Motorhomes, Maps and Murder by Tonya Kappes

Welcome!  Broken Bone China by Laura Childs will be published on March 5 along with A Tender Hope by Amanda Cabot and Courting Mr. Emerson by Melody Carlson.  A Beautiful Corpse by Christi Daugherty releases on March 12.  One Potato, Two Potato, Dead by Lynn Cahoon comes out on March 19.  So many wonderful books to look forward to this spring.

Motorhomes, Maps & Murder by Tonya Kappes is the fifth A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery.  Mae West owns Happy Trails Campground in Normal, Kentucky.  The town is preparing for the reenactment of the Battle of Camp Wildcat from the Civil War and Mae will have a minor role thanks to organizer, Queenie French.  Detective Hank Sharp is picking up his uniform and bayonet when he is called away.  Convicted murderer, Greaser Gadie has escaped from the local jail while visiting with Preacher Lester Hager.  He has threatened to seek revenge on the jurors from his trial which has Darnell Grassel and Alvin Deets nervous. Hank is hot on Greaser’s trail with help of a hound with a keen sense of smell.  After the reenactment, Dottie runs up to Mae to notify her that one of their guest’s RV has been stolen.  If Mae does not recover the motorhome, she could lose her beloved campground.  Hank would love to help but he has bigger fish to fry.  Four people fail to get up after the battle and it turns out that it is not fake blood on their clothing.  Did Greaser make good on his threat?  Mae leaves the hunt for Greaser to Hank while she sets out to recover the missing motorhome.  What happens, though, when Mae stumbles into the killer’s path?

 

Motorhomes, Maps and Murder can be read as a standalone if you have not had time to indulge in the other novels in A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series.  Mae West has settled into her new home in Normal, Kentucky where she is making a success of Happy Trails Campground.  She has good friends, a loyal dog, and a loving boyfriend.  When someone steals a camper’s motorhome, Mae is determined to recover it.  Otherwise, Mae could lose her beloved Happy Trails. The town is gearing up for tourists to descend on the town for the reenactment of the Battle of Camp Wildcat and Mae is hosting a party afterward at Happy Trails.  It is a bad time for a killer to escape custody after harming the guard and knocking over Preacher Hager.  Hank must hunt for Greaser Gadie while protecting the jurors he threatened and keep watch over a town filled with vacationers.  All our favorite characters are back in Motorhomes, Maps and Murder.  The quirky residents of Normal will have you laughing frequently as you read this Southern cozy mystery.  Mary Elizabeth, Mae’s adopted mother, means well, but her talkative nature can be a curse.  As you can see, there is plenty of action in Motorhomes, Maps and Murder.  I enjoy Tonya Kappes conversational writing style.  Readers are easily drawn into the book and the attention held until the end.  I like the steady pacing, the setting and the off-beat characters.  I enjoyed the addition of Chester, the dog with the good sniffer.  I am happy to see Mae’s character mature and her relationship with Hank is progressing nicely.  I believe readers will be surprised at how this mystery turns out.  There are recipes and cleaning hacks at the end of the book (clever ideas).  I look forward to returning to Normal in Canyons, Caravans and Cadavers (March 25).  

The books in A Camper & Criminals  Cozy Mystery series are available on Kindle Unlimited.  Thank you for visiting today.  I will be featuring Valentine Candy Murder by Leslie Meier tomorrow for Valentine's Day!  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader