| Title | : | Deserts, Driving, Derelicts (Camper Criminals, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 205 |
| Publication | : | First published June 26, 2018 |
Mae West is just getting settled into the RV lifestyle as owner of the local camp ground in Normal, Kentucky. The Happy Trails Camp Ground, located in the Daniel Boone National Park, has started to bring in tourists for the late summer vacationing family that love to hike, swim, fish, and enjoy the outdoor life.
The Laundry Club ladies are still holding court ( better known as gossip sessions) in the local laundromat. They're spinning more tales than the washing machine spin cycle after there's a string of burglaries happening in their small, southern town.
Suddenly everyone in Normal is on alert after one of their own is found dead. Even though Mae West tries her best to stay out of it, she can't. After all, it's not good for business when a murderer is on the loose. Plus, Betts Hager, one of the Laundry Club ladies and Mae's good friend, is the number one suspect and now it's personal to Mae.
Mae has grown to love her RV community and now that she's found a place to belong, she's not going to let anyone ruin it, throwing her deep into using her amateur sleuthing skills to bring the real killer to justice.
Deserts, Driving, Derelicts (Camper Criminals, #2) Reviews
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3.5⭐
Mae West has been back to Normal, Kentucky, and is the owner of Happy Trails Campground located deep in the Daniel Boone National Forest. Mae continues to help those fallen for her ex-husband's Ponzi scheme.
Charming series. These quirky characters are growing on me and in book 2, we meet Mae's foster brother, Bobby Ray Bond who decades ago got her a bus ticket to NYC and gave her the first payment for flight attendant school. I also love the gossip ladies of The Laundry Club.
Fifi the dog, family heirloom, and murder! With recipes for camping. -
Deserts, Driving, and Derelicts by Tonya Kappes
A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery. Book 2 of the series.
Mae owns an RV park in Normal, Kentucky. She agrees to help her friend Betts with her cleaning company and ends up working for millionaire Fifi. A dog with a caretaker that suddenly ends up dead. Mae and friends investigate through the small town residents.
Amusing, bumbling and some unbelievable coincidences. Doesn’t that just define “Cozy Mystery”?
I listened to the audio version of this book because I can’t handle the typical text, typing and sentence structure errors that occur in the print and ebook versions of the early work by this author. For me, listening to the audio is less stressful and then the book gets a higher rating in the end. I’m not particularly fond of the southern drawl but can fix that by listening at 1.2 or even 1.4 which is generally a bit fast for my preference. Here it worked well. -
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Actual Rating: 5 stars
This series is my guilty pleasure! I love everything about it- the setting, the characters, the mysteries, and the charm! Tonya Kappes is still a fairly new author to me but right now I am absolutely hooked to her stories. She writes these books with exquisite detail and brings her characters to life. I wouldn't mind a visit to Normal, Kentucky is this was a real place. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries and/or like books that come free in the kindle unlimited program them I highly recommend this book and series to you! I can't wait to see what Mae digs up next, especially with Fifi by her side! -
4.45 fun stars
Deserts, Driving and Derelicts is the second book in the Camper & Criminals cozy mystery series and I LIKED IT A LOT!
I wish the laundry club ladies would have played a little bit bigger role in this installment but it was a super fun read even with a little less of them.
I got a good laugh out of the things that happened when Mae had to take care of Fifi the high pedigree poodle when Tammy Jo ends up as a suspect in jail...this dog used to have his own "dog nanny"!
Great characters, a good mystery and some nice humour! I am looking forward to book 3. -
I love Southern storytelling and this cozy mystery was great! Many funny moments, fresh air and sunshine setting, compassionate characters, and a small town atmosphere with typical small town gossips. It looks like Mae has two men vying for her interest! I love the introduction of Fifi, the poodle! The pool of Murder suspects is a good one. Enjoy!
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I love this series. Sooooo good!
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
We are back in Normal, Kentucky. Mae West has done a lot to get the Happy Trails Campground back on track while repaying those her ex-husband scammed. She gets a little blast from the past when Bobby Ray Bond shows up at the campground. He is her foster brother that helped her move to New York for a fresh start 12 years ago. Now it may be her turn to help him out.
Mae is also helping Betts Hager with her cleaning business. The extra cash she will earn always comes in handy. Her first assignment takes her to Tammy Jo Bentley’s mansion to make sure the place is immaculate for the annual meeting of the Kentucky Kennel Association. Tammy Jo dotes on her prize pup and is hoping to find a perfect sire for the poodle.
