REVIEW: Dead Bolt

Dead Bolt
Author: Juliet Blackwell

Mel Turner renovates homes. Not just any homes...historic homes in San Francisco. Every house she works on has a story, a colorful past. Sometimes, Mel encounters ghosts and a mystery as she brings old homes back to their former glory. This time, her current project is a Queen Anne Victorian. It's a difficult project but not because of the work required. The homeowners insist on staying in the house during renovations and the resident ghosts seem determined that work should stop. Plus, a cantankerous neighbor, Emile Blunt, causes problems. When the neighbor is killed, Mel finds herself sucked into the murder investigation. She's a suspect! Yikes!

I like this series. Mel is a strong main character. She's funny, feisty and very good at her job. She still struggles with her new found ability to see ghosts but is doing her best to deal with it. I love the background theme of historic home renovation...perfect backdrop for ghosts and mysteries! The stories always have a nice mix of humor and mystery. Makes for an enjoyable reading experience! The books can be read as stand alone stories and don't necessarily have to be read in order, but there is some character development that might be better enjoyed by reading the series in order.

Dead Bolt is the second book in the Haunted Home Renovation series. There are seven books in the series.

I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by Xe Sands, the audio is just over 7 hours long. Sands reads at a nice pace and has a pleasant voice. Overall, a very entertaining performance. I have partial hearing loss but was easily able to hear and understand this entire audio book.

I will definitely be reading the rest of this series! :)