Dollycas's Thoughts

The Mountaintop Lodge in North Carolina is fully booked the week before Christmas. Nigel Gorden wants to develop a resort nearby and has invited a group of wealthy American investors to give them his pitch and a skiing vacation.

The new resort proposed is getting mixed feedback from the local community. A group against the proposal had come to Misty Murphy's lodge to voice their opinions but it didn't go well and she had to call in the police to clear them out.

Later, a blizzard blows in dumping fresh powder on the mountain.  When handyman Rocky Crowder clears the snow from the lodge's drive and parking lot he makes a sledding hill for everyone to enjoy, including Misty's sons who are helping at the lodge during their holiday break. They are excited to try it out and they make an interesting discovery, a weird rock that isn't really a rock. When Misty realizes what it is, she and Rocky rush to the hill and start digging. They find international resort developer Nigel Goodwin's dead frozen body.

Who would resort to murder to stop the developer and why? Misty may have a killer on the premises so she needs to help the police ice them out before they strike again or getaway with murder.

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I love that this story takes place at Christmas time because it brings Misty's and Rocky's children and Misty's ex too, to the lodge. Jack and Misty have a very amicable divorce. They are truly friends and always put their college-age sons, J.J. and Mitch, first. Rocky's daughter Pebble arrives early and takes a job at the diner across the parking lot. His other two daughters, his son-in-law, and granddaughter arrive on Christmas day.  Brynn, Misty's friend and right-hand woman was away for the holidays but diner owner Patty was as busy as ever. She and her truck driver husband did share New Year's Eve with Misty and Rocky.  Ms. Kelly makes it so easy to get invested in her characters. The comfortable relationships between everyone are so heartwarming. I like the way the author is letting Misty and Rocky's relationship slowly evolve.

There were plenty of suspects to work through regarding Nigel's death. Was it one of his guests? or someone local trying to stop the resort? The author throws in many twists and turns and the actual motive was surprising. I really enjoy that Misty works with the police. She keeps her ears and eyes open, asks a few questions here and there, and reports back to Deputy Highcloud everything she learns. She does get involved at the end and she and Rocky are present for the exciting arrest.

Ms. Kelly sets each scene so well. This being the third book in the series I have a clear picture of the lodge, the diner, and the nearby surroundings. It is easy to feel you are right there in the moment wherever the characters go. The blizzard had me shivering.  The weather in the mountains is similar to what we have here.  After enduring Wisconsin winters my whole life I felt for everyone that had to go out in it for any reason.

I love that Misty's cat, Yeti gets to have her own moments. Short little chapters from her point of view about what the "ridiculous creatures" i.e. crazy humans are doing or not doing.

Snow Place for Murder is a wonderful addition to this series. A little fictional vacay to Beech Mountain and the Mountaintop Lodge for the holidays was pretty delightful sans the murder of course.

I have enjoyed every book in this series. The mystery is contained in each book so they all can be read on their own but I recommend reading them all in order for maximum enjoyment.

This is a new to me author and I found the book to be engaging. I will look for more books in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

When an resort developer rents out Misty's inn for his investors for a whole week, she can't turn down the opportunity, even if she has reservations about the development herself. But when the developer turns up dead on her property, Misty is right in the thick of things, and helps the police by reporting her observations and theories. Everyone's a suspect, whether it be the potential investors staying at the lodge, the developer's wife, or the townspeople up in arms against the project.

I've been enjoying this series from its first book, and this one is no exception. With plenty of additional holiday cheer, and Misty's sons working at the lodge during their winter break, there's some fun new elements that this one brings to the table. The discovery of the body could have happened a bit sooner in the story for my taste (I'm still not sure why the book started before Thanksgiving, rather than jumping to the developer's arrival), but the method by which it was discovered had me on my toes. It was a well-crafted mystery through-and-through.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

I quite enjoyed the first two books in this series, which features a middle-aged (50) woman, Misty, who has purchased and is running a small inn in the mountains of North Carolina. This one fell a little flat for me for some reason. The mystery was a good one - an international resort developer has convened a group of wealthy potential investors and is pitching them on his plans to develop a large tract of land near Misty’s inn, where they are all staying. The timeframe is from Thanksgiving to right before Christmas, with most of the book taking place mid-December. There’s a lot of snow in the mountains, making it great weather for snowboarding and skiing at the local ski area. When the developer turns up dead (frozen!) outside the inn, Misty gets involved. There were a lot of potential suspects, including some locals who were very upset at the idea of the future resort development. Because of the group of potential investors, there were a lot of characters to try to keep track of.

