This book event is through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.
Murder on the Books book tour includes a giveaway Rafflecopter at the end of this post. Submit your entries for a chance to win, share on social, comment, and subscribe to Sarandipity’s.

Book Details

Murder on the Books (A Cozy Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Pennsylvania
Publisher : Severn House
Publication date : July 1, 2025
Hardcover Print length : 240 pages
ISBN-10 : 1448315263
ISBN-13 : 978-1448315260
Digital ASIN : B0DTYF8XYF
ISBN-13 : 978-1448315277
Newly retired mystery writer Charley James returns to her small hometown only to find herself amidst a real-life murder mystery in this first book in the brand new Cozy Bookshop mystery series by award-winning and national bestselling author T.C. LoTempio.
Thirty-year-old Charlotte James, better known to her mystery fans as C.J. Barrett, decides to take a break from writing her popular Steve Sheppard mystery series. Leaving New York City, she moves back to her hometown of Austin to wind down, recuperate, and maybe come up with some new ideas for her books.
Settling into her new life, Charley reunites with her long-term friend and baker Zane who is about to open a charming double store front. But while Zane is ready to open her café, her business partner Sheila unexpectedly departs town, bailing on her bookshop and leaving nothing but a note behind.
Charley is more than happy to take over, but when she finds Sheila’s body in a chest in the store’s basement, things take a dramatic turn. Now Charley has to juggle the opening of her bookshop, a stoic but attractive Philadelphia detective, and a stray cat, all while solving Sheila’s murder Sheppard-style before the killer can strike again!
Fans of Jenn McKinlay, Ellery Adams, Lucy Connelly, Lauren Elliott, and Ellie Alexander will love this cozy mystery “featuring a plucky, likable heroine, plenty of suspense [and] unexpected twists” (Booklist).
“I was hooked from start to finish!” Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop mysteries, on Eat, Drink and Drop Dead
About Toni LoTempio

T.C. LoTempio is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Nick and Nora Mysteries, the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries, and the Cat Rescue Mysteries. Born in New York City, she now resides in Phoenix, Arizona, with her two cats, Maxx and Rocco. Rocco prides himself on being the inspiration for her Nick and Nora series! For more information, check out her and her cat Rocco’s blog at
www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com and visit her website at www.tclotempio.ne
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/toni.lotempio.5
TWITTER/X: ROCCOBLOGGER
WEBSITE: https://www.tclotempio.net/
Purchase Links – Amazon – B & N – Bookshop.org – Kobo
Author Interview
What is your favorite part of this book and why?
There are two – Charley’s first meeting with the yummy detective, because I’m a sucker for romance, and when she and her cat Poe find the body – just because finding the body is always the best time of the book for me!
If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?
I would actually love to spend time with Charley’s BFF, Zane. Zane is a baker so we’d probably spend the day baking and sampling goodies!
What books/authors have most inspired you?
I started out writing paranormal, so Stephen King and John Saul were real inspirations. When I started doing cozies I loved the Tea Shop mysteries by Laura Childs and the coffee shop mysteries by Cleo Coyle.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
I would say that it’s probably about fifty-fifty. Nick from my Nick and Nora series is based on my cat Rocco. There is always at least one character that I take from real life.
What made you want to become a writer?
I could read when I was three, and when I was ten wrote a book of fairy tales. I always read a book and thought, “I think I could do that.” So one day I did.
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 1 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
July 2 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 3 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
July 4 – OFF
July 5 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 5 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
July 6 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT
July 9 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 9 – Jemima Pett, Author – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 10 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 11 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
July 11 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW
July 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 13 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
July 14 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog– CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 14 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
July 15 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT