Trapping, Turkeys, & Thanksgiving

Camper & Criminals #28

by Tonya Kappes

Amazon All Star author and 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.

Mae West is bound and determined to stay in shape for her wedding day and with all the delicious southern dessert Mary Elizabeth is serving for Thanksgiving Mae has joined the local running group to race in Thanksgiving’s annual Turkey Trot.

She never figured murder would be on the menu and a couple of people she loves have a perfect motive.

The list of suspects isn’t exactly brief especially when one of the governor’s recently pardoned prisoner is at the top of the list. Mae has a pretty full plate between trying to plan a wedding that will satisfy everyone, keeping Dottie in line as well as trying to get a long with her future mother in law.

So what’s a little investigation to keep her mind off things? If Mae’s not careful, she may find herself served up as a last-minute course with all the trimmings.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Thanksgiving, Audiobook, Fiction, Cozy, Mystery Thriller

199 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 17, 2022

About the author

Beloved cozy mystery author Tonya Kappes is bringing her charming world to the screen!

The Hallmark Channel is thrilled to announce a television series in development based on Tonya’s wildly popular 40-book series, A Camper & Criminals Mystery.

A celebrated Amazon All-Star and USA Today bestselling author, Tonya has written over 180 southern cozy mysteries filled with heart, humor, and unforgettable small-town characters. Her novels, known for their southern charm and rich emotional storytelling, have been praised by readers and critics alike, earning her a coveted spot as a Woman's World Book Club Pick six times.

Writing full-time from her camper, Tonya crafts worlds where mystery, friendship, and a little mischief collide — and now, her stories will come to life for cozy mystery lovers everywhere.

Visit Tonya:
Facebook at Author Tonya Kappes,
https://www.facebook.com/authortonyak...

Webpage
tonyakappes.com

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Twitter
https://twitter.com/tonyakappes11

Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/tonyakappes/

For weekly updates and contests, sign up for Tonya's newsletter Kappes Krew Weekly via her website or Facebook.For years,

Reviews

[Tonya Kappes]

RELEASE DAY!!!!!

[Regina the Constant Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Audiobook 🎧

Mae and the Laundry Club Ladies are up to their necks in murders in this, book #28, in the Camper & Criminals Series. New characters are introduced, while a long time character dies.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Daniel Boone National Forest is beautiful in any season, each different.
Mae West does the best she can to make the people around her happy and feel cared for. That includes her adoptive mother and her fiance. So she takes up running to burn some calories before her as yet unscheduled wedding.
A chance encounter with a grave marker leads to questions, especially when a murder occurs shortly after. Could the two events, cold case and new murder, be related? Of course the Laundy Club Ladies are intrigued.
Full of grit and sass and all the things we love from this series, we also get a healthy dose of family, friends, and Thanksgiving. Come on back to Normal for the holidays!

[Esme · Rating 4 out of 5]

if people pressured me this much about my wedding I would simply never get married 🤣

[Lisa Burgos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking for a holiday read as I stumbled upon this.

An enjoyable storyline with some twists and turns.

[Leane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't take my star rating as any sort of opinion of this book. I'm just over this series.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Gotta be nice to girls like her. She thinks she’s so fancy and all, but the only culture that woman will ever have is a yeast infection.”
Only Dottie could get away with saying that.
I almost fell out of my chair I was laughing so much!
Thanksgiving in Normal, Kentucky. What could be better than sharing the holiday with family and friends.
A fight takes place at the high school reunion. Seems the past has come back to haunt some people in Normal. Well, a body is found and Mae is going to sleuth with the help of the Laundry Club Ladies.
An entertaining, enjoyable and laugh out loud read with plenty of Southern charm and hospitality.

I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.

[Rachel Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanksgiving + murder mystery + small town KY?? Mediocre writing but overall it's a yes from me. Thankful for Andie gifting me my first Thanksgiving book🥹

[Allyson Abu-Hajar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mae can picture herself in a wedding dress and to keep healthy, she takes up running with Christine and her group. Mae didn't count on being included in training for the Turkey Trot.

