Tess and Gertrude have settled in and now Tess is renovating her grandfather’s shop into a bookstore. Helping her friend out she has an undercover FBI agent working as her construction worker. While Tess is working on a story, construction goes on above her until bones from a dead body falls upon her. As they search, they find more bones in the shop. What follows is working a case from years ago that was never solved. Some small towns are more mysterious than you think.
Goodreads

Best-selling author Tess Harrow is busy renovating the dilapidated general store she inherited from her grandfather while also conducting research for her latest novel. Always one to kill two birds with one stone, she figures she can get her teenage daughter Gertrude to leave her tied to a chair in the store’s suitably creepy basement while their handyman works overhead. Despite the skepticism of Gertie (and the handyman, and pretty much everyone else whom she’s told this idea,) Tess is sure that she, like the character she’s envisioning for her next novel, can escape her bonds in a timely manner, at least until an unexpected problem rears its head:

QUOTE
[“]I wasn’t counting on rats,” Tess muttered as she started to once again saw her wrists against a sharp edge at the back of the chair. “No one said anything about rats.”

Even as she spoke, she knew that the woman in her book–codename Magdalene–would be encountering rats inside her prison. Tess Harrow, renowned thriller writer, was something of a legend when it came to using real-life incidents to fuel her fiction. Her last book, <i>Fury In The Forest</i> had been based on her own experience finding a dead body in the pond behind the rustic cabin she now called home. The book was already in its sixth printing and showed no sign of flagging.
END QUOTE

Tess is about to get a lot more fodder for her writing than expected though, when the basement ceiling suddenly falls in on her. While she isn’t quite buried in the debris, something else certainly was. <i>Someones</i> else, rather, as not just one but two full sets of human bones rain down on her with the rubble.

When the bodies are identified as belonging to women who went missing from Winthrop years earlier, the town rumor mill starts churning at full speed, spreading the word that Tess’ grandfather was a serial killer. Sheriff Victor Boyd, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the hero of Tess’ books except in the crucial matter of being professional to a fault, wants her to leave the detective work entirely up to himself and the rest of the local police. Luckily, the rather morbid Gertie already has plans to take up an internship in a place where she can help her mother stay up to date with any developments in the case:

QUOTE
Tess knew it behooved her, as an involved and loving parent who only wanted what was best for her daughter, to put up a fight. There were too many potential horrors in a place like the morgue, too many ways for Gertrude’s life to be irrevocably altered.

But when she spoke, it wasn’t to berate the girl.

“Gertie, do you have any idea what this means?”

Gertrude grinned. When she smiled like that, the sunshine radiating as if out of her soul, Tess knew that nothing in the world could be as bad as it seemed. “It means you have an inside man at the morgue[,” her daughter said].
END QUOTE

Ordinarily, this mother-daughter team-up would be a nearly unstoppable force, but it’s only when their old family friend, acclaimed horror writer Peter Oblonsky, drops everything to come stay with them that they really start making progress on the case. He’s quick to point out the similarities between what they’ve uncovered and the plot of a book Tess once blurbed. She’s somewhat embarrassed to admit that she never actually found time to read the novel she was promoting, but once she finally does, she can’t deny the parallels. Worse, if the book is to be taken as a guide to what’s happening in Winthrop, it indicates that the sheriff has a much closer tie to the murders than anyone anticipated, a tie that could change the burgeoning romantic relationship between Tess and Victor forever.

Tamara Berry is one of my favorite cozy writers, and this second installment in her By The Book mystery series only cements that status. The themes of this mystery are cleverly woven throughout the clue-sprinkled narrative, as Tess expands her circle of friends and confidants (and co-conspirators) in her quest to find the killer, clear her grandfather’s name, and protect the man she’s growing to love. The hint of paranormal activity was also perfectly done, and I absolutely loved the introduction of himbo Jake. Funny, smart and moving, On Spine Of Death is a terrific addition to Ms Berry’s oeuvre. I can’t wait to read more.

