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Home Repair Is Homicide #4
Repair to Her Grave
Home repair can be murder.Jacobia Tiptree and her teenage son are used to their Eastport, Maine, home attracting more than its share of houseguests. This year Jake is hoping the plaster dust will keep them away while she finally gets her gem of a fixer-upper into shape — from doorknobs and chandeliers to leaky pipes to ghostly phenomena.But when the charming and mysterious Jonathan Raines appears on her doorstep — and then just as suddenly disappears — remodeling the house becomes the least of Jake’s problems. Could Jonathan’s disappearance have something to do with his quest for a cursed violin — the one that local legend says was hidden by a long-ago owner of Jake’s house before he too vanished without a trace?Soon Jonathan’s grief-stricken girlfriend arrives downeast, and Jake needs to strip Eastport’s past of its idyllic veneer — before a killer paints her very dead indeed!From the Paperback edition.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2001
136 people are currently reading
646 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Graves
34 books797 followersSarah Graves lives with her husband John, a musician and luthier, and their black Labrador Retriever in a house very much like the one Jacobia Tiptree is remodeling in Eastport, Maine. When she's not writing Jake's adventures, Sarah works with her husband on the house and she plays the 5-string banjo.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
December 1, 2023
3.5
Cozy mystery
Cozy mystery
December 30, 2025
I'm really glad I found two Home Repair books at the used bookstore and that one of them was Book One. Even though this is a couple books ahead, I know the characters, and seeing what's happened to them over the past couple years within the story since the last book was fun and interesting.
I still love Graves' writing style, but I found this one a little flimsier, moving more quickly (which is a good thing for me), but also a little stranger. There is one scene where women are over Jacobia's house for a literary meeting, and there's a skull and a man sharing cordial from a flask and a woman fainting, and it's all happening at once but also overlaid like a flat, one-dimensional painting...it's so bizarre.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this book more than the first when it comes to the mystery itself. It was more complex, and it was interesting with ties to the past and the present and also with a sad message and ending. The murder happened further into the book, and the book is shorter than the first one, so the pacing was better. I still like the details about nature, the town, and the people, and there are plenty more characters, in every sense of the word, from Eastport. The house is frustrating to me because my parents' home is almost two hundred years old, too, and there's always something to fix, but it's nothing near as extreme as Jake's house, and it seems so unrealistic that, after all this time, nothing is done, especially because in book one, the whole downstairs is redone after the fire, so...what happened to all that new work done on the walls and floors when the dining room is falling apart in this book?
I recommend this book to people who like cozy mysteries, Maine, and interesting ties to the art world, the past, music, and other cultural affairs.
Trigger warnings: I can't say what they are without spoilers, but there are a couple of things in here that I wasn't expecting and that are treated pretty casually (in the way they happen, not in the way other characters feel about them) that shouldn't be.
I still love Graves' writing style, but I found this one a little flimsier, moving more quickly (which is a good thing for me), but also a little stranger. There is one scene where women are over Jacobia's house for a literary meeting, and there's a skull and a man sharing cordial from a flask and a woman fainting, and it's all happening at once but also overlaid like a flat, one-dimensional painting...it's so bizarre.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this book more than the first when it comes to the mystery itself. It was more complex, and it was interesting with ties to the past and the present and also with a sad message and ending. The murder happened further into the book, and the book is shorter than the first one, so the pacing was better. I still like the details about nature, the town, and the people, and there are plenty more characters, in every sense of the word, from Eastport. The house is frustrating to me because my parents' home is almost two hundred years old, too, and there's always something to fix, but it's nothing near as extreme as Jake's house, and it seems so unrealistic that, after all this time, nothing is done, especially because in book one, the whole downstairs is redone after the fire, so...what happened to all that new work done on the walls and floors when the dining room is falling apart in this book?
I recommend this book to people who like cozy mysteries, Maine, and interesting ties to the art world, the past, music, and other cultural affairs.
Trigger warnings: I can't say what they are without spoilers, but there are a couple of things in here that I wasn't expecting and that are treated pretty casually (in the way they happen, not in the way other characters feel about them) that shouldn't be.
January 1, 2019
It’s finally summer in eastern Maine, and that usually means that Jacobia(Jake) Tiptree is preparing to rent rooms in her 19th-century-era bed-and-breakfast. But not so this year. The place is just in too much of a state of disrepair, and Jake needs a summer to finish fixing it up. Additionally, she’s not so sure but what the place is haunted by its 1820’s owner, a shady musician.
The repairs are going nicely until Jonathan Raines shows up. He claims Jake agreed to his visit, and that he had been recommended to her place by a cousin in New York. It seems Jonathan is on a bit of a treasure hunt. He’s looking for an old map that could lead the way to a lost Stradivarius.
So, while Jake attempts to repair her place around him, Raines goes in search of the mysterious Strad. And he falls off a dock one dark night and apparently drowns. They can’t find a body, but Jake and her friend, Ellie, carry on with an investigation into why Raines died and where his body might be. The death brings some interesting characters to the small Maine town, including the girl who had broken things off with Raines shortly before his death and her aging antiques-dealer uncle.
This was an ok book—not one whose memories will remain with me long. I’m a lukewarm fan of this series, but I’m anxious to start the author’s Lizzie Snow series, something I’ve not yet done.
The repairs are going nicely until Jonathan Raines shows up. He claims Jake agreed to his visit, and that he had been recommended to her place by a cousin in New York. It seems Jonathan is on a bit of a treasure hunt. He’s looking for an old map that could lead the way to a lost Stradivarius.
So, while Jake attempts to repair her place around him, Raines goes in search of the mysterious Strad. And he falls off a dock one dark night and apparently drowns. They can’t find a body, but Jake and her friend, Ellie, carry on with an investigation into why Raines died and where his body might be. The death brings some interesting characters to the small Maine town, including the girl who had broken things off with Raines shortly before his death and her aging antiques-dealer uncle.
This was an ok book—not one whose memories will remain with me long. I’m a lukewarm fan of this series, but I’m anxious to start the author’s Lizzie Snow series, something I’ve not yet done.
August 20, 2017
Jacobia Tiptree and her son, Sam, live in an old house in Eastport, ME which she is renovating. She is a former financial advisor from Manhattan who moved to ME to remove herself from her promiscuous and emotionally abusive ex-husband, and her son from bad influences. In the 3 years they have been in ME they have been besieged by summer guests and this year they are not accepting any. However, a man appears who says he talked to her in January and had been invited to come. Jonathan Raines, is interested in her house and its original early 19th century owner for his dissertation. Jake is suspicious, but before getting far in her investigation he disappears. Just before his disappearance another man fell from the bluffs into the ocean. Jake and her friend Ellie begin trying to figure out why these men came to Eastport. When Jonathan's girlfriend arrives claiming he was murdered and stirring up old history, they get serious about researching old rumors. There are side stories about Sam and his new girlfriend and about an old-timer who has written a local history. I like these sleuths and the town characters.
June 18, 2020
An old fixer-upper home in a quaint Maine seaside village and a treasure hunt for a valuable antique violin. What’s not to love? Several things, actually. This was my first book by this author, so it took me a while to figure out the cast of characters, who were regulars and who were unique to this story. The complex, twisting plot was engaging, but it was hard to follow at times. There were so many subplots and red herrings that it sometimes became quite confusing. It also took me a while to adjust to the authors style of writing, especially her way of handling direct quotes with “she said” or “he added” inserted awkwardly into the middle of the phrase, creating a distracting interruption in the character’s statement. But even with these few faults, the story kept me interested and wondering how it would all turn out. House renovation became an afterthought once the story really got started and the ending took a while to wrap up all the different plot threads.
November 22, 2018
If there were half stars this would be 3 and a half, but it got a bump up due to my love for the town of Eastport! The mystery is well thought out and written, I enjoy the characters, especially the native Mainers. It is fun to read about places in and around Eastport, many of which I have personally visited. A very enjoyable read!
June 10, 2011
This is the first book in this series that I have read and I can't wait to read the rest. It's great and extremely funny. It's been quite a while since I've read any cozies other than those by Charlaine Harris and I was/am thrilled to find the Cozy Group and get back into reading them. Light-hearted and good clean fun.Home Repair is Homicide is the name of the series and it's quick and easy to read.
August 21, 2020
Meh. An OK read that I generally enjoyed so rounded up to three stars.
I generally liked the characters. I particularly that Jacobia seems to be finding her backbone in relation to her ex, Victor. I also appreciated that she was growing in relationship to her relationship with her son, Sam.
I also generally liked the plot, setting, and adventures Jacobia is having in renovating her home. That said, the plot line this time did get fairly convoluted and had a few areas that were contrived. But, still it held my interest long enough to make it a quick, easy read.
