Death by Demo

It was a 4 until Chapter 21.

As a fan of HGTV and girl power, I liked the concept of the story. Female in non-traditional field, pulling herself up by her bootstraps after a bad marriage. 

I like Jaime. I like the relationship with her best friend Laura. I like how Detective Scoles and Jaime were not constantly at odds with each other.  I like Mike. I like the semiconductor subplot, the other smart women, and how it was obvious that King Construction was a success because of Jaime. Customers liked working with her and happy to talk with her after. So with all of the “likes” it seems like the story would have been a shoe-in for a 4 or even 5 rating. That is until chapter 21.

I won’t spoil it for others but I will say that I really wish that a different scenario played out. I can see how it came about and the pieces that would seem to logically fit, but I just didn’t like it. I feel like something different could have been done to show Jaime’s smarts and resourcefulness. There also seemed to be some “words” missing. I listened to that chapter twice and still didn’t get it. Maybe it was just me. 

For the ending, I was glad how things turned out. Have a read and see if you agree.

I am looking forward to a second installment of this series (remember all the things I liked) and Jaime’s Home Renovation adventures.

Thank you to #NetGalley  for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story. 

Happy Reading!

Plot Summary:

Jaime and Henry were the perfect couple with the perfect life; together, they ran one of the most successful construction and interior design companies in all of Charlotte, North Carolina. But when Jaime catches her charismatic husband in an affair, she realizes her husband is not the man she thought she married. The divorce is equally gutting—due to an ironclad prenuptial agreement, Jaime receives only one thing: a historical house in disrepair. Knowing that any renovation she attempts will be tedious and costly, Jaime starts to believe that things can’t get much worse—until she finds a dead body in the house.

The body is found behind a recently renovated wall—and this leaves Jaime with more questions than answers. Who killed this person and why? Could it have been the previous owners, someone who snuck in while nobody was looking, or could it have been Henry? Furious that the house is now a crime scene, which further delays all renovations, Jaime decides to investigate the murder herself, DIY-style. Together with the new resident cat she calls Demo, and the handsome and friendly hardware store owner who happens to be her neighbor, Jaime is ready to use all the tools in her toolbox to catch the killer.

Jaime needs to renovate this house if she wants to move forward with her life, but will this murder investigation leave her in ruins—or worse?