Gear, Grills, and Guns by Tonya Kappes

Gear, Grills, and Guns by Tonya Kappes

Book Summary

Gear, Grills, and Guns by Tonya Kappes has Happy Trails Campground fully booked In October because a classic car show coming to Normal, Kentucky.  There is also a new trail opening in the Daniel Boone National Forest that begins near the Old Train Station Motel owned by Coke Ogden.  In the middle of the night, Mae hears rustling outside her camper.  She runs into Dottie Swaggert who also heard noises.  They see a car take off, a person disappearing into the woods, and then they hear a woman screaming.  They run to the bungalow number four to find guest Lonie Holliday holding a gun and standing over the body of her husband, Wendell.  Lonie tell Detective Hank Sharp that she did not commit the crime.  Mae and the rest of the Laundry Club ladies quickly gather to begin their investigation.  Then one of Mae’s vintage campers goes up in flames with the guest inside.  The fire brings forth unexpected memories for Mae.  The Laundry Club with aid from a newcomer to town work to quickly expose the killer before he can strike again.  

My Thoughts

Gear, Grills, and Guns by Tonya Kappes is the 13^th A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading all the books in this delightful series.  Mae West owns Happy Trails Campground in Normal, Kentucky.  She has worked hard to build up the business as well as to help promote the town.  Normal is fortunate to have a special car show in town which is drawing numerous visitors.  Every place in town is booked including Happy Trails.  Mae has come a long way since she arrived in Normal.  She has a close group of friends, reconnected with her adopted mother and foster brother, turned around Happy Trails, obtained a dog, and has a boyfriend.  I enjoy the descriptions of Happy Trails with the bungalows and fixed up vintage trailers.  Mae comes up with creative themes for her the monthly party she throws for the townspeople at Happy Trails.  When one of Mae’s guests who is in town for the car show is murdered, Mae is ready to dive into the case.  Hank may not like her investigating, but Mae just loves it and so the rest of the Laundry Club ladies.  The mystery was multifaceted.  There are two murders, a fire, misdirection, and multiple suspects.  I like how it all played out, especially the reveal.  I had fun following Mae and the Laundry Cub ladies as they worked to solve the case.  One little detail was the key to me solving this whodunit.  You never know what will help a sleuth solve a case.   Fall is Mae’s favorite time of year.  I like how Dottie and Mae decorated the campground the Halloween.  Mae has certainly made Happy Trails a cozy place for people to stay.  One of the events triggers repressed memories of Mae’s.  I like how Mary Elizabeth helped her.  There is humor scattered throughout the story.  I laughed often while reading this amusing tale especially from Mary Elizabeth’s antics.  Ava, Tex, and Glenda are a great addition to the story.  I hope we see more of them in future books.  Gear, Grills, and Guns is a fun Southern cozy mystery that will provide you with a diverting afternoon with the treacherous trails, the fall foliage, classic cars, the mystifying murder, curious clues, the horrifying fire, and a concerned campground owner.  

Gear, Grills, and Guns is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other twelve novels in A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series here.  They are all available through Kindle Unlimited. The 14th book is Eggnog, Extortion, and Evergreen and it will be out on November 26.  Ropes, Riddles, and Robberies releases December 17 and Paddlers, Promises, and Poison publishes January 21 (both books on Kindle Unlimited).  The pictures today show the Daniel Boone National Forest in the fall and a purple vintage trailer (like Mae has at Happy Trails Campground).  Thank you for joining me today.  I will return tomorrow with my review of An Amish Holiday Family by Jo Ann Brown.  It is the 4th book in Green Mountain Blessings series.  I hope you have an entertaining day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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