The Body in the Attic

Judi Lynn

Nov 2018 · A Jazzi Zanders Mystery Book 1 · Lyrical Press

About this ebook

USA Today-Bestselling Author:While clearing out a fixer-upper, an Indiana woman expects to find some old boxes—but not old bones…
 
Welcome to River Bluffs, Indiana, a cozy small town populated with charming homes, close-knit families, and the occasional deadly secret . . .
 
House-flipper Jazzi Zanders and her cousin Jerod have found their latest project. The property, formerly owned by the late Cal Juniper, is filled with debris that must be cleared before the real renovation begins. But a trip to the attic reveals something more disturbing than forgotten garbage—a skeleton wearing a locket and rings that Jazzi recognizes . . .
 
Tests confirm that the bones belong to Jazzi’s aunt Lynda, who everyone assumed moved to New York years ago after breaking up with Cal. Soon enough, the whole family is involved, sifting through memories and rumors as they try to piece together what really happened to Lynda—and the baby she gave up for adoption. In between investigating and remodeling, Jazzi is falling for the old house’s charms—and for her gorgeous contractor, Ansel. But with surprises lurking in every nook and cranny, a killer might be waiting to demolish her dreams for good.

Ratings and reviews

The Body in the Attic is easy to read thanks to the author’s conversational writing style. The book has a nice, steady pace and good flow. I liked the characters and the home renovation angle. Jazzi is twenty-seven years old who has been working with her cousin, Jerrod for the last four years. They buy run down homes and fix them up. Ansel, a tall handsome blonde man (think Viking), is their contractor and Jazzi’s friend. Jazzi is attracted to Ansel, but he is currently living with prima donna, Emily. Ansel and Emily’s relationship is on the rocks when she takes a job in California and expects him to follow her. I did find too much of the book devoted to Ansel and Emily’s relationship. It competed with the mystery and it followed an expected path (reminded me of a romance novel). I loved Ansel’s little pug, George who is his faithful companion. George is a spoiled little pooch and he has attitude (he drinks beer too). Jazzi is the most developed character in the book. It would have been nice if the author fleshed out the main characters more in The Body in the Attic. I like that Jazzi is close to her family and hosts Sunday dinner for them at her place. She has a loving relationship with her grandmother who is in the early stages of dementia. There are two mysteries in the story. There are a couple of suspects in each one. The investigating is focused on Jazzi and Detective Gaff talking with various people and gathering information. Jazzi makes various connections based on the information obtained. Both mysteries can be solved before the reveal. Detective Gaff is a friendly, likeable man and willingly includes Jazzi. I did find it unrealistic that a detective would take a civilian along when questioning suspects and that he would share so many details regarding the cases. I enjoyed the descriptions of Jazzi’s finished house. I especially loved how she finished the kitchen ceiling. There are recipes at the end of The Body in the Attic for the dishes Jazzi created. The Body in the Attic is a light cozy mystery perfect for reading on a relaxing Saturday afternoon. I look forward to reading The Body in the Wetlands when is releases.

I really enjoyed this book. I love the characters and the way the story evolved and have already pre-ordered the next in the series. Love when I get really engaged with the characters and I couldn't put the book down.

cozy-mystery, romantic, law-enforcement, women-sleuths, murder-investigation, red-herrings, twisty A fun trio of house flippers, a beautiful but abused house which was recently rented by a slob who sold off most of the contents, and a skeleton resting comfortably in a trunk in the attic. The chief of detectives enters the plot, helps to identify the corpse, and utilizes Jazzy to help to deal with the family, one of whom is Jazzy's mother and sister to the deceased. Lots of twists and red herrings, interesting characters both good and vile, threats and warnings, as well as a sleepy beloved pet dog. It held my attention so well that I stayed up reading till finished! A very good read! I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

About the author

Judi Lynn received a Master’s Degree from Indiana University as an elementary school teacher after attending the IPFW campus. She taught 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades for six years before having her two daughters. She loves gardening, cooking and trying new recipes. Readers can visit her website at www.judithpostswritingmusings.com and her blog writingmusings.com.