Tag: BookReview

Posted in Cozy Mysteries

Bonfires, Backpacks, & Brawls

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

(A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Series Book 36)

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A SMIDGEN OF HOMICIDE

USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes brings you southern and quirky characters in her mystery series. Her stories are charged with humor, friendship, family and life in small southern towns.

Get ready to pitch your tents and light the campfire for a wildly entertaining mystery with “Bonfires, Backpacks, & Brawls,” the latest page-turner in the A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Series. When the peaceful plunk of fishing lures at Happy Trails Campground is replaced by the startling bang of gunshots, Mae West and the Laundry Club ladies gear up for their most adventurous case yet in the heart of Daniel Boone National Forest.
Imagine stumbling upon a body in the woods—only it’s not hunting season, and this isn’t a deer we’re talking about. This twist sends Mae and her gang on a trek through a forest thick with secrets, where every turn in the trail could be the clue they need or a dead end. The victim, a real outdoorsman with a complex web of connections to the wilderness, has left behind a trail as puzzling as a switchback path.

“Bonfires, Backpacks, & Brawls” isn’t just any cozy caper; it’s a romp through the great outdoors, complete with twists, turns, and Tonya Kappes’ signature dose of humor. Prepare to be hooked from the first gunshot to the last guffaw as Mae digs into a case that proves even the most scenic spots can hide dark secrets and dastardly deeds.

This book is the perfect campsite companion for mystery lovers looking for fun, frights, and friendship. With a backdrop as enchanting as Kentucky’s own wilderness and a story brimming with intrigue, betrayal, and, of course, a hefty helping of laughter, you won’t want to put it down. So, pack your sense of adventure (and maybe a flashlight) and join Mae and the gang as they navigate the wilds of human nature. “Bonfires, Backpacks, & Brawls” is more than a mystery; it’s an expedition into excitement, proving once and for all that where there’s smoke… there’s laughter, lies, and a darn good read. Catch your copy today and become a happy camper in the world of cozy mysteries!

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Posted in Cozy Mysteries

Moonlight, Marshmallows, & Manslaughter

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

(A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Series Book 35) 

Small-town cozy mystery set during a festival

Normal, Kentucky is celebrating National Wildflower Week, drawing botanists, hikers, and nature lovers to the trails of Daniel Boone National Forest. But when a renowned botanist known for controversial research is found dead beneath the moonlit sky, the peaceful festival turns deadly.

Mae West and the Laundry Club Ladies are pulled into another small-town investigation when whispers of environmental disputes, land development schemes, and professional rivalries begin to surface. With suspects ranging from a developer with questionable conservation plans to an assistant whose admiration borders on obsession, it’s clear the victim’s work stirred more than scientific debate.

As Mae follows a trail of hidden motives and long-buried grudges, she discovers that danger in Normal grows quietly—and strikes without warning. With the town on edge and another festival event approaching, Mae and her friends must uncover the truth before the killer has a chance to strike again.

Moonlight Marshmallows & Manslaughter is a Southern cozy mystery filled with small-town charm, festival intrigue, and community sleuthing—perfect for readers who love amateur detectives, quirky side characters, and mysteries rooted in place.

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Posted in #non-fiction

The World According to Tom Hanks

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The Life, the Obsessions, the Good Deeds of America’s Most Decent Guy

An entertaining and insightful homage to America’s favorite movie star, from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Tao of Bill Murray.

Niceness gets a bad rap these days. Our culture rewards those who troll the hardest and who snark the most. At times it seems like there’s no place anymore for optimism, integrity, and good old-fashioned respect. Enter “America’s Dad”: Tom Hanks. Whether he’s buying espresso machines for the White House Press Corps, rewarding a jovial cab driver with a night out on Broadway, or extolling the virtues of using a typewriter, Hanks lives a passionate, joyful life and pays it forward to others. Gavin Edwards takes readers on a tour behind the scenes of Hanks’s life: from his less-than-idyllic childhood, rocky first marriage, and career wipeouts to the pinnacle of his acting career and domestic bliss with the love of his life, Rita Wilson.

As he did for Bill Murray, Edwards distills Hanks’s life story into ten “commandments” that beautifully encapsulate his All-American philosophy. Contemplating the life, the achievements, and the obsessions of Mr. Tom Hanks may or may not give you the road map you need to find your way. But at the very least, it’ll show you how niceness can be a worthy destination.

“If there is a new Mr. Rogers in our culture, it’s got to be Tom Hanks: honest, decent, trustworthy. Gavin Edwards’s book taps into what makes Hanks someone we love and someone we should emulate.” ―Morgan Neville, Oscar-winning director of Won’t You Be My Neighbor?


Editorial Reviews

Review

“If there is a new Mr. Rogers in our culture, it’s got to be Tom Hanks: honest, decent, trustworthy. Gavin Edwards’s book taps into what makes Hanks someone we love and someone we should emulate.”―Morgan Neville, director of Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

“There have been greater, weightier testaments to the art of cinema published in 2016 . . . but for sheer dopamine release, [The Tao of Bill Murray is] hard to beat.”―The New York Times Book Review

About the Author

Gavin Edwards is the New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including The Tao of Bill Murray, Last Night at the Viper Room, Can I Say (written with Travis Barker), VJ (written with the original MTV VJs), and ‘Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy. As a longtime contributing editor for Rolling Stone, he has written a dozen cover stories for the magazine, traveled the world from Bahrain to New Zealand, and taken a city bus to the Grammys. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and their two sons.

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Posted in Cozy Mysteries

Elves, Evergreens, & Evidence

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

(A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Series Book 34)

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A SMIDGEN OF HOMICIDE

USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes brings you southern and quirky characters in her mystery series. Her stories are charged with humor, friendship, family and life in small southern towns.

Snow’s falling and sleigh bells are ringing in the town of Normal, but there’s nothing ‘normal’ about this festive season.
Mae West’s first Christmas as a married woman at Happy Trails Campground should’ve been merry and bright. But when a Winter Festival turns deadly and one of their own lands on the suspect list, Mae and the Laundry Club ladies know there’s more to unwrap than just presents.

With a mischievous reindeer, a friend in jeopardy, and the campground’s reputation at stake, Mae and the Laundry Club Ladies are dashing through clues and untangling Christmas mysteries.

Dive into a world of holiday in the campground, Southern charm, and yuletide twists, where tinsel, traditions, and murder collide. Grab a cup of cocoa and join the holiday hunt with Mae and the gang, as they jingle all the way to justice

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Posted in Cozy Mysteries

Witness, Woods, & Wedding

Posted on by BookReviews

(A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Series Book 33)

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A SMIDGEN OF HOMICIDE

USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes brings you southern and quirky characters in her mystery series. Her stories are charged with humor, friendship, family and life in small southern towns.

In the heart of the charming town of Normal, Kentucky, Mae West has patiently awaited her wedding day to Hank Sharp. Friends and family gather, the crisp autumn air carries the scent of fallen leaves, and laughter dances through the warm Southern breeze. Everything is set for a picture-perfect day, a celebration of love in a town nestled by the serene Daniel Boone National Forest.

But in the South, they say, “Mishaps at weddings are like the rain in April—unexpected but not unusual.” Just as Mae is about to say her vows, a bolt of lightning struck. The news hit like a tornado—literally—a young girl had been murdered, and a tornado has torn through the town, turning everything upside down, including the carefully laid wedding plans.

In a town where mysteries were as common as fireflies on an autumn night, Mae West and the Laundry Club ladies venture where others fear to tread, unearthing long-buried secrets and confronting a darkness that threatened to shatter the tranquility of their beloved Normal.

Another question is on everyone minds, will Mae and Hank finally tie the knot?

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I’m a Mom, a Grandmom, and a Veteran. Nothing scares me! That’s the saying on my favorite T Shirt. I’m enjoying life too much to let the little things slow me down. If you can’t tell from my Avatar, I live in Florida where I enjoy the sunshine and endure the hurricanes with good grace. Sometimes you have to take the bad with the good!

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