If Walls Could Talk (A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery #1)

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If Walls Could Talk (A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery #1)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 1,070 ratings · 118 reviews

Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line.

At her newest project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by nailing the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly prese...more

Paperback, 316 pages

Published December 7th 2010 by Signet (first published October 25th 2010)

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Jan 25, 2013 Joanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-cozy-mysteries

I thought this was a nice, relaxing cozy mystery!

After her divorce, Mel Turner had dreams of running away to France to get away from it all, but when her mother dies she finds herself instead taking over her father's construction business, which specializes in historic home renovation and repair. When she shows up at the home Matt Addax, a former rock-star, has asked her to restore so that he and his partner Kenneth can "flip" it, she finds more than the home needs help. Matt is hung over from t...more I thought this was a nice, relaxing cozy mystery!

After her divorce, Mel Turner had dreams of running away to France to get away from it all, but when her mother dies she finds herself instead taking over her father's construction business, which specializes in historic home renovation and repair. When she shows up at the home Matt Addax, a former rock-star, has asked her to restore so that he and his partner Kenneth can "flip" it, she finds more than the home needs help. Matt is hung over from the wild party the previous night, and his partner, Kenneth staggers into the room bleeding profusely from the stump where his hand used to be! He is rushed to the hospital and Mel is surprised to see him at the house later. She's even more surprised to learn that seeing him was impossible, as Kenneth died of his injuries at the hospital! His dying words implicate Matt, and he is arrested for murder. To further complicate matters, her old flame Graham now works for cal-OSHA, and is investigating to see if Turner Construction is at fault if Kenneth's death ruled accidental!

Kenneth begins to hang around Mel, much to her chagrin, but he can't shed any light on who killed him or why. The police detective doesn't seem very interested in solving the crime (if one was committed) but someone is looking for something in that old house and when Mel finds a hidden cache of documents that includes a map to an old gem mine she suspects that is at the root of Kenneth's death and the subsequent break-ins at the storage unit, her home, and the attack on one of her employees. Any one of the partners in the "flipping" venture are suspect, as are the police detective and the architect Matt hired.

I enjoyed Mel's discomfiture at learning that she can see Kenneth and their interactions as well as the sparks flying between her and Graham. Mel's character is very down-to-earth and likeable and I also enjoyed the descriptions of all that restoring an historic home entails. I definitely want to read more of this series!

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May 01, 2012 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This paranormal cozy has an interesting premise: home renovation meets haunted house. Protagonist Mel, as in Melanie, Turner is a thirty-eight year old divorcee who takes over her father's construction business after her mother passes away. She has an apparent love for returning grand old homes in the San Francisco area back to their former glory. She gets along great with her crew and suppliers. Still, she is quick to say that she hopes her dad will come back to the business soon so she can ret...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Gail rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghost-story, mysteries

Mel Turner is an ABD anthropologist/faculty wife turned divorced manager of a construction company in San Francisco. Her business, formerly her father's, specializes in historic restorations of houses. She's nearly 40, wearing eccentric, flamboyant designer clothes with work boots. She's smart, savvy, and witty. She's loyal to her friends and family and fierce about her business, all the while fantaszing about running away, alone, to Paris.

Her friend, faded rock star Matt, hires her company to f...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Michelle Randall rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another cozy mystery in my list of books that I have read, is that surprising anyone at this point. So I like them, I like to get into them and the way characters develop. So this was a new one, the first in a series and a new author to me at that.

This is the first in the Haunted Home Renovation Mystery Series, and it is a little different from the other cozy mysteries in that the police aren't actually investigating this murder, in fact the only person who seems to be concerned with the murder...more Another cozy mystery in my list of books that I have read, is that surprising anyone at this point. So I like them, I like to get into them and the way characters develop. So this was a new one, the first in a series and a new author to me at that.

