Murder With a View: A House-Flipper Mystery

Murder with a View by Diane Kelly is the 3rd A House-Flipper Mystery. This engaging cozy mystery can be read on its own for those who are new to the series. Diane Kelly writes entertaining cozy mysteries. I thought the book was well-written with developed characters and steady pacing. I just love the chapters from Sawdust’s point-of-view. His methods for getting Whitney’s attention are hilarious. It is adorable that Cleo, the kitten, is Sawdust’s best friend. They are so cute together. There is humor scattered throughout the story that will have you chuckling. I was especially entertained with the lyrics to “Party in the Pasture”. The author captured Nashville with her word imagery, especially the downtown area. The mystery had several suspects who could have killed singer, Beckett Morgan. It was amusing that Sawdust found the body (again). I like that Detective Collin Flynn works with Whitney instead of telling her to stay out of the investigation. He listens to her when she has theories and when she provides helpful intel. The case may have taken a few weeks for our sleuths to solve, but the pacing was consistent. One clue was all that was needed for me to solve this whodunit. I wish it had been more of a challenge to solve. I enjoyed the dramatic and action-packed reveal. It was great that Sawdust got in on the action. I liked Navy veteran, Jimmy Weber. He is quite a character and was lively addition. Collette and Buck are interested in each other romantically, but neither one of them has made a move. I think they are perfect for each other. Collette also has a new venture with help from Buck and Whitney. I believe it will be a rousing success. I enjoyed the renovation of the motel. It was clever to make them over into condos while keeping the 1960s vibe and colors. I hope the author continues to have Whitney and Buck do unique renovations. I am eager for Buck and Whitney’s next project (and story). Murder with a View is a fun cozy mystery with kitschy colors, reno realities, a surprising squatter, a clever cat, and a snappy song.

This is an entertaining book that fans of the genre will enjoy. The who-done-it murder kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the budding relationship between Whitney and Collin and am looking forward to more of them in future books. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Nashville - especially the bridge as crossing that bridge has kicked my butt more than one, lol. To me, the book seemed to lag and move slowly in its middle third. If I wasn't such a fan of the author, I might have been tempted to put it down. For that reason, I'm giving this one 3.5 stars, but am rounding up to four stars. The author is on my must read authors' list.

music-idol, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, cats, cozy-mystery, family, friendship, renovation, small-business**** If you geek cats and house flipping, you'll adore this cozy set in Nashville. The publisher's blurb is pretty good, but the quality of the story is much better. While there is a hint of romance, it certainly is not blatant enough to take anything away from the mystery but serves as a plot device to enhance the deduction process. The cat seems to specialize in finding dead bodies and the detective is a good guy. A good cozy full of twists and red herrings. I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thanks!