I've long been a fan of Kate Carlisle's Fixer-Upper cozy series. There's always something to learn in the fields of architecture and construction. There's always an intriguing mystery to solve. Shannon and her friends are good people who go out of their way to do the right thing, and the resident ill-tempered diva makes her presence known without overpowering my patience (or lack thereof). Absence of Mallets is another strong entry in this engaging series.

Shannon and her construction crew are working on probably their best project of the entire series: a veterans' village. This village is for veterans in need, with fifty tiny houses being built and given to the vets on a first-come, first-served basis. The community center is large and has just about everything these men and women could need.

Shannon's boyfriend, Mac, has moved in with her and has turned his lighthouse keeper's house into a writers' retreat. His latest group, a bunch of entitled, argumentative, sneaky know-it-alls, fuels most of the action in the book and has Mac wondering if he needs to pull the plug on the whole retreat idea.

If you find yourself feeling the need to spend some time with good people, I've got just the people and just the place for you: Shannon Hammer and her friends in Lighthouse Cove, California. So what if a dead body or two may be involved? These folks will restore your faith in amateur sleuths specifically and in the human race in general.

Since I'm a fan of fixer upper cozies, especially ones presenting a strong female protagonist, I knew this series would become a fast favorite.
Shannon and her guy, Mac are adjusting to living together, but this new writer's group that Mac is hosting is over the top.
Shannon feels things are going to take a bad turn, and she finds out quickly that she was right.
The death of a friend shakes up Lighthouse Cove, and especially those working and living at the Homefront.

I found myself caught up in the mystery and while parts were a little telling, I still enjoyed the end and the reveal.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

#AbsenceofMallets #NetGalley

This is a series I like a lot! It's got a fair bit of she-power, with female contractor Shannon as the main character. As I know less than nothing about construction, her world is an exotic-to-me setting for a story. This entry is a 3.5 for me.

There's so much I love here, including the heart that comes through in this mystery set around military vets. I love the tiny home village, the way they're exploring different new careers, like construction, and also different ways of self-expression, like creative writing. I feel like the PTSD is handled well, and it just makes me happy to spend time in this community.

However.

There are some inexplicably poor choices made by the author and by Shannon. The guilty party/parties are way too over the top. The idea that Shannon et al wouldn't watch the video that could reveal the murderer--even while they acknowledge that this could show us the murderer!--until the next day or when they can all watch it together or something...that's just stupid and insulting to the reader. And Mac's decision not to say anything to the writer's group or police after the FIRST break-in at the lighthouse? Ludicrous.

I know assuming your audience is intelligent makes plotting harder. But, mystery authors (in general, not just this one), you've gotta make your smart characters do smart things! When you make them act in ridiculous ways, you undermine your whole story.

I like Shannon, her crew, and her community, and I'm looking forward to the next murder she solves--smartly!

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absence of Mallets is the 9th book in the Fixer-Upper Mystery series written by Kate Carlisle. I've previously read all the other books, plus I'm halfway through another series by the author. I enjoy her writing style, character creation, creative settings, and murder plots. In this latest installment, contractor Shannon and author Mac are hosting a writers' retreat while building homes for veterans. The two projects collide, and someone ends up dead. But who and why is a very complicated mess!

While I enjoyed this book a lot, I do think the mystery was lighter than most of the past ones in the series. The connections between the guilty party and the person who died was present, but it didn't have a ton of history or complex levels to unwind. There were several red herrings and potential leads that kept us on our toes, yet ultimately, this was more of a feel-good story that had some murderish elements to it. Still totally okay, just not the standout of the series, in my mind. The author's tone and descriptions are always on point. I walked away happy and eager to devour the next one too.

It's a quick read. I started it in bed Thanksgiving night around 9pm. Yes, I was up early and ate a lot and decided to relax for the evening. By 11:15, I'd finished the book and was turning off the iPad. When I woke up this morning, I smiled and ordered the next book in the author's other series (about a San Francisco book repair business) and will definitely read that in the next few weeks. A generally high recommendation from me; however, as always, start with the first in the series and read them in order for maximum connection.

