Review of BELL, BOOK, and CORPSES by T.C. LoTempio

BELL, BOOK AND CORPSES (A Nick and Nora Mystery #7) by T. C. LoTempio will be released on September 24, 2024, by Beyond the Page Publishing.

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.