Book 15, 2024

[chez_jae]

Buried in a Good Book by Tamara Berry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I finished reading Buried in a Good Book last night. It's the first in author Tamara Berry's "By the Book" mystery series, starring best-selling writer, Tess Harrow.

Recently divorced, Tess is looking for a fresh start and some inspiration when she takes her teenage daughter, Gertrude, to the isolated cabin that Tess inherited from her late grandfather. Tess is charmed by the rustic location, but Gertie is less than pleased at the lack of electricity or WiFi. Not long after they arrive, there are several explosions nearby, followed by a deluge of fish guts...and a human arm. Tess suddenly finds herself involved in a real murder investigation, and the sheriff is disconcertingly similar to her fictional detective. Sheriff Boyd is exasperated with Tess' zealous efforts to dog his investigation, but she won't be dissuaded. Soon Tess is chasing down clues and leads, adding her "expertise", and getting caught up in the local hunt for Bigfoot. If nothing else, she's certainly getting inspiration for her next novel.

This story was wonderful. Quite a bit of it was silly and madcap, but not distractingly so. Tess was a delight and someone you'd like to know in real life. Other characters were well-written, from Gertie's teenage angst and mood swings to Sheriff Boyd's taciturn disapproval. The plot was fast paced and twisty. If I have a complaint, it's that Tess was almost always engaged in sleuthing. Nevertheless, I was engrossed in the story.

Favorite lines:
♦ "I bet it's Bigfoot."
♦ She had a feeling Sheriff Boyd wouldn't appreciate that particular anecdote, even if the detective had uncovered a corrupt maple syrup mafia with the setup.
This is the second cozy mystery I've read that referenced a maple syrup mafia. Does such a thing actually exist?!
♦ "Did you physically see someone take him?" // "No, but that doesn't mean anything. I don't physically see the air around me, but it's there."
♦ "You're using an unstable ladder for the sole purpose of getting a ladder upgrade?"
♦ "If I had to take a guess, I'd say the toucans got him."
♦ People with cats could never get rid of all the hair, no matter how hard they tried.
♦ "They're in cahoots together." // "No one has used the word cahoots since 1888."

An unexpected delight. Four stars.


1. Does the mc work at/as one of the following: baker/bakery/sweet shop/tea shop/coffee shop, library/librarian, antique/vintage shop, book store, fashion/boutique, bed & breakfast? No, she's an author
2. Does the mc live at her (or his) place of occupation? N/A
3. Is the love interest involved in law enforcement? (Police officer, sheriff, detective, PI, FBI) Yes
4. Does the mc have a dog/cat as a pet? No
5. Is the mc's BFF either a gay guy or a ditzy/zany woman? N/A
6. Did the mc find the body? Sort of?
7. Did the mc wind up in mortal danger at the end of the book? Yes
8. Is the mc's mother either: dead, absent, far removed, ditzy and dithering, or overbearing/disapproving/meddling? Yes
9. If mother is dead/absent, does the mc have another mother-figure (grandmother, aunt, mom's friend, or an older friend)? No
10. Is the mc child-free? (Either no children or else grown children--i.e. no small children to look after) No, she has a teenage daughter