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Kelly O'Connell #1
Skeleton in a Dead Space
An endearing sleuth, a skeleton behind the spice cupboard, and a fistful of subplots that will keep you guessing. A nicely done debut by an author to watch. -Susan Wittig Albert, author of the China Bayles mysteries Award-winning historical novelist makes a fine debut in the mystery field with SKELETON IN A DEAD SPACE. Alter gives readers a twisty plot, excellent use of setting, and a very likable protagonist. I hope this is just the first of many novels about realtor/detective Kelly O'Connell! -Livia J. Washburn, author of the Fresh Baked Mystery series and the Literary Tour Mystery series Skeleton in a Dead Space is a must-read for cozy fans. Kelly O'Connell is an engaging realtor with adorable daughters and a talent for trouble. Alter's mystery debut stands on a lasting foundation of sinister clients and suspect houses. Location, location, location-for murder! -Charlotte Hinger, author of Deadly Descent and Lethal Lineage. Kelly O'Connell never thought real estate was a dangerous profession, until she stumbled over a skeleton in a dead space in an early-twentieth-century Craftsman house she was transforming into coveted modern home in an older urban neighborhood. From that moment, she runs into teen-age gang members, a manipulative ex-husband, a needy and single pregnant friend, a cold-blooded murderer, and a policeman who wants to be more than her protector. As free-spirited as the chocolate-peanut-jalapeño candy she craves, Kelly barges through life trying to keep from angering her policeman-boyfriend, protect her two young daughters, pacify her worried mother a thousand miles away, and keep her real estate business afloat. Too often she puts herself in danger, and sometimes its the girls, not Mike, who come to Kelly's rescue.
268 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2011
45 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Judy Alter
146 books132 followersAfter an established career writing historical fiction for adults and young adults about women of the nineteenth-century American West, Texas author Judy Alter turned her attention to contemporary cozy mysteries and wrote three series: Kelly O’Connell Mysteries, Blue Plate Café Mysteries, and Oak Grove Mysteries. She has most recently published two titles in her Irene in Chicago Culinary Mysteries--Saving Irene and Irene in Danger.
Her most recent historical books are The Most Land, the Best Cattle: The Waggoners of Texas and The Second Battle of the Alamo, a study in both Texas and women’s history. Judy’s western fiction has been recognized with awards from the Western Writers of America, the Texas Institute of Letters, and the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame. She has been honored with the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement by WWA and inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame at the Fort Worth Public Library. She was named One of 100 Women, Living and Dead, Who Have Left Their Mark on Texas by the Dallas Morning News, and named an Outstanding Woman of Fort Worth in the Arts, 1988, by the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women
Judy is a member Sisters in Crime and Guppies, Women Writing the West, Story Circle Network, a past president of Western Writers of America, and an active member of the Texas Institute of Letters.
Retired after almost thirty years with TCU Press, twenty of them as director, Judy lives in a small cottage—just right for one and a dog—in Fort Worth, Texas with her Bordoodle Sophie. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of seven. Her hobby is cooking, and she’s learning how to cook in a postage-stamp kitchen without a stove. In fact, she wrote a cookbook about it: Gourmet on a Hot Plate.
Her most recent historical books are The Most Land, the Best Cattle: The Waggoners of Texas and The Second Battle of the Alamo, a study in both Texas and women’s history. Judy’s western fiction has been recognized with awards from the Western Writers of America, the Texas Institute of Letters, and the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame. She has been honored with the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement by WWA and inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame at the Fort Worth Public Library. She was named One of 100 Women, Living and Dead, Who Have Left Their Mark on Texas by the Dallas Morning News, and named an Outstanding Woman of Fort Worth in the Arts, 1988, by the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women
Judy is a member Sisters in Crime and Guppies, Women Writing the West, Story Circle Network, a past president of Western Writers of America, and an active member of the Texas Institute of Letters.
Retired after almost thirty years with TCU Press, twenty of them as director, Judy lives in a small cottage—just right for one and a dog—in Fort Worth, Texas with her Bordoodle Sophie. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of seven. Her hobby is cooking, and she’s learning how to cook in a postage-stamp kitchen without a stove. In fact, she wrote a cookbook about it: Gourmet on a Hot Plate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 14, 2018
I’m through with Sleuthing Women: 10 First-in-Series Mysteries.
This is the third in the volume and I dislike the emerging plot - woman on the verge of separation discovers body ( clearly an occupational hazard of working in Real Estate), meets spunky police officer, meddles in the investigation withholding evidence because its personal, or you wouldn’t want to dob, buys take-away food every night because she’s busy meddling and bribes her kids with icecream. The meddling, of course, somehow helps in the end, but not before she has put herself and/or her children in danger.
Did I mention, she gets her man?
This is the third in the volume and I dislike the emerging plot - woman on the verge of separation discovers body ( clearly an occupational hazard of working in Real Estate), meets spunky police officer, meddles in the investigation withholding evidence because its personal, or you wouldn’t want to dob, buys take-away food every night because she’s busy meddling and bribes her kids with icecream. The meddling, of course, somehow helps in the end, but not before she has put herself and/or her children in danger.
Did I mention, she gets her man?
April 30, 2013
I love discovering new authors. Alter may be new, but it's clear she's been honing her craft for a while. Kelly O'Connor is a realtor/renovator, single mom. And she's struggling with all the usual questions. Is she doing right by her kids, is she doing right by her business, was she responsible for the break-up of her marriage...When her general contractor/handy man finds a skeleton in a dead space of a wonderful craftsman house she is renovating for sale, it seems a matter for the cold case squad. At least until the violence spills into the present and threatens Kelly and her girls. The book is fast moving, a gripping read, and Alter has managed to even make her murderer sympathetic. A tricky feat to pull off. Great book.
June 27, 2018
I'm in two minds about this.
Set in Fort Worth, Texas, a cold case investigation is opened when a skeleton is found in a walled up recess in a house Kelly McConnell is trying to sell. Kelly is keen to have the body identified and put to rest, assuming that the police will have little interest in remains that may have been there for a hundred years. When she begins to look into the history of the house and its inhabitants, she gets threatening phone calls and worse. Someone is determined that the investigation goes no further.
It’s odd when the central character doesn’t seem to be as fully rounded as the rest of the ensemble. I had no trouble picturing the other characters in this book, but Kelly came across as being far older than she should be. There’s also a tendency in these ‘female sleuth’ novels for the heroine to be brave but just slightly dizzy in terms of not telling the police what they should be telling the police, and going off investigating without letting anyone know what they’re up to. It’s become a bit of a cliché. Some authors handle it well, but in some cases it gets a little annoying and doesn’t do a great deal for the perception of women in general. Kelly discovers a vital piece of evidence, but tells no one, endangering herself and her young daughters. Had the main character been a single father society would no doubt judge his actions as being at the very least erratic. Had the author found some credible way of justifying this it might have worked, but the explanation given does not hold any water.
It has a shakey start but picks up and, to be fair, is very readable with some subplots regarding various relationships which work very well. The denouement is a little rushed but brings the book to a satisfactory conclusion. Could have done with a redraft though.
Set in Fort Worth, Texas, a cold case investigation is opened when a skeleton is found in a walled up recess in a house Kelly McConnell is trying to sell. Kelly is keen to have the body identified and put to rest, assuming that the police will have little interest in remains that may have been there for a hundred years. When she begins to look into the history of the house and its inhabitants, she gets threatening phone calls and worse. Someone is determined that the investigation goes no further.
It’s odd when the central character doesn’t seem to be as fully rounded as the rest of the ensemble. I had no trouble picturing the other characters in this book, but Kelly came across as being far older than she should be. There’s also a tendency in these ‘female sleuth’ novels for the heroine to be brave but just slightly dizzy in terms of not telling the police what they should be telling the police, and going off investigating without letting anyone know what they’re up to. It’s become a bit of a cliché. Some authors handle it well, but in some cases it gets a little annoying and doesn’t do a great deal for the perception of women in general. Kelly discovers a vital piece of evidence, but tells no one, endangering herself and her young daughters. Had the main character been a single father society would no doubt judge his actions as being at the very least erratic. Had the author found some credible way of justifying this it might have worked, but the explanation given does not hold any water.
It has a shakey start but picks up and, to be fair, is very readable with some subplots regarding various relationships which work very well. The denouement is a little rushed but brings the book to a satisfactory conclusion. Could have done with a redraft though.
October 25, 2018
Real estate can be a killer!
When Kelly begins a remodel of a lovely old Craftsman house in a Fort Worth neighborhood, she doesn't expect any problems except to get it accurate. A body-turned skeleton behind a set of shelves wasn't in the plans. Suddenly all kinds of problems begin. Fires, paint attacks, handy men getting assaulted, targets painted on her home. What's going on? Here comes the ex-husband causing problems. Will Kelly ever finish the house and sell it? This one is a real "Who dun it!!!!"
When Kelly begins a remodel of a lovely old Craftsman house in a Fort Worth neighborhood, she doesn't expect any problems except to get it accurate. A body-turned skeleton behind a set of shelves wasn't in the plans. Suddenly all kinds of problems begin. Fires, paint attacks, handy men getting assaulted, targets painted on her home. What's going on? Here comes the ex-husband causing problems. Will Kelly ever finish the house and sell it? This one is a real "Who dun it!!!!"
September 24, 2018
I had never read any of Judy Alter's books before but now that I know what I was missing I will be sure to read more for this author. The book was very well written, kept my imagination going and the characters were very believable. The story had many twists and turns but all were believable and I can't wait to hear more from Kelly and the gang. I hope she keeps all the characters she introduced in this book.
April 19, 2023
Picked this up because it's written by a local author. I'll say I thought some of the "plot twists" were a little too contrived, and the ending was not a big surprise. But, on the other hand, as a resident of the neighborhood where the majority of the story takes place it was fun to recognize a lot of the real locations in the area (most of which are still around). A quick, easy, entertaining read.
June 25, 2018
A Kelly O’Connell mystery.
Kelly is a realtor and mother of two young girls. She and her carpenter Anthony are renovating early Craftman’s houses. In her current renovation Anthony stumbles across a skeleton in a box behind a dead space in the kitchen. This cold case causes many problems for her and the house and her family.
Kelly is a realtor and mother of two young girls. She and her carpenter Anthony are renovating early Craftman’s houses. In her current renovation Anthony stumbles across a skeleton in a box behind a dead space in the kitchen. This cold case causes many problems for her and the house and her family.
September 10, 2018
Skeloten in a dead space.
I enjoyed this very much. After days of rain , I rose early and began the book. Several hours later, with a break for theatre and dinner with my husband, I finished the book. I highly recommend it. Amazon recognizes Greg, my husband as the reader, but the Prime account is in his name. Mary Kay Hughes
I enjoyed this very much. After days of rain , I rose early and began the book. Several hours later, with a break for theatre and dinner with my husband, I finished the book. I highly recommend it. Amazon recognizes Greg, my husband as the reader, but the Prime account is in his name. Mary Kay Hughes
October 1, 2018
Skeleton in a dead space
I got this book through a give away by the author with no strings attached to write a review. This is my personal review. I enjoyed the book but thought some of the dialogue and description were a bit wordy and confusing but the killer was quite a surprise until almost the end. I would recommend this as an interesting read.
I got this book through a give away by the author with no strings attached to write a review. This is my personal review. I enjoyed the book but thought some of the dialogue and description were a bit wordy and confusing but the killer was quite a surprise until almost the end. I would recommend this as an interesting read.
January 6, 2019
I can't for the life of me figure out how this book is so highly rated. The mystery itself was interesting, the skeleton in the drawer. But too much of the plot relied on things happening just-so, and it was convoluted and ridiculous. There were some typos and odd phrasing also that shouldn't have made it past an editor. It didn't help that the main character was a giant MORON.
January 18, 2021
Fun story with lots of twists
Judy Alter weaves great tales of mystery, murder, love and mayhem. This was a really fun, quick read leaving me wanting for the next sequel. Only challenge I had with the writing was the poor editing. Lots of awkward sentences, duplicate words and poorly written sentences.
Judy Alter weaves great tales of mystery, murder, love and mayhem. This was a really fun, quick read leaving me wanting for the next sequel. Only challenge I had with the writing was the poor editing. Lots of awkward sentences, duplicate words and poorly written sentences.
September 15, 2018
Trying to make extra as a realestate person for her and her two children. Doesn’t need the phone call from her handyman to come at once. A body had been found in the house. Amature sleuth, with many plots woven in. Good begining for the author to read.
September 23, 2018
Guess again who did it!
This is an enjoyable book with loads of mystery, a couple of murders, some vandalism and a vast array of suspects. The author even dabbled in a little romance. Enjoy!
This is an enjoyable book with loads of mystery, a couple of murders, some vandalism and a vast array of suspects. The author even dabbled in a little romance. Enjoy!
December 1, 2018
A Fantastic Book!
I really enjoyed reading this book. There was never a dull moment. There were many crimes to solve which made the book quite interesting. The main character is so determined to solve the crime. I want to read more of this authors series.
I really enjoyed reading this book. There was never a dull moment. There were many crimes to solve which made the book quite interesting. The main character is so determined to solve the crime. I want to read more of this authors series.
May 4, 2019
A very interesting book.
I enjoyed reading Skeleton in a Dead Space. One of the few books that I didn't want to put down, couldn't stop thinking about when I had to and couldn't wait to resume reading when I got a few minutes.
I enjoyed reading Skeleton in a Dead Space. One of the few books that I didn't want to put down, couldn't stop thinking about when I had to and couldn't wait to resume reading when I got a few minutes.
October 8, 2018
Good mystery
Really enjoyed this mystery. Finding a skeleton can sure change a remodel fast. Murder,suspence and a little romance all in one book.
Really enjoyed this mystery. Finding a skeleton can sure change a remodel fast. Murder,suspence and a little romance all in one book.
January 27, 2019
3.5 stars. Enjoyed the story but it could have been a little tighter. Quite a bit of repetition and bit slow in places. The main character was good but slow on the uptake at times.
July 24, 2019
Enjoyed the story and the characters. A entertaining and interesting series to follow.
February 15, 2014
Reviewed by April
Book provided by the publisher for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I am a huge lover of cozy mysteries, so when I came across Skeleton in a Dead Space by Judy Alter and read the blurb, I was instantly intrigued! Kelly sounded like an interesting character and the story line sounded like something that would hook me quickly. Did it live up to my expectations?
Somewhat. I did enjoy the story line and the twists and turns that took place. The writing was smooth and the suspense flowed well. I loved the premise of the story with the discovery of a skeleton while doing renovations on an old style house before putting it on the market to sell. With that being said, for some reason I had a really hard time liking the main character of Kelly. To me, she seemed a bit on the rude and cold side. Example? When her best friend would call her for some emotional support/help, Kelly didn’t want to deal with it. Granted she had her own thing going on, but it just rubbed me the wrong way. Kelly did; however, exude kindness once in a while, but just seemed more on the snobby/unlikable side for me. One character that I really did enjoy was Theresa, a young girl who was going through some difficult times and experiencing the angst of growing into adulthood and trying to stay out of the bad crowd. I felt very close to her and truly found myself engrossed within her character and cheering her on.
