Death at a Fixer-Upper

Home Sweet Home Mystery #1

by Sarah T. Hobart

In Sarah T. Hobart’s wickedly funny and fast-paced Home Sweet Home mystery series, small-town real estate agent Sam Turner discovers it’s bad for business when her clients keep dropping dead.
 
Newly armed with her real estate license, Sam Turner loves Arlinda, her quirky seaside hometown in Northern California. But life by the beach isn’t exactly a She and her teenage son, Max, are being evicted from their apartment, her long absent ex-husband unexpectedly resurfaces, and her possibly romantic relationship with sexy Chief of Police Bernie Aguilar is, well . . . complicated. All Sam wants is a quick and easy sale. What she gets instead is a killer headache—or three.
 
Sam’s trying to drum up interest in 13 Aster Lane, a rambling Victorian fixer-upper that’s more than a little neglected—and possibly haunted—so when a trio of offers arrive out of the blue, she can’t help thinking it’s too good to be true. But after a new client drops dead on the property, she fears she’s lost more than a commission. Before Sam’s out of house and home, she must unmask a killer targeting her clients, or the only property she’ll be moving will be plots—at the local cemetery.

Praise for Death at a Fixer-Upper
 
“Hilarious . . . This is an extremely entertaining mystery with a plot that grows more complex as it progresses. . . . Strong writing and realistic characters will have readers eagerly anticipating further installments of this promising, and always fun, new series. . . . Filled with dry humor [and] acerbic wit.”—Kings River Life Magazine

“Sam Turner is a wonderful breath of fresh air in the world of cozy mystery. . . . I love the way the mystery unravels and how all the pieces tie together. This wasn’t so much a whodunit, but rather more a well-crafted mystery set against the history of the house and its owners.”—I Read What You Write
 
“A delightful new series . . . fast-paced, often funny, suspenseful and intriguing . . . The mystery is well plotted and paced with plenty of suspects that kept me guessing. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.”—A Cozy Booknook
 
“[Death at a Fixer-Upper reminds] me of Marty Wingate’s books—easy to read, light, funny (even if death is the subject matter at hand) and very true to real life.”—Bless Their Hearts Mom
 
“Packed with wonderfully worded passages and some fun snarky dialogue!”—Classy Cheapskate

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 12, 2016

Reviews

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the start of new cozy series, that is set in a seaside little village of Arlinda which is in Northern California. This happens to be the hometown of Sam Turner who has her newly minted Real Estate license and is ready to take the market by storm. Sam also has a teenage son, Max who she has raised on her own since her deadbeat ex -husband walked out on her before her son was even born. Well, he happens to turn up in Arlinda wanting to meet his son which is not what Sam needs or wants at this time since she is up to neck in trouble.

She is trying to sell an old Victorian that is pretty run down and needs lots of TLC before it’s even livable. This house has a lot of history behind it and some even think it’s haunted. It seems that since the listing went live, poor Sam is swamped with offers and demands regarding this rundown piece of property. She’s running around like a crazy trying to get the potential buyers all the information they need even though they are dropping like flies. All the while she’s dodging her ex-husband because she sure doesn’t want him to end up letting her son down as he did her.

The ending totally took me by surprise and you can’t help but love a mystery does that to you.

There is a lot of potential for this series, Sam is a very likable character, plus there may be a complicated love interest in her horizon. She’s moving into a new place in town that she can finally call her own. Plus, the colorful residents of Arlinda are entertaining as well. I just saw that Ms. Hobart has the next installment in this series to be released in November, “A Killer Location” I look forward to reading that one as well. If you like contemporary cozies as much as I do, you’ll not want to miss this one.

I would like to thank Alibi Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an e-galley to read and give my honest opinion.

[Verity W · Rating 2 out of 5]

****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****

So I have mixed feelings about this - on the one hand the mystery is interesting and the characters are engaging for the most part. On the other hand I had to go and check a few times that this really was the first in the series because I felt that I was missing a few things about Sam's backstory. Although some of these later became clear(er) I did spend a fair amount of time being a little bit confused. There's seems to be a complicated love triangle on the way that I'm not sure will ever be satisfactorily resovable for some readers and there are a few other strands hanging over for a sequel too.

