Another great Lighthouse Cove mystery as Shannon has to put down her tools and start detecting to clear the name of a friend. A fun mystery with lots of twists and turns!

I always love Kate Carlisle's cozy mysteries, and this one was no exception! Shot Through the Hearth kept me guessing with some great twists and turns. Some of the characters at the eco conference were downright unpleasant, but otherwise, the book was the quality work that I expect from the author.

This is the latest in Kate Carlisle's Fixer Upper cozy mystery series. When a murder is committed, all evidence points to Kate's friend. Kate jumps in to save her friend and find the real killer.
An enjoyable read and good mystery.

A new book in the Fixer-Upper series by Kate Carlisle. I love this series and truly enjoyed this book. Back again is Shannon and her crew, and this time we are faced with a murder mystery. I love the fact that Shannon is in construction and fixes up old Victorian houses. It adds charm to the story line, and it's nice to see a strong female lead in a male dominated field. This was a fast paced read and you get invested in the characters enough that you want to finish the book to see what happens. Can't wait for the next book in this series.

Contractor Shannon Hammer has eight months to renovate a crumbling Victorian mansion and build a barn. Piece of cake, right? Not necessarily.

Her client, Raphael “Rafe” Nash, is one of the wealthiest men on the planet. In just a few months, he plans to hold an immense conference at the farmstead - the Future Global Survival Con - where dreamers and entrepreneurs will pitch the kind of ideas that he and his ex-business partner, Dillon Charles, used to fund together. These ideas might save the planet, raise everyone’s living standard, and feature cutting-edge technology. The lucky ones will have their projects fully funded by Rafe and his fiance’s new Marigold Foundation.

Shannon will have to use green materials and techniques to build everything from parking lots for 500 attendees to a concrete block building that will transform into a three-story, vertical garden with solar-sensing louvers and ceiling-to-floor vegetation.

Why did Rafe and Dilllon split? Shannon and her beau, Mac, overhear an argument between the men. Dillon calls Rafe’s ideas “creative crap,” and brags about his own business acumen. Dillon wants to monetize the ideas with no desire for personal return, but Dillon (who has blown a good deal of money gambling), wants to monetize the ideas and profit from them. Dillon’s rude references to Marigold infuriate the normally even-tempered Rafe.

The Con begins with entrepreneurs and activists whose projects range from the practical to the utterly fanciful. The proprietor of the concrete building, dubbed the “Ecosphere” despite its non-spherical nature, believes that he needs to fight for the rights of the plant world (including an eerily-sentient vine). Another hopeful has invented a machine that could clean the ocean (the “Scoop Monster”) in no time, but the government stole it, along with his encryption algorithm that decrypted messages from aliens. Mice who have been genetically altered to make better decisions escape...

And - Dillon is murdered.

Shannon and Mac begin to discover that many of the attendees and grant-seekers had issues with Dillon, and had publically wished him dead. Even gentle Marigold agrees. In fact, there are so many people who loathed Dillon that the book begins to resemble classic mysteries in which every single character had both motive and means.

In-between dealing with people seeking to harvest sandcastle worms, create eco-fisheries, and detect governmental intrusion into their thoughts, the murder is solved.

Readers will be entertained by the author’s creation of characters who are, indeed, characters. Mystery fans will love the way logic is used to separate the nutty from the real. Many of the familiar characters from earlier episodes in the series are back, including winemaker Pete Hammer, Shannon’s sister Chloe, and kilt-clad Niall Rose. This book is altogether entertaining - a happy (if, briefly, lethal) visit to a familiar landscape.

5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Judging from other reviews, I'm out of the mainstream in my dislike for this book. True, it's very easy to read, and the protagonist is smart and capable. But the tone just didn't work for me. There's a kind of saccharine quality to all of the characters, and the women are all so reliably paired up with men who want to take care of them (and even though they push back on this, it's definitely there). When one of the bad guys makes fun of a character's girlfriend for being uninteresting and for her name being cow-like, a part of me couldn't help but wonder if Carlisle wasn't setting him up when she named her Marigold.

What bothered me the most, though, was the hero of the piece, Rafe. He swoops into town with more money than he knows what to do with and has all sorts of grandiose plans to (literally) save the world. He's supposed to be this business genius and inventor. He seems high maintenance to me, but everyone just loves him. We're supposed to believe that all the people at the save the world conference that he hosts on his property (but seems to spend remarkably little time running. Who is actually in charge of that conference? Every conference I've been to or been involved with generally has multiple people running around madly to keep everything going smoothly) are weirdos, but I honestly couldn't see what separated him from the rest. The fact that he had money? That he was devoted to Shannon's friend Marigold (who never really emerges as much of a personality).

I haven't read any other books by Carlisle before this one, but I had heard great things about the bibliophile series. After this one, though, I'm not so sure.

SHOT THROUGH THE HEARTH by Kate Carlisle is the seventh book in the Fixer-Upper Mystery series. The reader is taken along for a ride as they follow Shannon Hammer, owner of Hammer Construction, as she and her crew remodels a Victorian farmhouse for ultra-wealthy, Raphael (Rafe) Nash and his fiancé, Marigold (one of Shannon’s best friends). Lured by the lucrative job, Shannon finds out that Rafe also wants her to organize an “old-fashioned” barn raising, help with his eco-living conference, and sit on his newly formed Marigold Foundation board. Along the way the reader is introduced to “green” innovations in the building industry that are exhibited at Rafe’s conference. Personally I found the mentions intriguing and hope that some of the ideas and products become readily available.

Alongside the viable products, Ms. Carlisle includes the quirky and downright weird ideas that eccentric people propose and try to develop with the idea of selling. Some of those ideas lend a science fiction feel to the conference and a bit of levity to the mystery. Stephanie, a rescued plant, is one of my favorite non-human characters. I think that’s one of the author’s greatest strengths: no matter which character it is, she manages to fully develop them so that the reader feels like they’re realistic.

Shannon, along with her thriller author boyfriend, get involved in trying to find out who killed Rafe’s business partner after witnessing a huge argument between the two men. There were plenty of suspects, a couple who were so egotistical I hoped they would be the killer and have justice meted out to them, or become victims themselves. The subplots were woven seamlessly into the plot and the threads of the story were wrapped up nicely for a satisfying conclusion. Once again Ms. Carlisle has written an entertaining story with a relatable protagonist which keeps her fans coming back for more.

I thoroughly enjoyed the latest installment of Calisle's "Fixer-Upper" series! I have read the first, but haven't ready every book in the series, so I am happy to say that I did not have trouble picking up on major characters and their relationships.

Personally, I love Carlisle's side characters--especially Wesley--as I feel they are equal parts quirky tropes and complex individual.

The contractor/construction information is woven throughout the story in a way that it is accessible to the not-so-handy-with-the-hammer readers--myself included. I would recommend this title to readers familiar with the series, as well as those non-series readers who are looking for a good puzzle to solve.

This is book 7 in the Fixer-Upper Mystery series. It deals with green construction and there are a lot of good tips and ideas for a greener world. Raphael Nash is willing to spend a lot of his billions to build a conference center and restore an old home in Lighthouse Cove. Shannon and her crew are working under a deadline and a murder isn't in the schedule. This book can be read as a stand alone but you can catch up with lots of previous characters and still know what's going on. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

Shot Through the Hearth is another entertaining entry in the solidly executed Fixer-Upper Mystery Series by Kate Carlisle. Protagonist Shannon Hammer is as unique as her job as a construction contractor, and dead bodies seem to follow her wherever she goes. Here is no exception. When her friend and client Rafe’s ex-business partner is killed and interrupts Shannon’s much anticipated barn raising, and is followed by more death and other glitches that are too much to be coincidences, Shannon does all she can to find the truth and protect her friends.

The Fixer-Upper series is always captivating reading, finding a good balance between humor, construction tidbits, romance, and murder. Shannon is an intelligent, brave protagonist who never loses her head no matter the danger she faces. I particularly savor her relationship with her bestselling thriller author boyfriend Mac. Their banter is fun, and their relationship is wonderful and highlighted without taking away from the murder mystery. I like her coworkers and tight knit group of friends and feel like I could hang out with them anytime and thoroughly enjoy myself.

This story focuses on Shannon’s friend Marigold’s newcomer fiancé, tech and green living guru Rafe. He is immensely interesting and appealing, but at times I found him to good to be true. Thankfully, He proves himself to be genuine time and again. He is a worthy match to the former Amish Marigold. His remodeled home and acreage sound amazing. The victim Dillon is just terrible. Greedy, conniving, opportunistic, and underhanded, I found his demise impossible to sympathize with, thus making it hard to care who had it out for him. Rafe puts on a conference at his new home, and some of the exhibits and panels sound fascinating, but most of the attendees highlighted (mostly because they are suspects) are not particularly likable. Their eccentricities are taken to the point of unpleasantness, and I found it difficult to connect to them.

