Helpful Score: 3
Dollycas's Thoughts
After recently reading and reviewing, Crowned and Moldering, I couldn't wait to dive right into this story. I was taken aback when I heard Mac was off on a promotional trip and had not even picked up the phone to contact Shannon for over 40 days. What the heck happened between stories? Wait I am getting ahead of myself.
It is the holiday season in Lighthouse Cove and Shannon has taken the lead on a huge charity project. An old Victorian mansion is being transformed into housing for the homeless. Contractors and volunteers join together to get the project completed by Christmas Eve. A group of Santa's helpers complete with the black boots, beards and red suits even show up to help. The president of the bank managing the funding seems to always be underfoot and soon after the project starts he and Shannon's father, Jack get into a bit of a fight. When the president is found dead Jack finds himself in the hot-seat as there were plenty of witnesses to their argument. Shannon is on the case to clear her dad of the crime and unwrap the true killer before it is time to jingle those bells.
So you see Shannon has plenty on her plate but she can't stop thinking about Mac and why he hasn't called or texted. I thought their relationship was starting to move forward so this kind of distracted me a little bit from the mystery at first. I don't want to spoil anything so I will leave this topic alone for this story.
Setting the romance aside, there were several new characters introduced. Mr. Potter, the bank president, until he met his untimely demise. He was a character that was very easy to dislike. Several volunteers including one who didn't really seem to fit in and who kept disappearing. Several "Santas", who truly helped on the project. All of our favorites from previous stories return too, well with the exception of Mac who finally arrived near the end of the story. Man, I just can't seem to let that drop.
I do love the setting, another grand Victorian with all the grandeur waiting to be restored and a few secrets that houses like it always seem to have. I would love to have one of my own. We were close to owning one early in the 80's. I wish we would have made the major purchase but it needed more work that be were ready to take on at the time.
Ms. Carlisle gave us another challenging mystery to solve with plenty of red herrings, twists and turns. I figured it out right along with Shannon.
I did love this story with that little exception I mentioned earlier. Yes, I really missed Mac, darn it, I did I won't deduct a star for my distraction, but I hope the next installment starts out a little better on the romantic front. This is another captivating cozy from Kate Carlisle, all kidding aside, I recommend it and the whole series very highly.
After recently reading and reviewing, Crowned and Moldering, I couldn't wait to dive right into this story. I was taken aback when I heard Mac was off on a promotional trip and had not even picked up the phone to contact Shannon for over 40 days. What the heck happened between stories? Wait I am getting ahead of myself.
It is the holiday season in Lighthouse Cove and Shannon has taken the lead on a huge charity project. An old Victorian mansion is being transformed into housing for the homeless. Contractors and volunteers join together to get the project completed by Christmas Eve. A group of Santa's helpers complete with the black boots, beards and red suits even show up to help. The president of the bank managing the funding seems to always be underfoot and soon after the project starts he and Shannon's father, Jack get into a bit of a fight. When the president is found dead Jack finds himself in the hot-seat as there were plenty of witnesses to their argument. Shannon is on the case to clear her dad of the crime and unwrap the true killer before it is time to jingle those bells.
So you see Shannon has plenty on her plate but she can't stop thinking about Mac and why he hasn't called or texted. I thought their relationship was starting to move forward so this kind of distracted me a little bit from the mystery at first. I don't want to spoil anything so I will leave this topic alone for this story.
Setting the romance aside, there were several new characters introduced. Mr. Potter, the bank president, until he met his untimely demise. He was a character that was very easy to dislike. Several volunteers including one who didn't really seem to fit in and who kept disappearing. Several "Santas", who truly helped on the project. All of our favorites from previous stories return too, well with the exception of Mac who finally arrived near the end of the story. Man, I just can't seem to let that drop.
I do love the setting, another grand Victorian with all the grandeur waiting to be restored and a few secrets that houses like it always seem to have. I would love to have one of my own. We were close to owning one early in the 80's. I wish we would have made the major purchase but it needed more work that be were ready to take on at the time.
Ms. Carlisle gave us another challenging mystery to solve with plenty of red herrings, twists and turns. I figured it out right along with Shannon.
I did love this story with that little exception I mentioned earlier. Yes, I really missed Mac, darn it, I did I won't deduct a star for my distraction, but I hope the next installment starts out a little better on the romantic front. This is another captivating cozy from Kate Carlisle, all kidding aside, I recommend it and the whole series very highly.
Helpful Score: 1
A light innocuous mystery with too many tangential story lines to always be coherent. Contractor Shannon Hammer is coordinating the renovation of an huge old Victorian for needy people. From the first she moans about her romance, her run ins with volunteers, the funding bank's nasty vice-president, and her dad and his friends who are helping out. She decides that the chief of police can't do a good job when her dad seems to be a suspect in a murder and proceeds to poke her nose in the investigation. She finds another victim, helps organize the community Christmas event, and comes across an abandoned baby. Just too much distraction from the murder mystery I find.
