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

I am loving this series! Tess becomes involved in yet another murder and hold key information. Victor and Tess work up more chemistry with miscommunication. And Gertrude is just awesome. I love the development of all the characters and the consistent storyline throughout the series of the Peabody family. Can't wait for the next installment!!

This book is the third in a series. I listened to the first one, and read the second two. Honestly, I almost stopped after the first. The narrator made the main character seem goofy and unlikable. I'm glad I read the next two; I had a much better impression.
I warmed up to the characters much more and was able to truly enjoy the stories.
This cozy mystery series is about Tess Harrow, best selling murder-mystery writer. After an acrimonious divorce, she brings her teenage daughter to settle in a rural Washington town so she can focus on her writing.
Of course...she stumbles upon murder and can't help but insert herself, no matter what the stern - and attractive- sheriff tells her.

I gave Murder Off the Books by Tamara Berry 4,5 stars

Author Tess Harrow and her daughter, Gertrude, are starting to get a bad reputation due to their involvement in recent murder cases, so Tess has come up with the perfect plan to drum up some positive press. She'll combine her new book release and her bookstore opening into one big event, giving her a 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 Gertrude recognizes as the notorious Levi Parker, a man recently connected to the deaths of three elderly widows.

Tess immediately alerts Sheriff Boyd about the visitor, 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

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The third book in the By the Book Mysteries series and a great new installment.
The plot was interesting and also the mystery part. It wasn't that many suspects in this book, so I did have a hunch of who was behind the murdering. As with the other books in this series, there were many fun moments and I love reading about Gertrude. I wish she had more scenes, actually! I am eagerly waiting for the next in the series, so I can see what will happen to Tess fictional character, Detective Gonzales!

This book comes out May 30.

Thank you, Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Murder Off the Books is the 3rd in the By the Book Series. This book was enjoyable as a stand-alone though it did make me want to go back and read the first two. I thought this was a super fun cozy mystery with a layered storyline. I look forward to reading more. Thank you #Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I loved the first two books in this series so much. They have the best opening lines! Tess is a wildly entertaining lead character, hilarious & kooky. Her daughter & best friend Nicki are just as much fun & reading about the trio is a delight. This time Tess has to clear her mother’s name & she is another wild card of a character.

The mystery is expertly linked into other things going on in Winthrop & brings some interesting characters (suspects) to town. Berry has a talent for writing such well drawn characters they practically walk off the page. The mystery is also so much more involved than just the murder. If you could find the right actors this would make a wonderful series. But then you’d miss Tess’ inner monologue, she really is so much fun to go along on an adventure with.

This is easily on of the strongest cozy series I’m currently reading. I can recommend it highly! Berry has planted seeds for the future & I can’t wait until the next book.

Absolutely loved this book. A fun, cozy read that I enjoyed throughout the book. Enjoyed the characters and I liked the fun storyline. Five stars!

Murder Off the Books by Tamara Berry is book #3 in the By the Book Mysteries series. Divorced author and new book store owner, Tess Harrow's mother Bernadette Springer makes a surprise visit to Winthrop, Washington. Finding out the real reason behind Bernadette's visit was quite interesting. That reason is why Tess gets involved in a murder investigation. This book has quite an intriguing storyline. There's plenty of action, suspense and danger. I like the characters in this book, especially Tess' precocious daughter, Gertrude. Gertrude makes for a different angle in Tess' investigations. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Right from the very first book in this series I was pulled in! Absolutely nothing changed with the third installment! This is a fantastic cozy mystery that pulls you in and keeps your attention through out!
Tamara Berry is on my auto read cozy author list
Thank you net galley for the chance to read and review this book!

Murder Off the Books by Tamara Berry is the 3rd installment in the By the Book Mysteries series and my favorite of the series thus far. After the first book in the series I wasn’t entirely sure on how I felt about the main character, Tess, but I had really enjoyed the side characters (especially Gertie!) as well as the cabin-in-the-woods setting and was excited to continue reading the series. This installment in the series resulted in a growing love and appreciation for the main character. At multiple points whilst reading this I was frustrated with how some of the side characters were treating her. Overall, I liked the different storylines that were presented throughout this book and how it all ended up coming together. The direction and pace of the romantic element is well done- it’s not rushed, ridiculously slow-burning, or a frustrating love triangle, which I appreciate. I’m excited for the next installment in this series!

4.5/5

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Murder Off the Books by Tamara Berry. My comments are an independent, honest review.

"Murder Off the Books" is the third book in the "By the Book Mysteries" series by Tamara Berry. I have to say that I do enjoy the progression of this story. I was a bit worried that some of the talk in the book meant that Tamara was going to kill this series, but I don't think that'll be the case just yet. I am glad for that as I wish to see where this all wraps up.

I am happy that some story lines are finally progressing. Especially since communication between the characters was all that is needed to solve most of their issues. However, I feel that Gerty so needs an actually responsible adult parentally involved in her life. She's still a kid and they insist she's still a kid, yet they keep treating her and disregarding her presence as if she's an adult. Gerty is doing all the baking and cooking, She's barely checked in on or around her own mother, who constantly complains about the grandmother having done that to her as a child. I get that Tess justifies her own mother doing this, but what's her actual excuse for herself doing it? Oh, I have to go solve this murder that even the police are begging me to butt out of? Yeah, no. Time to mend this relationship a bit more.

Tess Harrow has gotten used to being a bit of a not universally loved big thing in her hometown of Winthrop, Washington State. A best-selling author and recently acquired bookstore owner she has, with daughter Gertrude's assistance, discovered those responsible for a spate of local killings before the Sheriff, which she knows, hasn't impressed everyone!

With a new novel about to be released, Tess decides to combine her store's grand reopening with the book's launch and hopefully win over her many doubters at the same time. Unfortunately, the unannounced arrival of her mother with a younger man in tow changes everything, especially as Gertrude recognizes him as someone with a fatal reputation where elderly widows are concerned. As yet another body is found Tess, to her dismay, finds herself once again investigating while her book and store become the furthest things from anyone's mind!

I thoroughly enjoyed this third book in Tamara Berry's By the Book mystery series and was engaged throughout, especially as you don't need to read these books in order. The new characters for this storyline were all feasible killers, and I enjoyed the way their guilt or innocence was gradually revealed. With teasing hints as to what might happen next, I will definitely be continuing with this entertaining series.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

This is book 3 in the By the Book series and it is just as entertaining as the first two. Tess and her daughter open a bookstore in the sleepy PNW they moved to. Her grand opening party is cancelled when yet another murder takes place in town. This time accompanied by her mother the 3 of them plant themselves in the middle of the investigation to find out who dunnit.

I've really come to know and love these characters. They're relatable with their flaws and insecurities and I look forward to more to come!

Setting the Scene; Tess is looking forward to the long awaited opening of her bookstore, and she has a grand opening planned to coincide with the release of her latest book. Gertrude is busy baking up delectable, if murder-themed, treats, and all is going according to plan, until; Tess' mother arrives with no advanced notice and her much younger love interest in tow, who just happens to be the infamous Levi Parker, an alleged serial killer who targets older wealthy women. The next morning, Levi is found murdered and a celebrity podcaster who has made her fortune on his murderous escapades arrives in town. Any interest in Tess' Grand Opening is lost amid the hoopla of the events, made worse by the mounting evidence pointing to Tess' mom as the murderer.

What I Thought: This is the book my heart needed right now. I love these characters. They are intelligent, relatable, likeable, and funny. I feared Bee's entrance would bode disaster for the character dynamics, but far from it. She just added another layer of quirky entertainment. The storyline is superb, and there are enough suspects, twists, and turns to keep the most skilled mystery reader on their toes. As with most good series, this book leaves us with a few hints of more to come, and needless to say, I look forward to it.

Murder Off The Books is the amazing 3rd book in the By The Book Mysteries series! It is an intelligent cozy mystery with interesting and.likable characters. The mystery is intriguing with several things going on but it isn't difficult to follow. It isn't one of the predictable bland cozies. It moves at a good pace and kept my interest until the end. It was hard to put down! Tess Harrow is a Thriller author with a 15 year old daughter Gertrude (Gertie). Tess is opening up a bookstore and she has a new book.coming out so.she.decides.to have one big event. Right before the party, her.mother Bernadette (Bee) Springer arrives with her younger boyfriend, notorious Levi Parker. A famous murder podcaster, Neptune Jones arrives in town and causes some problems for Sheriff Boyd. Tess and Sheriff Boyd's friendship is finally improving. Besides Tess' mother staying with them, they also have Mumford Umberto , a journalist. Levi Parker ends up dead and Bee is the prime suspect. There were a few things that happened early on that were initially eye-roll-worthy but they are explained later on. The characters really make this series so wonderful! This .was one of the BEST copies I have read and I read a lot! #NetGalley #MurderOffTheBooks

Been sick, so this book and others kept me entertained during recovery. So nice to see a mother/daughter series, the quirkier, the better in my opinion! Cute, fun, and always interesting until the end.

Murder off the Books
Tess Harrow and her daughter Gertrude return in the 3rd installment of this quirky, bookish, cozy mystery. Tess is releasing a new book and prepping for the grand opening of her bookstore when her mom Bernadette arrives on scene. Bernadette is wealthy and gregarious, complete with a gold-digging boyfriend ( and potentially also murderer). Neptune Jones, famous podcaster, also sails into town stealing all of the focus from Tess and her bookstore. Tess’ jealousy reaches its peak when it looks like Neptune has the sheriff’s heart too.

This is a fun read with some expected and unexpected twists and turns along the way.

Recommended for those looking for a fun unconventional mystery with a touch of ridiculousness.

Not recommended if you are expecting spice.

I’m not sure how this would stand if you hadn’t read the earlier 2 books. I’ve read both and I feel that the characters and relationships continue building with each book, but the mysteries are mostly contained.

Thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author for an advance reader copy of this book

Look for it May 30, 2023

Tamara Berry's humor, as always, is on point and the murder investigation couldn't have been twistier. But while I really enjoyed being back with Tess and Gertrude and following them on another investigation, I couldn't help but feel weird/a little gross at Tess's relationship with the sheriff and with Jared. I wish Jared would leave her alone as he isn't taking no for an answer whenever he tries to make advances on Tess and it's just . . . gross. And the sheriff is very emotionally manipulative toward Tess, and that really comes out in this story. It's explained as something that he's doing to try to protect her, but it just comes across as manipulative, and I'm tired of toxic relationships in fiction.
But the investigation plot was really good and definitely enjoyable for me. I enjoyed meeting Tess's mother and seeing who she is and how she relates to Tess and how the two of them came to a sort of understanding by the end of the story.
If there are more books, I'm not sure I'd keep reading because of the whole relationship weirdness with Tess and the Sheriff, but I do really enjoy the mysteries.

I found it quite difficult to get into Tamara Berry's latest book, Murder Off the Books. I read to nearly the halfway point, then skipped ahead to the last two chapters and epilogue just to find out who did it, no longer interested in reading the rest of the material in between.
The book is proficiently written, but I found the budding romance to be juvenile and the grandmother character to be particularly annoying. In fact, I couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters at all.
I received an ARC of the book from #NetGalley.

If you like your mysteries with a touch of humor, this book is for you. MURDER OFF THE BOOKS is the third book in Tamara Berry’s By the Books mystery series. Tess Harrow, author of the Detective Gonzales mystery series, prepares to hype her newest installment with a book launch that coincides with the opening of her bookstore. An unexpected visit by Tess’s mother becomes even more surprising when her mother’s newest (much younger) love interest, Levi Parker, arrives. Levi is quickly identified by Tess’s daughter as a possible serial killer of elderly widows and is featured on a true-crime podcast. Tess enlists the help of Sheriff Boyd to protect her mother by keeping an eye on Levi Parker. When Levi is found dead, Tess’s mother is suspected of his murder. Tess needs to find out who killed Levi and exonerate her mother.

MURDER OFF THE BOOKS is a wonderful addition to the By the Books series. Tess is such a fun protagonist. Her daughter, Gertrude, and her friend, under-cover FBI agent Nicki, are back along with the Winthrop sheriff, Victor Boyd. I enjoy being in Tess’s world and hope to return there in future books.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review the e-arc of MURDER OFF THE BOOKS.

The third By the Books Mystery finds author Tess opening her own bookstore. However, the opening event is overshadowed by the death of suspected black widower. Even worse, her mother was seeing him at the time and now the famous podcaster covering the case is in town. Tess must work to solve the case to clear her mother’s name.

I really enjoyed this! It was the first I’ve read in this series but I definitely will be going back to read the other two soon. I’m looking forward to see what future adventures Tess and her crew have!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.