Book Review ~ Fixin' To Die (Kenni Lowry #1) by Tonya Kappes #CozyMystery #TonyaKappes

 

Fixin' to Die by Tonya Kappes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fixin’ to Die is the first book in the Kenni Lowry series by Tonya Kappes. Kenni is the new sheriff in town, having been sworn in to replace her late grandfather. The death of the beloved local doctor has the town of Cottonwood, Kentucky in an uproar and Kenni on the case. A subsequent robbery in town has Kenni and the residents on edge. The discovery of a symbol at the scenes of each crime, tying the crimes together, boggles Kenni’s mind. It’s a good thing Kenni has the ghost of her grandfather on-hand to assist her.

I really enjoyed Fixin’ to Die. I’m a fan of books with supernatural elements and having Poppa’s ghost help Kenni was fun but emotional. Having her grandfather back in her life must have been exciting and wonderful but not being able to hug him must have been torture. Poppa proves to be quite the little assistant to Kenni, however, as she investigated and attempted to analyze the clues and piece everything together.

A lot of world building and character development occurs in Fixin’ to Die. As the first book in the series, this is expected. Ghosts pop out of nowhere, officers are dispatched to the town, the first murder and robbery to occur in a long while both happen on the same day, and little sparks of romance flicker their way into the story. Enjoyable and interesting, this cozy mystery pulled me in and kept me engaged.

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Book Review ~ Santa, Sunrises, & Suspicions (Camper & Criminals #23) by Tonya Kappes #CozyMystery #TonyaKappes

 

Santa, Sunrises, & Suspicions by Tonya Kappes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Santa, Sunrises, & Suspicions is book 23 in the Camper & Criminals series by Tonya Kappes. When the local gossiper/tall-tale teller is found dead in the Christmas play area of the local church, Mae gets swept into another mystery. She, Hank, and the Laundry Club ladies shift into sleuthing gear to find the murderer so Christmas in Normal is red and green, instead of black.

Santa, Sunrises, & Suspicions is another great book in the Campers & Criminals series. The mystery is exciting, intriguing, and kept me guessing. The author introduced many suspects in this book. It was hard not to see how the entire town would be suspected since Neva stepped on many toes, ruined, or attempted to ruin lives, and just plain gossiped and lied about everything. The reader is provided means, motive, and opportunities for each named suspect.

There were twists and turns throughout the book that had me going in one direction only to have the mystery shift. The author did a great job building up the suspense until the reveal of the murderer and motive. As Mae unravels the murder, additional events are revealed, suspects are added and removed from the list, and danger abounds.

As with the rest of the books in the series, the mystery isn't the only thing going on in Normal, Kentucky. Tonya Kappes did a terrific job of weaving everything together between Hank and Mae’s relationship, the murder, and the side stories. The characters are wonderfully crafted, realistically written, and I feel like I'm coming home to Normal with every book in the series I am fortunate enough to read.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

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Book #Review ~ Beating the Wrap (Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries #3) by Julie Anne Lindsey @JulieALindsey ~ #CozyMystery

 

Beating the Wrap by Julie Anne Lindsey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s Fall in Georgia and people are gearing up for Thanksgiving. The town of Bliss is holding a window decorating contest for the business owners. Part of Bonnie’s design is a Gift of Gratitude display, where passersby can leave messages of good tidings anonymously. When Bonnie continues to receive messages of less-than-good tidings she’s intent on finding the perpetrator.

Bonnie able to pin down the naysayer as a new business owner. It seems Clyde is a bit of a klepto and continues to steal items from the new business. Instead of discussing his issues with Bonnie and Clyde face-to-face like a mature, rational human, he chooses to be passive-aggressive. When a heated exchange occurs, words spoken can never be taken back, leaving Bonnie feeling bad. Before she can make amends, however, the man is found dead.

All signs point to Bonnie, as their final exchange included some threats, on both their parts. That begins to change as incidents he had with other citizens begin to emerge. As Bonnie goes on the hunt for clues to his demise, the intensity of the situation escalates. It seems she’s now on the receiving end of some serious threats and attacks.

I loved Beating the Wrap. The characters, setting, and plot are engaging. The murder isn’t the only theme in the book, giving the book a lot of realism. The book is also full of excellent imagery, character development, and a great story. Bonnie and her parents, Clyde, Mason, and Gigi are fun characters and I love the secondaries, as well.

The author's writing style is fluid, and the pacing is perfect. The story is so easy to read that when I reached the end, I couldn’t believe I was done already. I found myself engaged and completely captivated in the story from the very beginning. I really enjoyed Beating the Wrap and can't wait for the next book.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

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Book #Review ~ Southern Magical Bakery, Book 1 by Tonya Kappes #CozyMystery

 

Southern Magical Bakery by Tonya Kappes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Southern Magical Bakery is the first book in a new spin-off series from the A Magical Cures Mystery Series by Tonya Kappes. The book stars a grown up Lo Heal-Park who has a small issue. She lives in a magical town but isn’t herself magical. Always having felt like an outcast, Lo pleads with her parents, the town, and magical beings to be allowed to leave Whispering Falls and begin her new life with humans like her.

Lo’s new life in Celestial Falls is beginning to shape up when Oren follows her there. He’s a spiritualist but wants to be free like Lo. Together, they make a go at opening Lo’s bakery, Magical Desserts. All Lo’s hard earned plans may just end up in the trash, though, when there’s a murder in Celestial Falls and their one-track police officer points his finger at her.

Clearing her name is only part of what Lo needs to do to help secure her new life in Celestial Falls. She must prove to herself, her parents, Oren, and the Marys, that she can make it on her own. To prove, Lo doesn’t need magic to make her dreams come true.

Celestial Falls may not have any spiritualists, but the town has a rich history and some quirky characters. The single-minded police officer was kind of a drag, but it fit into the investigation of the murder. The story was interesting, kept me engaged, and well-paced. I enjoyed learning about Lo and Oren, along with the side characters.

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Book #Review ~ Mistletoe Mojo by Erin Johnson #CozyMystery #ErinJohnson

Mistletoe Mojo by Erin Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Welcome back to Holiday Haven. Rudie is getting married! She and Archer are tying the knot at the funeral home Rudie owns and operates with her sisters, Donna and Vix. As she’s planning the wedding, Rudie is also chairing a volunteer group, collecting money to aid the local orphanage. Just days before the wedding, while dropping of the orphanage donations, Rudy and several family members and friends, come across a murder scene.

Rudie is a fun, caring, and interesting character. She’s not perfect but continues to try and embrace who she is and her abilities. I love the relationship Rudie has with her sisters Donna and Vix. When Archer enters the scene, Rudie lights up and I enjoyed her interactions with him.

I really enjoyed this paranormal cozy mystery and found the setting and characters to be interesting and exciting. I was completely engaged in the story. There were some twists and turns in the quest to catch the killer. There are multiple threads woven through Mistletoe Mojo that keep the story fresh and interesting. The book was fast paced and easy to follow. I have yet to read an unlikable book by Erin Johnson. Her paranormal cozies are fun, include quirky but loveable characters, and an intriguing mystery.


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