Tamara Berry is one of my favorite authors in the cozy mystery genre. Her books are clever and make me laugh, and I love the interesting characters she creates. Her latest is a whole lot of fun!

Amber needs a fresh start, so she travels halfway across the country to visit her estranged and eccentric grandmother, Jade, at her retirement community. Just as they begin to get to know each other, Jade is arrested for the suspicious death of one of her friends. In addition, the victim's nearly 100-year-old tortoise is missing. Amber, who has learned a lot about investigation from her ex-boyfriend, a PI, puts her newfound skills to good use.

Like all of Berry's books, this is well-written with humorous dialogue and some funny situations. The characters in this story are quirky and vibrant, and their interactions and shenanigans made me laugh out loud. Jade is a hoot, and Amber is likable and an observant and smart sleuth. I love stories featuring senior characters, and this one includes a very entertaining group of them, complete with their own crime podcast! While we only get brief glimpses of their backstories, it seems like some very intriguing tales about this group are just waiting to be uncovered in future books. Fingers crossed that this becomes a series!

The mystery was well-crafted and kept me guessing. Honestly, I did not anticipate the resolution at all, and I loved being surprised! The story also includes some family drama, potential romance, and a few genuinely sweet moments as Amber is embraced by Jade's friends. Cozy mystery fans will want to add this one to their tbr. It's delightful!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the gifted eARC!

From the first chapter I knew this was gonna be a great book. I had read Berry’s other series & I find her humour to be hilarious & her characters seem to walk off the page, they’re drawn so realistically. Grandma Jade is a hoot, eccentric & lovely. Heroine, Amber, is also bright, imperfect & resilient. The setting of a seniors home is unique & a good choice for future plot possibilities. If it’s quirky, charming characters you enjoy this is a book for you. The dialog is sharp, you’ve got murder, missing heirlooms & a giant tortoise! The mystery itself was quite smart, adding in a true crime podcast that Jade produces & the many characters who aid in the sleuthing. This is such a fun read, ideal for your beach/summer book.

👵🏻

Read if you like:
* Catering Hall series by Maria DiRico
* Marlow Murder Club series by Robert Thorogood
* Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman

This was a delightful and fun cozy mystery! It had a bit of a slower start, but I really started to enjoy myself once we started getting to know all the colorful characters at the retirement community and within the podcast club. This book was incredibly charming, with Amber finding a family with the podcast club and the close friendship the members have, the tortoise Tatianna (who despite his name, is a male tortoise) Amber and Bones find themselves getting attached to, Amber's banter with one of the residents, and Bones even getting a bit of a redemption arc towards the end. I did not expect the twist at the end at all, and thought it was satisfying and fitting. I don't look to mysteries expecting character development and well-fleshed out relationships, so I also enjoyed that our main character had a complex relationship with her mom and family that is delved into. I hope this becomes a series, as I would love to see Amber's continued adventures with her grandma and this cast of characters.

One other thing I wanted to note: the title is rather misleading, given only one person in the family is or ever has been accused of murder, but that doesn't detract at all from the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC!

Murder runs in the family had a little bit of a slower start for me, but it had a phenomenal ending. It was such a fun read! I couldn't get enough of Jade and the older residents' antics. I really hope that we get more books about Amber.

This book starts with Amber running away from her ex-boyfriend in the middle of the night, she's vendictivley taken his good luck charm. She runsfrom WA to AZ, and she's convinced that Bones won't find her. for the first time in her life she's embraced by her maternal grandmother, and all seems right in her life, but of course that's not the way it goes!

A nice start to a new series featuring Amber, a 30 something PI, and her grandmother Jade, who lives a retirement community and has a true crime podcast. They've just connected when Jade becomes the prime suspect in the murder of the Admiral, the disappearance of Tatiana the tortoise and the theft of a ring. Whew. Luckily, Amber's smart and she's able to quickly get a handle on the community and its secrets. Then her ex Bones shows up and, despite his being a bit of a dork to her, helps. It's very cozy but there are enough red herrings to keep you guessing. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good cozy read.

A light fun entertaining cozy mystery. A little at the start, but after the murder it picks up speed. Amber, a training PI, wanted an escape and decided to visit her grandmother. In a luxurious retirement community in Arizona. Her grandmother Jade is a successful crime podcaster and is very smart and witty.. The retirement community and its residents were very interesting, and the mystery behind the murder and finding the stolen ring keeps Amber and the readers fully occupied. I love Tatiana, the 98 years old tortoise. It was an easy-to-read mystery with wonderful characters and hilarious dialogues. The ending was intriguing a little twist. Overall, I enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

cozy mystery is certainly a brilliant descriptions of these novels. because you are left feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. and thats a talent considering there is a murder to investigate.
Amber has run away from her life. she has been treated is a skivvy in her old job. but hasnt given up her dream to be a PI. she cuts ties with her job and her bf who didnt treat her right. so where does she go? of course to her estranged Grandma who she was forbidden from seeing. grandma Jade lives with her motley clan at a retirement village. the night she got there though someone is murdered and Jade is taken in for murder. this cant be happening can it? no it cant, not if Amber has anything to do with it so with the help of Jades little band of merry friends she decides shes going to find out what really happen and free her grandmother.
the community is so wonderful and i could read about this quirky set of characters for a lot longer.
this is a fun and lovable read.
ive not had much experience in this genre and if this is anything to go by then im all for it.

I'm pleasantly surprised by this book. It's a cozy crime fiction wherein old people are living their best life. Our protagonist Amber becomes a part of this elderly clan and despite a murder mystery to solve, enjoys her life while at it. I really loved the podcast bit in this book and would have loved to see more of it in the story. I didn't like the characters as much - they are all a bit of unreliable people - but I fell for the tortoise and now I'm wondering if I can get one legally as a pet.

Amber Winslow runs from her life to Arizona. Why you might ask, (I mean about Arizona) because that’s where her mysterious grandmother is living. Amber has only ever been told to stay away from grandma Jade. The night she arrives one of her grandmother’s friends in the retirement community dies, and it looks suspicious.
The group of found family that Jade has built welcome Amber in and encourage her to investigate.
There is a tortoise named Tatiana, an ex-boyfriend PI named Bones and a nurse known as Nasty Nancy.
Don’t underestimate senior citizens or the wild ride that is Murder Runs in the Family. It is lighthearted in most respects with a serious undertone that is aging and the effects/consequences it has for individuals and families.
The combination of Jade and Amber makes for a fun cozy mystery series debut. Check out Murder Runs in the Family.
Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book.

This author was new to me. The first in a series with book two at the editor. I loved everything about this book, except the mild cursing. Grandma Jade is Amber’s estranged grandma and a hoot. I loved the setting of a retirement community. Grandma Jade leads a podcast group of these Seniors and they are found family. Everyone of them is eccentric and a delight in their own way. One of their own, The Admiral is murdered. His sidekick, a tortoise, now named Tatiana is also an integral part of this story. I laughed out loud frequently. Tatiana has been missing for a month when Amber arrives on the scene. Amber is tasked with finding the tortoise, who has a special personality as well. Since Grandma Jade is also arrested for the murder, Amber begins to prove her innocence. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with an ARC, and the opinions are unbiased and all my own.

I picked up Murder Runs in the Family after being intrigued by the synopsis, but unfortunately I paid no attention to the author. I've read Tamara Berry before, and just find that her writing style doesn't usually work for me, and unfortunately that ended up being the case with this one as well.

The plot is unique and original, especially within the cozy mystery genre, and I did enjoy the fact that the pacing was fast and engaging, so even though I wasn't enjoying certain parts of it, I still found myself staying invested in the story.

However, I didn't care for the majority of the characters, and this unfortunately didn't change before the end of the story. Amber's backstory wasn't intriguing enough for me to care about what she's going through, and I found the grandmother and her friends to all be extremely annoying and hard to read about. My favorite character ended up being the tortoise which sounds ridiculous but it's definitely true.

That being said, I did enjoy the mystery development, and the way it kept me guessing right until the final pages. I also enjoyed the way that Grandma and her group of friends take care of their own, and how strong the family/friendship bond is between this unlikely group of individuals.

Unfortunately, I ended up having the same opinion of this one that I had with the previous titles I've tried by this author, and that's the fact that I don't enjoy her writing style. It's always crass and focused around weird humor, and for me it just doesn't mesh with what I'm expecting from a cozy mystery. Also, after being invested in the mystery part of the story, without spoiling anything all I'll say is that I found the ending to be a huge disappointment which I was not expecting.

Final Rating: 3/5.

Overall, it's not my favorite cozy and I don't think this author is for me personally, but if you enjoy your cozy mysteries to be edgier and with more weird humor incorporated throughout, this may be a book you'd find yourself enjoying.



Thanks so much to Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Poisoned Pen Press) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This was a cute and fast paced mystery. I enjoyed all of the characters and the plot. I would definitely be interested in reading more by Tamara Berry in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted ARC of this novel!

This was SUCH a fun read! Part true crime feel, part mystery, I was hooked from the first few chapters. The backdrop for this story was both unique and fun as well. I felt that all characters were well-developed as well as likable. I also did not see the twist/whodunnit coming! This could be considered a lighter book than some in the genre, but for me it was a breath of fresh air. I will definitely be checking out this author’s future writings!

Fleeing her past, Amber seeks refuge with her estranged grandmother in a luxury Arizona retirement community. When a resident is murdered and suspicion falls on her eccentric grandmother, Amber investigate to clear her grandmother’s name, even if it means confronting a dangerous secret.

I loved the characters and the compelling writing style in this novel. The plot is clever and fun. I hope this becomes a series—I’d love to read more about these characters.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This was a super fun murder mystery with lots of red herrings, amateur sleuths, a cast of likeable yet some untrustworthy characters, and a storyline that kept me guessing and wanting more!

30 something yr old Amber runs away from her current relationship and her life as a wannabe Private Investigator, and heads to an Arizona retirement community where her estranged grandmother lives and who Amber discovered, runs her favorite true crime podcast. The day Amber arrives at Seven Ponds, a friend of her grandmother's is found dead. Others are quick to accuse Amber's grandmother Jade as the murderer. So Amber sets off to solve this murder case, and clear her grandmother's name. With a dead man under suspicious circumstances, a missing family heirloom worth millions, a missing pet turtle, fantastic dialog and many suspicious characters, at a retirement community of all places, I’m telling you, this is a great story!!!

This is a little bit Knives Out only with a bunch of senior citizens! If you are a fan of Finlay Donovan, The Thursday Murder Club or the Stephanie Plum series, you will love this book!

I absolutely could not put this down and I hope there will be more to come with these characters!!!

Available April 29, 2025!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to review this advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

Genre: Contemporary Mystery | Thriller | Maybe a touch of Romance

True Crime, Twisted Secrets, and a Missing Tortoise—Welcome to Retirement Community Chaos

Amber Winslow is in the middle of a life reset when she turns up at her grandmother’s swanky retirement community—despite the minor detail that they’ve never met. But needs must, and a safe haven is a safe haven.

Jade isn’t your typical grandmother. She’s a successful true crime podcaster with a wicked sense of humour, enviable style, and the kind of magnetic charm that turns heads and raises eyebrows. Their reunion? Surprisingly warm, and full of sparks in the best way.

Amber, meanwhile, is a private investigator in all but paperwork—fully trained, whip-smart, and not afraid to dive headfirst into danger. And it’s just as well, because things escalate quickly when a resident dies under suspicious circumstances and Jade ends up at the centre of the investigation.

Throw in a missing tortoise, a missing 3 million dollar ring, an ex who reappears at the worst possible moment, and a maybe attractive young resident recovering from hip surgery (who may or may not be hiding something), and Amber’s got more than a few mysteries to solve—starting with the ones inside her own family.

What I Loved:

Jade. Glamorous, clever, and sharp-tongued—she’s impossible not to love.

The perfectly oddball mix of retirement village residents—each one with secrets, and not all of them harmless.

The banter, the chaos, the unexpected tenderness.

The setup of a genuinely intriguing mystery that balances humour with heart.

What I’d Like to See More Of:

Amber is attractive, competent, and quick-witted—clearly more than capable of holding her own. But for a protagonist, she feels surprisingly thin on emotional depth compared to the colourful cast around her. I’m hoping future books peel back a few more layers—there’s clearly more to her than just a similarity to her grandmother.


Final Thoughts:

Murder Runs in the Family is smart, funny, and full of heart—a wildly entertaining start to a promising series. With a sharp cast, snappy dialogue, and just enough darkness beneath the surface, I’m absolutely on board for the next instalment.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Murder Runs in the Family is the debut book in a new series by Tamara Berry. Amber breaks up with her boyfriend and her family doesn't understand her so she shows up at her estranged Grandmother's retirement community unannounced. Her Grandmother's friends really add to the story along with her ex boyfriend Bones and new friend Ethan. On the night of Amber's arrival the Admiral dies. It soon becomes apparent that his death is suspicious and there is a missing ring. The suspects are her Grandmother's friends, a couple of others who work or reside there and the Admiral's adult children. Amber's Grandmother ends up in jail. Amber was in training to be a.PI and her ex boyfriend is a PI. Tatiana the tortoise is the pet sidekick. I have read Tamara Berry's other series and loved it so I was excited for this book. It was an enjoyable cozy mystery but it focused more on the retirees and their secrets and Amber's family problems than on the mystery. #MurderRunsInTheFamily #PoisonedPenPress #TamaraBerry

Murder Runs in the Family is a wonderful cozy mystery read. Amber has left her boyfriend and show up at a retirement community to see her grandmother who she has never met. A man has died and murder is suspected. Since Amber was studying to be a PI she decides to investigate. This is a heartwarming story of meeting family for the first time and also becoming part of a new family. If you are looking for something that is not too heavy but full of heart give this book a try.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #TamaraBerry and #PoisonedPenPress for a copy of this book.
#MurderRunsintheFamily

Thank you Netgalley for this arc!

Maybe I was just in the right frame of mind for a lighthearted mystery, but I loved this 🧡 There's something about senior citizen protagonists that is so endearing, like what young person wouldn't want to live rent free in a retirement facility with all its amenities and all you have to do is participate in a conspiracy theory-fueled true crime podcast? A PI like Amber whose thirst for curiosity never stood a chance. This read like an Agatha Christie novel and if you like cases of whodunit, I highly recommend this book.

The story is engaging and perfect for light reading when you need something not overly heavy, but humorous and entertaining. For me, I felt that Berry left several threads hanging that could have been further developed or closed, but overall it is a cozy and delightful story with some unexpected twists.