It’s almost Christmas and Misty Murphy is getting her Mountaintop Lodge ready. The week before the holiday, her lodge is booked by a resort developer, Nigel Goodwin, for a conference. Misty is quite happy with the business and even happier to have her two teenage sons available to help out.

The big problem is the developer is planning for a new resort near her own lodge and the town is not happy about it. When a blizzard hits the town, not only is the weather chilly but so are the people’s attitudes. Even the potential investors aren’t very happy.

When Nigel is found dead, Misty fears that someone in her lodge is a murderer. She, along with her trusty handyman Rocky, set out to find a killer.

This is the third book in the series and it’s quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The characters are well-rounded and the story moves along at a fast pace. With each book, we get to know Misty and her family better.

I, also, love the setting. The author did a good job of transporting me to North Carolina during a blizzard. I felt as if I was actually there. Oh - and there was a cute cat, Yeti. Yeti had her own very short POV chapters letting us know how she felt about everyone. It was really a charming addition to the story.

This is a captivating mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I thought the culprit was someone else, which makes this mystery even more fun for me. Although this is the third book, the mystery is contained in this book. It’s not necessary to read the first two, but I think you would want to for the character growth aspect.

I look forward to visiting the Mountaintop Lodge again very soon.







FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Real Estate developer Nigel Goodwin is nothing but positive about his current endeavor for a large ski resort on Beech Mountain. Misty Murphy, owner of Mountaintop Lodge, is happy for the business Nigel has brought to the lodge, but she isn’t sure how she feels about the possibility of the new resort. Certainly, many of the locals aren’t happy. They make their disapproval known in a visible way during Nigel’s presentation. The encounter turns ugly and Misty is forced to call the police. When Nigel’s body is found frozen in a pile of snow the next morning, there are certainly no shortage of suspects.

This is the first of the Mountain Lodge Mystery books I have read, the third in the series, but I had no problem getting right into the story. The author did a great job of introducing the characters without really introducing them, so I felt comfortable with them quickly. I also enjoyed the interludes of observation by Misty’s lodge cat, Yeti. Each interlude provides a little change of scene to move the story along with a bit of humor. The story was engaging and kept my interest. It moved a little more rapidly than some other cozy mysteries I’ve read, keeping me engaged. The local character interactions weren’t breaks in the action and kept the story moving as well. With so many suspects, so many possible motives, the mystery certainly kept me guessing until the very end. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to visiting the Mountain Lodge again soon.

This third in the series will be enjoyed by both those old and new to the Mountain Lodge, North Carolina setting and protagonist, Misty. This time there are real estate issues. What happened to the dead developer? Was there another murder in what should be this quiet locale? Since that answer will be yes, who did it?

Those who enjoy holidays set in the festive season with accompaniments of good character and plot will want to give this one a look. It could help a reader to while away a fall evening.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Snow Place for Murder is another fun cozy mystery from Diane Kelly! This is book 3 in the series but the first for me. I didn’t have any trouble jumping right into the comings and going at the Mountaintop Lodge—including the main character Misty, and her lodge handyman/boyfriend, Rocky. If you enjoy the simplicity of a cozy mystery, this would be a fun one to curl up with!

When a businessman brings his investors to the lodge in hopes of scoring investments to his new local resort, Misty knows this group is probably going to be different than the typical visitors to their humble hotel. All of the members of the groups have different personalities and Misty seems happy to get to know them. But not everyone on the mountain is happy with this possible resort and some of the locals start showing up at the lodge to make their feelings known. When the body of the resort developer is discovered outside the lodge, all the investors become suspects and detective Misty is watching them all for clues. Who had the best motive to stop the development of this resort?

Snow Place for Murder is book 3 in Diane Kelly's Mountain Lodge Mystery series. I haven't read the first two books in the series, but it was easy to figure out who everyone is and their relationship to each other.

I really enjoyed the setting of this cozy mystery - the ski town of Beech Mountain, North Carolina. I've been skiing at Beech Mountain (as well as at Sugar Mountain and Boone which are also mentioned). It is also the perfect snowy setting for a Christmasy novel.

I found it interesting that Misty Murphy lives at the Mountaintop Lodge which she owns and operates. It wouldn't have been so odd if she lived in a suite or some kind of "caretaker" room. But it appears to be a normal motel room - there's no kitchenette (she has a hotplate and dorm fridge). Yes, there is a diner next door, but eating out isn't cheap nor the healthiest. At least her college-age kids only visit as it seems they live (when not away at school) in their childhood home with Misty's ex-husband.

