“Romance, a lovable bunch of eccentrics, and a collection of recipes with murder most foul.”–Kirkus“Scrumptious… Fans of culinary cozies will have fun.”–Publishers Weekly“A sweet Southern mystery with a delightful plot and quirky characters who quickly make you feel at home.”–San Francisco Book Review“Romance, a lovable bunch of eccentrics, and a collection of recipes with murder most foul.”… of recipes with murder most foul.”
–Kirkus
“Scrumptious… Fans of culinary cozies will have fun.”
–Publishers Weekly
“A sweet Southern mystery with a delightful plot and quirky characters who quickly make you feel at home.”
–San Francisco Book Review
Bernadette Butler has a penchant for solving murders while keeping her ear low to the ground listening to gossip while on her mail carrier route.
Bernie tries to deliver a return to sender package and a certified letter to a local man and finds him dead.
When the death turns up suspicious, Bernie uses her amateur sleuthing skills along with the gossipy help of the Front Porch Ladies to cross reference who exactly in their small southern town stamped out the victim.
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Once again it’s time to visit the small Kentucky town of Sugar Creek Gap to catch up with the Bernie, the local mail carrier. I love the multigenerational residents who populate this southern town. There’s Bernie’s son and daughter-in-law as well as several new business owners who are among the younger adult residents in Sugar Creek Gap.The senior “front porch ladies” and the retirement community residents keep the town gossip wheel spinning. Bernie and her best friend Iris are the middle-aged generation as her doctor keeps reminding her – along with suggestions for exercise and diet.
Since Bernie has moved into town and her son and daughter-in-law have moved to the family farm, there have been many changes in her life. Her first grandchild will be arriving soon. Bernie has ended her romantic relationship with Mac because she wasn’t ready for a second marriage. Now she and her best friend Iris are taking a yoga class at the new fitness center after Bernie’s doctor suggested exercise to help strengthen her bone density.
Then Bernie discovers a body as she is attempting to deliver a registered letter. Once again Bernie, with the help of Iris, collects clues to solve the crime. Tonya Kappes’ latest engaging mystery in this series offers subtle clues and wonderful characters to keep you guessing until the very end! The delicious southern recipes are an added bonus. I recommend adding this mystery to the top of your reading list. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Book #4 in A Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery series. Bernadette “Bernie” Butler finds herself carrying a certified letter from the U.S. Patent Office for Simon Little.. Simon is not on her route but she does try to go out of her way to deliver it. Simon is not at the garage but his partner, Nick Kirby is and wants to sign for the letter. This sets the stage for Simon’s murder and a break-in at the Post Office that only involved Bernie’s mail bag.
Bernie has a new granddaugter Clara. She is going through menopause and is trying yoga to help her be calm and hopefully lose weight. Her best friend Iris Peabody is at her side to help her cope. She cannot stand to see Mac Tabor wit Lucy Drake but she is not ready to get married again.
Peaches Partin broke up with Simon and is afraid she is going to lose Tranquility Spa. China Gordon is trying to set her up with a new line of yora wear.
Of course the wonderful Front Porch Ladies are in the middle of everything in Sugar Creek Gap, KY.
I have grown to love the characters in this series and cannot wait to see what happens to each of them in the next book.
The suspects were several. Tonya Kappes keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out who killed Simon.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, this series is for you.
I received an advance copy of this book. However, this is my honest opinon.
I finished this book in one sitting! Once you start, you need to keep reading. Bernadette “Bernie” is going through changes in her life that make her a more complex character.
Most of the recurring characters feel like people you would love to have as your neighbors. They care about each other.
The murder mystery was complex with several main suspects. As usual in this series, there are plenty of red herrings and twists.
I was fortunate to receive an Advanced Copy. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series!
Another installment, another great mystery to be solved and our girl Bernie and friends are the ones to do it. But what if they are wrong about the murderer? It could be bye bye Bernie. And her relationship with Mac is on shaky ground, but love will find a way. I received a complimentary copy and I am voluntarily reviewing.
When Bernie’s friend and yoga instructor becomes the main suspect in a murder, she asks Bernie to help find the real killer. The characters are so well developed, they seem like old friends. The plot is filled with plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. It was a delightful read and I’m looking forward to future installments. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.
Best one so far. I like the characters, even the one I dislike. They are well developed and come across as real everyday people. I was surprised to find out who the killer was. The red herrings were good but the humor and vulnerability of certain characters clinched this as a great escape from the news of today.
