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Death by Demo
(2023)(The first book in the Home Renovation Mystery series)
A novel by Callie Carpenter
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?
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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?
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Praise for this book
"Death by Demo is a fun, new entry into the always-popular home renovation subgenre of cozy mysteries. The plot is solid, the characters appealing, and the setting charming. Callie Carpenter has built a strong foundation for a robust series with this clever debut novel." - Jennie Bentley
"Reading Callie Carpenter's Death by Demo - a Home Renovation Mystery was pure pleasure for a fixer-upper like me. She had me at page one with her description of a Queen Anne home needing her main character Jaime Moore's tender loving care. As contractor Jaime says, she likes to rescue houses and make them whole again. Jaime also rescues cats, as in the adorable stray she names Demo. Now if she can only rescue herself from a deranged killer who isn't too keen about her snooping around to find out who killed a high school acquaintance that Jaime finds entombed inside an interior wall in her new home. Death by Demo is an entertaining small-town cozy mystery with plenty of suspects - including Jaime's vile ex-husband, his new obnoxious girlfriend, an attractive guy next door, her parent's family lawyer, and the dead woman's callous boss. I thoroughly enjoyed the home renovation contractor tips, and the red herrings kept me guessing until the end. Well Done, Ms. Carpenter!" - Kathleen Bridge
"Death by Demo is the perfect intersection between a cozy mystery and a home renovation with none of the heavy labor or mess. Put down your sledgehammer and let recently divorced sleuth and contractor, Jaime Moore do all of the hard work. Grab a glass of Sweet Tea and a comfy seat and soak in the charm of this Southern-style cozy." - V M Burns
"Callie Carpenter nails it with this delightful debut in her Home Renovation Mystery series, introducing an intrepid contractor heroine who proves equally adept at solving mysteries and bringing new life to old homes. I can't think of a more enjoyable way to take a break from HGTV!" - Ellen Byron
"Callie Carpenter's Death by Demo is definitely up to code! With a well-crafted plot and engaging characters, this new addition to the genre promises to entertain cozy mystery lovers and fans of home renovation shows. Jaime is a savvy and determined heroine with sleuthing smarts to rival her construction skills. Throw in an adorable cat and you have a solid foundation for a delightful cozy mystery series." - Sarah Fox
"A great series debut! Death by Demo is a clever combination of home renovation and murder that will appeal to DIY fans and armchair sleuths, alike." - Anna Gerard
"With its breezy style, creative plotline, and likable cast of characters - including a charming stray cat - Death by Demo is a must-read for cozy mystery fans." - Diane Kelly
"Death by Demo is a real page turner! Cozy fans will root for amateur sleuth Jaime Moore as she uses every tool in her toolbox to nab a killer and rebuild a life for herself. Callie Carpenter nailed this series debut!" - Kate Lansing
"Reading Callie Carpenter's Death by Demo - a Home Renovation Mystery was pure pleasure for a fixer-upper like me. She had me at page one with her description of a Queen Anne home needing her main character Jaime Moore's tender loving care. As contractor Jaime says, she likes to rescue houses and make them whole again. Jaime also rescues cats, as in the adorable stray she names Demo. Now if she can only rescue herself from a deranged killer who isn't too keen about her snooping around to find out who killed a high school acquaintance that Jaime finds entombed inside an interior wall in her new home. Death by Demo is an entertaining small-town cozy mystery with plenty of suspects - including Jaime's vile ex-husband, his new obnoxious girlfriend, an attractive guy next door, her parent's family lawyer, and the dead woman's callous boss. I thoroughly enjoyed the home renovation contractor tips, and the red herrings kept me guessing until the end. Well Done, Ms. Carpenter!" - Kathleen Bridge
"Death by Demo is the perfect intersection between a cozy mystery and a home renovation with none of the heavy labor or mess. Put down your sledgehammer and let recently divorced sleuth and contractor, Jaime Moore do all of the hard work. Grab a glass of Sweet Tea and a comfy seat and soak in the charm of this Southern-style cozy." - V M Burns
"Callie Carpenter nails it with this delightful debut in her Home Renovation Mystery series, introducing an intrepid contractor heroine who proves equally adept at solving mysteries and bringing new life to old homes. I can't think of a more enjoyable way to take a break from HGTV!" - Ellen Byron
"Callie Carpenter's Death by Demo is definitely up to code! With a well-crafted plot and engaging characters, this new addition to the genre promises to entertain cozy mystery lovers and fans of home renovation shows. Jaime is a savvy and determined heroine with sleuthing smarts to rival her construction skills. Throw in an adorable cat and you have a solid foundation for a delightful cozy mystery series." - Sarah Fox
"A great series debut! Death by Demo is a clever combination of home renovation and murder that will appeal to DIY fans and armchair sleuths, alike." - Anna Gerard
"With its breezy style, creative plotline, and likable cast of characters - including a charming stray cat - Death by Demo is a must-read for cozy mystery fans." - Diane Kelly
"Death by Demo is a real page turner! Cozy fans will root for amateur sleuth Jaime Moore as she uses every tool in her toolbox to nab a killer and rebuild a life for herself. Callie Carpenter nailed this series debut!" - Kate Lansing
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