While there are Christmas decorations, Christmas is just the background setting. So if you want a good wintry mystery without the over-the-top holly jolly trimmings, then this is the book to pick up.

There are definitely some interesting characters who are residents of the area and I look forward to seeing more of them. The lodge setting is a great setting for a cozy mystery since it keeps the town regulars from being constantly murdered, but I'm not sure how a business survives if the guests keep getting murdered. So I'm interested to see how the series keeps things fresh in future novels.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/10/cozy-up-with-these-seasonal-mysteries.html

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly is perfect for curling up by a fire and getting lost in the showy wonderland of the North Carolina mountains! This is the third book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series, it would be a fun standalone read as well.

Misty has a resort mogul and his potential investors at the lodge for a presentation, but when someone turns up murdered Misty is on the case to make sure the killer doesn’t slip out of town when the snow stops falling.

The third book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery is an excellent addition to the series. Misty has rented the Lodge to an international developer who plans to build a resort near the lodge. many of the townspeople are not in favor of the development and some of the investors seem skeptical as well. Misty slips into sleuth mode when Nigel, the developer, is found dead in a snowbank.

This has quickly become one of my favorite series. The characters seem like old friends as soon as I open the book. I appreciate that Misty is a mature woman with a definite life plan and a stable relationship with Rocky. I like that she and her ex-husband are on good terms and her sons are well adjusted college students. I enjoyed meeting Rocky's daughter, Pebble.

The setting is near and dear to my heart as the NC mountains are one of my favorite places to be. I can visualize the lodge, the Greasy Griddle, and the town. It makes me want to head for the hills.

The pool of suspects was wide and varied. Nigel is not a very likable man. The twists and turns had me changing my mind frequently about who the culprit would be. I was a bit surprised with the reveal. I went back to re-read and picked up a few more clues that pointed in that direction.

The story would not be the same without the chapters from Yeti's point of view. I often wonder what my cats are thinking and Yeti's comments make me smile. Molasses is a great dog! Bernese Mountain dogs are one of my favorite breeds.

This book has it all. A wonderful cast of characters, a great setting, and a well thought out plot. I highly recommend this series and suggest starting at the beginning. I can't wait to visit Mountaintop Lodge again soon.

Misty Murphy is a great main character, level headed, thoughtful, intelligent, and hard working. Her developing relationship with Rocky Crowder is delightful.

This series always has such a sense of place and this is no exception. The wintery mountains are brought alive to the point you can nearly smell the pine with a tinge of fireplace smoke and feel the chill.

If you particularly enjoy books where you feel part of the family, this is the book for you. Join Misty for Thanksgiving and then Christmas with her two boys and Rocky's daughter.

I do have to say that the murder and investigation don't happen until well into the book. Some may be surprised by that since so many books now have the murder in the first chapter of two. If I remember correctly, It was at least a fifth, or even a fourth, of the way into the book.

As for solving whodunit, I didn't have a strong candidate, they all seemed equally likely. The subtle clues didn't stand out for me, but they are there. The killer reveal wasn't perilous, but had its own excitement. I am enjoying this series as it progresses and recommend.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

4 Stars


It’s the holiday season and Misty’s got a lot going on at her Mountaintop Lodge. Not only do her boys get to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with her. Rocky‘s daughter is also home from college and she is spending time with them at the lodge as well. Misty is also hosting an international resort developer from England. He is planning to pitch a resort idea to wealthy American investors that has caused a little commotion amongst the locals. As Misty and her handyman, Rocky do their best to make her little lodge as cozy and comfortable as can be, the townsfolk bring on a nasty little confrontation that has Misty calling the local police.
Just as things settle down a blizzard hits the area. Misty's sons are having some fun on a sled hill that Rocky made and discover a strange rock that turns out to be the resort developers' body on ice. Misty finds herself right in the middle of a murder.




I have been invested in this series since the first book, and each one gets better and better. Diane Kelly does an amazing job transporting the reader to a completely different place when opening the cover of one of her books. Snow Place for Murder was enjoyable in many aspects for me. The mystery was very well written. I have to say I did not figure out who did it in this one because there were just too many ways it could have gone. I love the chapters from Yetis point of view. They are fun and add quite a bit of humor to the story and honestly, I really do think the thoughts that that cat has or what cats would truly think. I like that we got to see the relationship with Misty and her children along with her ex-husband. We’ve heard her talk well of him through the other books and it was nice to see the interaction between the two of them and that they did have a good relationship after divorce. I honestly wish that the Mountain Lodge truly existed because I for one would spend quite a bit of time there. I can’t wait to see what the next adventure for Misty and Yeti will be.

