Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck have decided that their flipping business is going to take on a houseboat renovation. During the work, they get acquainted with the owner of the boat "next door". Buck is also getting ready to get married so Whitney plans the bachelorette party at the houseboat while the bachelor party will also be there at another time. When the neighbor is murdered, Whitney is caught up trying to figure out why and by whom.

Love the writing style, especially the tiny chapters narrated by the cat. Fun series. ( )

Primer and Punishment is the fifth A House-Flipper Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or if you have missed a book. I was immediately drawn into this engaging cozy mystery. I liked Whitney and Buck’s latest flip. It was interesting learning about a houseboat. I can certainly see the perks to living on one. Buck and Collette (Whitney’s roommate and friend) are getting married. There is wedding planning and preparations for their bachelor and bachelorette parties. The houseboat is the perfect venue for both parties. Whitney finds herself drawn into the murder of Grant Hardisty, the man who lived on the houseboat next to them. Whitney ends up with a lengthy suspect list. Grant had a string of ex-wives and owed money to several people. The mystery kept Whitney hopping. I enjoyed piecing together the clues and identifying the bad guy. I was delighted with the stimulating reveal. Sawdust had a good time on the houseboat. He was not a fan, though, of his life vest. He did enjoy getting to meet a new friend. The chapters from Sawdust’s point-of-view are entertaining (they make you smile and laugh). The ending of Primer and Punishment will delight fans of the series. Primer and Punishment is a cute cozy with a feline in a life vest, a joyful JoJo, party planning, a slain smooth talker, an overhauled houseboat, a wonderful wedding, and a special surprise. ( )

n this novel, two cousins rebuild a house boat, and also solve a mystery. I have read others by this author but not in this series. This book was as well-written and enjoyable as the others I read. My only problem with this book was the added chapters after the mystery was solved, which seemed unnecessary, other than as a lead in to the next book in the series. This was an easy, cozy read, without strong language or explicit violence or intimacy. It can be read as a stand-alone even though it it part of a series.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )

I voluntarily agreed to read and honestly review this book.
This was a great read. It was fun having a switch from “watching” a boat being flipped instead of a house. Add in the romantic element of preparing for a wedding for the heroine’s cousin, and her best friend. Also, the heroine being an amateur investigator trying to solve a boat explosion, there were a lot of things going on with the story. With all these elements combined I was reading as fast as I could just so I could get the answers. ( )

Primer and Punishment by Diane Kelly
House-flipper mystery series #5. Cozy mystery. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Whitney Whitaker and cousin Buck buy a houseboat for flipping in this mystery installment. It’s a good investment for them but living on the boat temporarily has them getting to know their boat neighbors too. It’s not always quiet with the divorcing boat owner in the berth next to them with ex-wives, fishing friends, and bar buddies dropping by.
It’s a cozy, so it’s not a spoiler when the neighbor ends up dead and Whitney starts investigating.

Lots of questions, and a sharp eye for details makes Whitney a decent investigator. Having a detective for a boyfriend is also a bonus for information and skirting potential problems.
Amusing and smart, this mystery is delightful.
Bonus chapters from the POV of Sawdust are amusing and uniquely “cat-like”.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. ( )