We learn more about Bernie and Mac. Bernie is dealing with the stress of menopause, her break up with Mac Tabor, and Lucy Drake being with Mac for the last few months. Bernie discovers jealousy and needs to deal with it. Yoga is the next item to try as knitting did not work out as a stress reliever.
Bernie finds a young man dead at his workplace while trying to deliver a certified letter. Will she figure out who the killer is before the killer stops her in her tracks?
I received an advanced copy and am not required to leave a positive review.
USPS mail carrier, Bernadette Butler once again finds another dead body. This time Bernie uses her people and sleuthing skills to crack the case. She even gets the green light in an unofficial capacity to “look in” to the murder from the town sheriff. Fun, folksy, intrigue by Tonya Kappes. Would definitely recommend.
Can Bernie prove that her yoga teacher isn’t quilty of murder? Let’s hope so! She wants to continue with yoga.
Another great southern cozy mystery.
This is an ARC review.
OK, I am not mad at Mac any more. Bernie gets some registered mail in her bag and when she tries to deliver it, the person isn’t there to sign for it. His partner seems a little upset by the letter and makes Bernie a little suspicious. When the man is murdered, Bernie immediately suspects the partner. But, the man’s ex is the person the police focus on. As Bernie tries to help her clear her name, she is faced with some menopause symptoms that make her just a little crazy. As if she didn’t have enough to deal with, now menopause. Getting to watch her granddaughter makes it all worth it. If she can stay alive long enough to play with her granddaughter.
Return to Sender brings us back to Sugar Creek Gap, Kentucky, home of Bernadette Butler – mail carrier extraordinaire.
Bernie is adjusting to lots of changes in her life, some are wonderful like the birth of her granddaughter, Clara. Some are hard, like the end of her relationship with Mac. No matter what, Bernie is dedicated to her job. When she tries to deliver a certified letter to the local mechanic, she finds him dead.
When his ex-girlfriend is accused of his murder, Bernie steps in to investigate and prove her friend is innocent.
The mystery was really well written and kept me guessing right to the end.
Bernie is a wonderful character, who continues to grow and become more fully realized with each book.
I am anxiously waiting for the next installment!
Fifty-something Bernadette Butler is going through the change of life and has to deal with hot flashes and an expanding waistline while tracking down a killer in the latest mail carrier mystery. Yoga is the new craze in town and Peaches Partin has recently opened the Tranquility Spa where Bernie takes a class to help her relax. Peaches exudes calm and coolness, but when Peaches’ ex-boyfriend and garage owner Simon Little is found dead by Bernie on her mail route, Peaches finds herself in the hot yoga seat. But Peaches is not the only suspect. Simon was on the verge of patenting a new motorcycle part which could make him and his partner a lot of money. Was someone else trying to take credit for the invention and cut Simon out of the deal? As Bernie delivers the mail, she uncovers some startling clues, and she realizes she must enlist the Front Porch Ladies to help her get to the bottom of this current caper.
It is always fun to return to Sugar Creek Gap where folks like to gossip and murder is close to home. Bernie is relatable and her current struggles with mid-life rings true. The mystery is nicely plotted and the suspects each have a strong motive, which ups the ante. Not only does the mystery satisfy readers, but catching up with Bernie and her life in Sugar Creek Gap is enjoyable as well.
I voluntarily read an advanced reading copy and have given an honest review.
Bernadette “Bernie” Bulter, along with her friend Iris Peabody have taken up yoga taught by Peaches Partin. While Bernie ticks off the reasons that she is giving yoga a try; Bernie is finding out she’s been bitten by the green-eye monster! Bernie’s old flame, Mac Tabor, is seeing Lucy Drake, who just happens to be taking yoga classes too. After deciding to buy yoga pants and trying them on, Bernie exclaims: “Two things that tell the truth, children and yoga pants.”
The one, joy in Bernie’s life is her granddaughter, Clara, while Bernie tries to adjust to her new normal, living in a new house, the change, and the break-up with Mac, whom she’s been avoiding running into.
Bernie stopped at her parents’ diner to deliver their mail, and her father discovered a certified letter requiring a signature not on her route. So, Bernie tried to deliver it, only to find the addressee, Simon Little, was not at the shop.
The following morning, Bernie heads to the post office only to learn that it was broken into, unable to get inside, Bernie decides to walk to the garage and deliver the certified letter again. When she arrives, she finds Simon Little dead from what appears to be a suicide.
When Sheriff Angela Hafley shares inside information to the ‘Snoop Consultant’, that signifies Simon didn’t commit suicide, but Peaches is a suspect. Peaches asks for Bernie to help her. Bernie, Iris and the Front Porch Ladies start to gather facts to help come up with the real killer.
This series gets better and better! Lots of witty remarks — when Bernie downloads some of what’s bugging her to her friend, Iris: “Then I become a maw-maw when I didn’t want be named Maw-maw…Then I go to yoga, where I can’t do any of the moves, and I not only have to look at Lucy, but I fall asleep and snore.”
I received an ARC and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.
Bernie loves being a grandmother, but still dealing with her breakup with Mac. And hot flashes on top of everything else! Adjusting to menopause and what it does to your body.
When she finds a letter that requires a signature she tries to deliver it. It is not part of her route, so how did it get mixed up in her mail bag?
When the post office gets broken into and a dead body is found, Bernie knows it’s time for her to be nosy.
This series keeps me laughing with humor and helping to put a smile on my face during difficult times.
I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.
I really enjoyed Return to Sender. This book is interesting and fun. I like the characters. The mystery is interesting and has many twists and turns to keep you guessing. This is a great read!
RETURN TO SENDER
Book Review By
Lisa Anne Taylor
Tonya Kappes gives us another look into the lives of the residents of Sugar Creek Gap, Kentucky with RETURN TO SENDER – her newest book in the mail carrier series.
Bernadette Butler turns in her knitting needles for yoga pants, as she takes up yoga in hopes of it helping her sleep. Maybe losing weight and getting into better shape will be a benefit of what she considers torture. All of this is put on the back burner when Bernadette delivers a certified letter to local garage owner Simon Little. Instead of getting his signature, Bernadette is calling 911 because he’s dead. Of course, it’s not a nice normal case of suicide, but murder.
Peaches Partin – the yoga teacher with a drinking problem – is the number one suspect in Simon’s murder. She is Simon’s ex-girlfriend and has a beef with him and his current girlfriend Sarah Hodge. When asked to help prove Peaches’ innocence, Bernadette is more than willing to find out what is going on and why. With Iris and the Front Porch Ladies helping others are soon discovered in Sugar Creek Gap with motive to set Peaches up for the murder.
RETURN TO SENDER has enough twists and turns and humor to keep you interested and intrigued to the end. A must read for cozy mystery fans.
I voluntarily read an advanced reading copy of RETURN TO SENDER, and have given a honest review of the book.
Bernadette is back! While trying to make a mail delivery, Bernadette instead finds a body and becomes involved in trying to figure out who committed the crime. There are several potential suspects and just when I thought I knew the answer, well, I was wrong. I just love this series and was so happy to have another Mail Carrier Cozy to read and look forward to seeing what happens next in Bernadette’s life.
Whenever I read a book that Tonya Kappes writes I feel like I am going back to visit old friends and this series is no different. Sugar Creek Gap is a sweet town filled with fun, quirky characters and southern charm.
The best yet in the series and leaves the door open to many possibilities of changes in Bernie’s life in the next book. Great mystery because even though I thought I knew who the killer was, there were so many other perfect suspects with perfect reasons. Each person’s motive and means seemed unshakeable. Bernie and Iris with the help of the Front Porch Ladies use their murder board to put clues together. Love seeing all of the ladies get involved. Throw in a little bit of romance and humor and you’ve got a really enjoyable read. Definitely looking forward to the next book.
I read an advanced copy for an honest review.
Bernie is working on her new normal. She’s a new grandmother ( which she loves), she’s still lacking the wounds of heartache, since ending things with Mac, and trying to adjust to the symptoms of menopause. It’s almost too much for one body to handle at the same time!
When a local mechanic winds up dead (Bernier slander strikes again) and the Yoga teacher is the main suspect, Bernie knows she is going to have to help the only way she can, by being nosy.
With lots of baked goods, from her friend Iris, the support of the Front Porch Ladies, this should be a snap! Right?
This book is injected with the right amount of humor, a bevel of potential suspects and a surprise killer that will knock your socks off! Add to that a satisfying resolution to Bernie and Mac, and Tonyas Kappas has written a book that will put a real smile on your face.