Perhaps I was just a bit tired of Misty being so nosy and doing so much snooping around her inn’s guests private rooms and eavesdropping on their private conversations, along with her constant conjectures about possible motives of her various guests. (Most of the book is told from Misty’s first-person point of view.) The beginning was slow and the murder didn’t occur till quite a ways into the book. I did enjoy Misty’s relationship with her two college-age sons, who were at the inn to help out during their winter break while Brynn, the regular housekeeper, was away on vacation. They were funny and were also hard-working.

There are some very short chapters that describe what Yeti, Misty’s cat, is doing and thinking, which is a fun touch, but didn’t contribute anything toward the story, so could easily be skipped.

On the positive side, cozy mysteries often have the main character doing something dumb or dangerous. I am SO happy that these books do NOT have the main character doing anything like that! It’s also great that Misty works with the local police, assisting them in an appropriate way, and the books don’t make them out to be stupid..

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was a bit late to it. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, Holly Adams, did a good job with the various voices and accents. All opinions are my own.

A Snow Place for Murder is the 3rd book in the series set at a Lodge in the mountains of North Carolina. We follow Misty the lodge owner and sometimes her cat, Yeti as they navigate dealing with guests and their own personal lives. Misty is hosting a group on behalf of Nigel Goodwin, who is bringing together potential investors for his own luxury resort he wants to open in the area. There are many locals opposed to the new resort and a few of the the investors seem difficult as well. Misty begins to wonder if she should have hosted this retreat to begin with.
Those concerns worsen when there's a tragedy and once again he lodge is wrapped up in a suspicious death.

There are some light moments involving Misty and Rocky and their kids visiting for the holidays/winter break. A bit of romance and some exciting action.

I have enjoyed every book in this series and I can't wait for the next one!

This is a cozy set in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina.
Misty own a lodge near the resort and is hosting a developer and potential investors for a week. their stay is not welcomed by the locals and trouble quickly ensues.
With a homicide and everyone suspects the plot moves quickly with the help of Misty.
This is a fun snow day read.

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly
Mountain Lodge Mystery #3. Cozy mystery style. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Misty Murphy owns a small inn on a Beech Mountain adjacent to a small ski resort. She has booked a group of guests, paid for by resort developer Nigel Goodwin. He proposes to build a huge resort on undeveloped property on the same mountain. As the inn fills, Misty hears talk of protests, complaints about other resorts that Nigel owns, and concerns about crowds of people where there used to be wilderness and quiet. Snow piles up outside and Nigel turns up dead. Suspicious of everyone, Misty stars putting the puzzle pieces together to figure out who might have killed him.

Clever and entertaining. Misty does sleuthing via the internet and pretty much defines how he was murdered before the police autopsy results are returned. Misty’s family and friends add color and background as well as a few amusing chapters for the family cat’s POV. Overall an amusing cozy and a mountaintop I would visit again from my comfy armchair.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Misty Murphy is looking forward to having her boys home for winter break and the holiday season. When Nigel Goodwin shows up in town having bought the Mountaintop Lodge the locals aren't to happy. He wants to turn it into an exclusive resort for the rich. While out on the slopes Misty's boys come across the dead body of one Nigel Goodwin. Who killed the man and did it have anything to do with the purchase of the lodge? Follow along as Misty tries to figure out who the killer is before anything else bad happens in her beloved town.

Snow Place for Murder is the third book in Diane Kelly's Mountain Lodge mystery series. I love the characters in the story and with it being a lodge setting, you new characters added in each book as well. Most of the chapters are from the main character's (Misty) point of view, but I really love the short, sometimes one page chapters from Yeti's (Misty's cat) point of view. I also enjoy how the books go from season to season. The author describes the area so well, it's almost like being there. Truly an enjoyable read.

Snow Place for Murder is the third installment in Diane Kelly’s Mountain Lodge mysteries. The series features Misty Murphy, a divorced single parent of two boys, who purchased an old mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her divorce settlement. If you are a cosy reader who prefers to read books taking place during the same season you are in, Snow Place for Murder is the perfect book to read now as it takes place over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although it is the third book in the series, it is not necessary to read the first two books beforehand as Kelly spends a lot of time up front introducing you to the main characters and to the Mountain Lodge where the action takes place. The pace really picks up with the arrival of Nigel Goodwin, a real estate developer, and the guests he invited to the lodge as potential investors. The resort project he is planning is opposed by many locals and environmentalists. After confrontational meetings with the investors and local protestors, Goodwin goes skiing only to be found frozen to death outside the Mountain Lodge. After setting the table, the bulk of the novel is spent trying to figure out who did it and why. The plotting is excellent, and I did not lose interest since there are so many suspects with motives. The ending is unexpected and does not disappoint. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy of the book.

