Deadly Ride by Jody Holford 4 stars

This is the first book by Jody Holford that I have read. This book is the third book in the Britton Bay Series about Molly Owens, editor of the Britton Bay Bulletin a weekly newspaper. I haven't read the first two books of the series, but there is enough background and past references that you don't feel you are missing a lot if you just jumped in.

Molly's boyfriend Sam (who owns the local car repair shop) is the local host of a traveling classic car show. Molly interviews the two organizers of the show, Jet Harkaw and Brian Stoleman. The reader is shown right away that Jet Harkaw is not a nice person and no one should be surprised that he winds up dead at the show. The suspects are numerous and include an ex-wife, widow, the lover of the widow and other car owners.

This book was enjoyable because of the side characters that populate the small town. Their interaction with Molly (who is a relative newcomer) is fun to read. Also, the relationship between Molly and Sam is also a high point.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books (Lyrical Underground) for this ARC.

Author Jody Holford does a good job of weaving twists and turns into the storyline to keep the reader guessing and searching for clues in Deadly Ride. Molly’s character is likable and realistic. The descriptions of the scenery are done well and paint a picture of the atmosphere to engage the reader. I would love to live in a quaint town like Britton Bay. There is just enough romance as not to be too sappy but still an interesting aspect of the story.
 
Deadly Ride can be read as a standalone book as I didn’t feel I missed anything by not reading the first two. It's a good story with a solid mystery and interesting characters.