Welcome to the southern small town with endearing citizens, adorable animals, a smidgen of gossip with a touch of humor where there are twists and turns around every corner as they solve a local murder.Mail carrier, Bernadette (Bernie) Butler, along with the Front Porch Ladies, are curious of their new neighbor, Courtney Gaines, who is the niece of Florence Gaines, the wealthiest widow in Sugar … in Sugar Creek Gap. Florence lets it be known that she is seeing Zeke Grey, which doesn’t set well with the Front Porch Ladies. They were all in competition for Zeke’s attention.
Shortly after learning that Florence, who announced it rather loudly, that she and Zeke got married, while delivering the mail, Bernie overhears what could be the first marital spat.
As Bernie is happily awaiting the birth of her first grandchild, her best friend shares a feeling that something isn’t right between Bernie’s son, Grady, and her daughter-in-law, Julia. Grady seems to be very chummy with Courtney, which has Bernie singing high praise of Julia and how there is a new baby on the way.
When Florence turns up dead in mulch, coupled with what Sheriff Angela Hafley mentioned, Bernie can’t help but want to get involved and when Sheriff Angela requests Bernie to be a ‘snoop consultant’, she readily agrees. Bernie’s snooping leads her to information that hits a little too close to home and Bernie enlists her best friend, Iris for help.
more
This series gets better with every book! I love Bernie. I really relate to her! I love the way she is working things out. Don’t get me wrong, she is a well developed character. There was just something in her life that she is working through. It’s so realistic to me. Isn’t there always something new coming at you? Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s something that we need to chew on. Bernie has something that most would need to chew on.
The author has also written in a variety of supporting characters that really play a big part in the atmosphere of the story. The Front Porch Ladies are always fun and provide some comic relief. Her parents, son Grady and Julia provide warm, family support. I can’t wait to read more about Grady’s expanding family. Iris is Bernie’s best friend and Mac has played a big part in Grady and Bernie’s lives. One character I like a lot is Vince. He doesn’t have a big role but I’m drawn to him. I look forward to Bernie’s chats with him. Bernie also has Rowena and Buster as part of her support system along with a duck on her mail route. I just love when animals are included in the story. This one had the added fun of a bird, Blue Belle. I sure hope she makes some more appearances.
The mystery was a good one. There were a few suspects and each had good reason to kill the victim. I like how the author isn’t afraid to have her character flawed and conflicted in her sleuthing. It really follows a natural path that makes me feel better about my reaching the wrong conclusion.
My opinion is this book is a five star read. I was able to lose myself in the story. I felt comfortable with the characters, even the victim. I wonder how the loss of her will affect the town, especially charities. I’ll stop here so I don’t spill the beans. Y’all go on, fix up a snack, find you a comfortable spot and settle in with this book. You can read it out of order if you’re just interested in the mystery. In my opinion, though, you’ll get a better picture of things by reading the books in order.
All She Wrote by Tonya Kappes is the third book in her A Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery Series. Even though this is the third book in the series it can be read as a standalone, but believe me once you read this book you will want to read the other two. This book just like every other book by Kappes is very well written, drew me right in, making me forget everything else and did not let me go until I turned the last page. I did not want to put it down. The characters are very well developed and likable. I love the small town charm. I liked that fact that the protagonist is older than the usual cozy mystery protagonists. There were red herrings and twists and turns and plenty of suspects to keep you guessing. I can’t wait for the next book Return to Sender to come out . Of course you can’t forget the wonderful recipes included in the back of the book.
In this third installment of this cozy series, Bernie finds herself in the middle of a murder and she and the Front Porch Ladies just can’t help themselves and MUST investigate in order to get to the bottom of things. Without giving anything away, this book does just fine as a standalone, the story is independent of the others, and the characters are well developed. Plenty of fun and sass in this well written southern cozy mystery. If you elect to start from the beginning, it gives you a little more backstory on the town and characters, which is actually good to know about Bernie, but that’s really about all you’re missing. Plenty of suspects keep you guessing, although I guessed pretty quickly who the murder victim would be I was completely surprised with the ending and entertained all the way through! Sugar Creek Gap is a wonderful place to keep the reader engaged and entertained, you can almost picture yourself there. I received an ARC of this book and this opinion is entirely my own. I can’t wait for the next book…I’ve come to really enjoy the entire cast of characters and am certain you will too!
Bernadette “Bernie” Butler, Sugar Creek Gap’s mail carrier, seems to have everything in life. After losing her husband Richard in an auto accident and finding out that her perfect marriage was a sham due to Richard having a second family she didn’t know about, she and her son, Grady had managed to create a new life. Bernie gave Grady and his wife Julia, who was expecting Bernie’s first grandchild, the farm that her parents had given her and Richard when Grady was young. Bernie moved into a house along Little Creek Road she had inherited from Mr. Marcum along with his dog, Buster.
It was time to give the church’s annual scholarship that was funded by Sugar Creek Gap’s wealthiest widow, Florence Gaines. Courtney Gaines, Florence’s niece, had recently moved into the house next door to Bernie. She had been sent by her family to keep an eye on Florence. When the scholarship was not given to a needy student as was the custom, people were upset and voiced their dissent to Florence.
