Saturday, November 10, 2018

A Wrench in the Works - Cozy Mystery Review


Rating: Very Good
Source: Publisher 

Description: 
Shannon Hammer's younger sister Chloe left Lighthouse Cove after high school to make it big in Hollywood. And she did it! For several years now, Chloe has been the co-host of a popular home repair show on the Do-It-Yourself Network. Now, after ten years, Chloe returns to Lighthouse Cove with her crew and co-host to film several shows featuring her sister Shannon, along with some special mini-segments on Victorian style and design.

But Shannon realizes quickly that things are not exactly blissful in TV land. Her sister's handsome co-host is being stalked by someone who turns out to be his estranged wife, Bree--who also happens to be the executive producer of the show. Bree's got a knack for stirring up sticky situations and when she's found dead, Chloe and the entire crew are under suspicion.

Shannon soon discovers the real reason why Chloe was so eager to move away from Lighthouse Cove all those years ago. Can Shannon figure out if that ten-year-old secret is connected to Erica's death? And can she track down the real killer before her beloved sister becomes the next victim?

Genre:  Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:
  I've really enjoyed books in other series by Carlisle and I've really liked the Hallmark movies based on this series.  

My Impression:
  This is a bit different from the Hallmark series which took me a few pages to overcome but once I did I was hooked.  I've been a long time reader of her Bibliophile series but I think I might like this series even more.  Carlisle is great at building a community around her characters and this is no exception however, I felt this one was a little more streamlined and less chaotic than her other series.

The mystery was a lot of fun.  I do love a mystery where the victim had more people who wanted to kill them that didn't and Bree is definitely one of those.  I think it'd be easier to list the people she knew who didn't want to murder her and figuring out just who had finally had enough.

I liked Shannon and Chloe's relationship  a lot.  They get along and have a lot in common but they haven't always been the best of friends and there are things they don't know about each other.  I did like that they shared a career and loved the behind the scenes looks at the home renovation shows.

This mystery was a fun read with characters that I'm excited to revisit!  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?
  Absolutely!  I have the first few books in this series to catch up and I'll be looking forward to reading anything else from her.

Would I Recommend this Book?
  If you enjoy cozies with a good community feel this is a fun read.  Don't worry about jumping in here.  I had no problem feeling like the characters were old friends.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

4 comments:

  1. Sounds good, I haven't read this author.That cover has my favorite things, a dog, cat, water, and a lighthouse!

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  2. I like the TV / renovation aspect to this plus the relationship of the sisters. Ah, so many books - so little ability to read them all!

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  3. I have been wanting to read more from this series. I love the Hallmark movies based on the books. Thanks for the review.

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