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sueemmy's review against another edition
4.0
Taking on a new challenge, Whitney Whitaker and her cousin, Buck, take on a new challenge. Instead of a house to flip, they choose a houseboat. While renovating, they decide to live on the boat. Once there, they quickly learn that annoying neighbors are not just on land. The story contains info on rehabbing a boat, a good mystery and excellent and interesting characters. Very entertaining! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
amysbooks18's review against another edition
4.0
What an amazing read. I didn't know this wasnt the first book in the series. I was able to pick it up and I wish I had more time. But i said I just need to read. and it was fun and enjoyable that Whitney wand ciousin Buck where able to do the flipping with the boat I was nervous and excited to find out the real killer was. I did not see it coming who it was. The end is not the end its just the beginning of more fun to come!!!
sunneyone's review against another edition
4.0
Sawdust is my favorite. The houseboat was a nice twist. The mystery was interesting. It was an entertaining read.
spaceonthebookcase's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this cozy mystery but it too suspending belief in reality as house flippers turn boat house flippers. Simply put, they require very different specialties but once I got past that, I enjoyed the cozy mystery for what it was...a mystery.
There is boat house flipping storyline within the pages but I didn't feel like it was to overdone and when it was brought up it fit with where the plot was at the time. I found Grant's character really annoying and didn't mind at all when his boat exploded. From there the storyline jumped a lot and I enjoyed the twisty nature of it.
Overall it's a fun, quick read that I enjoyed.
Thank you SMP for sending me a copy to review!
There is boat house flipping storyline within the pages but I didn't feel like it was to overdone and when it was brought up it fit with where the plot was at the time. I found Grant's character really annoying and didn't mind at all when his boat exploded. From there the storyline jumped a lot and I enjoyed the twisty nature of it.
Overall it's a fun, quick read that I enjoyed.
Thank you SMP for sending me a copy to review!
chelsmarieantoinette's review against another edition
4.0
Primer & Punishment was a cute, cozy mystery. Though I felt like I grasped all the characters just fine during this 5th installment of the series, I’d rather have started from the beginning.
I liked the setting outside of Nashville and the cousins, Buck and Whitney, with their house flipping aspirations. This cozy mystery is very "tame." I've read a couple recently that have horrible language and some raunchiness, which I don't mind on general fiction, but I don't love in the "cozy" genre and this one was straight cozy. Think engaged couples living and sleeping separately- very PG. But there were definitely some seedy characters at the marina while they fixed up their houseboat, Skinny Dipper, and that's where we get our main mystery.
In general, I liked Whitney's sleuthing style. She wasn't unrealistic or unsafe, BUT she DEFINITELY interfered in the police investigation and, had I been the fire inspector, I wouldn't have been happy when she overstepped. Heck, she was specifically told not to talk about the death and immediately she gave details to every stranger who showed up at the marina. And the Tanner kid was too whiny for me.
I loved the cat, Sawdust.
Recommend for cute, cozy mystery fans looks for a sweet, PG series.
I liked the setting outside of Nashville and the cousins, Buck and Whitney, with their house flipping aspirations. This cozy mystery is very "tame." I've read a couple recently that have horrible language and some raunchiness, which I don't mind on general fiction, but I don't love in the "cozy" genre and this one was straight cozy. Think engaged couples living and sleeping separately- very PG. But there were definitely some seedy characters at the marina while they fixed up their houseboat, Skinny Dipper, and that's where we get our main mystery.
In general, I liked Whitney's sleuthing style. She wasn't unrealistic or unsafe, BUT she DEFINITELY interfered in the police investigation and, had I been the fire inspector, I wouldn't have been happy when she overstepped. Heck, she was specifically told not to talk about the death and immediately she gave details to every stranger who showed up at the marina. And the Tanner kid was too whiny for me.
I loved the cat, Sawdust.
Recommend for cute, cozy mystery fans looks for a sweet, PG series.
robinlovesreading's review against another edition
4.0
In this fifth installment in Diane Kelly’s House-Flipper cozy mystery series, cousins Whitney and Buck are now renovating a houseboat. When a nearby boat goes up in flames, Whitney and Buck again act as amateur sleuths as they try to discover who was responsible for the explosion that cost a man his life.
As it turns out, the man that died in explosion was not well-liked, thus there are no shortage of suspects who could have been responsible for his murder. This was an intriguing as well as informative story. For example, when painting a boat, how is the underside painted? I found that tidbit rather interesting.
Aside from a quick renovation education, the intrigue, plot and characters all worked well to make this book quite an enjoyable read. This review would not be complete if I didn’t factor in the interesting dialogue Sawdust the cat had running in this as well as the previous books in the series. Oh, and I also learned that there are cat life vests. Fun, entertaining and with excellent pacing, I loved that I binge read all five books in this series and could have easily kept on reading
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
kellyyoungauthor's review against another edition
5.0
I received a copy of #PrimerandPunishment from #NetGalley , breaking my own rule of not getting books from an established series that I hadn't read. I made an exception because this book, the fourth in the House Flipped series, is written by Diane Kelly and other books I'd read by her are excellent.
I am so glad I did! The book stands incredibly well on its own, it's easy to get to know and like the characters, and the mystery itself is complex and intriguing. As an intrepid assistant to my husband through the renovations of our two houses, I found this book full of instances to which I can relate.
The book is well written and fast paced, as well as entertaining from start to finish.
I am so glad I did! The book stands incredibly well on its own, it's easy to get to know and like the characters, and the mystery itself is complex and intriguing. As an intrepid assistant to my husband through the renovations of our two houses, I found this book full of instances to which I can relate.
The book is well written and fast paced, as well as entertaining from start to finish.
candragonsread's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC!
I didn't realize at first this was a series...but it was easy to understand and catch up on details! I enjoyed the characters, setting, and the mystery. It was a cozy, quick, read and I'll definitely look into this author more! I haven't read a cozy mystery set on a houseboat/flippers until now!
I didn't realize at first this was a series...but it was easy to understand and catch up on details! I enjoyed the characters, setting, and the mystery. It was a cozy, quick, read and I'll definitely look into this author more! I haven't read a cozy mystery set on a houseboat/flippers until now!
sherwoodreads's review against another edition
I did not realize when I got this from NetGalley that it was the fifth in a mystery series. I picked it because the cover suggested cozy mystery, and that's pretty much what you get. I read cozies when I wake at one a.m. and can't get back to sleep, and this story was perfect for that.
The two main characters are fun, there is a thread of romance, and there is even a cat inserted, because I guess cats are a hot item in cozy mysteries now. The cat chapters didn't add anything to the story, but that was okay--the rest was a fun read, which is all I asked for.
The two main characters are fun, there is a thread of romance, and there is even a cat inserted, because I guess cats are a hot item in cozy mysteries now. The cat chapters didn't add anything to the story, but that was okay--the rest was a fun read, which is all I asked for.