Realizing she forgot to get payment for her services, Mae returns to the mansion for the check. Instead, she makes a ghastly discovery. She finds the pampered pooch’s nanny has been stabbed to death. Tammy Jo is taken into custody and she is reminded that Mae caught the town’s last killer. She begs Mae to do the same for her. Mae agrees because a murderer on the loose isn’t good for business and she isn’t going to let a pesky killer ruin all the progress she has made.
The characters in this series are so much fun. They are quirky and genuine and full of charm. Mae has been accepted now as everyone sees she is trying hard to right the wrongs done by her ex. She has also grown so much as a person in just two books. She seems always ready to help anyone she can whether it be helping them find a job, lend a sympathetic ear, or sleuth out a killer.
The mystery this time had me stumped the entire way. Ms. Kappes entangled some nice red herrings to misdirect and I think I fell for all of them. I really enjoy the humor she includes heavily within her stories. It makes the characters and their situations feel more real. At under 200 pages, the pace is quick but everything is well detailed.
I really enjoy the way Mae pursues the truth while juggling everything else going on in her life. She has two romantic interests, a campground to run, odd jobs here and there, a foster brother showing up out of blue, and a new house guest, all as she tries to solve a murder case. I envy all of her energy.
Deserts, Driving, and Derelicts is a wonderful cozy mystery filled with fantastic characters and Southern charm. The Laundry Club ladies always crack me up. The gossip runs wild and I love it!
I know I am way behind on this series so I hope to visit again soon. -
This series is fast becoming one of my favorites. I love Mae West and all the secondary characters; reading this series is like reading about my friends. Being from a small southern town myself I love reading Mrs. Kappes' stories which are full of southern charm. In this book (book 2) we are introduced to a couple of new characters; one human one a canine. At the being of the book, Mae is visited by someone from her past, a past that she doesn’t think about much. Next new character is a spoiled purebred poodle in which Mae has been entrusted to take care of, the dog come with a long list of rules for Mae to follow. Adding these new characters into the mix of the Laundry Club girls ensures that the rumors and the hijinks will ensue. This is a fun quick read and the mystery contains several red herrings to keep you guessing until the big reveal. I recommend this book fans of humorous cozy mysteries.
I was provided with an ARC of this book in hopes I would supply an honest review. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and in no way been influenced. -
DESERTS, DRIVING, AND DERELICTS continues Mae West’s adventures in Normal, Kentucky, at her Happy Trails Campground. This time around, Mae must deal with her foster brother’s unexpected appearance, the theft of a quite expensive pocket watch, a murder, and seriously pampered poodle.
This is a light, quick mystery – perfect for summer vacation at the beach. As always, Kappes’s characters keep me coming back for more. They are quirky without being overblown, and I have grown to like Mae and the other residents of Normal. There is plenty of danger and hijinx to go around, and I laughed out more than once. I admit, the killer’s identity came as a surprise to me, and, if anything, I would like to see the story flushed out a bit more (the book is a svelte 154 pages). I did not want the story to end.
Recommended to any cozy reader, especially those looking for some comedy with their murder.
I received a copy of this book from the author and voluntarily shared my thoughts here. -
Audiobook Review:
Overall – 4
Performance – 5
Story – 4
Another cute story!
I’m really enjoying listening to this series. It’s fun and easy to listen to so I don’t have to concentrate on it real hard but can still keep track of what is going on. I'm really picky about female narrators and thoroughly enjoyed Johanna Parker's performance of this story.
Mae West once again finds herself in the midst of a murder. She’s also been helping out a friend by taking on some cleaning chores – including the police station. She’s convinced that the woman in jail for the murder is innocent and she’s determined to help her out.
This is proving to be an entertaining series and I plan to keep listening to the books. -
This was another super fun visit to Happy Trails Campground in Normal, KY. I love reading about Mae and all her friends. The Laundry Club is always a lot of fun, I really like all those ladies she's made friends with. I had absolutely no idea who the killer was, boy was I surprised.
When Mae and a wealthy woman named Tammy Jo found Tammy Jo's dog nanny dead in her husband's office, Tammy was jailed for the murder, but Mae knew she couldn't have done it. Tammy might have been strange enough to have her dog Fifi cloned and have its offspring insured, but she was no killer. In the meantime, Mae's foster brother, Bobby Ray was in town. Her friend Dottie had a bad feeling about him being there. Mae found Tammy Jo's expensive watch that had gone missing while plumbing out Bobby's toilet, so he was arrested for robbery--but was he the killer instead--and were Dottie's instincts about him correct?
Everything got wrapped up in a fairly quick but very cool showdown. Bobby proved his worth then and the real killer was hauled away. Mae was finally ready for that elusive date with Ty...will it ever happen? I still think I might like Hank for her instead even though Ty is sweet. I guess we'll just have to keep reading! -
What a fun series. I enjoyed the first one and this one is even better. The characters are quirky and loveable.
This is the second book in the series that I listened to on audio and really enjoyed it. I like to listen as I walk. It was as if the narrator was a friend telling me a story.
It's very well done and I'll be listening to the next one. -
Second installment of the Campers and Criminals series which I can see I will be blowing through thanks to Johanna Parker's narration. These books are oddly satisfying, probably because they remind me so much of the Southern Vampire series by
Charlaine Harris. Quirky community, odd characters, an anchoring every girl, in this case Mae West, newcomer to town.
These books satisfy every prerequisite for the cozy mystery. Death off page, regular citizen in the wrong place at the wrong time, gathering clues to solve a crime that no one else seems able to. Maybe I should say wrong place at the right time instead. I don't know, and I don't care. These are going to be comfort reads, and while they aren't in any way, shape or form literature, they are entertaining and satisfy my need at the moment.
Johanna Parker's narration is exquisitely suited and her delivery leaves little to be desired.
Mae now has a dog, so there's that to look forward to. -
Oh how I enjoyed returning to the world of Mae West. We jump right back into the quirky little world of Happy Trails Campground and Normal, KY. We meet more interesting characters and then *gasp* one of them is found murdered! Of course, Mae West is an amateur sleuth who notices all of the things and ends up in the middle of it all just like she is in the middle of two men who may be suffering some dejavu on a crazy level! I enjoyed this more than the first and want more.
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DEEP DECEPTION!
(This book is best read in order as part of A Camper Criminals Cozy Mystery Series.) Mae West is back with all her friends at the Happy Trails Campground in Normal, KY on the edge of the Daniel Boone National Forest. Things have been going smoothly for Mae since our last visit with her. That’s quickly about to change! As readers of this series know, nothing ever stays normal in Normal for very long! Mae has learned so much about helping others in her short time in Normal and when an accident occurs, she is one of the first to join in and offer a helping hand. That helping hand quickly leads Mae into much more than she ever imagined! Of course, our Mae does love her friends (both new and old), a good social at the Happy Trails Campground, a little gossip, a little scandal (now that it’s not about her or her ex!), a good-looking man (or maybe two) and a murder to solve. Kappes has blended a wonderful cast of new characters in with the old in Book 2 of this Series! The plot is engaging and entertaining. I have found the series to be delightful and am already looking forward to Book 3! I was provided an ARC of this book by Henery Press. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence. -
I loved book 2 even more than the first. Great characters and setting. Everytime Tonya writes a new series, it quickly becomes a favorite.
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In this new book of the series things are going well for Mae and her RV park. She's made friends, given the park a major facelift, and taken to the new life she has started making for herself. When a man from her past shows up to the park, after reading an article Mae gave to a magazine, her friends think she needs to be careful and not so trusting. Mae trusts her gut though and lets her friend stay at the park and even helps him find a job. When her friend Bettes asks for some help with her house cleaning business Mae readily agrees, knowing that she would do anything to help the people and her friends of Normal, Kentucky. Mae ends up cleaning local Tammy Jo's house, a woman big into the Kentucky Kennel Association scene, the woman even has a poodle with a high pedigree who is not only insured but has it's own Nanny. The day after cleaning Tammy Jo's house Mae realizes she wasn't paid and heads back to get a check. Tammy Jo leads may to her office so that she can write her a check and they find the body of Camille, Fifi the dogs nanny. She is sitting in the chair with a knife sticking out of her chest and she is very much dead. Mae can't believe it, who would have wanted to kill her and why? She saw the young woman arguing with someone the previous day, could it have been him? Follow along as Mae continues to help her friend clean, works at her own business, and ends up taking care of Fifi the high pedigree poodle while her owner is in jail. Along the way Mae asks questions and follows clues that she hopes will help her find a killer and clear Tammy Jo before she ruins her dog. This is such a fun series filled with a cast of characters that brings the south to life. It's funny as well as entertaining and I look forward to more crazy whodunits.
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I guess I am just a really picky reader. I like this series. The characters feel like friends and it is good to visit with them. A man from Mae's past shows up out of the blue and stays at Happy Trails. Meanwhile, across town a dog nanny is murdered and a valuable pocket watch goes missing. Tammy Jo, owner of Fifi -- the poodle whose nanny was killed -- is taken in for the murder of Camille. It is obvious the police have the wrong person, but who killed Camille and why? As Mae conducts her own investigation, she discovers that even the seemingly squeaky clean have secrets and motive.
Another entertaining read, but the author needs a better editor with a closer eye to detail. Logistical, spelling, and grammatical errors abound in this cozy mystery, jarring readers from the story. Without those, this would be a really engaging mystery. -
Deserts, Driving and Derelicts
Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series, Book #2
Tonya Kappes
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Deserts, Driving, and Derelicts
Book Two in USA TODAY Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes's hilarious Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series.
Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where nothin' is normal!
Mae West is just getting settled into the RV lifestyle as owner of the local camp ground in Normal, Kentucky. The Happy Trails Camp Ground, located in the Daniel Boone National Park, has started to bring in tourists for the late summer vacationing family that love to hike, swim, fish, and enjoy the outdoor life.
The Laundry Club ladies are still holding court ( better known as gossip sessions) in the local laundry mat. They're spinning more tales than the washing machine spin cycle after there's a string of burglaries happening in their small, southern town.
Suddenly everyone in Normal is on alert after one of their own is found dead. Even though Mae West tries her best to stay out of it, she can't. After all, it's not good for business when a murderer is on the loose. Plus, Betts Hager, one of the Laundry Club ladies and Mae's good friend, is the number one suspect and now it's personal to Mae.
Mae has grown to love her RV community and now that she's found a place to belong, she's not going to let anyone ruin it, throwing her deep into using her amateur sleuthing skills to bring the real killer to justice. (Goodreads)
Review:
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. It lends itself to allowing the reader to get a better understanding of the characters actions and thoughts. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing, and she sure knows how to create a small town southern atmosphere. Normal, Kentucky is a place I would like to visit and sit aspell.
The characters are well rounded and well developed. They are funny, quirky and sassy, and are people I would like to be friends with. Mae is a strong smart Southern woman you would want her on your side in any fight. The author knows how to create characters that are likable and realistic and I enjoy any time I get to spend with them.
The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. Mae is very nosy and when she sets her mind to do something, there is no stopping her. She was not going to be satisfied until she figured out who the culprit was.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. With fantastic characters, a great setting, plenty of humor and a puzzling mystery, what is not to love? -
Deserts, Driving, & Derelicts opens a few months following Mae’s arrival in Normal, with the Happy Trails Campground up and running and already making a positive impact on the local economy. Her success story catches the eye of a National Parks magazine, which leads to her story being spread across the country. This in turn brings around her foster, Bobby Ray, whom Mae hasn’t seen since she left Kentucky all those years ago. And when a local is found murdered, with Bobby Ray a potential suspect, Mae must use her detective skills to help her old friend.
Deserts, Driving, & Derelicts is a solid sophomore entry to the Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery series. I enjoy seeing how Mae has settled into her place in Normal, making friends and helping those she can. Mae’s change from Manhattan socialite to beloved citizen of Normal gives the story heart and keeps the mystery grounded. She’s a good person, and while she’ll make mistakes, she’s doing a good thing. There is also a bit of a romance - or possibly a love triangle (please NO) - brewing, which gives me something more to follow.
The mystery of who killed a local dog nanny spreads out in a few directions, putting Mae through some twists and turns. I like how local police officer Hank (one of her potential love interests) sees value in Mae, rather than just blowing off her theories. The mystery unfolds and progresses, leaving me guessing as to the identity of the culprit and their motive. While the mystery isn’t overly complex, it is interesting and well-developed. And as Mae follows the threads, she (and we) learn more about the residents of Normal.
My only complaint is that sometimes the timeline is not well planned. For example, Mae and Dottie plan a huge summer party at the trailer park, with a band and everything. This would be an all-day event for most people; however, as the timeline unfolds, we discover that they both have book club and Mae a potential date. Not only did the day seem to contain too many events, but the timing for the characters attending the events just doesn’t add up.
Narration: I’m really coming to appreciate and enjoy Ms. Parker’s southern drawl and how it adds ambiance to a story. The series is shared from Mae’s first person narrative, and Ms. Parker’s voice fits Mae’s personality: friendly, courageous, and determined. Overall, Ms. Parker fits the southern, small-town feel and pacing of the narrative. Each character has a slightly different voice fitting his/her age and gender, with her male and older women characters having deeper voices.
In the end, I enjoyed Deserts, Driving, & Derelicts and look forward to seeing what befalls Mae West and the residents of Normal in the next title.
