Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries: A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery

Thank you for visiting today.  Heart of the Witch by Deanna Chase came out today.  It is the second book in Witches of Keating Hollow series.  Soul of the Witch is the first book in the series.

Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries by Tonya Kappes is the first tale in A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series (and it is out today)!  Mae West’s (not the actress) life has been turned upside down.  Her husband, Paul duped people into investing in his Ponzi scheme and Mae did not know until the FBI showed up at their house.  She has lost her home, car and possessions.  Her attorney, after he takes her car keys, states that there are two items that she owns and one of them could help her earn a living.  For some reason, Paul put an RV and the Happy Trails Campground in Normal, Kentucky in Mae’s name.  With no other options, Mae hops into her new home on wheels and heads for Normal.  The brochure shows a beautiful campground on a lake and Mae could use a vacation before making plans for her future.  Mae arrives at Happy Trails and discovers that the brochure was printed twenty years ago.  Mae is surprised to find out that the residents of Happy Trails and Normal were also victims of Paul’s nefarious schemes.  Mae does not think life can get worse, but then she is approached by Detective Hank Sharp (local FBI agent and park ranger).  Paul has escaped from prison and his body has been found floating in Happy Trails gunky lake (covered in green slime).  Mae, of course, is at the top of the suspect list, but there is a town full of alternatives.  She sets out to find the Paul’s killer as well as revitalize Happy Trails.  She will need help and the ladies of The Laundry Club are happy to assist.  Come along to Normal, Kentucky where life is happily never normal.

Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries was a delight to read.  I found it well-written and entertaining.  It has a nice steady pace throughout the whole book.  Mae West is an interesting and likeable main character.  She would rather wallow in her new home, but she is lacking in clean laundry.  That is how Mae meets the Laundry Club ladies whose stories make Mae wants to help those taken advantage of by Paul.  Mae, though, is lacking in the life skills department (laundry, cleaning, cooking, how to use a Keurig).  It is a good thing she met Dottie and the other ladies of The Laundry Club are willing to help Mae.  The ladies warm up to Mae and set out to help her fix up Happy Trails.  The town has a group of diverse characters and shops.  I loved Happy Trails and the residents.  I like how they come together for dinner and I had not heard of iron skillet smores before this book.  There is a hint of romance in the story (a little flirting or interest expressed).  I am happy the author did not rush Mae into a relationship.  The mystery was straightforward, and I thought the killer stood out like a dog sitting in the middle of a group of cats.  My rating for Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries is 4 out of 5 stars.  Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries is an amusing story and I am keen to read Deserts, Driving, and Derelicts (June 29, 2018). 

By the way, isn't the retro cover adorable!  Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries is available on Kindle Unlimited for those of you that subscribe to the service. I will be sharing my thoughts on Together Forever by Jody Hedlund tomorrow.  It is the second book in Orphan Train series.  I hope you have an enchanting day.  Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader