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A Home Renovator Mystery #1
Fatal Flip: A Home Renovator Mystery
Flipping houses can be fatal! When Katelyn finds a dead body in her first home renovation project, she seriously doubts her decision to “follow her bliss.” After getting fired from her steady job, her plan to flip houses takes a hit when she becomes a suspect. After all, possession is nine points of the law, isn’t it? Especially, when it’s a dead body.
To keep herself in pizza, peanut butter, good coffee, and her stray cat, Boots, in kitty chow she takes survival jobs as a wine sample hostess and market researcher. Meanwhile, Sheriff Don is kind of hunky, and her ex-husband, Eddy (it’s complicated) is back in her life sleeping on her sofa. How’s a girl supposed to solve dead body mysteries, make a living, and find love?
To keep herself in pizza, peanut butter, good coffee, and her stray cat, Boots, in kitty chow she takes survival jobs as a wine sample hostess and market researcher. Meanwhile, Sheriff Don is kind of hunky, and her ex-husband, Eddy (it’s complicated) is back in her life sleeping on her sofa. How’s a girl supposed to solve dead body mysteries, make a living, and find love?
- GenresCozy Mystery
178 pages, ebook
Published December 2, 2017
25 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 10, 2018
Fatal Flip by M.E. Bakos is the first installment in A Home Renovator Mystery series. Katelyn Baxter has become a Home Renovation Specialist (aka house flipper) after losing her job at Colossal Health (refusing to be a scapegoat for the boss and taking a demotion). Katelyn is at the property she is renovating on Bluebird Street with her best friend and realtor, Myra Payten. Katelyn is in the attic crawlspace when she finds a body. Sheriff Don Williams quickly arrives on the scene and closes down her job site while the scene is processed. Worried about finances, Katelyn takes on a job as a wine sample hostess (someone who gives out samples at grocery stores) and a market researcher at the local mall (those people with clipboards who bug you while you are trying to shop). When a second body is found in a house nearby that Katelyn had bid on, she is moved higher on the suspect list. As if Katelyn does not have enough to deal with, her ex-husband, Eddy shows up. He needs a place to stay and Katelyn happens to have a spare room. Thankfully, the police have released her house and she can get is ready for the open house. Katelyn needs to juggle her two new jobs, her ex-husband, the hunky sheriff, the stray cat that has adopted her, her house flip and figure out who is stashing bodies in empty homes. It should be a piece of cake!
Fatal Flip is the first book in a new series starring Katelyn Baxter. She is hoping to turn her life around by flipping homes. It is a shame that someone decided to stash dead bodies inside local empty houses including Katelyn’s. Fatal Flip is a fast-paced cozy mystery with multiple moving parts. In addition to working on remodeling her property, Katelyn must keep herself and her cat in food. After a search for jobs, Katelyn ends up giving out wine samples and doing market research (she is actually good at it). Then her ex-husband worms his way inside her home (through an unlocked patio door) and ends up staying in her guest room. Let us not forget the handsome Sheriff Williams. Katelyn cannot help but not his fine physique. But there is the pesky problem of her being a murder suspect. The mystery is multi-layered and intriguing. I wish the author had incorporated more of the details into the story instead of revealing much of the information at the end. I like that all the storylines are wrapped up neatly. The writing is a little awkward and could use some fine tuning. I am sure we will see improvement in the next A Home Renovator Mystery. Fatal Flip is an amusing cozy mystery that will have you in stitches.
Fatal Flip is the first book in a new series starring Katelyn Baxter. She is hoping to turn her life around by flipping homes. It is a shame that someone decided to stash dead bodies inside local empty houses including Katelyn’s. Fatal Flip is a fast-paced cozy mystery with multiple moving parts. In addition to working on remodeling her property, Katelyn must keep herself and her cat in food. After a search for jobs, Katelyn ends up giving out wine samples and doing market research (she is actually good at it). Then her ex-husband worms his way inside her home (through an unlocked patio door) and ends up staying in her guest room. Let us not forget the handsome Sheriff Williams. Katelyn cannot help but not his fine physique. But there is the pesky problem of her being a murder suspect. The mystery is multi-layered and intriguing. I wish the author had incorporated more of the details into the story instead of revealing much of the information at the end. I like that all the storylines are wrapped up neatly. The writing is a little awkward and could use some fine tuning. I am sure we will see improvement in the next A Home Renovator Mystery. Fatal Flip is an amusing cozy mystery that will have you in stitches.
January 21, 2018
The first book in a new series and a new author. I found all the elements of a cozy present, a small town, the protagonist, her best friend, dead bodies, and a police presence. The editing was excellent. The writing did not flow easily and I did have a problem relating to the characters. Katelyn lost her job and decided to flip houses for a living. She has finished her first one and needs to sell it for income. Unfortunately, Katelyn and her friend Myra finds a body hanging in the attic of the home. They meet the sheriff in the process. Later Katelyn learned another empty house had a body. There is an apparent suicide in her condo.To help with the sell of her house, Katelyn decided to find the answer to why bodies are being stored in empty houses. Yes her cat, Boots is present. I will read the next book. My thanks to the author for a free book.
July 14, 2018
A different type of murder mystery, I know when you do a rehab on a home there is a lot of trash to get rid of, but ending up with a body to dispose of it taking it a bit far.
With the serious subject of murder the author gives quite a few chuckles as we read along, but there are several stories here and somehow, they seem to be connected. With non-stop action, I never knew what was going to happen next.
If you enjoy a page turner this one will keep your attention.
I received this book through Great Escapes Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.
With the serious subject of murder the author gives quite a few chuckles as we read along, but there are several stories here and somehow, they seem to be connected. With non-stop action, I never knew what was going to happen next.
If you enjoy a page turner this one will keep your attention.
I received this book through Great Escapes Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.
June 18, 2021
This appears to be the 3rd book in this series, but it stands alone fine. I enjoy watching HGTV renovation shows and anything to do with flipping houses. I didn’t find the info about flipping homes to be super-authentic, but the premise was good and there were certainly several intriguing mysteries to solve. There are appropriate red herrings and surprises throughout. The writing was pretty good, but the book could use better proofreading and especially editing, in my opinion. I liked the main character well enough, but she used poor judgment many times, putting herself into unnecessary danger—much more than amateur sleuths normally do in a cozy mystery. I was very entertained reading it, though, and it was a book I looked forward to reading several evenings in a row. I liked it well enough to seek out the first and second books in the series, and it turns out I already have one of them! I would certainly be interested in reading more in this series.
July 16, 2018
Katelyn has nearly finished the renovation of her first house project when she discovers a dead body in the attic of the house! Now the house is a crime scene, Katelyn is in the cross hairs of the Sheriff as a "Person of Interest" and she is running out of money (which is not good from the point of being able to buy good coffee and cat food!), then another body is found in an empty house and the only thing connecting them appears to be the fact that they were treated at the medical centre where Katelyn used to work, oh and they also appear to have no family and limited money.
A nice start to what looks to be a fun series, a little clunky in places but that is often the case with a first book and it certainly doesn't detract from the story in any way, I hope that there will be more with Katelyn (and her good friends) in the future!
A nice start to what looks to be a fun series, a little clunky in places but that is often the case with a first book and it certainly doesn't detract from the story in any way, I hope that there will be more with Katelyn (and her good friends) in the future!
September 14, 2018
The first book in a new cozy mystery series. Katelyn Baxter, the main character, has just started her new career as a house flipper. Having a body found in the attic of her first house puts a damper on selling it, which leaves her strapped for cash. That leads to several part-time jobs, worked around her sleuthing with her friend/mentor Myra. We also meet Kate's neighbors and friends, and the good-looking Sheriff Don Williams.
