Review - Snow Place for Murder

 Get into the winter and holiday mood with this book.  We are up to the third in this series that I have been following since the beginning.

1)  Getaway with Murder (click here)

2)  A Trip with Trouble (click here)

Author: Diane Kelly

Copyright: October 2023 (Berkley) 298 pgs

Series: 3rd in Mountain Lodge Mysteries

Sensuality: mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy, amateur sleuth

Main Characters: Misty Murphy, Owner of Mountaintop Lodge

Setting: Modern day, Blue Ridge Mountains

Obtained Through: Publisher (via Netgalley) for honest review

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 Thoughts:  Misty Murphy is a great main character, level headed, thoughtful, intelligent, and hard working.  Her developing relationship with Rocky Crowder is delightful.  

This series always has such a sense of place and this is no exception.  The wintery mountains are brought alive to the point you can nearly smell the pine with a tinge of fireplace smoke and feel the chill. 

If you particularly enjoy books where you feel part of the family, this is the book for you.  Join Misty for Thanksgiving and then Christmas with her two boys and Rocky's daughter.

I do have to say that the murder and investigation don't happen until well into the book.  Some may be surprised by that since so many books now have the murder in the first chapter of two.  But it is worth the wait. 

As for solving whodunit, I didn't have a strong candidate, they all seemed equally likely. The subtle clues didn't stand out for me, but they are there.  The killer reveal wasn't perilous, but had its own excitement.  I am enjoying this series as it progresses and recommend.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list