All of the Front Porch Ladies had their eyes on Zeke Grey, a good looking elderly man. The whole town knew he was flat broke from gambling and was about to lose his house. When Florence and Zeke got married, Courtney was livid. Florence winds up dead buried in the new mulch in Courtney’s yard. Who could have killed her? Suspects are many.
I enjoyed reading this Mail Carrier Cat Cozy Mystery. It was a fun read!
This is the third stories in the Mail Carrier series.Its a fun series with an older heroine in Bernadette and has interesting characters like the Front Porch ladies. Here there is another murder but Bernadette is e en more involved because her pregnant daughter in law is a suspect. It’s a fun mystery that keeps you guessing with wonderfully written characters. If you want to read a fun mystery with fascinating characters this is the book you should read.
I love this new series and how it is set in another small town. I also like the fact that Bernie moved next to the front porch ladies since I know she enjoys their company and gossip. I love the fact that Tonya has Bernie aid the police with her snooping and that someone close to her is very suspiciously close to the investigation. It just ties all of her other novels together since they have similar themes. Great series and characters and I can’t wait to read the next one in it.
The third book in the Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery Series is the darkest of the Series. Family and friendship relationships are strained as the richest woman in town is killed. As usual Bernie becomes involved in trying to help the sheriff solve the murder while coming to terms with what is most important in her life. The main characters are becoming more complex and real.
There are the usual red herrings which make solving the mystery more complicated. I look forward to seeing how this series progresses. I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of this book.
This is the 3rd book in the series and Bernadette, the main character, has really grown on me; on the other hand, I’m rather disappointed and disgusted with her supposed gentleman friend, Mac. All the books so far work well as standalones, but I recommend reading the series in order. I love the southern setting of this series and all of the southern colloquialisms. This mystery was really good, with plenty of suspects. In the end, I had guessed the culprit correctly, but the confrontation with the killer was shocking to say the least, and not as cozy-friendly as usual. I must say that Bernie needs to use better judgment when dealing with possible killers! I’m excited to see Bernadette as a grandmother and definitely recommend this book and series. I was provided an arc of this book, but these opinions are my own.
Mail carrier Bernadette not only has worries about her son and pregnant daughter in law, then a murder next door and but then her love life goes on the rocks. Officer Angela asks Bernadette to keep her eyes and ear open during her route and to report back to her. Many people are not happy about it and Bernadette makes a mistake that could get her killed. I received a complimentary copy and I am voluntarily reviewing
***SPOILER IN THE FOURTH PARAGRAPH***
We return to Sugar Creek Gap in this, the third in the Mail Carrier Cozy series. I think this is my favorite of Tonya Kappes’ series after Killer Coffee. Bernadette Butler, also known as Bernie, is trying to learn to knit, looking forward to the birth of her first grandchild, and settling into her new house in town while her son Grady and daughter-in-law Julia settle in at the farmhouse. She’s also got a new next-door neighbor, Courtney. Courtney is the niece of Florence Gaines, here to keep an eye on Florence, or so she says. But she sure seems to be causing some friction between Grady and Julia, and this has Bernie worried.
Things get even more tense when Florence announces that she and Zeke Grey, a much sought after bachelor, have gotten married. And when Florence ends up dead on Courtney’s lawn and Julia is a suspect, Bernie knows she has to figure out what really happened for the sake of her family. With the help of the Front Porch Ladies and her best friend, Iris, Bernie gets to digging for clues.
After the Killer Coffee series, I think the Mail Carrier series is my favorite. I love Bernie. She’s my age. I relate to her! Sugar Creek Gap sounds like a small town I’d love to visit, and the Front Porch Ladies are a kick. I should be so much fun when I’m their age! Tonya Kappes always does a great job of characterization and of creating places in her books that you’d actually want to go to if they were real. This book is no exception. In this instance, the sheriff actually asks Bernie to help – finally! I love it when law enforcement makes use of all of their available resources. This story had suspects aplenty, and I’d ruled out the actual killer because Ms. Kappes did such a good job in drawing my attention toward someone else.
****SPOILER****
I want to punch Lucy Drake in the nose and slap both Mac Tabor and Bernie upside the head. This had best not be the end of Bernie and Mac, or I will be terribly sad. I love them as a couple, even if Bernie isn’t quite sure she’s ready to commit to more than just companionship.
***END SPOILER***
This was a satisfying entry in a delightful series, and I can’t wait to read more about Bernie, her grandbaby, Buster and Rowena, and the whole cast of characters in Sugar Creek Gap. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor dead of night, nor personal turmoil can stop Bernie, either from delivering the mail or getting to the bottom of the mystery, and I can’t get enough!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.
I had a bit of trouble with this one. The beginning felt a bit clunky but as I like Tonya Kappes stories in general I kept reading. It turned out to be not so bad. I liked it in general.
This is my first book from the Mail Carrier series and I have some catching up to do! I loved this story and I felt very welcome in Sugar Creek Gap. When Florence Gaines ends up dead in her niece’s backyard, Bernie jumps right in with her sleuthing. On her mail route where she listens to what her customers have to say to the Front Porch Ladies where the latest happenings in the town are discussed. So many possibilities of who killed Florence. Another fantastic cozy from Tonya Kappes! I highly recommend!
I received an advance copy of this book and I voluntarily wrote an honest review.
This was really great, i loved it the intrigue was well written with great twist and i read it in one sitting. I love how Bernadette’s friends look out for her and are protective.
I guess the only thing that made me a little sad was the romance part; Mac is sure acting strange but we will probably learn more in the next book so i’m happy
really a good cozy mystery to spent time with.
This was my favorite book in this series. I always love the mystery and each of the towns people. This made me laugh a lot and even cry a little bit. I love Bernadette and all her quirky neighbors. I love that she is the mailman for this small town. I look forward to the next book in the series to see how everyone in the town grows. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I read an advanced copy for an honest review.
Bernadette is settling into her new life off the farm. She has her new house, closer to town, a new dog, she’s taking knitting classes and she has a new grandbaby on the way.
Florence, the Grand Dame of the town, is doing some crazy things. She awards her scholarship to someone questionable, she decides to elope, she ends up dead!
Bernadette feels like she needs to figure out who did it, after all members of her family are suspected. With the help of her friend Iris, the opinions of the Porch ladies and a slew of people who had reasons for wanting Florence dead, your head will be spinning trying to figure out who done it.
In Bernadette ‘s personal life, she will experience heartache and extreme joy in the same story. I hope that her sadness gets resolved.
A satisfying read that make you anxious for the next book in the series.
I love Bernie, she is smart and like me forgets to use her filters so she says stuff before she should. But she loves family and friends and will do anything possible for them. I love her fur babies and how much she cares for them too. Smart lady and fun!
When Bernadette, Bernie, is on her mail route, there’s no telling what-or who-she will come across. The Front Porch ladies just add to some of the gossip she learns, but it’s not really gossip if you’re not sharing it with someone else, right?
Things heat up when Courtney moves in next door to Bernie and Grady begins spending time helping her out. Courtney is the neice of community member and philanthropist Florence Gaines. Is there something going on there?
Soon enough you find things are getting started, during a ceremony for a much needed shloarship for students, a student wins a scholarship that he doesn’t really need and one of the applicants goes on a rampage over loosing it and threatens Florence’s life, Florence marries Zeke (a longtime crush of Harriet’s), and so much more.
In the excitement of her daughter- in- law Julia being pregnant, Julia finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation when she confronts Bernie’s newest neighbor Courtney for spending too much time with Grady. While, embarrassingly, needing to borrow Courtney’s bathroom after telling her to stay away Courtney finds her aunt Florence dead outside with a gash from a shovel.
Never fear, Bernie and Iris are on the case- with the Sheriff’s blessing! All the cards are there, but the deck just doesn’t stack up. It also doesn’t help when it seems Mac is losing interest and hanging out with radio star Lucy. Can Bernie stay focused when it feels her life is going off the rails?
This was a fun read and great addition to this series! I feel like this series is really gearing up and getting better.
I was given an advanced copy to read and give my honest opinion.
I am enjoying this series! I enjoy Bernie and her friends and “helping” them get to the bottom of the mystery. I did receive an Advanced Reader Copy.
Bernadette Butler is looking forward to the birth of her first grandchild. With her son and his wife living in her farmhouse, Bernie is adjusting to life in a small town, a move that was within walking distance to her post office job and gives her more time to do other fun things (now that she doesn’t have farm chores). But her new neighbor, Courtney, is causing her some concern. Is Grady spending too much time helping her, or is it just her imagination. And then there’s all that gossip about the town’s very own wealthy widow in Sugar Creek, Florence Gaines…is she involved with her neighbor, Zeke, who also happens to be the heartthrob of several of Bernie’s Porch Ladies friends. And when murder occurs, can Bernie use the gossip on her daily mail route to determine the murderer and clear one of the suspects, someone that is near and dear to her. This is an enjoyable small Southern town, ladies gossipy, cozy murder mystery. Bernie is in her 50’s, so older than some featured in cozies, but a strong, independent and outspoken woman who is comfortable in her current lifestyle. Sometimes her outspokenness gets her in trouble, but she is quick to admit if she has made a mistake. This is the first book I have read in this series, but it was relatively easy to pick up the various relationships and back stories. I have already downloaded the first two books so that I can catch up on Bernie’s adventures. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.
All She Wrote is the 3rd book in the Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery series by Tonya Kappes.
This is the first book in the series that I read and it was easy to read as a stand-alone book. I am going to go back and read the other two to get more back story.
I really like the character of Bernadette Butler. She’s a hard-working person that cares about her family and friends. It’s nice to have a main character who is about my age. I also like that Bernie’s job lends itself to investigating since she out and about as she delivers the mail. I really enjoyed her friendship with Iris. Everyone needs a friend that will do crazy things with you. The Front Porch Ladies are fun and I love Buster and Rowena.
The mystery was good and there were a lot of viable suspects. I kind of suspected who the guilty party was, but how it wrapped up was shocking.
I received this book as a gift and I am voluntarily reviewing it.