I think Sam is meant to be a quirky and independent woman, but she skirts the Too Stupid to Live trope at a few moments - dashing into danger even while she's thinking "this might be dangerous" leaving me rolling my eyes. She also has a short temper, which feels inadequately explained and attempts to use it as a humourous plot moment (I think that's what the aim was) actually came across to me as her being randomly violent with little provocation. And as a Brit, our real estate system works very differently, so I was a little lost at times with some of the house selling sections.

I've realised that this is really long and reads like I don't like it at all - but I did finish it and I think there is potential for a good series in there - hence why I have so much to say about it - it just needs a few of the kinks to be worked out and the author to flesh out her characters' actions and motivations out a bit more.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful entry into the cozy mystery genre. Sam Turner is a single mother who has selling real estate for all of five months when a great, tumbling down estate comes on the market in her small town in N. Calif. The author is from Eureka and the fictional town of Arlinda really resembles that.

Out of the blue, Sam gets three separate clients who want to make an offer on the house. Sam is ecstatic until the clients start dying. And, of course, the house is full of ghosts. To top it off, her ex-husband turns up after a 14 year absence.

This was just so much fun to read. The author has a great sense of humor so I was laughing the whole time. Being familiar with Eureka, I enjoyed the sense of place and know that Sam's ancient VW camper fits in perfectly there.

There is a nice supporting cast and I love her teen-age son. I would highly recommend this for those who like cozy mysteries.

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to review this.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Turner is a real estate agent in Arlinda, California, and is showing a property with a spooky old mansion in terrible disrepair. It seems as if there’s tons of interest in the old place, though, for many different reasons. A developer, a ghost hunter, and a man who wants to repair it to its former glory all clamor for the winning bid. Unfortunately, one of them ends up dead, apparently killed by a falling gargoyle. Then another bidder is found dead, poisoned. In the meantime, Sam is trying to close on a new house (having been evicted for owning a cat,) rooting for her son in a bizarre race Arlinda holds each year, and attempting to further a romantic relationship with a handsome detective who just happens to be her sister's ex. And her former husband just happens to show up. Let the chaos begin!
Ms. Hobart uses highly descriptive prose, almost to a fault, but she certainly paints vivid pictures, and her dialogues are snappy, quirky and fast paced. Her characters (of which there are almost confusingly many) are complex, and the plot of this delightful tale is fresh and unique. And I have to admit that I was totally stumped about whodunit until the big reveal.
I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful new series by Sarah T. Hobart. The book is fast paced, often funny, suspenseful and intriguing. There are plenty of interesting and quirkly characters that drive this story and allow for plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing who the culprit is.

Things are looking a little grim for single-mom, Sam Turner, and her son Max. They're being evicted from their apartment and there's a possibility Sam won't close on the house she hopes to own. AS though that isn't enough, Sam's ex=husband suddenly shows up after being gone for fourteen years and her relationship with her former brother-in-law, Police Chief Bernie Aguilar is complicated.

Being a fairly new real estate agent, Sam needs to work overtime trying to drum up interest for an estate in terrible disrepair. The good news for Sam is she has three interested buyers, the bad news is one of her clients dies on the property. Strange things seem to be happening as Sam tries to piece everything together.

I really enjoyed the story and didn't want to put it down. Arlinda, sounds like a fun and quirky town to live. The mystery is well plotted and paced with plenty of suspects that kept me guessing. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this manuscript from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typically, I enjoy books where I feel like the character is "alive," where the author makes them feel so real that they could be next to me. This just didn't happen in this book. I felt no connection with the main character. That being said, I'm not really a mystery person. I do enjoy a mystery/thriller/suspense book, but this way more chic lit with a weird mystery thrown in. It just seemed very far fetched. I mean, if you see a dead body, wouldn't you freak out? The main character didn't. That bothered me. However, I'm not disappointed I read it at all, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

This was one of those books where I’m still trying to figure out what I think and how I feel about it. I finished it last night and I’ll admit that it isn’t sticking with me. This is not a good sign.

The story certainly had possibilities. Single-mother Sam Turner is a fledgling real estate agent in what sounds like a down market, so the story felt a bit dated, as though it was set in the recession. The housing market has picked up the last couple of years, and it feels like we are now in a sellers’ market, so Sam’s lack of success didn’t feel current, especially given the description of Arlinda as a quirky if desirable place to live.

The house she is trying to sell is equally quirky, not to mention downright creepy. Did the address have to be 13 Aster Lane? Couldn’t it have been 15? Or 12? As events kept spiraling into the weird, it seemed as if the address was either intended as a portent or was just too much over the top. And in spite of the opening of the story, there is not a paranormal element in it.

This is also a small town with a lot of interesting (again, read that as quirky) characters, and it felt as if we met ALL of them.

The word “quirky” comes up a lot in descriptions of and reviews of this book. You would think that there would be some relatively normal, meaning non-quirky, people in this town. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

It also seems as if Sam is just one of those people to whom bad things happen, not always with any rhyme or reason. Her neighbors spy on her, her landlord hates her, the appraiser for her upcoming house purchase rules against her, and most of her colleagues in the real estate business are just plain nasty pieces of work.

In a twist, her boss is actually a nice guy. But everyone else she has to deal with regarding the sale of 13 Aster Lane is just nasty. She has rivals both at her own agency and at the listing agency, and both women are just unreasonably bitchy.

The mystery in this book surrounds that estate at 13 Aster Lane. For reasons that Sam doesn’t figure out until the very end, all sorts of strange and bizarre people are interested in the broken-down mansion, sight unseen. And Sam keeps tripping over the dead bodies of all of those potential purchasers.

It all seems very bizarrely coincidental, until a figure out of her own wacky past turns up out of the seeming blue. And then she discovers that she’s been played all along.

Escape Rating C-: I never warmed up to Sam. In the story, it always seems like she’s in way over her head, which can make things interesting. However, she takes that “over her head” feeling and spends a lot of time feeling sorry for herself, and/or letting other people walk all over her.

Ironically, the deed that most of her fellow real estate agents, those of the cutthroat variety, would most laugh at her for is the one that reaps her the biggest reward at the end.

But the world of real estate that Sam is attempting to inhabit is not a good place, not for her, not for anyone. And she’s mostly unsuccessful in a realm where you have to support yourself on commissions and not salary. She’s not managing and not rethinking. And letting herself be run over by bitches on wheels. In one case, almost literally.

This was also a story where there were two sets of villains, each more unlikely than the other, and both equally out of left field. While the reader always suspects that there is something hinky about all of the sudden offers on the very dilapidated property, and that none of the prospective buyers are remotely on the up and up, the degree to which the solution comes out of nowhere was a bit breathtaking.

And the other piece of villainy was completely out of the blue.

I received this book from NetGalley via Random House Chatterbox for an honest review. Which is turning out to be a review that says I honestly didn’t like this book very much. While I loved the first book I received through this program, The Skeleton Garden by Marty Wingate, that was a book in a series I had previously read and enjoyed. The second book, Mug Shot by Caroline Fardig, was okay but not as good as the Wingate. This one continues the downward trend, and I’m rethinking my entire participation in the Chatterbox.

Reviewer’s Note: In the process of prepping this post I discovered that the author has published at least two previous books in this series under another name. That explains why it seems like we’re meeting Sam in the middle of her mess rather than being introduced to her. But I am even less thrilled that this is the third book in a series and that the marketing makes it seem like the first book. Your mileage may vary.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam's plate just keeps piling up. Her son and she are being evicted, her long lost husband has shown back up, her latest real estate venture is not going well, and to top all that off, her relationship with her main squeeze is... interesting. What's a girl to do? Apparently find a dead body in the same venture she's trying so hard to unload.

Death at a Fixer-Upper is all the fun of a great cozy with the fun and zeal of a humorous find. I loved Sam. Her realistic way of dealing with things is so real and amusing. You actually feel sorry for her and cheer her on through all that is thrown at her. A wonderful story with a complicated ending sure to make you say... huh!

[Penny Marks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at a Fixer-Upper was a fun, fast paced adventure. It is full of humor, mystery, and intrigue. I couldn't stop reading it was so much fun. I love Sarah's character Sam Turne. She is a strong woman trying to pull her life together.
Sam lives in the small seaside town of Arlinda in Northern California. She along with her teenage son, Max are going through a rough patch. They are being evicted from their apartment which is a struggle but then her ex husband, who she hasn't seen in years shows up? WHY??? And to top everything off she is in a possible relationship with the hot Chief of Police, Bernie Aguilar. I'm sure you are asking yourself why that would be a problem, well let's just say it would be very complicated with some of her family.
On the bright side she is trying to get things life back on track now that she has her real estate license. She is brand spankin new and looking to get some business her way. She is trying to get some interest in 13 Aster Lane which by the way should probably be torn down and is possible haunted. But she will leave that out of the flyer. She is shocked and excited when not one but three people are interested in the property. But poor Sam can't seem to catch a break when one of her clients dies on the property out of the blue? What is going on??? She has to find out before she or her other two clients start to drop like flies.
I recieved this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Home Sweet Home realty has a new hire, Samantha “ Sam “
Turner. Sam lives in Arlinda, California. She is trying to sell
old Victorian fixer-upper. The house is in terrible disrepair,
spooky and questionably haunted.
In one day, Sam receives three requests to see the house.
One man is a developer, two is a ghost hunting woman and
the third is a man fixer upper who wants to restore the house.
Sam is excited ad she needs the commission to help
purchase her own new house. She and her son, Max are
living in a rented apartment and received an eviction notice
because of having a cat named Harley. Her husband up and
disappeared years ago so Sam has had to raise her son on
her own.
Could things get more complicated in her life?
How about finding a body….A DEAD BODY.
As the story progress, she finds more than one.
The story is fast moving with vivid descriptions of the area,
the fixer-upper, the town’s annual wild and wacky vehicle
race.
All the characters are well-defined, wacky and quirky.
Besides Sam and Max, her ex-husband, the persons involve
in the parade, the woman and child at the old house with
Oliver the Dog, her sister ex-husband who is chief if police
and more colorful characters adding to the mystery.
Good suspense, engaging plot, chills with unexpected twists
makes this a good book to read.
Thank you to Alibi via Net Gallery for this eBook. My opinion
is my own.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in a new cozy series and a new author for me. Sam Turner is learning about real estate sales. The house on the market is a prime piece of property. The house has been allowed to deteriorate and all flora has been allowing to grow rampant. She receives three offers for the property each purchaser has a different project in mind. There is the developer, a ghost hunter, and restorer who all want the property. She must move soon as she is being evicted from her apartment. Her ex-husband shows up and wants to meet their son. Sam needs to receive her commission on one of the properties in order to close on the house she is buying. Her ex-husband shows up and wants to meet his son. The body of one of the purchasers is found the property. Sam's boyfriend is the sheriff and won't give her any information about the death.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Alibi through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinIons are my own

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at a Fixer-Upper by Sarah Hobart was an enjoyable cozy mystery. The characters were well drawn; and the small town of Arlinda sounds like it would be an interesting beach town to visit.

I liked Sam and she impressed me with her relationship with her son, Max, and how independent she has become being a single parent. I also appreciated her concern and soft heart toward strangers. I didn't really see Bernie as a love interest but he really didn't have much page time so I never felt like I got to know him very well.

A well paced plot and enough red herrings that did keep me guessing until the reveal provided me with an enjoyable read.

I received an ARC from Alibi via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandy Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

With little suspense and a mystery that wrapped up in a rushed page or two, my interest in DEATH AT A FIXER-UPPER quickly flat lined and nothing could resuscitate it. While the story started out promising, the main character Sam seemed more interested in cracking one liners than cracking the mystery. A little bit of humor is okay but isn't this supposed to be a murder mystery? (My thanks to Random House for providing me with an advance reader copy and for the opportunity to share my opinion...)

[Victoria Brinius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really fun cozy. I laughed, kept guessing who the killer was and had fun counting the bodies as they piled up!. Did I mention there were ghosts and an ex husband? From over a decade ago? i am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review from chatterbox by house party, however all opinions are my own.

[Britney · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 star

[brandy oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received a free copy of Death Of A Fixer Upper in return for my honest review as a part of House Party's Chatterbox program. Al opinions are my own. **

I have to say that the book cover really caught my eye. I think it really adds to the mystery and sort of reminds me of fairy tale books I had as a kid. (Which are also interesting because the covers sometimes seem to reflect a more happy and jolly story, rather than a mystery or suspense story.) That's the case with this book.

I agree this book is very fast paced and held my attention well! I did have a slight issue with sometimes having to reread a few sentences back just to remind myself of which characters were who and where. (There are a lot of characters!) I do feel that a few less would have helped a little bit. (Maybe there is something I'm missing, but, a couple of books in a series would be great and maybe introduce a few characters at a time.) I do feel that this would be a great series!

I don't know what I think about the main character, Sam. I think she was portrayed well, I am just not digging Sam's style but, that's my opinion and certainly shouldn't take from the book. Personally, I found parts of Sam's hectic, strange life, very familiar, and I know a couple of people who are similar to Sam. She is an interesting character, just not fascinating. I also like how the author uses adjectives and describes scenes. I think she did a wonderful job there! In some places, it starts to get irritating because it seems to be to many descriptions. (For instance, the icky smell in the bathroom in the beginning.) But, one of my favorite authors, Clive Barker, sometimes takes pages and pages, just to describe one thing. I find a lot of his books to be very hard to read because of how he dwells on abstract things for so long. This author isn't nearly as overly detailed as him! (That's a compliment by the way!) She does a fine job painting the pictures in your mind, of every single scene and character, so, that's a plus also!

The story itself is original and holds your interest. However, it's a very fast read and one of those books that you read on a sunny Saturday afternoon outside. It doesn't take up all of your attention and if you have to put it back down, (because of kids chatting your ears off!), it will just take a second to get back where you were. I enjoy these kinds of books even though I really love books that are a little more in depth. I think of the difference as a television sitcom as compared to a documentary and this book of a sitcom.

I think the story and the author's writing style are fabulous and I love the level of expertise the author has with real estate. Having experience or legitimate research in a career or in the character is one of the ways a book gets a lot of good review. Sarah Hobart does really well with forming a good story, delivering some very unexpected twists, and helping you to see everything play out in your mind. These are the reasons I am giving this book 4 stars

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is more of an estate than a house, this massive home situated amongst the hillside. Sam and Biddie were investigating the property to see if it might be an option for one of their clients as this property had just been listed for sale. Sam’s son had informed her that the house had been known to be haunted but that is yet to be seen in Sam’s eyes. Sam is a newly appointed real estate agent and working with Biddie, she is learning the tricks of the trade. Biddie is all business and seems to be in a hurry, where Sam follows her along slowly and is noticing the smaller things in life. Within a day, Sam has three individuals who are interested in the house. These individuals all came to her out of the blue which I thought was strange, each of them with a different reason for wanting the property. It’s almost too good to be true, how fast this listing is getting individuals in the door. She is hoping that one of them will be a buyer for this estate but as the day approaches for the showings, not all of the clients make it to their showings. It’s as though they were not meant to see this house, as their death cancels their time slot. Sam handles their death as if it was an every occurrence in her life, she brushes it off and that bothered me. People were dying around Sam and it’s as though they didn’t even matter, what is wrong with her?? I found it difficult reading this novel. I didn’t care for the character of Sam, I didn’t understand what she was trying to accomplish in her life, and it felt as if the storyline was jumbled together for me. When her sister’s ex-husband was making the move on her, she thought for a minute how wrong the situation was becoming but only for a minute did she ponder this thought. She thought of what awaited her and then she based her decision on that and went for it. I thought I had something I could follow and then this storyline frazzled out for me. I tried to piece this all together but it made no sense to me. I tried, I really did.
I received this novel from NetGalley and Chatterbox Party in exchange for an honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arlinda CA is an interesting town. New Real Estate Agent, Sam Turner is a single mom to 15 yr-old Max. Her love life has been on hold since her ex-husband Wayne deserted her but recent hot sparks between Sam and Police Chief Bernie Aguilar are complicated – he’s her ex-brother-in-law.

When Home Sweet Home Realty assigns Sam to be their agent for calls about the old rundown Harrington Estate, she finds herself in a quandary. 13 Aster Lane has a tenant, Merrit Brown, the former nurse and housekeeper of recently deceased owner Edsel Harrington Jr. The will has some complications but the property’s size and location have an unexpected flurry of calls with request for a tour and even sight unseen offers for the property.

When Wayne suddenly shows up in Arlinda after a 13 year absence, Sam is nervous. The untimely deaths of 2 of the people who have placed offers on Harrington Estate, and the unreturned calls to the 3rd person with an offer in through Sam have her uneasy. Now throw in her nasty landlord, Bob Hancock and an unexpected complication on the closer of her own first home and Sam has her plate full.

There are a lot of things going on all at once in this novel. Good characters and I look forward to seeing them develop in future books in this series.

I received a copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam Turner is a fledgling real estate agent in her hometown of Arlinda in northern California. Life has not been simple for Sam since her husband disappeared, leaving her to raise her son, Max, thirteen years earlier. She and Max are finally in a position to purchase a home of their own. She even has hopes for selling a new listing, 13 Aster Lane. The house is a crumbling Victorian, more of a tear down than a fixer-upper, and rumored to be haunted. But when she gets three bids in rapid succession and the bidders are turning up dead, Sam begins to wonder just what is going on. Not only that, someone is trying to kill her, and her ex-husband shows up at her door. Never mind the simmering romance between her and the Arlinda Chief of Police.

Death at a Fixer-Upper is a fast-paced and often humorous first book in a new series. Sam is a likable heroine with a great kid. She is tough, but then she has had to be. Arlinda is one of the quirkiest towns ever, full of some very strange characters; in fact, I found the wealth of characters a little overwhelming and confusing at times. Otherwise, Death at a Fixer-Upper is a promising debut in a new series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Alibi for an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.

RATING- 3 Stars

[Melodie · Rating 1 out of 5]

As much as I hate writing a negative review, I really didn't care for Sarah T. Hobart's "Death At a Fixer-Upper."  Had NetGalley not given me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I would have set it aside after the first chapter. I did finish the book but found it painfully slow, convoluted and way too wordy.  I didn't care for most of the characters, including the main character, Sam Turner. I got the impression that the author was trying to write her as independent and maybe a bit quirky, but I just found her to be often unlikable and her actions inexplicable. 

In general, I found the book just meandered around, filled with too many characters, overly long descriptions and the occasional incidental "green" lecture. I appreciate where she was coming from but for me, all these factors just made the book boring. I also didn't feel like the mystery followed a logical progression. The resolve sort of came out of nowhere, maybe because I was so bored that I wasn't reading closely enough. In any case, I cannot recommend this book. 

As previously mentioned, I was given a free copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic new cozy series about a real estate agent (which sort of hits home since hubby is in that business). It was interesting to read how they processed contracts since it is a bit more old school compared to all the electronic capabilities that are actually used to process a transaction these days. But that isn't germane to the book, just something that caught my eye.

The mystery itself isn't solely focused on who is murdered and why. Yes it is tied to the story but there is so much more to it than that, it is the history of the owners of 13 Asher Lane - a falling down home - and what happened to a missing heir and why are there now multiple offers on this house?

Sam is an intriguing character and is not a cut-throat real estate agent which turns out to be a good thing in the end...you will have to read it to find out why that is the case. She is a single parent because her ex is MIA, until he resurfaces in town. She is interested in her sister's ex-husband, but that is a whole 'nother story that is explained as well.

Good pace and kept me hanging on until the end.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my third book to read of the cozy mysteries I have received from Chatterbox for Random House. I must admit this one was not my favorite. For some reason I had a hard time getting into this story. I just wasn't invested in Sam in the beginning. I couldn't get a feel for her very well. I am thinking that this was maybe no fault of the book, but the fact that I was dealing with an ear and sinus infection - followed 2 days later with my son getting strep throat. So my focus was on other things.

Once my health cleared up a little, and I was able to get back into the book - then I became more invested and I had to find out who and why someone was killing all of Sam's clients! The second half of the book I read in one sitting and it flew by! While the killer from this book was eventually identified, there is a lot of story here that is just waiting to be told. Story involving Sam and Bernie, Sam and Wayne, Wayne and Max, Sam and her sister. .. . et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. I want to know where these are all going!

So, even after a slow start, I would recommend this book for a quick cozy mystery.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at a Fixer-Upper by Sarah T. Hobart is the 1st book in A Home Sweet Home Mystery series, and a very enjoyable read. Sam Turner is a real estate agent in Arlinda, California and while showing a run down scary old mansion she discovers a dead body. It turns out several people are interested in the property and the dead body is one of the bidders. Sam is curious why so many people want this run down place, and had one of the interested parties killed the other. Sam is desperate to sell the house because her son and her just got evicted for owning a cat.

