Misty Murphy is making changes in her life. Now that both of her sons are in college, she and her husband have decided to divorce and lead separate lives. There is no animosity in their split, but Misty is looking forward to starting a new phase of her life, that of owner of a boutique hotel in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The lodge is a place she vacationed since she was a kid, enjoying hiking and skiing with her parents and later with her husband and sons. And now, it’s all hers.

Misty has a bit of a rocky start, showing up at the lodge with her all-white cat Yeti, and then losing her footing—literally—when the floorboards below her shift. The heavy rains they’d gotten lately has created so much runoff under the main lodge that a support beam gave out. But a talented handyman, Rocky Crowder, along with his dog Molasses, is able to fix the support beams, the floor, and the windows that cracked when the floor fell, and he even added on a deck out back.

With a handyman in place and hiring a housekeeper/assistant to help her run the front desk and keep the guests happy, Misty is ready to open her doors. And it’s a good thing, since she had found a yoga group online who were about to cancel their weeklong retreat after a fire at the ashram they were headed to. Misty offered up the lodge as an alternative, and the group had jumped at the chance to go ahead with the retreat.

Misty and her new assistant Brynn ready the rooms, and Misty even makes a deal with Patty, the owner of the Greasy Griddle across the street, to provide a hot breakfast for her guests each morning. Misty has staff, she has pancakes for breakfasts, and she has a deck overlooking the beauty of the mountains with brand new deck furniture. She even has guests. The one thing she still needs is a new name for the lodge. Rocky suggests she go with the simple The Mountaintop Lodge, and Misty agrees that it’s perfect.

And then the yoga group arrives. First off of their chartered bus is Sasha, who booked the group. She is followed by a diverse group of yoga students—a mother and daughter, an older woman with her dog Chugalug, even a Nascar driver known for his hot temper. And while they have plenty of sessions planned for yoga, meditation, and stretching, no one is more surprised than Misty when someone adds something new to the schedule—murder.

When yoga studio owner Sasha is found under the deck early one morning, Misty can’t believe that one of her guest is a killer. But she’s more than willing to help Deputy Sheriff Yona Highblood figure out who it was who killed Sasha. After all, her new lodge’s reputation is on the line, along with everything she had planned for her future.

Since Misty is new to the area, she suspects not only her guests but also her new employees. Even though Brynn seemed like she’d been transparent about her background, Misty was surprised by her Wiccan beliefs, and it’s possible that she could be hiding a deadly secret. And while she’s been enjoying the flirting between Rocky and herself, Misty knows that she’s just met him and he’s certainly got the physical strength to kill someone and move their body.

And then there’s the young couple who had taken a room for a few days to take a break from hiking the Appalachian Trail for their honeymoon. Sure, they seem like good kids, but could they have been tempted to rob Sasha, and things got out of hand?

As Misty tries to piece together what happened with Sasha, is she putting herself in the sights of a killer? Will her lodge be able t survive the publicity? And more importantly, will Misty stay alive long enough to enjoy it?

Veteran mystery writer Diane Kelly brings us a new series with Getaway With Murder, the first in the Mountain Lodge Mysteries. With a naturally beautiful setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains and a strong, independent character in Misty, this series has a lot of interesting possibilities, especially with the different groups of guests coming to the lodge.

I really enjoyed this mystery. It’s fun to read, the mountain setting is peaceful, the addition of a Wiccan character adds an interesting perspective, as does the closeness of the lodge to the Appalachian Trail. Some of the chapters are told from Yeti’s perspective, and at first I found it off-putting to hear the thoughts of the cat. But as the book went on, I actually wanted more Yeti chapters. I wondered what she was doing in her room, what she was seeing out her windows. I look forward to seeing where this new series goes, and to hear more about Yeti’s new life in the mountains.

Egalleys for Getaway With Murder were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Misty Murphy has just passed a milestone birthday, settled her divorce and is the proud new owner of a mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Everything is going according to plan, she has found staff, a new handsome handyman named Rocky, and she just booked her first group in at the lodge. Life could not get any better until one of the guests turns up dead. Who should Misty trust? She really does not now anyone in town or even the people who work for her. As the suspects mount, Misty must figure out who the killer is before her lodge gets a bad reputation. Can she solve the case before the suspects leave town?

What a fabulous start to a wonderful new series called “Mountain Lodge Mystery” by Diane Kelly. The characters are so well written, and it was fun to meet the townsfolk. We get a little glimpse into a new relationship for Misty, and some other character back stories of whom I hope will be recurring characters in future books. I really enjoyed the story, the setting, the relationships between the characters, and can not wait for the next book in the series. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for an advanced readers copy that I voluntarily read and reviewed.

