Today I am reviewing: The Body in the Attic by Judi Lynn.
Book Description from Net Galley:
Description
Welcome to River Bluffs, Indiana, a cozy small town populated with charming homes, close-knit families, and the occasional deadly secret . . .
House-flipper Jazzi Zanders and her cousin Jerod have found their latest project. The property, formerly owned by the late Cal Juniper, is filled with debris that must be cleared before the real renovation begins. But a trip to the attic reveals something more disturbing than forgotten garbage—a skeleton wearing a locket and rings that Jazzi recognizes . . .
Tests confirm that the bones belong to Jazzi’s aunt Lynda, who everyone assumed moved to New York years ago after breaking up with Cal. Soon enough, the whole family is involved, sifting through memories and rumors as they try to piece together what really happened to Lynda—and the baby she gave up for adoption. In between investigating and remodeling, Jazzi is falling for the old house’s charms—and for her gorgeous contractor, Ansel. But with surprises lurking in every nook and cranny, a killer might be waiting to demolish her dreams for good
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My thoughts: Being a huge fan of the television show, Fixer Upper, I was excited about the fact that the main character of the book, Jazzi flipped houses (renovate old homes) for a living along with her cousin Jerod.
The book starts off with Jazzi and Jerod winning the bid on a place that an old family friend had owned. In fact he had once been engaged to Jazzi's Aunt. - When Jazzi and Jerod go through the attic they discover an old trunk that turns out to contain the remains of a Skeleton, none other then that of Jazzi's Aunt who went missing 26 years ago.
The story continues as Jazzi, Jerod and their construction contractor, Ansel continue to work on the house and try to solve the mystery of her aunt's disappearance and death. Jazzi works closely with Detective Gaff to interview people that knew her aunt and might have been involved in her murder. Along the way they discover another body buried in the yard which adds to the suspense of the story.
Jazzi's family was a fun group of people so that made the story enjoyable. At times it seemed a bit "choppy" in places and I felt the (romance) aspect of the story seemed a bit rushed towards the end of the book.
Overall I would give this book a 3 1/2 star rating. It was an easy read but again places in the story seemed rushed and not totally developed so I couldn't give it a higher rating.
This is the first book in a new series by this author which I like because its easier to start a series of books then to jump in during the middle of a series.
If you are looking for major suspense and a thriller ending this book probably isn't for you. - On the other hand if you enjoy a good mystery that is fun to read give this one a try.
I received an advance e-copy of the book from Net Galley for my honest opinion and review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review.
