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Tamara Berry
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Murder Off the Books (By the Book Mysteries 3) Kindle Edition

by Tamara Berry (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 164 ratings
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2023 Edgar Award Nominee, Lilian Jackson Braun Prize for Buried in a Good Book

Author Tess Harrow is looking to get back in the town of Winthrop's good graces after she uncovered not one, but two long-forgotten murders. With the perfect plan of combining her new book release with her bookstore's grand opening she'll have the chance to wine and dine the locals and some big press contacts. 

But the night before the party, Tess is greeted by a surprise: her mother has come for a visit, with her much-younger new boyfriend in tow...a boyfriend her daughter Gertrude recognizes as the notorious Levi Parker, a man recently connected to the deaths of three elderly widows.

Tess immediately alerts Sheriff Boyd about Levi and his suspicious past, but it's already too late—Levi Parker is found dead and Tess's mother is starting to look like the prime suspect. Bernadette swears she didn't murder Levi, and Tess is doing her best to maintain her mother's innocence, but too many coincidences keep stacking up. With the whole town seemingly against her family, it's up to Tess to get to the bottom of the story before it's too late.

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  1. Book 3 of 3
    By the Book Mysteries
  2. Print length
    331 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Poisoned Pen Press
  6. Publication date
    May 30, 2023
  7. File size
    3146 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tamara Berry is the author of the Eleanor Wilde cozy mystery series and, as Lucy Gilmore, the Forever Home contemporary romance series. Also a freelance writer and editor, she has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a serious penchant for Nancy Drew novels. She lives in Bigfoot country (aka Eastern Washington) with her family and their menagerie. Find her online at www.tamaraberry.com.

--This text refers to the mass_market edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B78695GJ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Poisoned Pen Press (May 30, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 30, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3146 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 331 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1728248663
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 164 ratings

About the author

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Tamara Berry

Tamara Berry

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Tamara Berry is an Edgar Award winning author of cozy mysteries. She has a B.A. degree in English Literature from Eastern Washington University. In addition to books, she has mad love for all things TV, movies, and pop culture.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
164 global ratings
Grand Opening, Book Launch, and Murder
4 Stars
Grand Opening, Book Launch, and Murder
After months of work, Tess Harrow is ready to open her new bookstore and celebrate the launch of her latest bestselling thriller. However, her plans are changed when her mother, Bee, shows up unexpected. Trailing Bee is her latest boyfriend, Levi, who is a suspected serial killer preying on older women. Naturally, Tess doesn’t react well to that, but the next morning, Levi has been murdered. With as close to home as this hit, Tess can’t help but put her plans aside and start investigating. Can she figure out what happened?Those who have read the first two books in the series will know what to expect here. We get a plot with some wackiness that fits this story and these characters perfectly. I did find some of the humor fell flat for me (might just be me), but I still laughed plenty. Yet the story comes together for a logical climax. The characters are all strong and entertaining as well. I did find a handful of political comments, which were superfluous to the story, threw me out of the story. The author does a good job of skirting spoilers for the previous books, which fans will know is a pretty big task. If you want a mystery filled with humor, you’ll be glad you picked this one up.
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Top reviews from the United States

Alice in Vunderland
5.0 out of 5 stars The most interesting female characters!
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2023
Verified Purchase
Tamara Berry creates the most interesting characters that have a depth of emotion that expresses itself in in ways that are relatable when we are most honest with ourselves. Bestselling author and new bookstore owner, Tess Harrow, deals with disappointments and challenges in an inquisitive, yet frenetic manner...much like anyone who is forced to multitask business, a rebelliously genius teen daughter, romance (or lack, thereof), and murder. There is a realness to Tess, despite the hilarious kookiness. The plot is complex yet believable, and the relationships are well earned.
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De Peerson
4.0 out of 5 stars fun read
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
I have read the other two and really enjoyed the characters. I liked that it is funny and an easy read. Hope there are more in the series.
I will be starting the Elenor’s Wilde Series next.
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JLDowns
5.0 out of 5 stars Great series
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2023
Verified Purchase
I love the way she writes. I can't put them down.
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TCondie
5.0 out of 5 stars Erma Bombeck meets Agatha Christie for desk bourbon
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2023
Erma Bombeck meets Agatha Christie in a small Oregon town with both quaint and quirky characters. This is the third and best one so far. A possible serial killer lady’s man who targets mature ladies with healthy bank accounts has become Tess‘s mom’s boy toy. Tess finds out when her mom makes an unannounced arrival that coincides with Tess’s open house for the recently converted bookstore where the new Detective Gonzalez novel will be launched. Such comedy of mysterious errors as a hunk of money shows up with the hunk of sushi tuna at the same time as the reporter who requested to interview Tess. My favorite part of the whole book was when Tess was both indignant and hurt because Neptune Jones had been asked by Sheriff Boyd to stop by for glass of “desk whiskey”. You see Tess had never been offered the bottom drawer drink. The back and forth between Tess and well, everybody, makes you laugh out loud. A few red herring to go with that tuna, a little bit of a love triangle, a cameo from Wingbat the hacker, and a little bit of peril added for good measure. You will not be able to put this one down or keep a straight face. Looking forward to the next one!
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Meg Christine
4.0 out of 5 stars Cozy Mystery with Plenty of Humor
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2023
Author Tess Harrow is preparing for the grand opening of her bookstore and the release of her newest thriller. Her event is overshadowed by yet another murder in their smalltown. A man linked to several suspicious deaths is found deceased the night before her party. Tess can’t help but get involved with the investigation when her own mother becomes one of the suspects.

Murder Off the Books is the third book in the By the Book Mysteries series. It could be read as a stand-alone but I would highly suggest reading the series in order. While it does have plenty of thrilling moments this cozy mystery is also full of humor.

The banter between Tess and the Sheriff is always top notch. Gertrude is still my favorite character in this series. She’s always willing to jump right in and help no matter how wild the situation is. The plot for this one is strong and there are just enough twists to keep readers guessing until the very end.

I've enjoyed every book in this series and they have great readability. I hope there’s a book four (and more) in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press!
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June Price
5.0 out of 5 stars Tess's rapid fire brainstorms and antics leave your head spinning,
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2023
A wildly fun series, even if it does leave your head spinning at times. Tess Harrow, a best-selling mystery writer, is smart, stubborn, impulsive....well, you get my drift. Just the type to go running into danger on a hunch or cross that fuzzy legal line to find clues. Her daughter is much like her, apt to blurt things outloud that she shouldn't, a trait she shares with her mother. We even get to watch the dynamics of Tess's relationship with her own mother, Bernadette. There is nothing subtle about either of them although, shh, neither wants to hear how much alike they really are.

Well, Tess at least hasn't been spending time traveling about the country with Levi Parker, a probable serial murder. It's when Levi is murdered that the real roller-coaster ride of the plot begins. Never mind that Tess's best friend is an undercover FBI agent, not to mention that her underling has a serious crush on Tess, who has a serious crush on the town detective who looks amazingly like the hero in Tess's books. Unlike Tess, he's a more closed up, by-the-books kinda guy, meaning they butt heads frequently as Tess finds herself involved in his investigation.

Tess's grand opening of her bookstore in conjunction with the release of her best-selling mystery novel doesn't go as planned. Not only does her mother show up unexpectedly but a man that daughter Gertie quickly identifies as an accused serial killer is tagging along with her. Close behind is famous and very wealthy true crime blogger Neptune and her assistant Sven. Tess takes an immediate disliking to her, albeit mostly because Neptune winds up staying at the crush's, er, detective's house. Jealous much, Tess?

And that is really just the beginning. Who killed Levi the serial killer? Could it have really been her mother? How many coincidences are too many? What weird thing is found in Tess's freezer? How did it get there and who was it meant for? Is the reporter tagging along behind Tess, okay, maybe she sorta paid his way, but is he onto more than one story? Who is Darcy? How about Jay? How does a logging business fit into the story? Why is Tess bulk ordering candy and chips? And, oh, too many other happenings to even begin to hint about. Like, will Ivy ever run out of patience with Tess?

Although Tess's rapid fire brainstorms and antics leave your head spinning, I like her. True, she'd probably give me repeated headaches trying to keep up with her thinking, never mind her actions, but she cares. She turns into a mother bear where her daughter Gertie is involved, for instance. She may be sarcastic, impulsive, and single-minded, but she will do anything to protect those she cares about.

Thanks #NetGalley and #PoisonPenBooks for giving me the opportunity to drop into Tess's fascinating but chaotic world again. After that last chapter, I can't wait to come back!
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Minxy Melissa Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars A nice cozy...
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2023
Murder Off the Books was a nice cozy mystery but I am seriously starting to dislike the constant emphasis on Tess's crush on a certain character and all the drama surrounding the romantic possibilities. It is getting to be a bit much.
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