I love a good cozy mystery! One that incorporates all of my favorite topics (i.e. genealogy, bookstores, libraries, cooking, painting, inn keeping, animals, etc.), throwing in some action-suspense, a who-done-it, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps me guessing, then you’ve got me hooked. I will say, I am one of those people who like to read a series from the beginning, but I often find you don’t have to… either way I highly recommend reading Getaway with Murder by Diane Kelly.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.*

This story was really great. I found it wonderful to have an older protagonist. Typically they are in their twenties but the leading character in this book had just turned fifty. Having a different perspective made for an interesting storyline. Misty has just dropped her youngest son off at college and amicably divorced her husband. She invests all her money in a beloved lodge where she decides to live as she runs the business. She gets off to a rocky start with the foundation practically collapsing underneath her but finds a fantastic handyman to help her out and hires him to also maintain the lodge, as a bonus the is a bit of flirting going on between them. Her first booking is a huge yoga retreat that occupies the whole place. Things are seemingly zen until the yoga instructor is found dead. Misty assists local law enforcement with the investigation. She’s not about to let her investment and new home go under.

As if turning 50 wasn’t enough for Misty Murphy she ended her marriage and invested her settlement in a dilapidated mountain lode in the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the old in teetering on both a bluff and bankruptcy she felt like she’d lost her mind. Luckily with the help of handyRocky Crowder rehabbing everything and doing it on a dime to Misty’s delight the lodge was fully booked on opening night every room filled. Folks who’d slipped into spandex and ascend the peak for a yoga retreat with plans to Nama stay for a full week. Misty and her guests are feeling zen until the yoga instructor is found dead. With a killer on the loose the lodge’s reputation hanging in the balance Misty must but her detective skills to the test. Can she resolve this mystery before the lodge ends up once again on the brink. This was a very enjoyable story great characters and story. I recommend to everyone to read it.

After having just read A Trip with Trouble, the second book in the Mountain Lodge mystery series I was more than ready to read this one, the first in the series. Who says you have to read a series in order, right? We once again find ourselves in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with middle aged Misty Murphy. She's finally doing something for herself, she's ended her marriage and bought a rundown lodge that's slowly being repaired. Excited that her first big group has come to stay at the lodge she's doing all she can to make them comfy during their stay including having scrumptious meals brought in from the restaurant next door. The group staying is here for a whole week of relaxation on a yoga retreat. Sun salutations are part of their yoga and meditation but when the leader is unable to be found one bright and sunny morning to lead the class the others start to worry. When she is later found dead at the lodge, speculation starts to run rampant with no Zen moments here. Could one of the yoga students have gotten tired of her bossy and stuck on herself behavior enough to kill her or was it a random outsider? As the clues start to collect, we see Misty working hard to get this solved along with the police, so her lodge won't get a bad reputation. What a great plot this is. I loved the characters and the setting. I am now on my way to read the last book in this series.

Pub Date 26 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I wasn't sure who the killer was. I liked the setting because I live in North Carolina. My favorite characters are: Rocky Crowder, Molasses the dog and Yeti the cat.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

Oh, this was a really great read! I love Diane Kelly's writing, and this was the start of an excellent new series! I had a great time getting to know Misty, and watching her protect her lodge, and investigate the mystery! And of course which is becoming a trademark of a Diane Kelly novel, we got the perspective of the animal companion, in this case, the cat Yeti!

The fact that this book stars an older woman, that's different. That she had an amicable divorce and she's still friends with her ex, that was also great. What's not so great is the murder that occurs at the lodge, forcing her to investigate!

The mystery was interesting to read, because there's a pretty limited group of suspects, and for now, they're all staying in the area. Watching her investigate, get to know who they are, why they might have a motive, was entertaining to read!

There was just a hint of romance with her and Rocky, and I really enjoyed that. They've both had lives before, they're grown adults who work well together, and I can't wait to see more of the pair in the future books in this series!

Really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the sequel!

Get Away with Murder us a great cozy mystery! If you’re looking fir a fun short read this book is for you m. The characters and the mystery are well developed and took me for an enjoyable ride. I was able to fully lose myself in the story and would definitely read more in the series.

Misty Murphy’s life is about to change completely. As she turns 50, her marriage ends and her two adult sons are away at college. Misty needs to do something to make life interesting. She purchases an old mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She has no idea just how interesting things were about to get.

With the help of a local handyman, she fixes up the lodge and opens for business. Her first customers are a group on a yoga retreat. Everything is going great until the yoga instructor is found dead. Now Misty is determined to find a killer before her lodge is shut down. Not to mention that the idea of a killer running around her inn is more than a little unsettling.

This is the first book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. It’s off to an exciting start. It’s a fast-paced whodunit that kept me on my toes. The author tossed in many twists and turns. It kept me guessing until the very end.

I loved the main characters right away. They jumped right out of the pages. The supporting cast are quirky and fun. I’ve never been to the Blue Ridge Mountains but the author made me feel as if I was there. The lodge is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery.

I’ve read a few other series by this author and I’ve always enjoyed her writing. This book is no exception. I’m looking forward to the next in this series.









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.

Great start to a new series. I liked getting to know the new characters and that the protagonist is a little older. The mystery had me guessing to the end. I look forward to reading the next book.

Misty Murphy is celebrating her 50th birthday in an unusual way - signing her divorce papers and purchasing a rundown mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge that she used to visit as a child. Her first guests are a Yoga group looking for a retreat type location but when the Yoga instructor turns up dead it's not such a relaxing venue for her guests. Trying to keep her first guests from being her last, Misty needs to find the killer before the lodges doors are shut for good.

This was a good start for a new series, however, I thought that Misty made some decisions a bit to quickly - hiring her assistant manager, the handyman living on the premises, catering arranged from the diner - but all in all, putting those aspects aside, it was an entertaining group of characters and a well done mystery.

The cover is cute. I was a little skeptical when I saw the cat had a pov, but those pages were short and sweet and I found myself looking forward to what she had to say. Great character development. I loved the setting. The fact that the mountain lodge was hosting a yoga retreat was interesting. There's lots of other things thrown in this book to make it solid, not just focusing on a murder right from the get-go. I was sent an opportunity to review the next book in this series, that's what got me in gear to read this one - a great first installment. What was I waiting for?! I'm going to read the second one right now!

In Getaway With Murder, author Diane Kelly kicks off her Blue Ridge Mountain Series with a charming novel of mystery and opportunities to explore exciting new chapters in life. Lovers of cozy mysteries with a touch of budding romance will love joining Misty as she begins a new chapter of life following her divorce by opening a mountain inn.Though she loves the leap that has taken and has made connections with endearing locals including handyman Rocky, her first guests, attending a yoga retreat find things anything but Zen. Thank you to#Dianekelly #St. Martin’spress and #Netgalley for and advanced review copy in exchange for a fair review which I am posting voluntarily.

I’ll kick it off with a new cozy mystery series by Diane Kelly: “Getaway With Murder,” published by St. Martin’s Press. The new series is set in Beech Mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Misty Murphy, 50, and recently amicably divorced, has used her money to buy a lodge on the mountain. She and her cat, Yeti, move in and get to work. And said lodge needs a lot of work. Thankfully, handyman Rockford Crowder, known to one and all as Rocky, works magic with very little money. He is a handsome fellow, which bodes well for Misty’s future.
Her new friend, Patty, who owns the local diner close by, agrees to cater breakfasts at the lodge.
Misty is excited when she books a group for a yoga retreat for a full week. But when the yoga instructor is found dead, things are not looking good for the lodge. (Truly, once you are introduced to the character, you can see why she’s the victim!)
Hoping her lodge won’t get a bad name from the get-go, Misty puts on her detective hat to help solve the murder.
I enjoyed the new characters and especially like the fact that this writer (and others) are embracing older protagonists.

I have read several books by Diane Kelly and liked them all. They are fun, have just a touch of romance, and have an occasional POV from a pet. Who couldn’t love hearing a pet’s view? This setting in the mountains sounds beautiful and made me want to be there. I had to laugh at the many varied names people called Misty’s newly bought lodge, Mountaintop Lodge. Sometimes it was aggravating that she didn’t get the press because people had the name wrong. At other times, she was grateful reporters mixed up the name of her vacation place.

As I’ve said, I’m a fan of Diane Kelly. I must say though that this book seemed to be full of who the murderer might be and why they would have committed the dastardly deed. In fact, that’s almost all that’s there to read about. We never really even saw a picture of many guests. We just heard why or if they might be a murderer.

Don’t get me wrong. Diane Kelly comes up with enough setting and stories to always make me want to finish. This one just seemed to get a little bogged down.

