Primer and Punishment: A House-Flipper Mystery
By Diane Kelly
St. Martin’s
February 23, 2023

Review by Cynthia Chow

Whitney and Buck Whittaker’s new house-flipping project is still technically a house, but this will be the first time the cousins are attempting to rehab a worn-down houseboat floating in a Nashville, Tennessee river. While this has Whitney researching and Youtubing videos on the proper paints and sealants required to keep The Skinny Dipper from leaking water, it’s their neighbor in the slip next to them who proves to be the bigger challenge. The many-times-married Grant Hardisty seems to maintain his lifestyle by living off of lawsuits and his ex-wives, not to mention borrowing dinner funds from a wary Buck. After one-too-many late night parties and being kept up by Grant’s dog barking, the cousins ask Grant to take The Sexy Sheila out further on the water to prevent the smells of his grilled fish from permeating into their fresh paint jobs. It’s extremely fortunate that they did, as otherwise Whitney and Buck would have been more than just knocked off of their feet when Grant’s boat explodes, along with him in it.

Equally fortuitous was Whitney’s allowing Grant’s stepson to sneak their black lab mix off of The Sexy Sheila the night before, as she agreed with the teenaged Tanner that being left tied up on the boat outside all night was no life for the whining dog. The timing doesn’t look too good though when Deputy Fire Marshal Melanie Landreth reports that the explosion was caused by arson, and it’s not long before Tanner’s mother confesses to the crime. She isn’t the only one to attempt to take the blame for the explosion though, and when Whitney’s inflatable duck has its throat slashed she doesn’t hesitate to continue her own investigation into their houseboat neighbor’s death.

This 5th in the series continues to alternate chapters narrated by Whitney and her cat Sawdust, whose feline’s viewpoints are rather brief and decidedly catlike. When not tracking down the multitude of Grant’s exes or his baffling success at online dating, Whitney attends the bridal and wedding parties for Buck and her best friend Collette. Whitney’s own boyfriend Detective Collin Flynn is not only on the case, he respects her judgment as she questions those involved in Grant’s life. In between bridal gown fittings and the restoration of their houseboat-flipping project, Whitney and her friends track down a bottle of Gil’s Fish Flavoring, find the source of explosive ice packs, and sort out false confessions. The affectionate nature and close bond between Whitney and her cousin is revealed through their good-natured teasing and affectionate banter, not to mention Whitney’s genuine delight as her best friend becomes an even closer part of their family. Details about boat repair and motors are made as intriguing as the mystery over who blew up the blow-hard, making this another fun and rewarding entry in Diane Kelly’s expansive list of humorous, fast-paced cozy mysteries.

Delightful and engaging. with feline support as house flippers turn to boat flippers. See my complete review at www.reviewingtheevidence.com

Ka-boom!!! What an exciting outing in the House-flipper cozy mystery series by Diane Kelly! Buck, Whitney Whitaker's cousin and partner in their rehab business, has chosen a fixer-upper houseboat for their next project. Things start off well as they begin the work and soon they meet the guy who owns the boat in the next slip named Grant Hardisty. He is a charming manipulator with five ex-wives and a bum knee injured in a fall. Buck learns quickly that Grant is not to be trusted.

When the situation explodes, Whitney can't help but feel responsible for pointing the police in the wrong direction, so she steps in try to help find the guilty party. The story is told from Whitney's first person perspective but occasionally Whitney's cat Sawdust chimes in with his own charming observations.

The plot is well fleshed out with several possibilities but remains light-hearted and filled with interesting characters and fun situations as Whitney and her friends get ready for Buck and Colette's wedding. They want to have the houseboat finished in time to host both the bachelorette and bachelor parties in grand style.

Such a charming ending! Can't wait to see what happens next in Whitney's life. As always, the cover art is adorable and many thanks to the author for including two delicious-sounding recipes at the end of the book.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks for the opportunity. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Whitney and Buck decide to change things up a bit and work on a houseboat flip. The boat comes with a rare private slip and a spiral slide and they can't wait to get their hands on it! Unfortunately they soon discover that their new houseboat also comes with a con-artist neighbor who spices things up in more ways than one.

Grant Hardisty makes a few enemies by hunting for vulnerable older women he can wine, dine, marry, and make miserable. But these unlucky ladies aren't the only ones with a bone to pick with the affable Grant. When his boat gets blown out of the water, and Grant along with it, narrowing down the suspect list quickly becomes an enormous task. But Whitney is up for it, after all, Tucker and the loveable JoJo are depending on her!

I haven't read any other books in this series, but I most definitely will after this! There was nothing in the book that was at all hard to follow without knowing the backstory of the characters and I also didn't feel like I was missing out on anything by now knowing what might have happened to them before this book took place. I'm a huge fan of Diane Kelly and this series, though maybe not my favorite (yet), is definitely one I'm going to read from the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

This is not the series for me, unfortunately. When I requested it, I didn't realize it was the fifth book in a series. I did try the first one and didn't like it at all. Then I nearly DNFed this one for several reasons, but I skimmed through to see if I guessed the killer right (I did) and almost wish I hadn't.

The cat chapters irritate me. They're so pointless. They add nothing to the story at all.

The main character's maturity level doesn't match her actual age. The way she tries to solve these crimes seems absurd to me (like chasing a man who's with his wife into a movie theater). And these books are about flipping houses (though this one was a boat house), yet there are very few home-flip projects going on. Those things get glossed over with a sentence or so.

The romance leaves a lot to be desired. I don't feel any spark between Whitney and Collin, so that doesn't help.

And finally, this author spells out sounds throughout the book, meaning this: "I rang the doorbell. Ding-dong." "Jojo barked. Arf-arf-arf! Arf-arf!" What? Why do that? That makes it feel less like a book for adults.

I will not continue this series, and I probably won't read other books by this author.

After their last flip, Buck and Whitney are looking for more rehab and less dead-body chic.

Buck has a line on a flip that is way outside of their wheelhouse. A houseboat. Named the Skinny Dipper. It definitely needs work and the possibilities are exciting.

Their neighbor is a hunky guy who lives on a cabin cruiser and seems to leave trails of broken exes in his wake.

Grant may be charming and hunky, but it’s quickly obvious he rubs a lot of folks the wrong way. So when his boat goes Boom!, Detective Flynn has a boatload of suspects. And they all want to confess. What?? Whitney is about to dive in without a life preserver to find a killer. Or they may all be going under.

If you love HGTV shows, this is the series for you. House Flipper cousins? Yes, Please. And the location is Nashville. The relationships are real and fun and hello! they fix up old houses. Winner!

NetGalley/ February 21, 2023, St.Martin's Press

This was a good solid mystery. I read the first one in this series a while ago and didn't love it but the series has improved a lot. I really enjoyed this one. It can certainly be read as a stand alone. The mystery was solid and the writing was good. I love the house flipper aspect of the mystery.

Who really killed Grant? That's the unusual question facing Whitney, her cousin Buck, and mostly her love interest Detective Collin, who has the case after several people confess to blowing up his boat. Whitney and Buck have taken on an different sort of flip job this time out- a houseboat- and while they only spent a little time with Grant, they are interested in this case because well, they like to investigate. It's pretty standard for a cozy that a murder victim has multiple people who disliked him but not that more than one confess and that's what made this a fun read. That and the characters (including the cat). I'm a fan of the series and am pleased to see growth in everyone but new readers will be fine with this as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

I love this series and this book is no exception! Whitney and Buck are flipping a new to them type of ‘house’, a houseboat! We get plenty of details about lake life to go along with their murder investigation.
The murder investigation is complicated by the number of people that the victim defrauded. There were so many suspects and even a few false confessions. The false confession was different from other cozies I have read and I liked that. The solution was unexpected, but there had been clues that I didn’t pick up on originally.
At the end we get a lovely family event to experience. This would be a great read to get you ready for lake season!

Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are changing things up and doing a flip on a house boat this time. Their boat neighbors seems to have made a lot of people angry especially his ex wives. When his boat explodes right in front of Buck and Whitney, she realizes that the killer isn’t one of the several people who have confessed to the crime.

Diane Kelly is written many cozy mysteries and it is easy to tell she knows how to craft an entertaining mystery. Whitney is a confident woman who comes across relatable and nice. She also has good observation and reasoning skills which allows her flush out the real killer. The dialog is witty and kept light. There are plenty of suspects to sort through and I liked Whitney’s methodical method of ruling out suspects.

Thank you St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy yo review.

Diane Kelly has added a new dimension to her house flipper mysteries. In Primer and Punishment, Whitney and her cousin Buck are refurbishing a boat rather than a house and of course find a murder to solve. A fun addition to the series.

So the book's description says Grant is charming, but there's nothing charming about him at all; it isn't hard to see why he had five ex-wives and why he's failing at finding a new one. I felt a little bad for him for having injured his leg and being so tight on finances, but he really played up the injury to absolve himself of any responsibility. Not charming. When his boat blew up and he was blown to pieces - literally - I wasn't exactly sad. But of course, Whitney and Buck find themselves in their fifth murder investigation. I guess Buck won't be seeing that 60 bucks he lended Grant ever again.

Primer and Punishment also takes place in the weeks before Buck's wedding to Whitney's roommate. They're planning bachelor/ette parties to take place on their houseboat before they sell it and the end of the book is the wedding itself. If you've read all the books to this point, this is the true charming part of the book. However, I want to point out that even though this is fifth in a series and the character's relationships are developing, you would have no problem dropping in to read this as a standalone. In fact, I think the houseboat setting easily makes this the best book of the series thus far.

Whitney and her cousin, Buck, buy fixer-uppers, repair them and then flip them for a profit and then move on to their next project. This time they buy something different ... a houseboat. It should only take a couple weeks to renovate it so they move in. In the meantime, Buck and Collette, Whitney's best friend and roommate, are getting married and the houseboat would be the perfect spot to have the bachelorette and bachelor parties.

Docked next door to the Skinny Dipper is Grant, who is currently not working because he recently had an accident and needs a cane to walk. But that doesn't stop him from going fishing with buddies or looking for wife #6 (wife #5 is in the process of divorcing him so he needs to sucker someone else into supporting him). His boat blows up one day, luckily out in the water so no other boats were damaged, and Grant is killed. Was it an accident or murder?

I've read many books by this author and I thought this one was okay. Though it's the fifth in the House-Flipper series, it works as a stand alone (I've read the first four). It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity (there's no heat at all between Whitney and Collin). It is written in first person perspective from Whitney's point of view and third person perspective from Sawdust, Whitney's cat's point of view.

This was a fun, light, small town cozy mystery about a pair of cousins who restore and resell properties. Their latest escapade is restoring a houseboat. The characters are very likable; the details of the construction work were surprisingly interesting; the lakeside setting is charmingly nostalgic.

I'm not found of the device of having pets tell their side of the story, and the cat's point of view didn't add anything to this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In "Primer and Punishment", Whitney and Buck are looking to add a new challenge to their house flipping business. This time, they take on a houseboat, eager to refurbish it and sell it at a profit. The project brings a few surprises, including the charismatic but troubled neighbor, Grant Hardisty. When Grant's boat explodes and he dies, Whitney and Buck are drawn into the investigation and find themselves tangled up in a web of secrets and motives, with many suspects confessing to the murder. Whitney, using her natural sleuthing skills, sets out to solve the mystery and find the true killer.

As Whitney delves deeper into the case, she uncovers a host of suspect motives, including revenge, greed, and jealousy. With so many people confessing, Whitney has to use all her detective skills to determine the truth. The author, Diane Kelly, keeps the readers engaged with the mystery, while also offering glimpses into Whitney's personal life and the events leading up to Buck's wedding.

Overall, "Primer and Punishment" is an entertaining mystery that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. With a charming cast of characters, a charming setting, and plenty of twists and turns, it's an enjoyable read for fans of the cozy mystery genre.

Primer and Punishment is the fifth book in the House-Flipper Mystery series by Diane Kelly but is the first in the series that I have read. The characters were entertaining, choosing to flip a houseboat in this story. While the characters have a history one couple is now engaged it did not seem to hinder not knowing first hand their history. I enjoyed the mystery as just as it was for me a stand-alone but now hoping to read more of Whitney and Buck.

I had been following and enjoying another series by Diane Kelly, Mountain Lodge main character has boys who are now in college, so she is older than Whitney and her cousin Buck. Primer and Punishment perhaps would appeal to all age groups since the main characters were younger, amiable, hardworking, full of energy and ideas. I certainly enjoyed these characters enthusiasm for their work and for life in general.

The plot is high interest with an explosion of a boat nearby that has the owner in it. However, it is how the suspects react that is so very interesting. I wanted to be right with Whitney helping the police to solve this case. Young characters or older ones, Diane Kelly can entertain me any time with her cozy mysteries.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this; it was a solid mystery with lots of red herrings to keep me guessing. I haven’t read the other four books in the series which made it a little hard to connect to the characters. I wasn’t a huge fan of the chapters from the cat’s perspective, although I’m sure that is something in the whole series. Overall though, I think I would enjoy reading more.

3.5 stars

Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck renovate and flip houses for a living. In this tale, they take on a houseboat as a project. It is refreshing to see a female doing construction work competently.

Their neighbor in the marina where the boat is stored is a hot mess -- multiple ex wives, a history of touching up friends and strangers for cash, lawsuits, and (maybe) a crippling knee injury that stops him from working. But nobody expected his boat to blow up one day out on the lake with him aboard.

Given his checkered history, there are no lack of suspects. Whit's boyfriend is a detective and she and Buck are witnesses so she is quite involved.

Meanwhile, Buck and Whit's best friend are getting married in a couple of weeks and much planning is taking place. These are undemanding reads with pleasant characters. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Another great installment in the series. I love that each book gives the characters new adventures without straying too far from what is expected of them. I don't know what they are going to be able to fix up next, but I love all the different locations. I also love that Whitney and Colin are going to get their happily ever after. I was a little upset after the first book how fast Buck and Collette went from not even dating to being engaged. As someone who took 9 years to get engaged I know different people are ready at different times, but I wanted Whitney to get her happily ever after.

Cousins Whitney and Buck are house-flippers embarking on a project unlike any they've done before: a houseboat. All that's needed are a new motor, generator and cosmetic updates that can be done in a few weeks. That is a good thing since Buck is getting married soon. Easy-peasy, right? So it seems until an incident involving the boat in the adjacent slip throws a wrench into Whitney and Buck's construction plan. Without spoiling by going into the specific crime I'll just say this was an interesting and fun cozy. I enjoyed the different directions the plot took which kept me on my toes. I appreciated the possible suspects and red herrings added into the mix. I got to the point where I gave up trying to solve the crime and just enjoyed the ride to the solution. Honestly, that is the way it usually works out for me, ha. I think fans of the series will love the book. It's the first I've had the pleasure to read and I didn't feel lost.