The murder mystery is well thought out and executed. I guessed who the bad guy was relatively early but did not put all of the pieces together ahead of time. The story dragged for me at times, but the ending moved along quickly and ended satisfactorily. I enjoyed Shot Through the Hearth and recommend it to fans of the series and readers looking for a more unusual protagonist.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Shot Through the Heath was a delightful and beautifully written cozy mystery! Kate Carlisle is so extremely talented and one of my favorite authors in the genre. I most definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys this genre. This book was so fun and kept me on my toes until the end. I loved how Shannon was not directly involved in the finding of the body, or the investigation since she had no motive. It was refreshing to watch the case get dissected as the story went on. The characters are so easily relatable and the banter is modern and refreshing.

Shannon Hammer has just received a huge new job that will broaden her experience to include barn raising! Raphael Nash, a tech genius, asks Shannon and her team to take over renovating the old farm house he bought for him and Marigold on a large plot of land in Lighthouse Cove. But there's a twist! He will be having his first ever convention on the property to highlight eco-living and his passions and he wants Shannon to do a barn raising with yee team. When the day comes, they find a body that could destroy the conference and so much more.

Shannon along with the help of her super hunky, ex-Seal, thriller-writter of a boyfriend Mac begin to put together clues on why so many accidents keep occurring during this convention. Mac doesn't believe in coincidences. They need to stop the murderer before any more bodies pile up.

I received an advanced copy via Netgalley for an honest review.

This light and fun mystery proves that sometimes a person is just plain crazier than you think, but when it comes to retired billionaire Raphael Nash's conference on eco-living, the ideas that are described are often every bit as interesting as the mystery and the characters.

It's nice to read about a billionaire who actually wants to do good and pay his good fortune back, but it's just as much fun to try to figure out who killed his old business partner. Shot Through the Hearth (love the title) is another strong entry in one of my favorite cozy series. Now it's back to waiting for the next one...

Shot Through the Hearth by Kate Carlisle is the seventh A Fixer-Upper Mystery. It can be read by those familiar with the series as well as newcomers. I found Shot Through the Hearth to be a delightful cozy mystery. Shannon Hammer is excited by the challenge of Rafe’s project. He not only wants his Victorian farmhouse renovated, Rafe wishes a unique tower (the Ecosphere) to be constructed and for them to hold a barn raising. It will be Shannon and her crews first barn. Rafe also wants them to use green materials as well as unique eco-friendly gadgets. The one downside is they only have eight months to complete Rafe’s list since he plans on holding the first Future Global Survival Con. The conference begins and we are introduced to a quirky cast of characters. There is Marcus Reedy with his special vine, Stephanie to Midge Andresen with her sandcastle worms. Sketch Horn, an author, is also in attendance and Mac is not thrilled (wait until you meet him). When Rafe’s old business partner, Dillon Charles is murdered, there are a host of suspects who could have killed the unpleasant man. There are good clues and some unexpected revelations. As the conference continues, there are a series of unfortunate events including another death. Shannon with help from her boyfriend, Mac work to uncover the culprit. I love the banter between Mac and Shannon. They are a couple who are truly meant for each other. I appreciate that Shannon and Mac share information with Eric Jensen, the chief of police. The female readers will relish the character Niall Rose with his Scottish brogue and the descriptions of him wearing his kilt. I laughed often while reading Shot Through the Hearth. It is a humorous story that I was sorry to see end. I especially enjoyed Shannon’s reaction to the smart mice (it was hilarious). Shot Through the Hearth is told in the first person which I normally dislike, but it works for this series. We get to see things from Shannon’s perspective which can be highly entertaining at times (like with the smart mice). There is one scene at the end that had me in stitches. I cannot wait to read the next installment in A Fixer-Upper Mystery series. Shot Through the Hearth is a captivating cozy mystery with a barn building, flirtatious fauna, puzzling patents, malicious mushrooms, wacky worms and a dazzling detective duo.

Murder at a Planet-Saving Conference

Shannon Hammer, a contractor who specializes in restoring old houses, is particularly pleased to get a commission to restore the old farmhouse that will be the home of her friend, Marigold, and her fiance, Raphael Nash, a retired tech billionaire. In addition to the farmhouse project, Rafe wants Shannon’s team to construct a conference center. It’s supposed to have environmentally friendly buildings and be the site of a planet-saving conference.

The project has a short timeline because Rafe wants to showcase his green building technology. The site is ready on time and the conference goes on as scheduled. Shannon finds the participants an interesting mix of odd-balls and serious technologists. All is going well. The five-hundred people in attendance seem to be enjoying the site and the presentations until Rafe’s ex-partner is found dead. Now Rafe is the primary suspect and Shannon and her partner, Mac, need to help the police figure out what happened.

This is a fun read. Shannon and Mac engage in amusing banter. I found Rafe an attractive character. The descriptions of his conference center are well conceived. If you enjoy renovation and construction, the process of building the center is well described.

The background in eco-friendly technology is interesting, but sometimes veers into parody. Still, it’s fun to meet the strange characters responsible of the ideas. Altogether, this is a fun book.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Series: A Fixer-Upper Mystery - Book 7
Author: Kate Carlisle
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Renovation
Publisher: Berkley
Page Count: 304

The latest in the “A Fixer-Upper Mystery” series from Berkley comes Kate Carlisle’s Shot Through the Hearth.

Ms. Carlisle is a well known and talented writer. Her cozy mysteries are well written, and original with unforgettable characters. The Fixer-Upper series is a fan favorite and for good reason. The characters are the kind of people many of us would love to have as friends and neighbors, as well as co-workers and family. The returning cast is well developed, with personalities unique to this author's books.

Cozy mysteries, in general, have plots that aren’t too heavy-handed, and characters that fans want to follow. A home renovator base is for many a fun exploration of a career readers flock too. For many of us who watch endless television shows on renovation or who do home reno’s, it is a pleasure to have a book and series that encapsulates our passion for these types of professions and hobbies.

In this addition to the Fixer-Upper cozy mysteries, Shannon once again finds herself trying to find a killer without becoming a potential victim or suspect as she has in the past. One murder turns into two, and if she doesn’t find out who is behind it all, there could be even more. Luckily, she has help in the form of her friends, and her boyfriend, Mac. Most of the guests at the conference are there to finds ways to help the earth and people survive, but some are there to seek fame and fortune and are not very likable, perhaps even a bit crazy.

Before long, Shannon realizes that one of them may also be desperate enough to have killed multiple times and could have every intention of doing it again. By happenstance, Shannon spies the killer in the nick of time and rushes in to save the day. Using anything she can get her hands on and hoping that Mac and Rafe make it on time, she decides to make a move to stop a killer. In the end, the killer is captured, and everyone is safe.

I am happy to recommend this book Shot Through the Hearth and these cozy mysteries to fans of home renovation, conservation, and lovers of all things mysterious.

ARC Provided by NetGalley

While I am a huge fan of this series, as well as the authors other books, this one just didn’t really hold my attention like they usually do. I think that I just didn’t care about the mystery in this one all the much. Overall though I love the characters and setting of this series and I always enjoy the renovation details, though I typically love story lines that are more fixing up old homes and finding things rather than building new ones. The character and relationship development are well done in this book and I enjoy reading about the main characters relationship. While this wasn’t mu favorite of the series its still a solid read and I’m looking forward to giving the next book in the series a try.

This was my first book in this series and I am impressed. Of course, I expected to be impressed since I have read all of the books in the author’s Bibliophile Mystery series and have loved each and every one of them. I’ve also watched a few of the movies based on this series and liked them okay, but wasn’t totally impressed. My belief is that the book is always better than the movie – and that was certainly correct this time. I like both Shannon and Mac much better in the book! I liked the lighthearted banter between Shannon and Mac and also between Shannon and her friends.

Shannon and her construction company are undertaking their biggest job yet and it is really exciting for them because they will be doing some types of construction they’ve never done before. Not only will they be refurbishing an old farmhouse, but they’ll also be constructing all the venues for a huge environmental/earth survival conference where all of the latest green building technologies will be featured. This is all at the behest their client Raphael (Rafe) Nash who is a retired tech bazillionaire who is engaged to one of Shannon’s best friends – Marigold.

As the conference begins, Shannon meets some really strange people who are involved in all sorts of planet-saving research and/or projects. Some are true ding-a-lings, some are serious believers, and others are putting their drive and intelligence to good use by developing earth sustaining products. Everybody seems really excited about this first-ever conference – and the chance to win a grant from the newly formed Marigold Foundation.

It isn’t too long into the conference before a body is found. The victim was a real dastard and wasn’t liked by anyone – meaning that there are well over five-hundred suspects. Finding someone who didn’t want him dead would be an easier task. As both the conference and the investigation continue – other strange things happen – and then another body. Who is trying to ruin the conference? Or – is someone also trying to kill Rafe or Marigold?

Mac and Shannon continue to help the Police Chief with the investigation because they want to assure that their friends, Rafe and Marigold, aren’t harmed.

One of my favorite parts has to do with Shannon and the ‘smart’ mice. Also, as I mentioned before, the humor and banter among the main characters are delightful. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and definitely recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Shot Through the Hearth: A Fixer-Upper Mystery
By Kate Carlisle
Berkley
October 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

For Hammer Construction owner Shannon Hammer, having Raphael Nash is a client is an unquestionable coup. Not only is he dating her friend Marigold, Rafe is one of the wealthiest men in the world whose unlimited budget gives Shannon free reign over the possibilities to renovate his Victorian mansion. He is also contracting Shannon’s company for a literal barn-raising during his upcoming Future Global Survival Con, in which attendees will share and learn about the latest high-tech, forward-thinking methods of protecting the environment. While no one more than Shannon can appreciate advances in Green technology, not everyone is so positive about the Rafe’s new direction. His former business partner is infuriated that Rafe left their company and has a public confrontation with him, making Dillon Charles’ subsequent death in the newly constructed Ecosphere vertical garden problematic for all.

As the conference continues, so do the attempts at sabotage, which include food poisonings at a slow food demonstration, on-the-lam smart mice, and even rifle fire. While Shannon’s boyfriend MacKintyre Sullivan finds that the chaos provides inspiration for his bestselling thriller series, it’s mostly due to Rafe’s considerable investment and the presence of Nobel Prize winners that prevent the police from shutting it down completely. Instead, Rafe asks Shannon to engage in her Scooby-doo tactics of listing suspects, motives, and timelines to once again help track down a killer. An arrogant author claiming to be a former military soldier, a love-struck personal assistant, and a plethora of eccentric environmentalists are all Shannon’s suspects for placing the Survival Con on the endangered list.

This series has so fully developed its likable cast of characters that readers will enjoy scenes of the Shannon’s friends just hanging out as much as they will its timely and very complex plot. The romantic intrigue and new couples being formed are woven into the plot naturally, resulting in improbable but delightful combinations. As climate change raises and lowers temperatures to disastrous levels, none of the extraordinary measures or creative scientific experiments presented by the Survival Con attendees seem that outlandish or impossible. The idealism is refreshing, as are Shannon’s environmentally friendly construction designs that conserve and recycle. Who knew home construction could be so fascinating or so much fun? In this Northern California town of Lighthouse Cove, Shannon’s network of family and friends are her best assets in uncovering the secrets of these brainy futurists. Even readers who have never picked up a hammer will be charmed by this entertaining read full of clever plot twists, witty dialogue, and an admirable heroine for a lead.

I love old houses, and the idea of a construction company that specializes in the restoration and reconstruction of old Victorians makes me happy in my soul. There's just something magical and homey in an old house. The main character in Kate Carlisle's Fixer-upper Mystery series, Shannon Hammer, breathes new life into old Victorian houses...so of course, I had to give this series a try!

Shot Through the Hearth is the 7th book in the series. Normally I don't jump into a series after so many books, but I was willing to try it to see if I would like the characters and the plot. I'm glad I did! This was an enjoyable cozy! I was easily able to figure out most of the characters and their relationships, although I think I would have understood the nuances a bit better had I started at the beginning of this series.

In Shot Through the Hearth, Hammer Construction is hired for a complicated reconstruction and new construction project. They have 8 months to refurbish a large Victorian home, and build some green eco-friendly structures, including an eco-friendly barn. Their client, Rafe Nash, made his millions in the tech industry and energy efficient inventions. He plans an eco-friendly convention just after the construction projects are finished. Shannon finds herself really liking Rafe (which is good since he is engaged to a close friend of hers), but his business partner, Dillon, is another matter altogether. Things get dicey when a body is found in the barn during the convention.....and then another body turns up. With more than 500 people in attendance at the conference and most of them quirky in one way or another.....there are a lot of suspects and lots of investigation!

For me this was a nice introduction to this series. I'm definitely going to backtrack and read the Fixer-upper Mysteries from the beginning!

**I voluntarily read an advanced review copy of this book from Berkley via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

The seventh book of the Fixer-upper series find Shannon Hammer working her largest project for Raphael Nash, an billionaire who has purchased a large piece land in Lighthouse Cove. She is restoring the house for Marigold, his wife. He has form a Foundation named after his wife. He has plans for a worldwide eco conference while the reconstruction is occurring. Things are moving along until his X- business partner arrives hoping to lure him back to his business. He is found dead and all the clues point to Raphael as the killer. Shannon and crew must find an answer so the work can continue and eco-conference will occur. I highly recommend this book and series.

Disclosure: Thanks Berkley for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.