3.73 AVERAGE

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mommytaco's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 34%

Meh. I did not care who did it. The characters did not feel original or even that fun. Just cliches with a podcast I guess 
funny lighthearted mysterious

I had a lot of fun reading this book! All of the characters are so colorful and there are crazy hijinks going on at the retirement community of Seven Ponds! Amber fled her ex and wound up at this place to see if she could find her grandmother, a black sheep (kinda like Amber) from the rest of their family. And I love how the characters are mostly likeable (even Nancy has her moment) though all are flawed, so it is not too sugary sweet. From Jade to Raffi, and even grumpy Ethan, each person stands out with their own talents (and a few secrets) and that means a memorable adventure for Amber to solve the murder of the Admiral (and prove her grandma did not do it), and possibly find his tortoise (I love this little guy!) as well as a missing ring that the Admiral's relatives really want (they are a nasty greedy lot!). Only one dead body, so not much of a murder mystery, just a fun mystery.

Was this a deep and thinking book? No. but it is an entertaining story with plenty of laughs but also sweet moments where Amber learns that she is loved and accepted (at least at Seven Ponds) and the group will always have each other's backs in times of trial. I kinda hope she gets to stick around and help out even more, whether it is solving more mysteries or becoming part of the podcast and maybe finding a new guy to replace Bones!
funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

 Murder Runs in the Family was my first Tamara Berry mystery, and I can already tell it won’t be my last. The story takes place in a retirement community, where Amber lands on her estranged grandmother’s doorstep, looking for a fresh start and some distance from an ex who was seriously holding her back. But, of course, things don’t stay quiet for long—a baffling mystery unfolds, packed with twists, unexpected clues, and plenty of small-town secrets. The case keeps you guessing, balancing intrigue with a touch of humor and charm. A fabulous series debut—I’m already excited for the next installment! 

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the arc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

In Murder Runs in the Family, we meet Amber, an aspiring private investigator who stumbles into a murder investigation when she shows up to meet her estranged, eccentric grandmother for the first time. Lighthearted and funny, this is a solid opening to a cozy mystery series, and I look forward to getting to know these characters more in the next installment!

The only part that pulled me out of the story was a subplot involving post-hip replacement care. It didn’t quite line up with my real-world understanding and made me think there was more to the storyline than there turned out to be, though it may not stand out to readers without a background in that area.

I’ll be recommending this to:
– True crime podcast fans, who want to imagine finding themselves helping their favorite show investigate a case 
– Anyone already multiple books deep in a handful of other ongoing detective series
– My friend who lives in an Arizona condo community and would get a kick out of the setting
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
emotional funny mysterious relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional funny lighthearted mysterious

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Amber Winslow has never met her Grandma Jade, but when she decides to leave her PI boyfriend in the middle of the night with her meager belongings, she heads to her grandmother’s retirement community in Arizona. Her grandmother welcomes her with open arms, knowing a surprising amount of information about her life and her PI-in-training status.

She barely gets settled in her grandma’s guest room when she learns about a resident man’s death. George Vincent (The Admiral) was a friend of her grandmother’s and a member of a close-knit group that produces a cold case podcast. Amber also learns that the Admiral’s pet 98-year-old tortoise has been missing for a few weeks. While no one appears to be overly upset by the man’s death or the missing tortoise, several people are demanding to know what happened to a high-value Vincent family heirloom.

Then Amber gets a huge shock when her Grandma Jade is arrested for theft and murder. Even though she doesn’t know her grandmother well, she knows she needs to use her PI skills to prove her grandmother had nothing to do with the man’s death or his missing heirloom.

In this new series from Tamara Berry, we meet an eclectic cast of characters led by protagonist Amber Winslow, a 30ish woman with a dysfunctional relationship with her mother and siblings. She was training to be a private investigator, but her boss/boyfriend, Bones, wasn’t on the same page regarding her job and progress. That sent Amber off to find her maternal grandmother. A woman whom Amber’s mother had cut from all their lives. Her mother has issues, but that’s for another book.

Amber’s Grandma Jade is a hoot. She is very comfortable in her skin, just check out the portrait in the guest bedroom.  She has a positive attitude about almost everything and is the force behind the Death Comes Calling podcast. She has quite a group of seniors to work with. The Admiral researched cold cases to feature. Julio works as a security guard, keeps the books for the podcast, and is the resident bookie. Raffi plays the part of the lead character on the podcast. Peggy Lee has many techy talents and spends time at the reception desk. Camille does promotion and distribution for the podcast. Lincoln works to keep all the friends fed and makes some amazing croissants. We also meet the director of the facility, Geerta Blom, and Nurse Nancy. All the characters are well-crafted for this first book in a series, with plenty of room for readers to get to know them better.

Amber solved her first solo case quickly when she found the Admiral’s tortoise, but the last thing she needed was a posse of senior citizens as she worked to free her grandma from jail. But that was just what she got. She also didn’t need her ex, but Bones showed up in Draycott, Arizona, wanting to help and win her back. What ensues are some crazy antics, twists, turns, a strange discovery, and a surprising realization.

Ms. Berry’s intriguing mystery has friendship and family themes along with a behind-the-scenes look at the Seven Ponds retirement community. It is also laced with quite a bit of sarcastic humor courtesy of our main character.

What I really loved was the prominent role of 98-year-old Tatiana the tortoise. After Amber found the pint-sized tortoise, she named him and took him everywhere. First, she walked him very slowly like a dog. Then she fashioned a sling like you would use for a baby and carried him everywhere. Sadly, he wasn’t eating, and the whole senior posse, Bones, and another resident there recovering from surgery, were concerned. The little guy touched my heart, too.

Murder Runs in the Family is a terrific start for this series. It’s an entertaining story with a Gen Z protagonist trying to find where she belongs, a fun group of senior amateur sleuths trying to live their best lives, and a lovable tortoise set in a retirement community with Nasty Nurse Nancy lurking around every corner. A lively, lighthearted read with an unexpected ending. An Enjoyable Escape! Bring on Book 2!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Poison Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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