On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry
Series Name: By the Book Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: November 29, 2022
Bestselling author Tess Harrow and her teenage daughter Gertrude have decided to make Winthrop their home. Their cabin is fixed up and now they’re turning to the family hardware store that Tess inherited from her late grandfather into the town’s first independent bookstore.
But when renovations unearth bones from a cold case and send them toppling—literally—onto Tess’s head, the work comes to a grinding halt. With the whole town convinced that her grandfather was a serial killer, Tess has to call in a fellow horror author for reinforcements. Together, they’ll come up with a perfect story to make all the clues fit. . .and solve a mystery more than thirty years in the making.
Dru’s Short Musing:
I love this series. I love the relationship Tess has with her daughter. I love the witty repartee Tess has with Nikki and Ivy, but mostly I love the complicated friendship Tess has with Victor. Needless to say, all are involved in the latest adventures in Winthrop.
This fast-paced and well written drama immediately grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go its hold until the last page was consumed. The author knows how to tell a story with an intriguing plot that drove the way this whodunit was moving with few suspects but a whole lot of mystery that started 30 years ago. It’s the bits and pieces and the here and there that when combined it was interesting to see it this tale fall into place, especially with a few red herrings to throw us off our game. The superb supporting cast added to how well this story was being told with visually descriptive narrative, engaging dialogue and the small-town atmosphere. The best part was getting that “aha” moment and it was fun watching the discovery of the person responsible coming to fruition. Overall, this was a fabulous read and I can’t wait to see where we go next with Tess, Gertie, and Victor.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
I’m can’t wait to read this book. The characters are great and work together so well. The first book in the series, Buried in a Good Book, is one of my favorite books of this year.