you to Paula Charles, Dreamscape and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Received Audiobook as an ARC for Netgalley:

This was very delightful, great characters with a fun mystery at its center.

There were some supernatural elements but it is a nice alternative to most stories using the supernatural as all of the elements are good/sweet.

I hope this is the start of a series as I really want to read more adventures with these characters.

This book is just boring. The premise is interesting as is the main character, but the storytelling is just missing the kick it needs. I just don't care who the killer is or what their reasoning was.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audio of this novel.

Unfortunately, there seemed to have been a glitch with my app. The audio has disappeared, despite having downloaded it as soon as I was approved. As I was really looking forward to this book, I will likely seek this book out on my own, and I will come and update this review when I do.

🔨Book Review🔨

Title: Hammers & Homicide
Author: Paula Charles
Publication: 1/16/24
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Hometown Hardware Mystery #1
My Rating: Really enjoyed!

In short: Dawna, a recent widow, finds a man murdered in the hardware store she runs.

What I enjoyed:
🛠️Small town Oregon setting
🛠️Older sleuth who is starting over after her husband passed away
🛠️The relationship between mother and daughter. They made a great team & their banter was so realistic

Audiobook:
🎧Narrated by Petrea Burchard - Loves her narration, tone & pacing!

Final thoughts: I really enjoyed this debut cozy mystery! Dawna was a great character and I really enjoyed the banter between her & her daughter and they made a great sleuthing team. The descriptions of the town gave this story a great sense of place and made me feel like I was there. This was a solid debut and set the stage for a great series.

Hammers and Homicide is the first in Paula Charles’ new Hometown Hardware Mystery series. I thought that the author was successful in introducing the readers to Dawna Carpenter, the small town of Pine Bluff, the hardware shop, and the side characters. I enjoyed the banter and overall relationship between Dawna and her daughter, April, and I’m looking forward to potentially reading about her other children in future books. I was also surprised to see the presence of ghosts! While a paranormal element isn’t a part of the main storyline, I really enjoyed how the author brought the spirits of Dawna’s loved ones into her day-to-day life. I’m excited to read more of this series and author!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Hammer and Homicide by Paula Charles. My comments are an independent, honest review.