Misty, Rocky, and Yeti have their hands full when a group of investors book the lodge for a week. Before the week
is over, the CEO of Adventure Capitol would have to handle local protesters and trespassers. But when he is found dead, outside under a pile of snow, questions rise. But it is the manner of his death that has Misty and the local police buzzing around. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

Cozy wintery mystery set inside a mountain lodge. This series doesn't blow me away, but it is really pleasant when I need a comfort read and this book was no exception. I enjoy the brief vignettes narrated by the cat.

A murder mystery and a beautiful mountain lodge - what a great combination for a book. Set in the mountains of North Carolina, the author describes the beauty and feel of being right in the lodge. Pristine snow falls, spending time by a fireplace and trying to keep a lodge running are all parts of this story.

Resort developer Nigel Goodwin has booked the lodge so he can pitch his new resort to investors. Misty Murphy is very grateful for the booking until a group of locals come into the first meeting protesting his idea. The next thing you know, Nigel is as cold as a popsicle and just as dead.

Lots of well developed characters such as Rocky, the handyman, Misty's two sons, JJ and Mitch, the diner's owner and best friend of Misty and several others add interest and reality to the story. Of course, the bottom line is "who dun it" and that may surprise you.

This is the 3rd book in the series and I wish I had read the first two before I read this one but it was a perfect stand-alone story so I had no trouble following along.

This is a great cozy mystery that I read in one setting. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It's well written and has just the right amount of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. It's a great addition to the Mountain Lodge Mystery series.
I received a complimentary copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed the characters and the story. There was enough to the mystery to hold my interest. If you are looking for a nice escape, this is a great book to read and I will be looking for more books by this author!

This is the third book in the Mountaintop Lodge Mystery series, but the first for me, as well as the first with this author. That said, there were no issues with jumping in the middle of the series, which was helpful.

The story was well written with good pacing and nicely developed characters. I enjoyed the flow of things and wasn't sure about who might be the murderer until late in the story, which is always nice for building anticipation. It did get a little character heavy at times, but that was just a minor issue for me. I also didn't see the value of having chapters from the POV of the cat, felt like unnecessary filler. Overall a fun and fast read.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Snow Place for Murder is the third mystery in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. Lodge owner, Misty Murphy, is getting ready for the holidays with her sons in town and an English resort owner and his investors in residence. When a dead body shows up, everything is put on hold as the police, with the help of Misty, rush to find the killer before Misty’s guests check out and leave town.

I haven’t read and of the other books in this series, but I found this to be a good mystery that is able to be read as a standalone if you are okay with missing out on a little bit of Misty’s background info. The characters in this series are engaging and relatable. The mystery itself was captivating and fun to follow along with and the Mountain Lodge setting is inviting and quaint. I enjoyed this cozy mystery and I look forward to going back and reading the first two mysteries in this series. This is a great winter cozy to curl up with in a cold day!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!

Snow Place for Murder

By: Diane Kelly

Publish Date: 24 October 2023

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martins Paperbacks

Gener fiction (adult)/Mystery and thrillers

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

The third in the charming and engrossing Mountain Lodge mystery series by Diane Kelly, in Snow Place for Murder, the weather at the Mountaintop Lodge is truly frightful…

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?

Book Review:

I enjoyed this book even though I haven’t read the first two. I gave it 4 stars. I loved the family and friendships that it portrayed. Even though Misty is divorced she gets a long great with her ex-husband which makes it easier for the boys. They get together for the holidays and have a great time. Except this time something happens to one of her customer’s. As the synopsis explains. Misty wants to know why Nigel is dead. Was it an accident, natural or murder? You will have to read the book to find out. It was interesting on how they found out he was dead and a little gross. One of her son’s found a weird, shaped object and thought it was rock but come to find out it was Nigel’s nose. I know this is in the synopsis, but I thought it was worth another telling because that has stayed with me since it was so weird. Just in case you want to read this you really don’t have to read the other two before this one, but it would give you some details about how Misty came to the Mountain Lodge.

I enjoyed the mystery, and found the family dynamic refreshing. I must admit I was surprised by the ending.

Snow Place for Murder is the third in the series set at Misty Murphy’s Mountaintop Lodge. I have the previous two and I do think it’s a series best read in order to get to know the characters better. The mystery is self-contained though, and the author does a good job re-introducing the regulars, as well as adding new characters.

Misty’s lodge is hosting resort developer, Nigel Goodwin, and his guests, all potential investors, for a week between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Misty is happy with the business, but leery about the planned resort. When Nigel is found dead, Misty fears that someone in her lodge is a murderer or maybe one of the townspeople. She, of course, sets out to help the cops find the killer.

The story moves along at a good pace and we have a nice mix of well-rounded characters. There is enough humor mixed in to keep things light. I even enjoyed Misty’s cat’s chapters. Yeti definitely has her own way of seeing the people and creatures around her.

I look forward to visiting the Mountaintop Lodge again.