This was an awesome trip to Mountain Lodge just in time for Thanksgiving, but the story lasted through Christmas and New Year’s as well. Just when you think the mystery’s never gonna be solved, Misty does it again! It’s no wonder Deputy Highcloud values her input so much—I really like that deputy! She never downplays whatever information Misty relays to her.

It was fun to have Misty’s sons JJ and Mitch there working since Brynn was on vacation. They had a pal to hang out with on the slopes since Rocky’s youngest daughter came after her finals too. I sure wouldn’t’ve guessed whodunit, but Misty probably never thought something in her mail would help her solve the case. At a fairly remorseful showdown, everything was revealed about the murder and wrapped up nicely. And that left Rocky, Misty and their families free to enjoy the next two holidays.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin’s Paperbacks via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

I call this is a cozy little murder mystery, with just the right number of suspects, all with possible motives of their own. This is a quick and easy read, with just enough suspicion to keep you guessing here and there for a while. It’s full of Christmas, just for the sake of Christmas, it seems, but that makes it quaint. Although it is the third in the series, and I have not read the first two, they were only casually mentioned, and not enough to make you regret starting with book number three. I’d like to thank NetGalley for giving me this pleasant diversion of an advance read copy just in time to start the holiday season.

Snow Place for Murder the third in the Mountain Lodge Mystery Series by Diane Kelly. You can’t help but feel for Misty who has had some motel guests with terrible circumstances happen to them. Again there is a guest found dead nearby the motel just when everyone is home for the holiday break, and with a group of investors staying there, checking out a new to-be-built resort for the area.

There is a lot of build up to the actual murder which makes for a slow pace at the beginning of this story. Once the murder victim is found, the story pace speeds up quite a bit. The first part is interesting, letting the reader get acquainted with the characters including the pets in this mystery. Also the setting is such a great part of the beginning. I must say being a North Carolinian myself, I can say Diane Kelly has beautifully and accurately described our mountains and surrounding little towns.

This cozy mystery will have you thinking of a family mountain Christmas, minus the murder of course. Read today.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Although this is the third in the series, it was my first time reading a book by this author, I received an advance copy of it from NetGalley and #St. Martins’s Press.
It was an enjoyable cozy mystery mystery with great characters, I like that the lodge setting allows the author plausibility in introducing a good list of characters/suspects when a visiting developer is found dead on the sledding slope. The story was well told, I couldn’t decide between the various suspects, they all had motives, and there were plenty of red herrings. Yeti the cat also gets to add to the story too!
I was able to follow and get in to the book as a stand alone, although I’ll definitely go back to read the first two books, and will be looking for more.

This is a really wonderful series ,enjoyed being back at Snow Top Lodge number three in the series .Another episode with characters that come alive and red herrings that keep you guessing from first to last page.#netgalley #st.martins

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly is a cosy mystery set at a mountain lodge in Beech Mountain, NC. That was pretty much all I needed to know to grab my interest and ask my friends at St Martin’s Press for an early copy. I love the Blue Ridge Mountains, it’s always like going home. This time of year the draw is especially strong. I loved immersing myself and read this in an afternoon.

Misty Murphy made some big life changes in the last year. An amicable divorce, a move, and the purchase of a mountain lodge on Beech Mountain, NC. It’s hard work but she’s content and feels at home here. With the help of her handyman/boyfriend Rocky Crowder, assistant Brynn, and neighbor Patty who owns the Greasy Griddle the lodge is doing well. After agreeing to host a real estate developer and potential investors Misty has second thoughts. It’s clear there’s pushback from the local community. With her college age boys home to help for the holidays she has extra hands so she can try to find out what they’re planning. When her sons find the developer murdered things take a sharp turn and everyone is a potential suspect. He was on the outs with his wife, his previous projects have frustrated potential/past investors, his assistant has acted strangely since arriving, and the locals had vowed to stop him. Afraid of a potential murderer as a guest, or someone else becoming a victim, Misty cooperates with local law enforcement to try to solve the case.

This is the third in the Mountain Lodge Mysteries, and reads really well as a stand alone…but you’re going to want to go back and read the previous two to get all the mountain goodness! I recommend for fans of cosy mysteries set in small towns, especially if you’re looking for a winter theme!