My Ratings:
Narration: B+ Story: B+
Review copy provided by Tantor Audio
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About -
Things are going great for Mae. The campground is up and running really well, it is even featured in the Nations Parks of America magazine. Yep, life is good. Then Mae's foster brother, Bobby Ray shows up. He says he walked all the way to Normal Kentucky to see Mae-bell-line. He is down on his luck, so Mae sets him up in a bungalow at the campground. Gets him some clothes, and even pays back the three thousand dollars he gave her to go to flight attendant school. Betts Hager has a small cleaning company and is very busy this time of year. The Ron Randel burns himself badly so Betts goes to watch his two sons. Mae helps Betts by doing some cleaning jobs, the big one is Tammy Jo. She is very rich and very picky. Mae meets Camille, the dog nanny...yes that's right, dog nanny. Tammy just spoils Fifi and has willed all her money to the dog. Mae forgets to get the check from Tammy Jo when she is done, and she has to pick up Ty at the airport. They go to Tammy Jo's afterward and Mae and Tammy Jo find Camille in the office with a knife in her chest! Then things just keep snowballing for Mae. What you ask? You will have to read the book to find out. I will tell you that Mae's friend Bobby Ray is arrested. There that's all I am saying.....get the book if you want to find out what happens.
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Once again we return to Normal, Ky to the Happy Trails Campground and it was a fun ride from the beginning.
Mae has settled into the campground and loves her new life. She's made good friends and has turned Happy Trails around into a money making community for her and the residents of Normal, KY. When a murder disturbs the community, Mae is quickly on the case. The plot was quick, the suspects were few and the twists and turns kept me turning the pages. I do love the sassy southern women who live in Normal and are Mae's friends. Each character enriches the story as Mae begins her sleuthing. I am headed over to read the next one in this series. -
Even though the editing sounded worse in this one, I laughed out loud a few times and enjoyed this one more than the first, I think. It was well crafted and it kept me guessing the whole time. The end surprised me, and overall, it felt well put together.
I'm really enjoying the adventures of Mae and the Laundry Club ladies! It's more secular than I'd prefer right now, but they're so quick to get through on audio and I like Johanna Parker's narration. So I'll keep going!
But I'm hoping she ends up with Hank, of course. I am not Team Ty lol. -
The second book in this fantastic series and again, I just loved it. I really like Tonyas writing style, it takes you straight in. The mystery is always good, I had no idea who dunnit and the characters are just so likeable. When reading, I feel like I am in Normal! I also loved the ending with Fifi!!! I had thought it would happen, but when it did.....
This is one of those series you can be short on. The books are good, the writing is good, they are an easy read and very, very enjoyable! So, yes again, highly recommended!! -
Deserts, Driving and Derelicts by Tonya Kappes is the 2nd book in the Camper and Criminals Mystery series. Mae West is settling in as the owner of The Happy Trails Camp ground, and takes on extra cleaning work when one her client's dog nanny is killed and an expensive watch goes missing. I enjoyed this book more than the first one as Mae is less ditzy and becoming more capable. We meet Bobby Ray, Mae's foster brother, who makes an interesting addition and I enjoyed learning more about the camping community and lifestyle. A fun and entertaining cozy mystery.
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Loved it !! Mae did it again
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Small Town. Amateur detective. Murder off page. Very minimal to zero romance. Checks off lots of boxes for the genre
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This series is a lot of fun. I really like Mae and am enjoying reading about her new life in Normal. I’m enjoying the evolving cast of characters and am looking forward to seeing who’s around in the next book. The mystery for sure kept me guessing until the reveal.
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This is the 2nd book in the Camper & Criminals cozy mystery series, and true to form I enjoyed this book a tad less than the first. I haven’t read many cozy mystery series; I believe this will be my fourth. I always enjoy the first book in the series the most because it’s introducing us to our amateur sleuth, sharing the setting, the vibes, the side characters, and our very first murder or mystery to solve. The second book comes along and all of that is done, so all that’s left now is the new murder or mystery, and maybe a few new characters.
In DDD Mae takes on a bit of side work helping her friend Betts with her cleaning business. Her very first job is Tammy Jo Bentley’s mansion. It’s up to her to make the house spotless because the Kentucky Kennel Association annual meeting is going to be held there. Tammy Jo is evaluating suitors to sire her pedigree poodle Fifi. When Mae stops by the next day to pick up a check Tammy Jo and Mae walk into the study to see Fifi’s nanny stabbed to death. So ensues a new murder mystery for Mae to help solve.
Nothing was inherently wrong with the story, I just wasn’t as interested in this fancy KKA poodle, and yes Tammy Jo was quite over the top. What I am looking forward to is the love triangle brewing between Mae, Ty, and Hank.
