Stamped Out is the first book in a new series by my one of my favorite cozy authors, Tonya Kappes.

For this series, we are taken to Sugar Creek Gap. I love how the town is described in the book. I easily pictured it. Our sleuth is a mail carrier! What an awesome job. You can get all sorts of clues while delivering mail. Bernie, (Bernadette), is a widow with a grown son. I love that she is an older character and one that I have a bit in common with, (I was a single mom who returned to the workforce to support my children). I was comfortable with her right away. I didn’t realize how quickly I was attached, though, until I got about halfway through the book. There is a part where Bernie is talking with her son and daughter in law and something gets said that just hurt my heart. That was the moment I knew I was securely invested. I just felt Bernie’s pain like my own. Two characters I just can’t wait to read about again are Vince and Harriette. Lord, what fascinating characters they are! Harriette just about stopped my heart in one scene! They are just a small part of engaging characters in this community. I love small towns because the community is so interesting. Everyone is so caring but, as always can be found, gossipy. There’s always a few people who have all the tea that needs to be spilled. I felt welcomed from the start and by the end, felt right at home.
The mystery was a compelling one with various characters as suspects. It took a few turns and come up with a surprise that had my mouth open wide. Just wait until you read that!
The book has a few recipes in it, including one from my younger years that I hadn’t eaten in awhile. You’re right if you guessed I made it. I had me some Pecan Bread with my coffee and, Lordy, but it was tasty! It took me right back to sitting around the table with my girlfriends working on our sewing. There was also a sneak peek at the next Killer Coffee Mystery, Holiday Roast Mortem. Y’all, we are in for another holiday treat with that! Get ready!

*I received an unedited arc for review purposes. Minor changes may happen in the final edition. The opinions expressed are my thoughts and feelings while reading this book.* ( )

The mystery in this novel really comes in second or even third after the delightful characters and charming hometown setting. Bernadette is a 50-ish mail carrier, and a widow with a grown son. She is a delight to nearly everyone, and she and her son have a special fondness for Mac, who has watched out for them since his best friend, Bernie’s husband Richard, died ten years ago. When a murder has made Mac the number suspect in the eyes of the police, Bernie is determined to prove his innocence. It’s an interesting enough mystery, with a twist concerning Bernie at the end. But the continuing story of the town and its inhabitants will be the real reason readers will love this series. ( )

I enjoy reading cozy mysteries and especially when there's an amateur sleuth with a job or hobby or business that is different than previous series read. Bernadette Butler known as Bernie to everyone in Sugar Creek Gap, Kentucky is a postal carrier. Bernadette's friendliness and general camaraderie with everyone on her route reminded me of the same friendliness and general camaraderie that the mail carrier had with everyone on his small town route that included my parents' home. It was easy to visualize the events as they occurred up until Chapter 16 at which point Bernie takes the following action, "Before I even knew what I was doing, it was like the devil dove inside me, and I ripped that letter open." To have the action occur having seconds earlier said to her cat Rowena,"No. It’s illegal, and I could get fired." was simply not the realistic behavior of a widow dependent on her job. It also didn't seem realistic to me as the gentleman that she paired up with to solve the murder investigation was formerly in law enforcement. That reveal was a surprise to Bernie even though the gentleman had been one of many "customers" on her route for a long time and he seemed absolutely delighted that she had never guessed his pre-retirement position. But again, as she so respected him even prior to his reveal that would have also deterred her not to lose his respect both personally and professionally.

I finished the cozy but simply didn't have the same enthusiasm by the end of the story as I did at the beginning. I know some individuals enjoy cozies even with a little fantasy woven into the storyline and this review is not to say that I do not. However I didn't enjoy the change in Bernie's character in the last chapter when it added nothing to the storyline. ( )

This first book of Tonya Kappes newest series is an absolute delight. How many of us think of the carriers who deliver our mail as anyone but “the postman?” After meeting Bernadette, you are likely to look at that those postal workers in a totally different light.

When Bernadette discovers a dead body along her route, she starts to look for clues as to who may have killed him. Her sleuthing efforts take a variety of twists and turns as she removes possible suspects from her list and ultimately lead to a surprise ending. Be prepared to keep turning those pages and hang on for the ride.

I loved getting to know the residents (and their secrets) of Sugar Creek and look forward to the next book in this series. Kudos to Ms. Kappes for coming up with such a fun story.

I purchased my copy of this book from the author’s website. ( )

Welcome to a new series by a very talented author. I love how she uses small town settings which come to life with her descriptions. I absolutely loved that the author used delivering mail as the main character's job. Today we don’t see many mail carriers going house to house delivering mail. Most subdivisions have gone to a collection of mail boxes grouped together near the front of the community. I loved how Bernadette loved her job and was welcomed by everyone. What a nice treat to stop and visit with neighbors as you enjoy a glass of iced tea.

Bernadette lost her husband to a tragic accident which left her raising a son on her own. She doesn’t lack for well meaning neighbors trying to set her up with dates. One of the things I liked about this story was that it centered around older mature people who loved their town.

The vivid tour the author takes us on around town was fun. I loved the little shops and the quirky names they chose like The Wildflower Diner. I would love to visit this town and sit with the ladies and listen to their opinions about the townspeople. There is a big uproar when rumors spread that the country club is being sold. Smack dab in the middle of the gossip is Mac. Mac is a wonderful character and has been Bernadette and her son’s guardian angel since the death of her husband. When Bernadette finds a body, the gossip grows to a thunder as Mac becomes the number one suspect. Who knew that wanting to buy the country club would cause people to protest and have a dead body pop up? I bet this is the most excitement this town has ever seen.

I loved who Bernadette teamed up with to help clear Mac’s name. The mystery is sure to have readers trying to figure out who the killer is in this exciting new series. There are plenty of suspects but I was very surprised who the guilty person was. I must mention the cameo appearance of Bernadette’s beloved cat. The author has a knack for putting pets in her stories and highlighting the need for foster homes for animals. The series is off to a great start in this small town filled with secrets, lies and a mystery that will surprise the town.

I received an arc copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion. ( )