Premeditated Mortar

Kate Carlisle

Dec 2020 · A Fixer-Upper Mystery Book 8 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

Contractor Shannon Hammer gets tangled up in murder at a spooky old asylum in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle. . . .

Shannon Hammer is about to embark on one of the biggest projects of her career. Her best friend Jane Hennessey has purchased one wing of the Gables, formerly the old state insane asylum, located on a bucolic hillside two miles northeast of Lighthouse Cove. Jane plans to turn her section into a small luxury hotel complete with twenty ocean-view rooms, a spa, and a restaurant.

Shannon is raring to get started on the enormous project and is shocked when a group of unruly protesters shows up at the groundbreaking ceremony and wreaks havoc. She’s even more freaked-out when someone pushes her into a pit of bricks in a closed-off room of the asylum. Despite her close call, Shannon wants nothing more than to get back to work . . . until she finds a body not far from where she was pushed. Now Shannon is determined to get to the bottom of the goings-on at the Gables even if it kills her. . . .

Ratings and reviews

contractors, law-enforcement, amateur-sleuth, family, friendship, cozy-mystery, small-town**** Take a derelict hospital for the insane abandoned in the 1970s, add in a great project to turn the extravagant building into several venues including a world class hotel and spa, then add in a protest group. And a weird former director. And a body or two. This is the first book in series that I've read but it worked OK as a stand alone. That whole high school drama thing was nutsy and pretty useless considering the ages of the characters, but it was still a good read. I requested and received a free ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley.

Premeditated Mortar by Kate Carlisle takes the reader back to Lighthouse Cove and the colorful cast of characters there. Shannon Hammer's best friend Jane is investing in one wing of the Gables, formerly a state mental asylum to renovate into a hotel, restaurant, and spa. Shannon's boyfriend, best-selling writer Mac Sullivan, is also an investor. The relationship between Shannon and Mac continues to grow. The book focuses on the history of the asylum and the way the patients were treated. I was thoroughly intrigued by this aspect of the novel. Of course, there are murders to solve and plenty of nail-biting, edge-of-your seat scenes to round out another excellent Fixer Upper Mystery.

Premeditated Mortar by Kate Carlisle is a compelling cozy mystery. Shannon Hammer, Mac Sullivan, Jane Hennessey, and the gang are back. Jane has purchased the seventh building at the Gables which was once the Northern California Asylum for the Insane. The buildings have been abandoned for years but there is no denying the potential. Shannon cannot wait to start the project with her crew. It will take a year to turn the Victorian building into the Hennessey Hotel. Some people, though, are not excited about the project and set out to derail it. I thought Premeditated Mortar was well-written with developed characters and steady pacing. I enjoyed the descriptions of the town and the Gables. The author’s vivid word imagery brought the scenes alive for me. The mystery was multifaceted and creative. There are several viable suspects, misdirection, and subtle clues. I had a good time following this whodunit and figuring out the identity of the guilty party. I like how the romance is progressing between Mac and Shannon. We also get to catch up with Chloe and Eric as well as Jane and Niall. Romance is blooming in Lighthouse Cove and the ending has me eager for the next A Fixer-Upper Mystery. Premeditated Mortar can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series or if you have missed a book or two. Premeditated Mortar is a diverting cozy mystery with malicious mischief, creepy corridors, awesome architecture, flourishing romances, and a perplexing puzzle.

About the author

A native Californian, New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle worked in television for many years before turning to writing. A lifelong fascination with the art and craft of bookbinding led her to write the Bibliophile Mysteries featuring Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery, and murder. She is also the author of the Fixer-Upper Mysteries featuring small-town girl Shannon Hammer, a building contractor specializing in home restoration.