“Fixing to Die” by Elaine Viets — a “restoration comedy” murder mystery — setting inspired by Retro Renovation!
pam kueber - Updated: June 23, 2021
Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.
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:
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.
Carrie’s husband bought her a Dishmaster when the project was completed. 🙂
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.
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 right up top in the Acknowledgments at the beginning of the book!
We’re in the shopping section:
In the shopping section at the back of the book… Many of our advertisers are mentioned as well!
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:
Retro Renovation reader Carrie’s kitchen inspired the setting for Elaine Viet’s latest Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper murder mystery, Fixing to Die
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:
Pam, do you get credit for the affiliate link purchase? If so, is there one for the Kindle addition? Thanks, I love to read books like this and am always looking for another!
Shambiesays
I’m going to download this to iPad and read it in my pink bathtub!
Ordered it for my Nook as soon as I read about it here. Sat down and read it in one go. How fun to read about their saved Mamie pink bath room. I am sure I must read more of Elaine’s books!
pam kuebersays
You are a way faster reader than me! I can’t wait to hear how they saved a pink bathroom!!!
lisasays
Wow! I love Elaine’s other books. She is good at making great humor out of not-that-funny things like chronic underemployment and entitled rich people. Fun plots, light reading. And I guess I should have known about the Retrorenovation connection from her descriptions of the vintage apartment complex in Florida.
It’s true, Lisa. My Dead-End Job series (and we’ve all worked at least one low-paying job) is set in South Florida at the Coronado Tropic Apartments, built in 1949 and furnished in vintage MCM.
hannahsays
Well how about this!! This is just wonderfully exciting news for you, the blog and all us fans of RR. This will be a must purchase for sure.
Thank you, Pam, and the readers of Retrorenovation. You’ve made my Monday.
pam kuebersays
You’re welcome! But back at you, this is so exciting!
Scottsays
Just from my own string of projects this year this seems like a totally plausible premise for a book and how! 🙂
Mary Elizabethsays
Yes, I know what you mean. I wrote a whole series of poems about my home renovation and the continuing benign but sometimes spooky presence of the deceased original owners.
Some of the projects I’ve read about here this year were rather scary, weren’t they? Like Chad’s crooked house. Surprised he didn’t find a body somewhere in all those walls.
Robin, NVsays
I never felt like the original owners were watching me – it’s the house that gave me the “hairy eyeball” for the first year or so! I always got the feeling that he regarded me as “that whippersnapper who’s gonna change everything.” We’re past that now. I think he’s quite satisfied with the new siding we put on him.
I had a cat who dipped its paw in black enamal and tracked it across a beige carpet, Tammy. I wasn’t laughing then.
Sam Rsays
I have several purple footprints in my current, mildly vandalized renovation project. It was leftover paint from when someone painted the doors purple, then some idiot knocked it over and tracked it around in a few places.
The cat probably at least looked cute while doing it.
Thanks for the reminder, Janet. FIXING TO DIE is a paperback and an e-book, available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and more.
Mary Elizabethsays
Love mysteries, love touch of comedy in mysteries, and love renovation. So how could I not? But I chose the paperback from B&N over the Nook Book because they were the same price, and this is one I’m going to want to pass on to my friends.
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!
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!
Pat says
I will definitely be reading this book!
Laura says
Pam, do you get credit for the affiliate link purchase? If so, is there one for the Kindle addition? Thanks, I love to read books like this and am always looking for another!
Shambie says
I’m going to download this to iPad and read it in my pink bathtub!
Elaine Viets says
The perfect setting, Shambie.
linda h says
Ordered it for my Nook as soon as I read about it here. Sat down and read it in one go. How fun to read about their saved Mamie pink bath room. I am sure I must read more of Elaine’s books!
pam kueber says
You are a way faster reader than me! I can’t wait to hear how they saved a pink bathroom!!!
lisa says
Wow! I love Elaine’s other books. She is good at making great humor out of not-that-funny things like chronic underemployment and entitled rich people. Fun plots, light reading. And I guess I should have known about the Retrorenovation connection from her descriptions of the vintage apartment complex in Florida.
Elaine Viets says
It’s true, Lisa. My Dead-End Job series (and we’ve all worked at least one low-paying job) is set in South Florida at the Coronado Tropic Apartments, built in 1949 and furnished in vintage MCM.
hannah says
Well how about this!! This is just wonderfully exciting news for you, the blog and all us fans of RR. This will be a must purchase for sure.
Congratulations!
pam kueber says
Thank you, hannah!
Elaine Viets says
Thank you, Pam, and the readers of Retrorenovation. You’ve made my Monday.
pam kueber says
You’re welcome! But back at you, this is so exciting!
Scott says
Just from my own string of projects this year this seems like a totally plausible premise for a book and how! 🙂
Mary Elizabeth says
Yes, I know what you mean. I wrote a whole series of poems about my home renovation and the continuing benign but sometimes spooky presence of the deceased original owners.
Some of the projects I’ve read about here this year were rather scary, weren’t they? Like Chad’s crooked house. Surprised he didn’t find a body somewhere in all those walls.
Robin, NV says
I never felt like the original owners were watching me – it’s the house that gave me the “hairy eyeball” for the first year or so! I always got the feeling that he regarded me as “that whippersnapper who’s gonna change everything.” We’re past that now. I think he’s quite satisfied with the new siding we put on him.
Elaine Viets says
I usually wanted to murder a contractor — or the author of the article who said what I’d just messed up was “simple and quick.”
tammyCA says
How cool is that?! I will have to put it on my Christmas list now. The cover art is neat, too.
Elaine Viets says
I had a cat who dipped its paw in black enamal and tracked it across a beige carpet, Tammy. I wasn’t laughing then.
Sam R says
I have several purple footprints in my current, mildly vandalized renovation project. It was leftover paint from when someone painted the doors purple, then some idiot knocked it over and tracked it around in a few places.
The cat probably at least looked cute while doing it.
Elaine Viets says
Thanks for the reminder, Janet. FIXING TO DIE is a paperback and an e-book, available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and more.
Mary Elizabeth says
Love mysteries, love touch of comedy in mysteries, and love renovation. So how could I not? But I chose the paperback from B&N over the Nook Book because they were the same price, and this is one I’m going to want to pass on to my friends.
Elaine Viets says
Hope you and your friends enjoy Josie’s latest adventure, Mary Elizabeth.
Janet Cloninger says
It’s also available in the iBooks bookstore, for us Apple fan girls and boys. I just downloaded my copy to my iPad.