Reviews

Outdoors, Oars, & Oaths by Tonya Kappes

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rosarita's review

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funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review

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4.0

Outdoors, Oars, and Oaths by Tonya Kappes is the 18th A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series because the author provides the background on the main character. Mae West thought she was being kind when she gave Bobby Rae the diamond for Abby’s engagement ring. Her husband’s attorney, Stanley Shelton shows up in the middle of the night claiming the diamond belonged to him. If the diamond is not returned to the Diamond Swamp Mob, Stanley could be killed. Before Mae can begin to look into the case, a woman is found dead in Stanley’s room at the Milkery with a Diamond Swamp Mob tattoo on her hand. Mae along with the other Laundry Club Ladies head to New York to make things right. Outdoors, Oars, and Oaths is a lighthearted cozy mystery. Mae and the Laundry Club Ladies plus Alicia get to travel in Mae’s trailer to New York. All our favorite characters are back for some fun. The whodunit is light with an obvious solution. I would have liked a little more complexity to the mystery and more time devoted to the murder portion. Mae and Hank are still tiptoeing around the issue of children. I am curious to see what happens next with Sheriff Sharp and Mae. Dottie was a delight in this one. She has some great lines, and her New York apparel is certainly unique. There are camper tips at the end of the book. We are left with a cliffhanger and will have to wait for Wildlife, Warrants, and Weapons to find out what happens next. Outdoors, Oars, and Oaths is a fun-loving tale with a dangerous diamond, a lethal letter opener, bedazzled apparel, a lily-livered lawyer, fervent friends, and relationship troubles.