I liked the forensic science details. Peter Oblonsky and Gertrude Harrow are my favorite characters. I wasn't sure who the killer was. The murder mystery was interesting.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

On Spine of Deat is the delightful second book in the “By the Book Mysteries” series, and fans of Tamara Berry are thrilled with this fun and exciting addition. I adore Tess Harrow and her fiction detective, as well as the real-life version of him, Sheriff Boyd. Between them, they find human bones, dig up a thirty-year-old mystery, and chase a serial killer. You couldn’t ask for a more action-packed cozy.

Tess decided to turn her grandfather’s old hardware store into her dream bookstore. She didn’t figure that being tied to a chair in the basement and having human bones rain down on her head would be a possibility when she started the renovation, but she figured wrong. Not only do bones keep showing up, but it looks like a serial killer was at work thirty years before when her grandfather was alive, and he is the prime suspect. But when another mystery involving Sherriff Boyd’s sister pops up, Tess questions the evidence that has been uncovered so far.

The characters in this series will make you smile and even laugh. Tess keeps you on your toes, and Sherriff Boyd will endear himself to readers. Tess’ daughter, Gertrude, is not your average teenager; she helps solve mysteries alongside her mother. The town of Winthrop is tiny, but it is also described in enough detail to make readers want to visit, even with human bones being dug up every day and a serial killer roaming the countryside.

The victims all seem innocent, and it is difficult to find a motive for their murders. And for someone to bury their bones under the hardware store. The serial killer, even though a nasty piece of work, has a personality that comes through as ruthless and sadistic. Of course, when the killer is identified, the reader finds out that their personality matches the clues and the motive. Tess is in a life-or-death struggle to prevent herself from becoming the next victim, save the day, and save her grandfather’s reputation.

Readers will love On Spine of Deat. It has everything you could want in a cozy mystery, bones, a serial killer, and Tess’ whacky sense of humor. Along with characters that make you happy, even when they are miserable, a town you can see yourself walking around, and a story that is gripping and tantalizing. I am happy to recommend this book to readers who love a thrill ride.

Bestselling author Tess Harrow and her teenage daughter Gertrude have decided to stay in Winthrop permanently. Tess has decided to turn her grandfather's hardware store into a bookshop. She hired a handyman to do the renovations, but he quit after the discovery of bones from a cold case hidden under the floor. When the second set of bones is found Tess finds that the townspeople suspect her grandfather was a serial killer.

Tess needs to clear her grandfather's name and identify the true killer with the aid of her daughter, an author/friend, the sheriff and two FBI agents.

This book keeps you guessing until the end. I love the characters and intend to follow this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good cozy mystery and this is one of the best. Tess and her crew uncover more serious crimes and this time her own grandfather is implicated. I can't wait for the next installment to see where Tess and Victor take their relationship and how things progress with the Peabody family.

Overall a good read that has enough intrigue to keep me hooked!

On Spine of Death is the second in a cozy mystery series that I loved! It was so good! We are back in the tiny backwoods town of Winthrop. Tess and her daughter, Gertie, are tackling a big project- turning the old family hardware store into a bookstore. Until a stash of bones literally crashes down on Tess. The mystery in this book had several aspects with multiple bodies/skeletons discovered that are linked to cold cases and some thievery in the mix too. We had reason to suspect lots of characters along the way and that leads to so much fun as a reader. This is a top notch cozy series and I can't wait to continue reading more escapades with these characters!

On Spine of Death is out now! Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my e-galley!

I enjoyed the first book in this series so much it was easy to decide to read this one too. I am glad I did because it was just as much fun as the first.

Tess Harrow and her daughter Gertrude have decided to stay in the town of Winthrop and are renovating the old hardware store to be a bookshop. Money is not a problem as Tess is a successful author and she is receiving some generous royalties. This is a good thing since she ends up in the course of the story paying thousands to a computer hacker without batting an eyelid.

The book opens brilliantly with Tess in a cellar, bound to a chair, when the floor caves in and she is covered in dirt and bones - human bones. Why she is in the cellar is hilarious, where the bones came from is mysterious, and the whole makes an excellent start to a very good story.

The local Sheriff, Victor Boyd, is the love interest and there is a lot of humour in their interactions. There is also a tear jerking scene between them where I had to grab a tissue. This author writes very well and I am very much looking forward to more in this series.

I love a good cozy mystery! One that incorporates all of my favorite topics (i.e. bookstores, libraries, cooking, painting, inn keeping, animals, etc.), throwing in some action-suspense, a who-done-it, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps me guessing, then you’ve got me hooked. I will say, I am one of those people who like to read a series from the beginning, but I often find you don’t have to… either way I highly recommend On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.*

I loved this book as much, if not more, than the first! Great mystery, great characters, funny and keeps you guessing. Oh ne thing I really enjoy with this series is that the main character is a mystery writer. It definitely adds a level of experience to her in real life sleuthing skills.

Not many writers will 'fess up to their weirdest research methods. Tess Harrow doesn't have a lot of choice...she's tied to a chair in a basement struggling to get free (research!) when the floor above her collapses. That, my friends, is how you open a story!

When Tess, a bestselling thriller writer and mother of a teenaged girl, needs to make a big change in her life, the opportunity to take over her late grandfather's hardware store and cabin in small-town Washington State arises. Teenager in tow, off Tess hares. It's quite clear that she won't be running a hardware store so she does what so many writers say they'd love to do and decides a bookstore is what the town needs! (The town was not consulted, but never mind.)

In the course of renovating the store, a skeleton is uncovered in a...peculiar...place. Then there's another one! All in her dear old grandfather's store! Was her belovèd grandfather a murderer?! Or if not, was he an accessory to murder? Either way, Tess wants to know (let's face it, she's stumbled into one helluva tale) and the local Sheriff doesn't much want to speed his investigation up just for this high-handed Bigfoot author from out of town. There are Procedures. They're there to make a case solid and an answer to the Big Questions of who, what, when, and why (where being known in this case) trustworthy and that's what matters to his law-enforcement officer self.

Tess, coming at this from three angles and none of them inspiring her to patience (store owner, granddaughter, thriller writer), naturally clashes with Slowpoke McPutt-putt. The sparks must fly, mustn't they, to make the needed heat for the series to rise to new heights? Add in the teenager's discomfiting fascination with Sylvie the coroner's job (to the point that she's shadowing the poor thing really, really closely as a school project), and there's a lot of moving parts. That's what makes the read so much fun...the way Author Berry keeps all the balls in the air and manages to cast your attention into the blind alleys she needs for it to be distracted by...well, it's fun to be in the presence of a skilled practitioner at her peak.

The renovations, the bodies, the people who just *happen* to be not quite who they say they are, the motives for the locals to take sides on the uncomfortable rooting about for answers to the Big Questions...all are standard elements handled in deft ways. They aren't surprises. They aren't meant to be, and they're all the more welcome for not being. I think the series will have legs because it's already got a smile of its own. It's presenting your ma'at-sensing organs with truth and justice but they're not as simplistically presented as they can sometimes be in series mysteries. There's thoughtful commentary on the way of the world, there's a damn-near evergreen scented evocation of the way small towns in the piney woods operate, there's the always-fun fish out of water growing into a local institution trope...remember Northern Exposure?...and it's done with panache, if not philosophical depth.

Great for the season's snatch-a-chapter-in-line reading habits because it's already episodic!

Ohhhh this was really good, though I thought it was about 50 pages too long; the constant rehashing of things did get a bit tedious towards the end, but THAT END!! Wowsers.
Now THAT was a good reveal. I was completely shocked. I was sure I had it all figured out [especially when another "clue" was added] and I WAS SO WRONG!!!! YAY YAY YAY!!!! I absolutely love it when that happens.

Tess was a bit annoying in this one but to be fair, there was a lot going on and much was happening to her, so I tried to cut her some slack. But I do hope that it doesn't continue. Her behavior toward Jared [SERIOUSLY?? DAABOR <--IYKYK] was really unkind and I found I didn't like her much at times. I DID adore Peter and I hope that we see more of him in future books and Gertrude is my absolute favorite character [I never was goth, but I have always loved the blood and guts and forensics and Gertrude's enthusiasm for all of it just warms my old cranky heart].

Really good sophomore book and I am already looking forward to book 3 and all the nonsense that Tess will get them all into. Well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tamara Berry, and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great fun, great characters and plenty of detail to keep track of in an exciting plot - what more can you ask for?

This was an engaging and fast paced cozy mystery. I really enjoyed reading it. Tess Harrow , a mystery author and amateur sleuth, tries to help the sheriff of the small town she and her daughter, Gertrude, moved to find out who killed two women whose remains were found in her grandfather's hardware store. The remains were found after excavation occurred at the store as a crew were preparing the site to house a new bookstore that Tess was contemplating. Tess got more than she bargained for in the search for the killer. There were some surprises in the book, not the least of which was Tess's developing romantic relationship with the sheriff. I highly recommend this book to other cozy mystery readers. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley, and the opinion expressed is strictly my own.

On Spine of Death: A By the Book Mystery
By Tamara Berry
Poisoned Pen Press
December 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

It wasn’t unusual for Tess Harlow to be zip-tied and duct taped in the cellar of her grandfather’s hardware store. As a bestselling mystery author, Tess prided herself on researching the practicality of her characters’ actions, even if it means being trapped in a rundown cabin possibly filled with rats while her very embarrassed teenage daughter tries to ignore her. Less usual was for the continuing renovation of the store to result in Tess being covered in human bones, placing her once again in an active crime scene. As much as Tess might love to stuff a femur in her pocket (purely for research purposes), it’s her precocious daughter Gertrude who ends up with a job shadowing the coroner at their local morgue. Both disturbed and impressed by Gertie’s ingenuity, Tess’s inside source quickly gives her the information that these 30 year-old bones may be linked to additional women’s disappearances.

Already miffed by his undeniable resemblance to the hero detective of Tess’s novels, Sheriff Victor Boyd again warns Tess to keep her pockets empty and her nose out of his investigation. Of course Tess has no intention of doing so, not with her grandfather’s reputation on the line and an undercover FBI agent on-call and willing to assist. Nicki Nickerson has been working as Winthrop, Washington’s librarian while investigating logging company owner Mason Peabody and his brothers, and for Tess she has become both a source of background information and genuine friendship. And while Tess should be offended on Nicki’s behalf when another FBI agent arrives to assist on the case, Tess admittedly finds the handsome puppy-dog eyes of Jared Wright appealing. That he’s also playing the role as her contractor doesn’t hurt, especially since word of the bones in the cabin spread fast enough to make hiring a new contractor impossible. Manipulating the man’s crush on the talented writer feels a bit unethical and morally shady, but Tess is determined to prove her family’s innocence, keep her daughter from committing any additional crimes, and stop procrastinating enough to finally finish writing her next book.

This second in the series is truly hilarious and sharply written, with Tess’s relationship with daughter the highlight of this novel. It’s so refreshing to see them work together as a team delving into admittedly morbid situations, and Tess’s protectiveness over and love for Gertrude is never in doubt. Jared is the surprise new character who proves to be far more complicated than he first appears to be, and as much as Tess would like to reject his attentions she can’t help but be flattered. An alarming discovery has Sheriff Boyd torn and facing his own family’s traumas, leaving it up to Tess to forge through and follow the clues that she may or may not have reported to the police. At least she does have the uber-competent Nicki assisting as she continues to find enough evidence to incriminate the Peabodys, and despite Jared’s complete lack of undercover skills he proves helpful as they uncover a multitude of deceptions. The repeated references of Tess using research to put off writing and investigating in order to inspire her next book feels meta and are sure to entertain fans and writers of mysteries. This series started out of the gate strong and continues to be a laugh-out-loud ingeniously plotted novel.

I loved the first in the series and this one was just as good - funny, witty, good mystery, great characters. The mystery itself was intriguing and definitely had me guessing until the very end. I love cold cases and learning more about Tess and her family at the same time was icing on the cake. Highly recommended!

On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry is the second book in the By the Book Cozy Mysteries and the first I’ve read of the series, but it was so well written that it wasn’t confusing at all jumping in on the second book.

I read so many cozy mysteries, but this one stood out for me because the main character, Tess, writes thrillers, so while this was a cozy, it also felt a bit more exciting when it came to the mystery part because of Tess not being as naive as some of the other main characters in other cozy series. And I loved that her daughter, Gertrude, is so inquisitive and helps her mom out with the case by volunteering to work with the coroner.

Some cozies I read for the author’s detailed description of the town or a certain hobby, and while Berry does write great descriptions of the town, where she really shines is in her character creation (and the mystery, as stated above). Her characters were so vivid with lots of unique ones. I really enjoyed Tess and Gertie and can’t wait to read more of how they work together to solve cases. And Tess’s older writer friend was a close second for me.

The mystery itself had some interesting suspects and lots of red herrings. I really thought it was one person for most of the book, but enjoyed how it turned out to be someone else.

If you’re looking for a cozy with a bit more of an edge, you need to check out the By the Book series.

Such a fun book with quirky and interesting characters, an intriguing storyline, and plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing. I absolutely love Tess, her daughter Gertrude (Gertie), and the very broody Sherrif Boyd. The opening scene with Tess trying to get out of a chair she's tied to while in a rat-infested basement, is hilarious.

4 1/4 stars because there's hints of a love triangle...which is my least favorite trope in cozy mysteries. I really hope it doesn't develop into anything.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry is an enticing cozy mystery which features a middle-aged woman, her daughter, and her friends/locals. Recovering from a divorce, Tess has moved into her grandfather’s cabin, which had been a mess but they had fixed that, mostly. Now they were working on his hardware store, renovating it into a bookstore. It was slow going, which got even slower when they discovered a couple of skeletons under the floor. Tess wrote murder mysteries and had had herself tied up in a chair in the basement at the time. She liked to try things out so they sounded authentic. Of course, when they police arrived that caused some smiles. They had dealt with Tess before. They had to figure out who the skeletons were and what had happened to them. That would not be without Tess’ help, needless to say. It turned into quite the investigation.

Tess is a great character . . . very realistic and very curious. She might have something going on with the sheriff, she wasn’t sure. He’d lost his sister years earlier, she just disappeared and everyone thought one of these skeletons might be hers. It was very stressful, and nicely written. The investigation didn’t go smoothly but had a definitely surprising conclusion. This book has good characters; throwing in a teenager is always good, and a terrific setting, with the renovations and all. Berry is only a part-time author and so is not super prolific. I think that her books are better, since she takes her time. This was a good one, as was the last, I recommend this series.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of On Spine of Death by Poisoned Pen Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PoisonedPenPress #TamaraBerry #OnSpineOfDeath

This is the second book of this series, and I absolutely loved it. Tess and Gertrude have become two of my favorite book characters. They find themselves involved in another mystery, and when Tess calls in help she won't stop until her grandfather's name is cleared. If you love books with mysteries and quirky characters then I highly suggest you give this a read. Tamara Berry has created a series within a small town with characters that just bring it to life. The plot is outstanding, and the mystery drives you deeper in as the story plays out.