The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly

Item: The Barn Identity
Rating: 5
Author: BaronessMom

Posted August 1, 2026 by BaronessMom in Mystery, Review, Series / 0 Comments

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Barn Identity

by Diane Kelly

Series: House-Flipper Mysteries #8
Series Rating:

Published by Minotaur Books on March 31, 2026
Setting: Tennessee
Genres: Cozy Animal Mystery
Format: Kindle, Paperback
Source: the Publisher
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Also in this series: Dead Post Society

The eighth in the House-Flipper mystery series set in Nashville, TN, where the real estate market is to die for.

In Nashville, carpenter Whitney Whitaker is ecstatic when she discovers an abandoned barn perfect for her next project. However, since the surrounding former farmland has now developed into a shiny new shopping center, it seems the decrepit antebellum barn that once served as a livery stable should be torn down to make way for something more modern. Even so, Whitney can’t help but think the barn should be preserved. While unproven, it’s rumored the building once served as a hiding place for escaped slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. She convinces her cousin to take a chance on the old property. After all, the barn would make a unique retail space or, with its high ceilings and wide walls, could be turned into an arthouse cinema.

When a local print journalist reporting on the renovation is found dead on the property, investigators suspect he might have been murdered for any one of several exposés he’d published about local politicians, movers, and shakers. Whitney suspects there’s more to the story, and that the journalist’s fate might be tied directly to the stable renovation. Can she solve the murder and bring a killer to justice? Or might this goal be too lofty?

The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly is a wonderful read.

Will Whitney figure out who the culprit is?

Whitney

Our sleuth is Whitney; in this installment, she is pregnant. So, along with being a house flipper and investigating deaths, she is soon to be a mom. She and Collin are excited, almost as much as their parents are. Whitney is going to make a great mom, although she isn’t going to get much sleep those first few months.

I really like Whitney. She is down to earth, great with her hands, and isn’t afraid to get dirty. Whitney is also smart as a whip. It was fun to see that she and Collin built their baby’s bed themselves. I thought that was so cool.

Our Mystery

Whitney is invited to find a use for a really old barn that was built by enslaved people. The barn has been in the owner’s family for generations, and she wants to make it useful but doesn’t have a clue what it can become. This is where Whitney and Buck come in. They come out to discuss the possibilities, and Whitney designs it. Then Buck and Whitney get to work. Well, after a journalist doing an article on the barn and its connection to the Underground Railroad is murdered right in front of the barn while Whitney was taking a nap. It is all so crazy, but Ms. Kelly really pulled everything together.

Five Stars

My rating for The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly is five stars. I really enjoyed the mystery, the characters’ growing stories, and the tidbits of history scattered throughout the story. I highly recommend this series to all you cozy mystery readers out there.

The recipes included are Hearty Vegetable Stew, Blueberry Bliss Smoothie, I’m Flaxy and I Know It Smoothie, Chia Pudding, Protein Pancakes, and Kitchen Sink Breakfast Cookie.

House Flipper Mysteries

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly.

Until the next time,

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About Diane Kelly

Diane Kelly writes stories that feature feisty female lead characters and their furry, four-footed friends. Diane is the author of over 30 novels and novellas, including the Death & Taxes, Paw Enforcement, and House Flipper mystery series. In 2021, she’ll launch two new series, the Southern Homebrew moonshine series and the Mountain Lodge Mysteries.

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