Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree's leisurely summer dreams involve rebuilding the front porch of her Maine fixer-upper and shingling the leaky tool shed out back. That's why she's hired the avenging angel of household hygiene, Bella Diamond, to keep her house—and her teenage son Sam—in tip-top shape. But when Bella confides in Jake that she's been receiving death threats, Jake has two choices: find out who is frightening the hapless housekeeper—or risk losing her. With a marauding moose loose in town, a troublesome love triangle occupying Sam, and her estranged relatives about to descend for the Fourth of July—and the upstairs bedroom still unpainted—Jake's summer is sure to be anything but peaceful. No matter how carefully you remodel your life, murder can take up residence anywhere.
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"Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree and friend, Ellie, figure out who murdered housekeeper, Bella's ex-husband. Enjoyable. "
— Kitty (4 out of 5 stars)
“Narrator Lindsay Ellison deals efficiently with ex-cons, ex-husbands, ex-girlfriends, and a housekeeper suffering from CCD—compulsive cleaning disorder—brought on by stress. Ellison switches from standard speech to a down-east accent without slipping into caricature. She’s especially winning as Jake copes with exploding radiators, long-lost relatives, and moose puke in her kitchen.”
— AudioFile" I listened to this one in the car. It took me a little while to get into the story, but eventually I did. It's my first of this series. Wonder if I would've gotten into the story sooner if I'd read earlier books in the series first. "
— Lesley, 11/21/2013" These people grow on you when you read series of cozy mysteries. "
— Margaret, 10/27/2013" Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree and friend, Ellie, figure out who murdered housekeeper, Bella's ex-husband. Enjoyable. "
— Kitty, 10/20/2013" I think that has been my favorite one so far! Great story, indeed! Can't elaborate lest I tell too many spoilers! "
— Pat, 8/28/2013" This book just didn't capture my interest. "
— Angie, 5/19/2013" I enjoy these because they're about Maine. "
— Gretchen, 3/27/2013" This book in the series was a little less interesting, and I felt it went a little too much into the excessive cleaning of the housekeeper who helps out Jake, but it did have a good tip on fixing a hairline plaster crack! "
— Cheryl, 9/12/2012" I tried to listen to this on audio, but, like Diane Mott Davidson, it seems that these are meant to be read, not read to you. Typical cozy mystery with local flavor - enjoyable, mostly forgettable. "
— Holly, 3/15/2012" An unfocused, meandering narrative and excruciating dullness make this decidedly not worth your time. "
— Jack, 2/21/2012" Okay plot, excessively perky writing, delightful Maine coast setting. "
— Kathy, 2/11/2012" now this book was absolutly awsome. i loved it to death. i couldn't put it down. "
— Francesca, 1/4/2012" "yeow", said the cat. "mmrrfff" went the moose. blech. "
— Lisa, 10/28/2011" I really enjoyed this one, it even made me laugh out loud! "
— Janet, 6/18/2011" I didn't need ALL the Repair tips! "
— Edna, 4/20/2011" Eastport, moose spit, killer granny "
— Helen, 3/31/2011" I really enjoyed this one, it even made me laugh out loud! "
— Janet, 1/23/2011" I listened to this one in the car. It took me a little while to get into the story, but eventually I did. It's my first of this series. Wonder if I would've gotten into the story sooner if I'd read earlier books in the series first. "
— Lesley, 10/23/2010" This is a mystery book. clean language. Easy reading. Jake is repairing her home and wins a month of free cleaning. The lady who comes to clean, cleans too much-things she shouldn't. Her husband ends up dead and Jake figures out who the killer is. "
— Anne, 5/24/2010" This book just didn't capture my interest. "
— Angie, 2/27/2009" I enjoy these because they're about Maine. "
— Gretchen, 2/4/2009" I didn't need ALL the Repair tips! "
— Edna, 1/11/2009" I tried to listen to this on audio, but, like Diane Mott Davidson, it seems that these are meant to be read, not read to you. Typical cozy mystery with local flavor - enjoyable, mostly forgettable. "
— Holly, 5/25/2008" now this book was absolutly awsome. i loved it to death. i couldn't put it down. "
— Francesca, 3/14/2008" This book in the series was a little less interesting, and I felt it went a little too much into the excessive cleaning of the housekeeper who helps out Jake, but it did have a good tip on fixing a hairline plaster crack! "
— Cheryl, 2/16/2008Sarah Graves lives with her husband in Eastport, Maine, in the 1823 Federal-style house that helped inspire her books. This series and the author’s real-life experience have been featured in House & Garden and USA Today.
Lindsay Ellison is a narrator, producer, director, editor, performer, teacher, and a published and recorded songwriter and poet. She has narrated hundreds of audiobooks for the Library of Congress and the Perkins School for the Blind. She is an improvisational storyteller and a spokesperson for art and literacy on several New England television stations, and she coaches the art of narration nationally.