A cozy mountain lodge setting and compelling romantic subplot makes this series enjoyable, though a little one-dimensional at times.

A Trip with Trouble is set in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, at a lodge run by Misty. She runs the lodge with Brynn and Rocky, the live in handyman. Next store is a cafe run by a friend. I say all this because I like the closeness of these characters, and enjoy reading about their interactions outside of sleuthing. In this installment of the series a women’s bike club has come to the lodge for a ride through the mountains. While riding their l adre is killed. Misty and friends jump in to help solve it. I enjoyed the character interactions, the settings, the respect between the police and Misty, and one particularly amusing scene involving the fire department. Overall it a good read! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A Trip with Trouble by Diane Kelly is the second book in the cozy Mountain Lodge Mystery series. Each book of this series will contain it’s own fully solved mystery so they can be enjoyed as a standalone novel or in any order if choosing to do so. Of course there is character development that will carry over from book to book for those who choose to read the series from the beginning.

Just as Misty Murphy was turning fifty she found herself completely changing her life with her children grown and out of the house she and her husband had decided to end their marriage finding themselves to be complete opposites. One thing that always made Misty the happiest was traveling to the Blue Ridge Mountains so she decided to move there permanently and bought an old inn she was familiar with from her visits and quickly hired staff to help her out with the inn needing more repairs than she thought.

Now that Misty has her inn up and running she is excited to have a full house with the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club staying during their annual autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The ladies in the club even invite Misty and her assistant out for a ride and with the lodge handyman left in charge they just couldn’t resist. What was supposed to be a fun afternoon ride turns into another mystery for Misty to solve with one of the motorcycle club ladies not showing up after the ride was finished.

The Mountain Lodge Mystery series is another that I started from the beginning and quickly fell in love with. The Mountain Lodge made a wonderful remote setting that had all the small town charm I love in cozy mysteries and of course with this setting comes along some quirky characters that is also at the top of my cozy checklist. With a fun mystery again in the second book I’ll definitely be looking forward to returning to the series for book three.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The setting was perfectly described and the story flowed so nicely. I didn't read the first book in the series bit I plan on reading it and all future books in the series and a great fall read.

Diane Kelly is such a gifted writer. I hated it when it was time to adult, I didn't want to stop reading. There is so much detail that I felt consumed with the story. I love mountains and loved the biker crew for this go-around. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters a little more and meeting the new ones. The bike group was a big family, and that drew me in even more. The mystery had me guessing and searching for clues every page I turned. You are missing out if you don't give this series a try.

A Trip with Trouble is the second book in the Mountain Lodge mystery series and my first read by this author. I'll now need to catch up and read the first and third books in this series.
Nestled among the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina the scenery is breathtaking in the Fall, and this is why the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club have chosen this lodge to stay in each evening. During the days they are out riding their motorcycles on the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. Life is serene for this lady's biker gang until one of their own starts to be assertive and not follow the set-in stone rules they all must follow for safety. One thing you can usually always count on in these cozies is there will be some sort of pet enriching the story. This one has a dog and cat both and a biker member travels with a dog in her side car.
On one of the day trips a lead member of the gang is found dead. The police are investigating all angles including a possible crash. With no witnesses there's not much to go on.
When the clues start adding up will one of the close-knit lady's biker gangs be the accused or is it an outside suspect? You are guaranteed a chaotic ending on the way to solving this.

Pub Date 25 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Mountain Lodge mystery series is a relatively new one, with two currently published books and a third due to come out later this month. They feature a 50-year-old woman who has started a new life after an amicable divorce. Misty owns a small hotel in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, an absolutely magnificent part of the United States. Misty is comfortable in her body - so nice!

A Trip With Trouble features a female motorcycle club who are in the area to ride and appreciate the beautiful fall scenery. I love the name of the group: Dangerous Curves! They are all staying at Misty’s Mountaintop Lodge. Since this is a mystery series, something goes awry and Misty tries to help the local police get answers.

The recurring side characters are great: Rocky, the handyman who quotes Voltaire and Aristotle, and is becoming a romantic interest; Brynn, the cleaning/administrative help who follows Wiccan practices; and Patty, the owner of the Greasy Griddle across the road from the lodge. (Got to love that restaurant’s name!) There are also some very short chapters that describe what Yeti, Misty’s cat, is doing and thinking, which is a fun touch.

Cozy mysteries often have the main character doing something dumb or dangerous. I was SO happy that these books do NOT have the main character doing anything like that! It was also great that Misty works with the local police, assisting them in an appropriate way.

I loved revisiting the Blue Ridge Mountains with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I am very late to it. (Not sure how this one slipped through the cracks.) I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, Holly Adams, did a good job with the various voices and accents. All opinions are my own.

Let me start out by saying that this is an author I like. Maybe it has been my timing in reading, but it does seem to be that we over 50 ladies are the new “trend”. That’s ok. I’m one of the really old ones, but I don’t want every new cozy I pick up to be about old ladies.
That being said, I really liked the setting of this book, and of course we all wish we had a lodge in the Smokies. I did feel as if Misty got a little…umm…I’m trying to think of a word….dumb, irritating, etc. She went from one theory to another over and over. The cat, well Yeti was ok. I liked some of the humorisms between them.

So, my overall feeling is I liked the setting, I liked the plot, I just was bored or irritated by a few of the characters. I like Diane Kelly a lot. None of this means I would stop reading her books. This series may just not be my thing.

4.5 stars for the second book in the Mountain Lodge Mysteries! It was nice to visit Misty, Yeti, and the gang in the Blue Ridge Mountains, again. I loved that there were multiple mysteries happening, and I couldn’t guess who the killer was. It also really added to the story being able to meet and spend a little time with the victim, it makes the reader care and want to figure out whodunnit. Getting snippets of Yeti’s point of view is also unique and adds a fun aspect to the mystery. I hope there will be more in the series soon!

I've enjoyed the two books I've read so far in the Mountain Lodge Mystery Series. The first one is Getaway with Murder and the second is this one, A Trip With Trouble.

I like that the main character and sleuth is older, divorced and ready for the next stage in her life. I like the slow burn romance - most cozies don't have hot and heavy sexy scenes and this one is true to that -- but I like how the budding relationship just seems nice, with no dramatics.

The mountain lodge setting is nice. Sometimes I find it hard to suspend my disbelief .. this might be my background in journalism coming through, but if a mountain lodge were the site of two murders within such a short span of time, I assume news reporters would be there, wanting to know what's up.

I felt badly about the character who met their demise. This may sound goofy, but they seemed so nice and everyone was grieving. You kinda hope it's someone no one is super attached to, as superficial and awful as that sounds.

So yes, overall an enjoyable read. Lots of theories and possibilities as to whodunnit. I would definitely be interested in reading future installments in the series.

3.5 rounded up to four

Misty Murphy runs the Mountain Top Lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her latest booking is a women’s biker club. They invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to ride along with them as they go on a ride to enjoy the Fall foliage. When the rider at the tail end fails to arrive at the overlook, Misty has a new case to solve.

A Trip With Trouble is the second book in Mountain Lodge mystery series. This is a charming series, and I suggest starting with the first book in the series, Getaway With Murder.

A Trip With Trouble is a delightful cozy mystery with likable characters and a lovely setting. I look forward to reading more of this series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great continuation for this cozy mystery series that takes place in NC. I enjoyed revisiting the characters and trying to solve the mystery.

Love this series w its details of the local mountain references. It would be a great vacation book. Lots of detail and the story line keeps the reader wanting more

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. Wow what can I say about this title it was just an awesome read. This book was just something so wonderfully different I’ve never quite read anything like this. You should read to find out you won’t be disappointed. I’m definitely going to read more by this author.

This was a really fantastic read! I loved the first book in this series, and I just love her writing and mysteries in general, and I couldn't wait to read this installment! I loved following along with Misty as she dealt with this new case!

This case is just a touch less personal and urgent for Misty, while it is a guest of her lodge, it didn't happen at her lodge. It did happen right behind her on the road, but there's a degree of separation that gives Misty a bit of breathing room about her lodge.

There was some developments in her romance with Rocky, which was a delight to read! They've both had life experiences, had their families, and both are ready for a quieter life, which they very well could have with one another there at the lodge!

Watching this case unfold, of this group of bikers who the deceased was their leader, and all the clues that pointed at this person or this person, and some red herrings that complicated things. But there was this one hilarious scene on a boat! Plus the ending with the reveal was so great, as well!

I had a really great time reading this book, and I can't wait for the nex!

A book full of mystery and atmosphere. The whodunnit aspect kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well written and I liked the camaraderie between the women. The main mystery was a puzzler and I was guessing until the end. The motorcycle element was fun and different. I really enjoyed this book and it was a fun edition to the series. I recommend giving it a read.

I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Great fun quick cozy mystery. Some of her other books I have "read" via audio are also great fun with a very good narrator. Either way you choose to read, you will enjoy the interesting characters, locations and always of course the story at hand. This one will have you wanting to visit our neighboring NC mountains for the scenery. The cover gives an adequate description so I will not give spoilers. Read and enjoy! Thanks to the author, St.Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

Practically perfect first in a cozy series. Love everything about this one--main character, side characters, setting, cat, plot, romance. Already looking forward to the rest.

A Trip with Trouble is the second Mountain Lodge hotel cozy mystery by Diane Kelly. Released 25th Oct 2022 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a fun and easy to read light cozy from an experienced and prolific author. All the working parts fit together well into a seamless, escapist read. Mainly told from the third person PoV of the protagonist, Misty, a 50something recently divorced destination lodge owner, there are short interludes featuring her cat as the central dramatis persona. The chapters have an identifying heading for which character is in focus for added clarity.

It's lightly humorous and easy to read. Although it's the second book in the series, the mystery is self contained in this volume and it works well as a standalone. The setting is beautifully rendered and evocative. With 2 books extant and a third due out 4th quarter 2023, it would make a good choice for a short binge or buddy read.

Four stars. Fans of Cleo Coyle, Lynn Cahoon, and Amanda Flower will find a lot to like here.

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