Bigfoot, explosions, murder and no Wi-Fi, oh my!
Buried in a Good Book was so fun that it was like a beach read of a cozy mystery! Even the cover evokes a summer getaway, provided you're ok dead bodies and a murder investigation on your vacation.
Tess Harrow is a bestselling thriller writer coming out of a divorce who decides to take her 14-year-old daughter to a remote area for a chance to unplug, get back to nature, and heal. So they head to northern Washington to a rustic cabin Tess inherited from her grandfather that has no electricity, running water, or wifi. No sooner do they show up than it's raining body parts and the locals recognize Tess. Being a thriller writer, Tess has researched a lot of crime. So she becomes wholly invested in the investigation, much to the chagrin of the local sheriff, who happens to resemble Tess's fictional detective.
Engagingly written and fast-paced, this is a satisfying and well-plotted mystery. The characters have some depth, and the dialogue is witty yet has a natural feel. Book lovers will enjoy the peek into the mind of a writer as Tess is always plotting scenes and thinking about how she would write what is happening in the investigation into one of her books. Comedic moments come from Tess and her daughter and from the sheriff, who has to remind Tess repeatedly that real-life investigations are not like those in her books. This comedy and other over-the-top aspects (looking at you, Bigfoot) nicely offset some parts that are slightly grittier than you find in a typical cozy. The slightly grittier works well here, though, as Tess, the thriller writer, always has her mind on murder and crime scenes. I'm excited to see where Tamara Berry takes this series. I just had so much fun reading this, and I cannot wait for book two! Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. I really enjoyed and highly recommend it!
My steep was iced Peach Sun tea by Oliver Pluff & Co Tea. You can find this top-notch brew and many others at www.oliverpluff.com
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