Kelly’s two young daughters were adorable, strong and brave. When their Dad, who had been out of their lives for some time, decides to enter back into their lives and stir things up for their Mom, they put on a brave face, and make no bones about their feelings to their Mom.
All in all, Skeleton in a Dead Space was an enjoyable and intriguing read. I do recommend it to lovers of cozy mysteries and think that it makes for a good read with some great twists and turns that pop up throughout. The mystery surrounding the skeleton and Kelly’s search for answers to discover who this poor murdered and forgotten woman was was very well plotted out and written in a way that definitely held my interest and attention the entire way throughout the story. For the most part, the characters were enjoyable and the writing of Judy Alter is extremely well done. I do look forward to reading more by this author and encourage readers to give her a try.
Favorite Quote: Boy, there was a side of Tim I didn’t see when he was in the office. The people who worked for him didn’t like him. Aloud I said, with some irony, “He’s going to protect me and the girls.”
“Yeah? You best get yourself a gun – and use it on him first.”
Book provided by the publisher for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I am a huge lover of cozy mysteries, so when I came across Skeleton in a Dead Space by Judy Alter and read the blurb, I was instantly intrigued! Kelly sounded like an interesting character and the story line sounded like something that would hook me quickly. Did it live up to my expectations?
Somewhat. I did enjoy the story line and the twists and turns that took place. The writing was smooth and the suspense flowed well. I loved the premise of the story with the discovery of a skeleton while doing renovations on an old style house before putting it on the market to sell. With that being said, for some reason I had a really hard time liking the main character of Kelly. To me, she seemed a bit on the rude and cold side. Example? When her best friend would call her for some emotional support/help, Kelly didn’t want to deal with it. Granted she had her own thing going on, but it just rubbed me the wrong way. Kelly did; however, exude kindness once in a while, but just seemed more on the snobby/unlikable side for me. One character that I really did enjoy was Theresa, a young girl who was going through some difficult times and experiencing the angst of growing into adulthood and trying to stay out of the bad crowd. I felt very close to her and truly found myself engrossed within her character and cheering her on.
Kelly’s two young daughters were adorable, strong and brave. When their Dad, who had been out of their lives for some time, decides to enter back into their lives and stir things up for their Mom, they put on a brave face, and make no bones about their feelings to their Mom.
All in all, Skeleton in a Dead Space was an enjoyable and intriguing read. I do recommend it to lovers of cozy mysteries and think that it makes for a good read with some great twists and turns that pop up throughout. The mystery surrounding the skeleton and Kelly’s search for answers to discover who this poor murdered and forgotten woman was was very well plotted out and written in a way that definitely held my interest and attention the entire way throughout the story. For the most part, the characters were enjoyable and the writing of Judy Alter is extremely well done. I do look forward to reading more by this author and encourage readers to give her a try.
Favorite Quote: Boy, there was a side of Tim I didn’t see when he was in the office. The people who worked for him didn’t like him. Aloud I said, with some irony, “He’s going to protect me and the girls.”
“Yeah? You best get yourself a gun – and use it on him first.”
December 8, 2011
You should really read this book. I mean if you like cozy mysteries with spunky heroines and situations that could easily happen to you. from the opening chapter, Judy Alter takes the reader through the adventures of a real estate agent who just happens to own a property with a skeleton in the closet. Literally.
When first we meet Kelly O'Connell it appears she is at the beginning of a normal day. But one phone call changes all of that. She's got a remodel going on and now there's a dead body, and old dead body, mucking it up.
From the discovery of the body to the resolution of the mystery, the author treats readers to a variety of unique characters and situations. We get goofy people, we get seriously mean villains, and we get a hint of potential romance.
No one aspect overshadows any of the others and I consider this to be one of the best paced stories I've read in a while. Not a particularly clever mystery, but solid and enjoyable. I look forward to the next book in the series. This is author one to watch.
