Once again Diane Kelly brings plenty of mystery, atmosphere, and conflict to a series. Besides the mystery, the author gives readers insights into the personal lives and events affecting several of the characters. While I’ve read the first three books in her Mountain Lodge cozy mystery series, this is the first one that I’ve read in House-Flipper Mystery series. Four-Alarm Homicide is the sixth book in that series, but I had no problem reading it as a standalone novel.

Carpenter and designer Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are in the business of buying and flipping buildings. This time around they pursue a 1930s era fire station that has just come on the market in Nashville. During the interior demolition stage, Joanna Hartzell who lives in a nearby townhouse comes by and pleads with them to help her by buying the other half of her townhouse which is in disrepair. When Joanna later shows up at the fire station and collapses, Whitney suspects foul play.

Whitney is inquisitive, perceptive, believes in progress as well as preservation, and doesn’t like to be the center of attention. She is engaged to Collin Flynn, a police homicide detective. He is intelligent, has a strong work ethic, a strict moral code, and has recently taken up trail running. Buck has a great sense of humor and handles a lot of the heavier work. He also helps with the wedding planning. Like the Mountain Lodge series, this series has features cats with Whitney’s cat Sawdust’s thoughts being interspersed throughout the book in a few short chapters. While they aren’t necessary to the story line, they provide some humor and insights that made them enjoyable.

I was immediately drawn into the story and the main characters were likeable and relatable. The plot had a few twists and turns and the characters were emotionally rich. By setting this series in Nashville, the types of buildings available for flipping are varied and the descriptions of the firehouse and townhouse made them easy to visualize. However, I didn’t get a feeling for the city itself. While I guessed some of the items related to the mystery, this didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story as I sped through it effortlessly. Food is mentioned through the novel and several recipes are included at the end of the book.

Overall, this is a fun, light, and enjoyable cozy mystery with great characterization and some humor. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author’s writing style is easy to connect with and draws me into her stories. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series.

St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Paperbacks and Diane Kelly provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be April 23, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Loved reading this book and series. I always love reading this series. Hopefully you enjoy it also. Looking forward to the next book in the series

Another cute entry in the fun cozy house flippers series. I really loved their Reno of the fire station. It made me think of Ghotsbusters, lol. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for the chance to read and review this book.

Cozy Mystery At Its Best

Utilizing deduction and logic, our heroine thinks her way through each problem. When multiple options are present, she systematically eliminates or correlates all data. With this laid-back approach, surprisingly, there were still a few edge of the seat moments. Beautifully crafted and gently told, there are enough questions to keep "who done it" under wraps. The clues were there, but the author's clever misdirection kept me from guessing. Plus there are recipes at the end! Altogether a delightful read.

This was a nice cosy little mystery. I had not read any of the previous ones but it didn’t seem to matter.
It’s a fast paced story that kept me guessing to the end.
I liked the chapters that featured her cat Sawdust too.
I really wanted to see what the firehouse looked like after the flip.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Diane Kelly keeps readers on their toes with a tale of murder, arson and vandalization while Whitney plans her wedding. Catch more from my complete review at www.reviewingtheevidence.com

"Four-Alarm Homicide" by Diane Kelly ignites the page with a thrilling blend of mystery, renovation, and community intrigue. Set against the backdrop of Nashville's Germantown neighborhood, the novel follows carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck as they embark on the restoration of a historic fire station and a rundown townhouse, only to find themselves entangled in a deadly mystery.

Kelly skillfully weaves together elements of home renovation and amateur sleuthing, creating a narrative that is both engaging and suspenseful. Whitney and Buck's dynamic personalities add depth to the story, while their passion for preservation and justice drives the plot forward with energy and determination.

The author's attention to detail brings the setting to life, immersing readers in the charm and character of Germantown. From the bustling streets to the quirky neighbors, each aspect of the neighborhood feels authentic and vibrant, enhancing the overall reading experience.

As the mystery unfolds, Kelly keeps readers guessing with clever twists and turns, leading to a satisfying and surprising conclusion. The pacing is brisk, with plenty of action and suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Overall, "Four-Alarm Homicide" is a gripping and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries and home renovation enthusiasts alike. With its engaging characters, vivid setting, and well-crafted plot, it earns a solid four stars and is sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting Whitney and Buck's next adventure.

Mysteries while house flipping. This was a fun read with engaging characters, interesting properties, and an interesting mystery. It's the first book I've read by Diane Kelly, it won't be my last.

I really enjoyed the 6th book in the series. Whitney and Buck always find fun projects to remodel for their business of flipping properties. This time it is an old abandoned fire house. When Whitney and Collin had trouble finding a venue to get married in, this seemed like the perfect place. While in the process of working on this, they were approached by a woman who lived around the corner. She asked their opinion of the townhouse adjoining hers, which was in bad shape. They also purchased that, and immediately ran into some problems with the former owners. However, when the woman who asked for their advice suddenly died, that's when all the fun started....Thanks, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a chance to read this book.

Four-Alarm Homicide is the sixth novel in the House-Flipper Mystery series, but it is the first novel that I’ve read from this author. That being said, I had no problem reading Four-Alarm as a standalone.

The story unfolds through the lens of the main character, Whitney Whitaker, a carpenter by trade and house-flipper with her cousin, Buck. There’s a few cameo appearances from Whitney’s cat, Sawdust. But I didn’t see the point of including a cat’s point of view as it didn’t add anything to the narrative.

The pacing of the novel was significantly slower than what I’m accustomed to as the murder doesn’t occur until I was at least 40% vested into the novel. I would normally give up at a little past 33%, but what kept me going were the science-based theories, and the house-flipping operations. Patience paid off in the end as the finale was unexpected and a surprise.

Being that the novel is the sixth in the series, I was pleasantly surprised that all of the characters were well developed and didn’t lose any of their attributes through the prior novels. I loved all of the characters. But dear to my heart was the crotchety old neighbor, Gideon. And then, of course, there was Whitney’s cousin, Buck.

Like most cozy mystery novels, there are a few recipes at the end which was a bonus in my book. Four stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

“Four-Alarm Homicide” A House-Flipper Mystery, book 6 by Diane Kelly
Love, friendship, cats, cozy, and recipes, too
I really liked this story. (and then the dreaded but).. But, for me, it had some slow parts, parts that I didn’t think really added very much to the story. Maybe because I wanted to cut my reading time down a bit and give that time to a knitting project. Torn between two loves. This is a fun light read. AND, check out the recipes shared at the end of the book. Happy Reading ! !
Note: This review expresses my honest opinion.

Four-Alarm Homicide is the 6th book in Diane Kelly's House-Flipper cozy mystery series and it works well as a stand alone book. This is the first book I have read in this series and I am looking forward to reading the other books as well. Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck buy, renovate and flip buildings. They buy an old fire station and are remodeling it into a house. Two neighbors, Joanna and Gideon stop by and want Whitney and Buck to look at a run down townhouse because Joanna owns the other half and is worried. Unfortunately this involves 7 difficult siblings. Someone is causing problems for Whitney and Buck. Joanna shows up at the fire station and is having health problems and dies. Whitney and her fiancee Collin are getting married which adds fun to the story. Collin is a police detective and helps out. This was a pleasant cozy mystery with likeable characters and the mystery kept me guessing although I suspected the culprit I wasn't sure. #FourAlarmHomicide #HouseFlipperMystery #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

This was a fun mystery with lots of home renovation detail and some observations from Sawdust. Whitney and her cousin Buck are trying to manage two flips - an old firehouse and a townhouse - as well as fighting sabatoging adult children and meddling neighbors.

This was a fun read. I like Whitney and Buck as well as their friends and the renovation parts were interesting. The murder happened later in the book but I never felt like it was dragging and was entertained from the first page. The mystery was an interesting one and definitely kept me guessing until the end. There were more than a few possible suspects and I really had no idea how it was all going to play out.

This is a slice of life style cozy with lots of side information. The characters are likable with interesting jobs and the mystery was solid. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures of Whitney , Buck and friends and am looking forward to reading more of their adventures. The author made the rebuild so interesting You wish there were photos of the completed firehouse !All of the characters are vivid and you can see them in your friends and neighbors.

This is my second time reading a cozy mystery by this author. She has me hooked on her mysteries and I am going back to the beginning of this series because I enjoyed this mystery so much. This book is a real page turner and not easy to put down. I was lifted up and carried off into the story and trying to solve the mystery. I loved almost all of the characters but there were a few that were hard to like. They had me on the edge of my seat a few times. My favorite characters were Witney, because she is a woman who can compete in a man’s occupation, Buck, Collin and Gideon. I thought the book was educational because I learned how dangerous mercury is if ingested. I loved the authors writing style and the plot of the book. I give this book five stars because I loved reading it.

I recommend this book to readers of cozy mystery. Four-Alarm Homicide is part of a series but I read it as a standalone and didn’t feel confused or lost in the story. This book is scheduled to be released on 4/23/24.

I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#Four-AlarmHomicide #NetGalley

Whitney and her cousin Buck are in the house flipping business, buying then renovating and selling them. They are excited about the opportunities to repurpose an old fire station into a home and have started the renovation when a nearby neighbor asks them to take a look at the townhouse next to hers, as it’s in disrepair and she’s worried about the effect on her house. She and Buck decide to purchase it, and make deals with the 7 siblings who jointly own it. Squabbles, disagreements and vandalism follow from the disgruntled siblings., including the death of the other townhouse owner! Whitney and Detective Collin have trouble finding a site for their wedding and decide to use the soon-to-be-finished firehouse as their venue. A fascinating story as Whitney’s curiosity has her trying to solve the murder. I really enjoyed the well-developed main characters, and learned a bit about renovations. I received a free ARC from Net Galkey and write this review voluntarily.

Whitney and her cousin work together to redo and reimagine properties. In this 6th installment of the House-Flipper Mystery series they are going to turn a 1930's era fire station into a home while keeping some of the original feel.

The things I enjoyed the most in this story:
Unique Twist: The story delivers an interesting twist near the end that will surprise readers.
Sawdust the Cat: The addition of chapters where Sawdust the cat tells her side adds a unique perspective to the story.
Strong Female Lead: Whitney Whitaker is a capable and strong protagonist, working right along beside her cousin.

I have read and enjoyed all the books in this series and look forward to book 7. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are mine.

New adventures for house flippers Whitney and Boone begin in an old fire house and continue when they redo a townhouse. They meet the neighbors and find themselves drawn into the drama. Lots of plot lines in this book, which can be a bit difficult at times, but almost all of them resolve. Love this series and the characters. Life changes for all the main characters ahead. I look forward to more adventures.
I received an ARC of this book in return for a review.

Four-Alarm Homicide is the sixth of the House Flipper Mysteries series but the first that I have read. I had no problems understanding what was going on. This is a fun read with the duo of cousins Whitney and Buck Whitaker working in the business of purchasing, remodeling, and flipping houses and businesses in the setting of Nashville. In this story, they have purchased an old fire station and have plans to turn it into a home. A couple of people in the nearby neighborhood get them involved in purchasing a townhouse as well to reno but things don't go smoothly from that point on. I enjoyed the reno theme and the characters. The mystery was one with twists, turns, and several suspects and an interesting death. Murder or accident? I recommend for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, and it makes me think about going back and reading other books in the series.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

How have I not read this series before?! Four-Alarm Homicide is the sixth book in the House-Flipper Mystery series by Diane Kelly. It will be released on April 23. Thank you St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC! The timing was perfect, coming just as I was finishing up another read I wasn't too happy with, and this one made me very happy.

Whitney and cousin Buck remodel homes and buildings. They have an opportunity to purchase a unique property. An old firestation. Not long after work gets underway another opportunity comes up. Just around the corner is a dual townhouse. One side is lived in and maintained lovingly by Joanna. The other is falling apart after being abandoned by the Bottiglieri siblings. Joanna and her neighbor friend Gideon ask for their help, hoping that after Whitney and Buck buy and fix up the townhouse they will sell it to her. Gideon and other neighbors are also interested. Later, Joanna shows up to the firestation, confused and rambling, where she passes out and dies. Was she simply sick, or did someone kill her? Meanwhile Whitney also has a wedding to plan!

I absolutely love the detail in this. From the purchasing process to the renovation. It was fun and immersive. As with other Diane Kelly books I've read the secondary characters are incorporated really well. You would think they're regulars in the series. They act realistically. No one's perfect but they're all human. At times I got secondhand embarrassment and anxiety from things I can imagine happening in real life. I loved it lol. That also helped towards forming potential suspects.

The mystery was really good. The method of murder is unique and kind of terrifying. There are plenty of things going on to distract Whitney and the reader. I knew where the weapon came from and I guessed who was responsible! I was also right about the motive. The ending wrapped up nicely. There's a lot of heart to the story. Cozy mystery readers are sure to love this book!