Overall, I think this is another book I can add to my list of decent books to read during a global pandemic - one that is entertaining enough but does not demand too much of my time or attention while I direct those resources toward more important projects such as reconfiguring my businesses to meet the new physical-distancing protocols, and staying in touch in safe ways with people I love and so also worry about during these times.
I will read the next one of the series.
I generally liked the characters. I particularly that Jacobia seems to be finding her backbone in relation to her ex, Victor. I also appreciated that she was growing in relationship to her relationship with her son, Sam.
I also generally liked the plot, setting, and adventures Jacobia is having in renovating her home. That said, the plot line this time did get fairly convoluted and had a few areas that were contrived. But, still it held my interest long enough to make it a quick, easy read.
Overall, I think this is another book I can add to my list of decent books to read during a global pandemic - one that is entertaining enough but does not demand too much of my time or attention while I direct those resources toward more important projects such as reconfiguring my businesses to meet the new physical-distancing protocols, and staying in touch in safe ways with people I love and so also worry about during these times.
I will read the next one of the series.
June 2, 2020
Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree opens the door to Jonathan Raines, a visitor who says she agreed to host months ago. Jake doesn’t remember agreeing but he’s there now. The house is under construction and she along with best friend Ellie will be hosting a ladies group in a few days.
Jake is suspicious but before she can look into things, there is a report of a man falling off the pier.
Jake and Ellie of course are going to investigate. There are a couple of great storylines flowing through. The characters and relationships are evolving. Through the earlier books and continued here, there is the mystery of the house.
The pace of the story is on point and keeps things moving on the main plot while weaving in the subplots. I like that loose ends were tied up in a way that made sense and not just to end the story.
A good read but as mentioned before these are a bit “edgy” for cozy mysteries, at least the ones I’ve read.
Happy Reading!
Jake is suspicious but before she can look into things, there is a report of a man falling off the pier.
Jake and Ellie of course are going to investigate. There are a couple of great storylines flowing through. The characters and relationships are evolving. Through the earlier books and continued here, there is the mystery of the house.
The pace of the story is on point and keeps things moving on the main plot while weaving in the subplots. I like that loose ends were tied up in a way that made sense and not just to end the story.
A good read but as mentioned before these are a bit “edgy” for cozy mysteries, at least the ones I’ve read.
Happy Reading!
March 12, 2023
3.5-3.7 stars. These are definitely NOT cozy mysteries. They deal with some pretty heavy topics, the author seems to be moving away from the humor of the first couple of books and the writing, while leaving something to be desired at times is definitely darker. Jake andEllie are investigating the disappearance of a guest at Ellie’s home as well as on a treasure hunt for a missing violin, which if found would be priceless. Sam is caught in a love triangle and Jake is worried he is showing more traits like his father, Victor. The town remains mired I. Relationships and gossip and Victor is as sleazy as ever!!
November 29, 2018
This was a complicated cozy mystery. It was also one of the most depressing I've read in this series. The basis of the series is a divorced woman with a philandering ex and a teenage son moves into a fixer upper in eastern coastal Maine. Her ex follows her to Maine. That's the happy part. She believes her house is haunted and bunch of people start showing up to search for the treasure in her house's history. It gets complicated. I've read a number of Sarah Graves' books and plan on reading the rest.
June 18, 2018
This book was a lot of fun, especially since it finally addressed some threads that Graves had been dangling, intentionally and intriguingly, in her earlier books. While I'm a little bummed that there won't be more threads coming from that direction, I have no doubt that Graves will figure out other plot points to dangle tauntingly in further books. Though, heck, even without them? I'm still a fan of Jake Tiptree.
September 20, 2019
Cozy mystery is a really good description of this book. I felt warm and cozy while reading it. The setting is great, a small island on the coast of Maine. The characters are likable and the atmosphere makes me wish I lived in Eastport too.
The mystery was interesting but got a little convoluted. It starts as a hunt for an old violin, but soon we are diving into local history and pirates. A very enjoyable read.
The mystery was interesting but got a little convoluted. It starts as a hunt for an old violin, but soon we are diving into local history and pirates. A very enjoyable read.
December 2, 2020
I enjoyed the continuing saga of Jacobia Tiptree. These are great books to loose yourself in during stressful times. Jake and Ellie's perils are serious and they survive them cleverly. Good happens along the way. Life is jagged, but endurable, and there is real joy, often. Plus, the tips on house maintenance are real. I give the same review for all her Home Repair is Homicide books, they are good.
December 10, 2021
Solid! These mysteries don’t quite reach a solid 4 stars, just like Murder, She Wrote wasn’t television excellence. “Also, the broken,” she said, “dialogue is very,” her face scrunched up in a moue, “annoying.” And yet! There’s something comforting about the calm voice of the narrator and the cadence of the Maine accents.
February 19, 2022
Great cozy mystery. I had an idea who was the murderer was. It was still a"oh! It was them!" moment. For sure just a mystery book. If you're looking for romance mystery, this is not it and I'm glad for it. I find that it makes a much better read to not have unnecessary flirting/romance scenes. They're just filler and books without them show a better skill of building the story.
I've heard people complain that there isn't enough home repair info for boasting as a home repair series. I disagree. I felt there was just enough. Too much and its filling out a book to make up for a lack in actual story content. This was a just right middle ground. Enough to keep the theme but not hinder the story.
I've heard people complain that there isn't enough home repair info for boasting as a home repair series. I disagree. I felt there was just enough. Too much and its filling out a book to make up for a lack in actual story content. This was a just right middle ground. Enough to keep the theme but not hinder the story.
May 11, 2022
Set in Eastport, ME - Jacobia Tiptree is a finance wiz from NYC who escapes NYC to settle on the island with her son, Sam. she and her friend, Ellie, solve mysteries in their spare time!
Houseguest arrives and is searching for the violin of the former owner of Jacobia's house. Who else is after the violin?
Jacobia is coping with plaster dust and open walls in her dining room.
Houseguest arrives and is searching for the violin of the former owner of Jacobia's house. Who else is after the violin?
Jacobia is coping with plaster dust and open walls in her dining room.
June 4, 2017
I enjoy the setting which is downeast Maine but I feel that the author got a little beyond herself here. The ending was very convoluted and for me, hard to follow. The main character kept thinking she had everything figured out only to discover that she didn't. That happened multiple times.
July 14, 2017
I enjoy this series. The books have good mysteries. They are not solve all at once. When you get a solution, its the got the person or solution. However, the story does not end there. They are always loose ends to tie up. Really enjoyable reading. Enjoyable look at small towns vs New York city.
August 8, 2017
Good mystery series, this is number four. Setting in Maine is vivid, characters are believable. I never figure things out very fast. Some good tips on home repair as well. I have the next seven waiting in the wings.
February 8, 2018
Second mystery in this series I have read. I find them more original and overall interesting than the average serial mystery. Ms Graves might approach the recently deceased Sue Grafton whom I adored, on my list of favorite mystery writers.
June 3, 2018
I don't really feel this series. I don't like any characters, the supernatural background is disturbing (not in a good way), there is basically nothing cozy about this story and I really would prefer nice mystery where there is a real investigation, a lot of suspects and so on.
August 12, 2018
Jake is always likable. This one has a surprise guest looking for a violin, then he disappears. Her son is involved with a very questionable girl, Jill. She turns out to be even worse than Jake first thinks. I don't know why she says she's going to be there for the girl in the end.
March 17, 2019
This series started out pretty good, but on this one the author spends more time with the main character thinking up different theories about whodunit and very little action. I got so bored I didn't even finish it. I like the characters but the plot/story line was too sluggish.
April 21, 2019
Sins of the fathers
Seems like all families have a few skeletons they would rather not uncover. But what if doing so would turn up a valuable antique or a chest of gold or even free a spirit to move on?
It's complicated. And murder just never ends well.
Seems like all families have a few skeletons they would rather not uncover. But what if doing so would turn up a valuable antique or a chest of gold or even free a spirit to move on?
It's complicated. And murder just never ends well.
November 30, 2022
This book was good. This was the fourth book in this series I've read. It was creative and entertaining. It kept my attention and was hard to put down. Better than expected, and worth the time to read.
June 7, 2017
Liked the basic premise of the book, but some of the plot lines were a bit too contrived, in my opinion, and the ending was a bit too neat.
August 15, 2017
great stuff
November 24, 2017
First book I've read in this entertaining series. Jacobia Tiptree and Ellie are friends who are also "detectives" in Eastport, Maine.
December 24, 2017
Not my favorite, but I still enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews