Okay..so I’m pretty excited about this new series I’m going to be publishing in 2024.
It started a year ago when I was dead asleep. I woke up about one a.m. and immediately grabbed my cell phone next to my bed. Yes! I’m one of those who keeps her phone next to her for the fact I want to hear it if one of my four adult boys need me in the middle of the night. And they have!
Anywhoo…
I woke up and started to write over two thousand words about Maisie Doss- pronounced Maze-ee. She was a heck of a lot of fun to create as I wrote the first chapter at that crazy hour. Now was I nuts? Not sure, but Eddy did coax me to put my phone down and go to bed.
The next morning I got up and read what I’d written and I fell in love with Maisie all over again. Only this time I sat down at my computer and didn’t stop writing until I had the entire first book plotted out, which I rarely do. Something else that surprised me.
I have had plenty of nights when I’m sitting there in the dark with just my mind going where I come up with things for other series, but I’ve never woken up from a dead sleep where I have the entire character in my head.
That was very odd.
Over the past year I’ve fallen in love with her more and more.
She’s not the typical cozy mystery sleuth, but she is a sleuth.
I’ve gotten a few questions about her and where she fits in the cozy mystery wheelhouse. Though she’s not the typical sleuth, neither is Mae West, but she is in MY wheelhouse. Which is why I think I love her so much.
A friend of mine read the first book, Sleight of Hand, and he was fascinated by her. In fact he asked me if I’d ever read Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. Please do not gasp…I haven’t.
Of course I’ve heard of it but not read it. I did see the movie and I could see where he thought Maisie was a bit like Stephanie. Really he said it was Maisie’s sassiness and her crazy family.
Those two characteristics aren’t new to my books, but to give you a direct quote from someone for comparison, though I’ve still not read them.
Maisie’s flawed. She’s running from the law. She’s good hearted. From the country. Has some crazy family members. Does crazy things. And just finds herself in a lot of sticky situations. She will have you rooting for her from the first page!
Trust me when I say I had no idea the stir this book was going to create when I revealed to my readers on a live video, you can see below, was going to create.
After I announced it on the live, I got messages from readers and lots of preorders, telling me how excited they were since I had explained a little about Maisie in the live. I was pleasantly surprised at the well received news. Though I assured them I wasn’t leaving cozy mystery and that this was on the boarder of cozy. I’m sure they will all love her!
BLURB
Maisie Doss knew the weight of secrets all too well. Once a troublemaker in her small Kentucky town near Cincinnati, she struck a dangerous bargain to become a confidential informant for the police. But when betrayal led her to send a family member behind bars, the lines between right and wrong blurred. Unable to bear the weight of her actions, she fled into the secluded heart of Appalachia, praying her past wouldn’t catch up.
For a time, the hills kept her secrets. Determined to atone, she tried to lead a quiet life, but old habits die hard. When Maisie stumbles upon a mystery that begs her attention, she can’t resist diving in. Yet, this isn’t just any crime; it’s tangled with threads from her concealed past. And as fate would have it, a detective from her old life discovers her hidden refuge.
Now, he presents her with a chilling ultimatum: Return to her role as a CI and face the ghosts of her past or find herself behind bars.
In a game of cat and mouse, where trust is a luxury Maisie can’t afford, she must use every sleight of hand she knows to outwit the law, uncover the truth, and keep her freedom.
From Tonya Kappes, the Queen of Southern Charm and Whimsical Whodunits…
Immerse yourself in the allure of the South, where the tea is sweet, the mysteries are deep, and the humor is downright sinful. Tonya Kappes, celebrated for her delightful mix of southern charm, captivating mysteries, and wickedly funny humor, introduces a brand-new amateur sleuth that’s bound to become a reader favorite.
Dive into the Maisie Doss Mysteries and get ready for a roller coaster of emotions, suspense, and laughter. If you’ve loved her previous series, this new addition promises all the signature Kappes charm and then some. Join Maisie as she dances on the edge of danger and digs deep into the heart of the South’s most intriguing crimes. It’s a journey you won’t want to miss!
Tell me: are you going to read Sleight of Hand? I’d love to know!
