This book was such a great series debut! It provided laughs, investigative mishaps, intriguing red herrings, and a fun setting and cast of characters.

Dee is a screenwriter drop out who invests with her partner an old run-down motel in southern California by a national park. Making her stance in the small town along with the rival small town neighbour, she is met with an intriguing set of characters who make it difficult for her and her partner to successfully relaunch the motel. And when a murder takes place on her property, Dee takes it upon herself to investigate who the true murderer is.

Overall, this was such a fun story to read. I especially loved the setting and the interesting interactions Dee had while trying to solve the mystery. The set of friends Dee makes were so engaging and were a big part of what kept me hooked to find out who dun’ it.

This is a charming and ambitious series starter. I liked the Hollywood adjacent and gossipy parts the best- it brings something different to the quirky small towns at the center of the book. Interesting mystery and great suspects.

This cozy was so fun, a bit zany and just a pleasure to read.

Ellen Byron new series set in the Sierra Nevada Mountains follows Dee Stern a former tv writer (like Ellen herself) who leaves Hollywood behind to renovate an old hotel. She buys the Golden with Jeff, her good friend and ex-husband! and inherits the owners old dog nugget as well as a mystery.

The town of FoundGold is full of quirky characters and it warms to Dee and her project. THe town next door Goldsgone is another story. When the Golden's first guest (a former writer colleague of Dee and the favorite son of Goldsgone) ends up dead, the neighbouring town is full of suspicion. The local police and the neighbouring national park police both investigate and naturally Dee and Jeff are under the microscope.

The pair starts investigating and finds out Micheal burned a lot of bridges over the years and has made enemies. More issues target their motel and Dee grows desperate to save her new life and solve the case.

I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next adventure at the Golden.

What a great first in series. This book was so much fun. Great setting and different from other cozies. Very Character driven with good chemistry.

I've read everything Ellen has written and knowing her personally, her voice truly shines in this book. I pictured Dee as Ellen the entire time. I actually laughed out loud multiple times.

I cannot wait for more in this series.

Ellen Byron’s latest culinary cozy series is just as delightful as her other books, but draws more closely on her real life experiences as a former television screenwriter. Her heroine here, Dee Stern, shares a similar occupation but has decided that she's had enough of Hollywood. Instead of writing for mediocre sitcoms, she's going in a completely different career direction, rehabilitating and running the Golden Motel nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

In partnership with her best friend and first ex-husband Jeff, Dee buys the charming fixer-upper that used to belong to the late Jasper Gormley. Jasper left a ton of effects that Dee and Jeff have to sort through, as well as his sweet dog Nugget, whom the new motel owners happily adopt. This naturally endears them to their neighbors in the small town of Foundgold, a place settled all the way back during California’s 1849 Gold Rush.

Getting the motel up and running again is a challenge, but the best friends’ plan to work room by room pays off when they get their very first reservation. Dee’s heart sinks a little when she realizes that their inaugural guest is a fellow screenwriter named Michael Adam Baker. They’d worked together on a sitcom years ago, and though he’s always been friendly to her face, she’s pretty sure that he did his best to undermine her whenever he could. She only hopes that he really means it when he says that he wants to support her new career venture by renting one of her motel’s cabins so that he can work on his new television pilot in bucolic peace.

Dee is thus aghast to discover that he’s planning to base his series pitch on her own life, without so much as a by your leave. She gets into a huge and public fight with him about it, which unsurprisingly does her no favors when he’s found bludgeoned to death in the woods behind the motel. With Jeff just as much of a suspect as she is, the best friends will have to figure out who really hated Michael enough to kill him, as they uncover the surprising ties he had in both Foundgold and in the neighboring, rival town of Goldsgone. They’ll have a scheming killer to contend with, however, who won’t hesitate to strike again.

Ms Byron knows how to write warm, witty characters who draw readers into their orbits and have you rooting for them even as they work through the unusual and often zany elements of their lives. Dee and Jeff are so much fun to be around, as are the inhabitants of both Foundgold and Goldsgone (well, except for Verity, who is a pill.) I really enjoyed our dynamic duo’s sleuthing, too, and look forward to reading of their further adventures in both hospitality and crime-solving.

There were several road trip tips and two recipes included in this book, and I decided to try out this one:

QUOTE
Cowboy Casserole

1 T. olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey, beef or veggie substitute
1 small-medium onion, diced
1 T. minced garlic
1 28 oz. can baked beans, any style
2 15 oz. cans corn, drained
1 15 oz. can creamed corn
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
26 oz. tater tots, thawed

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat up the oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot on medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until tender. Add the garlic and cook together briefly.

Add the ground meat to the onion and garlic mixture, breaking it up as it cooks into small pieces. Once it's cooked, lower the flame slightly and add the baked beans, stirring to combine. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner.

In a medium bowl, combine the creamed corn and regular corn.

Spoon the meat-bean mixture into a greased 9 x 11 baking pan or casserole dish. Top it with the corn mixture, gently spreading the corn to cover the meat-bean mix. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of the grated cheese over the corn. Arrange the tater tots in a single layer on top of the cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese on top of the casserole and bake another 10 minutes.

Serves 8-10.
END QUOTE

I love any casserole with tater tots, and while this definitely isn’t the healthiest thing I’ve ever eaten, it’s certainly filling and delicious! I was actually pretty surprised at how well seasoned it tastes despite not having any salt and pepper added. I was fully expecting to have to add both to each individual serving but the garlic and onion give it a terrific base even before the sweetness of the beans and corn round out the flavor profile. It does make for quite a lot of food, so make sure you have lots of hungry people around when you’re ready to serve it.

Next week, we cross the pond for another culinary cozy series debut while baking up something that feels decidedly American. Do join me!

Ellen Byron is one of my favorite authors. I really enjoyed this book for its theme, quirky cast of characters, and the fun cozy mystery plot. It’s a must-read!

This was a fun, fast paced read set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. The cutely named former gold rush towns are fighting for the next tourist dollar and have a whole host of quirky characters. Dee is a former sit com writer and she and her business partner Jeff purchase the Golden Motel in all its' vintage glory. The mystery is strong and Dee is resourceful. An unlikable character dies and the rivalries between the towns and the background of the deceased lead down a twisty road with plenty of red herrings among the characters as their personalities come out.

This was a highly anticipated read and it did not disappoint! Fun location, fun premise, fun characters...it's a home run! I loved the relationship between Dee and Jeff! I laughed out loud several times @ Dee who i thought was witty and very relatable! This woodsy mystery left me stumped till the end!
I highly recommend this book to all cozy lovers!
I would like to thank netgalley, the author Ellen Byron, and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

This was such a fun read! Ellen Byron is great at creating cozy settings and fun murder mysteries. I loved the getaway in the woods theme, and the characters were so quirky and fun.

This is a perfect summer read, the outdoorsy locale is ideal. I knew as soon as I began it would be a fun read. The rich, woodsy cabin descriptions are what cozies are all about. I really like Dee & Jeff, they are perfect leads, quirky, intelligent & relatable. Some of the things Dee says & thinks are absolutely hilarious! And I loved hearing about all the made up tv shows Dee wrote for, they were really good for a laugh. The supporting characters are delightfully eclectic & mystery is handled adeptly. I had a fun time trying to guess the killer. I can easily see that with excellent setting & cast of characters Byron has created, it can lead to future stories.

This is definitely one of the strongest first books in a new series I’ve read recently. I will be looking out for book two ☺️

When two friends become motel owners from Studio City California to the quaint village of Foundgold. Running a rustic getaway in the woods beats the LA traffic until murder ruins the peace and quiet. But soon Dee and Jeff realize there couldn’t be two more unprepared for the hospitality business. There’s also prowling bears and a general store as the only shopping spot for miles. Living and working in the middle of nowhere takes some getting used to especially when a disrespectful guest ends up dead. Dee must stay clear of a meddling park ranger face her past in show biz and determine if the killer is a local or a tourist. This is a very enjoyable story I would recommend to everyone.

There is just something about a cozy mystery as the perfect "palette cleanser" book. A Very Woodsy Murder starts off with Dee Stern and her ex-husband turned best friend Jeff Cornetta getting ready for their first guest at the country side motel they just purchased. Dee was a television writer and decided to leave her career for something a bit more relaxing. Unfortunately, their first guest is her former television rival and if they wasn't enough to ruin the start of her new career - murder happens. I love the cast and crew of this book - it reminded me of Schitt's Creek at times. It was funny with a Janet Evanovich vibe, but a PG version of her books. I really enjoyed this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this eARC.

A great start to a new series! Wonderful characters in an incredible setting. This book will keep you guessing until the end.

A solid start to a new series by an established cozy writer. The setting is fun and a bit unique. There is opportunity for the characters in the town to be developed more as the series progresses, and there are romance potentials without any of them becoming overmuch.

I appreciate being given the opportunity to read and review the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy of A Very Woodsy Murder by Ellen Byron; thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing.

A murder in the majestic California woods is what I was expecting and this story provided that and more. Charcuterie boards and very bad baked goods were as plentiful as the list of suspects and clues gathered by this amateur sleuth attempting to solve the mystery. Unfortunately, distracted and constantly detoured by the excessive vocabulary word fill, teary moments and “wows” scattered throughout this whodunit, a return trip to this Gold Rush Country vacation destination is unlikely.

This book, unfortunately, just didn't work for me. I typically really enjoy this author, so of course I am disappointed. Clearly I am in the minority here but this was just so flat and meh for me [I found myself doing other things to get out of finishing this, which is never a good sign]; of course, given how many mysteries I read every year there is bound to be ones that are just not my cup of tea and such is the case here and I am [finally] okay with it when it happens. I would think about reading a second book should it be published simply because I often have issues with book one in a new series and also because I think that everyone [especially a previously-read, well-established author] deserves a second chance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ellen Byron, and Kensington Publishing/Kensington Cozies for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Very Woodsy Murder is the first book in a new cozy mystery series centered on a former sit-com writer who has decided to redo an old motel outside of California's gold country. Alongside her best friend and business partner Jeff, Dee can't wait to get her hands dirty tidying-up and re-decorating The Golden. With the beautiful Majestic National Park surrounding them, Dee and Jeff find easy inspiration for creative ideas to attract customers. Unfortunately, just when business is about to take off, their first guest is discovered murdered, and, since Dee had known Michael from her television days, she is one of the prime suspects. Now, in order keep herself out of jail, as well as save her new motel, Dee must do her own investigative work. However, Dee soon learns that investigating a murder and interviewing potential suspects is not as easy as it looks on television, especially when she is determined not to make enemies of the locals.

A Very Woodsy Murder has everything a good cozy mystery needs. It is the perfect debut for a new series. I will definitely be reading the next book! I loved the small-town vibes, especially when compared to Dee's past LA life. The forest setting is picturesque, and the characters are fantastic. I can't wait to get to know the locals more. I love Elmira and her store; however, Serena is likely my favorite character. I laughed every time Dee or Jeff attempted to determine who was in the baby strap: Oscar or Emmy (also, great names for a Hollywood agent's kids). I can't wait to see what Dee and team get up to next!

I might be the lone voice of dissent on this one, but this wasn’t nearly as engaging as some of Ellen Byron’s other series (which I do really enjoy). I had a very hard time getting into it and almost DNF’d about halfway through. I stuck it out, did enjoy the second half more than the first, but am not totally sure I’ll read any more of the series.

More than anything else, I just didn’t connect with any of the characters. I find the idea of an ex husband and wife now being best friends and living/working together kinda unbelievable. The lady who treated her baby and dog as if they were interchangeable pissed me off (admittedly, I’m NOT a dog person). And the dad with his cartoon character voices drove me bonkers.

And while the rustic motel setting is kinda cool, I think Diane Kelly did it better in her Mountain Lodge Mysteries series.

"A Very Woodsy Murder" is a solid cozy and a great fish-out-of-water story. Two "city slicker" ex-spouses move to the touristy backwoods and take over an old motel. When a former coworker is murdered on the property, Dee and Jeff must investigate to save their fledging business and keep themselves out of jail.

This is a new series for Ellen Byron, and isn't set in Louisiana, as some of her others have been. Our sleuths have experience with show biz and writing. What they don't have is any experience running a motel or investigating crimes. They're also learning to navigate small-town life. How they manage this makes for a good series starter.

There's wild wildlife, and even wilder townsfolk, but it's eccentricity that's true to life. Byron creates a complete world, and the environment is its own character, and just as relevant as the human ones.

Why you should read this book: If you've enjoyed any of Byron's other series, you'll like this one. It has great characters, a logical plot, and solid worldbuilding.

Why you might not want to read it: Dee and Jeff occasionally flail and maybe jump to a few conclusions they oughtn't, but that's understandable, given that they've sunk their life savings into this and are murder suspects.

I received an advance copy from Kensington via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

4 out of 5 stars. Recommended.

A VERY WOODSY MURDER by Ellen Byron
The First Golden Motel Mystery

Burned out from life as a screenwriter in Los Angeles Dee Stern is ready for a new start and finds it in a crumbling motel at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Convincing her best friend Jeff Cornetta to buy the Golden Motel with her the fledgling moteliers have their work cut out for them. Their first guest has an agenda, and it's not helping Dee's new business. When he winds up murdered, the friends are seen as pariahs...and suspects. With two law enforcement agencies battling to quickly close the case Dee and Jeff decide it's in their best interest to try to solve the murder themselves.

Friends with zero hospitality experience decide to open a motel in the middle of nowhere. What could possible go wrong? Fortunately for readers a lot goes wrong-cue in one dastardly screenwriter, murder, and bad pastries, and a lot goes right, snappy dialogue, unique characters, and a lot of humor. There are a few running gags I particularly enjoyed, the one with Emmy and Oscar in particular always made me smile. I really love the relationship between Dee and Jeff and like how they work as a team. Some of the characters are a bit over the top, but fun to have around.

I appreciate the balance between getting their motel up and running and dealing with the citizens of both towns while working with law enforcement and investigating on their own. Several suspects, lots of motives, and more than one red herring made for an enjoyable mystery.

So don't be a cidiot, grab your own copy of A VERY WOODSY MURDER.