There's one thing Ellen Byron guarantees in all her books: laugh out loud humor. And this one did not disappoint! I found myself chuckling aloud more than once and seeing Dee and Jeff blunder their way through solving another mystery while trying to boost their hotel business was such a fun ride! While the characters are a bit over the top, it fits well for this series and I kind of love it. I so enjoy Byron's writing style and am hoping that Dee and Jeff's stories continue!

This was a quick read with a bit of a twist that I wasn't expecting. The gold rush idea was a good way to go, and the influx of visitors can only help with suspects! Jeff, Sam and the residents of the towns are back. And if it's a sport, Jeff is hilariously bad at it. I was here for that, it was a good bit. The Bud the bear comics - along with the TV show sub-plot, were enjoyable.

But I also found Dee to be a little more annoying in this book. She does the things she accuses others of - breaking and entering to find out what secrets people might have (but it's okay, she's only trying to help), assaulting someone with bear spray because she didn't like the look on his face when a persons name was mentioned, getting fired from a job she didn't need so that she could snoop - FOR SNOOPING. Like what are we doing here? It's not cute and it's not quirky. Also, the whole sleeping in a tent thing, by the time she was like "why and I doing this" I was wondering why she didn't think that on day 1. Sometimes it's okay to just act like the grown person you are.

Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for this book.

This is a new favorite series of mine! I love the characters and the setting is great. I love the hotel idea and would want to stay there. The mystery kept me guessing, but there are so many quirky characters that I didn't even notice.

3.5 stars

In this second book in the 'Golden Motel' series, a motel guest hoping to resurrect an old gold mine becomes a murder victim. The book works fine as a standalone since it has a "Who's Who" of all the old and new characters.

*****
Dee Stern was a Hollywood sitcom writer for fifteen years before she and her best friend (and former husband) Jeff Cornetta opened the Golden Motel in the foothills of California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Jeff, who's a freelance website designer, created a webpage to advertise the hostelry and describe things to do in the area. The local attractions include the nearby Majestic National Park and two quaint towns: Foundgold, home to the Golden Motel and Williker's All-In-One General Store; and Goldsgone, a historic re-creation town that looks almost exactly like it did 150 years ago. The Goldsgondians dress in period costumes; speak in Old West lingo; and maintain old timey facades for their stores and businesses.

Dee and Jeff are always looking for ways to attract guests, so they've renovated an old sluice - a facsimile of the original Forty-Niners' wooden contraption that separates gold from river bottom water. The brook water used for the sluice is seeded with pyrite (fool's gold) to give guests an enjoyable 'panning for gold' experience, and Dee's father dresses up as Prospector Pete to add to the fun.

Shockingly, the first visitors to try the sluice find REAL gold nuggets, and a video posted to social media starts a gold rush. Online reservations for the Golden Motel ratchet up in minutes, and by the following day every hostelry in the area is booked up by prospectors, wannabes, families, and curiosity seekers. Four young Silicon Valley techies arrive at the Golden Motel in a helicopter: Sylvan Burr, Austin Nguyen, Gracie Delacroix, and Gavin Walsh, a group that call themselves the 'Core Four.'

Sylvan created an app called Tax Hax, a virtual accountant that does tax returns better and cheaper than a real-life accountant. The app made Sylvan a billionaire, and his companions are very rich as well. Sylvan tells Dee his ancestors mined gold in the area, and he wants to reopen an old family mine and extract more gold. Sylvan has an entitled attitude, and Dee learns he's been accused of racism and sexual harassment, and he once sent a box of poop to a journalist who annoyed him. Sylvan is also unpopular with real life accountants who lost business to his app. Sylvan makes himself unpopular locally as well, by telling general store owner Elmira that her baked goods are terrible; and by trying to buy all the businesses in Goldsgone, so he can own a whole town.

Before long Sylvan is found dead at the bottom of the abandoned 'Rich Diggins' mine, stabbed in the back. This revives the Golden's Motel's old nickname 'murder motel', acquired when a guest was killed in the past. Dee fears the moniker will drive away business. To demonstrate that the motel is a safe place, Dee decides to help Deputy Sheriff Raul Aguilar find Sylvan's killer. During her investigation, Dee delves into people's private lives; eavesdrops on conversations; searches people's rooms; asks intrusive questions; does computer searches; breaks and enters; and suspects EVERYONE in sight. Dee texts the deputy sheriff all her findings, but it's Dee who solves the crime in the end.

As all this is happening, Jeff tests recreational activities for motel guests, like electric bikes and canoes; Dee spars with her archenemy Verity Donner Gillespie, who thinks of herself as the queen of Goldsgone; Ice Cream Ida sells delicious pumpkin ice cream sandwiches; Ranger Tom makes sculptures with found objects from the park; charcuterie artist Serena assembles scrumptious breakfast boards; Dee and her hound Nugget camp out in a tent; and much more. These additional scenes provide a wonderful ambiance to the story, and make northern California seem like a great place to visit.

The book has a few of Dee's 'Bud the Bear' cartoons, that advertise her 'Bud the Bear' stuffed toys, which she sells for extra cash. The book also has a recipe for Nutty Almond Date Bars, because California is the almond and date capital of America.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery, especially the array of slightly wacky characters.

Thanks to Netgalley, Ellen Byron, and Kensington Cozies for a copy of the book.

Ma’am and Mister Ma'am are my favorites. I hope there is more to this series because I’ve enjoyed it so far. The humor is great, the mystery is well written, and it’s a cozy read.

I really enjoyed it!! This one was better than the first, at least in my opinion. I can’t wait for the next one!

Solid Gold Murder is the second Golden Motel cozy mystery by Ellen Byron. Released 29th July 2025 by Kensington, it's 258 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out 10th Dec 2025 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a cute very light cozy mystery set in the Gold Country of Northern California. Hotelier and former sitcom writer Dee and her ex-husband/best friend/business partner Jeff certainly didn't anticipate a *real* latter-day goldrush when they set up panning themed activities for the guests, but that's exactly what happened. Their hotel's popularity explodes when the discovery goes viral, and they're inundated with guests.

An unfortunate maybe-not-accidental-death has Dee scrambling (again) to figure out whodunnit and save her hotel's reputation before they lose everything.

It's full of quirky secondary characters (some unappealing or downright loathsome). The author is remarkably adept at scenery and description, and the book is full of beautiful settings which are very easy to imagine. The denouement and resolution are well engineered and satisfying. Although it's the second book in the series, it works perfectly well as a standalone.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 7 hours 23 minutes and is capably read by Amy Melissa Bentley. She has a well modulated neutral American accent and does a good job of the various character voices of a range of ages and both male and female. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Four stars. With 2 books in the series, it would make a nice binge/buddy read as well as suited for fans of cozy mystery.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

My new favorite vacation -- reading a Golden Motel Mystery. Thank you NetGalley, Kensington and Ellen Byron for giving me the chance to get away from it all.

A good mystery & great cast of characters in a beautiful setting - especially love Bud the Bear! Light-hearted, uplifting, and Dee is dee-lightful. I'm rooting for her success and hope there are many more episodes to follow. Lots of laugh out loud moments -- Ellen Byron really is The Writer With the Comic Touch.

Ellen Byron's second entry to the Golden Motel Mystery, Solid Gold Murder, is even better than the first. In the first book, Dee Stern and her ex-husband Jeff had just opened a motel in the mountains of Northern California. Right off, there is a murder--and their motel becomes known as the "Murder Motel."

Here in the second book, Dee is desperately trying to erase that name, but her ongoing feud with her new nemesis is making that difficult. Of course, things get even worse with there's another death. This time the victim is a Silicon Valley tech bro, a billionaire who has lots of enemies--including pretty much everyone who has even met him! To add to the ongoing craziness, gold has been found in the area, so there's a mad rush of people hoping to strike it rich. Dee, a former TV writer from Hollywood, also has the chance to write a new show based on the cartoons she has created for the hotel mascot, Bud the Bear.

