Book Review of *Death by Demo* by Callie Carpenter @crookedlanebks #cozymystery
Death by Demo by Callie Carpenter Published by Crooked Lane Books on December 5, 2023
Genres: Cozy Mystery
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Perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Diane Kelly, after her ex-husband tears down their marriage, the last thing Jaime wants is to renovate a worn-down historic home. But when a body is discovered behind a wall—she realizes she’ll have to catch the killer before she builds herself up again.
Jaime and Henry were the perfect couple with the perfect life; together, they ran one of the most successful construction and interior design companies in all of Charlotte, North Carolina. But when Jaime catches her charismatic husband in an affair, she realizes her husband is not the man she thought she married. The divorce is equally gutting—due to an ironclad prenuptial agreement, Jaime receives only one thing: a historical house in disrepair. Knowing that any renovation she attempts will be tedious and costly, Jaime starts to believe that things can’t get much worse—until she finds a dead body in the house.
The body is found behind a recently renovated wall—and this leaves Jaime with more questions than answers. Who killed this person and why? Could it have been the previous owners, someone who snuck in while nobody was looking, or Henry? Furious that the house is now a crime scene, which further delays all renovations, Jaime decides to investigate the murder herself, DIY-style. Together with the new resident cat she calls Demo and the handsome and friendly hardware store owner who happens to be her neighbor, Jaime is ready to use all the tools in her toolbox to catch the killer.
Jaime needs to renovate this house if she wants to move forward with her life, but will this murder investigation leave her in ruins—or worse?
My Thoughts
Callie Carpenter’s Death by Demo – Home Renovation Mystery #1 is a fantastic beginning to a brand-new series. She will be on my radar as a new author to me. Callie’s writing style was entertaining, and the characters were magnificent.
Jaime starts performing renovations on an old property and unintentionally discovers a body in the wall. Things begin to get out of control because of this, and Jaime joins the search for answers, who? why? And when?
I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
