Fixin’ to Die

by Tonya Kappes

Fixin’ to Die is a murder mystery set in the small town of Cottonwood, Kentucky.  It is the first novel in Tonya Kappes’ Kenni Lowry Mystery Series. My first impression as I was reading this tale is that I really liked the main character Kenni.  She is the kind of person I could enjoy spending time with.  That sense did not change as this young sheriff goes all out to solve her first murder case and the reader meets the quirky locals she interacts with.

Fixin’ to Die has many elements that aficionados of the cozy mystery genre relish–a strong feminine lead, a few handsome romantic interests, a plot with twists and turns, interesting townspeople, and a surprise ending.  So why am I not a huge fan of this book?  Mainly I attribute my attitude to a literary technique Kappes attempted: she creates the ghost of Kenni’s grandfather, a longtime Cottonwood sheriff himself, as a character who will aid in Kenni in her investigations.  I applaud the effort, but it just didn’t work for me.  Therefore I can not wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and Henery Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an unbiased review.