Discover the southern life of Bernadette Butler, along with the eccentric and lovable citizens, along with all the fur babies, who live in Sugar Creek Gap in this NEW southern cozy mystery series by USA TODAY Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes. Don’t miss out on the good RECIPES at the end of the book!Everyone in Sugar Creek Gap has tried to fix up widow and beloved mail carrier, Bernadette Davis on … Bernadette Davis on several dates. They say she has to be lonely.
What they don’t know is how Bernadette’s life is filled…filled with everyone’s hidden secrets and obsessions. After all, she does deliver their mail and hears all the dirty laundry southern folks love to sweep secrets under the rug.
While on her route, Bernadette finds out the beloved Sugar Creek Gap Country Club is being sold and turned into condos. The developer is Bernadette’s best friend, Mac Tabor and right now he’s not very popular.
The entire town is against the development and eager to vote it down, vowing they will do whatever needs to be done to stop the sell of the country club to Mac Tabor.
Chuck Shilling, majority owner of the country club, and Mac have a public fight because Chuck is rethinking of selling the club to Mac. When Chuck is found dead, Mac Tabor is the number one suspect.
Bernadette discovers she’s got a penchant for discovering clues that just might help STAMP OUT a killer who is on the loose while trying to save Mac Tabor from going to prison for a murder he didn’t commit.
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This is a good start to this series and I hope to hear more from Bernadette. Bernadette has been a widow for 10 years. She works as a mail carrier and has family and good friends looking out for her. The one man who has stood beside her during everything is her friend Mac. He was her husband’s friend and he has always been very good to Bernadette and her son. Now, it seems as if she doesn’t even know Mac. He seems to be hiding a whole other life that she has never heard about and when there is a murder, Mac is accused. No matter what he is hiding, she knows he didn’t commit the murder. She will do anything to clear his name. He will do anything to protect her.
Great new series with a middle aged widow protagonist, with a grown married son. They live in the small town, Sugar Creek Gap.
When Bernie finds a body, along her mail route, it causes all kinds of questions and a list of suspects. She decides to become an amateur sleuth and take advantage of what she comes across by simply delivering the mail, and gets some surprising side help from a senior citizen. There is quite a cast of interesting town characters, a friendly duck, a rescue cat, and twists.
I found this story to be fresh and unique! I love the small town appeal that includes four elderly widows, who are dubbed the front porch ladies. I look forward to learning more about the people of Sugar Creek Gap and included are some wonderful recipes which are perfect for Fall. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
I received an ARC copy and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.
Great start to a new series. I love mysteries and romances and this one has both. Loved getting to know Bernie and Mac as well as the rest of the characters introduced in this first book. Bernie finds a dead body and wants to prove the accused is innocent. There was a secret that came out that I didn’t like but that’s what made the story. Looking forward to book 2. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy.
Stamped Out is the first book in a new series by Tonya Kappes.
Love that Bernadette who is a mail carrier in the small town of Sugar Creek Gap is middle-aged. So nice to see a character that I can relate to.
Wonderfully quirky characters, plenty of suspects, twists and turns. Love the porch ladies and their humor.
A book that I did not want to put down.
Can’t wait for the next book in this series.
I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it. Opinions expressed are my own.
Stamped Out is the first book in a new series by my one of my favorite cozy authors, Tonya Kappes.
For this series, we are taken to Sugar Creek Gap. I love how the town is described in the book. I easily pictured it. Our sleuth is a mail carrier! What an awesome job. You can get all sorts of clues while delivering mail. Bernie, (Bernadette), is a widow with a grown son. I love that she is an older character and one that I have a bit in common with, (I was a single mom who returned to the workforce to support my children). I was comfortable with her right away. I didn’t realize how quickly I was attached, though, until I got about halfway through the book. There is a part where Bernie is talking with her son and daughter in law and something gets said that just hurt my heart. That was the moment I knew I was securely invested. I just felt Bernie’s pain like my own. Two characters I just can’t wait to read about again are Vince and Harriette. Lord, what fascinating characters they are! Harriette just about stopped my heart in one scene! They are just a small part of engaging characters in this community. I love small towns because the community is so interesting. Everyone is so caring but, as always can be found, gossipy. There’s always a few people who have all the tea that needs to be spilled. I felt welcomed from the start and by the end, felt right at home.
The mystery was a compelling one with various characters as suspects. It took a few turns and come up with a surprise that had my mouth open wide. Just wait until you read that!
The book has a few recipes in it, including one from my younger years that I hadn’t eaten in awhile. You’re right if you guessed I made it. I had me some Pecan Bread with my coffee and, Lordy, but it was tasty! It took me right back to sitting around the table with my girlfriends working on our sewing. There was also a sneak peek at the next Killer Coffee Mystery, Holiday Roast Mortem. Y’all, we are in for another holiday treat with that! Get ready!
*I received an unedited arc for review purposes. Minor changes may happen in the final edition. The opinions expressed are my thoughts and feelings while reading this book.*
Stamped Out is the first book in a new series by Tonya Kappes.
I wish I could give this 10 stars! I could not put this book down. Bernadette (Bernie) is my new favorite character! I love that the author has written a middle aged character that for me is so relatable. It is clear to this reader that the author has done her research about the postal service and that authenticity adds to the character development and story line.
The setting of Sugar Creek Gap is one where I want to live with such a great community of people supporting one another. The mystery is so well written with so many twists and turns I had my sleuthing cap on but I wasn’t even close to guessing who the murder was.
I love Bernie’s rescue kitty Rowena. The author writes animals into her stories seamlessly yet so integrated that they truly are one of the characters.
And let me just say that the ending BLEW me away.
The characters are so well developed and fleshed out with a well written mystery.
I am SO excited for the next book in this series to see what Bernie and Sugar Creek Gap is up to next.
The characters are quirky and fun to read, like many other of Tonya Kappes characters. A great start to this series. I can’t wait to see what’s next.