Ax To Grind (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
by Tonya Kappes
Ax To Grind (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Henery Press (September 19, 2017)
Paperback: 256 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635112474
E-Book ASIN: B0731M7RRM
My Review
Set in the small southern town of Cottonwood, Kentucky, Ax To Grind is the third in the Kenni Lowry Mystery series. Having enjoyed the first two books and formed strong attachments to many of the charming and eccentric characters, I was psyched to see what was happening now.
The town’s celebrity author, Berlye Stone, recently passed away and there’s to be an estate sale for all of her belongings. Sounds exciting. Even more thrilling is that there’s supposed to be an unpublished manuscript, Berlye’s last book, hidden in her belongings. You can imagine what comes next.
Yep. Kenni and her sexy deputy, Finn, answer an alarm and discover Berlye’s estate executor, dead. The race is on to find the manuscript before bodies start piling up. Seems the tranquility Cottonwood has been enjoying has come to a deadly end.
I just love Kenni. She’s a pickle and such a southern rebel. She defies the stereotype southern belle, choosing to serve the law and dish it out when necessary. She loves her family, her sweetie and four-legged companion, Duke, and wishes her deputy Finn, might be a sweetie of the two-legged kind.
Almost forgot the ghost. Kenni’s Poppa is still hanging around and uses his knowledge to help her solve the case. She keeps forgetting not to talk to him in public as the town spies her talking to herself and think she’s a bitty around the bend.
As with most small towns, there’s plenty of characters in all guises to keep you entertained and laughing out loud. The mystery keeps you guessing, and the brush with romance adds some titillation to the story.
Tonya delivers another winner. And what’s more fun than a mystery about a writer and a missing manuscript.
If you haven’t read the first two books, no worries. You can jump in here and get the skinny about the town and characters fairly quickly. I’d recommend you read them though. Why miss out on all that fun.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
Southerners keep their secrets swept under the rug, but what happens when that rug goes up for sale?
Bestselling author Berlye Stone, the most famous citizen to ever come out of Cottonwood, Kentucky, has died and put all her worldly possessions up for auction, but not without leaving one more manuscript behind. A hidden tell-all about Cottonwood that’s got more gossip than a ladies’ luncheon.
When Beryle’s assistant turns up with an ax in her back and the only witness is in a coma, Sheriff Kenni Lowry reckons someone in town will do anything to keep the manuscript from seeing the light of day. Her poppa’s ghost returns to help piece together the life of the Beryle he once knew, but his memory’s a little foggy, and any misstep could cause them a world of trouble. With the help of Deputy Finn Vincent, can Kenni sort through the secrets buried in Beryle’s books, or will this be her final chapter?
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Meet Kiwi from Ax To Grind
“Kiwi want a cracker?” Shm…if I hear that one more time, I might take my big talon and poke someone’s eye out.
I want exactly what is on the menu of all the other heart beating creatures in this motel. Day in and day guest of The Inn are welcomed with big warm, out of the oven cookies and a glass of whatever that is, while I have to sit in this huge cage in the middle of the entrance watching them. I’ve got some pretty cool digs.
And I love the fact the guests of the Inn can come in and run a fingertip down my gorgeous feathers. But then. . . .
“Kiwi want a cracker?”
Humans! Are you kidding me??? There’s an open container right here in my cage, if I wanted a cracker, don’t you think I’d just get one? No. I don’t want a cracker.
Oh no. . . here comes someone who’s very nosy and loves to gossip from our small town of Cottonwood, Kentucky. That’s what I do all day long. I sit here in this cage and listen to small town gossip. It’s a bit entertaining at times because I’ll hear one thing and by the end of the day, that one thing has been spun around so many tongues, it’s not at all the truth. Sometimes I like to repeat the gossip just to stir the pot.
So I just sit here and entertain them. Sometimes they ask me to show my pretty wings or repeat them.
They think it’s fun and get me to repeat them. They beg and plead. . .Hold on. That big gossip just came in the door said something that might be important.
What did you say? Hey! Come back here! What did you say?
Huh. They didn’t pay any attention to my questions. I even spread my wings to get their attention.
I swear they said, “I came from Beryle’s and couldn’t find the book. Couldn’t find the book. Glad she’s dead. Glad she’s dead.”
Did they mean Berlye Stone? The famous author from Cottonwood? She’s. . .dead?
Have you ever tried to get a bird to talk to you?
Don’t forget to pre-order your copy of AX TO GRIND and see exactly how Kiwi helps Sheriff Kenni Lowry solve the murder of Beryle Stone.
Have you caught up on the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series?
Meet Kiwi in, AX TO GRIND, available everywhere on September 19th!
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.
Southerners keep their secrets swept under the rug, but what happens when that rug goes up for sale?
Bestselling author Berlye Stone, the most famous citizen to ever come out of Cottonwood, Kentucky, has died and put all her worldly possessions up for auction, but not without leaving one more manuscript behind. A hidden tell-all about Cottonwood that’s got more gossip than a ladies’ luncheon.
When Beryle’s assistant turns up with an ax in her back and the only witness is in a coma, Sheriff Kenni Lowry reckons someone in town will do anything to keep the manuscript from seeing the light of day. Her poppa’s ghost returns to help piece together the life of the Beryle he once knew, but his memory’s a little foggy, and any misstep could cause them a world of trouble. With the help of Deputy Finn Vincent, can Kenni sort through the secrets buried in Beryle’s books, or will this be her final chapter?
You can go on a real virtual tour of Cottonwood and get to know all the fun characters along with the cozy community by visiting the new Kenni Lowry Mystery Series website by clicking here!
I LOVE to connect with my readers!! Please send me your questions to Tonyak11.tk@gmail.com where I answer reader’s questions via video! It’s so fun!! Also be sure to connect with me on my FREE Facebook page in our Cozy Krew Community.
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Enjoy your visit in Cottonwood!
Bless your heart!
Tonya
About the Author
For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been publishing numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plot lines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.
Sign up for her newsletter on her website at Tonyakappes.com .
Visit Tonya:
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Go HERE to enter.
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Cozy Mystery
, was released in June 2016 and the second, 
, available for pre-order now, will be released on August 8, 2017.
and 
. Connie is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
