Diane Kelly does it again! I loved Four-Alarm Homicide! There’s something about the combination of murder mystery, Nashville, and home renovation that makes me want to demolish every book!

Four-Alarm Homicide is the is the sixth cozy mystery in the House-Flipper Mystery series. Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck have a house flipping business that is getting off the ground. Their latest project is a firehouse in Germantown Nashville and they are just starting work on it. A woman, Joanna Hartzell, turns up at the striking asking Whitney for help with the vacant half of the townhouse where she lives. The vacant part of the house is run down and in disrepair. Joanna hopes that Whitney and Buck could buy that part of the house and turn it around. Unable to step away from a challenge, Whitney is all in, but when Joanna turns up murdered, Whitney’s attention is pulled away from the flips and into sleuthing mode.

This is the first book I have read in this series, but as a cozy mystery fan I was intrigued when I saw this house flipping series. Other than missing out on a little bit of the background of Whitney’s life, I don’t think I missed anything major reading this book out of turn. I really enjoyed this series and the characters in it. The house flipping sleuth was a nice change of pace from the bakers and coffee shop owners I’m used to reading about. The mystery kept me guessing the whole time and I enjoyed the twists and turns, but at a few points I think the story could have done with less twists. Overall this was a good cozy mystery read and I will be going back and starting this series from the beginning.

Although this is the sixth book in the House-Flipper Mystery series, and I've read no other titles by this author, I had no problem jumping in to this story. I expected this to be a relatively easy read, and on a certain level it was, but it also kept me guessing until nearly the end, which was a pleasant surprise. The timelines for the construction portions were definitely unrealistic, but it didn't really hurt the story so much. Lots of characters, lots of action, lots of questions. I could have done without the talking cat chapters, they don't add anything to the story, but overall a fun read.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

When Whitney and her cousin Buck, partners in their house-flipping business, saw the old firehouse, they had ideas for rehabbing it. The city had built a new, more modern fire station and sold this one to the historical society. The historical society wanted to sell it to someone who would find a new use for it but keep the original charm intact, especially on the exterior.

Whitney and Buck want to turn it into a high-end home, with a circular staircase going around the fire pole, and keeping all the charm of the firehouse on the exterior. With a roof patio that shows off a gorgeous view of Nashville and generous rooms, the unique home won’t be on the market for long. Once they’ve put in the hard work of repairing and rehabbing.

As they’re getting started on the demo, an older man and woman approach Whitney with a question. There is a townhouse nearby that they want her to take a look at, to see what they recommend. Buck agrees to go along and look at it as well. What they find is a building where one half of the building is well kept and the other is abandoned and falling apart.

The well-kept half belongs to Joanna, who had asked them to take a look at the other half, along with her friend Gideon. Joanna explains that the couple who had lived there had passed away, and their 7 kids never did anything with it. Whitney and Buck look around and find good bones, so they promise Joanna to look into the ownership and see what could be done. They figure that since they’re already doing a flip so close, they could save some money and energy by doing both at the same time.

Meanwhile, Whitney is also trying to plan a wedding with her fiancé, Collin. He’s a detective, so his schedule is a little erratic, but they make some time to look at venues, none of which work for them. They want to get married before the end of the year, but none of the venues have a weekend open for a year or two. Then Whitney has a great idea—they can use the firehouse. She and Buck can get it finished in time if they’re careful with their schedule, and it would offer a place for a modest wedding and a roof patio for an amazing reception. Collin agrees, and they’re one step closer to being husband and wife.

But then things start going wrong on the job sites. There is a fire at the firehouse that looks like arson. Someone broke into the townhouse and painted “Theives” on the walls. And then Joanna comes to the firehouse one day to see Whitney, and she is not well. She’s falling over and unable to focus. Buck called for an ambulance to take her to the hospital, but later they find out that there was nothing they could have done for her. And when it turns out to be murder, Whitney wants to find out who could have killed her. But will she be able to solve the mystery in time for her to get the firehouse finished for her wedding? And will she live long enough to enjoy it?

Four-Alarm Homicide is the sixth book in Diane Kelly’s House-Flipper mystery series. These mysteries feature Whitney and her cousin flipping properties and solving murders. But they also feature her cat Sawdust, who gets to contribute a chapter every so often, adding his point of view and his helpful care tips for humans when they get stressed. With likeable characters, strong mysteries, and scene-stealing cats, the House-Flipper mysteries are light-hearted puzzle-solving fun.

I liked Four-Alarm Homicide. I am a fan of Nashville, so I enjoy hearing about the city, and I love the house-flipping fun. I think mystery fans who watch a lot of HGTV will enjoy this series a lot. Whitney and Buck are easy to spend time with, and it’s a very cat-friendly series, which I love. Having them work in a historic firehouse was a lovely idea, and I look forward to seeing what kind of projects they take on next.

Egalleys for Four-Alarm Homicide were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Four-Alarm Homicide is the sixth book in the House-Flipper Mystery series, as well as my introduction to the series. I am familiar with Diane Kelly's writing, as I thoroughly enjoy the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. Cousins Whitney and Buck purchase and flip buildings, not only houses. In this book, the building is a fire station, which made it quite interesting. When someone in the neighborhood ends up dead, Whitney investigates. She is an interesting, no nonsense main character, which makes the book enjoyable. Buck is also a nice character, as well as Sawdust the cat. It's fun to read from the cat's point of view! There are quite a few twists and turns in this well written, intelligent cozy mystery. A truly delightful read!

Four Alarm Homicide
House-Flipper mystery series #6. Cozy mystery style. Can be read as a stand-alone although personal relationships are progressing in the series.
Whitney Whitaker and cousin Buck find their newest rehab in Nashville. The cousins begin the interior demolition work of the old firehouse when the neighbor asks for help. They offer their services and end up owning a rundown townhouse. A fire and then a death has Whitney playing investigator.

Mercury, whiskey, cigarettes, and extended family make for suspects and twists as the story progresses. Follow the clues and see if you can predict “the killer” as Whitney asks questions. Secondary series storyline includes Whitney and Collin’s wedding prep.
I love the short chapters that are from the cat’s POV. 🤣 Enjoyable.


I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Four Alarm Homicide is the 6th installment in this super fun cozy mystery series. I love following along as Whitney and Buck work on flipping a property and Whitney, as she somehow finds herself in the middle of some murder mystery.

Diane Kelley does an amazing job of bringing these characters to life, and I love the occasional chapters from Whitney's cat! They are super adorable and I think this is exactly what my kitty thinks like!

There are plenty of twists, turns, and red herrings to keep you guessing. Every time Whitney had a suspect I was just as convinced as she was that they were the killers. I enjoy everything about this series and hope there are more to come!

Four Alarm Homicide by Diane Kelly is another of her charming House Flipper series. Whitney and her cousin, Buck, are house flippers, well, anything flippers, really. Their newest project is an old fire station. Additionally, just around the corner is an abandoned townhouse that looked promising. It turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. Seven siblings owned it and could agree on nothing, so there it sat. Whitney did get to know some of the neighbors, though, which was amazing, if somewhat troublesome. She was also planning her wedding to police detective, Collin, which was proving to be harder than she thought. They wanted to get married in three months and the venues didn’t agree. Some were booked out as far as a couple of years. Then they hit upon the idea of the fire station. It looked doable and they would be done in time. One day, weeks later, the owner of the other half of the house, Joanna, wandered into the firehouse as Whitney was working. She seemed out of it and as she fell, Whitney caught her. She called to Buck to call 911, but she feared it was too late. Things started moving quickly then.

Whitney and Buck are quite the pair, written as if Kelly knows them. They are excellent characters, yet far from perfect. They make a productive duo and have plenty of fun with it. The mystery was a good one, the murder weapon somewhat obscure. Whitney was the lead suspect for a while, which was an uncomfortable situation for everyone. It was a good read and the solution was surprising. Whitney is good people and she worked hard to make the outcome as good as possible for everyone involved. This is a terrific series, relatable and fun. Thanks, Diane Kelly!

I was invited to read Four Alarm Homicide by St Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #DianeKelly #FourAlarmHomicide

A good fast read. I personally enjoy the details about rehabbing since I’ve experienced that. to #NetGalley and #Four-AlarmHomicide for advanced digital copy.

This is such a fun series! I learn so much about home renovations and get to follow along step-by-step like the shows I enjoy. Whitney is smart, savvy, and a good investigator without being intrusive. Her relationship with Colin has developed well and his willingness to let her help him investigate makes this such a breath of fresh air; there’s no constant remonstrations to leave it to the professionals. The advancements in the various relationships (don’t want to give anything away) were a nice touch and made the perfect ending. Looking forward to the next!

