Tag: Poisoned Pen Press

Murder Runs in the Family: A Seven Ponds Mystery
Cozy Mystery/Amateur Sleuths
1st in Series
Setting – Arizona
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Poisoned Pen Press (April 29, 2025)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1464221170
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1464221170
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D8R5HDJ2

Amber thought she had troubles before her grandma was arrested for murder…

Former PI-in-training Amber Winslow has decided to flee her life in the dead of night, carrying nothing but the clothes on her back. Down on her luck and with no other choice, she heads to the sunny state of Arizona to the luxury accommodations of her grandmother’s retirement community. Never mind that Amber’s never actually met her estranged and eccentric Grandma Jade.

As soon as she sneaks her things into Seven Ponds (a place she technically doesn’t qualify for and definitely can’t afford), she’s shocked to learn that George Vincent, a.k.a. the Admiral, was found dead the very night of her arrival. What’s even more shocking is that no one seems particularly distraught over the news of the Admiral’s death or the disappearance of his prize pet tortoise. All anyone can talk about is a missing Vincent family heirloom, and they’re quick to blame Jade for both the Admiral’s murder and the theft of the priceless ring.

Amber doesn’t want to admit the woman she’s just met—and who accepted her without question—could be behind the Admiral’s death, and she’s determined to clear her grandmother’s name no matter the cost.

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.

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About the Author
Tamara Berry is the author of the Eleanor Wilde cozy mystery series and, as Lucy Gilmore, the Forever Home contemporary romance series. Also a freelance writer and editor, she has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a serious penchant for Nancy Drew novels. She lives in Bigfoot country (aka Eastern Washington) with her family and their menagerie. Find her online at www.tamaraberry.com.

Also written by Tamara Berry

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.”