Contractor Shannon Hammer steels her nerve to pin down a killer in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from the New York Times best-selling author of Premeditated Mortar .... Shannon could not be happier that her hunky thriller-writing boyfriend, Mac, has moved in, and it is a good thing they are living together because they are both busier than ever. Mac is hosting writing retreats at his now vacant lighthouse mansion, while Shannon and her crew build Homefront, a quaint Victorian village of tiny homes for veterans in need. ...
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Contractor Shannon Hammer steels her nerve to pin down a killer in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from the New York Times best-selling author of Premeditated Mortar .... Shannon could not be happier that her hunky thriller-writing boyfriend, Mac, has moved in, and it is a good thing they are living together because they are both busier than ever. Mac is hosting writing retreats at his now vacant lighthouse mansion, while Shannon and her crew build Homefront, a quaint Victorian village of tiny homes for veterans in need. Mac's latest guests are proving to be a handful, though, and Shannon has heard some grumbling from the luminaries of Lighthouse Cove about her latest passion project. But nothing can throw a wrench in their plans except a malicious murder. When one of Shannon's new friends is found brutally bludgeoned with a mallet near the lighthouse on Mac's property, the couple hammers out a suspect list and searches for a motive. As they drill deeper for clues, more violence strikes and a new victim winds up in a coma. The pressure is on, and Shannon and Mac will have to move fast to find an unhinged killer dead set on demolishing anyone who gets in their way....
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Add this copy of Absence of Mallets (a Fixer-Upper Mystery) to cart. $1.43, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by Berkley.
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Shannon and Mac are both super busy but now that they are living together they are assured of running into each other eventually. He is in the throes of writing a new book and trying to keep a handle on the latest group of authors staying at the lighthouse mansion for a two-week writing retreat. Sharon has a huge new project that is near and dear to both her and Mac. Shannon's crew is building 50 tiny Victorian-style homes for needy veterans. The little village already has a community center addressing all kinds of needs for the veterans including classes both Shannon and Mac are teaching. Shannon's sister is also back in town willing to help Shannon in any way she can. Sadly, Shannon is going to need her help for more than her building and decorating expertise. She is going to need her to help find the killer who bludgeoned her new tile artist and friend to death and left her lying on the beach just waiting for the tides to wash her out to sea. Shannon, Mac, and Chloe need to hammer out the details quickly because more violence takes place and someone else gets hurt. The mallets are the key, if they find those they know they will find the killer.
I really enjoy this series and there were so many great things in this story. Shannon and Mac are in a really good and comfortable place. Chloe is taking major steps in her career so she will be in town more as she and police chief Eric plan their wedding. The town is taking a huge step to help homeless veterans even though they are getting a little interference from a few residents. These core characters truly feel like old friends. I live a little vicariously through Shannon remembering the short time I worked in home construction. Being in an occupation dominated by men isn't easy but Shannon is killing it and goes out of her way to help more women get into the field. Her class at the community center in this story really made me happy.
Of course, with the good comes the bad. Mac's current writing group is so bad. Selfish, irresponsible, and creepy doesn't really cover the group but it's a start. Then we have the murder of a woman who seemed to be a wonderful human being and an attack on another with a huge heart. This cast of characters was so well written. They invoked all the emotions the author intended so easily. I had a hard time adjusting after the victim was revealed. We just met her and just started to see her artistry and she was gone. This was nicely played by the author. Readers and characters alike were invested in seeing her get justice.
That being said there really were a limited number of truly viable suspects. Being new in town she knew only a few people so I found it easy to hone in on the right individual after a few clues were revealed. What I really enjoyed was the way Eric, Mac, Shannon, and Chloe worked together. Eric has learned to trust Shannon's instincts and that makes the story even better.
I really appreciated the message/theme of the story. The plight of homeless vets is heartbreaking and Lighthouse Cove has made them a priority building the village of Homefront. The community center is wonderful with classes, counselors, and even a cafe, plus there is room to offer more services. If only more communities in real life could follow in these footsteps.
While the mystery wasn't as complex as other books in this series, Absence of Mallets is my favorite book so far. Murder and mayhem aside, it is a feel-good story. The perfect book to read after the holiday season. It warmed my heart seeing what good people can do and as I turned the last page I had a huge smile on my face.
Kristina
Dec 6, 2021
Shannon Hammer is back!
Shannon Hammer is back. Shannon and her crew are busy working on the veteran�s village project. They are near completion and then they will be moving on to renovate Mac�s lighthouse. Mac Sullivan has a writing retreat coming into town that day. The group will be staying for two weeks. At the end of the first day, it is obvious that this writing group is going to be a handful. Shannon and Mac are both busy with their various projects. It is a good thing they live together, or they might never see each other. Life takes a dark turn when a new acquaintance of Shannon�s is murdered near Mac�s lighthouse. Shannon and Mac dive into investigative mode to discover who committed this heinous act. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning. Shannon and Mac need to work quickly if they are to stop this unhinged killer. Absence of Mallets by Kate Carlisle is the 9th A Fixer-Upper Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series, but I recommend reading all the books in this entertaining cozy mystery series. I always enjoy visiting Lighthouse Cove to spend time with Shannon Hammer, Mac, and the rest of the great characters in A Fixer-Upper Mystery. The characters are developed and relatable. I love Shannon and Mac together. They are a cute couple. They really get each other. Shannon�s sister, Chloe is back in town. I am glad the sister�s relationship is going well. The members of the writing retreat are unique. I can understand why Mac is rethinking having writer�s retreats after this bunch. The whodunit is well-plotted with several suspects, good clues, and misdirection. Shannon and Mac actively work the case. There is plenty of action which had me quickly turning the pages to get to the enjoyable reveal. I do wish, though, that the mystery had been more complex. I did not feel it was at the same level as the past A Fixer-Upper Mysteries. Absence of Mallets is a feel-good story that will leave you smiling. I liked the epilogue that gives us a hint of what will take place in the next book. Absence of Mallets takes us back to Lighthouse Cove where there are cute couples, a veteran�s village, a newcomer is nailed, a murderous mallet, a soothing staple gun, a lethal lighthouse, a wonky writer�s retreat, and killer clues.