This is the first in the Haunted Home Renovation Mystery Series, and it is a little different from the other cozy mysteries in that the police aren't actually investigating this murder, in fact the only person who seems to be concerned with the murder at all is Mel Turner, our female lead. After a divorce, the unexpected death of her mother has her taking over her fathers construction business, instead of hiding in Paris licking her wounds. The business is good, they specialize in restoring old homes to their former glory, and believe it or not Mel is really good at what she does, which probably is one reason she didn't do so well in her marriage to a professor.

A friend, Matt Addax, and aging rock start at that, buys an old house to flip, and although she agrees to do a walk through for him on the house before he buys it, that was all that her involvement was suppose to be. Until Matt's teenage son calls and wants her to check on him, they had a do-it-yourself demo party that included drinks, not the best combination with power tools. She stops by to find a passed out Matt, empty beer and wine bottles, and alot of damage, then as they are walking through the house, Matt's business partner and friend Kenneth walks up too them with a nail gun, nail shots into his abdomen and his hand sawed off. Kenneth passes away at the hospital and what seems to be almost no investigate ensues.

During the brief, one day search of the place, she finds out that her business name has been forged on the permits, and Matt has asked her to help finish the remodel because he needs to recoup the money. And thus begins the twisted a sorrid tell that ends up involving ghosts and spirts from at least three generations before any work ever gets done on the house!

It took me alot to actually get into the book. I read one chapter, then pushed myself to read the next, then pushed on, it was only about a third of the way in did I finally find myself enjoying the story and looking for some closure. I'm not sure about the series yet. I kinda liked Mel, I really like Graham, old family friend come back into her life, and the teenage boys, Caleb and Dylan, Matt's son and her ex=stepson whom she still has a good relationship with and is in her life more than you would think an ex would be. Her Dad and his best friend, Stan are there, and although they started the business, they have stepped out and let Mel take over. The original reasoning that Mel gives was that her father was just unable to handle it after her mother's death, but late in this story we find out that his wife was a big part of the business, and I think he stepped aside on purpose, I think he had it in his mind to bring Mel in, give her a purpose after the divorce and to settle her down and make her deal with life. She thinks this is temporary and that her Dad will take back over soon, but I don't think he has any plans of taking it back over. So there is part of me that is ready for the next book to see how that sub-plot matures.

Overall, it was a good book, and I defintely think I will read the second book in the series, and I think I will reserve judgement on it until then. Not sure if it will be a favorite or not, but looking forward to learning more about the characters.(less)

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Dec 13, 2010 Marlyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cozies, paranormal

In IF WALLS COULD TALK, the first in a new series by Juliet Blackwell we meet protagonist Melanie Turner. Melanie, who prefers to be called “Mel”, took over her father’s construction business when she decided the life of an academic was not for her. Turner Construction specializes in restoring historic homes, which Mel discovers she really enjoys.

But working on an investment home for former rock star Matt Addax turns out to be one problem after another, especially after Matt hosts a “remodeling...more

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Nov 02, 2011 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, cozies

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/11/...

Mel Turner,divorcee and former social anthropologist,now runs Turner Construction for her father,specializing in renovation of historic homes. When she stops in on a new jobsite,she and the owner,aging rockstar Matt Addax are confronted with Kenneth,a gravely injured man,and Matt’s partner (let’s just say it involves a nail gun and a table saw) who later dies at the hospital. With a seeming lack of other suspects,Matt is s...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/11/...

Mel Turner,divorcee and former social anthropologist,now runs Turner Construction for her father,specializing in renovation of historic homes. When she stops in on a new jobsite,she and the owner,aging rockstar Matt Addax are confronted with Kenneth,a gravely injured man,and Matt’s partner (let’s just say it involves a nail gun and a table saw) who later dies at the hospital. With a seeming lack of other suspects,Matt is swiftly arrested,but Mel knows Matt couldn’t have done that to Kenneth,and she’s determined to find out the truth. It really doesn’t help that all of a sudden,she can see,and hear,Kenneth’s ghost. He can’t remember a thing,and he’s really no help in finding his killer,so Mel is on her own,but she soon realizes that there’s lots more to this case then meets the eye,and even she may not be safe from Kenneth’s killer.