Plenty of twists and turns in this cozy mystery. I was kept guessing as to what would happen next. Great characters as well. I love the idea of renovating an old firehouse into a single-family dwelling.
Entertaining and easy to read. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Great book, I really liked it. Entertaining and fun to read . Murder Happens , a Little Love Affairs. I can recommend it.

Thank you St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Paperbacks for allowing me to read and review Four-Alarm Homicide on NetGalley.

Published: 04/23/24

Stars: 4.5

Gratifying.

This is the sixth book in the House Flipper series and my second. The pleasure was all mine.

A clean cozy mystery centered around a small town house flipper with a small cast of series characters. I found them to be likeable.

This is a hit and I'm looking forward to reading the remaining four.

This was a fast easy read that made me feel good.

Home renovation, wedding plans, kitties and a murder make for a great read. Whitney and her cousin, Buck, have a renovation business. They just bought a fire station and are transforming it into a home. She is getting married and Collin and her have decided the garage area of the fire station will be the perfect venue for the wedding. Right around the corner is a duplex with one side empty and the owner, Joanna, has asked if she and Buck would renovate it and allow her to purchase it.

While all of this sounds easy enough, there are a few hitches. Someone sets the fire station on fire and there are seven owners of the empty duplex. Between trying to get the fire station ready in time for the wedding, finding out who set the fire and getting quit deeds from the seven owners, Joanna comes to the fire station in medical distress. Unfortunately, even with quick help from Whitney, Joanna doesn't make it.

There are a couple of other things happening in the story but to tell you would spoil the read. Needless to say, I couldn't put the book down and found myself reading into the wee hours of the morning.

this entertaining witty story will capture you in the very first chapter. Lots of twists and turns, interesting complex characters, a fast moving story with murder and mayhem! An unpredictable story that will keep you guessing to the very end! A real page turner and a must read!

This was my first House Flipper Mystery. I enjoyed meeting Whitney and Buck and following their renovation projects. Collin is Whitney’s fiancé and a police detective. I like Collin and Whitney’s relationship. It seems built on respect and a willingness to communicate. I enjoyed attending a wedding at the end.
The mystery was an interesting one. I did spot the instigator early on but not the reasons why.
I think this would be a fun mystery for a wide range of interests. I had little problem following the story line even though this is the 6th book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins for the opportunity to read this book.

Four-Alarm Homicide is book #6 in the House-Flipper Mystery series by Diane Kelly.

I always look forward to seeing what Whitney and Buck will take on as a renovation project. You don’t have to read the series from the beginning, but my favorite part is seeing how the characters grow and relationships develop over time. I really enjoy the chapters from Sawdust’s point of view. The mystery was intriguing and the twists and turns keep me guessing. I was a hooked from the beginning and couldn’t put this down. It was an enjoyable, entertaining read.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Four-Alarm Homicide is book 6 in the House-Flipper Mystery series by Diane Kelly.
This was such a fun contemporary cozy story.
The mystery is interesting and had lots of twists which kept me guessing.
The plot was well laid out with so many suspects. I loved trying to figure out what really happened.
The characters are well rounded and well developed.
Fantastically written with vivid descriptions that really put you in the storyline

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Whitney and Buck, cousins, are also house flippers. Working in Nashville, they both have an interest in rehabbing historic properties and that is how they end up with an older fire house. They see the potential in turning it into a delightful family home. The neighbors become interested and also tell them about a townhouse nearby that needs to be fixed up since the family member died. Problem - the other family members do not want to sell - but money talks, so Whitney figures out a price and buys them out, with a little something to boot. And Whitney is also busy planning her wedding with Collin, a local homicide detective. Oh, and Buck's wife is expecting their first child, so life is more than a little involved for Buck and Whitney.

Very shortly, one of the neighbors dies in Whitney's arms. And here the plot gets a little strange as Whitney resolves to sort out this mystery death. Natural causes? Or murder? Who could have possibly wanted this sweet older lady to die? Could it have been the former owners of the townhouse? How about the neighbor across the street? How about the woman's family?

Four alarm homecide is a murder mystery that five thousand present got my attention because of the cat on the cover .

I’m glad it did catch my attention though because I loved every moment of it and will definitely be nabbing a physical copy .