Crowned and Mouldering by Kate Carlisle

The Fixer-Upper mystery series by Kate Carlisle is one of my favorites and I was so excited to get my hands on part three, Crowned and Moldering. Just as with the first two parts, I was instantly gripped by the story and quickly devoured this fun visit with my old friends. 

From the back of the book:

In the New York Times bestselling Fixer-Upper mysteries, contractor Shannon Hammer can repair even the most distressed building. But clearing out the cobwebs from her current project may distress her… to death.

When Mac Sullivan—famous thriller writer and Shannon’s new beau—first moved to Lighthouse Cove, California, he bought the historic lighthouse mansion that the town is named after. Mac needs help cleaning up the place, and Shannon is more than happy to get her handywoman hands on the run-down Victorian.

But during demolition, a grisly discovery is made among the debris—the bones of a teenage girl who went missing fifteen years ago. Locals had always assumed Lily Brogan ran away from her difficult life, but it seems her troubles followed her to the grave. If Shannon has any chance of getting her renovation back on track, she’ll need to tackle the cold case. But with new suspects coming out of the woodwork every day, she’ll have to be careful to pry the right secrets and clues from the poor girl’s problematic past…

My thoughts:

The town was a lovely setting and I found that the characters were easy to relate to. The main character is a strong-minded woman that I think most readers will enjoy and find refreshing. I especially liked the police chief. I have a thing for the sweet, sexy, single lawmen that often make their way into cozies.

The mystery may have been a cold case, which I do love, but it was filled with twists and turns and new suspects, and if that weren't enough, how about a new murder to solve as well? I did not solve it but I had oh so much fun trying. This page turner is the third in the series but you can easily pick up right here without reading the first two. I recommend you read them all though; they are delightful.

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Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.