I really enjoyed If Walls Could Talk. I like that Mel is a more mature character,closing in on 40,and doing her best not to be distracted by the handsome Graham,a blast from her past who tried to talk her out of marrying her ex,and now an OSHA employee that’s putting quite a damper on her current project. When it rains,it pours,and during her investigation,Mel finds herself getting asked out multiple times by two very different and attractive men. Her real attraction lies with Graham though (as much as she tries to fight it),and their tentative dance around each other made for some really fun tension which I’m really hoping the author will explore in future novels. Mel is a woman in a man’s world,and I enjoyed her character’s fondness for history and antiques,and the details on architectural restoration added a really interesting facet to the story. Mel also must come to grips with her sudden ability to see ghosts (possibly handed down by her mom),and I appreciated that despite some initial skepticism,Mel chose to believe what her eyes and ears were telling her. She’s no Skully,and I always get frustrated when characters ignore the obvious,usually to their detriment. The author also surrounds Mel with a fascinating supporting cast,including her father,his friend Stan,and her ex stepson,who she’s very fond of and who looks to Mel as a second mom. The setting,San Francisco,is positively radiant,adding lots of atmosphere to the story,and following the clues with Mel was great fun! Charming characters,a well-crafted mystery,fascinating historic details,and a heroine to root for make If Walls Could Talk a must read for whodunit fans!(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Debra rated it 4 of 5 stars

When home renovator Mel Turner is hired to restore an old mansion to its former glory, she’s excited to begin the project, until the owner’s business partner dies in the house. This is the start of several unsettling events, including a haunting or two.

If Walls Could Talk is an entertaining whodunnit featuring a well-rounded protagonist with a busy life and plenty of personal issues. Reading about the renovation business was educational, as author Juliet Blackwell provides interesting detail abo...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have read some of Juliet Blackwell's other books and found them very enjoyable.

"If Walls Could Talk" stars Melanie Turner -- who is a divorcee living with her father while she runs the family construction business. She has a former stepson who comes and lives with her when his mother is out of town because he doesn't like his new step-mother. Then because of an accident on a friend's work site her friend's son comes to live at her house too. Along the way she picks up a ghost and a stray dog....more

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Jul 18, 2011 Rachel Montalvo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: cozy mystery lovers

Recommended to Rachel by: goodreads

Shelves: adventure, chick-lit, cute, dectective-crime-murder-spying, female-heroine, funny, mystery, paranormal-fantasy, read-in-2011, romance, series, close-had-potential-but, lol-literally

I really enjoyed reading Juliet Blackwells "If Walls Could Talk".
After going through a divorce,and the death of her mother, Mel Turner moves back home with her dad and now runs her fathers historic renovations, construction company. She stops by her former client's(Max) newly purchased dilapidated mansion and finds him passed out on a couch surrounded by liquor bottles, cups,and power tools;remnants of the previous nights "Do it yourself" fixer upper party. After reluctantly agreeing to take ov...more

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May 05, 2011 Cathy Cole rated it 4 of 5 stars

First Line: This was one pitiful-looking mansion.

Mel(anie) Turner may dress like a Madonna groupie, but she knows her stuff when it comes to renovating historic homes in the San Francisco Bay area.

Her latest client wants her expertise in bringing a Pacific Heights mansion back to life, but when she visits the morning after a boozy "Do-It-Yourself" remodeling party, she discovers his partner-- who seems to have had a horrendous accident with power tools. The man dies as a result of his injuries,...more First Line: This was one pitiful-looking mansion.

Mel(anie) Turner may dress like a Madonna groupie, but she knows her stuff when it comes to renovating historic homes in the San Francisco Bay area.

