“These days, she wasn't an easy woman to scare, but nothing in her years of research into the ways and means of murder had prepared her for dead fish and body parts falling from the sky.”
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Rating
As far as cozy mysteries go, this first installment of the "By the Book" mystery series is landing a solid 4 stars for me.
Plot Summary
Successful mystery author Tess Harrow and her aloof teen daughter Gertie find themselves moving to the small town of Winthrop after Tess inherits her late grandfather's cabin in the woods. Tess, having recently been divorced from her husband, is on a mission to disconnect from the high-energy life in the city and focus on herself and her daughter. It does not take long for Tess and Gertie to realize that this small town is anything but ordinary or peaceful. Aside from the less-than-troubling first meeting with the town's sheriff, Victor Boyd, she finds herself mixed up in a murder investigation when body parts start falling from the sky. It is now up to Tess to clear her family name, bond with her daughter, finish her next book, and establish herself in their new hometown. Along the way, she encounters bigfoot, toucans, and a dark past.
Thoughts
It was a short read, full of fun, and adequate, but not overwhelming, world-building. It has many classic tropes of small-town murder mysteries but has its own flairs of originality. If you want a thriller with wild plots and unexpected twists, this may not be for you. However, I recommend this book for a fun lunch break or a Saturday afternoon read.
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