Flipped Out

Table of Contents

 

 

Mortar and Murder

 

“With plot twists that curve and loop . . . this story offers handy renovation tips, historical data, and a colorful painting of the Maine landscape.”

—
Examiner.com

 

“Mystery author Jennie Bentley has nailed together another great mystery with
Mortar and Murder
.”

—Fresh Fiction

 

 

Plaster and Poison

 

“A delightful small-town Maine sleuth . . . Solid and entertaining.”

—Midwest Book Review

 

“[A] thrilling story that keeps the readers guessing and turning pages.”

—Fresh Fiction

 

“A believable and beguiling mystery. Each novel in the series delights and the third installment only raises the stakes.”

—
Examiner.com

 

“A pull-no-punches mystery.”

—The Mystery Gazette

 

“This is one solidly built mystery . . . Attractive characters and a beautiful setting round out this wonderful read.”

—RT Book Reviews

Spackled and Spooked

 

“Smooth, clever, and witty. This series is a winner!”

—Once Upon a Romance

 

“Bound to be another winner for this talented author. Home-renovation buffs will appreciate the wealth of detail.”

—
Examiner.com

 

“I hope the series continues.”

—Gumshoe Reviews

 

 

Fatal Fixer-Upper

 

“An ingeniously plotted murder mystery with several prime suspects and a nail-biting conclusion.”

—The Tennessean

 

“A great whodunit . . . Fans will enjoy this fine cozy.”

—Midwest Book Review

 

“Smartly blends investigative drama, sexual tension, and romantic comedy elements, and marks the start of what looks like an outstanding series of Avery Baker cases.”

—The Nashville City Paper

 

“Polished writing and well-paced story. I was hooked . . . from page one.”

—Cozy Library

 

“There’s a new contender in the do-it-yourself home-renovation mystery field . . . An enjoyable beginning to a series.”

—Bangor Daily News

 

“A strong debut mystery . . . Do-it-yourselfers will find much to enjoy.”

—The Mystery Reader

“A cozy whodunit with many elements familiar to fans of Agatha Christie or
Murder, She Wrote
.”

—Nashville Scene

 

“A great whodunit. Fans will enjoy this fine cozy.”

—The Mystery Gazette

 

“A fun and sassy journey that teaches readers about home renovation as they follow the twists and turns of a great mystery.”

—
Examiner.com

 

“The mystery is unusually strong. Home-renovation and design tips are skillfully worked into the story, the characters are developed and sympathetic, and the setting is charming. The climax leads to a bang-up ending . . . A first-rate mystery and a frightening surprise ending.”

—RT Book Reviews

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Jennie Bentley

FATAL FIXER-UPPER
SPACKLED AND SPOOKED
PLASTER AND POISON
MORTAR AND MURDER
FLIPPED OUT

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

 

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, projects, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting with a professional. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this book.

 

FLIPPED OUT

 

A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author

 

PRINTING HISTORY

Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / October 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 

ISBN : 978-1-101-54471-6

 

BERKLEY
^®
PRIME CRIME

Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

BERKLEY
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PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

Acknowledgments

As always, great big thanks, hugs, and kisses to the following wonderful people, without whom I would not be here, doing what I’m doing:

My brilliant agent, Stephany Evans, for sticking with me through it all; my wonderful editor, Jessica Wade, for letting me continue the journey with Avery and Derek; the Penguin design team: artist Jennifer Taylor for another gorgeous cover illustration, and designers Rita Frangie and Laura K. Corless, for making the book beautiful inside and out; my hardworking publicist with the Penguin Group, Kaitlyn Kennedy, without whom this book would be nowhere; my beta reader, critique partner, and internet buddy, Jamie Livingston-Dierks, for always being there for me and always being a source of laughter, inspiration, and good advice; my Sisters and Brothers in Crime, my fellow ITW Debut Authors, my fellow Romance Writers of America and Music City Romance Writers, and assorted writer friends I don’t necessarily have any organizations in common with, but who have somehow impacted my life and my writing anyway; everyone who’s bought a copy of
Fatal Fixer-Upper
,
Spackled and Spooked
,
Plaster and Poison
, or
Mortar and Murder
sometime in the past three years, especially those of you who liked the stories, and even more especially those of you who told someone about them; my non-writer friends—yes, I do have a few; and my family, especially my husband and my two boys, who have learned to accept the fact that I spend much of my time in a world far removed from theirs, where they can’t join me, and who love me anyway; and last but certainly not least, Faye of the Cali Ponds.

Around the time when I started writing this book, the first and second of May 2010, Nashville was hit by record amounts of rain and severe flooding. A few intrepid local writers started an internet auction called Do the Write Thing for Nashville, and in a few weeks, raised more than $75,000 for flood relief. One of the many generous souls who supported the effort was Faye, who outbid everyone for the chance to name a character in my next book.

Faye, meet Fae. And Aurora. And Cali. I hope you’ll be pleased with what I did with the names you gave me. xoxo

1

When my stepfather, Noel, asked my boyfriend, Derek, and me to participate in an episode of a renovation show his TV network produces, I didn’t think it would be a problem. Derek and I had renovated four houses together, starting with the 1870s Second Empire Victorian I had inherited from my great-aunt Inga a year earlier. After that, we had bought and restored a supposedly haunted midcentury ranch, and then turned a decrepit carriage house at the back of my friend Kate’s property into a romantic retreat for two just in time for her wedding to Waterfield Chief of Police Wayne Rasmussen. For the past few months, we had worked our fingers to the bone on a 1783 center-chimney Colonial on Rowanberry Island. By the time the TV crew was set to arrive on the coast of Maine, it was mid-July, but contrary to my first blithe impression, there was indeed a problem.

“There’s no way!” I told Derek, and not for the first time. “No way at all we can renovate a whole house in a week!”

When Noel first approached me about taking part in a renovation show, I hadn’t realized we’d be dealing with a time constraint. There are so many shows out there, with so many gimmicks, that I figured we’d be redoing something small, like a kitchen or bathroom. Something we could easily do in the five days the crew would be in town. But as it turned out, the program we would be participating in was called
Flipped Out!
, and for good reason.