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly was another good book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. Once again Kelly does a wonderful job with the descriptions of the lodge and surrounding area, and I really enjoyed reading more about Misty’s boys and Rocky’s daughter who are on winter break from college.

There were lots of suspects with varied motives since a group of investors had taken over the lodge. While that was enjoyable having so many choices to who could have been the murderer, I also found I wasn’t as engaged because while the investors were well written, I just couldn’t get too invested in them because I knew they wouldn’t be in the next book.
I am wondering if this might be the same for future books since the lodge is more isolated with only the diner nearby, will there be enough repeat characters to keep me interested?

After I read the next book in the series, I guess I’ll find out! And this is just my own quirk, so please don’t let that stop you from reading the series.

Each of the books in this series gets better than the one before. And they've all been wonderful! The lodge is being rented by Nigel Goodwin and investors for a new resort on the mountain. Not everyone is happy with the idea. The body of Nigel is found on the mountain. There are many suspects.

This is the third book in the series. I love the characters and how I keep getting to know more about them. The mystery is always fun to solve along with Misty and friends. I can't wait for the next!

I always enjoy Diane Kelly’s books. This series has great cozy mysteries. This book takes place over the holidays so it’s getting me ready for my own holiday season! I love that it has a sweet romance between Misty and Rocky. Also really enjoyed getting to see more of Misty’s boys and Rocky’s daughter. Despite all the murders that seem to darken Misty’s doorstep I would really enjoy a weekend at her cabin!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

An excellent cozy mystery set in a Mountain Lodge weathered in by snow. The conflict between a development company and the local residents is now on hold as they must dig out of the snow. But digging has uncovered more than the snow, the developer is dead and the suspects are all still on the scene. A "locked room" mystery where the suspects are in the locked room too.

Things are about to get dicey at the Mountaintop Lodge in North Carolina. Misty Murphy has got her lodge up and running and in the black. An international developer has rented the entire lodge for a whole week which will definitely help her numbers. However, not all of the residents of the town are as excited to see Nigel and his group of wealthy investors coming. Nigel is planning to build a hoity toity resort on the mountain which some feel will cause traffic nightmares, root animals out of their home and just cause general chaos to their little spot of heaven in the North Carolina mountains. Nigel is a smooth talker who has all the answers for any question an investor may ask. The investors are all wealthy, but they are an odd bunch which makes them better suspects for the future murder that will happen.

Misty's sons are on college break and are outside sledding before they start their work day. They come in laughing about the odd shape rock they found that looks like a nose. When they give the rock to Misty, she has to bite her lip to keep from screaming when she recognizes that not only is this not a rock, but it is a nose, and she knows whose face it belongs to. Someone has taken Nigel out of the equation. With all of the odd investors, a seemingly unhappy wife and a group of protestors who wanted to stop the development, the police will have plenty of suspects to go through.

Diane Kelly always writes a good mystery with plenty of red herrings and an unforgettable cast of characters. I love the descriptions of the small lodge where you can find peace and quiet. Misty is one of my favorite characters in a cozy mystery series. She is a kind of armchair detective, but she does not butt into the investigation. She just offers her opinion, which is usually pretty spot on. Like any amateur sleuth, she is rather nosy. You will get some chapter views from Yeti. Yeti is the lodge cat and you will get his views on what is going on around him. These short chapters will provide some humor amidst the mystery. As always, I enjoyed this newest installment in the Mountaintop Lodge Series. You can read this as a standalone, but I would highly recommend that you read books 1 and 2 as well. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Snow Place for Murder
(Mountain Lodge 3)
Diane Kelly


Diane Kelly is the author of seven series and more than 60 books.


This is my first Mountaintop Lodge mystery.

Mountaintop Lodge is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains close to the Elk River, in Beech Mountain, North Carolina.

We “arrive” before Nigel Goodwin, developer extraordinaire. He has rented out the lodge for him and his potential project investors. The reader is introduced to some passing wildlife, Gus, an animal advocate, and a hunter. We have Misty, a divorced mom of two sons, her handyman slash boyfriend Rocky, best friend Patty, Baroness Blizzard (Yeti), and a multitude of others. The author does a good job of explaining the family dynamics of everyone so new readers such as myself are ready for everything to come. Misty and Yeti narrate the story.

