It's almost Thanksgiving and Snow had arrived on the mountain. Misty's sons and ex-husband are arriving for the holidays and it promises to be a time for family and fun. It's also time for murder. Misty is hosting Nigel Goodwin and a group of potential investors who are there to see about building a resort on prime land by the lake. There are some people who are not happy about it though and then Nigel turns up dead.

The story starts just before Thanksgiving and continues through Christmas. As always, Diane Kelly does a great job introducing new side characters. We also get to spend some time with Misty's family and Rocky's daughter. I didn't think Phoebe's dialogue was very realistic but it makes so much sense for their families to be included in the storyline.

I laughed out loud several times. Misty gets pretty creative with some of her methods of investigation. I like that she shares information with the police. I do think some of Misty's involvement is unrealistic but it makes for a fun time.

This series has a little quirkiness to it. I would love to see Yeti make it out of her room next time.

Diane Kelly’s third Mountaintop Lodge mystery gets off to a plodding start, making it hard to continue reading. The premise of this story involves a developer who intends to present his plans for “an exclusive new resort to wealthy American investors.” He takes over the lodge to accommodate his guests, including space for his elaborate presentation and exhibits.

A contingency of locals protesting the resort’s development creates a scene at the lodge while a blizzard hits the mountain. Then, the next day, the developer is found frozen outside the lodge, a victim of murder.

A healthy list of suspects – locals and investors – keeps Misty busy, tracking down motives and alibies.

Diane Kelly plots an intriguing mystery but loses focus with her slow pace and story presentation.

This is the third book of the series. This time Misty Murphy owner of Mountaintop Lodge helps police solve the murder of a visiting property developer. A lot of people are against his plans for building a resort.

A nice addition to the series that's just as good as a standalone so long as you know and appreciate in advance that some of the chapters are in the voice of Yeti the cat. Yep, the cat has a point of view which while not critical to the story, is entertaining and often funny. Misty's sons are home for the holidays and they are the ones who discover the body of Nigel, a real estate developer in the show at the Lodge. He'd been there to show the place and the area off to potential investors but this hadn't set well with the locals. Did one of them do it? Or was it one of his party? Misty, along with her love interest Rocky, her assistant Brynn and her other pals (and family) work their way through the suspects to find the real villain. It's a large cast of characters but you won't have trouble keeping them straight. And the setting is lovely. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read for cozy fans.

Snow Place for Murder is the 3rd book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery Series. It's a cozy mystery. Misty owns the Mountain Lodge and a group of investors for a new resort are going to be at the lodge for a week, starting on a Sunday. A lot of the town people are not happy about the resort.

I wish Goodreads did half stars, because to me this book is a 2 1/2 ⭐. I was going to give it a 2⭐, but the book got a little better after the half way mark. I usually enjoy Cozies, especially when they have an animal as a character. Yeti is Misty's cat but I really don't know why he was even in the book. He didn't add anything to it. I just didn't really enjoy this book. Of course, it's just my opinion, you may enjoy it. Remember everyone reads a different book with the same title. They get something different out of it.

Tentative Publishing Date: October 24, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🙂 Happy Reading 🙂

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Snow place for murder by Diane. Kelly is the third in a murder mystery series, but works perfectly well as a standalone. I loved the pacing and the build up, and was particularly delighted by the snippets we got from the cat‘s perspective. I will definitely be pitching this book for inclusion at my bookstore, and be pursuing more books by the author.

SNOW PLACE FOR MURDER by Diane Kelly

This was another charming and engrossing Mountain Lodge mystery series book by Diane Kelly. The weather on top of this mountain is truly frightful.

This novel was so enjoyable, I couldn’t put it down. Lots of drama. There were many great characters. If you enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and murder, this is the novel for you. It has many twists and and turns leading us to the murderer. I highly recommend this book. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

If you’re looking for a holiday cozy, this may be just what you’re looking for. It’s Christmas in the mountains and Misty is wondering just what she’s gotten herself into as an unwelcome developer shows up to stay at her inn.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this Book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I'm loving this series! I really liked getting to know Misty's sons and more about Rocky. Of course Yeti comes in and gives his take on things too.

This book was especially fun to read as I have a season pass to Sunshine reaort. A nice little tie in for me!

"He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have."

This is the third book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. The lodge is a wonderful place to go and enjoy nature all around.
Having spent some time in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina a few months back, I could picture the fall color and snow all around those winding roads. Some are really scary.
Well, that lovely nature may be gone soon if International resort developer Nigel Goodwin gets his wealthy investors to kick in money.
Misty's two sons are home for the holidays. While sledding the boys find an unusual looking rock. From there chaos has begun.
Southern food, small town, friends, ski season, plot twists, plenty of suspects will keep you captivated as the mystery unfolds.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

This series just keeps getting better! Rocky and Misty are getting closer and this time their kids are up for the holidays. The way the victim was found made me shiver and I had no clue "who dun it" until it was revealed. I'd love the idea of going away to a resort like this, unfortunately for me I don't ski or snowboard. I'd still go for a relaxing weekend though, especially now that Misty put a hot tub in! Great read and hope the series continues, I love going back to visit Misty.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

Diane Kelly has always been a favorite author of mine; her writing is witty and her characters are fun and relatable. I love the setting of the North Carolina mountains and Misty is the perfect alternative to the 20-something sleuth – she’s grounded, responsible (so far, her cell phone has always been charged and actually goes to work), and doesn’t have any TSTL moments. This mystery was well-paced and plotted and kept me guessing. The introduction of Misty’s family (ex and kids) took up the first part of the book and was a nice surprise. I usually like the murder to be the focus from the get-go but I liked how these characters were integrated into the story. I recommend this series for those who love mysteries but want a slightly older sleuth.

Becoming a favourite series, rating 4.5 rounding down.

After her amicable divorce, Misty Murphy threw caution to the wind and bought a mountain lodge in North Carolina. Since then her life has been happier doing what she loves, where she loves and making new friends. If only there had even a stream of unexplained death. When an international investor dies during the week he had bought out her lodge to do an investment pitch for a new resort to be built nearby. There who shortage of viable suspects from locals irate about the damages to wildlife and potential other issues of locals in the community. Of course, there's also a lodgeful of other suspects. Misty while being naturally curious does not overstep into illegal acts like many other cosy lead characters which I really appreciate. Beyond the mystery, the novel is peopled with an excellent set of secondary characters that make this series so enjoyable.

This is my first time reading a book by this author. I will be looking for more from her.
In Snow Place for Murder we learn Misty has bought a lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She has some guests and is expecting her college age sons and her ex-husband for Thanksgiving. They arrive safely and celebrate with Misty's handyman, Rocky, and his daughter. Pebble. All goes well and plans are made to get together again for Christmas. Ski season is going well and Misty has a full lodge with a developer and possible investors. Many of the locals oppose the new development that is planned. When a possible murder occurs Misty is in the midst of the investigation. Will it be proven to be murder or just a tragic accident?
This story kept me engaged from page one. The ending is a bit of a surprise. I highly recommend this book.
I received an advance copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Diane Kelly brings plenty of mystery, atmosphere, and conflict to the third book in her Mountain Lodge cozy mystery series, Snow Place for Murder . It features 50-year-old Misty Murphy who has recently signed her divorce papers and purchased a mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern North Carolina. International resort developer Nigel Goodwin has reserved her lodge for several days. He plans to pitch a new resort to several wealthy investors. The resort will be built on land he has purchased locally. Rocky Crowder is the lodge’s handyman and he does freelance work as well.

However, several locals are against the proposed resort and several of the investors have secrets. Then a blizzard hits the area. Misty’s sons, JJ and Mitch, are home for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. When the boys find a funny looking rock while sledding at the lodge, chaos ensues.

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, hardworking, resourceful, organized, listens to what is going on around her, inquisitive, and good with people. She is also supportive of others and has a natural curiosity. Rocky is reliable, hardworking, and fun. Nigel is charming, manipulative, clever, and cunning. The investor guests and other secondary characters are a mixed group of personalities with secrets 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 fall color, the early blizzard, and even the southern foods were authentic. There are several plot twists along the way along with plenty of suspects. The dialogue and pacing were on target. The characters and humor enhance it with relatable characters like Misty and Rocky, some obnoxious ones, 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. However, it seemed like the deputy shared more information with her than he should.

I was immediately drawn into Misty’s life and enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery and the development of friendships. The story captivated me from the beginning with a good plot, great world-building details, and characters that are emotionally rich. The author weaves another story involving family, friends, grief, murder, greed, wildlife protection, and holiday celebrations that keeps you entertained throughout the book. Relationships drive the narrative and keep it compelling.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which was suspenseful, engaging, and atmospheric. In 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. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for October 24, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

The third entry in this cozy series sees innkeeper Misty hosting a contentious gathering of potential investors into a proposed resort. She and her colleagues become involved again when the gathering ends in a suspicious death just before Christmas. This entry is well-written and plotted. Misty’s involvement feels realistic and understandable, unlike some other amateur sleuth mysteries where the main character ends up acting in place of the police in ways that feel forced. My only quibble is that I didn’t feel like there was much done with developments in Misty’s personal life or much developing of some recurring characters. Still, it’s a mother solid entry in an enjoyable series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, this was another really enjoyable cozy mystery! That it's cold enough that parts of a human body can freeze and be broken off...yeah, that's winter! And of course, the surrounding holidays just add that extra element of cozy, espcailly since her sons are there.

This particular case, well, it as interesting, because technically, Mr. Goodwin could be a competition to her, since it'd be a resort. But his would be more on the high end side, whereas Misty's is more rustic. But on top of that, he made a lot of people upset!

Besides the case, there were all the personal moments, with her sons there, and Rocky and his family. It was great to have these moments, light moments, when they've been surrounded by a lot of death. I just adore these characters!

Honestly, I can understand why the guy was murdered. The various reasons why people were suspects, why they had beef with him, pretty much all of them were from his own actions. So I understand why, but it was still great to see the perpetrator caught!

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait for whatever is next!

This book had me laughing at the most inappropriate moments. Diane Kelly takes us back to the Mountaintop Lodge and the wonderfully quirky group that keep it running. Fun, family and a murder that will keep you guessing what else could you want?

Pub date: 10/24/23
Genre: cozy mystery
Series: Mountain Lodge mysteries, book 3
Do I need to read book 1 first? This one works as a standalone, so you can read in any order.
Quick summary: The week before Christmas, Misty's Mountaintop Lodge is filled with potential investors for a planned resort. It's all snow and games until the developer ends up frozen outside.

I love that this series takes readers to the beautiful mountains of NC - I read most of it on my own mountain vacation! Misty continues to be a great amateur sleuth, and I enjoyed seeing her and handyman Rocky grow closer. Their three kids (Misty's twin boys and Rocky's daughter), as well as Misty's ex, play a bigger role in this story, making it feel like a fun family Christmas. I enjoyed the mystery's twists and turns - there were plenty of suspects and red herrings to keep me guessing. Book 2 in the series is still my fave, but I'm eagerly awaiting book 4!

Thank you to St. Martin's Paperbacks for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A chilling whodunnit in Snow Place for Murder!
A thrilling winter mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. Set in a picturesque but isolated town near the mountains of North Carolina, the murder mystery takes you on a journey through a snow covered landscape filled with secrets, suspects and surprises.
The story begins of a body buried in the snow and from there the tension steadily builds.
The author does an excellent job of creating a sense of isolation and claustrophobia, making you feel you are right there.
Snow place for murder is a gripping winter mystery that offers an atmospheric setting.

I received an advanced copy from St Martins Publishing Group and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.