What do you think?
BURIED IN A BOOK a witty and addictive cozy murder mystery
267 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2026
About the author
T.C. LoTempio
29 books759 followersBorn 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
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
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 22, 2026
Dialogue has never felt so forced
July 5, 2026
and A Strong Premise, But Not the Right Fit for Me
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ALC.
DNF at 63%.
This cozy mystery delivered exactly what I expected in the best ways: a charming bookstore setting, likable recurring characters, light humor, and an approachable mystery. I also appreciated that, despite being connected to an existing series, it provided enough context that I never felt lost as a new reader.
The narration by Christa Lewis was enjoyable, and the audiobook production wasn’t the issue. In fact, I found myself engaged whenever I was fully focused on the story. Unfortunately, as the book progressed, I noticed myself zoning out more often and becoming less invested. By the halfway point, I was listening more out of obligation than genuine curiosity about what would happen next.
Ultimately, this was a reader-fit decision rather than a reflection of the book’s quality. Fans of slower-paced cozy mysteries with a strong sense of place and a lovable cast of recurring characters will likely enjoy this much more than I did. For me, the story simply wasn’t able to maintain my attention consistently enough to continue. 3.5⭐
Who Should Listen
Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a charming bookshop setting, recurring characters, light humor, and a slower-paced mystery that prioritizes atmosphere and community over fast-paced twists.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ALC.
DNF at 63%.
This cozy mystery delivered exactly what I expected in the best ways: a charming bookstore setting, likable recurring characters, light humor, and an approachable mystery. I also appreciated that, despite being connected to an existing series, it provided enough context that I never felt lost as a new reader.
The narration by Christa Lewis was enjoyable, and the audiobook production wasn’t the issue. In fact, I found myself engaged whenever I was fully focused on the story. Unfortunately, as the book progressed, I noticed myself zoning out more often and becoming less invested. By the halfway point, I was listening more out of obligation than genuine curiosity about what would happen next.
Ultimately, this was a reader-fit decision rather than a reflection of the book’s quality. Fans of slower-paced cozy mysteries with a strong sense of place and a lovable cast of recurring characters will likely enjoy this much more than I did. For me, the story simply wasn’t able to maintain my attention consistently enough to continue. 3.5⭐
Who Should Listen
Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a charming bookshop setting, recurring characters, light humor, and a slower-paced mystery that prioritizes atmosphere and community over fast-paced twists.
July 24, 2026
Buried in a Book by T. C. LoTempio
I requested this one because I had already read and enjoyed the audio-ARC of the first book in the series, Murder on the Books.
The series revolves around a mystery writer, Charley James, who finds herself in a series of real-life murder mysteries. No one in town is aware that Charley is a famous author struggling with writer’s block; as far as they know, she owns a bookshop in a double storefront and her best friend Zane owns a bakery in the other half.
Charley and Zane are preparing their stores for Halloween when they discover the body of a woman at the local inn. Charley recognises her as a customer who visited her store earlier in the day. Charley and her cat Poe set off to solve the murder and its puzzle-riddled side-quest.
Narrator Christa Lewis has a lovely voice for a cosy mystery.
This is a classic cosy mystery, with a mix of suspense, friendship, and a hint of romance (but not too much) If you love stories with bookshops, bakeries, and quirky characters (especially cats with big personalities), or if you enjoyed the Gilmore Girls, or other books that have a cat with main character energy for example The Widows' Guide to... series by Amanda Ashby.
#booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf #designnerd @tantoraudio #BuriedinaBook #NetGalley @severnhouseimprint @netgalley
I requested this one because I had already read and enjoyed the audio-ARC of the first book in the series, Murder on the Books.
The series revolves around a mystery writer, Charley James, who finds herself in a series of real-life murder mysteries. No one in town is aware that Charley is a famous author struggling with writer’s block; as far as they know, she owns a bookshop in a double storefront and her best friend Zane owns a bakery in the other half.
Charley and Zane are preparing their stores for Halloween when they discover the body of a woman at the local inn. Charley recognises her as a customer who visited her store earlier in the day. Charley and her cat Poe set off to solve the murder and its puzzle-riddled side-quest.
Narrator Christa Lewis has a lovely voice for a cosy mystery.
This is a classic cosy mystery, with a mix of suspense, friendship, and a hint of romance (but not too much) If you love stories with bookshops, bakeries, and quirky characters (especially cats with big personalities), or if you enjoyed the Gilmore Girls, or other books that have a cat with main character energy for example The Widows' Guide to... series by Amanda Ashby.
#booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf #designnerd @tantoraudio #BuriedinaBook #NetGalley @severnhouseimprint @netgalley
July 8, 2026
Buried in a Book was a fun, cozy mystery with just enough action to keep things moving. It started to lose me a little around the last 20%, but I was still invested enough to finish. As someone who's obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe, I loved the inspiration behind the story, and the cat's name was easily one of my favorite details.
The mystery is a little cheesy at times, but that's part of its charm. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a light mystery or trying to get back into reading.
#BuriedInABook #TCLoTempio #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram
The mystery is a little cheesy at times, but that's part of its charm. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a light mystery or trying to get back into reading.
#BuriedInABook #TCLoTempio #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram
July 2, 2026
I just didn't enjoy any of this. The characters were completely obnoxious, acting like teenagers, and the plot was predictable.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews