Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Audiobook, 268 Pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Camper & Criminals #9
Blurb: The Daniel Boone National Forest is gorgeous in the fall. The leaves have painted the sides of the mountains with yellow, oranges, reds and browns you won't see anywhere else. That's why it's such a popular destination for weddings!
When a wedding party show up at Happy Trails Campground, Mae West is thrilled. She's all things girly and excited to assist the bride in all things southern, which is what the bride is hankering for.
Mae recognizes the parents of the bride when they arrive. They are from her past. The past she's been desperately trying to escape...especially since it was the time she was married to Paul West. This just isn't any couple, it's the owners of the famous Moonbucks Coffee Company.
Determined to get the happy couple married off and on their way, hoping to see some of her past drive off forever, Mae volunteers herself and the Laundry Club ladies to become the wedding coordinators.
The wedding is set to take place in the beautiful wedding barn at the Old Train Station Motel, only Gert Hobson, the owner of Trails Coffee Shop and providing the coffee for the happy couple, has decided there's no way she's going to help out with Tom Moon's daughter's wedding since she claims how years ago Tom Moon STOLE her coffee blend recipe known today as the special Moonbucks blend.
A public fight between Gert and Tom leaves Gert a prime suspect after a member of the wedding party is found dead at the wedding venue. There might not be a happily ever after for the bride to be or Gert Hobson if Mae West and the Laundry Club ladies don't solve the murder before the wedding party's RV rolls out of town.
My Opinion: This series always finds a way to turn everyday events in Normal into something unforgettable, and Valleys, Vehicles & Victims is no different. What should’ve been a simple wedding at Happy Trails Campground quickly turns complicated when Mae realizes she knows the bride’s parents and not in a “oh, small world” kind of way. Their arrival drags up a past she’d rather leave buried, especially since they’re the powerhouse behind Moonbucks Coffee.
The real strain, though, comes from Gert Hobson. She’s proud of her Trails Coffee Shop, but imagine discovering you’re serving coffee to the man who stole your recipe and built an empire off it. When Tom Moon ends up dead, all eyes swing toward Gert, and suddenly the wedding feels more like a crime scene.
From there, the story takes off with family drama, a will that stirs up more trouble than it settles, and Mae once again putting herself in danger despite Hank’s heartfelt plea for her to step back. That push-and-pull between Mae’s determination and Hank’s protectiveness adds a layer of emotion that keeps you invested beyond the mystery itself.
What I love most is how Tonya Kappes balances the suspense with humor and warmth. The pacing keeps you hooked, but it’s the southern charm and quirky characters that make you feel like you’re right there in Normal, sipping coffee and watching the chaos unfold.
When a wedding party show up at Happy Trails Campground, Mae West is thrilled. She's all things girly and excited to assist the bride in all things southern, which is what the bride is hankering for.
Mae recognizes the parents of the bride when they arrive. They are from her past. The past she's been desperately trying to escape...especially since it was the time she was married to Paul West. This just isn't any couple, it's the owners of the famous Moonbucks Coffee Company.
Determined to get the happy couple married off and on their way, hoping to see some of her past drive off forever, Mae volunteers herself and the Laundry Club ladies to become the wedding coordinators.
The wedding is set to take place in the beautiful wedding barn at the Old Train Station Motel, only Gert Hobson, the owner of Trails Coffee Shop and providing the coffee for the happy couple, has decided there's no way she's going to help out with Tom Moon's daughter's wedding since she claims how years ago Tom Moon STOLE her coffee blend recipe known today as the special Moonbucks blend.
A public fight between Gert and Tom leaves Gert a prime suspect after a member of the wedding party is found dead at the wedding venue. There might not be a happily ever after for the bride to be or Gert Hobson if Mae West and the Laundry Club ladies don't solve the murder before the wedding party's RV rolls out of town.
My Opinion: This series always finds a way to turn everyday events in Normal into something unforgettable, and Valleys, Vehicles & Victims is no different. What should’ve been a simple wedding at Happy Trails Campground quickly turns complicated when Mae realizes she knows the bride’s parents and not in a “oh, small world” kind of way. Their arrival drags up a past she’d rather leave buried, especially since they’re the powerhouse behind Moonbucks Coffee.
The real strain, though, comes from Gert Hobson. She’s proud of her Trails Coffee Shop, but imagine discovering you’re serving coffee to the man who stole your recipe and built an empire off it. When Tom Moon ends up dead, all eyes swing toward Gert, and suddenly the wedding feels more like a crime scene.
From there, the story takes off with family drama, a will that stirs up more trouble than it settles, and Mae once again putting herself in danger despite Hank’s heartfelt plea for her to step back. That push-and-pull between Mae’s determination and Hank’s protectiveness adds a layer of emotion that keeps you invested beyond the mystery itself.
What I love most is how Tonya Kappes balances the suspense with humor and warmth. The pacing keeps you hooked, but it’s the southern charm and quirky characters that make you feel like you’re right there in Normal, sipping coffee and watching the chaos unfold.
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