A Wrench in the Works by Kate Carlisle

Shannon Hammer’s younger sister, Chloe, left Lighthouse Cove after high school to make it big in Hollywood. And she did it! Chloe is the cohost of a popular home-repair show on the Home Builders Network. Now, after 10 years, she has returned to their quaint coastal hometown to film several shows featuring her sister, Shannon, along with some special mini-segments on Victorian style and design. 

But Shannon quickly realizes that things are not exactly blissful in TV land. Bree, the executive producer of the show, has a knack for stirring up sticky situations, and when she’s found dead, Chloe and the entire crew are under suspicion. Shannon, her thriller-writer boyfriend, Mac, and their crime-solving friends soon unearth the real reason Chloe left home.

Is that 10-year-old secret connected to Bree’s death? And can Shannon track down the real killer before her beloved sister becomes the next victim?

Series: A Fixer Upper Mystery #6 | Publisher: Audible | Narrator: Eileen Stevens  | Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins  | Genre:  Cozy Mystery| Source: Publisher | Rating: 3.5 Cups

Challenges Read For:  - Audiobook Challenge - 

 

This series, while I generally enjoy it, has been hit and miss for me. This was one of the better ones in the series but it still had its problems.

 

Here’s what’s going on. When Shannon’s sister brings her home improvement show to Lighthouse Cover, Shannon is excited for her and her crew to be a part of it until she and her sister discover Bree—the executive producer—dead. As the show progresses and more danger unfolds, Shannon starts to wonder if her sister is the real target.

 

It was fun seeing Shannon and her sister, Chloe, work reunite after Chloe’s been gone for so long. Although there’s a reason (even if it sounds a little overly dramatic) that Chloe left ten years ago and while she’s ready to set things to right, she’s still worried about the fallout from it. And of course, Shannon is willingly to do all that she can to protect her sister from being wrongly accused.

 

While Shannon finally seems to be maturing, the way she acted when Eric was questioning Chloe was rather childish. She’s been questioned by the police several time yet decided to make a big fuss out of them questioning Chloe to the point she was telling Eric how to do his job.

 

The mystery aspect of this one was interesting if a little predictable. I knew who the killer was when the body was discovered and ended up being right. I was a little surprised that this one wasn’t very investigation-focused until the last 60% of the book. Instead of Shannon focusing on finding the killer, she was more focused on working on her sister’s show.

 

Of course, there’s a bit of romance mixed in and we see Shannon and Max growing more comfortable in their relationship (although I will always say that Shannon should be with Eric). We also see the start of something between Chloe and Eric.

 

This is the first time Eileen Stevens has narrated a book in this series and just didn’t work for me. Her narration was okay but she just didn’t seem connected to the book. I’m not a fan when narrators are switched in an on-going series.

 

Overall, this was a nice addition to the series. I’m still not as wowed as I was before but I feel like it’s getting back to where it was before.

Fixer Upper Series

A High-End Finish (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #1) 

This Old Homicide (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #2) 

Crowned and Moldering (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #3)

Deckthe Hallways (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #4) 

Eaves of Destruction (Fixer-Upper Mystery #5) 

A Wrench in the Works (Fixer-Upper Mystery #6)