If Walls Could Talk

Haunted Home Renovation, Book 1

De: Juliet Blackwell

Narrado por: Xe Sands

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 presence of the murdered man - and not end up a construction casualty herself....

©2010 Julie Goodson-Lawes (P)2013 Tantor

Haunted house mysteries rock

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I loved this book, it is laugh out loud funny, and full of wonderful details on renovating old houses.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hard to say who a favorite character would be, I liked them all.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked the first time the ghost shows himself to Melanie.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did listen to this book in one sitting. That's the great thing about audiobooks, you're free to do many other things while listening. With hard copy you're tethered to the book and turning the pages.

Any additional comments?

Xe Sands once again does a fantastic job narrating this book. She amplifies the story so well and makes the characters really pop.

Nice surprise

Would you listen to If Walls Could Talk again? Why?

Yes, I would. I found that the second listen was actually better than the first.

What other book might you compare If Walls Could Talk to and why?

It was different, I enjoyed the building side and ghosts.

What about Xe Sands’s performance did you like?

At first I thought her words were non distinct. Shortly after I appreciated her manor and she created since of humor.

A good cozy - but not the best narration

In this book you meet Mel, the head of a construction company & soon to be detective. The murder gets set up early on in the book so you dive right in to the "what" aspect of the whodunnit. The "who" part of the equation is slow at first, and you don't really know who to trust. I liked that the murderer wasn't served to the listener on a silver platter, but took real guesswork. The "why" was a bit hit and miss, it makes sense but is somewhat convoluted and drug out. Overall it has an interesting twist with Mel's ability to see ghosts, and the cast of characters are like able. My only qualm is the narrator, every male character sounded exactly the same which made it a little hard to keep up in some scenes. Overall a good listen for a lighthearted cozy.

Interesting story

Would you consider the audio edition of If Walls Could Talk to be better than the print version?

Yes. I enjoy audio books because I can do other things while I listen to them.

What other book might you compare If Walls Could Talk to and why?

The E.J. Cooperman series.

Which scene was your favorite?

When she first saw Kenneth.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, they all are.

Any additional comments?

Great story and great narration.

Who knew murder could be so much fun!

I love Juliet Blackwell's writing style. Her main characters always are polite and thoughtful with a dash of humility. Mel is no different she's a smart confident woman (although she doesn't know it) working in a man's world. After reading this book I immediately bought the next. If or when your looking for good clean fun stop right here.

An enjoyable mystery

I really liked this book. I normally listen to romance and paranormal so this was a step to the side for me. I thought the story was great, the characters interesting, and the mystery kept me guessing. The narrator did a fantastic job; I was able to tell all the characters apart just from the voices. Nicely done!

A really fun read for a cold winter day.

I had fairly low expectations for this book, but you know what?? It was fun, kept my interest, was just ridiculous enough to be fantasy, and practical enough (love the mystery set in a house remodel) to maintain a good story line. I know when our house remodel took more than two years I was ready for some mayhem and murder, wished for ghosts to explain all the delays and problems, and was in sore need of a hero. Don't expect deep implications, profound insights, earth-shattering changes in your life. Expect a good time with some mystery, some romance, so laughs and some puzzles.

Not too bad

The story had good potential & was an easy listen. My of real complaints are that the main character, who is given LOTS of evidence she could be in real danger, acts as if nothing is wrong. She continues to put herself in danger, which is fine &even expected since it's how the story flows, but she seems oblivious to it when anyone else would be scared or at least a little nervous. Second, the narrator seems almost as if she's distracted &doesn't show much emotion when reading, even during the more exciting scenes. That being said, it's not a bad book. I got it on a 2 for 1 so it was worth that.

Great narration/performance Xe Sands

I enjoyed a touch of supernatural in the story. Combined with great performance, very enjoyable.

Thrilled that there are eight books!

I am new to this author and came here for Xe Sands narration. To say I am in love with the premise and characters is an understatement! The amount of dry humor makes me laugh out loud several times while listening. I am currently on book 5. I will be sad when the series comes to an end.