A Wrench in the Works

By Kate Carlisle

Lights! Camera! Homicide! Contractor Shannon Hammer has to dig through murder suspects in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Eaves of Destruction and Once Upon a Spine.

Don't miss the Hallmark Movies & Mystery Originals starring Jewel, based on the Fixer-Upper Mystery series!

Shannon Hammer’s younger sister, Chloe, left Lighthouse Cove after high school to make it big in Hollywood. And she did it! Chloe is the cohost of a popular home repair show on the Home Builders Network. Now, after ten years, she has returned to their quaint coastal hometown to film several shows featuring her sister, Shannon, along with some special mini-segments on Victorian style and design.

But Shannon quickly realizes that things are not exactly blissful in TV land. Bree, the executive producer of the show, has a knack for stirring up sticky situations, and when she’s found dead, Chloe and the entire crew are under suspicion. Shannon, her thriller writer boyfriend, Mac, and their crime-solving friends soon unearth the real reason Chloe left home. Is that ten-year-old secret connected to Bree’s death? And can Shannon track down the real killer before her beloved sister becomes the next victim?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Nov 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9780399586491

Kate Carlisle

Kate Carlisle writes for Harlequin Desire and is also the New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mystery series for NAL. Kate spent twenty years in television production before enrolling in law school, where she turned to writing fiction as a lawful way to kill off her professors. She eventually left law school, but the urge to write has never left her. Kate and her husband live near the beach in Southern California where she was born and raised.

Reviews for A Wrench in the Works

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Contractor Shannon Hammer's sister Chloe has come to Lighthouse Cove to film some episodes for her popular home improvement show and wants to feature Shannon. Chloe was unhappy in town and left right after high school. Now Shannon finds out what happened to cause her to leave.Shannon also learns about the ins and outs of making a television show and all of the personality conflicts involved. Chloe's executive producer Bree is a toxic personality who delights in stirring things up. She also delights in firing her staff which the staff has learned to ignore.When Shannon and Chloe are looking over the property that they are going to rehab, they find Bree dead on the hearth of one of the fireplaces. They also find her husband, and Chloe's co-star, drugged in his trailer. Since Chloe had had a loud argument with Bree the day before, Shannon needs to put on her detective hat and find out who really killed Bree. Then when a man who had been using emotional blackmail on Chloe for years is also found dead in the house, Shannon's task becomes even harder. Shannon wonders if the deaths came from something in Chloe's past or whether they had to do with a possible new television show which will oust her old co-star and bring in a younger hunk to be her partner. I enjoyed the mystery and the information about Victorian houses. This is not the first book in the series but I had no trouble following what was happening. I would like to read earlier books to learn more about Shannon's previous cases and how her friends and boyfriend came into her life.

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There's a lot to like in this new book in a long running, well written series. Excitement is running high in Lighthouse Cove. The other Hammer daughter, Chloe, is returning to town to shoot her home repair show on the site of a winning Victorian home. Shannon understands part of the reasons why her sister hasn’t been back for so long, but many other truths come out as the pair bond over the body of an unlikable character. Lighthouse Cove is so real to me in my mind’s eye, I really enjoyed this story and the interplay between the sisters, even though it has been so long since they have hung out together. Having the two work together, both on the show (with interesting bits about both home repair and reality tv) and the mystery made for a very pleasurable read. I hope Chloe remains as a recurring or even permanent character in this series that is populated with a lot of fine secondary people.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Wrench in the Works by Kate Carlisle takes us back to Lighthouse Cove. Shannon Hammer is looking forward to her sister, Chloe coming to town. Chloe is the co-star of Makeover Madness, a rehab and design show on the Home Builders Network. Chloe has not been home for five years and the family is looking forward to catching up with her. Chloe along with the crew from Makeover Madness are coming to town to do a feature on the Victorian homes in Lighthouse Cove. Shannon has helped locate properties to showcase, and she will be on the show as well helping rehab a Victorian home in need. Shannon quickly learns that television life is not glamorous and Chloe’s executive producer, Bree Bennett is a terror. The day before filming begins, Shannon overhears an argument between Bree and Chloe and notices an eavesdropper in the form of the slimy Richard Stoddard. The next morning, Chloe and Shannon arrive early at the Bloom house for the first day of filming. They are exploring the first floor to see what work needs to be accomplished when they find Bree leaning against the tiles on the fireplace. Chief Eric Jensen quickly arrives to take charge of the scene. With everyone on the crew a suspect, Shannon and Chloe begin chiseling away at the suspects in the hopes of exposing a killer.A Wrench in the Works is a lively cozy mystery with engaging characters, beautiful Victorian homes, a charming town, and a murder mystery. I thought the book was well-written and it gallops along at a snappy pace. Kate Carlisle has a writing style that allowed me to be drawn into the story. The dialogue is realistic, and the book has a good flow (I just kept reading until I finished). Shannon is a strong female character in an unusual occupation for a woman. I like her relationship with Mac (though he does seem a little too perfect). Shannon has a loving family and good friends. It was lovely to find out more about Chloe. She has a secret that has been bothering her for ten years which has kept her from coming home. There are sparks between Chloe and a certain police chief. I am curious to see what happens next with them. The mystery was intriguing with several suspects and misdirection. Cozy mystery sleuths, though, will have no problem identifying the killer. There are descriptions of beautiful Victorian homes in the book with their unique architectural details (I want to live in one). I can see why Shannon loves her job restoring these beauties. If you have not read the previous books in A Fixer-Upper Mystery series (or watched the movies), you will not be lost. I am giving A Wrench in the Works 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). A Wrench in the Works is a peppy and warm cozy mystery. I look forward to returning to Lighthouse Cove in the next A Fixer-Upper Mystery.

[kulmona · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As one of Kate’s Raters, I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.It’s a family reunion in this sixth installment of Carlisle’s Fixer-Upper cozy mystery series. Chloe Hammer, Shannon’s younger sister is back in Lighthouse Cove after leaving ten years ago under a shroud of secrecy. Now the star of a hit TV show, Makeover Madness, and a bestselling author, she is visiting with the cast and crew to film some episodes for her show.Executive producer Bree is a thorn in everyone’s side. Beautiful, aggressive, difficult, and temperamental, she makes her presence known. She is well aware that on-air drama ratchets up ratings. A common tactic of hers is to mislead guests and broadcast their emotional reactions live. No surprise then that she pays a heavy price for rubbing people the wrong way...with her life. Shannon is beyond thrilled to have her baby sister back. She is so proud and in awe of her. Although at times, over-protective, she knows that Chloe is more than capable of taking care of herself and knows her way around a toolbox. Both sisters grew up joining their father on construction sites. She can’t wait to give Chloe a glimpse into her life and introduce her around. Chloe, in turn, immerses Shannon into her world.As always, this was an enjoyable fast read with its engrossing plot, humor, romance, and fun characters. Given that the theme of this series is fixer-upper, there are vivid descriptions, jargon, and techniques to that effect. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Carlisle does a good job of seamlessly providing brief intros to the characters, their histories, and references to past events. I look forward to re-visiting Shannon again.

[thegenreminx · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love watching pretty much anything on the HGTV channel, so to find a cozy mystery with a plot surrounding the filming of a home improvement show was very exciting for me. A Wrench in the Works was a fun book to read because it felt like I part of the planning and filming of the typical T.V. shows I like to watch. I loved the attention to detail that drew me in with the show producer, filming crew, and stars of the show. Shannon learned firsthand all there was to know about filming a show and that things weren’t always as smooth as it appears to the show’s audience. There is a lot to be said about personality conflicts in this story.Shannon was a great character and the bond between her and her sister, Chloe, was nice. It was great to feel Shannon’s enthusiasm for spending time with her sister and being a part of her sister’s DIY show. I was also glad that Chloe’s inner turmoil regarding her return to her hometown was discussed early on and that it blended in nicely with the mystery that took place. Shannon as a sleuth was convincing even with some over the top moments. Although, she can be kinda stupid at times, e.g.: there is a murderer on the loose and you investigate dark places by yourself, ha ha ha, but that is something typical in cozy mysteries. Overall, A Wrench in the Works was a fun read that kept my interest engaged from start to finish.This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

[cathyskye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this sixth installment in Carlisle's Fixer-Upper cozy series, readers get to learn more about Shannon Hammer's younger sister, Chloe, and the reason why Chloe left Lighthouse Cove right after high school helps to fuel the mystery. As always, I enjoyed the scenes which show Shannon working on an old house and explaining what she's doing, and Carlisle uses her newfound knowledge of how television programs are filmed to make readers feel as though they have a backstage pass allowing them to see and hear everything on set. Although I found the identity of the killer to be rather easily deduced, I enjoyed A Wrench in the Works and look forward to my next visit to Lighthouse Cove.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shannon's sister Chloe is returning to Lighthouse Cove with her TV crew to help renovate a few old Victorian homes. Bree Bennet, the Executive producer, is no nonsense but her husband is extremely easy going. No one seems to understand the attraction between the two but when Bree is found murdered at the construction site, it isn't the husband who is the prime suspect, Chloe has that role. There were several other possibilities for the murderer and Shannon has to not only step in for her sister on set, but also work to find the killer.Love this series and hope that Chloe makes appearances frequently!