The murder kinda shocked me, I know... somebody’s dying it’s a mystery! But I was so engrossed in the family, community, and guest dynamics that the death scene managed to surprise me.

The mystery itself was good. The murderer not only surprised me but I actually felt sad for the killer!
5*****





Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

#Netgalley #SnowPlaceforMurder #DianeKelly #snowboard #mystery #lodge

I am loving this series with Misty, Rocky, Yeti and friends. This story was interesting and possibly something you could relate to if you feel your living space is being taken away with too much “progress”. I like Misty’s thought process and the fact law enforcement encourages her. Great story and wonderful characters. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

4 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.

A very cute cozy mystery that takes place at a mountain lodge in North Carolina. Has all the elements you’re looking for in a cozy mystery - unsuspecting suspects, a victim who may deserve it, villains, and a cat who wants to tell its own story. While this is the 3rd in a series, I read it as a standalone, and you can too.

Misty bought the lodge as a total change of pace for her life. She lives onsite and has just fallen into a relationship with her handyman Rocky. Her lodge has been rented out for an investors meeting for a possible new resort being built down the road. Already there is anger about the resort - from one wildlife photographer and Rehabilitator, and one hunter who wants his peace and privacy. Misty hopes she hasn’t made a mistake in renting out to them.

Of course, nothing goes as planned. A dead body turns up onsite and everyone is a suspect. Will Misty be the one to unravel the mystery?

A really fun novel set in a really great location. Misty is the likable unlikely detective who keeps finding herself in the middle of these messes. I will definitely be going backwards in the series and picking up the rest.

This is the third book in Diane Kelly's Mountain Lodge mysteries but also a standalone read.

Taking place in the mountains of NC Misty has a Mountain top lodge she bought after her divorce. It's almost Thanksgiving and there is a group of potential investors that were invited by Nigel Goodwin, a developer, to see a presentation of his upcoming adventure.

During this time at the lodge Nigel was found dead near the lodge and Misty is on the trail to find the killer.

This was a delightful book and highly recommend this to anyone that loves a good Cozy mystery.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

One of the things I really enjoy about this series is that Misty is well settled into her life. She’s recently divorced, but has a great relationship with her ex-husband and is currently enjoying a blossoming romance with Rocky, the Mountaintop Lodge’s handyman. Her sons get along with her and she gets along with the people in the small town she calls home, including police enforcement. It’s actually a nice change when the main character in a mystery series doesn’t actually have too much baggage or conflict in her own life because there’s more than enough drama provided by the constant parade of murders!

And while we don’t spend a lot of time on the supporting cast, we do get glimpses into their personal lives, and their relationship with Misty. They are almost background characters because they really just support the story, letting the action take centre stage.

That’s not to say that there aren’t more than enough suspects to focus on. With the inn full of wealthy investors, they all seem to have more than a few secrets to hide. Not to mention the angry locals who are opposing the new resort plans.

The pacing of the mystery is really well done and I found we spent a really good amount of time with each suspect, learning about their motives, watching how they behave, and then adding to the suspicion, or clearing them of the murder. There are lots of clues and red herrings and trying to solve this mystery was lots of fun and new motives were uncovered or suspects were given alibis.

Underneath the murder there is also the sub-plot that deals with turning a beautiful “local” secret into a tourist destination. This happens a lot and I can see both sides of the story – on one hand you want to share the beauty and have more people appreciate it (not to mention creating new jobs for the local economy) but on the other hand, too many tourists really can ruin a well-hidden paradise.

I really enjoyed this book – it has a Christmas feel to it because the story takes place around the holidays and there’s plenty of family interaction. I loved the cozy feel of it all (murder notwithstanding) and can’t wait for the next book in the series!

*** Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Snow Place for Murder is the third installment of the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. Although the novel is the third in the series, I didn’t have a problem reading it as a standalone.

The story unfolds through dual points of view — through the lens of the main character, Misty, and her cat, Yeti. I didn’t understand the purpose of having a cat’s perspective as it seemed pointless and it didn’t add anything of value to make the story more engaging. It just seemed as though the cat’s point of view was added for word count and didn’t bring much more than that.

Like most cozy mysteries, the pacing is on the slower side, and Snow Place for Murder is no exception. However, the novel read much slower than I would have liked as the murder didn’t take place until well into 35%. But the various investigative clues in the whodunit kept me moving forward.

I enjoyed the characters. Especially Misty’s two sons, Mitch and J.J.; as well as Pebble, Rocky’s daughter. Somehow the children in this novel seemed more fleshed out than the main characters. Perhaps it’s because the main cast were developed in the earlier novels. I’d have to read the prior novels to be sure, though.

For fans of the Jessica Fletcher mysteries, Snow Place for Murder would be a great addition to their cozy mystery library. As for me, I’ll probably hold off reading any more from this author for now. Three stars.

I received a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

In this book the lodge is in the middle of a massive snow storm and Misty finds herself snowed in with a potential murderer. I really like the world that the author has created around Misty, Rocky, Patti, the lodge and of course Misty's cat, Yeti. I really enjoyed the short little chapters from Yeti's point of view. I also really liked that Misty's sons, JJ and Mitch, were in most of the book as well as Rocky's daughter Pebble. All three have been mentioned quite a bit and it was nice to be able to get to know them a bit.

This is one of those mysteries where any one of the possible suspects could have had motive to kill the victim. The victim wasn't very likable and so many people had reasons to want to take him out both personal and professional and since almost all the suspects are relatively unknown to Misty she has her investigative work cut out for her and I enjoyed going along for the ride. I really wasn't sure of the who and the why until Misty figured it out.

I really enjoy the lodge setting for this series. We have a change up of suspects and characters and a range of issues. I really like seeing the day to day behind the scenes of the lodge and life up in the mountains of North Carolina.

"Snow Place for Murder" by Diane Kelly is the third installment in the Mountain Lodge mystery series, and I'm absolutely hooked. Building on the success of the previous book, this installment delves deeper into the captivating world of Misty and Rocky, offering readers an even more immersive experience.

The story begins with international resort developer Nigel Goodwin's arrival in Misty Murphy's quaint corner of North Carolina, setting the stage for an intriguing tale. The author does a remarkable job describing the atmosphere and the lodge itself, so vividly that I found myself almost tempted to look up reservations for the Mountaintop Lodge. The setting is so well-crafted that it becomes a character in its own right, adding to the book's charm.

Once again, the peace and tranquility are shattered when a body is discovered, and the local police enlist Misty's help to unravel the mystery. The engaging plot keeps you guessing and turning pages, eager to uncover the truth behind the murder.

One of the highlights of this series is the development of Misty and Rocky's family story. It's heartwarming to see their journey as a family coming together, and it adds depth and relatability to the characters. You can't help but root for them.

And then there's Yeti, the lovable cat with an internal monologue that not only provides comic relief but also gives us a unique perspective on the events unfolding. Yeti's chapters add an extra layer of enjoyment to the story.

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review. "Snow Place for Murder" is a delightful addition to the Mountain Lodge mystery series, offering a blend of mystery, family dynamics, and a touch of whimsy with Yeti. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries with engaging characters and an inviting setting, this book is a must-read.

This book is the third book in the well-written Mountain Lodge Mystery series. It's possible to enjoy this book without reading the other two, but the first book gives the detailed backstory about main character Misty Murphy and how she first opened Mountaintop Lodge.

In addition to showing Misty's excellent sleuthing skills when a guest of the lodge is found murdered, this book also shows plenty of scenes with Misty and her family as they celebrate Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Her twin sons add humor to the story and their teasing banter with their mom is funny and realistic. Adding to the charm of this cozy mystery are the few chapters that are narrated by Misty's cat Yeti. I don't always like this type of thing, but it works well in this series and sometimes Yeti sees things going on that Misty doesn't.

I like the growing romance between Misty and Rocky, but also appreciate that Misty's and her ex-husband have remained friends. One negative to this book is there were a couple of things that came across as a little bit preachy, but overall it's a great story.

The murder investigation is interesting with plenty of people with a motive to eliminate the victim, a land developer who plans to build an upscale resort not far from Misty's lodge. Misty is able to get several important clues that help solve the case. As much as I enjoyed the investigation, it's the setting and great characters that keep me coming back to this delightful series.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.