A nice, solid start to a new cozy mystery series. I enjoyed meeting Misty, Rocky, Brynn and the other characters. I can't wait to see how they all continue to evolve and interact with each other. And now I really want to visit the Ridgeview Inn and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Definitely recommend.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

The same day she and her ex signs divorce papers, she signs the paperwork for the Mountain Lodge that she used to vacation at. Even though she does her due diligence and has the place checked out before she buys it, some unexpected damage occurs after she takes ownership of the property. Well no time is spent showing the repairs, the damage does lead to her meeting, Rocky the local handyman. Her first guest leads to her first murder when when the owner of a yoga studio is found dead in her hotel room. First book in the series, and I am already looking forward to the next.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Of course, I read Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly while on my way to the North Carolina Mountains. So much of the descriptions, places and the people are right on the mark for a story taking place in the Blue Ridge Mountains so I felt as if I was right there staying at the Mountaintop Lodge with the chainsaw art wooden bear out front.

Being the first book in The Mountain Lodge Mysteries much of the first part of the book was introducing the main character, how she came to buy the inn, the supporting characters, and the characters staying at the end when the murder takes place. All of this before any actual murder took place so I wasn’t sure who the victim would be. From that point on the story moves much faster and is much more intriguing. I did not guess the culprit until the end which always makes a book more intriguing for me.

A great start to the series which this introduction book. I am glad to know all the background of the Inn, Misty Murphy, and group so I am looking forward to the next mystery in the series. Hope it will be about the Dangerous Curves. As Brynn said, “That should be fun.”

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

Getaway With Murder is a delightful cozy with a Hallmark vibe. Misty is a freshly divorced mother of two who is starting over by opening a mountaintop lodge complete with the flannel shirted handyman. The mystery is just difficult enough to keep you wondering.

Misty has made some changes in her life. She divorced her long-time husband, she bought an inn that needed work in the Blue Ridge mountains, she’s started a retreat; however, now everything may be ruined by a murder. This book has a great setting, wonderful characters, and a mystery. I look forward to more in this series.

Getaway with Murder by Diane Kely is the first book in the Mountain Lodge Mysteries and I love so many things about it! First, there’s the gorgeous location and the lodge itself. Then there’s the well developed characters, and I really love that Misty is 50 and the love interest is 47. The two animals Yeti, the cat, and Molasses, the dog are adorable and add a fun element to the story… especially Yeti, since we get to see a bit into her world.

I also really enjoyed that Kelly has one of Misty’s employees being a Wiccan. It is wonderful when readers can learn about new things in a way that is not pushed down their throats. And we also get to learn a bit about common poisonous plants, which as an herbalist, I really appreciate.

The mystery was very well done too, but Kelly left enough clues that if you are paying attention you may be able to solve it before Misty and the gang. And in regards to the mystery I really liked that the sheriff and the love interest didn’t continually try to dissuade Misty from asking questions. That is soooo refreshing!

I did find myself skimming more than I would have liked when it came to Misty going over the suspects repeatedly and thinking about their motives. While this is done in every cozy, I would have been fine with some of it removed and the book shortened by about 50 pages…. But this won’t stop me from reading the next one in the series. Especially since I’m interested to see how Kelly will keep the series fresh when it comes to murders… I mean how many times can a murder happen at the lodge before she has to shut down… although Misty would have true crime and paranormal specialists rushing to stay there. ;)

This is the first book in Diane Kelly's Mountain Lodge Mystery series. Set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. A strong start to a new series. Loved the humor that is infused throughout the story.

Misty is freshly divorced, buys an old lodge, fixes it up and re-opens. First group is a set of yoga students. The yoga instructor is found dead and then the mystery takes off. Lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed that Misty is working with the police and not trying to work behind their back.

Give this series a try. I was given an Advanced Reader’s Copy by Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review.

I'm always up for a new cozy mystery series, and this series starter sounded like a blast--after an amicable divorce, empty nester Misty buys and opens her own lodge in the Appalachian Mountains, but one of her guests is soon murdered. However, after a few chapters in, there was a chapter from the perspective of her cat. And I panicked? Was this book dual-POV with her cat??? The answer is no... mostly. Chapters from the perspective of Misty's cat are intermittent and brief, making up a very small percentage of the book. But for that reason, they're also completely unnecessary and I could have done without them.

