Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries by Tonya Kappes

Review copy provided by Tantor Audio Jen About the Book: In the end, I enjoyed my first Tonya Kappes mystery and look forward to seeing Mae mature and grow while discovering what other trouble she will find in Normal. Her male and older women characters have deeper voices. Each character has a slightly different voice fitting his/her age and gender. Parker fits the southern, small-town feel and pacing of the narrative. Mae lived in Kentucky until she was 18, and she notices a return of her accent upon her return to the south. And I feel that Mae’s narrative voice fits her personality: cautious yet courageous, and a little bit clueless. The main characters in the two series have very different personalities, so different voices make sense. Narration: Even though I just listened to Johanna Parker read an SPI Files story, I found that for Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries she uses a narrator voice that isn’t quite the same, which I appreciate immensely. But after some time, she learns to trust, and open up with her new friends. In her dual efforts to help the town citizens while also trying to figure out who killed Paul, she acts a bit two-faced. While I was sympathetic to Mae from the start, it took me a bit to warm up to her. The story is shared in the first person POV of Mae, so we witness first-hand her progression from shocked Manhattan divorcée to capable trailer park owner. The mystery itself is interesting while tossing in a couple twists that kept me guessing. There is a good mix of world building and character development along side the murder plot line. Coming in at just under 5.5 hours, the story is on the short side and moves quickly.

Determined to help right some wrongs, Mae works with the town to fix up the park however, after being there for less than 24 hours, Paul turns up dead, floating in the lake, and she’s the top suspect.īeaches, Bungalows & Burglaries is an entertaining mystery nestled in a cozy small town, filled with an array of likable characters. Expecting a resort but finding a dump, Mae quickly fits in with a few of the town’s denizens who were also swindled by her ex, Paul, although it takes a bit to win them all over. Mae West’s life just took a turn for the worse: her husband was arrested for running a Ponzie scheme, and Mae is left with nothing but a barely-drivable RV and the deed to a trailer park in Normal, KY.

Series: Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series #1 Audiobook review: Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries

Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries by Tonya Kappes