Amateurs Sleuths Archives – Page 2 of 9

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Snow Place for Murder

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Publish Date: October 24, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Mountain Lodge #3

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

International resort developer Nigel Goodwin has traveled all the way from London, England to Misty Murphy’s little corner of North Carolina and bought out the Mountaintop Lodge for the week prior to Christmas. Their intention? To pitch an exclusive new resort concept to wealthy American investors.

But locals are at odds over the idea, and when a group comes to the lodge to express their worries to Mr. Goodwin and the potential investors, a blizzard hits Beech Mountain. Like the weather outside, things quickly get frosty, and Misty has to call local police to intervene. Handyman Rocky Crowder plows the lodge’s drive and, in an attempt to regain a jovial holiday atmosphere, smooths the snow pile into a makeshift sledding hill for the guests to enjoy.

Misty’s boys have finished their exams and are “home” from college for the winter break, planning to spend most of their time snowboarding at the ski resort. While taking a few runs down Rocky’s sledding hill, they discover a funny-looking, nose-shaped rock. Only it’s not a rock. It’s the frozen nose of Nigel Goodwin, who’s found dead and buried under the mound of snow.

Who put the developer on ice and why?

MY REVIEW

Misty Murphy runs the Mountain Top Lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A developer is staying at the Lodge with plans to present a resort idea to investors. Locals are not happy with idea.

Snow Place for Murder is the third book in Mountain Lodge mystery series. This book can be read as a standalone, but I suggest starting with the first book in the series, Getaway With Murder.

Snow Place for Murder is a charming cozy mystery with likable characters and a lovely setting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Mountain Lodge series:

Getaway With Murder
A Trip With Trouble
Snow Place for Murder

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels

Author: Janice Hallett

Publisher: Atria Books

Publish Date: January 23, 2024

Genre: Amateur Sleuth

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

BOOK BLURB

Everyone knows the story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl into believing her baby was the anti-Christ. When the girl came to her senses and called the police, the Angels committed suicide and mother and baby disappeared.

Now, true crime author Amanda Bailey is looking to revive her career by writing a book on the case. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen; finding them will be the scoop of the year. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and also on the baby’s trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realize that the truth about the Angels is much darker and stranger than they’d ever imagined, and in pursuit of the story they risk becoming part of it.

MY REVIEW

Amanda is a true crime author looking for a scoop. She researches an old case of a dangerous cult where the surviving members were a teenage girl and her baby. The baby would now be 18 years old, and Amanda hopes to locate them for her book.

The story is told using emails, text messages, letters, and other documents. I really enjoy this writing style, and this author does it well.

A clever, multi-layered mystery. Recommended for fans of true crime and epistolary novels.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Death Writes by Andrea Carter [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Death Writes

Author: Andrea Carter

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publish Date: December 5, 2023

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Inishowen Mysteries #6

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

A local author dies on stage at a literary festival. Ben O’Keeffe has to sort through his complicated estate—and find his murderer while she’s at it.

Solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben’s parents. When they arrive, only Ben’s parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.

In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara’s literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.

The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone’s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.

Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone’s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she’s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man’s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.

But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim—and Gavin Featherstone’s death was a murder.

MY REVIEW

Death Writes is the sixth book in the Inishowen mysteries series. Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is a local attorney in Glendara, a small town in northern Ireland. She has been involved with solving a few murder mysteries, and is drawn into a new one.

I recommend reading this series in order. While the mystery is new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books. This series has a charming small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth.

Death Writes is an atmospheric mystery with a vivid setting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Inishowen Mysteries series:

Playing Dead by Peggy Rothschild [Book Review]

Posted on December 26, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Playing Dead

Author: Peggy Rothschild

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: February 7, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Molly Madison #2

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Molly Madison has barely had a moment to catch her breath after moving to the sleepy beach town she now calls home. But as a former PI, she can’t help but notice the odd chemistry between members of Playtime Academy on the first day she and her loyal Saint Bernadoodle, Noodle, and golden retriever, Harlow, visit. When a trainer’s body is found on-site, Molly knows it’s her duty to put her ex-police skills to use. She can’t say no to temporarily taking in the deceased woman’s dog, either—not with those puppy dog eyes.