Diane Kelly takes us back to the Mountaintop Lodge as a tourist developer hold investor session there close to his property. Snow Place for Murder has nasty murders, lots of suspects, and intrepid sleuths in the lodge owner and her supporters. Yeti the cat gives cute opinions. Read and ENJOY.

This is the third installment in this entertaining cozy mystery series. A resort developer and a group of potential investors are staying at Misty’s lodge while they view the proposed site for this new resort. The resort idea isn’t popular with many of the locals, adding to the suspect pool when the developer is found buried in the snow. Misty can’t help but wonder if the death was intentional and who might be the culprit. This is a well written story with engaging characters. The mystery is well developed, offers plenty of suspects and keeps you interested in finding out whodunnit.

Set in Misty Murphy's charming corner of North Carolina, the story follows the arrival of international developer Nigel Goodwin, whose plans to pitch a luxurious new resort concept to American investors stir up tension among the locals. As a blizzard hits Beech Mountain, the situation turns even more chilling, leading to a shocking discovery buried under the snow.

Diane Kelly's storytelling skill shines through in this engaging whodunit, with a cast of well-developed characters and a plot full of surprising twists and turns. The vivid descriptions of the winter landscape and the festive holiday atmosphere create a cozy yet suspenseful backdrop for the intriguing murder mystery.

From Misty's determination to uncover the truth to the involvement of her boys in the investigation, the narrative keeps you invested in the unfolding events. The author expertly builds suspense, gradually unraveling the layers of deception and motives that ultimately lead to a satisfying and unexpected resolution.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of "Snow Place for Murder" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is book 3 in the Mountain Lodge Mysteries series and it was a fantastic - hard to put down read, the same as the two previous books. Misty Murphy owns the Mountain Top Lodge where she seems to attract guests who end up being murdered. Rockford "Rocky" Crowder is her live-in handyman and possible romance.

This time her guests were a group of investors who were thinking of investing in a property that would be a luxury resort. There is a lot of opposition from the community as the land is home to does, fawns, bucks, groundhogs, skunks, foxes and bears. Gus one of the locals points out that the resort will harm the wildlife in the area. Nigel Goodwin is pitching the project and has rented out several rooms at the lodge for his guests. Rayan is his assistant and he treats him fairly badly. Kyle and Laurie Jensen, Celeste and Emilio Salazar, Daphne and Jean-Paul Fournier, Amari Lott and Sebastian are the investors that have gathered to hear the pitch. One of them will die and everyone is suspect.

Misty's ex-husband Jack and their sons J.J. and Mitch are visiting for Thanksgiving as is Rocky's daughter Pebble. Once university is over for the semester, the 3 young people return to the Lodge to help out until the new year.

The best character in this book in my opinion still is Yeti, Misty's cat. The chapters of the book alternate between Misty and Yeti. Yeti - also known as Baroness Blizzard - could probably solve these crimes that happen at the Lodge if only she could speak. She's very nosy - trying to see past the snow, to see what is happening outside. She heard sounds the night that one of the guests was killed but she can't tell anyone. Yeti also spends a lot of time devising plans to make her humans spend more time with her.

A wonderful read by Ms. Kelly. I didn't want it to end because I was enjoying the storyline at the Lodge. I will be looking forward to the next book in the series.

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read this prior to release!

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Quick look at the book:

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?

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My most favorite read is a cozy mystery novel, and this series is no exception. I originally picked up this series because my sister went to college in the area it takes place. I am so glad I did because these are fantastic cozies!

This newest installment especially gives me all the cozy and winter feels, while also giving me a healthy dose of murder mystery! Like I always say, I hate waiting for the "action" in a cozy mystery, so the fact that this one starts right away made my heart happy.

I will for sure be continuing the series if there are more books, and have already gifted these to my mom as well!

This is a fine addition to the series. An investor wants to bring a big resort to a mountain location filled with wildlife. A local group objects to the plans and confronts the investor, who is soon found dead. Misty needs to find the killer to save the reputation of her bed & breakfast. Well written with a nice twisty plot, red herrings and interesting characters. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

Snow Place for Murder is book #3 in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series by Diane Kelly.

Misty’s lodge is hosting a developer who is pitching a new resort concept. The locals are not happy and it gets ugly.

I enjoyed this book. I like the family feel of the story. I am familiar with the Blue Ridge Mountain area in North Carolina and it is fun to read about places I know. It was an entertaining mystery and I liked how it wrapped up. I loved Yeti’s chapters!

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Misty Murphy, owner of a mountain lodge, becomes entangled in a murder investigation when a resort developer is found dead on her property. As suspects include the other guests in the lodge, as well as some locals, Misty takes it upon herself to dig into motives and opportunities to help the local law enforcement solve the crime.

I have not read the previous 2 books in this series, but figured if I enjoyed this one, I'd go back to them. I can safely say this is not a series I'm going to be delving into, though, as I didn't care for the author's style in this book. I am not used to quite so much hand-holding in a mystery book, as the narration includes every single thought the main character has about the case, large or small, sometimes repeated. As I read, I had to assume that her speculations through most of the book were all wrong because otherwise, it wouldn't be a very engaging plot. Also, there is a lot of detail that was wholly unnecessary, including a long stretch of time before the mystery really got going. When Misty listens to conversations between others, just about every line of dialog is followed up with her thoughts about that statement—sometimes her doubting that they were telling the truth (even though she seemed to have little to no expertise in the matters they discussed most of the time), but most often bringing it back to herself with thoughts about how she would feel in that situation, how that situation reminded her of something that once happened to her, etc.

On top of all of that, Misty's reactions to finding out the deceased man had actually been murdered, and later similar reactions to seeing a potential key piece of evidence, are over-the-top dramatic and not really what I look for in the MC of a mystery series. Finally, there were a few 1-page chapters scattered throughout the book that were from the POV of Misty's cat Yeti. When the first of these chapters came up, it took me several minutes to understand that it was a cat's head into which we'd just jumped, though that was probably my own fault. I thought at first that the cat's POV would give us, the readers, some clues that would help us solve the case for ourselves, but in the end, the cat chapters provided absolutely nothing. I'm a cat person through and through, but this was unnecessary to me.

Add to that some personal preference issues, like the immediate assumption that a stranger is dangerous and could resort to violence at any moment simply because he has a gun on his hip; and the fact that the MC and her ex-husband were divorced simply because the "romance had waned" (though he did try to romance her with a bottle of wine during this story...just saying) and they wanted different things from life. I'm really not a fan of cavalier divorce, much less celebrating it as a good thing. And I noted one glaring mistake involving characters returning from skiing twice in one day (and no, they did not leave to go skiing again in between). In the end, though I'm sure that there is an audience for this kind of cozy mystery, I am not that audience. If you think you might be, please do check out other reviews.

This third installment in the Mountain Lodge cozy mystery series (though the first one I read) is a charming cozy set in a North Carolina mountain lodge. A noted resort developer travels to Misty Murphy's lodge and pitches his development plans to wealthy potential investors.

This book features likeable recurring characters, Misty and her family and friends, as well as a clever plot. Definitely a series to watch and I've picked up copies of the first two books in the series so I can get caught up.

Highly recommended for cozy mystery fans!!

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly is the third book in The Mountain Lodge Series but can also be a stand alone read .

In this installment, international investment realtor Nigel Goodwin rents out Misty Murphy’s entire lodge around the holidays hoping to lure wealthy American investors into developing an exclusive resort, this idea finds him at odd with the locals . When Goodwin is found murdered in the snow , Misty once again must find out who wanted Goodwin next investment to be his final one .

I really enjoyed the relationship between Misty and family , also I found the cat’s view fun .

Great story to pass the time .

Highly recommend!!

just reviewed Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly. #NetGalley

Mountain lodge Inn in North Carolina is the perfect place for Nigel Goodwin’s presentation to potential investors for an exclusive resort. Run by Misty Murphy, its’ parking lot is shared with a restaurant and a ski resort is close by. With a full compliment of guests, Misty has the help of her two sons and Rocky, her handyman and current love. Goodwin’s project has the support of most of the investors, but the local residents are against the additional traffic that it will create and the harm to wildlife. Goodwin’s presentation is disrupted when the protesters descend on the inn. Add in a neglected wife, a disgruntled assistant and rumors of problems at Goodwin’s previous resort that led to a death and it is evident who Diane Kelly’s victim will be. Misty wants nothing more than a quiet life surrounded by family and friends, but now she is surrounded by strangers with a possible murderer among them. Time is also limited. Goodwin paid for five days of presentations and recreation on the slopes for his guests. As time winds down Misty must work with the police, providing her security footage and her observations.

Snow Place for Murder develops at a leisurely pace that gives the readers an opportunity to get to know the characters. Misty went through an amicable divorce. When her ex arrives with her sons for Thanksgiving it is a family event that includes Rocky and his daughter. Even Misty’s cat Yeti plays a part, narrating several of the chapters. With its’ unique discovery of the body, this book has everything that you look for in a cozy mystery. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book or my review.