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Haunted Home Renovation Mysteries

Melanie Turner, a failed anthropologist, takes over her father’s company, Turner Construction, which specializes in renovating historic homes in the San Francisco Bay Area. But when Mel starts seeing—and communicating with—ghosts on her job sites, she realizes she just might be able to unlock the secrets of the past, as well as help solve a few modern-day murders.

The Last Curtain Call

Book 8

A new ghoulish mystery for ghost whisperer Mel Turner…

Mel Turner can’t resist the chance to bring the Crockett Theatre, a decrepit San Francisco art nouveau movie palace, back to life. But there’s a catch for Turner Construction: Several artists are currently squatting in the building, and they aren’t the only ones haunting the once-grand halls of the historic theater….

When one of the squatters is found dead, the police department has a long list of suspects to investigate. Meanwhile, Mel and her fiancé, Landon, are remodeling an old house for themselves, and Mel finds it more challenging than she expected to be on the other side of a home renovation project.

When Mel discovers that the original owner of the Crockett Theatre died under mysterious circumstances, and that there just might be a connection to the ghost haunting her own attic, the case takes a new turn—one that could bring down the curtain for the last time.

“Like the Mighty Wurlitzer, Blackwell pulls out all the stops.”
Kirkus Reviews

“I loved the beautifully portrayed San Francisco setting, the ghosts, as well as Mel’s ongoing quest to discover why she is so sensitive to them.”
Mystery Scene Magazine

“I am overjoyed to recommend this book and the entire series to readers who enjoy ghosts, renovation, phenomenal characters and electrifying plots filled with action.”
The Cozy Review

A Ghostly Light

Book 7

It will take a beacon of ghostly intervention to guide contractor Mel Turner to the truth…

When her friend Alicia hires Turner Construction to renovate a historic lighthouse in the San Francisco Bay, Mel Turner can’t wait to get her hands dirty. Alicia plans to transform the island property into a welcoming inn, and while Mel has never attempted a project so ambitious—or so tall—before, she’s definitely up for the challenge.

But trouble soon arises when Alicia’s abusive ex-husband shows up to threaten both her and Mel, and later turns up dead at the base of the lighthouse stairs. With no other suspects in sight, things start looking choppy for Alicia. Now, if Mel wants to clear her friend’s name, she’ll need the help of the lighthouse’s resident ghosts to shine a light on the real culprit…

“I really enjoyed the paranormal elements that help make this mystery a good read that will make you jump at all the things that go bump in the night.”
Fresh Fiction

“This book is a delightful fast read with several twists and turns that will keep the reader not only turning the page but surprised by the outcome.”
The Cozy Review

“I recommend it to fans of the series, those who like a ghost or two in their mysteries, and readers looking for well developed characters and a San Francisco setting.”
Open Book Society

Give Up the Ghost

Book 6

San Francisco contractor and ghost whisperer Mel Turner must solve a murder mystery at a haunted mansion in the Pacific Heights…

San Francisco millionaire Andrew Flynt wants to sell his Victorian mansion, but ghostly music, the squeaking of a long-disappeared weathervane, and an angry ghost keep running off potential buyers. After a famous psychic is called in, she informs the Flynts that their multi-million-dollar renovations to “update” the home have left its resident ghost extremely agitated. So contractor Mel Turner is engaged to track down and replace some of the original features of the house.

But when the beautiful psychic is found stabbed, it appears someone had a very human motive for murder. Now Mel must use her ghost whispering gift to uncover the secrets of the haunted house on the hill, and her sleuthing skills to catch a killer.

“Juliet Blackwell is adept at writing a humorous blend of the organized, black-and-white world of construction and the nebulous, intangible sphere of ghosts.”
Open Book Society

“One of the most enjoyable aspects of this series is Juliet Blackwell’s vivid depiction of the San Francisco and Oakland settings… [a] very suspenseful and compelling mystery.”
King’s River Life Magazine

“Excellent… Juliet Blackwell has one again created a haunting mystery filled with ghosts, murder, and a touch of romance. She always leaves me guessing and wondering who did it.”
Night Owl Suspense

Keeper of the Castle

Book 5

Mel Turner gets hired for a job that’s to die for.

Lately, Mel has been worried about finding enough historic renovation work to pay the bills. But while Turner Construction is in need of a project, Mel’s boyfriend, Graham, has his hands full managing the reconstruction of an ancient building shipped over from Scotland.

With the job plagued by rumors that the stones are cursed, Graham brings in Mel to look for paranormal activity. And while the ghost of a charming Scottish clansman does seem to be hanging around the site, the real shock comes when they stumble upon a body.

When the original construction crew starts running scared, Mel brings in her team to finish the job. Now all she has to do is nail down the killer, and put the spirits to rest, before anyone else winds up heading for the highlands…

“Juliet Blackwell never fails to give you a good haunted mystery. This one kept me guessing and wondering throughout the book. It’s just wonderful.”
Night Owl Suspense

“Yet another highly enjoyable adventure with Mel that gave us a Scottish fling without leaving California… Buy it now and put this author on your watch list!”
Mysteries and My Musings

Home for the Haunting

Book 4

No good deed goes unpunished…

San Francisco contractor Mel Turner has agreed to lead a volunteer home renovation project. And while she expects lots of questions from her inexperienced crew, she can’t help asking a few of her own—especially about the haunted house next door…the place local kids call the Murder House.

But when a few volunteers discover a body while cleaning out a shed, questions pile up faster than discarded lumber. Mel notices a few signs of ghostly activity next door and she wonders—are the Murder House ghosts reaching out to her for help? It’s up to Mel to investigate murders both past and present before a spooky killer finishes another job.

“…fascinating and keeps readers thinking that there is more than meets the eye.”
Romantic Times Book Reviews

“Blackwell’s latest is not only a complex and well-crafted mystery, but it’s a wonderfully creepy and poignant ghost story, as well.”
The Season for Romance

“Just when I think Juliet Blackwell can’t get any better, she ratchets it up a notch. Home for the Haunting, her latest Haunted Home Renovation mystery is her best yet, an intense, riveting story about a tragedy.”
Lesa’s Book Critiques

Murder on the House

Book 3

Bed and Breakfast…with a side of ghosts.

Since word has spread that contractor Mel Turner can communicate with the spirits of the dead, it’s been difficult to maintain a low profile. She embraces her new reputation, however, for the chance to restore an historic house in San Francisco’s Castro District. The new owners, who hope to run a haunted B&B, want Mel to encourage the ghosts that supposedly roam the halls to enhance the paranormal charm.

The catch: Mel has to spend one night in the house to win the project. But during the spine-chilling sleepover, the estate gains another spectral inhabitant—when someone doesn’t survive the night. And as Mel tries to coax the resident spirits into revealing the identity of the killer, she risks becoming the next casualty of this dangerous renovation.

“…take a strong heroine who doesn’t pretend to be fearless, and an offbeat cast of characters, add a pinch of humor, and toss in history of the San Francisco area. That’s the recipe for an entertaining mystery.”
Lesa’s Book Critiques

“Juliet Blackwell splendidly synthesizes sass, spooks, and supernatural in Murder on the House. In fact, Blackwell had me all hammered up and heading off to Home Depot to grab some tools.”
Blogcritics

“Murder on the House is a winning combination of cozy mystery, architectural history and DIY with a ghost story thrown in, and somehow manages not to feel overstuffed.”
The Mystery Reader

Dead Bolt

Book 2

Ghosts aren’t the only ones getting in the way of the renovation…

General Contractor Melanie Turner’s latest restoration is a historic Queen Anne Victorian in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood. Trouble is, she’ll have to work around the owners, the Daley family, who refuse to leave during the construction. But when eerie things start happening around the site, the Daleys threaten to call off the renovation for fear the work is disrupting ghosts who live on the property.

But the ghosts aren’t the only ones getting in the way of the renovation. The Daley’s neighbors aren’t exactly thrilled by the muss and fuss of the construction project. When Mel’s father finds a dead body, Mel must tack on one more task to her growing to-do list. She has to finish the job, bring the house back from the brink, and complete her greatest renovation project yet: restoring her reputation…

“Cozy fans will want to see a lot more of the endearing Mel.”
Publishers Weekly

“Cleverly plotted with a terrific sense of the history of the greater Bay Area, Blackwell’s series has plenty of ghosts and supernatural happenings to keep readers entertained and off balance.”
Library Journal

“This is a great ghost book… If you enjoy some spooky with your cozy this will delight you and have you anxious for more…”
Mysteries and My Musings

If Walls Could Talk

Book 1

Mel Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But more than her reputation is on the line….

Since she took over her father’s construction business, Mel Turner’s 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 renovation 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 tracking down the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man.

Mel’s only clue is an odd box she discovers inside a wall at the job site. If she can make sense of its mysterious contents, she might be able to nail a killer—before she herself becomes the next construction casualty…

“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!”
Suspense Magazine

“Juliet Blackwell’s writing is able to mix paranormal experiences with everyday life that leave you wondering what you just saw out of the corner of your eye… a good solid read.”
The Romance Readers Connection

“This was a quick read mainly because I just had to keep going to find out what was going to happen next. There’s enough excitement to keep you reading until late in the night.”
Fresh Fiction