I love it when the authors I follow on social media post about their writer’s retreats, so it was great fun to see that this book featured writer’s retreats. As always, the writing is excellent and while the mystery isn’t terribly mysterious, it is interesting to see it unfold.

Between the last book and this one, Mac has moved in with Shannon and has turned his home, known as the lighthouse mansion, into a retreat for writers. Shannon and Mac are loving their lives and couldn’t be happier, especially with Mac’s writer retreats going so well. This latest batch of writers, however, seems very different from all of the others. There is an odd dynamic within the group and they are disrespectful of Mac and others within Lighthouse Cove. There is something – off – about them and they are definitely proving to be a handful.

Shannon and her crew are almost through with Homefront, the set of fifty tiny homes and service center dedicated to veterans. All of the completed homes are occupied and there is a waiting list for those on which the crew is still working. Shannon’s crew includes both her normal work crew and some of the veterans with building skills and they’ve really meshed into a finely tuned machine. With the homes going up at a rapid pace, Shannon adds a mosaic artist to the crew so the backsplashes in the last few houses will be something really special. Sadly, that artist is murdered before she’s hardly begun her work.

With a large work crew, a village full of veterans, the writers from the retreat, and the entire town of Lighthouse Cove available as suspects, it isn’t going to be an easy case to solve. Except, in her heart, Shannon is almost sure of who it is, but confirming that suspicion and finding proof that would satisfy a court will take the combined skills of Shannon, Mac, Eric (the police chief), and Chloe (Shannon’s sister).

BTW – I loved the new group of writers who come to the retreat at the end of the book. It is a group of successful, multi-published, Romance Writers known as the No Drama Queens.

I hope you’ll give Shannon and Mac’s adventures in Lighthouse Cove a read and that you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Happy reading!

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

"Absence of Mallets" the 9th instalment in the "Fixer Upper" Mystery series by Kate Carlisle. I really enjoy both of Kate Carlisle’s mystery series but I think this one is my favourite.

Contractor Shannon Hammer steels her nerve to pin down a killer

As I have said before the setting of Lighthouse Cove on the northern coast of California is so beautiful and this time we are on a acreage of tiny homes for veterans. I love this idea and am glad it’s a real thing in some areas.

I love Shannon and Mac together and seeing how their relationship is progressing. I also really enjoy the interaction with Shannon and Chloe and am happy Chloe is returning to the cove. I love all the side characters with exception of Whitney who we are meant to not like.

There were some really diabolical characters in this book meaning the group of authors at the retreat. Overall the mystery was interesting and well plotted, and had lots of suspects.

I feel like the characters are taking on some life changing events and I cant wait for the next book to see how things have progressed.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kate Carlisle’s ninth book, Absence of Mallets, in the Fixer-Upper Mysteries series enraptures the reader from its onset. Shannon, Mac et al. are a dynamic group who break down and solve the most complex of mysteries. In this book, with the emphasis of Military Veterans and the Homefront project as its driving force, the message along with the mystery makes for an exceptional story.

As with her other books in this series, Ms Carlisle provides an unique look into the building progressions and the intricacies that are involved, bringing a unique element to her stories. With dynamic and relatable characters, a smart and engaging dialogue and with subtle humor strategically laced throughout, the story moves at a rapid pace. Add in the perfect amount of moving parts to keep you guessing and I couldn’t ask for a better “Who Done It” to loose myself in.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Shannon is pretty happy with her life now that Mac has moved in. They love each other and he's a popular author. So they decide to put a workshop together.
Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on December 7th.

They had six writers show up. They looked nice enough but they weren't. It doesn't take long for the dead person to show up. The worst part is that she was nicest of the group.

Shannnon's boyfriend is willing to help her sleuthing. Her sister is dating the chief of police and they are looking, too.

It's a mess and many questions get asked. Then they see a fight between two friends that almost becomes deadly. By careful questioning, they finally get the truth. Will that be enough?

This is the ninth book in the author's "Fixer-Upper" series; my acquaintance - and love - began with the sixth, and I've remained a loyal and happy reader ever since. It's refreshing to find a cozy mystery heroine, in this case professional contractor Shannon Hammer (yep, that's her real last name), who isn't oblivious to anyone other than herself and actually listens to reason. Growing up with a father who could build and/or repair just about anything, as did Shannon, gives me yet another way to relate - I just wish he'd taught me more than how to drive a nail and paint fence boards.

This one brings a happy circumstance: Shannon and hunky thriller writer Mac Sullivan are cohabitating. Shannon, who specializes in Victorian style, is working on a project to build 50 tiny houses for homeless or needy veterans, with half - plus a community center- already in place and occupied. In addition to writing his next book, the wealthy Mac has turned the historic lighthouse mansion into a retreat for writers. Still another project, started in a previous book, is restoration of part of a former insane asylum to become a posh hotel for Shannon's friend Jane. Shannon's sister Chloe, also a contractor but one who hosts a popular TV show on the West Coast, is married to local police chief Eric and commutes on occasion to visit Shannon (and, of course, her husband).

As this one begins, work is progressing on the veterans' project, and Shannon is about to start teaching a class on building basics for women. Mac is hosting a small group of writers, one of whom turns out to be a boorish loudmouth named Lewis, who rankles just about every human he meets, including Mac and Shannon. Chloe is home for a visit, and everything seems to be going along swimmingly until the unthinkable happens: Shannon's new friend, a female veteran who's agreed to lend her talents to the housing project, turns up dead near Mac's shuttered-for-restoration lighthouse. The weapon appears to be one of the mallets the woman used in her art projects (hence the title of the book, I assume).

It's pretty clear there's a murderer among them all, but no one wants to think it's one of the veterans. Could it be one of Mac's guests at the writers' retreat? Or even Shannon's old nemesis from back in high school, who's beyond obnoxious to everyone? Everyone, from Shannon to Mac to Chloe and Eric, start investigating - but their efforts don't turn up much except the possibility that one or more of them may be the killer's next target.

Of course, all the details get hammered out in the end, but not without a bit of breath-holding on the part of this reader, at least. I have to say a couple of the characters in this one seemed borderline silly, but the whole thing was a treat as always (I love reading details of the construction trade) so I don't hesitate to recommend it. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

This is definitely a cute book. It's a cozy mystery where Shannon seeks out to solve the mystery of a murder. Good writing and detailed description. Not exactly the most riveting book but charming.

This book had suspense, intrigue, action, and some crazy characters! And a good who done it too! I did enjoy reading this book but it wasn't an omg edge of my seat book?! I guess it was kind of on the light side of mystery\ thriller ? Its still worth reading just not one of my all time favorites! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This was a very entertaining cozy mystery. It is the ninth book in the Fixer-Upper cozy mystery series. The setting is a Victorian beach town in Northern California. The main character is Shannon Hammer who is a contractor. Her current project is called Homefront and is a settlement of tiny homes being built for Veterans.

Her famous successful boyfriend is Mac who is an investor in the project. Mac was a Navy SEAL before beginning his career as an author. He has decided, since he's now living with Shannon, to use his former home as a place for a writer's retreat.

His current crop of authors are not at all like he was expecting. First of all, they seem weirdly dependent on one another. The most famous of them had his first book go to bestseller status and is now supposed to be working on his second. He is quite an unpleasant person who hits on one of the female Veterans who is taking Shannon's classes on construction for women. The woman is Linda who is also a mosaic artist with her own set of mallets which Shannon admires. She is rather known for her own pink tools.

When Linda is found bludgeoned to death, Shannon and Mac along with their friends are determined to find out who killed her. They have quite a few suspects among the authors, but someone is trying to frame one of the Veterans in the village. That Veteran is Travis who has been doing some writing to help with his PTSD and who is also working on Shannon's crew. When his tablet goes missing, Shannon and Mac think that clue leads back to he author's - especially the one who is late turning in his next book.

The story was filled with great characters. I really liked the setting and the Homefront project too. I liked the details about doing construction and liked that Shannon used her staple gun to relieve stress. I haven't read earlier books in this series yet and am eager to give more of them a try.

Mac has moved in with Shannon, and the lighthouse mansion is now used as a writer's retreat. Shannon and her crew are working on building a community of tiny houses for homeless vets, and all is right with the world. Until a local mosaic artist is found bludgeoned to death on the beach. Now Shannon has to find out who did the deed before one of the homeless vets is wrongly accused of murder.
I love these books not for the mystery, though they aren't bad, but really for the character development. Just learning how things change and progress in their fictional lives really is the point of reading the next in the series. I love learning the bits and pieces of construction that are sprinkled throughout the book as well.

This is a cozy mystery that stands out because the murder victim was a well-liked, lovely person, and the sorrow of their loss echoes throughout the book. It’s not enough to know who, but the why is so important to Shannon and friends as they find their own clues along the way.

Shannon is working on a series of tiny homes for veterans in a new village/suburb of sorts. One thing I did find interesting here is that it is apparently only for single, childless veterans? No family homes. It seemed like a long term planning gap there and was never really explained.

In the meantime, Mac’s home is being used as a writer’s retreat, and the latest group is insufferable. Frankly, I was hoping it was one of them who wound up in the murderer’s sights, but unfortunately it was much more tragic than that. The writers in this one were disturbing for different reasons - greed, carelessness towards others, lack of empathy.

The mystery was solid as we have a number of suspects and Shannon and crew keep finding clues that help them sort out who is responsible. It sets things up nicely for a future book, too. Shannon’s sister, Chloe, is moving back to live with Eric and work two weeks a month in LA, so she’s now part of the mystery solving friendship crew. The changes are making for good additions to the series, developing it nicely to keep it from being stale.

This is a really enjoyable series, and I liked this installment as much as the earlier ones. Shannon and Mac are doing well, but there are still lots of ups and downs with the characters, including Shannon's nemesis.

Shannon runs a construction business in Lighthouse Cove, and she and her crew are working on a tiny house community exclusively for veterans. Her boyfriend, Mac, is a well-known author who is giving a writing workshop as he's done before. This new group, however, seems to be obnoxious and entitled, and after they arrive, a sweet woman from the village is brutally murdered; Shannon is determined to learn who killed her friend. Who could be trying to frame one of the veterans in the community for the murder? Shannon is certain that he's innocent, and when someone sabotages her worksite, inuring Shannon and her sister, the police, Shannon, and Mac are more determined than ever to find the culprit. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Another fun addition to the Mac and Shannon Fixer-Upper mystery series. I like learning about construction while reading a good story.

Shannon and Mac with some of there friends are building a village for veterans. In the midst of this Mac has another group come for his writing retreat. No one expected the chaos they would bring.

Another great book by Kate Carlisle. I love Shannon and Mac, how they are growing and things are changing. The mystery was great and there were many characters to fall in love with. Also to hate. This is an amazing series that mystery lovers must read.

The fixer up mystery books have become my favorite cozy series, even more than Carlisle’s Bibliophile books which I also love.
They’re intelligent, highlighting the skill of women contractors and each one covers and addresses contemporary problems in our country today. The last book was about taking an old abandoned asylum with sad and tragic memories and repurposing it as a hotel and offices making it a new and happier place. In Absence of Mallets the many plights of veterans are highlighted as Shannon, Mac and others are building a compound filled with tiny homes, community center, health resources, among other things for the vet.
The characters are nuanced and intelligent and I enjoy learning more about them and their lives in each book.

Today there are so many lackluster cozy mysteries published in hardcover so for the life of me I’ll never understand why this series is only in Paperback. I’m going to keep repeating that after each book until this series finally becomes published in hardcover. It’s one of the best cozy mysteries, bar none.

Shannon and her crew are building 50 tiny homes for veterans, and the construction details are interesting to read. I learn so much about construction in each book and the detail and knowledge Carlyle has on the subject is fascinating. From tools to techniques there always something new and wonderful to learn. One of Shannon’s new friends working on the project is murdered, and Mac has to deal with an obnoxious group of writers using his home as a retreat.
Great story line, great mystery, and I’m already eagerly waiting for the next installment.