“Fixing to Die” by Elaine Viets — a “restoration comedy” murder mystery — setting inspired by Retro Renovation!

 

And the fun just keeps on coming. Here’s something I would never in a million years have expected: RetroRenovation.com and a reader’s kitchen remodel — Carrie’s — has inspired the setting for a “restoration comedy” murder mystery by a bestselling author. The book, just out, is Fixing to Die: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper, by Elaine Viets (affiliate link). Elaine Viets gives the blog lots of shout-outs in the book — clearly, she is an intent reader — and now, we are immortalized in the Library of Congress. Woot! This is a real-deal book: It debuted at #9 on the Barnes & Noble paperback list!  It’s available in both paperback and for Kindle — quick, there’s still time to get your copy before Christmas!

Viets first contacted me about this project a full 11 months ago, in January 2013. Elaine (may I call you Elaine?) also expressed her love for the retro:

Dear Pam Kueber,

My name is Elaine Viets and I write mysteries for Obsidian, a division of Penguin in New York. I’ve fallen in love with the retro kitchens on your site, especially Carrie’s $6,000 renovation.

I would like my character, Josie Marcus, to renovate her retro kitchen in my new mystery, and of course I’d mention your site.

I’d also like to introduce my readers to the delights of retro kitchens and to the important and useful resources on your site.

May I use some of Carrie’s photos to show readers what a well-designed retro kitchen looks like on my Facebook page? I would of course give proper credit to your site and to Carrie.

You can check out my mysteries at www.elaineviets.com.

My husband and I renovated a 90-year-old flat in St. Louis some years ago. We now live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In St. Louis I owned a vintage Magic Chef which I had to leave behind but loved.

Elaine Viets

This weekend, my copy of Fixing to Die arrived in my mailbox (Viets send me a copy for free). When I cracked it open, I was super surprised and delighted to see lots of love expressed for the blog, and for Carrie and her epic kitchen remodel. Readers of this book surely be encouraged to check out our little community!

We’re in the smack dab front of the book:

We’re in the shopping section:

Carrie gets a special shout out in the Shopping section — her kitchen remodel was Viets’ inspiration for the setting for her murder mystery solved by protagonist Josie Marcus:

Thank you, for your immense generosity, Elaine!

I also love Elaine’s dedication, to her grandmother:

And she signed my copy for me!:

Fixing to Die is a murder mystery — but Viets also calls it a “restoration comedy.” I started reading my copy over the weekend. If you are a regular reader of the blog, you will be laughing right off the top. Hint: Viets has noticed my rants against the greige nation, I think. Tee hee. So far I have only read the first 30 pages — but clearly, the process of buying a house, then renovating it, plays a very key role in the plot. The dead body is found during the remodeling process… and the mystery unfolds, with trusty sleuth Josie Marcus hot on the trail of the killer — not to mention her kitchen renovation!

What a happy way end to another year of Retro Renovation! Thanks, Elaine… super mega thanks, Carrie… and thanks to all you readers — you never know where your inspiring projects will end up!

You can get your copy here (affiliate linky dink) — there also is a Kindle version: