Sunsets, Sabbatical and Scandal by Tonya Kappes

Happy Sunday!  I received twenty-two new books from NetGalley this past week (this is what happens when you have too much time to surf NetGalley).  Some of the titles include Proof of Murder by Lauren Elliott (April 28), Pulp Friction by Julie Anne Lindsey (April 28), Unyielding Hope by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan (May 5), Storing Up Trouble by Jen Turano (May 5), The Promise by Patrica Davids, South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber (July 21), Peace in the Valley by Kelly Irvin (August 4), and Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger (October 6).  Thank heavens for my Excel spreadsheet which helps me keep track of the books I have promised to review.  Is there an upcoming book you are eager to read?

Sunsets, Sabbatical and Scandal by Tonya Kappes has Mae West busy at Happy Trails Campground in Normal, Kentucky.  She is thankful for book club night so she can enjoy a quiet evening with her Laundry Club friends.  Mae has just arrived when she hears Abby scream.  They find her outside the Normal Diner where Mae goes in to find longtime and beloved waitress, Trudy Bull dead.  Trudy was supposed to a plus one at a wedding that evening and no one seems to know why she had returned to the diner.  The only thing missing from Trudy’s belongings is her cell phone which she always kept handy.  Detective Hank Sharp has little to go on and warns Mae to keep her nose out of the investigation.  She begins thinking up suspects before Hank finishes the sentence.  The next day, Dottie and Mae begin assembling information on their “murder board” (the write on/wipe off board in the campground office).  To talk to Trudy’s plus one, Mae will have to return to her hometown which she is reluctant to do, but she will if it will help to get justice for Trudy.  Mae has another worrying matter on her mind.  She received a call from the bank telling her that a hacker drained her account.  A handful of other residents have experienced the same problem.  Who is behind these hacks?  Can Mae and the Laundry Club find who murdered Trudy?

Sunsets, Sabbatical and Scandal by Tonya Kappes is the tenth novel in A Campers & Criminals Cozy Mystery series.  Each book in the series can be read on its own.  It is always fun to visit Normal, Kentucky with its quirky residents.  Mae West has just arrived for book club with the Laundry Club gals when she hears a woman screaming.  They find Abby Fawn pointing at the Normal Diner where Trudy Bull, a beloved waitress, is dead.  The motive was not robbery since her purse still has money inside, but Trudy’s cell phone (which she always had with her) is missing.  Mae along with the ladies of the Laundry Club work to solve the crime despite Hank’s warning to stay out of his investigation.  Mae must return to her hometown of Perrysburg to speak with the man Trudy was seen with the evening she died.  There are a handful of suspects in this whodunit. Mae gets bad news from the bank.  It turns out that someone has hacked her bank account and drained it.  Mae and a handful of other local residents were affected.  The police are working with the FBI to identify the evildoer.  I was able to recognize the murderer and the hacker early in the book but that did not hinder my enjoyment of this fun cozy mystery. With Mae returning to her hometown, we get to learn more about her plus Mae learns some startling information.  I like Tonya Kappes’ engaging writing style which makes the book a delight to read.  There is humor sprinkled throughout the story.  I enjoy the descriptions of Normal with its quaint shops and surrounded by the National Boone National Forest.  There are recipes and RV hacks at the end of the book.  Sunsets, Sabbatical and Scandal is a merry book with a harsh hacker, a cozy campground, out of the blue news, a pocketed phone, happy hikers and a meaningless murder.

Sunsets, Sabbatical and Scandal releases on March 24.  You can pre-order it here*.  You can find the rest of the novels in A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series here.  All the books in the series are available on Kindle Unlimited.  The next book in this series is Tents, Trails and Turmoil which will be out on April 28. Thank you for dropping by today.  My Fair Latte by Vickie Fee  is on deck for tomorrow.  It is debut of A Cafe Cinema Mystery series.  May you have a peaceful day.  I want to leave you with a book pun.  I just wrote a book on reverse psychology.  Do not read it! (Did you laugh or groan?) Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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