Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are really hoping that they will win the bid for a historical property, a fire station that they want to turn into a nice family home. After making the purchase and beginning the renovation, Joanna, the owner of a townhouse just around the corner inform encourage them to buy the left side of the townhome, which has fallen into disrepair. The owner has long since passed away, and none of their seven adult children have done anything to maintain the property.

So, Whitney and Buck just might have two properties that they could be working on at the same time - if they can convince each adult child to sign a quit-claim deed for a set amount of money for each of them. Now with the two projects going on at once, their next challenge is the fact that more than one person is interested in purchasing the townhouse, and the pressure is on.

Shockingly, after coming to the firehouse one day, Joanna suddenly drops dead. As she was one of the eager would-be purchaser of the townhouse, and it doesn’t take Whitney long at all to know that this must be a case of foul play. With more than one suspect that could be responsible, work on their two projects is easily slowed down as Whitney strives to discover the killer. As this is the sixth book in a enjoyable cozy mystery series, it was very nice to revisit Whitney. She never missed a beat, all while the renovations were in progress, as well as planning her impending marriage. I sure hope that this series continues as Whitney is a delightful character.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This book is proof of why I love cozy mysteries the best. You can usually start anywhere in the series, and not be confused. I jumped into book six of this series, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

I wasn't lost, I love the characters, I loved the mystery, and I absolutely adore Sawdust and reading blurbs of his perspective. This was an all-around treat, and now I need to go back and read all of the other books preceding this one.

I sincerely appreciate the author and NetGalley for the review copy.

This was. a fun cozy read. I always enjoy Diane Kelly's books!

The characters are likeable and the plot moves quickly. I. could not guess the killer in this one. It was a complete surprise.

The book had me at - turning a firehouse into a home!

I so tried to get into this story but it just didn't hold my attention. I'm sure it's a delightful novel but just not for me.

I love this series, but I never feel like you will get lost if you haven't read them all in order. Enough descriptions of secondary characters and their relationships is included in each book to catch you up. Diane Kelly always writes great cozy mysterys. Her mind must be a wild place to be! Loved this mystery especially all the red herrings.

I have loved every book in this series! I really need to look for more books from this author.

I am so late in writing this review for no good reason, other than selling my house, half my belongings and moving over the past 3 months. But really....this book was so enjoyable that I started it and kept reading until I finished it 5 hrs later!!!!

I wish I had the knowledge, skill and back able to do the things that Whitney and her cousin Buck are able to do.

I highly recommend this series, start with the first book because there is a story line that makes more sense if you start with Dead as a Door Knocker.

Four-Alarm Homicide is the second book I have read in this series I must read the others I missed. I was stumped about who was the one who killed Joanna. She was a sweet gramma. Everyone was on my radar of who could be the killer they were all acting suspiciously. The characters are good and the book is amazing and an enjoyable read.. The ending was great. So will there be another book in this series???. I am curious what will be the next house they will renovate,

I love a good cozy mystery! One that incorporates all of my favorite topics (i.e. genealogy, bookstores, libraries, cooking, painting, inn keeping, animals, etc.), throwing in some action-suspense, a who-done-it, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps me guessing, then you’ve got me hooked. I will say, I am one of those people who like to read a series from the beginning, but I often find you don’t have to… either way I highly recommend reading Four-Alarm Homicide by Diane Kelly.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.*

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC of Four-Alarm Homicide. All opinions in this review are my own.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time staying interested in this one and probably should have just DNFed it. The mystery didn’t start until 40% in, which is a problem I found in another one of the author's books too. Because the mystery takes so far into the book to be introduced, the reveal and ending are too rushed. I think I learned more about home renovation than actually solving a mystery.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I've been a fan of this series, since the first book. I feel like I've grown and gotten to know/care about the characters with each book. You can't help but root for the protagonist and her friends, and see what project will be next. I recommend readers check out this book!

My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this latest installment in the House-Flipper Mystery series. Cousins Whitney and Buck take on a historical firehouse renovation and after they've started, neighbor Joanne asks them for help with the rundown half of her townhouse. Interest and compassion have Whitney and Buck jumping through various hoops filled with family drama in order to purchase the additional building.

When the neighbor mysteriously collapses and dies at the firehouse, Whitney and her fiance Collin are thrust into a murder investigation. Amidst finding a venue for their upcoming wedding, dealing with vandalism at the firehouse, they must put the clues together to solve Joanne's unique murder before it's too late. This book kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. The murder was unique and I love the romance subplot and side characters. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book.

A great addition to an incredible series! Wonderful characters in an incredible setting. This book will keep you guessing until the end.

Great entry in the House-Flipper Mystery series. While in the process of flipping an old fire station in the neighborhood, one of the residents asks Whitney and Buck to check out an abandoned townhome next door to her home to see if the damage could be harmful to her property and when the lady is murdered, seems no one is above suspicion. Highly recommend this book.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The 6th book in the House Flipper Series, this reads just fine as a stand alone. Whitney Whitaker and cousin Buck buy and flip houses. In this entry, we see the pair working on an old fire station in the Nashville area. When a local woman collapses in their new property, Whitney and Buck need to get to the bottom of what looks like a suspicious death.

The characters here are well-developed and the mystery suitably cozy for a reader who is looking for a good palate cleanser from perhaps heavier reads. I'm very interested in going back and reading more of this author's work, especially getting caught up with this series. If you like cozy mysteries--and especially if you like HGTV--this will definitely be a winner!

3-3.5 stars
Cozy mystery featuring cousins Whitney and Buck who flip houses for a living. This is part of a series but can easily be read as a standalone. (This is the second one I've read.) This time, the cousins are converting an old fire station into a home. I enjoy learning about what's involved in renovating a building and I like the food (one of the characters is a chef and recipes are provided at the end). I also enjoy the recurring characters for the most part. I didn't especially like the story in this one or the characters involved, so for me, it wasn't as good as Primer and Punishment, #5 in the series.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

It had nothing to do with the fire station or arson so the title and cover were totally misleading. This was a real estate murder investigation. I really wanted to like it but it didn't feel like Whitney and Buck actually cared about the victim or the murder. It was just something the book forced them to do. Also as a whodunnit, the reveal of the murderer at the end was totally out of nowhere. Like literally - this character is never mentioned or even considered and now the case is solved. And it was slow - like way slower and more boring than cozies usually are so it was painful to finish.

Four-Alarm Homicide
A House-Flipper Mystery, Book #6
Diane Kelly
5 Stars

Synopsis:

The sixth in the delightful cozy mystery series from Diane Kelly set in Nashville, TN—where the real estate market is to die for.

Some properties are too hot to handle...

Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are hot for a historical property that has just come on the market—a fire station in Nashville’s Germantown neighborhood that was built nearly a century ago.

The cousins have just begun the interior demolition work at the fire station when Joanna Hartzell, who lives in a townhouse around the corner, comes by with a plea for help. Joanna owns the right half of her building, which she proudly maintains in perfect condition, while the left side falls into disrepair: the seven adult children who inherited it years ago refuse to lift a finger on repairs. Never one to turn down a challenge, Whitney and Buck manage to acquire the rundown townhouse—though it turns out Joanna is only one of the many neighbors interested in buying the property once they’ve worked their magic.

Then Joanna shows up at the fire station confused and rambling, then collapses, never to recover. Alarm bells go off for Whitney: she suspects something—and someone—evil could be the real cause. Can she and Collin put the clues together and smoke out a killer? (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Whitney and Buck have purchased an old fire station and they plan to work their magic on it. Then a neighbor of the fire station asks them to look at the left half of her townhouse. Her half is well maintained but the left half not so much. The two decide to purchase the townhouse also. Then the neighbor comes to the fire station and collapses and eventually dies. Whitney has to figure out who killed her and why.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled into the story from the very beginning. The writing style flows smoothly and it defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The mystery was well plotted and I was surprised who the culprit was.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Grab a copy and see what Whitany and Buck have been up to.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Whitney and her cousin Buck’s business is gaining a toehold and they are delighted when they win the bid on a former fire station. While working on the project an older lady and her friend ask them to look at a townhouse that is attached to her home. The derelict property is in horrible shape but has potential. It is hung up with multiple owners who are the children of the late couple who lived there. None of them want any responsibility for the place but once Whitney and Buck approached each of them to purchase their share, it opens up a whole can of worms of sibling rivalry and some very odd behaviours.

When the lady who first brought the property to their attention dies in Whitney’s arms, and both properties are vandalized, the siblings are prime suspects in the murder. But the woman’s own family are suspect too as well as some neighbours. As if Whitney did not have enough to do with her work and preparing for her wedding, she tries to solve the murder too. There is a very interesting twist at the end when the actual killer is revealed and it comes out of the blue. I always find these stories entertaining but I really enjoyed this one.

I am also very fond of the chapters from Sawdust, the cat’s, point of view. He is such a sweetie.

Five purrs and two paws up

The latest entry in this enjoyable series does not disappoint.

Whitney and her cousin Buck have won the bidding to purchase and renovate a 1930's firehouse. While working on it, they are approached by Joanna Hartzell, a neighbor who owned a townhouse --but the other half of the building was left to deteriorate as the owners had passed on and their seven children squabbled over the house for years.

Things were tight with the firehouse project but the townhouse would be a profitable venture so they decide to pursue purchasing it with the intent to rehab and sell. The siblings are not an easy bunch to deal with but they all eventually sign off on selling the property, even though a few of them held out for slightly more money.

When Joanna collapses at the firehouse and passes away on the way to the hospital, everyone thinks it was from an aneurysm . Her distraught daughter wants an autopsy and believes there might have been some malpractice. Whitney notices that Joanna had a lot of seafood in her fridge and since she had just had a discussion with her pregnant best friend (and Buck's wife) about the dangers of mercury poisoning, she speculates that might have been the reason.

The autopsy does show mercury poisoning but not the type from fish. And Whitney begins to wonder. Who would want to poison Joanna? There are potential suspects galore.

The mystery was top rate. Throw in a trio of neighbor know it alls, an upcoming wedding, and the crazy antics of the siblings when they found out that some of them were paid more adds to the story.

And of course, if you like HGTV, you'll enjoy the house flipping and design aspects.

I received an ARC from the publisher but it in no way influenced by opinion

I have enjoyed the books I have read so far in the House-Flipper series. The characters are well developed and I have grown to love Whitney and her cousin, Buck. And how could you not fall in love with Whitney’s cat, Sawdust! The murder was set up so well and it had me guessing until the very end. There were lots of twists and turns with clues buried throughout the pages. I can’t wait for the next adventure with Whitney and the rest of the gang in Nashville, TN.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!