by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of Frothy Foul Play, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Dark Roasted…Murder!
Shelving her law career and retraining herself as a baker and master barista, Roxy Bloom arrived in Honey Springs, Kentucky, and opened the town’s first, and only, coffeehouse. The Bean Hive, set on the boardwalk with a lovely view of the lake, became the go-to destination for tourists and locals alike to pick up a sweet treat, a rich brew, and some gossip. She partnered with Pet Palace to have on hand a few fur friends primed for adoption and roasting her own beans for personally crafted blends has made her the first stop in the morning for many residents and visitors. She turned business owners into friends and friends into family, and after reconnecting with her summer love, Patrick Cane, she accepted his proposal and is now Mrs. Patrick Cane. Life in Honey Springs has been sweet, but a few “bitter” moments have required intervention from the local police and sparked her passion to get involved. Murder and mayhem does that!

Frothy Foul Play earns 5/5 Zen Ohmms…Engaging and Entertaining!

Just like Aunt Maxi would tell me as a kid,” If someone tells you to keep a secret from your parents or me, then you know they are doing something wrong.”
—Roxy, Frothy Foul Play

It’s the mornings with a glorious picturesque sunrise, fragrant aroma of coffee, and Pepper, Roxy’s schnauzer, snoring in the corner that made life perfect. But opening in the morning can be hectic when Aunt Maxi pops in to help with her bright yellow and purple streaked hair, can of hair spray, and vocal opinions about wanting grand-nieces or nephews. [Cue the Open sign] Roxy greets a customer coming in for a steaming cup of her New Year’s blend including a journalist from Healthy Women’s Magazine. Tom Foster was encouraged by his health conscience wife to write an article about Crissy Lane’s new holistic wellness spa, Bee Happy Resort. Crissy is excited about getting more publicity since pre-invites for her grand opening have been slowly returned. However, Roxy’s irrepressible curiosity brings into question how Crissy was able to manage the finances connected to such an elaborate project, and then turning down the use of Roxy’s coffee at the resort made it…personal. But, keeping her nose to her own grind stone seems to take center stage with her new employee Birdie, outspoken Low-retta’s granddaughter, who has a questionable past with worrisome legal entanglements. Then, overhearing a threat, learning of an argument close to home, and, later, witnessing a murder seems to eclipse it all!

Relax and Enjoy! Tonya Kappes has brought eager fans, like me, another exciting book in her Killer Coffee Mystery. She teases readers with a peek at the murder and the victim in the Preview, which is helpful since the actual event takes longer to appear in the story. Often in Kappes’s work it is the journey. It’s been a year since the last book, Dead to the Last Drop, was released, so rightfully so, characters and connections are briefly reintroduced (good for newbies) along with setting up suspicions, conflicts, and new characters. Readers get a head start determining the suspects, motives, and opportunities, but descriptions of The Bean Hive treats and Bee Happy chanting classes, exploring relationships between Roxy and her aunt, her mother, and her husband, and learning more about Birdie’s backstory make this a fascinating read. And the mystery of the “silent” partner…niggling!

Tonya’s writing style has always been entertaining making me an loyal fan. Her Honey Springs, Kentucky, creation is a quaint environment prominent on my literary “bucket list.” Her characters are all painted with southern flair, centered in family, and rich with wit, confidence, and in Low-retta’s case, a bit of “do as I say.” There’s always fur friends in the background from dogs to little black kittens, but they’re not just window dressing; they often help define personalities or provide just the right amount of support or a listening ear. Can’t wait to head back to Honey Springs!

Put the Pot On! Bring The Bean Hive home with you. Enjoy a Coffee Tip from Roxy herself about a failsafe way to avoid bitter coffee. Then pair a cup with Aunt Maxi’s favorite Strawberry and Cream Donuts for the perfect treat. The gossip is extra!

Be a Big Tonya Kappes Fan!
USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has so many fan favorite series. With the soon-to-be seven-book Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery, she has a nineteen-book Camper & Criminals Cozy series 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. And finally, get a little caffeinated with this nine-book Killer Coffee Mystery. She also has an enjoyable online presence, including a YouTube channel enticing fans to gather to talk, share, and partake in the fun!

Alert! Tonya has announced a new series, a spin-off from her fan favorite Magical Cures Mystery series, but with a twist! In her Southern Magical Bakery series starring Lo Heal Park, the daughter of June Heal and Oscar Park, the novellas are serialized into six parts. Part 1 will be released at the end of July, and in each month end a new installment will be released culminating with the final episode in December. All six novellas are on preorder HERE!

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

To enter to win an ebook of Frothy Foul Play, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “frothy,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen March 13, 2021. US only, and must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out the first chapter of Tonya’s book Dead to the Last Drop was featured in a past podcast episode. You can check it out here, or in the player below:

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 last week.

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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.