The Body in the Wetlands

Judi Lynn

Apr 2019 · A Jazzi Zanders Mystery Book 2 · Lyrical Press

About this ebook

High summer in River Bluffs, Indiana, turns chilly when house flipper Jazzi Zanders has to catch a killer while hammering nails and stripping paint.
 
When established house flippers Jazzi Zanders and her cousin Jerod donate a week’s worth of remodeling work to Jazzi’s sister Olivia, they’re expecting nothing more than back-breaking roofing work and cold beers at the end of each long, hot day. With Jazzi’s live-in boyfriend and partner Ansel on the team, it promises to be a quick break before starting their next big project—until Leo, an elderly neighbor of Olivia’s, unexpectedly goes missing . . .
 
When the friendly senior’s dog tugs Jazzi and the guys toward the wetlands beyond Olivia’s neighborhood, they stumble across a decomposing corpse—and a lot of questions. With Jazzi’s pal Detective Gaff along to investigate, Jazzi finds her hands full of a whole new mystery instead of the usual hammer and nails. And this time it will take some sophisticated sleuthing to track down the culprit of the deadly crime—before the killer turns on her next . . . 

 

Ratings and reviews

The Body in the Wetlands is the second novel in A Jazzi Zanders Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone if you have not picked up The Body in the Attic. I thought The Boyd in the Wetlands contained good writing and it proceeded at a fixed speed (I am tired of saying steady pacing) which makes it pleasant to read. The main characters are friendly and relatable. It is kind of Ansel, Jerod and Jazzi to take time off from their current flip to work on Olivia and Thane’s new home despite the hot August heat. I like that Jazzi is close to her family and that they have a big Sunday dinner each week. Ansel is estranged from his family after they forced him to depart from the family dairy farm after he graduated from high school. He is shocked when his brother calls because they need his help after Ansel’s father had surgery and his other brother fell off the roof breaking his leg. I could feel Ansel’s emotions. He is hurt by the way his family treated him and that they have only called him because they need help (and cannot afford to hire assistance). The mystery has red herrings to distract readers from solving this multifaceted whodunit. George, Ansel’s pug, is back plus Jazzi adds two new furry friends to the household who are adorable and mischievous. I was turned off by the excessive alcohol consumption by our characters, the focus on appearances and the attention paid to intimate relations. It was a little much for a cozy mystery. I am curious as to why permits are never mentioned when they plan their work. There is an especially sweet and romantic scene towards the end of the book that will delight readers. The Boyd in the Wetlands is an entertaining cozy mystery with house flipping, close friends, adorable fur babies, family drama, romance, two dead bodies, one missing person and a cagey killer.

The sleuthing was good, the story was good and had lots of misdirections, the characters are great, the rehabbing was aces, but it sort of morphed into a romance novel a lot. The narrator did a very good job.

About the author

Judi Lynn received a Master’s Degree from Indiana University as an elementary school teacher after attending the IPFW campus. She taught 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades for six years before having her two daughters. She loves gardening, cooking and trying new recipes. Readers can visit her website at www.judithpostswritingmusings.com and her blog writingmusings.com.