Fifty-one-year-old Misty Murphy is recently divorced. She owns and runs the Mountaintop Lodge in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains where she lives with her cat, Yeti. The lodge’s handyman, Rocky, and his dog Molasses also live at the Lodge. There might be some romance in the making between Misty and Rocky.

“A Trip with Trouble” is Diane Kelly’s second installment of the Mountaintop Lodge series. A women’s motorcycle club, “The Dangerous Curves” is staying at the lodge for the week. Along with their motorcycles, the group brings a variety of personalities and red herrings. Part way into the visit, one of the riders is killed when her bike goes off the road and crashes into a tree. Unfortunately she had been separated from the rest of the group so there are no witnesses. Suspects, motives and alibis are many. Was it an accident or murder?

I enjoyed the story line, especially since I am a woman who rides a motorcycle. Information about the bikes and riding was accurate. I enjoyed the subtle humor sprinkled throughout the story. I did not see any reason for chapters dedicated to Yeti’s point of view. I thought there was way too much repetition of summarizing the facts of the case. The story would have kept me much more interested if not for that.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is book two in the Mountain Lodge mystery series.
Misty welcomes a girl biker group to the lodge. Almost from the start there’s some unexpected things happening. Phone calls, people walking sneakily in the woods and also a white van showing up. It all comes to a head when a member of the biker group is found dead.
It’s a nice cozy little mystery set in an wonderful sounding location.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

A trip with trouble will keep you reading to see how the bikers travel to view fall colors and handle mishaps. The characters are an interesting group of people. The plot will keep you reading until the end.

This cozy mystery can be read as a standalone, the author does a great job of recapping how she ended up owning the Lodge and who the characters are.
Misty is hosting a group of Motorcycle riding ladies, all they want to do is ride the road, the curvier the better. When Gerri the head of the club is killed, there are no end to the amount of suspects. Could it be one of the other Dangerous Curves members? There is definitely some tension and something else going on with a few of the members. Or is it someone closer to Gerri?
I thought this book was just ok. I had a hard time connecting with the main characters, and I found myself not really caring about what was happening. However I did like Gerri, and a few others in the club. and I was invested in the story enough to read till the end to find out who the killer was.
I liked Mistys budding relationship with Rocky the studly handyman, and his adorable dog. I also thought the chapters from the cats point of view were cute, even though they didn't really add anything to the story. I think I just found alot of it overly descriptive especially about the Motorcycles. But I would be interested in reading the another book in the series.

A Trip with Trouble was a fun mystery, but for me, it was a little campy. It kept me turning pages, and in that regards, it was a thrilling "who done it" style read, great for Fall season. I just felt like the writing could have been a little more concise, and a little less cheesy. I gave it 3 stars

Fall is upon us and I was in the mood for a mystery with a seasonal feel and gorgeous setting. It was serendipity when I spotted a new to me cozy mystery author I’ve been meaning to try for ages and this was only the second in a newer series.



A Trip With Trouble is the second standalone cozy mystery in the Mountain Lodge mystery series set in a small mountain North Carolina town with a middle-aged newly divorced woman lodge keeper stumbling over mysteries via her guests.



Misty Murphy is content and happy these days with her lodge renovated and getting the business, good help, developing good friendships and a potential love interest in town, and the joy of being exactly where she always wanted to be after raising her kids and parting amicably from her husband when their paths in life started deviating. She’s all set to welcome a new group of guests in the form of a women’s motorcycle club for the fall season of leaf-peeping, hot cider, scarecrows and pumpkins, and murder. Okay, perhaps that last wasn’t a welcome addition and Misty finds herself with an inside track to help the police since the victim was one of her guests and she saw a few odd things that held more significance afterward.



A Trip With Trouble was as cozy as cozy mystery gets with its detailed set up of backdrop, characters, fun side interests, and then eventually, the mystery to solve. Sometimes this can get drawn out and tedious, but not here. The author keeps a good flow of interesting clues dropping and leading to the moment and heightens curiosity and the mild suspense.

Misty is also a level-headed, observant lead character. She’s fascinated by the mystery and wants to help, but in a way that works for her situation. She does her regular work about the lodge and visits with her guests- getting to know the women who enjoy riding their own bikes and tackling scenic and difficult routes together- which is how she arrives at facts and evidence ahead of the police. She is smart though and doesn’t try to one up the law enforcement. She gives over her evidence to the police, talks it over with Rocky and her woman friends, and she doesn’t butt into the police investigation even when satisfying her own curiosity about certain people’s odd behavior or lies.

The romance with Rocky is a friendly slow build and in this installment they are contemplating a first date and a first kiss. Rocky is more friend and handyman around the lodge at this point and the pace felt good.

The mystery made sense and the clues, including the distracting ones, were solid. The plot steadily led to the finish. I wasn’t distracted by a few side mysteries and the mystery led where I thought it would, but I enjoyed the journey along the way.


Sidenote- There are some fun short chapters between the others from the point of view of Misty’s cat.

I had an awesome time for this Autumn mystery read and would definitely read more from the author and the series. Those in the mood for a fall seasonal cozy mystery should definitely grab a mug of cider and cozy up to this one.

Wow! The characters in this one were very powerful. The bad were really getting under my skin and I was really rooting for the good guys. I even shed a tear for the loss of the last rider. Misty, Brynn, Patty, and Rocky are a good core group to sleuth. I particularly loved Patty in this one.
The Mountaintop Lodge is a cozy place to relax and the Greasy Griddle has me feeling hungry. So I just love the cozy part of this series.
I picked up on one of the clues and I had solved part of the mystery, but the ultimate bad guy was a total surprise. I liked the way that Misty did a little sleuthing while she was also doing her work. She let the detective do his work as well. I thought that was a good balance for this mystery.
Ooh! This one was so much fun to read.

Ever since I read the first book in this series I have been excited to read the next one. A Trip With Trouble did not disappoint. Fall in the mountains makes a great setting. This time around a female motorcycle club is staying at the Lodge. Both the new and returning characters are just delightful. I found myself smiling and laughing a lot during this cozy mystery filled with adventure. Misty is a relatable sleuth, I love the way she thinks!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I had read Ms. Kelly's previous book, Getaway With Murder, which I enjoyed; likewise, this was a fun book.

It picks up fairly soon after the previous one which ended with Misty mentioning she had a group of women bike riders booked. There's one that appears to be hiding something; another has several phone calls wanting to know where she is. Then when the group goes for a ride, one of the riders never arrives. Being a cozy series, it's no surprise that she's been killed.

I enjoyed the mystery plus catching up with all the characters. I also enjoyed all the descriptions of the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. The ending was a little over the top, I thought, but not too much, and the characters never got into the 'TSTL' territory.

Altogether, a pleasant read. Recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com and voluntarily chose to review.

A Trip with Trouble is the 2nd book in the Mountain Lodge Mysteries and it is very enjoyable as was the first book! Misty Murphy recently bought a lodge and is running it with the help of Brynn and Rocky. In this book. A female motorcycle club books the whole lodge. They are a rowdy but mostly fun group until one of the members is killed. There are quite a few suspects and some other things going on which keeps the book interesting. I guessed the culprit but wasn't sure until the end. The characters are interesting and Diane Kelly made them unique so it was pretty easy to keep them all straight. Misty and Rocky like each other but are taking things very slowly. It adds to the story. I liked it more than I expected. It really is a very enjoyable cozy mystery! #ATripWithTrouble #NetGalley

After reading the first book in this series and finding it a delight, I was excited when I had the opportunity to receive an ARC of the next entry. Diane Kelly does a great job of bringing the characters back that she firmly established in the first book and evolving them. In this entry, it takes place several weeks after the first murder as Misty welcomes a lady motorcycle club to her inn in the NC mountains. As always, Kelly does a great job of making the reader feel like they are there in the mountains with Misty and her cat Yeti (love his chapters!). The main mystery had lots of red herrings, but there were other smaller mysteries along the way, which I enjoyed. I highly recommend this to cozy mystery lovers and those who want a cozy fall read. I look forward to the next in the series!

The second book in this series is delightful! I love the setting and main characters. Kelly's plotting is tight and she has a great sense of pacing. I recommend this series.

This series makes me so happy. Misty is an older but far from old (I will not call her middle-aged; it sounds so derogatory), fun main character who is also level headed and maybe a little too curious. The mystery was well paced and gave you enough clues to follow along with Misty and her friends. I also enjoyed the budding romance between her and her handyman, Rocky. Can't wait to see what happens next!

When the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club roars into the parking lot at the Mountaintop Lodge, Misty knows her week just got a lot more interesting but no one could have predicted just how much more interesting it would be.

The fall weather is perfect for a ride through the winding roads that sweep through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Dangerous? Sure. There are inattentive drivers, roaming wildlife, and sketchy strangers. But who caused the fatal accident that dethroned the queen of the club? Was it a member who may not be who she appears to be? A greedy stepson? The wild child of the group? Was it a terribly unfortunate accident? Or was it murder?

I have actually had the pleasure of riding some of these roads on a motorcycle so this book brought back some memories. The area is wild and gorgeous and very simple and the author does a nice job of capturing the beauty and charm of the area. The characters were a great representation of what a "biker gang" usually is, not a bunch of wild criminals as people sometimes assume but teachers, business people, retirees, and most of them as nice of people as you could hope to meet.

The mystery itself was great. There were a lot of potential suspects and lots of investigating to do since the killer could have been anyone in the group or in the victim's husband's family and Misty knows nothing about any of them. I loved seeing parts of the story from Yeti's perspective, it gave us a few clues that Misty didn't have. Misty is a fun main character, she's starting over again after a divorce and following her dream and she's got a hunky and sweet potential love interest in Rocky. Not only is Rocky handsome and kind and funny, he's also handy and helpful and comes with an adorable dog.

I did not read the first book in this series but I didn't miss a beat with this one, not even a stutter of "who is this" or "what happened there?" I think that's partially because the book didn't get bogged down with background at all, we get a glimpse of her former life and a snippet of how everyone ended up where they are and that's really all you need. I will say that after reading this book I definitely want to go back and read the first one.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

A Trip With Trouble by Diane Kelly is a well written mystery. A lady motorcycle club arrives at a lodge in the mountains of North Carolina for sightseeing and fun-Never thinking of a deadly turn of events. Join along as the author takes you on adventure and an exciting journey.

All words and opinions are my own. I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

A Trip With Trouble is the 2nd book in Diane Kelly’s Mountain Lodge Mysteries series. It is easily read as a standalone. It’s Fall in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, and the female motorcycle club, The Dangerous Curves, has arrived at the Mountain Top Lodge to spend a week enjoying the Blue Ridge Parkway. When one of the women is killed in a horrific crash, lodge owner Misty Murphy is determined to find out if it was an accident or murder.

I can’t say enough about his book. I found myself wishing I that I was a faster reader, because I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. Ms. Kelly’s vivid descriptions bring the exquisite beauty of fall to life. Her description of the sound of the motorcycles riding through the mountain is pure magic. I could hear it; I could feel it. There is a generous amount of information about the Blue Ridge Parkway sprinkled throughout the book. Perfect for those familiar with the Parkway, as well as for those who, like myself, have always wanted to travel the Parkway; certainly, enough to spark an interest in readers who have never given much thought to visiting the western part of North Carolina. A wide variety of strong female characters is offered, but my favorite in this story is Patty, the owner of the Greasy Griddle Diner. One scene makes her my favorite character, you’ll recognize the scene when you read it. Expertly plotted, with not one, but two mysteries. Are they connected? Plenty of twists kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book to all mystery readers.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains which are beautiful. I enjoyed the first and this once was just as good. Its a beautiful setting with fun characters.
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. he 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?
This is the second in the series but could be read as a stand alone.
#ATripwithTrouble #NetGalley

High in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Misty Murphy is happily running her Mountaintop Lodge with help from her assistant Brynn, and handyman resident Rocky. This week it's a women's biker club that is coming to spend a week riding, hiking, and enjoying the beautiful fall colors. What starts off as a wonderful trip for the women, as well as for Misty and Brynn who are kindly included in a day trip, quickly turns tragic as the matriarch of the club fails to make it to the meet-up point. When the missing woman is found by Misty and Brynn, Misty vows to figure out what happened to her.

Wonderful and diverse characters abound in the collection of leaf peepers, rich tourists, residents, and of course guests at the Lodge. Detailed descriptions of people, places, animals, and even foods make the reader feel they are actually on a mountain vacation as well. Crimes and murder are plentiful, with so many red herrings that it is impossible to even guess how it will all turn out. Terrific writing by a very talented author left me wanting more!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for providing me a review copy of this enjoyable book. Opinions expressed are strictly my own, and reviewing A TRIP WITH TROUBLE was completely voluntary.

I had received a complimentary book from the publisher but this review is strictly my own words and opinion.
Misty has her dream job in the Blue Ridge Mountains for Tennessee by buying an inn after her divorce. Starting fresh in her 50's has been great.
Rocky is her handy man around the inn with his dog Molasses, he would like to be more than her handy man but she is taking things slow. Patricia runs the diner across the road and provides breakfast for the inn when they have guests. Brynn is Misty's right had gal at the inn and has her cleansing rituals on the side.
A Biker Chick gang rents the inn for a week and they are quite the bunch. Many are older but there is also some younger ones also. The Matriarch of the gang, Gerri runs a tight ship and makes the rest of the gals stay on the right side of things. Gerri ends up in an accident on her bike and dies. What first appears to be an accident quickly becomes a murder investigation. The suspects are many and the local police keep coming up empty handed. Misty decides to do some of her own investigating. She strikes out many times before discovering who the killer is.
There is also some robbery issues that the whole crew from the inn and diner get wrapped up in.
Great book, really engaging story that kept me coming back to it.

Kelly is a favorite author of mine so it’s always a grand time when I get to read a new book and this one doesn’t disappoint. I really like Kelly’s writing style and sense of humor. Especially how she includes Yeti the cat’s alternate POV throughout the book, if you’ve got a cat you’ll love this! It’s also a joy to meet back up with Misty, Rocky and all the folks of Mountaintop Lodge; they’re all such likable characters. Kelly never fails to balance just the right amount of clues, red herrings and suspects to keep you guessing. If you’re looking for a unique take on the typical Victorian-style B&B cozy story, this Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina mountain lodge setting will be right up your alley. This is the second book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series, so be sure to pick-up book one, Getaway With Murder, to get caught up on this great series.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.