On one of the jogs, Mae pulls back after the group takes a detour, and tells the group she'll meet up with them. Mae picks up what she thought was litter, but was actually an obituary card for Theodore Redford. When Mae finally catches up with the group at the Red Barn, there's a commotion that ends with Garrett being carted off to jail after punching the sheriff.

The following day, a body is found and Mae learns there's a tie to the person on the obituary card and it doesn't look good for Garrett. Rumors circulate about Theodore's death, although it was ruled an accident. Mae and the Laundry Club Ladies can't help but do what they do best.

Mary Elizabeth hosts Thanksgiving dinner, where one of Mae and Hank's closest friends, one which shares a detail that unfortunately puts him and his wife on the suspect list.

This kept me guessing because the list of suspects was very long and I had absolutely no idea who was guilty because I thought they all had motives. We also learn about when and where Mae would like her wedding to take place and who she plans to ask to be her bridesmaids, although I'm curious if she'll ask an unexpected name that was dropped in her lap. I always enjoy this series with plenty of laughs, and an interesting mystery. I'm curious about what is next for Mae, Hank and the Laundry Club Ladies.

I received a complimentary copy, and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Another Thanksgiving had come and gone, not without its challenges."

This town drama is start to rope me in! lol
Mae has taken up running and is planning a huge gathering. I was surprised this particular gathering hadn't already happened in all the books between the ones I'd read but it hasn't and looks like it won't for another year!

And wow! Near the end, it looks like there might be another pairing off! I love all these couples slowly gathering together because of their murder sleuthing and this town campground. And we got a hint as to the drama for the next one and probably who dies! lol

[Brandy Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is Turkey time in Normal Kentucky. With a wedding and festivals around the corner Mae has a lot to plan and get done. She couldn't make it through a season without finding a body. With this new body showing up after the high school reunion there is some questions that are being asked about a death from long ago. Mae gets her girls on the case and they sure deliver. There was some digging for this one but they got it done. Very fast read and lots of laughs along the way.

[Karen Stallman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this instalment we have the ladies and Hank trying to solve who murdered Mitchell ! Also will Mae ever set a wedding date that is the question on everyone’s mind, so Mae is glad for a distraction from keeping Lester’s secret and figuring out what’s stopping her setting the date.

The mystery was good, with several suspects and a few red herrings thrown in.

I’m full of anticipation/excitement for Book 29 as I want to know more about what’s in store for Mae, after that surprise ending!

I highly recommend you read this series from the beginning and enjoy the escapism as much as I do.


I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

[Kandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book in this series. I love these characters and feel like I know them personally. It is always good to spend time with Mae and her friends.

[katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - these books are so fun

[Lee Brothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series is just awesome, I love these books!! I love the characters and I love reading about Mae and how she has grown as a person and her relationships with her friends and with Hank. The storyline was so interesting, complicated and twisted!! The past comes back to haunt you, you can’t ever escape the things that you’ve done. And hopefully the truth will come out and people and situations can begin to heal. Dottie’s euphemisms had me laughing! Especially the one about Natalie! This book was very enjoyable to read, good stuff!!!

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is alright for what it is (#23 in a formulaic cozy mystery series) and its also the only one of the Cozy Campers nook that I've read. Picked it up for Thanksgiving, obviously. :)
It does, however, seem to suffer from a lack of more stringent editing, at least to my reading ear. There were also typos, but whatever, those don't really bother me that much. What does bother me though is repetitious writing and this restates SO much, sometimes it even felt copy/pasted.
At least the murderer wasn't a totally unknown character this time.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trappings, Turkeys, & Thanksgiving Earns 5/5 Deviled Eggs…Engaging Cozy!

It’s Thanksgiving, and in Normal, Kentucky, there are a lot of traditions including the Turkey Trot 5k run and a big reunion of current and former residents in for the holidays. Mae loves the season, too, especially for all the treats it brings, but she needs to stay in shape if she ever hopes to fit into a wedding dress. She decides to join a local running group with her friend and owner of the Cookie Crumble bakery, Christine Watson, but after some time Mae’s still breathless up the hills and her thighs still ache. Can she keep up her resolve when the wedding months away? The group runs ahead, as she spies a wayward squirrel dropping its gathered treasure (a laminated obituary) next to a makeshift marker for seventeen-year-old Theodore Redford. Years prior the young man died in a tragic accident, but his cousin still harbors ill-will against the man he holds responsible. When the cousin ends up dead, murdered, the “accident” is more closely scrutinized bringing into question the reputation of Mae’s friend, former sheriff Jerry Truman. Also complicating Mae’s life is the arrival of two paroles pardoned by the governor, the appearance of her fiancé’s sister, odd interest in her fiancé by his former girlfriend, her adoptive mother wanting wedding details, pondering bridesmaid choices, and finding a way to say no to cookies.

Tonya Kappes’ long running A Camper and Criminal Cozy Mystery series maintains its popularity with book twenty-eight due to an engaging mystery challenging readers with several possible scenarios and realistic investigative methods along with evolving characters and relationships and a nail-biting arrest. Mae and her Laundry Club ladies again are compelled to snoop into the so-called accident and the more recent murder because reputations are impugned and freedoms are in jeopardy for their friends. Of course, this results in the usual missteps and dangers that’ll keep you turning the pages. I enjoy how the clues and details are revealed slowly in and about the Thanksgiving celebration and wedding talk, and however a surprise, the final reveal was perilous, realistic, and supported by the drama.

Tonya’s entertaining writing style intersperses many southern mannerisms and colloquialisms, and she provides ample descriptions and effective dialogue in the narrative to illustrate the natural environment, the small community, and the multi-generational characters. The mystery is well-developed, the characters are realistic, the journey is engaging, and the ending included more than a few surprises. It’s one of my favorite series, and you get some unique extras! Whether you’re camping in a national park or the backyard, Tonya offers Recipes and Camping Hacks from Mae West and the Laundry Club Ladies: (1) Dirty Chai Donuts (Christine Watson’s Recipe from the Cookie Crumble) and (2) an Autumn Fizz (The Red Barn’s seasonal special). along with Camping Hacks for (1) off-season camping needs and (2) winter campfire tips.

Disclosure: I received an ARC from the author. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy a trip to Normal, Kentucky with the imagination of Tonya Kappes. Reading this series makes me want to go buy an RV and travel around to different campgrounds. Of course, none of them would meet up to the standards of Happy Trails. In this latest installment of the Campers and Criminals series, it is time for Thanksgiving and all of the celebrations that go with it. Mae and her entourage are preparing for their celebration and all of the celebrations that they have at Happy Trails campground. Mae is also training for the local race, the Turkey Trot, and she is not very happy about this training. Later that evening a local man is found dead. The Laundry Club Ladies are always ready to help solve a mystery. It seems this mystery may cause the past and present to collide together in order to solve it. The mystery, as always, is interesting and fun. Tonya Kappes always provides plenty of suspects to choose from, as well as plenty of red herrings to lead you down rabbit trails only to realize you have to turn back. I just love the characters in this book and this series. They are so down to earth and normal. My favorite, as always, is Dottie. Dottie always provides me plenty of laughs with her crazy mouth. For instance here is direct quote from Dottie, "He's hotter than doughnut grease." This was an enjoyable and easy book to read. Tonya Kappes has a vivid imagination with her characters' personalities and the names of businesses and such in her books, and it makes reading it more enjoyable. A band performing in this book was named Ethel & The Adolescent Farm Boys. If you want a light read with a touch of mystery, this book will fit the bill.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Camper & Criminals is a great cozy mystery series that has me wanting to read each book, to follow up on what Mae West and her Laundry Club Ladies are up to. In this book, Mae has been training for the 5K in time for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. Running isn’t really Mae’s thing but she decided she will run to get in shape before her wedding and give her a little wiggle room before Mary Elizabeth’s Thanksgiving feast. Little did she know she would be dealing with a murder right before the holiday!

Once again, this book keeps your attention with all the twists and turns, and several suspects to keep you guessing. Between looking for clues and planning for the holidays, Mae and Laundry Club ladies are keeping busy. This was another great book in the series. I love how Tonya incorporates the love of friends and family, humor throughout, all while following the trail of a murderer. Looking forward to the next in the series.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Trapping, Turkeys, & Thanksgiving (Camper & Criminals #28)" by Tonya Kappes as usual has a title that barely ties into the story. The extent really is the Thanksgiving theme for most of it. The mystery was more around why a group of people who'd all been present at the death of a high school friend were now getting picked off one by one as adults. With that in mind, it played out pretty much as I expected it too.

I've learned to take this series each book at a time on kind of on their own. Yes, they have some flow of story to story but most of them have continuity issues and the text copies have typos, at least earlier in the series. I only listen to them in audiobooks to by pass the typo/editing issue. I haven't yet read a good chunk between this book and the last one in the series I read, so that eliminated most of the continuity issues I normally see with this series.

Overall, a good Thanksgiving with a smidge of Christmas cozy mystery.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome holiday read so I wanted to be sure to finish it on said holiday. Normal sounds like the place to be, specifically at Mary Elizabeth's who was having a huge feast for everyone. This was one crazy case and I was never really sure whodunit. I did think inside my brain once "what if" about a certain person but dismissed it, yup that's who it was.

The showdown was pretty awesome with help from someone Mae probably didn't think would ever help someone. Part of the book was a little sad but it wasn't something out of the blue sad. And we got another ending that had Mae launched right into another mystery, not a murder just something annoying. Everything in this book was all cleared up nice and neat as always with fun feasting enjoyed by all! Can't wait to borrow the next on KU when it's out--Christmas in Normal's always an adventure!

[Mr Francy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOT EVERY BOOK IN THIS SERIES IS GOOD, BUT WHEN YOU ARE ON BOOK 28 IN A SERIES YOU CAN BE FORGIVING!

PREMISE: With all the delicious southern dessert Mary Elizabeth is serving for Thanksgiving Mae has joined the local running group to race in Thanksgiving’s annual Turkey Trot. She never figured murder would be on the menu and a couple of people she loves have a perfect motive. The list of suspects isn’t exactly brief especially when one of the governor’s recently pardoned prisoner is at the top of the list

THOUGHTS: Average read for me, but that's the way it goes for me sometimes with this series. I loved the cozy-side especially all the prep for Thanksgiving, but the mystery just didn't appeal to me at all. Still excited for the next one, but an average read for this one.

3 Stars.
xoxo.

[Theresa A · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would not be Thanksgiving without turkey, stuffing, pies and a murder or two on the side. The queen of the mystery cozy is back with Mae’s 28th adventure. I have loved every book in this series. We have seen Mae grow and build herself an amazing life. The thing I love about her books is the people feel real, the places feel real. It makes me want to jump in my RV and visit her campground. The characters, the settings, and the relationships will keep you coming back, book after book. I love that we are in the holiday season in Normal.. Mae is training for a mini- run and working on planning her wedding to Hank, and of course planning for the holidays. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for bringing people together but, sometimes that togetherness dredges up feelings and issues from the past. Was the death of a kid years ago related to the body that was just found? It was made to look like a death by natural causes but Mae knows better and she gets the laundry ladies on the case. Mae knows how to follow the clues and with her loyal group of friends, she will figure this out. Let’s just hope she lives to make it down the aisle after this one! Another fresh and fun story from Tonya Kappes. I am not required to leave a review! I enjoy these books and this author!

[shivareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

not me thinking #28 was about a thanksgiving that fell on the 28th of november but really it’s the freaking 28th in this series? i think the author should drop this series and start new. i didn’t hate it and obviously finding out that it’s a full series i dropped in the middle of made it confusing for me but ya really only read this if you really need a thanksgiving read and if you don’t care that your cozy seasonal mystery read is just.. horrible. the only reason im giving it 3 stars vs 2 is because its better than a lazy mystery book. like its not some random person you could have never guessed (ahem ahem ALL THE MISSING PIECES). also i think the other reviews are fake. anyways dont read this it’s not good. happy thanksgiving though

[ThundaBunz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wowza! A thanksgiving mystery with Mae West and the laundry club. This one is quite the page turner and mystery. It revolves around a murder which leads to a old case being reopened. This happens around the thanksgiving holiday. The weather described in the book sounds so cozy. It's quite the story.

Mystery Wise: The mystery was fun, thought the ending of the who done it was wild. It was almost dark but it was a thrilling part of the book.

All in all was a really good book. Off to the next one!

[Meryl Markowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanksgiving time is a time for nostalgia and homecomings. Even for Normal Kentucky.
Mae is remembering her family from the sights and smells of the season.
Mary Beth is still pressuring Mae for a wedding date, and Mae considers getting in shape, due to all the treats she eats year round.
She is training for the annual Turkey Trot, and it's not going very well for her.
At the homecoming reunion, there winds up being a brawl and the next day, a body is found in the parking lot of te restaurant. For once it's not Mae.
Old feelings among the townfolks start to rumble and the Laundry Ladies feel they have another case to solve.
With red herrings galore, Dottyisms and bodies piling up, will things settle down?
The culprit was a giant surprise and there is joy and sadness in this story.
Get segway for what come next.
Take a load off your feet and enjoy the camper lifestyle for spell.
Thank you to Tonya Kappes for the advanced copy.

[Helen Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanksgiving in Normal, Kentucky, is anything but normal. Mae has taken up running with Christine encouraging her as she prepares to participate in the Thanksgiving Day race. She wants to keep her weight down as she slowly prepares for her wedding. People who have moved away are back in town for the holiday and a number meet at the Red Barn for the annual reunion. This year’s reunion does not go smoothly and soon people start dying. Are these deaths related to one that occurred when they were teens? Mae and the Laundry Ladies are on the case.

There are so many twists in this case. I had no idea who was causing the deaths and other mishaps until the perpetrator was revealed.

Mae and Hank’s wedding plans are moving along at a snails pace. At least Mae has started asking special people to be bridesmaids.

At the end of the story, just as everything seems to settle down, a new plot wrinkle is revealed. The next installment is sure to be action packed.

As usual Dottie and her Dottie-isms add some humor to the story.

I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of this enjoyable story.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Another great read in this series. This one had a lot of layers to it. There were a ton of twist and turns along with multiple victims. What was unique about this particular case was that it connected to the “accidental” death of Theo years and years ago. I liked seeing that being thrown in there and how that became a piece in the puzzle in the overall mystery. It was just engaging and really good.

[Michelle Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another knock it out of the park mystery from the Queen of Cozy Mysteries!!! Somehow Mae has volunteered herself to run in the Turkey trot with Christine. For some unknown reason Mae thought it would be a great way to stay in shape for the wedding especially after over indulging at Thanksgiving dinner at The Milkery. At the "reunion" at the Red Barn the night before there is a huge knock down fight and the next morning on their run they come across the police investigating a murder !!! With Dottie making sure everyone 'has clean underwear" and "buying the boy for what he's worth and selling him for what he thinks he's worth" its clear she is up to her usual shenanigans. I have to say I was surprised once again on who the dastardly killer was and it was a great mystery.

[Carol Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mae is trying to enjoy Thanksgiving and still get ready for her wedding day. It's hard to do in the south, so she has come up with a plan to keep in shape. She decides to participate in the Turkey Trot to help. Of course things don't go as planned, and she has to solve another murder. Mae has her hands full trying to solve the mystery and keep everyone happy. A fun Thanksgiving read.