There is more than one story being told in this book, but they all wind up being connected. There is nearly non-stop action, and a few unexpected twists. There is also just enough humor to keep things from getting too intense.
I look forward to more adventures from this great group of characters.
There is more than one story being told in this book, but they all wind up being connected. There is nearly non-stop action, and a few unexpected twists. There is also just enough humor to keep things from getting too intense.
I look forward to more adventures from this great group of characters.
January 18, 2018
In a house, Kaitlyn is flipping for profit, she finds a dead body.
I found this book unique, adventurous, and fun.
Unique: I've never read a book about people who renovate houses in order to sell them. Heard of people that did that, but never read about them. I liked the setting.
Adventurous: Kaitlyn obviously likes a challenge and trying to solve a crime in which she's a suspect is an exciting plot. What happens from scene to scene adds suspense and drama. It doesn't seem to go well for Kaitlyn, who makes things worse for herself.
Fun: It was an enjoyable read. I liked it.
I found this book unique, adventurous, and fun.
Unique: I've never read a book about people who renovate houses in order to sell them. Heard of people that did that, but never read about them. I liked the setting.
Adventurous: Kaitlyn obviously likes a challenge and trying to solve a crime in which she's a suspect is an exciting plot. What happens from scene to scene adds suspense and drama. It doesn't seem to go well for Kaitlyn, who makes things worse for herself.
Fun: It was an enjoyable read. I liked it.
November 4, 2020
Katelyn Baxter is a Home Renovation Specialist (aka house flipper) living in a suburb of Minneapolis, MN. This is after losing her job at Colossal Health and taking a do-it-yourself course on home renovation at the Home Depot nearby. that is until her first hit becomes to disaster, when a dead body is found in the hpuse she's trying to flip. In order to make ends meet she takes part-time jobs as a surveyor at the local shopping mall, and sampling wine at wine stores and supermarkets. Then she gets the idea to you solve the body problem and save her reputation. This is an interesting start to a cozy mystery series. I really enjoyed Katelyn is the main character and the other characters in the story.
January 1, 2023
After losing her job, Katelyn tries her hand at flipping houses. The first house she acquires has a dead body in the attic. Trying to sell a house with the stigma of a dead corpse is not easy. Her finances are dwindling. She takes temporary jobs trying to keep cash flowing, as well as trying some sleuthing to see how the body get there in the first place.
This is an interesting and entertaining story. A lot of action; the story flows well. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a copy of the book by the author, and this is my honest opinion
This is an interesting and entertaining story. A lot of action; the story flows well. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a copy of the book by the author, and this is my honest opinion
February 16, 2024
What a fun mystery!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series! I have never read any story based on characters who remodel houses and sell them. I found the presentation and back story of the characters believable and the plot with all it's twists and turns really fun to follow. I am pleased to have found this author and this series!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series! I have never read any story based on characters who remodel houses and sell them. I found the presentation and back story of the characters believable and the plot with all it's twists and turns really fun to follow. I am pleased to have found this author and this series!
May 9, 2024
Great Read
Great read, funny and addictive a good rainy day book to hang out with. This is a gotta read series
Great read, funny and addictive a good rainy day book to hang out with. This is a gotta read series
September 10, 2018
For a first novel, this is a complicated story to pull off, with many loose ends to tangle together.
Poor Kate can not catch a break. Her car is on its last legs, when she decides not to give in to her bosses demands she becomes unemployed, and while this gives her time to follow her dreams and rehab houses, it doesn't equate that she has the money to do it. She is very good at her work, but has to sell one house before buying the next, AND it would be nice to have income to cover the usual expenses of living day to day.
A complication arises on the very first page when a body is found in Kate's rehab house. Even worse, there seem to be ties back to her former employer. This helps the local sheriff move Kate to the top of his suspect list.
This has the qualities one looks for in a cozy mystery, characters with distinct personalities, a small town or close community, a best friend who has the protagonist's back no matter what, and some gentle romance or personal interest. I wasn't immediately drawn to Kate and her friends, but the more I read, the more I wanted to understand how all the different angles would come together. The ending is quite dramatic and fast paced. This mystery gets solved and loose ends tied, yet we know there will be more adventures for Kate to come.
Poor Kate can not catch a break. Her car is on its last legs, when she decides not to give in to her bosses demands she becomes unemployed, and while this gives her time to follow her dreams and rehab houses, it doesn't equate that she has the money to do it. She is very good at her work, but has to sell one house before buying the next, AND it would be nice to have income to cover the usual expenses of living day to day.
A complication arises on the very first page when a body is found in Kate's rehab house. Even worse, there seem to be ties back to her former employer. This helps the local sheriff move Kate to the top of his suspect list.
This has the qualities one looks for in a cozy mystery, characters with distinct personalities, a small town or close community, a best friend who has the protagonist's back no matter what, and some gentle romance or personal interest. I wasn't immediately drawn to Kate and her friends, but the more I read, the more I wanted to understand how all the different angles would come together. The ending is quite dramatic and fast paced. This mystery gets solved and loose ends tied, yet we know there will be more adventures for Kate to come.
September 10, 2018
This is a good start to a new cozy series and has all the basic elements: non professional sleuth, set in a smaller town, the main character is a primary suspect (at least in the first installment), and there is a spunky sidekick.
I liked that the story is set around a home renovator/flipper. Granted her first house doesn't start out with a bang like she had hoped, but that doesn't stop Katelyn from giving 100% in doing her job and finding out how a dead body ended up in the home she purchased. Her friend, Myra, helps her uncover the clues to multiple crimes that Katelyn finds herself in the middle.
This series has some potential but I found that the story didn't flow as easily as I would have hoped. It seems like there was a lot of action towards finding out how the body came to be in her house but then all of a sudden there was another mystery/death to solve and they did not appear to be related. It felt a little disjointed. Everything comes together in the end and it is tied up nicely. There are a few red herrings thrown into the mix and it actually took me down a path of believing the killer might be someone that it wasn't. There are not a lot of characters so you might be able to figure out the who and why fairly easily.
There are a few laugh out loud moments when it comes to Katelyn working a few part-time jobs and the situations she finds herself in at those times. Plus she has an ex-husband she apparently can't say no to very often.
I think this series will improve as the characters develop in future books and we learn more about Katelyn, Myra, and even Ed (the ex). And maybe even a potential romance between Katelyn and the Sheriff.
I liked that the story is set around a home renovator/flipper. Granted her first house doesn't start out with a bang like she had hoped, but that doesn't stop Katelyn from giving 100% in doing her job and finding out how a dead body ended up in the home she purchased. Her friend, Myra, helps her uncover the clues to multiple crimes that Katelyn finds herself in the middle.
This series has some potential but I found that the story didn't flow as easily as I would have hoped. It seems like there was a lot of action towards finding out how the body came to be in her house but then all of a sudden there was another mystery/death to solve and they did not appear to be related. It felt a little disjointed. Everything comes together in the end and it is tied up nicely. There are a few red herrings thrown into the mix and it actually took me down a path of believing the killer might be someone that it wasn't. There are not a lot of characters so you might be able to figure out the who and why fairly easily.
There are a few laugh out loud moments when it comes to Katelyn working a few part-time jobs and the situations she finds herself in at those times. Plus she has an ex-husband she apparently can't say no to very often.
I think this series will improve as the characters develop in future books and we learn more about Katelyn, Myra, and even Ed (the ex). And maybe even a potential romance between Katelyn and the Sheriff.
August 17, 2021
First in the Home Renovator cozy mystery series, we meet Katelyn Baxter who renovates homes for a living. She has a new property that she’s just renovated, and she’s ready to sell it. Then a disturbing and very inconvenient event occurs. She finds a dead body hanging in the attic.
This sets Katelyn off on an adventure to figure out how the body came to be in the home that she desperately needs to sell in order to stay afloat financially. The action is meanders early on as we get acquainted with Katelynn and her group of friends and associates. She and her pals can best be described as quirky, and sometimes even eccentric. The characters and their quirkiness can easily be described one of the strengths of this book. This quirkiness leads to some laughs along the way as the bodies begin to pile up, and as Katelynn becomes a target herself.
Suspense rises, and then rises some more. The handsome Sheriff Don and Katelynn form an attachment for each other, she survives an assault, and the mystery is solved. This fun read is a solid start to the Home Renovator series. Recommended.
This sets Katelyn off on an adventure to figure out how the body came to be in the home that she desperately needs to sell in order to stay afloat financially. The action is meanders early on as we get acquainted with Katelynn and her group of friends and associates. She and her pals can best be described as quirky, and sometimes even eccentric. The characters and their quirkiness can easily be described one of the strengths of this book. This quirkiness leads to some laughs along the way as the bodies begin to pile up, and as Katelynn becomes a target herself.
Suspense rises, and then rises some more. The handsome Sheriff Don and Katelynn form an attachment for each other, she survives an assault, and the mystery is solved. This fun read is a solid start to the Home Renovator series. Recommended.
May 11, 2019
The attic surprise!
Terrific. A great plot that involves two separate mysteries - dead bodies being dumped in unoccupied houses and the death of a neighbour. Loved the normal characters - people you could meet anywhere and at any time.
Rather than getting demoted, she has quite. Okay she was escorted out of the building but hey ho! Now she has bought a house at auction and is going to flip it. Working with her is her BFF and a wonderful carpenter (a neighbour at the small complex she lives in). A body in the attic was the last thing she expected. Now not only is she a suspect, the house is out of bounds but another body has been found. What is going on? Then a neighbour dies in what is viewed as a bathroom accident. To make matters worse her ex-husband appears she's attracted to the sheriff and someone is out to get her. Can they solve both cases? Will she then be able to stop worrying about the money she isn't making?
Terrific. A great plot that involves two separate mysteries - dead bodies being dumped in unoccupied houses and the death of a neighbour. Loved the normal characters - people you could meet anywhere and at any time.
Rather than getting demoted, she has quite. Okay she was escorted out of the building but hey ho! Now she has bought a house at auction and is going to flip it. Working with her is her BFF and a wonderful carpenter (a neighbour at the small complex she lives in). A body in the attic was the last thing she expected. Now not only is she a suspect, the house is out of bounds but another body has been found. What is going on? Then a neighbour dies in what is viewed as a bathroom accident. To make matters worse her ex-husband appears she's attracted to the sheriff and someone is out to get her. Can they solve both cases? Will she then be able to stop worrying about the money she isn't making?
January 18, 2018
Review: FATAL FLIP by M. E. Bakos
A fast-paced, intriguing yet character-endearing, cozy mystery, with a delightful frisson of clever humour and realistic ups and downs, FATAL FLIP is a Home Renovation Mystery. Our kindhearted yet feisty and self-respecting first-person protagonist has taken up "flipping" homes after losing out on her employment at a mega-hospital [Read, greed and ineffectual administration]. Katelyn "follows her bliss" into residence rehab and loves it--but meanwhile, she's got to endure the downtime waiting for that first rehabbed house to sell, and to feed herself and her beloved tuxedo cat Boots. Surely house sales would be speedier, if corpses stopped turning up, stashed inside abandoned or foreclosed homes.
A fast-paced, intriguing yet character-endearing, cozy mystery, with a delightful frisson of clever humour and realistic ups and downs, FATAL FLIP is a Home Renovation Mystery. Our kindhearted yet feisty and self-respecting first-person protagonist has taken up "flipping" homes after losing out on her employment at a mega-hospital [Read, greed and ineffectual administration]. Katelyn "follows her bliss" into residence rehab and loves it--but meanwhile, she's got to endure the downtime waiting for that first rehabbed house to sell, and to feed herself and her beloved tuxedo cat Boots. Surely house sales would be speedier, if corpses stopped turning up, stashed inside abandoned or foreclosed homes.
September 15, 2018
I didn't 'Flip' over the cover. Would I have purchased it or even picked it up based on the cover? Actually no.
But judging a book by it's cover is true. Don't judge.
Now the title/theme drew me in. Flipping houses and redoing are 'in' now. Fatal Flip gives the reader non-stop action and some twists and turns that might have your head spinning. A few tips are included to make it a fun read. Settle in and go along for the ride. It's twisty and turning but worth every minute.
I enjoyed Katelyn. She was fun and funny and confused about love. The suitors are charming in their own way even the ex but everyone loves a cop. Right?
If you love Cozy's this one is worth picking up!
I received a complimentary copy.
But judging a book by it's cover is true. Don't judge.
Now the title/theme drew me in. Flipping houses and redoing are 'in' now. Fatal Flip gives the reader non-stop action and some twists and turns that might have your head spinning. A few tips are included to make it a fun read. Settle in and go along for the ride. It's twisty and turning but worth every minute.
I enjoyed Katelyn. She was fun and funny and confused about love. The suitors are charming in their own way even the ex but everyone loves a cop. Right?
If you love Cozy's this one is worth picking up!
I received a complimentary copy.
August 3, 2025
Eh. It’s okay. The main character is likable and the other characters have potential. I was unsure of the storyline, but the mystery comes together at the end. The author could have used a good editor though. Some of the dialogue didn’t feel quite natural. And I was really bothered by commas where there shouldn’t have been commas! Among other mistakes that just ended up distracting me.
June 6, 2018
Great read
This is my first book by M E Bakos and it won't be my last I can't wait till the next one I love it and already love the characters so if you love a great cozy then this is a must read
This is my first book by M E Bakos and it won't be my last I can't wait till the next one I love it and already love the characters so if you love a great cozy then this is a must read
January 9, 2024
I had trouble staying engaged with this book; maybe because my previous book was so good and this was OK. Someone hiding bodies in vacant homes is way creepy and an important mystery to solve. The little bit of romance was cute.
December 9, 2017
Great Debut
This is a great debu for a cozy mystery! It is a great start to a series. Katelyn Baxter is a home renovation specialist, it was about to start on the biggest job of her career. All is going well until she discovers a dead body in a house that she is renovating. This sends the full time home renovation specialist to becoming a part-time sleuth. I really enjoyed this as a new cozy series, featuring a home Renovators sleuth that stumbles upon dead bodies in the house is that she renovates. The characters in the setting are great and well written. The whodunit is exceptional and provides a puzzle that was interesting to solve.
This is a great debu for a cozy mystery! It is a great start to a series. Katelyn Baxter is a home renovation specialist, it was about to start on the biggest job of her career. All is going well until she discovers a dead body in a house that she is renovating. This sends the full time home renovation specialist to becoming a part-time sleuth. I really enjoyed this as a new cozy series, featuring a home Renovators sleuth that stumbles upon dead bodies in the house is that she renovates. The characters in the setting are great and well written. The whodunit is exceptional and provides a puzzle that was interesting to solve.
January 10, 2018
Fast Paced Cozy Mystery
I liked this cozy mystery filled with suspense,quirky characters and an appealing story line.
This book is recommended for all cozy mystery fans.
I liked this cozy mystery filled with suspense,quirky characters and an appealing story line.
This book is recommended for all cozy mystery fans.
February 4, 2018
A delightful cozy mystery. Clever story. Interesting and pleasant characters. I look forward to reading more by this author.
August 14, 2018
So who really did it? Where do these bodies keep coming? The author ties all her characters in very neatly. Really didn't see the ending coming. Well worth lunchtime reading.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews