Welcome to Normal, Kentucky~ where nothing is normal. A Campers and Criminal Mystery Series is another brainchild of USA Today Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes. If you love her quirky southern characters and small town charm with a mystery to solve, you’re going to love her new cozy mystery series! Mae West, a far cry from the Hollywood actress, has been thrown for a loop. Her plush lifestyle in … lifestyle in the big city of New York comes to a screeching halt after the FBI raids her mansion and arrests her husband, Paul West, for a Ponzi scheme that rips people out of millions of dollars.
Mae finds herself homeless, friendless, and penniless. All hope isn’t lost. . .the only thing Mae got to keep that the government didn’t seize is a tourist camp ground, Happy Trails, in Normal, Kentucky and an RV to live in. One problem, Mae’s idea of camping has room service.
By the look of the brochure, Happy Trails has plush Kentucky Bluegrass, a crystal clear lake, a beach chair with her name on it and thoughts of how much money it could bring her after she sells it. Mae figures she’ll take a couple weeks vacation with her toes dipped in the lake. Things aren’t always as they appear. The Kentucky Bluegrass is nothing but dirt and the crystal clue lake is murky with green slime on top.
Mae quickly find out that Happy Trails and the citizens of Normal were also victims of Paul’s schemes, making her lower than tha lake scum in the residents’ eyes. Mae doesn’t think things could get much worse, but as luck would have it, Paul West has escaped from prison and is found dead, murdered, floating in the Happy Trails mucky green lake.
Mae is the number one suspect on Detective Hank Sharp’s short list. After all, Mae has the perfect motive as a kept wife who has been scorned to ashes, embarrassed to death, and seeking revenge.
Time is running out for Mae to prove that she’s innocent and nothing like her husband. If only she could get someone to believe her and talk Detective Sharp into looking at other residents who’ve lost all their savings to Paul’s Ponzie scheme before the curtain is closed on this Hollywood namesake.
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Imagine the shock of learning your husband is cheating.
No, Paul West is not a cheater who is having an affair with another woman, but one who has been getting people to invest in a Ponzi scheme. “Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries” is a fun start to Tonya Kappes newest cozy mystery series.
His wife, Mae West, learns that she is left with no more than a campground in the small town of Normal, Kentucky and a pop-up trailer to drive and live in. She leaves New York and reluctantly goes to check out what appears on paper to be a well kept and busy property.
This is a novella, so things move along quickly. In that respect it reminds me of theatre where the theatregoer/in this case, reader develops that willing suspension of disbelief about how easily Mae is accepted among those cheated by her husband. I felt like the people of the town come to life…we don’t get to know them as well as in a full-length novel, but they each have a distinct personality and have a reason for being a part of the story.
I look forward to returning to Normal in the second book of this series.
Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries was a fun book to read. It kept me hooked throughout, and I am looking forward to more in this series. I definitely recommend it!
In this new series we are introduced to Mae West whose life goes from lavish to lacking over night. You see Mae’s husband, now ex, had a huge Ponzi scheme going on until he got caught. Not only did he bilk a bunch of their friends but he also took Mae for everything. When Mae meets with their lawyer she soon learns that the only thing she has left is an RV and a Campground located in Normal, Kentucky. She decides to go to the campground and reevaluate her life before deciding on what she is going to do. When she gets there and learns that it’s nothing like the brochure that her lawyer gave her she realizes she’ll have to put some work in it to sell it. Along the way she finds out that her ex-husband took money from most of the people in the town of Normal too. Mae wants to do her best to help everyone because of all the pain and suffering that her husband caused. When he escapes from prison and is then found dead in Normal there is no shortage of suspects to be had. Follow along as Mae tries to make a go of it in Normal and figure out who wanted her ex dead the most. This was such a fun and endearing read. If you’ve never been to the south you’ll get a huge dose of it from this book and it’s truly worth the time to read. I loved the characters and the feeling that you got from the town of Normal, it just felt like home. I look forward to seeing what happens with Mae and her campground next.
Once again Tonya Kappes has come up with a group of characters we are excited to get to know. A cute story with lots of colorful characters, and of course, murder! The people are very relatable. The people of Normal, Kentucky are a family who help each other.
Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries is a great start to a new series! I really enjoyed this cozy mystery set in the small town of Normal, Kentucky. I loved the quirky residents of the Happy Trails campground and can’t wait to see what happens next. I’m curious to see whether Mae’s love interest will be Ty or Detective Hank.
I voluntarily read & reviewed a complimentary Advance Reader Copy.
Crime and camping – who knew they could ever be a match? But they are in this debut of a new series from Tonya Kappes and you can feel her enthusiasm for the book right from page 1!
Left virtually penniless after the FBI seizes all of her husband’s assets following the discovery of his Ponzi scheme, high society wife Mae is now the proud owner of an aged RV and an even older and rundown campground in Normal, Kentucky. This in itself is so funny that you just know the storyline will be hilarious! But when her husband escapes from prison and ends up dead in the campground’s lake, Mae becomes the primary suspect. Throughout her quest to clear her name, Mae learns a lot about herself and human nature and I look forward to more adventure as she settles down into her new life. A great group of characters and I just love the kitschy, retro camper cover art!
3.5 stars
BEACHES, BUNGALOWS, AND BURGLARIES, the first book in the Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery series by prolific writer Tanya Kappes, is a very quick, very light read. As readers have come to expect in Kappes books, the characters and the small town southern setting make the book. There is potential here for a great series.
Mae West has been left penniless and on her own after her husband goes to jail and the FBI seizes all of their assets. In fact, she discovers that all she has to her name now is a rundown camper and an RV Park in Normal, Kentucky. Based on the photos in the brochure, Happy Trails looks like just the place to chill for a couple of weeks and regroup before she sells it. However, reality is much worse than she expected since the RV Park has been left to languish under her husband’s neglect. Things go from bad to worse when her husband, who escaped from jail, is found murdered, and Mae finds herself at the top of the suspect list. Mae makes it her business to look into the pool of suspects while trying to get Happy Trails back up to snuff and right some of her husband’s wrongs.
I’ll be honest here, I do not love Mae…yet. She is supposed to be smart and good hearted yet she often comes across rash, rude, and clueless. There are also consistency issues that I do not understand. Mae grew up in Kentucky, but she does not understand local colloquialisms, she is surprised by Detective Hank being a chivalrous southern gentleman and has never seen a cast iron skillet. Huh? The residents of Normal are a treasure though. I particularly like Henry the handyman and Betts the minister’s wife. I also look forward to seeing how Happy Trails resident Ty and Mae’s relationship progresses.
The mystery is straightforward, but the killer’s identity came as a complete surprise. I think it could have been developed a bit more, but, again, the book is short.
I did enjoy BEACHES, BUNGALOWS, AND BURGLARIES and look forward to reading the next installment.
I received an ARC of this title and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
Is it possible to TRULY love every book an author writes? This new series is no exception! Starting the book we meet Mae West. She’s going from Fifth Avenue and Gucci bags to RV park and second hand back pack due to her husband’s (EX husband’s!! ) unsavory business dealings. I honestly wasn’t sure how much I’d like her character, but she reedeems herself over and over again. The places, and characters that Tonya comes up with suck me in Everytime. I fall in love with the town and it’s residence immediately. She’s also the queen of whodunnits, and had me fooled all the way to the end. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to see what trail Mae’s potential romantic interests turn down and catch up with what already feel like old friends. Definitely a must read and one of my new favorite cozys.
I do believe Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries by Tonya Kappes is one of my new favorite series!
Mae West’s husband has left her completely broke and unliked by everyone that use to be her friends. Left with only an old RV and an aging, rundown campground in Normal, Kentucky, Mae heads there to try to make sense of what lies ahead. After making friends with an odd assortment of new people Mae is finally fitting in, but after the escape from prison and murder of her ex-husband and the blame being put on one of her new friends Mae decides to look for the killer herself.
The description and story line take you straight into setting making you feel as if you are right there with Mae and her new friends. I’m looking forward to more books in this new series.
First book in a new series. We meet Mae (the Protagonist) just as she finds out she lost everything except for a camper and an RV park. We get to witness how she tries to rejuvenate the park, make new friends, try to make amends to those her husband had wronged and try to figure out who killed him.
The characters are a hoot. The mystery isn’t too complicated. The reveal is a surprise. There is no romance in this book (totally clean,) but there are hints of possibility for it in future books. There is some light humor thrown in. It has the small town feel, where everyone knows everyone. I enjoyed the whole plot of the book. It felt light and fresh. The timeline was pretty short. The book took place over the span of just a couple days, so things moved fast. (Almost too fast.) I did have a little issue with Mae’s character. It felt like she was wishy washy about some things. And although everyone was kind to her, she came across a little rash (and rude) to some of them (just because she suspected them of the crime.) Also everyone applauded her for bringing the camp back to life, but other than the idea of it, the townsfolk were the ones who did almost everything. But, having said that, you still wanna root for her. Reads quickly and easily. As I said, it’s a clean read. No sex or violence, and clean language. Safe for teens and up.
A brand new series from Tonya Kappes! New quirky characters to get to know but lots of the same Southern charm her books are known for!
Mae West has always believed that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade! The only problem is that she’s left without even a lemon to her name once all of her assets are seized due to her (ex)husband’s scheming misdeeds! The only bright side is that she eventually finds out that she is the (not so)proud owner of a dilapidated campground. Not only is she not welcome in Normal, Kentucky but her ex husband is found murdered after a mysterious escape from prison. Paul had more enemies than friends so there are lots of suspects and Mae takes upon herself to stick her nose in the investigation. Although she seems to warm up to the residents, she might not want to stick around where she’s not wanted even if she solves the case. You will definitely end up rooting for Mae to find some new great friends (and maybe a love interest)!
I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this new series and liked that it was a lighthearted cozy with some humor but also great twists and turns that really had me guessing until the very end!
I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I think this has just become one my new favorite series by Tonya Kappes! (although I still absolutely adore Kenni Lowry!) You will never find a spoiler in one of my reviews, but let me completely assure you that this on one of Tonya’s best to date. If you are new to Tonya Kappes, you will find a well told, fun story, with characters that not only make you laugh out loud but you also want to be their friends! This book, set in Normal, Kentucky in a trailer park/campground (which belongs to Mae), is no exception. How can you not have a great story with a strong main character, a scheming, cheater (Ponzi scheme) of an (ex) husband, and a dead body found floating in a lake. You get your fix of twists and turns to keep you guessing and a completely surprise ending, which Tonya does so well, along with some snarky humor and a dollop of romance. You just have to join Mae and the rest of the town in this wonderfully penned mystery that does not disappoint. You also get your fix of great recipes at the end, which are always yummy which is an added delight in a lot of Tonya’s books. Anxiously awaiting the next installment! You just can’t help but love this book, which is guaranteed to keep you swiping your Kindle to find out the conclusion of this marvelous whodunit!
Loved Mae and felt for her – why should she be blamed for her husband’s crime? The Laundry Ladies were a hoot and so kind to Mae. Hoping her and Ty develop a relationship in this series.
EXCITING NEW SERIES!
Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries is the first book the Cozy Camper Mystery Series and it is starting the the series off with a BANG! Mae West thought she had it all when she was living in a mansion, driving a fancy expensive sports car and wearing designer clothes. She also thought her husband was a good man and loved her right up until their home was raided and her husband Paul was arrested for running one of the biggest Ponzi schemes of all time! From that moment on, she was left with her clothes and a secret stash of money that was hers before she married. Oh and she inherited a very run down RV and the deed to the Happy Trails RV Park in Normal, KY. The brochure looked fabulous! Mae had plans to check it out and sell it and go on with her life. However, Paul and his evil deeds just won’t go away! Throw in a couple of dead bodies, discovering strangers can become friends that are closer than family, learning to trust people again, watching a community come together to help put itself back together, learning who you can trust and who to stay away from and deciding what to ultimately do with an RV Park in Normal, KY proves to be one wild ride! That’s only a small sampling of what’s included in this really outstanding book. This is shaping up to be one of my favorite series yet as it shows people are not always what they seem at first glance. It’s important to spend time with them so you get to know them. You may discover they might end up being your best friend! I was provided a copy of this book by the author. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.
Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries by Tonya Kappes was one of those books that as soon I started it I was hooked.
Mae West is plucky, quirky and stubborn. All of which she will need now that she is living in Normal, KY. I absolutely loved the Laundry Club Girls and want to join as soon as I can find Normal, KY.
Mae seems to find her feet with the “girls” help and she’s determined to find out who killed her husband after he escaped from prison. A plot that raced, plenty of twists, red herrings and a reveal that I totally did not see coming made this a great cozy mystery. Ms. Kappes’ descriptive writing always makes me feel like I’ve been lucky enough to find a new “home town” to enjoy – even for just a short while. I can’t wait to come back to visit again.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All of the above opinions are my own.
This is the first book in this really fantastic new series by Tonya Kappes. Mae West has gone from the good life to no life thanks to her ex- husbands scheme.
Her new home and car is an RV and heading to a campground vin Normal, Kentucky that is also now here. What more can go wrong?
Southern Charm, small town, fun quirky characters.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
* I Received A Free Copy in Exchange for an Honest Review*
Mae West’s husband Paul went to prison for committing a Ponzi Scheme on their friends and family including taking her retirement money. All he left her was Happy Trails Campground in Normal, Ky. along with a host of suspects in his death after he escapes from prison.
Mae must traverse from driving a Maserati and a New York City apartment to driving and living in a pop-up RV camper. Her husband did leave one thing for her in his sock drawer – $100,000 with a note saying the money was from her 401K. After meeting some people in Normal, Ky who her husband schemed she decides that she will try to repay what her husband took from them by restoring the campground to its former glory but first she must solve his murder.
I really enjoyed this sweet cozy mystery by Tonya Kappes and cannot wait until the next book.
Fantastic and fun start to a new series by Tonya Kappes. The book is full of the small town Southern Charm and strong quirky characters that Mrs. Kappes is known for, Mae West and the Laundry Club Girls are no exception to the strong and quirky personalities. I really love the campground setting even though I’ve never been camping I wanted to get a camper and head to Normal, KY. Mrs. Kappes has a way of telling a story to draw you in from the beginning and making you feel as if you are reading about family and friends. The murder mystery is full of twists and turns and red herrings to keep you guessing until the surprising reveal at the end of the book. This is a quick entertaining read that I would recommend to all mystery lovers. I am definitely looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
I received an ARC of the book from the author in hopes I would give an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and have no way been influenced.
I think this new series by Ms. Kappes is quickly become one of my favorites.
When Mae ends up going from riches to rags almost overnight, finding most people are hating her husband for leaving them in the same condition, she feels like she is left in a whirlwind. When her ex shows up dead Mae feels that she needs to help find the killer as their main suspect is someone that she has grown close to.
What I love about Mae is although she is at a loss, she has a small pity party then sucks it up and does what needs to be done.
The other characters in this book are just as likable, some have a few quirks but none of them over the top. A group of them take in Mae as one of their own, which shines through with a strong sense of community that glows through the whole book.
The mystery was excellent, I really didn’t want it to be anyone that I met because I liked them all, and with a twist at the end it was not who I thought it to be. I eagerly await the next in this series as this is off to a great start.
*I was lucky enough to have received a copy of this and this is my honest opinion.