When first we meet Kelly O'Connell it appears she is at the beginning of a normal day. But one phone call changes all of that. She's got a remodel going on and now there's a dead body, and old dead body, mucking it up.
From the discovery of the body to the resolution of the mystery, the author treats readers to a variety of unique characters and situations. We get goofy people, we get seriously mean villains, and we get a hint of potential romance.
No one aspect overshadows any of the others and I consider this to be one of the best paced stories I've read in a while. Not a particularly clever mystery, but solid and enjoyable. I look forward to the next book in the series. This is author one to watch.
January 26, 2014
I found a new series and I like it. The main protagonist is a divorcee with two daughter who are not a statement but a living, breathing and doing various things(like most children)characters.
The story is written in first person and Kelly's person is perky, warm and caring.
I cannot find anything that I wouldn't like about this book - the story was thrilling, it moved swiftly and the solutions all came into place like a perfect puzzle. I also enjoyed getting to know new characters - Kelly, Officer Mike, Kelly's daughters, her best friend/ slut who slept with her ex-husband, villains and even nosy neighbour. And the mystery was really curious and I was impatient to find 'who and how'. I will certainly get back to this series and try to find next installments.
The story is written in first person and Kelly's person is perky, warm and caring.
I cannot find anything that I wouldn't like about this book - the story was thrilling, it moved swiftly and the solutions all came into place like a perfect puzzle. I also enjoyed getting to know new characters - Kelly, Officer Mike, Kelly's daughters, her best friend/ slut who slept with her ex-husband, villains and even nosy neighbour. And the mystery was really curious and I was impatient to find 'who and how'. I will certainly get back to this series and try to find next installments.
December 15, 2012
Judy Alter is a new author to me. I was intrigued by the title and the fact that she was in the Real Estate business which I'm also involved in. She lives in an older section of Ft. Worth called Fairmont which is a neigborhood of old craftsman style and bungalow homes. The neighborhood had been allowed to decay but now people are moving into the area and restoring those homes. I love hearing about those old houses which she discusses frequently. The cast of characters is pretty small and all are given in-depth personalities. I have finished this one which is the first in the series and am now on the second book which is just as enjoyable. Highly recommend!
April 30, 2012
This is the first book in the new "Kelly McConnell Mystery" series. This is a cozy-type mystery that is set in Fort Worth, Texas. Since I have lived in Texas for years (although not a native Texan), I am very familiar with the DFW area; it was great to read about landmarks and neighborhoods that were quite familiar. This is a very entertaining book, and I am looking forward to the next book, "No Neighborhood for Old Women", in this new series which is scheduled to be released in 2012.
May 20, 2016
LOVED this book, probably because it is set in Fort Worth (close to where I live) and in an area that I am familiar with, and she is a realtor (which I am not but hubby is so familiar with the industry). I thought that her depiction of Fort Worth and the places she mentioned were well done. The killer was a surprise but I knew something was up with this character as weird as they acted!
Adding this series to my TBR list!
Adding this series to my TBR list!
October 31, 2016
This was another 'cozy mystery', but somehow got my attention more than most. Maybe it's the competence of the main character, who's not ditzy at all, but a business woman and single mother. Since she's a realtor, there's a lot of information about house styles, carpentry and furniture. The mystery, involving a skeleton, obviously was from years ago, which gave it a bit of historical depth, too.
June 22, 2013
An interesting story. A single mother of two and a real estate agent, who purchases houses and remodels before selling, finds a skeleton in a dead space. That and trouble from her ex makes up the story.
October 18, 2012
I really liked this one! It was set in Ft. Worth and I was familiar with lots of the places.
November 18, 2012
It was too long for a fluff book, but I loved reading all the Ft. Worth references.
January 23, 2013
Didn't finish. Not my type.
March 13, 2015
love this cozy mystery series. I especially love books set in the state of Texas.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews