Reviews

Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition

4.0

Getaway with Murder by Diane Kelly is the debut of The Mountain Lodge Mysteries. Misty Murphy has just signed her divorce papers ending her twenty-year marriage on her fiftieth birthday. She is starting over in Beech Mountain, North Carolina. Misty has purchased a rustic lodge where she spent many vacations. Her new venture gets off to a bad start when minor drainage damage turns into a major problem. Misty is fortunate to get Rocky Crowder, the local handyman, to complete the repairs just in time for a yoga retreat. The owner of the yoga studio turns out to be demanding and rude. The yoga instructor is murdered putting Misty’s new venture at risk. Misty must use her skills to locate the killer before her new lodge is sunk permanently. Getaway with Murder is an engaging new cozy mystery. It is well-written with steady pacing and realistic characters. Misty is a smart, resourceful, and friendly. I like that she is fifty and experiencing menopause systems. I could certainly relate to her hot flashes. There are some great secondary characters that include Rocky the handyman, Patty who owns the local diner, and Brynn the assistant and housekeeper. I thought Diane Kelly captured the area with her beautiful descriptions. The winding roads up the mountain, the trees, the cool air, the Southern food, the mountains, and the Appalachian trail. The whodunit was fun with several suspects. I enjoyed piecing together the clues. I liked Misty’s approach to sleuthing. There is humor scattered throughout the story and I loved the chapters from Yeti’s (Misty’s cat) point-of-view. I thought the author really captured a cat’s personality (this is a feline with catitude). Getaway with murder was a fun story that made me smile. I am eager for the next book in The Mountain Lodge Mysteries. Getaway with Murder is a welcome whodunit with a hunky handyman, a Wiccan assistant, an intense yoga instructor, a missing singing bowl, a lodge in peril, and a setup trail trekker.

jorkal22's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

milowolfhart's review against another edition

mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

lynguy1's review against another edition

4.0

Getaway with Murder by Diane Kelly brings plenty of mystery, atmosphere, and secrets to the first book in her new cozy mystery series. The Mountain Lodge Mystery features 50 year-old Misty Murphy who has just signed her divorce papers and purchases a mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern North Carolina. The inn is old and needs some work and handyman Rocky Crowder comes highly recommended. Opening day brings a full house of guests with a group from a yoga studio and spa. Unfortunately, the peaceful feelings don’t last long when a yoga instructor is found dead. The story is mainly told from Misty’s point of view, but there are a few chapters interspersed with thoughts from her cat, Baroness Blizzard also known as Yeti. While Yeti’s chapters aren’t necessary, they provide some humor and I enjoyed them.

Misty is independent, resourceful, organized, and good with people. She quickly starts to make friends, but is worried about bad reviews with the events occurring at the lodge. Will she make a success of the lodge or go bankrupt? Rocky, the handyman, Brynn, her assistant, and diner owner Patty play pivotal roles as secondary characters and the yoga guests are a mixed group of personalities to lend a sense of realism.

The setting was perfect for this novel and Ms. Kelly does a great job of transporting readers to the mountains of North Carolina. The winding roads, the trail descriptions, and even the southern foods were authentic. There are a few plot twists along the way along with plenty of suspects. The dialogue and pacing were on target. The characters and humor enhance it with both relatable characters like Misty and Rocky and obnoxious ones like the yoga studio owner and a bit of everything else in between. I also liked the fact that Misty worked with the police rather than hiding her sleuthing activities.

I was immediately drawn into the Misty’s life and enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery and the development of friendships. Themes include murder, relationships, friendship, family, life’s curveballs, and starting a new business.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which was suspenseful, engaging, and atmospheric. In both of the books I have read by this author, I had a connection with the writing style that I found relatable, vivid, and irresistible. I can’t wait to find out what happens during the next book in the series. I recommend this to those that like cozy mysteries with a more mature main character.

St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Paperbacks and Diane Kelly provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently expected to be October 26, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

aliseaymcmahon's review

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

kimlb's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this first entry into this new series by Diane Kelly. The sleuth was older than the usual 20/30 somethings and the possible romance character was not involved in law enforcement - setting this series apart. I find the added chapters here and there from the viewpoint of the cat to be odd - I feel the same way about her House-Flipper series.

rachel_reads_7's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

peacefrog's review against another edition

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

klipses's review against another edition

medium-paced

1.25

I did not like this book. Too much onomatopoeia (my phone suggested that so fast???)

megbert581's review

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

It was a fun mystery, setting, and cast of characters. The plot stalled a little in the middle and felt repetitive and the end seemed to wrap up too quickly, but overall it was still an enjoyable cozy mystery.