I really enjoyed this book, it was funny, full of quirky characters, with a strong protagonist. I found myself reading page after page to find out what was up with this house with all the story lines twists and turns. Just when I thought I figured it out, I was wrong. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am excited to see where the author goes from here. If you love cozy mysteries, I recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Death at a Fixer Upper, but I felt I stepped into the second or third book of the series. There are references to things Sam has done and finding bodies with Gail, a co-worker. I'm not sure if there was supposed to be a previous book (or if Sam was a character in another series written by the author first)..

I enjoyed the mysteries and felt each was logical and resolved. A lot was packed into this story and there was little wasted page space.

The one short coming is the possible romantic relationship between Sam and Bernie (chief of police and Sam's ex-brother in law). Bernie gets maybe 8-10 lines so the relationship with Sam never seems legit.

I also have to mention that I didn't find the book funny like another reviewer did. It wasn't dark and dreary, but it wasn't especially light nor funny to me. There is a local race which may be humorous to the watchers, but while providing another mystery, wasn't funny to me as a reader.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Susan Foulkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book (the first I've read by this author) but wasn't sure if it was the first in a new series or not. There were references to previous events that made me feel I was missing something.

The plot was good with no shortage of suspects and red herrings and it kept me reading.

The characters were, in the main, well rounded and I found Sam, the heroine, to be likeable. Her relationship with her son was a pleasure to read.
The weak links for me were her ex-husband, he appeared to have no redeeming features and I wondered what she ever saw in him, and her ex brother-in-law. The "romance" between them just didn't ring true.

The setting of Arlinda was fun and quirky and I appreciated the touches of humour.

For me the star of the book was the house. I recently moved into a Victorian semi built in 1880 so was fascinated by the descriptions. This made my rating 4* rather than 3*.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amary Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read over 600 books a year, but somehow I missed this author. I will make it a point to hunt down her other work ASAP.
I found Death At A Fixer Upper a joy to read. Fast paced, very funny with plenty of bodies and suspects.
Samantha, 'Sam' Turner is trying to eke out a living for herself and her teenage son as a relatively newly minted real estate agent. She gets 3 calls to see a Victorian house that is badly in need of repair. As she tries to show the house, dead bodies start popping up...right in front of her. She knows she is under suspicion and tries to find out why it keeps happening to her.
Throw in a hunky ex-brother-in-law....who happens to be the police, an ex-husband, a yearly race with strange vehicles and the fact that someone is trying to stop her...even if it means they have to kill her, add lots of humor, a touch of romance and karma, and it becomes an outstanding read.
I would buy the series in a heartbeat for someone needing a little cheer. Adding Ms. Hobart to my watch for list.

[Teresa Kander · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun new series! It has murder and suspense, but it also has plenty of humor. Sam Turner is a wonderful main character. She's a single mom dealing with a teenaged son, an annoying ex-husband, and a love life that stays complicated. While she has her weak moments, for the most part she is a strong, independent woman.

When she has to start dealing with a rising body count, as well as ghosts, things get VERY interesting. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery along with Sam, even though I didn't figure out who the killer was until it was actually revealed.

Sam is definitely a heroine I can relate to, and I look forward to more of her adventures.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

[PopcornReads - MkNoah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at a Fixer-Upper is Book #1 in the Home Sweet Home cozy mystery series by Sarah T. Hobart. As a real estate agent, Sarah knows a thing or two about Northern California real estate and the real-life weird things that can happen during real estate transactions. She also has a great sense of humor. Those two qualities lend authenticity to this cozy mystery set in small-town coastal Northern California and make it a lot of fun to read. Of course I love Northern California’s quirky small coastal towns, so I may be just a bit biased; however, I think anyone who’s ever had any dealings with real estate is likely to relate to this story. Should Death at a Fixer-Upper be on your TBR pile?

[Jeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I have read this author and her writing was very enjoyable.

Sam, the main character, is a very independent woman making her way in life for her and her son after her husband up and disappeared. Deciding to become a real estate agent isn't as easy of a job as she thought it would be. Especially when the body count rises and it seems she will be next.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an advanced ecopy of this book for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Sarah Hobart and will not be my last. I was quite charmed by her writing. I read the whole thing in 2 sittings. I was drawn in by the characters and the many twists that popped up. I could see this go on as a series in some way. I could almost picture some of the scenes as I read along, picturing the dingy apartment, the wonderful roses and trees in the gardens. It was a good, quick, light read for me.