Relationships at the training facility are not as clean as the prize-winning agility runs, making it difficult for Molly to get a leash on potential suspects. And her personal life is just as messy—her boyfriend is hiding something, her agoraphobic neighbor needs help, and her number of four-legged friends keep growing as she agrees to dogsit a wriggly local French bulldog.

When Molly’s friend is arrested for the murder, she’s not sure who to believe anymore. Is the case as simple as the local cops make it seem, or is something more devious afoot?

MY REVIEW

Playing Dead is the second book in the Molly Madison series. Molly is a former police officer and private investigator. She relocated to California, and can’t keep herself from trying to solve murders in her community.

While visiting the Playtime Academy dog training facility, Molly’s dog discovers a dead body. Molly gets involved in the investigation when a friend is suspected of the murder.

A light and charming mystery. Recommended for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with dogs.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Molly Madison series:

A Deadly Bone to Pick
Playing Dead

A Trip With Trouble by Diane Kelly [Book Review]

Posted on July 7, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: A Trip With Trouble

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Publish Date: October 25, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Mountain Lodge #2

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

When the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club take over the Mountaintop Lodge for their annual autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Misty Murphy couldn’t be more thrilled. Every room is full and the adventurous women even invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to join them on a ride to admire the colorful fall foliage. Hotel handyman Rocky Crowder is happy to keep an eye on the lodge for the day, and the ladies set out for a fun ride on the scenic road.

The skies are clear, the air is crisp, and the leaves are gorgeous. But what starts as a perfect ride turns worrisome when the tail gunner – the last rider in their group – fails to show up at the Craggy Gardens overlook. Cell phone service is spotty in the remote, mountainous area, and the group is unable to connect with their friend. Might the missing woman have simply run out of gas? Or is something far more sinister afoot?

The ladies are determined to locate their ride or die, and Misty is equally determined to help them. But will they be able to solve the mystery when the scenic route seems intent on hiding its secrets?

MY REVIEW

Misty Murphy runs the Mountain Top Lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her latest booking is a women’s biker club. They invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to ride along with them as they go on a ride to enjoy the Fall foliage. When the rider at the tail end fails to arrive at the overlook, Misty has a new case to solve.

A Trip With Trouble is the second book in Mountain Lodge mystery series. This is a charming series, and I suggest starting with the first book in the series, Getaway With Murder.

A Trip With Trouble is a delightful cozy mystery with likable characters and a lovely setting. I look forward to reading more of this series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Mountain Lodge series:

Getaway With Murder
A Trip With Trouble
Snow Place for Murder

Bayou Book Thief by Ellen Byron [Book Review]

Posted on December 31, 2022January 16, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Bayou Book Thief

Author: Ellen Byron

Publisher: Berkley Books

Publish Date: June 7, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Vintage Cookbook #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Twenty-eight-year-old widow Ricki James leaves Los Angeles to start a new life in New Orleans after her showboating actor husband perishes doing a stupid internet stunt. The Big Easy is where she was born and adopted by the NICU nurse who cared for her after Ricki’s teen mother disappeared from the hospital.

Ricki’s dream comes true when she joins the quirky staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, the spectacular former Garden District home of late bon vivant Genevieve “Vee” Charbonnet, the city’s legendary restauranteur. Ricki is excited about turning her avocation – collecting vintage cookbooks – into a vocation by launching the museum’s gift shop, Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware. Then she discovers that a box of donated vintage cookbooks contains the body of a cantankerous Bon Vee employee who was fired after being exposed as a book thief.

The skills Ricki has developed ferreting out hidden vintage treasures come in handy for investigations. But both her business and Bon Vee could wind up as deadstock when Ricki’s past as curator of a billionaire’s first edition collection comes back to haunt her.

Will Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware be a success … or a recipe for disaster?

MY REVIEW

Bayou Book Thief is the first book in the Vintage Cookbook mystery series by Ellen Byron. I have enjoyed Byron’s Cajun Country series, so I was excited to see she had a new mystery series.

Ricki James has moved back to New Orleans. She lands a dream job running a gift shop at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum in the Garden District. The shop, Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware, is housed in the former home of a Vee, a late New Orleans restaurateur.

While going through boxes of donated books, Ricki finds the body of a recently fired employee of Bon Vee. The employee was exposed as a book thief and let go. Ricki puts her research skills to the test, and investigates the murder. She is especially interested in finding the killer, after one of her new friends is considered a suspect.

Bayou Book Thief has quirky characters, an enchanting setting, and a well-plotted mystery. This was a delightful start to a new cozy mystery series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Vintage Cookbook series:

Bayou Book Thief

It’s News to Me by R.G. Belsky [Book Review]

Posted on December 30, 2022June 23, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: It’s News to Me

Author: R.G. Belsky

Publisher: Oceanview

Publish Date: October 4, 2022

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Clare Carlson #5

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

When Riley Hunt—a beautiful, smart, popular student at Easton College in Manhattan—is brutally murdered, it becomes a big story for TV newswoman Clare Carlson.

After days of intense media coverage, a suspect is caught: a troubled Afghanistan war veteran with a history of violent and unstable behavior. The suspect’s mother, however, comes to Clare with new evidence that might prove her son’s innocence.

As Clare digs deeper into the puzzling case, she learns new information: Riley had complained about being stalked in the days before her murder, she was romantically involved with two different men—the son of a top police official and the son of a prominent underworld boss—and she had posted her picture on an escort service’s website offering paid dates with wealthy men.

Soon, Clare becomes convinced that Riley Hunt’s death is more than just a simple murder case—and that more lives, including her own, are now in danger until she uncovers the true story.

MY REVIEW

It’s News to Me is the fifth book in the Clare Carlson series by R.G. Belsky. Clare is a journalist who has worked on several high profile investigations. In It’s News to Me, Clare covers the murder of a popular college student.

Clare is an intelligent and witty, yet flawed character. She makes some questionable decisions, but does have good investigative skills and the determination to find truth.

This is an enjoyable series with gripping mysteries. It’s News to Me can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the earlier books too.

It’s News to Me is a complex and suspenseful mystery. Recommended for fans of mysteries from a journalists point of view.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Clare Carlson series:

Yesterday’s News
Below the Fold
The Last Scoop
Beyond the Headlines
It’s News to Me
Broadcast Blues

The Burning Pages by Paige Shelton [Book Review]

Posted on December 30, 2022January 16, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Burning Pages

Author: Paige Shelton

Publisher: Minotaur

Publish Date: April 5, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Scottish Bookshop #7

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

One winter’s night, bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She’s perplexed by the invitation, but intrigued. The dinner takes place at Burns House itself, a tiny cottage not far from the Cracked Spine bookshop but well hidden. There, it becomes clear that Delaney and Hamlet were summoned in an attempt to make amends between Edwin, Delaney’s boss, and one of the other invitees, who suspected Edwin for burning down his own bookshop twenty years ago after a professional disagreement.

But after the dinner, there’s another fire. The Burns House itself is burned to the ground, and this time there’s a body among the ruins. When Hamlet is accused of the crime, Delaney rushes to prove his innocence, only to discover that he might actually have a plausible motive…

MY REVIEW

The Burning Pages is the seventh book in the Scottish Bookshop mystery series. The main character, Delaney, is an American woman who relocated to Scotland to work in a unique bookshop, the Cracked Spine. Delaney occasionally helps solve mysteries.

The Burning Pages starts with Delaney attending a dinner celebrating Robert Burns at the Burns House. It seems Delaney was invited to help make amends between her bookshop’s owner and one of the other dinner attendees. After the dinner, the Burns House burns to the ground. Delaney is on the case when her friend is accused of the crime.

The Burning Pages can be read as a standalone novel, but I recommend starting with The Cracked Spine, the first book in this series. Each book in the series has a unique mystery, but the relationships between the characters grows throughout Delaney’s time in Scotland.

The Burning Pages is a delightful cozy mystery. The characters are likable and the story is entertaining. Light, fun, and quirky. A good read for fans of cozies.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series:

The Cracked Spine
Of Books and Bagpipes
Lost Books and Old Bones
The Loch Ness Papers
The Stolen Letter
Deadly Editions
The Burning Pages
Fateful Words
The Poison Pen

Batten Down the Belfry by Diane Kelly [Book Review]

Posted on June 1, 2022January 16, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Batten Down the Belfry

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin

Publish Date: March 1, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: House-Flipper Mystery #4

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Here is the church, here is the steeple…

Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck have successfully flipped houses, but this is the first time they’ve attempted to renovate a house of worship. Still, the colorful stained glass in the country church has caught Whitney’s eye, and she’d love to breathe new life into the abandoned building. What’s more, the place has perfect acoustics. Could the worship hall be reborn as an entertainment venue with its parsonage repurposed as a pre-show bistro?

Open the doors, and see all the trouble.

The owner of the horse farm next door has asserted a legal claim to the church property, rendering their title uncertain. If that’s not bad enough, while rehabbing the church, Whitney’s cat Sawdust discovers a bombshell in the bell tower—the body of the man who’d delivered their beautiful new replacement windows. What transpired in the spire? Who rang the man’s bell and why?

The steeple is keeping its secrets and, when a second body turns up, things become even less clear. Can Whitney help Detective Collin Flynn solve the crimes before someone else is sent to meet their maker?

MY REVIEW

Whitney and her cousin Buck have flipped houses before, but now they’re renovating an old church. When two murders take place near the old church, Whitney wants to help solve the cases. Her boyfriend is the homicide detective, so she soon is looking for clues.

Batten Down the Belfry is the fourth book in the House Flipper mystery series. This book can be read as a standalone, but I recommend starting with the first book in this series, Dead as a Doorknocker.

Whitney and her family and friends are likable characters. The setting is charming. The mystery is entertaining. Batten Down the Belfry is an enjoyable cozy mystery, and I look forward to reading more of this series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the House-Flipper Mystery Series:

Dead as a Doorknocker
Dead in the Doorway
Murder With a View
Batten Down the Belfry
Primer and Punishment

Murder at Greysbridge by Andrea Carter [Book Review]

Posted on January 26, 2022January 16, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Murder at Greysbridge

Author: Andrea Carter

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publish Date: November 2, 2021

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Inishowen Mysteries #4

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Summer has arrived in Inishowen and solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is greatly tempted by a job offer from a law firm in America. Yet before making any life-changing decisions, there is her assistant Leah’s wedding to attend at the newly restored Greysbridge Hotel—with its private beach and beautiful pier.

The perfect location—but the festivities are brutally cut short when a young American, a visitor also staying at the hotel, drowns in full view of the wedding guests. And when a second death is discovered the same evening, Ben finds herself embroiled in a real country-house-murder-mystery, where all the guests are suspects.

Sergeant Tom Molloy’s appearance to investigate throws Ben into turmoil, especially when the pursuit of two runaways leads the pair to an island off the Donegal coast, where a violent storm traps them together, completely cut off from the mainland.

A deadly conspiracy is unfolding on this tiny North Atlantic island—fueled by the ruthless pursuit of money—careening toward disaster for the inhabitants—and for Ben.

MY REVIEW

Murder at Greysbridge is the fourth book in the Inishowen Mysteries series. Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is a local attorney in Glendara, a small town in northern Ireland. She has been involved with solving a few murder mysteries, and is drawn into a new one.

Ben’s assistant is getting married. The wedding is to be held at a renovated hotel that is rumored to be haunted. Ben’s investigative skills come in handy when not one, but two, hotel guests die. Along with the mystery, Ben has a lot happening in her personal and professional lives.

I recommend reading this series in order. While the mystery and some of the characters are new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books.

Murder at Greysbridge is an atmospheric mystery with an isolated setting. This series has similarities with cozy mysteries – small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth, but it is darker than most cozies. Murder at Greysbridge is a gripping mystery. I can’t wait to read the next book.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Inishowen Mysteries series:

Death at Whitewater Church
Treacherous Strand
The Well of Ice
Murder at Greysbridge
The Body Falls
Death Writes

To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott [Book Review]

Posted on January 26, 2022January 16, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: To the Tome of Murder

Author: Lauren Elliott

Publisher: Kensington

Publish Date: October 26, 2021

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #7

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Three weeks before Thanksgiving, bookshop owner Addie Greyborne already has a full plate—and a killer on her case . . .

Addie’s determined to turn a seemingly ordinary November in coastal Greyborne Harbor into one for the books. The windows of her shop display carefully curated works by American writers, including a rare selection of traditional holiday recipes from the influential 19th-century publication Godey’s Ladies Magazine. And then there’s the town’s Civil War-era themed cooking and baking competition, with a hefty cash prize and free publicity going to the winning dish . . .

But when she finds her cousin’s boyfriend murdered, a stunned Addie reluctantly realizes she may be the only person who can blow the cover off a grisly crime. With so many unanswered questions surrounding the victim’s death, Addie must figure out the strange connection between a mysterious vintage briefcase, the disappearance of a first edition copy of Sarah Josepha Hale’s famous nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and a dangerously well-read culprit . . .

MY REVIEW

To the Tome of Murder is the seventh book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore mystery series. Addie Greyborne owns the successful bookshop Beyond the Page. Addie is a bibliophile who occasionally helps solve crimes. As everyone in town prepares for Thanksgiving, Addie finds herself involved in another mystery. Her cousin’s boyfriend is killed, and Addie jumps in to help clear her cousin’s name from the suspect list.

As a fan of this series, I have enjoyed watching the characters grow. While To the Tome of Murder can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading this series in order. The characters and setting make this a delightful cozy mystery series.

One of the things that I like about this series if that the mysteries have a connection to books. Addie is drawn to help because of her knowledge of books. Plus, she often knows the victim and/or the suspect.

To the Tome of Murder is a charming cozy mystery. This cozy series is one I enjoy keeping up with, and look forward to each new addition. A great read for fans of cozies who enjoy bookish themes set in a small town.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Beyond the Page Bookstore series:

Murder by the Book
Prologue to Murder
Murder in the First Edition
Proof of Murder
A Page Marked for Murder
Under the Cover of Murder
To the Tome of Murder

Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly [Book Review]

Posted on January 26, 2022January 16, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Getaway With Murder

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin

Publish Date: October 26, 2021

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Mountain Lodge Mystery #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

As if hitting the half-century mark wasn’t enough, Misty Murphy celebrated her landmark birthday by amicably ending her marriage and investing her settlement in a dilapidated mountain lodge at the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the old inn teetering on both a bluff and bankruptcy, she must have lost her ever-loving mind.

Luckily, handyman Rocky Crowder has a knack for rehabbing virtual ruins and for doing it on a dime, and to Misty’s delight, the lodge is fully booked on opening night, every room filled with flexible folks who’d slipped into spandex and ascended the peak for a yoga retreat with plans to namastay for a full week. Misty and her guests are feeling zen—at least until the yoga instructor is found dead.

With a killer on the loose and the lodge’s reputation hanging in the balance, Misty must put her detective-skills to the test. Only one thing is as clear as a sunny mountain morning—she must solve the crime before the lodge ends up, once again, on the brink.

MY REVIEW

Getaway With Murder is the first book in Diane Kelly’s new series, Mountain Lodge. Recently divorced Misty Murphy has invested in a lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The place needs work, but she finds a handyman who can get it done quickly. Her first booking is a group of guests on a yoga retreat. Everything seems to be coming together, until the yoga instructor is killed. Misty wants to solve the case, so her new investment doesn’t suffer any more.

I have read other books by Diane Kelly, including her Paw Enforcement and House-Flipper mystery series. Since I have enjoyed both of those series, I was happy to see a new series available. As expected, I found Getaway With Murder to be a charming book with likable characters and a lovely setting.

Getaway With Murder is a delightful cozy mystery. The characters are relatable, and the story is fun. I look forward to reading more of this series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Mountain Lodge series:

Getaway with Murder
A Trip With Trouble
Snow Place for Murder