TonyaKappes.com News

Cozy mysteries aren’t meant to be read alone in silence. They’re meant to be shared — like gossip in a beauty parlor or secrets over coffee. That’s why the Laundry Club Ladies in Normal, KY, aren’t just side characters — they represent the real joy of cozies: community.

Talk about how Mae doesn’t solve murders alone — she leans on the Laundry Club Ladies.
Relate that to readers: solving a cozy mystery feels better when you can discuss suspects, laugh about Dottie, or swoon over Hank together.
Bring in your Patreon: this is where you invite readers into your own version of the Laundry Club. Behind-the-scenes posts, bonus chapters,

Read | Buy

early cover reveals, and a chance to sleuth together.

✨ Haunts, Hikes, & Havoc releases Sept 17 — but you don’t have to wait until then to join the fun. Come be part of the Laundry Club Ladies on Patreon and get insider access before the big day.

There’s a quiet lie cozy mystery readers sometimes believe:
“To really enjoy a mystery, you’ve got to figure out whodunit before the sleuth does.”

But the truth? Cozy mysteries aren’t a race.
They’re an invitation—to sip the coffee, savor the small-town charm, and walk alongside the characters you’ve come to love.

When you rush to solve the puzzle, you miss the heart of the story. And in Haunts, Hikes, & Havoc, that heart is made of fall festivals, quirky friends, haunted legends, and a community that feels like home.

The Problem With “Racing to the End”

Read | Buy

Lots of readers try to speed-read mysteries just to get the solution. But here’s what happens:

• You skim past the small-town details that make the world feel real.

• You miss the humor, sass, and friendship that balance out the darker mystery.

• You lose the breadcrumb trail of clues and red herrings carefully planted along the way.

Instead of feeling satisfied, you end up flipping back, realizing you skipped the best parts—the cozy parts.

The Cozy Mystery Alternative: Savor the Journey

Instead of treating cozy mysteries like a sprint, imagine sinking into them like you would a front-porch rocker on a fall afternoon.

Here’s how:

1. Notice the Atmosphere → Let yourself taste the fried pies, feel the crisp festival air, and hear the gossip in the diner.

2. Enjoy the Banter → Quirky side characters (like Dottie, Mae, and the Laundry Club Ladies) are more than comic relief—they hold threads of the truth.

3. Track the Clues Slowly → Instead of trying to crack the case in chapter two, write down a few hunches in a notebook as you go. Treat it like sleuthing alongside Mae.

4. Relish the Red Herrings → Those “wrong turns” are what make the journey fun.

5. Celebrate the Reveal → By the time the ending comes, you’ve lived the whole story—not just skimmed to the solution.

Why This Matters for Haunts, Hikes, & Havoc

Read | Buy

This book is packed with fall festival charm, haunted legends from the Daniel Boone Forest, and the kind of Southern sass readers love. If you speed through, you’ll miss:

• The real ghost story that inspired the “Green Lady” subplot.

• The way Fifi and Chester stir up chaos at just the wrong moment.

• The laughter, side-eyes, and secrets from the Laundry Club Ladies.

And trust me—you don’t want to miss those.

✨ Preorder Haunts, Hikes, & Havoc now and promise yourself: this time, you’ll savor the cozy journey.