In the South, it’s better when the food is fried and the secrets kept buried…
After the dead body of a beloved Cottonwood resident is found tangled up in an electric fence, Sheriff Kenni Lowry has a hunch that somethin’ ain’t right. Her investigation heats up with a fierce cook-off competition, a euchre game where the intel is sweeter than the brownies, and a decades old family recipe that may just be the proof in the pudding.
The icing on the cake: Kenni is fighting an attraction to her recently sworn-in deputy sheriff, and election season is hot on her tail. When the killer comes after who she holds most dear, even her poppa’s ghostly guidance might not be enough to keep her and her own out of the frying pan.
Character post:
WELCOME TO BEN’S DINER
Take a seat anywhere! I’ll be right with you! Menus are stuck between the salt and pepper shaker. They could be stuck together, just pull them apart.
Here’s your creamer for your coffee. Do you mind flipping your cup over for me? Great. I’ll leave the pot here for you to refill as much as you like. I’m Ben, the obvious owner of Ben’s. You new around here? Oh, visiting. That’s nice.
I’m a homecooked diner. Most of our food, well all of our food is southern. I’ll let you look over the menu. Do you have any questions about Cottonwood? I’ve lived here all my life.
The rock wall around Cottonwood? Those are amazing, aren’t they?
A lot of people have the wrong idea that these were built by black slaves. They’re half wrong. If there’s one thing you’ll learn about your visit to Cottonwood, people love to gossip. Half-truths and half-tales. I’m not saying their liars or making it up, I’m just saying they light to stretch the truth.
Here’s the real story. The walls were built by stone mason Irish Immigrants in the early 19th century. The walls were constructed with the fine limestone that you’ll find all over Kentucky. The limestone also gives the tint of blue in our bluegrass. It’s also very nutritious for the horses to eat. You know we love our horses.
One fact about the walls, they are all built with NO mortar. The stones are all laid by hand and mortar free. After the Irish immigrants left, the walls were finished up by black slaves. These walls very built for pastures and to keep in the herds.
Now they are a beautiful sight in Kentucky. In fact, it’s against the law to take a wall down and you have to get it repaired if it’s on your property.
You got any more questions?
The biscuits and gravy? Mmmm,mmmm good. It’s sausage gravy. Sure, you can have that. Anything else before you get your day started?
Enjoy!
Fixin’ To Die is the first book in the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series.
“A Southern-fried mystery with a twist that’ll leave you positively breathless.” – Susan M. Boyer, USA Today Bestselling Author of Lowcountry Book Club
Kenni Lowry likes to think the zero crime rate in Cottonwood, Kentucky is due to her being sheriff, but she quickly discovers the ghost of her grandfather, the town’s previous sheriff, has been scaring off any would-be criminals since she was elected. When the town’s most beloved doctor is found murdered on the very same day as a jewelry store robbery, and a mysterious symbol ties the crime scenes together, Kenni must satisfy her hankerin’ for justice by nabbing the culprits.
With the help of her poppa, a lone deputy, and an annoyingly cute, too-big-for-his-britches State Reserve officer, Kenni must solve both cases and prove to the whole town, and herself, that she’s worth her salt before time runs out.
“This story offers up a small touch of paranormal activity that makes for a fun read…A definite “5-star,” this is a great mystery that doesn’t give up the culprit until the last few pages.” – Suspense Magazine
“Packed with clever plot twists, entertaining characters, and plenty of red herrings! Fixin’ To Die is a rollicking, delightful, down-home mystery.” – Ann Charles, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Deadwood Mystery Series
“Kappes captures the charm and quirky characters of small-town Kentucky in her new mystery…a charming, funny story with exaggerated characters. The dialect-filled quirky sayings and comments bring those characters to life. Best of all, for a mystery reader, the culprit was an unlikely suspect, but the solution made sense.” – Lesa’s Book Critiques
“Southern and side-splitting funny! Fixin’ To Die has captivating characters, nosy neighbors, and is served up with a ghost and a side of murder.” – Duffy Brown, Author of the Consignment Shop Mysteries
“This first book in a new series promises to be fun for both cozy mystery buffs and ghost aficionados.” – For The Love of Books
“The who and why may surprise you, but you’ll probably laugh your way through the book. If you’ve never read a Tonya Kappes book, this is a perfect starting place. I highly recommend.” – Book Review Crew
Southern Fried is the second book in the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series.
“Fabulous fun and fantastic fried food! Kappes nails small town mystery with another must-read hit. (Also, I want to live in Cottonwood, KY.) Don’t miss this one!” – Darynda Jones, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Charley Davidson Series
In the South, it’s better when the food is fried and the secrets kept buried…After the dead body of a beloved Cottonwood resident is found tangled up in an electric fence, Sheriff Kenni Lowry has a hunch that somethin’ ain’t right. Her investigation heats up with a fierce cook-off competition, a euchre game where the intel is sweeter than the brownies, and a decades old family recipe that may just be the proof in the pudding.
The icing on the cake: Kenni is fighting an attraction to her recently sworn-in deputy sheriff, and election season is hot on her tail. When the killer comes after who she holds most dear, even her poppa’s ghostly guidance might not be enough to keep her and her own out of the frying pan.
Be sure to grab you copy of SOUTHERN FRIED, the second book in the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series.
Friend Tonya on facebook here. * Join her FREE Facebook Cozy Krew page for a lot of fun here.
Learn about Tonya’s books here. *Check out the NEW Kenni Lowry Mystery website where there are recipes, coloring pages, a scavenger hunt to go along with the books, book club discussion questions and more here!
Get a free PDF download of the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series book in order here.
About the Author:
For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter!
Tonyakappes.com
