Valleys, Vehicles & Victims is the ninth book in the Camper & Criminals Series. While the book can be read on its own, I would strongly recommend reading them in order. The cozy mystery is completely solved in each book. It is the secondary, ongoing, story of Maybelline “Mae” West that requires the reading in order. I like Mae. I think she has a fascinating story, a little of which comes out in each book. I think you, if you are a new reader, will also become invested in Mae’s story. You’re going to want to know how things unfold. Plan on it.
In this book, a wedding is coming to Normal, Kentucky. The wedding party is staying at the Happy Trails campground. Mae is thrilled and excited to help the bride. Well, that is until she recognizes part of the wedding party from her time as a socialite. And she is not the only one who has met them before. It’s only a matter of time before things go squirrelly.
With surprises, twists and more suspects than you can shake a stick at you won’t be leaving Normal for a good bit. You may as well get some coffee, a decent snack and get comfy. Tonya Kappes tells a whopper of a story! ( )

A wedding couple and their wealthy families and friends arrive in town for their wedding bash. Mae recognizes some of them from her former life as a well-to-do society lady. Gert recognizes the father of the bride as the man who stole her prized coffee recipe years ago and turned it into a successful coffee empire. After a very public argument, he is found dead with Gert’s knife in him. Mae and the Laundry Ladies put their wits together to prove Gert’s innocence. This story sets up the conflict between Hank, Mae’s detective boyfriend and Mae. He wants her to stop investigating crimes and putting herself in danger. She can’t quite promise to do that. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in later books. This series is filled with lovable and quirky characters oozing southern charm and hospitality. ( )

This has been my favorite book in this series. I loved each of these characters that Run throughout this series. You must read some of the previous books to really enjoy each of the other books I the series. I love how Mae solves these mysteries with the help of her friends. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will. ( )

Welcome back to another adventure in Normal Kentucky. This series is one of the best ever written. You can easily imagine the campgrounds as Mae oversees her business. Who wouldn't want to go there and be part of her group of friends? I have come to think of Mae as my friend and enjoy every story about her.

I loved the story of a wedding party visiting the campground. It was so fun to read about high society and Mae's past coming up to smack her in the face. What are the odds that she would know the father of the bride? Yes it is true that Mae once upon a time was in the middle of the influential people that made headlines just by appearing at a party.

The bride to be, Shay is a snobby rich girl that has her daddy wrapped around her finger. She is so spoiled that if she just snaps her finger, her daddy comes running to save the day. What I really liked was the business the family was in. Can you smell the coffee brewing as the story circles around a well know coffee company? Shay's daddy has made millions on his trade mark coffee. The plot thickens as the ownership of the famous coffee recipe comes into question.

The characters in this story are very well written and make for a great read in this free for all adventure with a wedding that may or may not happen. When someone is murdered from the wedding party, it is chaos at its best. Front and center is Mae as she tries to uncover secrets and find out who the killer is. I loved how the story had many surprises with suspects galore . There seems to be a bit of animosity between the bride and groom's family. Greed and deceit is at the center of this well written story.

It was nice to get more background on Mae and how she came to be the owner of Happy Trails Campground. Getting a glimpse into her past puts in perspective how hard she has worked to start over. Hank is always there to try to keep Mae out of trouble. Oh my I don't think he knows just how much trouble he is in trying to rein Mae in. This has been a great story filled with mystery, great characters and as always Mae at her best side job of sleuthing .

I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion. ( )

Valleys, Vehicles and Victims by Tonya Kappes is the ninth A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery. For those new to the series, the book can be read alone by why would you want to do that. I always enjoy visiting Normal, Kentucky to catch up with Mae, Dottie, Hank, and the rest of the gang. Tonya Kappes has created a delightful cast of quirky characters. Mae is a spunky woman who has found her place in life which is in Normal. Mae is happy with the campground, her camper, friends, boyfriend, and her little dog, Fifi. Normal, Kentucky is a charming town with quaint shops and friendly residents. It is situated next to the Daniel Boone National Park which is currently showcasing reds, oranges, and yellows for fall and the area is enjoying cooler temperatures. Tonya’s conversational writing style draws a reader right into the story (it is like talking to an old friend). The story moves along at a peppy pace. I liked that we get to learn more about Mae’s childhood and her parents. The murder does not occur until after the halfway point. By the time Tom is axed, there is a slew of suspects (he was not a pleasant man). There is misdirection along with a twist or two. I enjoyed how it all came together at the end. Hank’s attitude, though, needs an adjustment. He needs to accept the fact that Mae is going to meddle and there is no stopping her. In the future, though, May might be forced to make a choice. I loved the drama and humor in this engaging tale. A story that can make me laugh is special indeed. Valleys, Vehicles and Victims is an appealing cozy mystery with a ritzy RV, a robbed recipe, a bratty bride, a relentless reporter, and greedy graspers. ( )