Hitches, Hideouts and Homicides by Tonya Kappes

Happy Book Release Day!  A few of the new books out today are The Amish Widow's Rescue by Rachel J. Good, Southern Sass & Killer Cravings by Kate Young, A Daughter's Truth by Laura Bradford, Into the Frying Pan by Sarah Osborne, Crepe Expectations by Sarah Fox, Murder, She Uncovered by Peg Cochran,  Sconed to Death by Lynn Cahoon, Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches by Karen Rose Smith, The Amish Cookie Club by Sarah Price and Hitches, Hideouts and Homicides by Tonya Kappes!  Which book are you interested in reading?

Hitches, Hideouts and Homicide by Tonya Kappes takes us back to Normal, Kentucky.  Mae West is assisting Betts Hager in cleaning the Old Train Station Motel owned by Coke Ogden.  Coke transformed the old train station into a motel, and she is having a grand opening the next day along with a hoedown.  Before they depart, they witness Jay Russel, who teaches competition riding, chasing off a hiker with a gun.  It seems the man has been hanging around the stable.  The next day there are break-ins at Deter’s Feed-N-Seed and the Cookie Crumble Bakery.  Mae wonders if the hiker Jay ran off could be responsible.  The hoedown is a rousing success until the electricity goes out.  Coke asks Mae to see if she can spot the problem, and Mae ends up stumbling over Jay dead against the electrical fence (explains the power outage).  Mae wants answers and she is going to get them despite Hank telling her to keep her nose out of the investigation (not that Mae will listen).  There are rumors that Jay robbed the Normal Bank & Loan twenty years ago and the money is hidden in the stable.  There is plenty of gossip swirling around town, but it is hard to know what is real and what is fake.  Mae, with the aid of the Laundry Club, begins asking questions which helps her assemble a suspect list and gather clues.  Mae has her work cut out for her this time if she is to outwit the wily killer and get justice for Jay.

 

Hitches, Hideouts and Homicide is the seventh tale in A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series.  I suggest reading the series in order as they build upon one another, but the book can be read alone.  Mae West is a strong woman who has taken her last asset and turned it around.  She continues to plow the profits back into the camp to attract tourists.  Mae is fortunate to have Dottie Swaggert as her friend and manager of Happy Trails Campground.  Mae also has her friends known as the Laundry Club.  They love helping Mae solve crimes (aka get into trouble), and they are there for each other in times of need.  Normal, Kentucky is a small Southern tourist town that sits alongside the Daniel Boone National Forest (it is a charming town).  They get hikers and campers visiting to take part in town events like the upcoming hoedown at the Old Train Station Motel for Coke Ogden’s grand opening.  Tonya Kappes has an engaging writing style.  It is down-to-earth which draws the reader right into the story.  The story proceeded at a snappy pace as Mae talks to various suspects and follows up on leads.  I liked the variety of fun loving characters from Dottie Swaggert to Abby Fawn.  Abby is having some self-assurance issues after a talk with Ty.  It leads to some zany behavior on her part, and, of course, she manages to drag Mae into it.  The mystery was intriguing with the multiple suspects and red herrings.  There is a twist or two to surprise readers.  I like the way the author tied a past event to the current murder (who doesn’t love a treasure hunt).  There are good clues to help readers solve the crime.  Hank, though, got on my nerves in this installment.  I did not like the way he talked to Mae and the way he handled information Mae gave him while visiting his parent’s (ungentlemanly).  Mae needs to think long and hard if Hank is the right man for her.  If you are looking for a fun loving Southern cozy mystery, then look no further than Hitches, Hideouts and Homicide.  Hitches, Hideouts and Homicide has two cute dogs, an unusual murder scene, missing money, a cranky detective, good friends, a hoedown, three robberies and one nosy campground owner. 

Hitches, Hideouts and Homicide is available on Kindle Unlimited.  You can find a complete list of the books in A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series here.  Thank you for reading my review.  Tomorrow I am featuring A Daughter's Truth by Laura Bradford.  I hope you have lively day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader