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Nick and Nora Mysteries #7

Bell, Book and Corpses

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It’s Halloween trick-or-treachery when murder pays a visit to a cursed mansion in the new Nick and Nora mystery . . .

Waincroft Manor has long been tied to rumors of witchcraft and fatal curses, and to Nora Charles, that makes it the perfect place for a Halloween fundraiser. But her first trip to the deserted old mansion turns out to be truly ghoulish when she discovers a dead body. What’s more, the corpse is laid out in a coffin—with two bite marks on its neck. Then the autopsy comes back showing that the body was drained of blood, and there’s no stopping the local gossips from whispering the word vampire to anyone who will listen.

Determined to dispel the rumors and save the fundraiser, Nora sets out to prove the murderer was quite human after all. Sifting through the clues, she learns of a bitter family rivalry that spans generations, and a more recent conflict that may point to the motive for the murder. And when Nick spells out a clue that proves to be the missing piece of the puzzle, Nora knows she’ll have to watch her back—because there’s a killer out there who wants to keep some secrets buried, and they’ll happily bury Nora right along with them . . .

206 pages, ebook

Published September 24, 2024

6 people are currently reading
141 people want to read

About the author

T.C. LoTempio

26 books760 followers
Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series.

She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade.

While Toni LoTempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper.

Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She lists among her favorite mystery/suspense writers Erle Stanley Gardner, Mary Higgins Clark and James Patterson, as well as EJ Copperman, Steve Hockensmith, Victoria Laurie, Ali Brandon, Rita Mae Brown, Miranda James and Sofie Kelly to name only a few!

Toni is also passionate about her love for animals, as demonstrated with her four cats: Trixie, Princess, Maxx and, of course, ROCCO, who not only provided the inspiration for the character of Nick the cat in the Nick and Nora mystery series, but who also writes his own blog and does charity work for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read!

Toni’s also devoted to miniseries like The Thorn Birds, Dancing with the Stars, reruns of Murder She Wrote and Castle (of course!).

She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.

She, Rocco and company make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for Yvonne.
1,349 reviews265 followers
October 2, 2024
It’s Halloween and the people of Cruz are ready for a party. They are planning to hold a fundraiser at Waincroft Manor. However, it’s not just any manor. There is history and gossip about witchcraft and curses there. When Nora and her faithful feline Nick go to check it out, they find a dead body in a coffin. The townspeople immediately suspect a vampire since the body was drained of all its blood.

Nora takes it upon herself to figure out what happened. She is afraid no one would want to attend a fundraiser at a place where a vampire might be killing people. Not to mention a friend is arrested for the murder and Nora knows she's innocent. Nick and Nora are on the case, and they enlist the help of their friends for this one.

This is the perfect cozy mystery for this time of year. The author puts you right into the Halloween spirit even if it’s a little early in the season. It comes complete with the backdrop of a haunted mansion and a group of ghostbusters. Even the cover is perfect.

In this 7th book of the Nick and Nora Mystery series we get a chance to revisit old friends. That’s always a fun thing. Nora, Nick and their supporting cast are a perfect fit in this series. Of course Nick is always my favorite character and it’s so clever that he communicates through scrabble squares. He seems to always be one step ahead of Nora.

As often is this case with a cozy mystery series, the actual mystery is contained in this one book, but you really would enjoy it even more if you read the entire series starting with the first book. There are a couple of continuing threads throughout the series.

This author has become a favorite of mine in the cozy mystery field. She has several other cozy series and all are wonderful. I can never turn down one of her books. She’s such a master of the cozy mystery writing craft and she’s perfect at including the kitties.

I’m looking forward to the next book.








FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for LORI CASWELL.
2,879 reviews329 followers
September 28, 2024
Dollycas's Thoughts

Where better to hold a community fundraiser on Halloween than in a mansion said to be linked to fatal curses and witchcraft? Waincroft Manor has been vacant for years and the current owner willingly gives her approval. But when Nora, her detective cat Nick and a few committee members arrive to check out the creepy place a young boy runs out the door, struggles with Nora, pushes her down, and runs into the woods. While all that is happening Nick escapes into the house. When Nora catches up with him she finds a coffin in the room. A coffin complete with a dead body.  A dead body with two bite marks on its neck. A body that was drained of all its blood. Witchcraft, curses, okay, but there was no mention of vampires!

Will Nick and Nora be able to figure out who sucked the blood out of the victim in time to save the fundraiser? Or will Nick spell out more doom and gloom? Will Nora's snooping go too far and cost her her life? And one of Nick's too?

_____

This is such a fun series! Ms. LoTempio's characters are so well-crafted. She gives a twist to the characters of The Thin Man movies. This Nick is a cool cat with a unique talent and flair for solving murders. This Nora owns a sandwich shop and just passed a private investigator course making her even more credible butting into the investigation. Or so she thought. Her previous FBI boyfriend is off on a case but she has now started dating Leroy Samms, another FBI agent she had an "intimate moment" with in college. Nick's former human, also named Nick is a PI and possible spy whose whereabouts are unknown, which is a mystery Nora hasn't been able to solve.

The author has written a complex mystery. The motive was hard to define but Nora with Nick delved in to follow each clue and came up with some interesting theories. Then there was another murder which gave Nora more things to figure out. It wasn't until a ballpoint pen burst and brought back an important memory that the clues started to fall into place. But was Nora too late? She needed to follow through to see if she was right. This led to a surprising finding, reveal, confrontation, and a scary situation. I loved all the red herrings, twists, and turns, and that mystery was compelling and not easy to solve. It made me think. I also loved the humor of the ending and Nick's Scrabble tiles.

Bell, Book, and Corpses was a totally entertaining read and I escaped right into it. I love the unique investigative team of Nick and Nora and can never get enough. I am keen to see what Ms. LoTempio has planned for them next. I hope this series continues for a long time.

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 Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
3,308 reviews39 followers
September 19, 2024
Bell, Book, and Corpses by TC LoTiempo takes us to join Nora, and her detective cat, Nick. They are at Waincroft Manor to discuss decorations and placement of food for the upcoming fundraising gala. Since it was Halloween, Kay wanted the spookiest place possible. This was it. The place had been deserted for years. The current owner had agreed to its use so here they were, for the first look. A boy ran out the door, past them, causing Nora to land on her bottom. Nick darted into the house and down the hallway leading Nora to discover a dead man in a coffin? He had two to red puncture marks on his neck. Backing off, without touching anything, Nora called the police. They were already on their way. This was a small town and Nora knew everyone, including the officers and the detective that appeared. She even knew the FBI agent that pulled up. She had been dating him. She didn’t like how possessively Dale Anderson was touching Leroy Samms, the FBI man. It was too much. Kay Trilby, the town matriarch was not going to be happy. She was less happy when a couple of days later, Nora found another body at the manor, sans puncture marks.

This book is loaded with characters we’ve met before. All contacts, one way or another, of Nora’s. One wanted her to quit the restaurant and go into a private investigating firm as she had just passed a PI course. Others had information she wanted. Some gave freely, others bartered. She slowly put together a theory. It was a little out there but the evidence supported it. And it continued to support it. The most unlikely person came to her aid when she needed it the most and it turns out the theory wasn’t so preposterous after all. Good book. Good mystery. Excellent characters. Everything a cozy mystery needs. LoTiempo sure loves her animal sleuths. Fun.

I was invited to read Bell, Book, and Corpses by Beyond the Page Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BeyondThePagePublishing #TCLoTiempo #BellBookAndCorpses
Profile Image for Cozy Reader Lady.
1,167 reviews128 followers
September 22, 2024
"Bell, Book and Corpses (Nick and Nora Mystery #7)" by T. C. LoTiempo is set around Halloween. Nora and some of the others are trying to get a Halloween Charity Gala set up at a house that is said to be cursed. Unfortunately, the house is living up to its reputation. Nick, the tuxedo cat, leads Nora to a coffin that contains what appears to be a real vampire victim inside.

Nora gets sucked into investigating when the property owner, and old high friend, asks for her help. Was the victim in the wrong place wrong time? Maybe there is something more supernatural happening? This one seemed to get a clear direction of who the culprit was but not quite who specifically they were until the reveal. So the motive was clear but not exactly the who, until the end.
Profile Image for Christy.
1,294 reviews69 followers
September 25, 2024
Nora Charles and her feline sidekick, Nick, are back in Bell, Book and Corpses by T.C. LoTempio. This is the seventh book in the Nick and Nora Mystery series, and it’s just as delightful as the previous books! If you haven’t read them, don’t worry; you can read this as a standalone and enjoy it just as much!

It’s the Halloween season, and Nora has been asked to cater a Halloween fundraiser at the purportedly cursed Waincroft Manor. When she meets at the manor with her friends who will be helping prepare for the fundraiser too, Nora is the first to enter. She’s almost bowled over by a teenager as she’s entering, and she sees why the teen was in such a hurry to leave. There’s a casket in the manor! The casket holds the corpse of a man with two holes in the side of his neck that look eerily like a vampire bite! Of course, Nora is going to do some snooping, er investigating, to find out just who the corpse is, why his body was there, and who put him there. Shortly after this shocking discovery, Nora finds another body in the manor! An old high school acquaintance is accused of both murders, and Nora is even more determined to find out the truth!

I loved Bell, Book and Corpses! I enjoy reading “seasonal” books because they put me in the mood for the season. Reading this definitely got me in the mood for fall weather and all that goes along with it! It also made me really hungry for grilled cheese! You see, Nora owns a sandwich shop, and several grilled cheese sandwiches are consumed here! She also serves sandwiches with clever names of celebrities. You’re going to crave sandwiches! One of the grilled cheese lovers is part of a ghost hunting group who added to the mystery. In this case, they think they’re going to connect with a vampire…it’s a long story! You’ll have to read this to find out more!

Once again, I loved the characters in Bell, Book and Corpses! Many of the series regulars show up in addition to the main characters. Nora’s sister is still living with her, but the poor girl has a cold the whole book! Who can relate?! Nora’s BFF, her current flame, her police detective arch nemesis…okay, that might be too dramatic…are still just as well-written as ever. They feel like old friends. I enjoyed getting to know some new characters who I hope will become regulars!

This mystery is well-plotted and will have you chasing lots of leads…many of which turn out to be red herrings! I always enjoy following along with Nora and Nick (and others) as they follow the clues and solve the mystery. Nick loves giving Nora hints with Scrabble tiles and well-timed yowls and meows!

I highly recommend Bell, Book and Corpses for its wonderful characters, spooky Halloween feel, drool-worthy sandwiches, and exciting mystery! It gets five stars from me!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Profile Image for The Sassy Bookworm.
4,078 reviews2,873 followers
October 19, 2024
Book Review: Bell, Book and Corpses by T.C. LoTempio

Rating: 4 Stars

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Bell, Book and Corpses by T.C. LoTempio, and this cozy mystery is the perfect treat for the Halloween season! Set against the eerie backdrop of Waincroft Manor—a mansion steeped in tales of witchcraft and curses—Nora Charles finds herself in the middle of a spine-tingling whodunit when a body is discovered laid out in a coffin, complete with two peculiar bite marks on its neck. As the whispers of vampires begin to circulate among the local gossips, Nora is determined to clear the air and prove that the real murderer is human.

This installment of the Nick and Nora Mystery series brings back familiar faces that fans will adore. I always enjoy revisiting characters I've come to love, and Nora, Nick, and their quirky supporting cast fit seamlessly into this spooky narrative. Nick, the most cleverest of cats is my favorite character. He communicates through Scrabble tiles and "meows", always one step ahead of Nora!

The author also has a knack for immersing readers in the Halloween spirit. A haunted mansion, vampires, ghostbusters, all set the stage for a cozy and festive Halloween themed read. Plus, can we take a moment to appreciate the cover? It's absolutely perfect for capturing that Halloween ambiance!

Overall, Bell, Book and Corpses earns a solid four stars from me. It’s an engaging read that combines humor, suspense, and just the right amount of spooky vibes. It works well as a standalone. Has great writing, a well plotted mystery, and fun characters. So if you're in the mood for a cozy mystery that captures the essence of Halloween, this book is definitely worth adding to your reading list!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Profile Image for Darla Taylor.
1,865 reviews
October 8, 2024
Waincroft Manor has a history in town ~ one filled with witches, curses, and vampires. So, Nora Charles thinks the place is an excellent location for a Halloween fundraiser. But on her first visit there, she and her cat, Nick, find a body in a casket with two supposed bite marks. It's soon confirmed that the body was drained of blood so the rumors soon start and everyone is talking about vampires. But Nora's sure the killer is all too human. As she and Nick sift through clues, Nora finds out about a family feud but she also discovers something much more recent. And Nick spells out a clue with his Scrabble tiles that may just be the missing piece of the puzzle. They're soon off to catch a killer, but Nora has to take care because the killer wants what he thinks is his and he's not afraid to kill again.

I've really enjoyed this series and this book's no exception. I've read every book in the series which quickly became a favorite and I loved each book. I especially love Nick who helps solve the mysteries and spells out important clues with his tiles. He's definitely one unique kitty! The book was well-written with well-rounded characters and a fast-paced plot. I was immediately drawn into this captivating tale and kept hooked from beginning to end. There's intrigue and mystery in this book as well as a bit of romance. The murder was not an easy one to solve. It was a complex murder with multiple twists and turns and red herrings, but Nick and Nora are a persistent pair and they ultimately find the killer, but can they escape with their lives? This was a quick, fun read and TC LoTempio is a talented author and storyteller who brings these books to life. I loved this book and highly recommend both book and series which I believe is best read in order.
Profile Image for Shaina.
1,163 reviews6 followers
October 29, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley and T. C. LoTempio for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Bell, Book and Corpses, which was released September 24, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Waincroft Manor has long been tied to rumors of witchcraft and fatal curses, and to Nora Charles, that makes it the perfect place for a Halloween fundraiser. But her first trip to the deserted old mansion turns out to be truly ghoulish when she discovers a dead body. What’s more, the corpse is laid out in a coffin—with two bite marks on its neck. Then the autopsy comes back showing that the body was drained of blood, and there’s no stopping the local gossips from whispering the word vampire to anyone who will listen.

Determined to dispel the rumors and save the fundraiser, Nora sets out to prove the murderer was quite human after all. Sifting through the clues, she learns of a bitter family rivalry that spans generations, and a more recent conflict that may point to the motive for the murder. And when Nick spells out a clue that proves to be the missing piece of the puzzle, Nora knows she’ll have to watch her back—because there’s a killer out there who wants to keep some secrets buried, and they’ll happily bury Nora right along with them . . .

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I need to read the other books in the series, but I love cozy mysteries. I’m obsessed with Salem, so I think this was the perfect setting. The manor and the Halloween atmosphere were so fun! I really loved it. I love the old Hollywood and classic book references to Nick and Nora and Bell, Book and Candle. I’m obsessed with old movies. I would definitely check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!
483 reviews17 followers
September 7, 2024
Even after deciding to read this book, I was unsure. The title is a bit curious as is the description and learning Nick is a cat (or is he) really sold me. I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the book a lot. Nora was an absolutely wonderful character full of spirit and curiosity and stubbornness and perhaps lacking a bit in self preservation. Someone was guiding her through the mystery full of interesting characters from the town matriarch to the ghost hunters. I was a skosh unsure of the two men in her life but liked Samms. While he wasn't fully supportive of her he did share more with her than he should have to lead her to solve the mystery.
The best part of the story was with the exception of the dead body, no one knew exactly what they were chasing. Figuring out what the mystery was as interesting as solving it. Nora did a superb job of chasing clue, some cryptic, to find the source of the murder. Nick intrigued me with his Scrabble case solving prowess. The cat of a PI passed onto to Nora, Nick seemed to be so much more than simply a cat. If this book was defined as a paranormal series, I might start thinking the cat wast he PI. Regardless of who or what he is, Nick was by far the most fun character in the story. This might have been my first book by this author but I am curious as to how Nora got her start and how she paired up with Nick.
I would recommend this book. Obviously starting with book 1 is not required but reading one book in this series will make you want to read more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.
2,254 reviews31 followers
September 8, 2024
Princess Fuzzypants here: For obvious reasons, this is my second favourite of Toni’s series. Long before Purrday and I met up, there was Nick and Nora. These two are as entertaining as the originals in the Thin Man movies. Sandwich maker extraordinaire Nora has a side gig of being a PI but she could not do it without Nick’s inimitable talent with clues and scrabble tiles.

They discover a corpse in a coffin in a deserted mansion. There is a legend of a vampire and a curse so when they realize the body has been drained of blood, rumours start to fly. Nora is not convinced and when Samms identifies the deceased, they both suspect, there is something far more sinister than vampires behind this death. When a second murder occurs, she becomes convinced that it is all tied up in a bank heist where the money was never found. Through good investigative skills and spot on connecting of the dots, she has a good idea where she can find the answers everyone seeks.

The only trouble is there are a number of hurdles she is going to have to get over if she is going to reveal the killer and still live. Nick, of course, and someone else, comes to the rescue and the villains are brought to justice. It is a good mystery but as always Nick steals the show. He is just such a great character. May there be many more adventures for him and Nora in the future. Five purrs and two paws up.

Profile Image for Randee Green.
Author 7 books77 followers
September 14, 2024
Nora Charles has been hired to cater for a Halloween-themed fundraising event at the abandoned and allegedly cursed Waincroft Manor. When Nora and other members of the decorating committee arrive at Waincroft Manor for an initial walkthrough, they discover a distraught teenage boy and a dead body in a casket. The dead man has two bite marks in his neck and has been drained of his blood. The man’s death leads the locals to believe the old tales of the alleged vampire who used to live at Waincroft—and that perhaps the vampire has returned to his former home. Determined to kill the vampire rumors and save the fundraiser, Nora—and her feline sleuthing companion, Nick—set out to uncover a very human killer. An old feud, another body, and a ghost hunting crew only complicate Nora’s mission.

BELL, BOOK AND CORPSES is the first Nick and Nora Mystery that I’ve read, so I did feel like I was missing out on some crucial background information on Nick’s and Nora’s previous investigations. Is was the Halloween theme that compelled me to check it out this book. The vampire legend and curses surrounding Waincroft Manor were fun. The motive behind the murder(s) was also very interesting. There were plenty of red herrings and suspects to keep me guessing. I’ll admit that Nick and his Scrabble tiles made me roll my eyes…But who doesn’t love a furry investigating partner even if they’ve got some unbelievable abilities.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Profile Image for Dani 🌈.
118 reviews3 followers
September 24, 2024
⭐️ 𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎 ⭐️
Bell, Book and Corpses by T.C. LoTempio
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

sᥡᥒ᥆⍴sіs:
Waincroft Manor has long been tied to rumors of witchcraft and fatal curses, and to Nora Charles, that makes it the perfect place for a Halloween fundraiser. But her first trip to the deserted old mansion turns out to be truly ghoulish when she discovers a dead body. What’s more, the corpse is laid out in a coffin—with two bite marks on its neck. Then the autopsy comes back showing that the body was drained of blood, and there’s no stopping the local gossips from whispering the word vampire to anyone who will listen.

Determined to dispel the rumors and save the fundraiser, Nora sets out to prove the murderer was quite human after all. Sifting through the clues, she learns of a bitter family rivalry that spans generations, and a more recent conflict that may point to the motive for the murder. And when Nick spells out a clue that proves to be the missing piece of the puzzle, Nora knows she’ll have to watch her back—because there’s a killer out there who wants to keep some secrets buried, and they’ll happily bury Nora right along with them . . .


mᥡ rᥱ᥎іᥱᥕ:
I’ve been really getting into reading cozy mysteries and this one didn’t disappoint! This was the first book by this author that I’ve read and it can absolutely read as a stand alone. I was never confused who the characters were or what was going on. It was beautifully written and perfect for the spooky season.

The best part of this book is Nick who is the cat side kick of Nora. Nick is not your average cat though, helping solve the towns mysteries by communicating through scrabble tiles he is one step ahead of your average house cat. I highly recommend this book for the cat lover readers who want to dive into the spooky season vibes, this book will not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC. Bell, Book and Corpses by T.C. LoTempio is available for purchase today, September 24!
Profile Image for Ann.
6,045 reviews85 followers
March 24, 2025
I love the play on character names in this book with Nora and her cat Nick. Waincroft Manor has long been tied to rumors of witchcraft and fatal curses, and to Nora Charles, that makes it the perfect place for a Halloween fundraiser. But her first trip to the deserted old mansion turns out to be truly ghoulish when she discovers a dead body. What’s more, the corpse is laid out in a coffin—with two bite marks on its neck. Then the autopsy comes back showing that the body was drained of blood, and there’s no stopping the local gossips from whispering the word vampire to anyone who will listen.
Determined to dispel the rumors and save the fundraiser, Nora sets out to prove the murderer was quite human after all. Sifting through the clues, she learns of a bitter family rivalry that spans generations, and a more recent conflict that may point to the motive for the murder. And when Nick spells out a clue that proves to be the missing piece of the puzzle, Nora knows she’ll have to watch her back—because there’s a killer out there who wants to keep some secrets buried, and they’ll happily bury Nora right along with them . . .
Profile Image for Cozy Reviews.
2,050 reviews5 followers
September 21, 2024
Nora and her smart detective cat Nick are back in a Halloween theme sleuth that readers will adore. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own. This is a charming cozy author that has a talent for writing about cats and well crafted sleuths.

Nora is planning a Halloween gala in a spooky abandon mansion. As she is setting up for the party she finds a body. Nora and Nick are on the case together finding clues and suspects abound. When a second murder occurs Nora has her to do list full with the gala, two murders and balancing her relationship with the investigating agent. She forges ahead with investigating much to the chagrin of the local police involvedd. I like the additional characters that are in this book and the sleuth kept me guessing. A fun cozy read with the adorable Nick is always enjoyable for readers. Well done to the author.

Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Caitlin Gonya.
503 reviews6 followers
October 14, 2024
While I love this series, Nora makes me angry. She is intelligent and yet she makes such stupid and dangerous decisions. First of all, Nick the cat is a wonderful and intelligent cat, but Nora doesn’t seem to always understand him, or she is deliberately obtuse. In this case, there was no red herring. It was quite clear once introduced what Nick was trying to say. Which means I knew who the killers were right away.

Second, I cannot stand the officer versus amateur detective animosity. In this case, Dale Anderson seems jealous of Nora because of Samms, and Samms seems not at all supportive of Nora. Can we please get this whole situation fixed in the next book, please? It's frustrating and thus distracting.

Third, because I knew who the killers were, it was frustrating to see Nora ignoring the OBVIOUS clues. The ultimate motive was good. It's a classic theme but one that will never get old because it's still a reality. I just wish there had been more of a play with the “vampire” and the abandoned mansion.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
Profile Image for Annarella.
14.2k reviews167 followers
October 31, 2024
4.5 upped to 5
I've been reading and loving this series since the first installment and was very happy when new stories were being published
This is an excellent Halloween story featuring an ancient curse, a gothic mansion, a group of ghost-busters, and plenty of characters from the previous stories.
I had a lot of fun and it kept me reading till late in the night as there's twists, surprises, and a lot of fun.
I appreciated the solution and can't wait to read the next story.
Two notes: it would be nice if the love triangle was solved as it seems a bit too long, I don't find Lacey a nice character and would be great if she could find a way to be independent and solve her unsolve romantic issues.
Nick and Nora are as lovely as usual.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Profile Image for Book.
482 reviews
September 19, 2024
When Nora Charles is hired to cater a Halloween fundraiser at the Waincroft Manor, she finds a dead body in a coffin when she goes to inspect the site. While the house has been abandoned for years, it is associated with rumors of witchcraft and fatal curses. The body is found completely drained of blood, so seeing two bite marks on the body’s neck seems to create a fresh batch of rumors.

When the rumors of vampires emerge, Nora’s concern for the fundraiser’s success, motivates her to investigate with her feline sleuth, Nick. T. C LoTempio pens an intriguing mystery for this seventh entry in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. And yes, Nick still uses Scrabble tiles to spell out clues for Nora.
Profile Image for Dana.
786 reviews3 followers
January 18, 2025
Thank you Beyond the Page and NetGalley for the DRC of Bell, Book, and Corpses! All opinions in this review are my own.

Although it is the seventh book in the Nick and Nora Mysteries series, this is the first one that I read so I did feel like I was missing out on some important events that happened previously.

Overall, this was a solid mystery, however, I do wish they focused more on the fact that the killer was trying to imitate a vampire. While it was brought up at times, it was not a huge part of trying to solve the mystery and to be honest, that was all I could focus on. Who would be motivated to do that and how do they have the skill set to do it? I did like the slight magical-ness of Nick the cat though and how he would assist in solving the case!
Profile Image for Jan.
6,531 reviews100 followers
September 5, 2024
The coffin in Waincroft Manor held a dead man with two puncture wounds in his neck. Not a good way to start the day before a fundraiser to be held there the next day. Nora Charles is a former journalist who returned home to run the family sandwich shop and is working on getting her Private Investigator's license. Nick is a pudgy Tuxedo cat who spells out clues with scrabble tiles and is a major help in the investigation. I enjoy the stories, puns, laughs, and easy recipes.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
#NickAndNoraMysteriesBk7
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,853 reviews9 followers
October 21, 2024
This is the seventh book in the Nick and Nora Mysteries written by T. C. LoTempio.
Nora runs a sandwich shop and has her PI license. She has a great mentor and an intuitive cat that saves her bacon often.

Nora wants to save the fundraiser and prove it wasn’t a vampire that caused the man’s death in the ‘haunted” decrepit mansion.

The jealous detective isn’t working for me in this story. I basically wrote her off.

The twists, turns, and mis-directions were great! Waiting anxiously for the next book in this series.
This story maybe read as a standalone.

Netgalley provided me an e-copy of an Advance Readers Copy. I am not required to leave a positive review.
Profile Image for Cherry London.
Author 1 book83 followers
February 12, 2025
When Nora and Nick found a ghoulish murder scene laid out before them, she couldn’t help her investigative instincts kicking in.
Nick is the hero of these books his extraordinary ability is always fun to read about as he leads Nora through the nose to the clues and killer. He is a cool cat for sure. Although Nora has great sleuthing skills, it was she and her sister's uncouth and blase way about their sex life, which irritated me, you noticed I didn’t say love life, they seemed to have a thing with maths, first, there was one, then two now three, I mean really. I believe their relationships with the male species be excluded, from the story.
Profile Image for Cassandra.
2,690 reviews23 followers
September 21, 2024
I have read this author before but never this series and I liked it just as much as I liked her other series. The mystery was pretty good and I liked all the characters (her sister and friends). Her kitty is soooo smart, able to read, and essentially speak to humans. I also liked her job owning the sandwich shop. The only thing I am not a fan of is the kind of love triangle. I really don't like that troupe. The main character was the correct amount of suspicious of the people . Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,311 reviews126 followers
October 23, 2024
I jumped into this series with this book, which I believe is book seven, so it took me a little bit to get my bearings with the various characters but the author did a great job of filling in the backstory. This was a great seasonal read, chocked full of a haunted mansion and vampire, although neither created a supernatural solution to the mystery. The mystery was solved through great sleuthing of clues. My thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book to provide my honest review.
92 reviews
November 17, 2025
Interesting ending! Nick kept the blocks at T A B but instead of interpreting as the killer, Nora thought he meant BAT! It was only at the end when speaking with Hal that she realized he was giving the killer's name! She and Samms still playing games while a certain police detective wants to be his girl! If it weren't for a witness, Nora would be dead, but thankfully, he broke out again with his cell phone to help out, but the place is ruined, and his aunt had to find a new place for the Halloween party!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1,717 reviews6 followers
September 8, 2024
This is a fun, entertaining read. I enjoyed Nora the amateur sleuth and her sidekick. I love the role she played in solving the mystery/murder and how the story was all about her sleuthing. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The book is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
691 reviews3 followers
October 24, 2025
Good one for Oct. So, other than following the stereotype of the cozy mystery protagonist feeling she must have PROOF of her theory before she can take her thoughts to the police & then goes--by herself, & without telling anyone--right where she's likely to run into the killer 🙄--this was a good one. I like the small town, small cast of regulars aspect of cozies, but I am getting tired of the protagonist always doing stupid stuff.
Profile Image for CatReads.
306 reviews2 followers
September 26, 2024
5 big stars! I loved it! This is a great cozy for Halloween spooky season. The mystery and clues kept me on the edge of my seat. Nick the cat worked his magic as usual. This mystery was so well written I was trying to work it out on my own and did make some head way. I can't wait for the next book in this series. I highly recommend this series! It's a top favorite of mine!
Profile Image for Teresa.
2,300 reviews17 followers
December 31, 2025
The Nick and Nora series is one that keeps me entertained. Nora and her detective cat, Nick, will have you pulled into the story and anxious to resolve the murder mystery. The characters are well developed and some you will remember from previous books in the series. The Halloween theme with the supernatural investigation team was a plus and enjoyable addition to the book. Lots of twists and turns and misguided clues will have you flipping through the pages as you struggle alongside of Nora (and Nick) to figure out who is guilty of murder. Even if Nick’s “abilities” are a little farfetched, it still adds to the entertainment factor of the book. I cannot wait to see what Nora’s next adventure will be about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!
Profile Image for Stephanie.
1,027 reviews
August 4, 2025
Enjoyable clean murder mystery set during Halloween season. Clean read. 3.5 rounded up
Profile Image for Val.
689 reviews3 followers
October 19, 2024
Nick (the cat) and Nora are at it again! This time the stage is an abandoned mansion set to be the scene of a fundraiser at Halloween. When Nora joins others to check out the mansion, she finds a bloodless body in a coffin! Our chef/detective gets her wheels turning as she tries to prove the innocence of the mansion's owner while juggling her FBI beau and a band of ghostbusters. But who is the guilty party or are there several neer do wells? What about the young boy fleeing on the bike when the body is found? This was an enjoyable read as clues comes together to unveil the guilty party. Of course, Nick, swishes his tail at all the right times to help Nora! Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.
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