Ellen Byron uses her background as a Hollywood tv writer to show the absurdity of some of the requests for what needs to happen for the Bud the Bear show to actually get made--these are some of the funniest scenes in the book. Also funny are Jeff's various mishaps as he searches for fun activities for their guests.

Of course Dee and Jeff's activities include trying to solve the murder to make sure their hotel won't run out of guest when the excitement of finding gold pans out. Unlike some mysteries where there are few suspects, in this story nearly every character is a suspect. Winnowing out those who just talked about wanting to kill Simon the billionaire from those who really wanted to see him dead takes all of Dee's skills--and makes for a fun read for mystery lovers.

The setting, the humor, the ultimate resolution, all make this a great second entry to the series. I hope there are more to come!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

This was a really fun cozy mystery involving gold and a murder investigation. I enjoy the setting and getting to know the characters better n

Solid Gold Murder by Ellen Byron was an absolute delight from start to finish. Ellen Byron delivered another gem in the Golden Motel Mystery series, and I was all in from page one.

The characters were delightfully eccentric, each adding their own flavor to the mystery stew. Dee Stern, our motel-owning heroine, was as sharp and funny as ever, and the supporting cast kept things lively. The plot itself was refreshingly unique compared to other cozies I’ve read. Sure, I figured out whodunnit before the big reveal, but there were so many layers to peel back that I stayed hooked the whole way through.

Byron has a knack for blending humor, heart, and suspense in just the right doses. The setting—a motel turned murder magnet during a modern-day gold rush—was both hilarious and oddly believable.

Dee Stern is gradually realizing her dream, however recently acquired, of running a motel in California’s gold rush country, with the help of her best friend and ex-husband Jeff Cornetta. So far, their Golden Motel has survived the murder of a guest, a mystery that Dee had a pretty big role in solving. Hopefully, they'll soon be able to overcome the “Murder Motel” nickname they've been cruelly given by Dee’s local rival Verity Donner Gillespie.

While Dee has been working to popularize the Golden Motel’s mascot Bud the Bear via cartoons and merchandise, it's the unexpected discovery of gold in the waters behind the property that really brings in a rush of paying guests. Among these customers is a quartet of tech entrepreneurs who call themselves the Core Four. Sylvan Burr made his fortune conceptualizing and selling the tax refund app Tax Hax, and has now retired despite being only in his twenties. His girlfriend Gracie Delacroix is with him, as is Tax Hax’s former lead programmer Austin Nguyen and their former CFO Gavin Walsh. The Core Four is loudly sniffing around the derelict mines that dot the area to see whether they can add gold and property to their already significant asset portfolios. Unsurprisingly, they aren't making very many friends – among either the other guests or the residents of the towns where the Golden Motel lies – in the process.

So when Sylvan goes missing, and is subsequently found dead at the bottom of a closed mine shaft, there's no shortage of suspects, especially after it becomes clear that his death was no accident. Plenty of people in both Goldsgone and Foundgold had loudly wished him ill, including Dee herself. But who had actually hated him enough to kill him? With the reputation of her motel and her entire livelihood once again at stake, Dee will have to team up with local law enforcement to track down and catch a cunning killer before they strike again.

I love Ellen Byron’s comic touch as she writes eminently readable cozy mysteries peopled with characters you love (and some you love to hate.) The second book in the Golden Motel Mystery series had plenty of hilarious town hijinks to go with the murder mystery solving, providing a lighthearted counterpoint to a serious subject. I also loved the behind the scenes peeks she gave us into Dee’s former life as a sitcom writer, drawing on her own time in the entertainment industry!

In addition to several cute Bud The Bear cartoons and road trip tips, this book included a recipe that was delightfully and representatively Californian:

QUOTE
Nutty Almond Date Bars

Crust:
½ cup brown sugar
⅔ cup softened butter
½ cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
½ tsp. salt

Filling:
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup corn syrup
¼ cup butter
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tsp. almond extract

Nut and date mixture:
1 cup unsalted, slivered, dry-roast almonds
1 cup chopped dates

Drizzle:
1 cup melting white chocolate
½ to 1 tbsp. vegetable oil (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.

Line a 13” x 9” sheet pan with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, cream ½ cup brown sugar, ⅔ cup butter, and ½ cup corn syrup. Add 1 teaspoon almond extract and the egg and mix well. Slowly add the flour and salt, mixing well to combine into a dough. Spread the dough in pan, pressing to the edges. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a light golden brown.

While the crust is baking, heat ⅓ cup brown sugar and ⅓ cup corn syrup over a low heat in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in ¼ cup butter and the whipping cream. Raise heat to medium, and heat mixture until it boils. Remove it from the stove and stir in the teaspoon of almond extract.

Sprinkle the almonds and dates over the crust, making sure they're evenly distributed. Pour the cooked mixture over the nuts and dates, making sure to spread it evenly over the almonds and dates.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown and set. Cool about halfway, then melt the white chocolate by following the directions on the bag. (Add ½ tablespoon to a full tablespoon of vegetable oil to thin the white chocolate if necessary.)

Use a spoon to drizzle or drop the white chocolate onto the uncut bars. Put the tray into the refrigerator to finish cooling and to harden the white chocolate.

Once the uncut bars are completely cool, use a sharp knife and carefully cut them into 16 bars or 24 squares.
END QUOTE

First off, I’ll admit that it was only as I was retyping this recipe for this column that I realized that it asked me to use a sheet pan and not a baking dish! My bars probably wound up coming out a little thicker than the recipe anticipated, but I think that they were honestly delicious that way too. The only quibble I had with the instructions as written was the bit where they tell you to cool the bars halfway. That, as my good friend and current favorite baking consultant Scott commented, “is a dangerous game” though one I think we navigated with success.

I did cut back a little on the sugar, which is a choice that may or may not have been responsible for how strongly the almond extract flavor subsequently came through. That aside, this was a delicious and surprisingly healthy dessert that makes for a portable treat, showcasing California’s role as the date and almond capital of the USA.

Next week, we head out of the country altogether to bake up another sweet treat while investigating the murder that derails a tropical vacation. Do join me!

Dee and Jeff are co-owners of the Golden Motel which has also been known as the Murder Motel. Heavy rains have left the town of Foundgold a little soggy but has also loosened some of the old gold. And suddenly the town is filled with gold hunters. Great for the local economy but makes life a lot to deal with. When a group of wealthy techies show up to make another fortune, when a techie is found dead in an old mine, Dee is forced to investigate to avoid the Murder Motel label yet again. This is an enjoyable read. #NetGalley

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Trying to shed the nickname “Murder Motel,” bestowed on it by Verity Donner – Yes, that Donner Gillespie, Dee Stern, a former Hollywood sitcom writer, attempts to carve out a new path for the peaceful place to escape she and Jeff Cornetta, her ex-husband and now partner, have in created at the Golden Motel of the Mountains. Part of that new path includes bringing back a facsimile of an original Forty-Niners’ wooden contraption, a sluice, that uses water to separate gold from the sand. It will allow their guests to pan for “gold,” actually “fool’s gold”. What they didn’t plan on was the discovery of a real gold nugget and a viral video of the incident. A video that started Gold Rush 2.o! All their motel’s accommodations were fully booked within minutes, as were all the places to stay in the area. Everyone is ready for an adventure and interested in the abandoned mines in the area.

All the businesses in Foundgold and Goldsgone were happy to have a huge influx of tourists, but Gold Rush 2.0 attracted some unsavory characters from Silicon Valley who were sure they were going to hit a real gold mine and line their already overflowing pockets. The head of the Core Four immediately got on Dee’s last nerve, but she didn’t wish him dead. Sylvan Burr, a wealthy 30-year-old retired CEO, went missing, and soon his dead body was found at the bottom of an abandoned mineshaft. Another murder connected to Dee, Jeff, and their “Murder Motel”.

Dee’s livelihood was on the line. She was also dealing with Verity and her schemes. Burr had plenty of enemies. Dee hopes to turn the tables on Verity, putting her in a position to root out the killer without putting herself in too much danger. Heck, maybe Bud the Bear will do her a solid and help her get to the bottom of the murder and help her save the Golden.

I was thrilled to be back in Foundgold, population 68, and the Golden Motel-of-the-Mountains. Dee handles most of the hotel business while Jeff endeavors to find fun experiences for their guests to do. He isn’t usually successful, but it sure is funny to see him try a variety of things. Dee’s dad, Sam, has been staying at the Golden while work was being done on his Los Angeles home. He’s been having a good time and is in no hurry to head home. The voice actor has taken on the persona of Prospector Pete to assist motel guests panning at the sluice. The backwoods couple of Ma’am and Mister Ma’am are on hand to help Dee and Jeff with anything they need, including teaching them the true craft of panning for gold. Dee also adopted Nugget, a hound dog that belonged to the motel’s late owner. Jonas, Dee’s new boyfriend, had only a minor role this time, but the relationship is moving in the right direction. A variety of residents of Foundgold and Goldgone join this wonderful cast of core characters. I can’t forget Bud, the Bear, who could wander through at any time. I loved the bonus of Dee’s Bud the Bear cartoons and merchandise.

The guests at the Golden are a unique group. Some are there for the pure fun, while others could really use the money that any gold nuggets or flakes can bring. Then there are the techy folks from Silicon Valley. They are up to something.

This mystery was a fun one. Dee is in constant motion, trying to figure out who killed Sylvan Burr and why, all while jumping through the hoops Verity throws into her path. I had a fabulous time trekking around with her as she followed each clue wherever it led. She had many different theories from her eavesdropping and observations, and every twist and turn added something new. The final twist was a big surprise that confirmed an error I made in discarding a thought I had earlier in the book.

Solid Gold Murder is a solid gold addition to this series. Ms. Bryon has plotted this mystery so perfectly with a variety of subplots woven in seamlessly to keep the story moving at a brisk pace. She also fills the story with humor as only she can. The banter between Jeff and Dee is entertaining, and I love the setting of the old-fashioned motel and the woodsy area surrounding it. This book is another Perfect Escape from this wonderful author. I can’t wait to see what she has planned for Dee and Jeff next.

While this book can be read on its own, if you haven’t read the first book in this series, A Very Woodsy Murder, I recommend starting at the beginning to get to know these characters and Goldsgone and Foundgold from the start for maximum enjoyment.

Solid Gold Murder by Ellen Byron is a solid follow-up to the first book. The actions takes place at the Golden Motel, a joint venture between Dee Stern, who in a previous life had been a sit-com writer, and her ex-husband, now friend, Jeff Cornetta. They were trying to expand the offerings at the Golden by introducing gold panning, which her father, who had been recovering with them, was in charge of. Jeff is working on some other options, which provide the comedy relief. Suddenly someone panned some actual gold, not fool’s gold and as much as they tried to keep than information private, it got out and there appeared to be a second gold rush on their hands. It was good for business and good for murder. It was a rich man. Sadly one of those who was young and arrogant and cared for no one but himself. Turns out he had ties to the area: an ancestor who behaved no better than he did.

What an enchanting place for a cozy mystery. The place is full of interesting characters as well as a living history town. It was sad there was a rivalry within the town that made many of the people resentful, but such was life. Dee carried on, drawing her little bear cartoons and putting them on souvenir merchandise for the motel. She is a born investigator and can’t resist investigating in her “spare” time. She is good at it though. Lots of amazing side characters, including Ma’am and Mister, two older folks with personalities of their own, who live off the grid nearby and help with the gold panning. Dee found the killer. Thankfully. And life moved forward. Good book. Good characters. Good plot. Excellent setting. Surprises along the way.

I was invited to read Solid Gold Murder by Kensington Publishing. All thoughts an opinions are mine. #Netgalley #KensingtonPublishing #EllenByron #SolidGoldMurder

This is the second book in the series and captivating from page one. I adore the atmospheric setting of the California mountains, the vibrant characters and the intriguing sleuth. I love the dynamic between the characters with such great humor that makes this reader laugh out loud. The addition of a gold rush was fun to read. The antics of the bear and visitors so fun to read.
This is a must read series. I highly recommend this series for your reading enjoyment.
Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author. My review is my own opinion.

In Solid Gold Murder, the sequel to A Very Woodsy Murder and book two in the Golden Motel Mystery series, sitcom writer-turned-motelier Dee is trying to get rid of her motel's nickname of Murder Motel, but this goal becomes difficult when someone else is murdered on her motel's property.

What I liked: Like the first book, this one has great characters, a beautiful setting, and a fun mystery. It is absolutely hilarious, but also has heart. All the characters are fully realized, with the secondary characters stealing scenes.

What I disliked: Nothing!

Overall: You should read this series if you like themes of found family and second chances, along with humor, mystery, and gorgeous scenery.

Thanks to and NetGalley for providing the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

For book recommendations and reviews, follow me on YouTube at https://youtube.com/@whileireadwithkatiedodrill?si=jxOMZ3BPnlH5ofeU

Good plot, nice twists and turns.

I love anything Ellen Byron writes, regardless of series or what name she uses. This is book 2 in this new series. It's fun and well-organized. I enjoyed it so much, as I do every one of her books.

Dee and Jeff are best friends, ex-spouses and co-owners of the Golden Motel, best known as the murder motel and home to Stoney (now Bud) the bear. I love their chemistry and how they want the best for each other. I also love how they solve mysteries.

This mystery sees the arrivals of young Bro-llionaires from Silicon Valley. Self centered, egotistical and elitist. When the leader is found dead in an abandoned gold mind, Dee and Jeff step up to help clear The Golden's name and reputation and find the murderer.

This is def a do not miss read for fans of Cozies and of all things Ellen Byron.

A wonderful book filled with vibrant characters and a really unique setting. In this second book in the series, we find new Motel owners, Dee and Jeff in the middle of an unintentional gold rush. Many people are descending on their motel in the hopes of finding their fortune. One group of such adventurers have actually found their fortune in the tech world and are more than wealthy enough to not need to participate in the gold rush. Before Dee can figure out why they are there, one of them goes missing and is found at the bottom of an old mine. It is up to Dee, Jeff, and their friends to find out who done it before the "Murder Motel" moniker sticks. I really enjoyed this book and the antics of Bud the bear. There is a lot of humor with so many great characters. I am excited to see what happens next.

Former Hollywood sitcom writer turned motel owner (with ex-husband/best friend Jeff Cornetta) Dee Stern is determined to make her motel a success but she needs the hotel to lose the nickname “Murder Motel”. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem likely to happen soon when there is yet another murder at the Motel. Dee wants to find out who the killer is before the Motel’s reputation brings them ruin but she has a lot of suspects to choose from and not a lot of time.

Solid Gold Murder is the wickedly funny second book in Ellen Byron’s Golden Motel cozy mystery series. The humor is nicely done without being over-the-top and creates not only delightful characters (Dee, Jeff, Dee’s father, Dee’s friends Elmira and Serena, Verity “yes that Donner”, Bud the Bear, and more), but delightful situations (Jeff’s continued attempts at various activities for the motel, Dee’s father’s different voices, Elmira’s baked goods, the rivalry between two towns, the rivalry between Dee and Verity, Dee’s Bud the Bear cartoons, even a few unexpected romances). None of this takes away from the mystery which is well done with just the right amount of suspects and a few surprises along the way. The part where the killer was revealed was well done with just the right amount of tension – I did feel a bit sad when the identity of the killer was revealed. All in all well done by Byron.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.