Her latest client wants her expertise in bringing a Pacific Heights mansion back to life, but when she visits the morning after a boozy "Do-It-Yourself" remodeling party, she discovers his partner-- who seems to have had a horrendous accident with power tools. The man dies as a result of his injuries, and as Mel begins to see that certain facts and figures just don't add up, she also gets a visit from the dead man's spirit. Murderous intent fills this particular down-at-heel mansion up to its eaves.

To me, old houses might as well be ancient pyramids. They hold secrets and messages from the past; I feel them whispering to me as I walk the hallways. Walls, attics, basements... over the past five years I had found newspapers from the thirties, liquor bottles, old coins, address books, even the occasional stash of money or stocks. I once unearthed a button-up baby's shoe and a dress pattern book from 1916. I even liked the smell: the distinctive, musty aroma of history, reminding me of used bookstores...promising the serendipitous discovery of the perfect novel or family relic or beloved treasure.

Once I read that paragraph, I knew that Mel and I were going to get along just fine. She and I have the same feeling for old houses, and as I turned the pages, my affinity for this character grew through her relationships to the other characters and to the way she conducted her business. If I had an old mansion to renovate, I'd hire her on the spot.

Blackwell paced the story well, and although I had a hazy idea of whodunit, I was so drawn in by Mel's character, the action, and the bits of San Francisco history the author shared that I didn't focus on it. I was enjoying Blackwell's storytelling so much that I didn't particularly care whom the killer was.

Yes, there is a ghost in the story, but for those of you who don't care for the paranormal, this element did not overwhelm the story at all. (I'm a reader who doesn't care for a great deal of "woo-woo" myself.)

I am really looking forward to the next book in this series, and I hope that Mel never runs out of old mansions to renovate.(less)

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May 10, 2011 Debbie Heaton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Melanie Turner has made a name for herself since taking over the family business. She remodels historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. At her newest renovation project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, her reputation may now be on the line. Mel finds herself receiving visits from a ghost, a ghost of a colleague who recently died following a mishap with power tools. Mel hopes that by tracking down the responsible party, she can rid herself of the ghost of the murdered man. Mel's only cl...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Melanie is such a fun character. She's sassy and determined to not conform to man's expectations ever again. She spent many years chained to a man who expected her to always be the perfect society wife. So now that she's on her own and head of construction company, she's done with all that. But what made her really great was that while she has practically sworn off men, she isn't a bitter harpy like many women become after a nasty divorce. S...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Snap rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, cozy-mysteries

IF WALLS COULD TALK is the first in the new cozy, Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series by Juliet Blackwell. Blackwell has written other series (Witchcraft Mystery series and Art Lovers series) and that may be why I enjoyed this one as much as I did. Smoothly written, a nice blend of mystery, paranormal, light humor and fun characters.

Melanie Turner has had a difficult couple of years. After her Mother's death, she has took over her father's construction business and made a name for herself re...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Kristine rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a great book! I enjoy her other books (Witchcraft Mystery books). The main character, Melissa (Mel) Turner has stepped in to take over her father's construction business after the death of her mother and her divorce, she leaves her PhD in Cultural Anthropology just short of her completion requiring only her dissertation. She discovers her 'gift' to see and communicate with ghosts and finds out it is an inherited trait; one she didn't know existed! With the help of a ghost, she solves a...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Jami Zehr rated it 4 of 5 stars

If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell is a tea cozy mystery novel, with a slight bent toward the paranormal. Melanie Turner, archaeologist turned home renovator, has just walked away from a divorce and lives with her dad since the death of her mother, and has taken over the family business. Mel’s renovation company specializes in remodeling historic homes, and with her background in archaeology Mel’s business is booming. Then Mel takes on a renovation she has a bad feeling about and someone ge...more If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell is a tea cozy mystery novel, with a slight bent toward the paranormal. Melanie Turner, archaeologist turned home renovator, has just walked away from a divorce and lives with her dad since the death of her mother, and has taken over the family business. Mel’s renovation company specializes in remodeling historic homes, and with her background in archaeology Mel’s business is booming. Then Mel takes on a renovation she has a bad feeling about and someone gets killed (it’s a mystery novel, I don’t consider this a spoiler). The dead man returns as a ghost and haunts Mel as she tries to get the renovation project back on track. Mel discovers not only can she see this recently departed acquaintance, but she has the ability, generally, to “see dead people.”

Mel is determined to track down the murder, rid the house of ghosts, and move on with her life. Along the way she meets up with an old friend, would be flame, who seems to be helping her in spite of his obvious lack of desire to get involved with her again. Added to her already hectic life, Mel’s ex-husband’s son comes to live with her and brings a friend with him. As if juggling a business isn’t hard enough! Mel plugs away at the mystery that has landed in her lap, especially as the police don’t seem all that interested in finding the killer, but will she figure out who it is before she meets with a fatal construction accident?

If Walls Could Talk was an interesting and well written mystery. I liked the dash of paranormal (seeing ghosts is cool). I liked that it wasn’t the main focus of the book, but the mystery of the killer was. Personally if I was seeing ghosts because someone had recently been killed in a home I was renovating, I too would want to find the killer, lessen my chances of becoming a ghost, and leave the freaking out about being a little on the Haley Joel Osment side later. Mel’s old flame turned possible new flame is an intelligent man which a good heart, and I liked him. I’m not overly invested in him as a character because he was kind of a side plot in the book. But I’m OK with that scenario in the first book of a series. If you like tea cozy mysteries or paranormal mysteries, give this series a try. It is fun and entertaining, and definitely a quick read.

Read more here: http://absurdlynerdly.wordpress.com/2...(less)

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Feb 23, 2012 Maurisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I tried this new series from Juliet Blackwell...and you know me - my books need some sort of a paranormal/fantasy bent to them.

If Walls Could Talk is about a divorcee' (Mel) who takes over her father's construction business & begins restoring an old home. Needless to say, there is a haunting and a crime to solve.

The book has a few boring parts, and some highly implausible things to swallow (NO, I don't mean the ghost...I'm referring to the eccentricity of her wardrobe, for one). But it's w...more

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Mar 21, 2013 LuAnn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is pure fun and hilarity. The interactions between Melanie and the ghost are so outrageous! I truly enjoyed reading this and found myself laughing out loud at many part of the story.
If Walls Could Talk is the first in Juliet Blackwell’s new Haunted House Renovation Mystery series and I can’t wait to read the next one. It’s titled Dead Bolt (don't you love that title?).
Some of you may have read some of the books in her Witchcraft Mystery Series. She’s really a fun writer and has quite a...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Grey853 rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: cozy, mystery, supernatural

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 20, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

**Yeppers, another book in 1 day!!

I totally loved Juliet Blackwell's Witchcraft Mysteries, so I decided to give her new series, A Haunted Home Renovation a try. If Walls Could Talk does not disappoint! It's my favorite kind of mystery with nicely blended paranormal aspects intertwined with the mystery.

Mel is a different character than what we normally see, a 38 year old divorcee living with her father while she runs the family business. She herself is an oddity in a sense because she is a woman...more **Yeppers, another book in 1 day!!

I totally loved Juliet Blackwell's Witchcraft Mysteries, so I decided to give her new series, A Haunted Home Renovation a try. If Walls Could Talk does not disappoint! It's my favorite kind of mystery with nicely blended paranormal aspects intertwined with the mystery.

Mel is a different character than what we normally see, a 38 year old divorcee living with her father while she runs the family business. She herself is an oddity in a sense because she is a woman working in what people think of a man's field by renovating houses.

But her latest job takes a wrong turn when one of her coworkers dies...but then his ghost comes back to say he was murdered and it wasn't an accident. So things get a little intense, not to mention poor Mel thinking she's losing her mind by seeing a ghost!

The mystery was seriously good, there were a ton of suspects, at least to my eye. So it was so hard to figure out who actually done it! That's what I love about a good mystery, to be turned around so many times you don't really know who did it! When watching the shows on TV I can always spot who the killer is based on my own personal theory. Irrelevant.

Moving on...the mystery was good. The characters were good as well. Mel has a great dad and an interesting family history that she learns about during this strange occurrence. And there is a dog in the book as well that was kind of cute.

There was a bit of a love interest as well, but the plot didn't really focus on it. The romance wasn't apart of the mystery. But there was definitely romantic tension between Mel and a certain character. Well, there was actually 3 total that I can immediately think of, but only 1 was meant to "grab our hearts"...or at least in my opinion!

Looking forward to seeing where this series continues to go next. The only thing that nagged at me was there wasn't enough "ghost time". The ghost pops up here and there during the investigation and there were a few other "creepy" moments, I just wished there would've been more!

Overall I give it 4/5 stars. There was also a sneak peek at her next Haunted Home Renovation Mystery that is currently untitled and is set to release in December this year. Such a long wait--which is why I didn't tempt myself with reading it!

A good mystery if you liked Blackwell's Witchcraft Mysteries or Victoria Laurie's Psychic Eye Mysteries or Ghost Hunter Mysteries.(less)

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Mar 15, 2012 Diane ~Firefly~ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, paranormal, ghost

Mel took over her father's construction business after her divorce and her mother's death to help out her father, but it seems to have taken over her life. Now she's starting to see ghosts.

What I enjoyed:
* No triangle in site and the romance is starting off slow.
* Mel can take care of herself.
* There is a good cast of supporting characters.
* Nice tidbits about renovation and gemology scattered in the story.

What could have been better:
* There were too many characters to keep track off.
* (view spo ...more

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Jan 08, 2011 Nora-adrienne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural

Juliet Blackwell has another hit on her hands. The mix of characters she has put together will make you laugh, smack them or hug them. Being a specialist in restoring classic and historic homes runs in Melanie "Mel" Turners blood (she just doesn't understand why yet).

She shows up at a home where a friend of hers is doing a demolition and rebuild on his own. He plans to flip the house for a profit. Having someone die leads Mel into a new and unexpected sideline. Hunting for killers.

I'm already...more

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Dec 24, 2010 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-california, mystery-supernatural

Melanie thought she'd leave her native Bay area after her divorce, but she's ended up taking over Turner construction, high end remodelers. Her friend Matt is trying to flip a house with his business partner Kenneth, but when Melanie stops by at the house, she finds Kenneth dying, in what just might be an accident. Then Mel, who doesn't believe in ghosts, at least not too much, starts seeing one. Unfortunately, unlike fictional ghosts, hers doesn't remember anything important to tell her. This s...more

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Dec 06, 2010 Caroline rated it 4 of 5 stars

I know some folks disdain books often termed "woo-woo" but I like the paranormal cozies. This is a good one, the first in a new series by Juliet Blackwell and I got it because I like her witchcraft mysteries. Although I'm not a big fan of books set in California or the Bay Area (San Francisco) especially, I did enjoy this book about a young woman who heads a construction company that restores old houses. The humor is great and I like the characters as well as the descriptions of restorations in...more

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Jan 23, 2011 ❂ Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cozy-mystery

Great first! I am a fan of this author's other series', the other one she writes as Juliet Blackwell, and the series she writes with her sister as Hailey Lind. This first in the Haunted Home Renovation series didn't disappoint. The characters are all likeable and well written and I'm looking forward to seeing future character development. I really appreciated too, that I didn't have to suffer through an over abundance of denial about her ability to see ghosts. I'm really looking forward to the n...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

This paranormal mystery was lacking. I mean it was an ok read, sort of entertaining but just ...slow to develop and the main character isn't believable to me. I totally get that Mel, aka Melanie, is a 38 year old divorcee that is pissed at her ex and needing some self pity time but...

She lives in San Francisco, recently lost her mom, has taken over her dads construction business (that she loves) and yet whines about not being able to move to Paris to wallow in self pity. She wears inappropriate...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Brandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Me ha encantado a pesar de que el poco tiempo libre del que disponía hizo que su lectura me durase casi un mes.
Reconozco que tras leer las primeras páginas y con la información que tenía del género no las tenía todas conmigo. Es más, conforme se desarrollaba la acción, que por cierto, es bastante lenta, creí que me encontraba ante una historia llena de tópicos tanto en la parte del suspense como en la parte romántica. Sin embargo hubo dos factores que cambiaron mi actitud hacia el título:
El prim...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Suspense Magazine rated it 4 of 5 stars

After a difficult divorce, Mel Turner yearned to drop her stress and responsibilities and dreamed of living a solitary life in Paris. She figured if she didn’t eat, she could live there happily for years. Plans never quite pan out the way we hope and Mel’s were no different and she’s now responsible for the management of Turner Construction—her father’s business.
When contacted by the teenage son of aging rock star and friend, Matt Addax, with a plea for help she finds Matt passed out in the midd...more After a difficult divorce, Mel Turner yearned to drop her stress and responsibilities and dreamed of living a solitary life in Paris. She figured if she didn’t eat, she could live there happily for years. Plans never quite pan out the way we hope and Mel’s were no different and she’s now responsible for the management of Turner Construction—her father’s business.
When contacted by the teenage son of aging rock star and friend, Matt Addax, with a plea for help she finds Matt passed out in the middle of his newest project, a Pacific Heights mansion in dire need of renovation. Matt has no idea what he’s doing as he dabbles in flipping real estate, so when he begs her to take over, Mel can’t refuse. It’s not your typical mansion, however. Not only is it a mirror image of the one next door, it’s haunted, and not by just any ordinary ghosts.
Kenneth Kostow, Matt’s obnoxious and unscrupulous business partner, has recently met a bad end—injured at some point after the alcohol infused do-it-yourself demo party—and is now the one clanging around. When his deathbed declaration seems to implicate Matt, it’s not long before Matt’s arrested, but he couldn’t possibly have done it. Could he?
Everyone is suspect when this renovation becomes a crime scene and when CAL-OSHA employee, Graham Donovan—a man who sparks hot memories from the past—becomes involved, Mel finds that she has someone she trusts enough to tell about a strange box she finds inside one of the walls. The old cigar box is filled with fake, historically-significant money and a diary. However, it’s become the least of her worries, Mel’s been seeing Kenneth’s ghost, but can only hope that she’s hallucinating.
This heart of the gold rush residence has a past, which includes a possible hoax; field of jewels, family disgrace and suicide. But not everyone believes the jewels were a case of deception and several are hell-bent on finding them and who better to watch than the woman in charge.
This book is filled with quick wit and chuckles throughout and one of the best cozy reads out there. If having ghosts in my house meant this many zany characters were involved, I’d say, “Bring’em on!”
Reviewed by Shannon Raab for Suspense Magazine
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Jan 12, 2011 Vickie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really like Juliet Blackwell's other series, about Lily Ivory the witch from Texas who lives in San Francisco and has a vintage clothing shop. I loved that one from the get-go.
It's going to take the next book to get me to really like Mel Turner and this series. There are some loose ends that I don't remember being tied together at the end or anywhere near the end.
That said, I am looking forward to the next one, due in December 2011. I love the premise of Mel being a strong woman character wh...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cozy-mysteries, 2011

I really enjoyed this book. I can appreciate the character's occupation in trying to rebuild and preserve old houses or if that is not possible, to salvage whatever can be saved. Each character was interesting their own way, the story was fun, the possibilities of romance apparent and the execution by the author wonderful. I've read other stories by this author under different names and have yet to be disappointed by any of them.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

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Jan 25, 2011 Chris Curtis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

I liked this mystery but I think the next one will be even better now that we have been introduced to many of the characters and the location. It wasn't what I expected after looking at the cover and reading the brief description. I expected more time with the ghosts and a spookier story.

The main character was likable and interesting. My one dislike was her crazy wardrobe and the descriptions of it. There were a lot of other characters introduced who will likely become regulars in the series th...more

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About Juliet Blackwell

Juliet Blackwell (aka Julie Goodson-Lawes, aka Hailey Lind) started out life in Palo Alto, California, born of a Texan mother and a Yankee father. The family soon moved to what were, at the time, the sticks of Cupertino, an hour south of San Francisco. Walking to and from kindergarten every day she would indulge in her earliest larcenous activity: stealing walnuts and apricots from surrounding orc...more Juliet Blackwell (aka Julie Goodson-Lawes, aka Hailey Lind) started out life in Palo Alto, California, born of a Texan mother and a Yankee father. The family soon moved to what were, at the time, the sticks of Cupertino, an hour south of San Francisco. Walking to and from kindergarten every day she would indulge in her earliest larcenous activity: stealing walnuts and apricots from surrounding orchards.

By the time she graduated middle school, the orchards were disappearing and the valley at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay had become the cradle of the silicon semi-conductor. A man named Steve Jobs was working in his garage in Cupertino, just down the street. Juliet's father advised his daughters to enter the lucrative and soon-to-flourish field of computers.

"Bah" said Juliet, as she went on to major in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz (they had, by far, the best parties of any department). Rather than making scads of money in computers, she read, painted, learned Spanish and a little French and Vietnamese, lived in Spain and traveled through Europe, Mexico, and Central America. She had a very good time.

uliet pursued graduate degrees in Anthropology and Social Work at the State University of New York at Albany, where she published several non-fiction articles on immigration as well as one book-length translation. Fascinated with other cultural systems, she studied the religions, folklore and medical beliefs of peoples around the world, especially in Latin America. Juliet taught the anthropology of health and health care at SUNY-Albany, and worked as an elementary school social worker in upstate New York. She also did field projects in Mexico and Cuba, studied in Spain, Italy, and France, worked on a BBC production in the Philippines, taught English as a second language in San Jose, and learned how to faux finish walls in Princeton, New Jersey. After having a son, moving back to California, and abandoning her half-written dissertation in cultural anthropology, Juliet started painting murals and portraits for a living. She has run her own mural/faux finish design studio in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, for more than a decade. She specializes in the aesthetic renovation of historic homes.

Finally, to round out her tour of lucrative careers, Juliet turned to writing. Under the pseudonym of Hailey Lind, Juliet penned the Art Lover's Mystery Series with her sister Carolyn, about an ex-art forger trying to go straight by working as a muralist and faux finisher in San Francisco. The first of these, Feint of Art, was nominated for an Agatha Award; Shooting Gallery and Brush with Death were both IMBA bestsellers, and Arsenic and Old Paint is now available from Perseverance Press.

Juliet's Witchcraft Mystery series, about a witch who finally finds a place to fit in when she opens a vintage clothes shop on Haight Street in San Francisco, allows Juliet to indulge yet another interest—the world of witchcraft and the supernatural. Ever since her favorite aunt taught her about reading cards and tea leaves, Juliet has been fascinated with seers, conjurers, and covens from many different cultures and historic traditions. As an anthropologist, the author studied and taught about systems of spirituality, magic, and medicine throughout the world, especially in Latin America. Halloween is by far her favorite holiday.

When not writing, painting, or haranguing her funny but cynical teenaged son, Juliet spends a lot of time restoring her happily haunted house and gardening with Oscar the cat, who ostensibly belongs to the neighbors but won't leave her alone. He started hanging around when Juliet started writing about witches...funny coincidence.
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Books by Juliet Blackwell

Secondhand Spirits (A Witchcraft Mystery, #1)

A Cast-Off Coven (A Witchcraft Mystery, #2)

Hexes and Hemlines (A Witchcraft Mystery, #3)

In a Witch's Wardrobe (A Witchcraft Mystery, #4)

Dead Bolt (A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery #2)

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7885220-if-walls-could-talk?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311704134l/7885220.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7885220-if-walls-could-talk?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell[/url]

If Walls Could Talk (A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery #1)

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