Setting aside the cat asides, I really enjoyed this mystery. Misty was a fun yet neutral character with lots of room to grow, along with a potential love interest in handyman rusty, and a budding friendship with Pearl, the diner owner across the street. I really did not guess who the killer was, and the whole mystery kept me guessing to the end. I also really liked the Deputy character, who was an older woman of Native American descent, and certainly a no-nonsense cop, but definitely human and pleasant at the same time. You get so many cop caricatures (lazy, stern, won't listen) or they're the love interest, it's nice to just a normal character in this role.

Thanks to St. Martin's for my ARC! All thoughts an opinions are my own.

5 stars - 8/10

Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly (Mountain Lodge Mystery #1) 5 stars

Misty Murphy has hit several milestones: (1) celebrated her fiftieth birthday, (2) ended her marriage amicably and (3) use her settlement money to buy an old mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains to start her next career in the hospitality industry. Did she lose her mind! The lodge needs some renovation - enter Rocky Crowder, local handyman who can do renovations on a shoestring. The lodge has a grand opening and it is booked for a yoga retreat. What could go wrong? A dead body on the premises, that's what can go wrong. Misty will have use her detective skills to find the culprit and save her lodge's reputation - otherwise her lodge could be known as the Blue Ridge equivalent of the Bates Motel.

As the first book in a series (long running I hope) it has to do a lot of world building. Introducing characters, promoting a possible love story and solving a mystery, all in one wonderful package. Unlike Ms. Kelly's other books, the main character is mature and not in the beginning of her career. There is a different perspective here and it is a fun ride. I love the short chapters with Yeti the white cat (but my heart will always belong to Bridget) . The last chapter states that Misty has already booked her next group - a ladies motorcycle club (Dangerous Curves) from Raleigh. Dare I hope for a cameo from Shae Sharpe. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Misty Murphy is a recently divorced woman who has taken a leap of faith in buying an old mountain lodge. She plans to return it to its former glory and hopefully make a profit. She and her cat Yeti move in to discover that there is some structural issues that need to be taken care of. Enter handyman Rocky. The first guests are a yoga group with an obnoxious leader. Misty must clear her name and that of the lodge when the yoga leader is found dead a few days into the retreat.

This is an excellent start to the series. I love that the main character is a 50 year old, mature woman who knows her mind. Rocky is a great character and I look forward to seeing where his relationship with Misty may lead. Patty, the owner of a local restaurant, is also a strong character that befriends Misty.

The setting is near and dear to my heart. I adore the NC mountains and Beech Mountain is a lovely town. I felt like I had steeped into the town with every word I read.

The mystery is very well done. There were a few red herrings and just enough twists and turns to keep me on my toes. I guessed several other characters were the culprit before the reveal.

This is such a delightful book and I can't wait to see what happens in the next one in the series.

Misty has just turned fifty. She and her husband have amicably divorced, and she is the new owner of a mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. This all happens on the same day. It is safe to say Misty is looking for a fresh start with her cat Yeti. Unfortunately the Lodge needs some repairs before opening. Luckily there's a charming handyman ready to help and Misty will need help after a yoga group comes to stay. Things are not looking up when someone ends up murdered.

The book got off to a slow start for me. The murder doesn't happen until quite a ways in. Before that we get introduced to the yoga group really well. The rest of the characters are the owner of the diner across the street, the handyman, and Misty's new assistant. That is pretty much it until much later. I actually liked all of the characters introduced. I just wanted more of an introduction to the town and Misty's surroundings. Her world feels a little empty. Yeti the cat is cute and there are some short chapters from his perspective but they don't add anything.

I didn't always like Misty's thoughts about others. She seemed a little judgmental.

After the murder the action picks up and it becomes a quick read. There were a lot of suspects to choose from. The motive for the murder wasn't entirely believable but there was a puzzle involved in trying to figure out how it was done. Misty has potential as a sleuth because she did a good job solving the murder. Bonus points for a female Sheriff!

Author Diane Kelly has quite a few cozy mysteries under her belt and Getaway With Murder is the first book in a new series set in a mountain lodge in North Carolina.

Fifty-year-old Misty Murphy has just sent her two boys off to university, amicably divorced her husband and purchased a mountain lodge to start a new chapter in her life. But life doesn't always work out the way we want and during the stay of Misty's first group of guests a yoga instructor is found dead.

Misty is a likable person and I enjoyed seeing a middle-aged woman as the main character! But as a woman who is approaching her 50's myself, I felt Misty was written to be overly naïve and behaved and spoke much older than 50. The reader gets to know Misty well as she putters around the lodge and because we spend a lot of time in her head as she goes over and over and over the facts of the case. The other POV of the story were short chapters from Misty's cat's perspective. An odd and distracting addition and unfortunately this feline POV didn't give readers any extra information that we weren't able to gain from Misty.

The mystery takes a bit to get going, but the story has a quaint feel, a few not-quite-quirky locals, a possible love interest and a few suspects with varying degrees of culpability. The ever-so-brief tidbits of banter between Misty and Rocky were well done but I wish there were more! Like most cozy mysteries, this is a good pick for readers who prefer 'cleaner' reads (aka no sex, cursing or violence - besides a murder, of course).

I pick up a cozy mystery for its quaintness, a good whodunnit and quirky characters. This book has good atmosphere and a gaggle of culprits, but could have used a bit more tension and less time in Misty's head

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to St Martin's Press for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun, quick read that sets the stage for a new cozy series. Overall, I really enjoyed it. I loved the setting of a small lodge hotel in the mountains of NC and can clearly see the possibilities for bringing in new casts of characters. My biggest issue was the alternating chapter perspectives. Kelly randomly inserted chapters from the point of view of the cat. It didn't add anything and was rather distracting.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the gifted copy of the digital ARC.

Wonderful characters. I enjoyed the narratives from Misty's POV and the cat Yeti's POV. It is clear who is talking. Usually I have problems with multiple POV. This time it works.

This is a new cozy mystery series and this is the first book in the series.

Diane Kelly is a hit or miss author for me - I like some of her series but can’t get into others. This one is definitely a hit. Once I started reading I didn’t want to put it down. It was nice to read a book where the female character who was starting a new life did so after an amicable divorce and remained friends with her ex. There were enough possible suspects to keep me guessing and I enjoyed the interplay between Misty and Rocky.

This is a fun setup. I liked Misty and the concept of the inn. I liked that she's a bit older then the typical cozy heroine and that while she is happily divorced her ex-husband isn't evil. The yoga retreat is a perfect setup for murder. There are a lot of connections and issues between the attendees that could lead to murder as well as regular motives like robbery and seeing something you shouldn't.

There's a lot of setup in this one and getting to know the characters which does put the mystery on the backburner. As well with all the detail throughout the ending ended up feeling rushed. I enjoy the author's writing style and her way of building characters and settings. The series has a lot of potential for interesting mysteries and romance and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.

I was dreading this book; my current record for new cozies/mysteries has not been good and not having read this author before, I was pretty sure it was going to be more of the same. I am here to say that I was 100% wrong. THIS, was an excellent read/mystery. The only thing that kept it from being a 5 star read was the whole "cat chapters". The book so did not need to have chapters that the cat narrated. At all. It is gimmicky and it totally interrupts the flow of the story and does not add one single thing to it - if that hadn't been there, this absolutely would have been a 5 star read for me.

In this book, you are introduced to Misty, a 50 year old woman, recently divorced who decides to reinvent her life and buys a mountain lodge in a town where she spent holidays with her family. She meets Rocky and his awesome dog Molasses her first week there when she needs a contractor and they strike up a friendship and a business deal that suits them both. Typically, I am not a fan of the romance parts of cozies, but this one was interesting, for reasons I am not going to say here, but it wasn't as in your face and offensive as many are these days. Once you get into the story, you understand why she is attracted to Rocky and also why she is hesitant to even think about going down that path. Besides Rocky, you meet several other side characters that could really be fun additions in future books - it is a neat bunch of characters that really meld well together, right from the start. The whole book is like that - I really enjoyed reading it and trying to figure out the mystery.

And speaking of the mystery - this was a good one and quite a puzzler. I didn't know the who or the why and there were some really good red herrings in the getting there. I felt this was really well done and in the end, it was pretty satisfying.

All-in-all, this was a well-written, fun read and I look forward to more of this series in the future.

Thank you to St. Martin Press/St. Martin's Paperbacks for asking me to read and review this book, NetGalley for providing the ARC and the author, Diane Kelly for writing a really great book - all opinions are strictly my own.

“Getaway With Murder” the first instalment in the The Mountain Lodge Mysteries series by Diane Kelly. What a great start to a new cozy mystery series.

I enjoyed the protagonist Misty Murphy being 50 as I could relate to her. I liked How the author gave both Misty and her cat Yeti, a voice throughout the story. I also enjoyed the setting of the Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina too. We had a great cast of side characters that befriend Misty, handyman Rocky, Wiccan housekeeper Brynn, and Greasy Griddle Diner owner Patty. I look forward to seeing how Misty's relationship with them will continue to develop, could there be romance in the mountain air…

The mystery is interesting and had lots of twists which kept me guessing. I had no idea who the killer was till Misty did.

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy friends. Can’t wait to read the next instalment when some biker chicks arrive at the lodge.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from St.Martin Press and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.