Welcome to Normal where nothing is normal!
Join Mae West and the Laundry Club Ladies as they cha cha and twirl their way around Happy Trails Campground as they put on some sleuthing dance shoes to bring closure to this southern and fun cozy Valentine’s mystery.
When I begged Hank Sharp to take dance lessons to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I knew I was getting more than I had bargained for. But when a dancer’s dead body shows up at the height of the competition and Hank is hired to investigate the murder, I had no idea what we were in store for when he had Dottie Swaggert and Henry Bryant go undercover as a dance competition couple to get insider information.
After a little snooping around, we discovered there were deep running feuds and passions behind those sequins and smiles that gave motive and opportunity to kill for the desires to win the most coveted dancing title.
Time is running out and we fear Dottie’s life is in danger. Let’s face it, she has a hard time keeping her mouth shut. And NO ONE puts Dottie in the corner.
’Tis the season for murder in the small town of Normal, Kentucky. When the town gossip is found strangled to death in a church, there’s no shortage of suspects.
Around here we say BLESS HER HEART and sometimes it’s just not in a good way.
Take Neva Hudson for instance, bless her heart, she’s the town gossip, not to mention someone who likes to toot her own horn.
Two toots too many ’cause bless her heart, someone has strangled Neva and left her for dead in of all places…the church’s Christmas play.
Trust me when I say there’s no shortage of suspects since her tongue lashed a few too many lies about people.
More importantly, my dear friend Dottie Swaggert has been on the tall tale end of Neva’s lies and she’s got the most motive. Thank goodness me, Mae West, and our group of friends, the Laundry Club Ladies have traded our Christmas play elf hats into sleuthing caps because Santa’s bringing Dottie a big ole present of FREEDOM when we find the real killer.
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A SMIDGEN OF HOMICIDE
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.
Welcome to Normal where nothing is normal!
As we say in the south beauty is only skin deep but ugly…now that runs straight to the bone.
When Miss Daniel Boone Days is murdered and our good friend Helen Pyle, owner of Cute-icles beauty salon is standing over our beauty queen with a gun, lets just say Helen didn’t giddy up on out of there.
Nope. She was hauled down to the sheriff’s department and booked for murder.
Ranger Tucker Pyle is taken off the case because let’s just say he knows his Aunt Helen didn’t do it, but who better to snoop around to help him out?
Yep! You guessed it!
The Laundry Club Ladies and Mae West once again find themselves with their sleuthing notebook in hand and get all gussied up to find out just who is behind the murder.
After all everyone has beauty but not everyone sees it.
Campground cozy mystery with private eye.
Mae West thought her relationship with Hank Sharp was over for good. After weeks of heartbreak and frustration, she finally accepted that the two of them were finished.
Then Hank called.
Now Mae is suddenly pulled into a dangerous investigation involving Jerry Truman, Hank’s private investigator best friend, a suspicious death, and a case filled with secrets someone is desperate to keep hidden.
At first, Mae tries to stay out of it. This isn’t campground gossip or small-town drama—it’s a real criminal investigation with high stakes and dangerous people involved.
But when Hank admits he needs Mae’s sleuthing skills, she can’t resist getting involved…especially when it becomes clear Hank may not be ready to let her go after all.
What starts as a chance to solve a murder and mend a broken relationship quickly turns deadly when Mae uncovers information the killer never wanted exposed.
Now Mae is no longer just chasing clues.
She’s staring down the barrel of a shotgun.
With the beloved Laundry Club Ladies, campground chaos, and danger closing in fast, Mae must uncover the truth before this investigation becomes her last.
Perfect for readers who love:
🏕️ Campground cozy mysteries
🔎 Amateur sleuths and private investigations
👭 The Laundry Club Ladies
💕 Small-town romance and second chances
😂 Southern humor, gossip, and friendship
Return to Happy Trails Campground—where secrets never stay buried and trouble always finds Mae West.