When one of the characters in Deck the Hallways looks at Shannon and says, "You lead the most interesting life," I just had to laugh. It's true. Shannon Hammer certainly isn't your typical contractor, and this latest Fixer-Upper mystery is filled with all sorts of things happening to her. There's that group of Santas who insist on helping out at the jobsite. There's Shannon's relationship woes, and I'm not about to get into the strange things that turn up in the bed of her truck.
Even though I correctly guessed the identity of the killer the second time the person made an appearance, it didn't spoil this book for me. For one thing, I was too busy picturing the conversion of that grand old house into apartments. For another, I was watching Shannon teach her skills to local young people. Shannon is invested in her community, and for me, this is one of the things I like most in this very enjoyable series.
Like all well-written cozy mysteries, Deck the Hallways has much more to it than trying to guess whodunit. Well-developed characters, lots of humor, a tease of romance, and a hearty dose of home renovation makes this Fixer-Upper series one of my favorites.
Even though I correctly guessed the identity of the killer the second time the person made an appearance, it didn't spoil this book for me. For one thing, I was too busy picturing the conversion of that grand old house into apartments. For another, I was watching Shannon teach her skills to local young people. Shannon is invested in her community, and for me, this is one of the things I like most in this very enjoyable series.
Like all well-written cozy mysteries, Deck the Hallways has much more to it than trying to guess whodunit. Well-developed characters, lots of humor, a tease of romance, and a hearty dose of home renovation makes this Fixer-Upper series one of my favorites.
Disappointing. I found myself skipping sentences, then skipping paragraphs. 110 pages in the story seems to be going nowhere.
I like the previous books in the series. But this one not so much.
I like the previous books in the series. But this one not so much.
Deck the Hallways by Kate Carlisle is the fourth book in the Fixer-Upper Mystery series. Shannon Hammer is supervising the Forester House project for Holiday Homebuilders. They are dividing the mansion into apartments for people in need. The house was donated by Lighthouse Cove Bank and Trust. Many people are donating their time and services for this special project. Unfortunately, they have a scrooge in their midst. Peter Potter, representing the bank, insists on visiting the site every single day. Mr. Potter is definitely on Santa's naughty list for the way he manages to antagonize every single person he encounters. Early one morning Shannon is unable to sleep and heads over to the job site. Shannon wants to check the progress the butler's pantry that is being turned into a kitchen. The door will not budge. She pushes on it and finds Mr. Potter on the other side with her father's new axe in his neck. Jack, Shannon's father, had a very loud, public argument with Potter the day before. Someone is trying to frame Jack. Shannon sets out to find the Grinch that is trying to ruin her Christmas. Shannon's stocking is overflowing with trouble. A troublesome volunteer, a plethora of Santa's, missing tools, a parade to organize, stolen diamond charm, the return of her beau, and a baby! Someone left a baby in Shannon's truck. Shannon needs to find the baby's mother and a killer (and someone to take care of said baby). Will she be able to wrap up her to do list by Christmas Eve? Join Shannon and friends for some holiday hijinks in Deck the Hallways!
Deck the Hallways was an entertaining novel. It has engaging characters, good writing and a beautiful setting of Lighthouse Cove, California. There is certainly a lot going on in this book, but the author makes it work. I give Deck the Hallways 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I just wish that more work had been put into the mystery. It was obvious who would be killed (I think Peter Potter is nastier than Scrooge). The killer's identity was as obvious as a wrapped golf club sitting under the tree. Deck the Hallways can be read alone. Everything the reader needs to know (about the main characters and town) is provided in the book. I look forward to visiting Shannon again in Lighthouse Cove in the next A Fixer-Upper Mystery novel.
Deck the Hallways was an entertaining novel. It has engaging characters, good writing and a beautiful setting of Lighthouse Cove, California. There is certainly a lot going on in this book, but the author makes it work. I give Deck the Hallways 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I just wish that more work had been put into the mystery. It was obvious who would be killed (I think Peter Potter is nastier than Scrooge). The killer's identity was as obvious as a wrapped golf club sitting under the tree. Deck the Hallways can be read alone. Everything the reader needs to know (about the main characters and town) is provided in the book. I look forward to visiting Shannon again in Lighthouse Cove in the next A Fixer-Upper Mystery novel.
In the latest entry of the Fixer Upper series, Deck the Hallways, finds Shannon Hammer, general contractor, in charge of a huge charity project by the Holiday Homebuilders. The local bank has given one of the area's largest and most beautiful Victorian mansions in the area, to be turned into numerous apartments for people that are down on their luck. The trick is to make the rooms over without destroying any of its charm and historical value, and to have it done by Christmas Eve for the town's holiday celebration. The senior Vice President of the bank is making horrible threats to almost anyone he runs into, including Shannon's Dad, Jack. He stirs up trouble wherever he goes, so it is not surprising that he winds up dead. There are too many suspects that "wanted to kill him" including Shannon's father. Add to this mix a newborn baby left in Shannon's truck, the Santa Brigade, and what's up with Mac? All-in-all a super book!