Misty is fulfilling her dream by opening a mountain lodge but soon wonders if she is crazy when she realizes all of the problems the lodge has. Thankfully a trustworthy handman arrives to do the repairs and all within her budget. She is thrilled when the lodge is fully booked with a yoga group. When the instructor is found murdered, Misty has to solve the mystery to save her lodge. This is a nice start to a new series. The murder does not happen right away. Parts of the book are told from the cat's point of view, but it works fine in this setting. The characters are introduced nicely with room for development. I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I only recently starting appreciating cozy mysteries and am always looking for a new series to read. This one was pretty good. A mountain lodge is hosting a yoga retreat. Someone dies. Lodge owner decides to help investigate in order to save her lodge from public tarnish. The cast of characters are good enough that I will likely read the next one in the series which should come out in fall 2022.

Putting twenty happy years of marriage behind her and after finalising the world’s most amicable divorce, Misty has left her old life behind to embarked on her next adventure – running a mountain lodge on Beech Mountain in northwest North Carolina, a place she’s been visiting since her childhood. She brings along her huge white cat, Yeti, to keep her company.

When things don’t go according to plan, Misty has to find a way to deal with everything, including repairs to the crumbling lodge and a murder during her opening weekend.

Luckily for Misty, she has a couple of new friends that are ready to pitch in and help her. First, there’s Patty, the owner of the local diner, the Greasy Griddle, which shares a parking lot with the lodge. When Misty and Patty strike up a friendship, Patty agrees to cater breakfast for the lodge, which helps both businesses out.

Then there’s handyman Rockford “Rocky” Crowder – a handsome repairman who agrees to become the lodge’s ‘resident’ handyman and brings his huge dog, Molasses, along with him. From the start, Rocky is obviously going to be a love interest for Misty and the sparks fly almost immediately.

I’ve been noticing a trend in cozy mysteries, with many more stories available featuring older sleuths and I’m all for it. It’s not hard to imagine someone who is in their 40s-50s, with ample life experience and knowledge, being a good sleuth. Misty is no exception. She has a really optimistic attitude and is willing to put everything on the line to finally get a chance to seeing her own dreams come true. I also really love the way her family is portrayed – her ex-husband and her still love each other, but have grown apart and with their two sons grown up, they’ve decided to travel their own paths.

To be honest, I was actually glad when the victim was killed. She was one of those characters that, as soon as she showed up on the page, it only took a few minutes of reading for me to say “Oh wow, she’s awful, I hope she dies!” (I know, I’m terrible). So it’s not a surprise when she IS the murder victim and there are plenty of suspects (she really was awful).

The pacing of the story was pretty even and I think there were enough false clues and suspects to keep me guessing for a bit. The resolution made a lot of sense and things were wrapped up really nicely, with a few loose ends (nothing vital) that make me ready for the next book in the series.

One small part that I’m not sure about yet is Yeti, the cat, gets her own “point of view” mini-chapters. When I read the first one I was anticipating that it would drop some clues, like maybe Yeti would see something that Misty doesn’t, but it would give the reader an extra hint, but that never happens. The Yet “chapters” didn’t seem to serve any purpose to the story, except to put in a cute “pet” element. They weren’t bad, but they did confuse me for a while since they didn’t add anything to the story that I could see. Hopefully the cat POVs add more to the mystery-solving in the next one.

All in all, I really like Misty as a character and I’m looking forward to seeing her friendships with Patty and Rocky grow. The mountain lodge seems to be a great backdrop, although I do hope not *too* many murders are set there because… that’s not really a great marketing tag.

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

I enjoyed this book much more that expected. The writing drew me into the story from the first few pages, The characters were engaging and I really enjoyed 'meeting' them.

The mystery was intriguing and well-written. I can't wait for the next one in the series!

I really loved this one! Getaway with Murder has all of the ingredients for a solid cozy mystery. The characters are well developed and lovable, the setting is breathtaking and also ideal for plenty of mysteries. This book was non-stop sleuthing and still managed to show character development, I was left guessing until the end! I finished this book wishing I already had book two!

I love cozy mysteries and I really don't read enough of them. This one was so enjoyable, that I might be tempted to pick up more of them soon! The cover of Getaway with Murder instantly caught my eyes, however, it was the description that sealed the deal for me. Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a dilapidated mountain lodge...yes, please! I found the beginning of this to be a little slower than I would have liked, but by the end, the pace had picked up and I was hooked and couldn't stop reading! I would definitely like to read more books by Diane Kelly and I absolutely want to read more in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series!