I thoroughly enjoyed this first entry into this new series. I loved that the span of time to solve the murder was in a short timeframe, the characters were very easy to keep up with and a surprising plot twist/cliffhanger at the end. I can't wait for the next book in the series. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eArc.

Off the Beaten Path is a cozy mystery set in a small Michigan town, where park ranger Maudy gets caught up in a murder case. The setting feels really authentic, and Maudy’s bond with her dog Martin Short adds a nice touch. The mystery keeps things interesting, though sometimes the pacing drags a bit and Maudy makes some questionable choices. Overall, it’s a fun, chill read if you like cozy mysteries with a nature vibe.

A charming mystery in an even more charming setting. Great cast of characters and the mystery was intriguing. However, the romance part took a little edge off the story in my opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

Reading this was a slug fest. I couldn’t get in to it, found the FMC unlikeable and silly. The writing was too clunky for me. But the cozy mystery premise and the cover art are lovely!

I love the premise of this book - a park ranger and her dog. The dog turned out to be the bright spot of this book. I was annoyed by so many things. Since when is a dump site enough to close a location forever? Why is the only one law enforcement officer in an entire area? If that is true, the officer should not spend 23 hours a day in closed meetings. Maudy the park ranger locked in on a suspect simply because she did not like the person. The ending was a twist. However I am not sure it is enough to make me read another book in the series.

I really expected to like this story more than I did. I mean the FMC, Maudy, is a Park Ranger with a really sweet dog, in a park located in a small Michigan village. She has a great staff, good friends and she is doing something she loves.

Sounds like a great setup for a cozy mystery or the introduction of characters in a cozy mystery series. Just a guess, as there were indications that might be the case. Oh yeah, and a dead body found in her park.

I feel like there were a few reasons I wasn’t as invested in the story. First, I feel like the author tried to fit too much information into the book that felt misplaced. There were multiple references to a devastating break up the FMC had, with no additional information except that she still uses the stationary set he got her so it’s always front and center, reminding her, and she can’t move past it.

Second, she got bad news from her boss about the future of the park, and while yes, Kelly, the officer stationed there asked for her help and the park couldn’t open until the murder was solved, she was so focused on the murder that the park took a back seat. She could have asked her staff who hadn’t been cleared to brainstorm ideas, but she focused on the murder and put herself in harm’s way.

Third, there was the local guy, jealous of two outsiders. Cozy murder mysteries can have a secondary romance storyline, unfortunately this one felt added after and could probably have waited until book 2, if this is a series.

The story itself was good, although not as cohesive as it could have been. I did enjoy the dual POV at the end.

I would like to thank the author, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given. As always, I wish you happy reading!

Maudy Lorso is a park ranger in Stone’s Throw Michigan. She loves her job, living in a small town, and spending time with her friends. When the body of a missing tourist shows up in the park, can Maudy solve the mystery? With likeable characters, fun pets, a few twists and turns, and a great small town setting, this was an entertaining mystery that kept me turning pages! Looking forward to the next adventure!
I received a free copy from NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to Netgallery and the publishers for this book.

The book is about a 20-something park ranger who finds herself in a murder and is a consultant to the cops since the murdered person was found in the park grounds. Overall the book was enjoyable and I was right along with Maudy trying to figure out who did the deed. The beginning I felt it was a bit slow, the author introduced basically everyone in the little town, but once the body is discovered it picks up speed.

I think my biggest issue was with Maudy herself, she launches herself into the investigation when the police only wanted her to keep her eyes and ears open. She even gets annoyed that the detective won’t share anything pertinent even though she was told things would be kept from her and she agreed. Miss Nancy Drew threw herself into interviewing everyone she assumes to be the killer and even takes a liking to someone she thinks might be the killer. As far as picturing herself getting back into dating because of this alleged murderer.

When the killer is finally found out she decides since she can’t get ahold of anyone she’s going to take them on herself, all 5’0” of her, which spoilers does not go well for her. The saving grace in this book for me was Marty, her dog, who by the way nothing happens to him.

The final bonus chapter I think could have been left on the editing floor, I don’t think it was necessary to the overall story and I feel took away from the feeling of the book being over. But I suppose it kind of opens up to a second book, if that was the goal.

My rating for this book 3.5 stars.

Unterhaltsame cozy mystery Geschichte mit National Park Vibes und Kleinstadtfeeling.

Die Geschichte habe ich mir speziell für meinen USA Roadtrip durch die Nationalparks ausgesucht und obwohl ich nicht am Lake Michigan unterwegs war, hat die Stimmung perfekt gepasst.

Typisch cozy Mysterie, stehen neben dem Mord, den es aufzuklären gilt, vor allem die Haupt-und Nebencharaktere im Vordergrund. Wir begleiten Maudy, die als Park Rangerin, zusammen mit ihrem Hund "Martin Short" in einem kleinen Ort am Lake Michigan lebt und arbeitet. Kurz bevor die Campingseason in ihrem Park wieder eröffnet werden soll, verschwindet ein Tourist und taucht als Leiche wieder auf. Dadurch steht nicht nur die Eröffnung sondern auch ihr Job auf dem Spiel.

Der Schreibstil hat mir gut gefallen und die Geschichte konnte mich gut unterhalten. Wie in dem Genre zu erwarten war, war die Spannung zwar vorhanden, aber nicht so, dass ich mir deswegen die Fingernägel abgebissen hätte :-)
Es werden einige Charaktere und die Stadt vorgestellt, da dies ein Reihenauftakt ist, und auch mit einem Cliffhanger endet. Für meinen Geschmack waren es aber fast etwas viele Infos und Personen, die man sich merken musste.

Maudy als Hauptcharakter mochte ich gerne und vor allem ihren Hund "Martin Short" habe ich ins Herz geschlossen. Maudy war mir zwar sympatisch, blieb aber stellenweise etwas blass. Man erfährt hier und da etwas aus ihrer Vergangenheit, aber die Zusammenhänge waren mir nicht immer klar. Auch ihre Gefühle und Beweggründe hätten noch etwas mehr ausgebaut werden können.

Da ich die "ARC" Version des Buches gelesen habe (danke an Netgally), hatte es ein paar Stellen, die man meiner Meinung nach noch anpassen bzw. kürzen könnte. Das wurde vermutlich in der finalen Version auch gemacht.

Ich würde das Buch empfehlen und werde auch gerne in der Reihe weiterlesen. Ein sehr solider cozy Mystery Roman für alle die das Setting Kleinstadt und Camping/ National Park mörgen.

This is the first book of a new series by Eloise Corvo.. I enjoyed reading this book and loved the setting in Michigan. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing (and turning pages)! Stone's Throw State Park is located near Traverse City and the main character is a park ranger. who is dealing with several challenges at once. I will be looking for more books by this author and will be interested in seeing what happens next in this series.

First off, a big thank you to NetGalley and author Eloise Corvo for providing access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This wasn’t a special approval, but one of the titles available to read freely—and I truly appreciate that option.

As a fan of cozy mysteries, the cover immediately caught my eye with its charming and mysterious vibe. Unfortunately, I struggled to get into the story, and that didn’t improve as I continued reading. The writing felt a bit unpolished, and the dialogue relied too much on telling rather than showing. While I really wanted to enjoy this one, it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

2.5 stars

Kudos to ME for correctly guessing whodunit at 52%. You would think this would lead to an anticlimactic reveal, but nay, on the contrary: I was elated to know that I was correct. Enough about myself though.

Off the Beaten Path is an easy, quick read with plenty of character, distinct voice, humor, suspense, and intrigue. The characters--especially Maudy and Martin--feel real and unforgettable. (Think Hannah Swensen and Moishe.) The author's use of character and distinctive personality really make this novel shine. The world building is also great; I can easily imagine this small Midwestern community. Corvo also does a fine job with her pacing. Chapters are just the right length to leave you saying, "Okay, one more," and leave just enough mystery to keep readers turning those pages.

I can see Stone's Throw, and, moreover, Eloise Corvo, becoming standouts in the cozy mystery genre. Despite rating Off the Beaten Path three stars and feeling neither here nor there about it, I could also easily see myself coming back and supporting another addition to the series.

Mixed feelings about this one. I'll start with the good:

• Amazing cover
• Very cozy
• Nice setting
• Marty!
• Mystery was okay

What didn't work for me: The FMC.

❗Selfish, childish, out of touch
❗❗❓Thinks the brutal murder of a man is inconvenient and bad for appearances (oh no! Not the park! Couldn't he have been murdered another time, or ever better, somewhere else!)

❗Blatantly lies and deliberately goes against police orders multiple times

❗❗Disregards detective's warning to stay away from a potential suspect literally as soon as she's told. Then says, "I ran into him on the street."
❗❗❓Constantly complains the police won't give her more information, "They're making MY job harder!"

Quite frankly, she should have been banned from coming to work or entering the area after the first incident.

❗❓She also constantly refers to Marty as "the dog". Umm, he has a name!
❗❗❗❓AND (view spoiler) 😑

Marty was the star of the show! 🐶

Off the Beaten Path follows State Park Ranger Maudy as her once calm and peaceful life and job is thrown into disarray when a man goes missing and shows up murdered in the park.

I am an enjoyer of cozy stories. This is a cozy mystery. On paper this should have been an enjoyable read for me. In execution this is one of if not the most infuriating mystery I have read in a long long time.

The key to a cozy story is the characters. Unfortunately, our heroine Maudy is extremely unlikeable, makes really stupid decisions, throws herself into danger willingly and unnecessarily and seemingly has no respect for her own life or livelihood. She could have been killed or fired at least a dozen times during this book; and honestly I don't think I would have cared if either happened. I'm also tired of authors telling us that their main character is so smart and then showing us that they're a complete imbecile.

The plot. Oh dear. If a mystery being cozy means that it is blatantly obvious then I don't want to ever read a cozy mystery again. If a reader, namely myself, is able to correctly guess the entire twist and solution, as well as the sequel bait, by the 60% mark..... then there is something empirically wrong with your story telling. I was wasting my time reading the second half of this book.

I'm going to keep this spoiler free and not talk about the ending.... but my God it made me so mad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author Eloise Corvo for giving me the opportunity to read this e-arc.

I love cozy mysteries and the cover just radiates cozy, forest and mystery. I really struggled getting into the story and it didn't get better the more I read. something about the writing style bugged me. it felt clunky and unedited. the conversations consisted of too much "telling" and not enough "showing".

I didn't connect with the main character at all. we don't really get to know her backstory, only snippets here and there. she took unnecessary risks for someone who'd been assigned ranger barely a year ago. the other characters didn't feel very developed either and the best friend/love interest aspect annoyed me, mostly because he was just rude for no reason. the presence of jeremy felt out of place and forced. there was no chemistry besides him being "super attractive" and he weirded me out the whole time.

I liked seeing maudy pick up clues here and there but the conclusion was pretty predictable. at the end, the author added a chapter that introduces a possible next book but it felt forced and out of place and I'd rather had the book as a standalone.

I first want to start and say thank you NetGalley for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a very easy read & I think a great start to those who do not want a grisly thriller or murder mystery book. The vibes are very cozy but at times the writing felt a little too juvenile for me. I think at times Maudy tried tooooo hard to be this quirky girl and some of the things she would say would make me cringe.

Pacing was good and it was easy to follow along, didn’t give a damn about the romance subplot- found it weird but the final chapter does set us up for a possible next book and then it would make a little more sense ? But if there is no intent for another book then that final chapter was absolutely pointless.

Marty is the best character in this entire book thou and that’s how I will end this review!

Beautiful cover, interesting story, good reads. This was not given to me as a special arc for approval, but just one available to read for free. Thank you for this option!

the synopsis of this one combined with the stunning cover drew me in, I had high hopes.

I didn't love the main character enough to be truly invested in this story. It's well written and I think the right audience will absolutely eat it up

I picked this book rather randomly from NetGallery and am glad that I did. The writing is excellent and the plot well thought out. The description of the Michigan park and the character development were very well done. The main character has her share of emotional demons but copes with them while doing her job. Her canine companion is very bright and allows her a sounding board for her investigation into a murder which threatens to block the opening of the park. The ending was a bit of a cliff hanger so I am very hopeful for a sequel. This opinion is totally my own.