by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of Ropes, Riddles & Robberies, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Karma Comes in All Shapes & Sizes!
Maybelline Grant West, better known by friends and family as Mae West, had, at the minute she turned eighteen, snuck out the window of her foster/adoptive mom’s house where she lived since the tragic death of her family and swore she’d never be back…famous last words she’d later discover. Her journey took her to New York where she met and married a wealthy man who gave her the highs of a luxurious lifestyle and lows of disgrace when he was caught running a Ponzi scheme. She relinquished her treasured life in exchange for the only thing left: a yellow camper and a campground in Normal, Kentucky, just a few miles outside the town to which she swore she’d never return. But, karma seems to know its stuff. Over the past few years, Mae has turned a dilapidated campground into a popular full-service destination and helped to reenergized the small community. Happy Trails Campground is now her home, her flourishing business, and source of her greatest happiness. She’s found a way to mend a broken heart with detective Hank Sharp and gain several close friends from the campground manager Dottie Swaggert and camp handyman Henry Bryant to her foster, then, adoptive mother Mary Elizabeth and foster brother Bobby Ray, from shopkeepers to a quirky group of ladies dubbed the “Laundry Club,” due to the fact they meet to gossip or hold a book club in the local laundromat. But, it’s Mae’s success uncovering answers behind several murders that’s been her greatest contribution. Coming home was the last thing she wanted to do, but it’s become the best thing she ever did!

Ropes, Riddles & Robberies earns 5/5 Reunions…Wow Page Turner!

“Like our old Southern saying, the past will always come back to haunt you.”
—Maybelline West, favorite resident of Normal, Kentucky

The memories of the fire that killed her father, mother, and two sisters fifteen years ago have been bubbling up to the surface and more vividly since Mae had been having Reiki treatments from Tex, a “hippie, shirtless chiropractor” with whom she’d recently become acquainted. The visions have convinced her that the official determination of accident was, in fact, not, and despite concerns for her safety and many key people from the time are gone or ill, Mae is set to uncover the truth no matter what. Road trip! The Laundry Club Ladies devise a plan of action to assist Mae in finally discovering the truth: prep an RV, prep some meals, and prep for a mission. Getting the fire report, talking to old friends of hers and her dad’s, and perusing old news articles have provided some information and clarity, but also serious suspicions about the mining company for which her father worked as a foreman. Further investigation and a bit of breaking and entering has led to surprising details, a few odd riddles, near misses with an oncoming car, and revelations that could be very disastrous, and surprisingly murderous!

WOW! Tonya Kappes has penned the best yet in her A Camper and Criminals Mystery series. Mae’s past—the death of her family, foster care, adoption, and fleeing when she became an adult—has been a minor side story, but this fifteenth book has brought it to the forefront in an exciting, and deadly, drama. We get further insights into her relationship with her foster/adoptive mother, high-school boyfriend and “mean girl” nemesis, and the events that led her to run away the first chance she could. Karmic. Fascinating. Compelling. The conclusion, including a bit of nail-biting peril, revealed shocking answers, but satisfying justice. Mae is also placed in a situation to evaluate her life choices and judge whether her path, including the few left turns, has led her to where she needs to be. The Laundry Club Ladies are a favorite character element; each woman is different in style and personality and offers fascinating examples of southern flair, mores, and manners. Using a first-person narrative from Mae’s perspective, Kappes’ writing style is easy to read, filled with descriptive language, and entertaining dialogue; she also has most of the drama taking place on the page as opposed to characters getting together and just relating what they found…this keeps the reader engaged as a member of the team. This just might be my favorite Tonya Kappes series!

Bonus! Adding to the delightful experience with this series is the unique “Recipes and Hacks from Mae West and the Laundry Club Ladies” for culinary and lifestyle needs. The two recipes are great even if you’re just a “stay at home” camper: Campfire Cobbler and Cozy Cream Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. The two hacks offer ideas on making hand soap conveniently available and square vs round storage containers.

Alert! Alert! Book sixteen Paddlers, Promises, & Poison will release in late May.

Be a Big Tonya Kappes Fan!
With over eighty-five novels, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes is also one of my Top Ten favorite authors. With this thirteen-book Camper & Criminals Cozy series, she has a five-book Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery along with exciting ghostly-, magical-, and caffeinated-themed series. For ghosts, she has the popular eight-book Ghostly Southern Mystery and seven-book Kenni Lowry series. Add some magic with the twelve-book Magical Cures Mystery and three-book Spies and Spells series. And finally, get a little caffeinated with her eight-book Killer Coffee Mystery. She also has an enjoyable online presence and various EVENTS enticing fans to gather to talk, share, and partake in the fun!

Facebook – Author Tonya Kappes
Join the “Cozy Krew”
Become a Member at the Website – Tonya Kappes

To enter to win an ebook of Ropes, Riddles & Robberies, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “ropes,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen January 9, 2021. US only, and must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Be sure to check out our new mystery podcast too with mystery short stories, and first chapters read by local actors. A new episode went up this week and an episode featuring one of Tonya’s books goes up in January.

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Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.