This was another fun installment in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. The Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club have taken over the lodge for the week. They are already battling motorcycle thieves, and then one of their own is killed while riding. It first appears that it was an accident, but further investigation reveals that it was murder. Misty and her sleuthing brain cannot shut down and let this go. She has to "assist" local law enforcement. The ladies of the motorcycle club were an interesting group of characters with a lot of history and some fun stories as you get to know them better through this book. I love the location of this book as this lodge is nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains. The character of Misty is a brave woman who took the plunge at 50 years of age in buying the lodge and starting over after an amicable divorce. She is very likable as well, and most definitely nosy, which makes her character a lot of fun to get to know. I am looking forward to the slow romance that is kindling between Misty and Rocky. Rocky is the hotel handyman who is indispensable to Misty with his maintenance and repair prowess. I also love the pets in this book and series. You have Yeti who is the princess cat of the lodge. Yeti has her own chapters interspersed throughout the book with her viewpoint on everything that is going on. This provides a little humor. Then there is Rocky's dog, Molasses. Molasses is a pony sized dog who is gentle and cat friendly with Yeti. The mystery was well written in typical Diane Kelly fashion. She always provides a large pool of suspects and plenty of red herrings that will leave you guessing until the very end. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Trip with Trouble (Mountain Lodge Mystery #2) by Diane Kelly is a wonderful cozy mystery with just a touch of romance. Love the characters the animals and the setting. With the ladies’ motorcycle group staying at the lodge, then riding every day. I knew every one of the places in the Blue Ridge where the group rode. It seemed as if I was riding along with them.

There were several different threads of mystery in this story but they all tied up nicely in the solving of the murder. The murder may not seem straight forward but with Misty Murphy’s eye for the details much comes to light. The truly bad guys are, well, bad. Others are given second and third chances as needed as the story progresses.

I especially like how the main and supporting characters have become a family as such. While the individual characters past and life outside of the lodge is revealed little by little. The strength of this series is how they have formed a unit together. So this is a lodge I would love to visit especially in the fall when the Blue Ridge Mountains can be so very beautifully. At least I can do so through reading the book.

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.

This is the second entry in this series and I am just as invested now. The mystery was very interesting and while the motive for the murder has been done before, I felt that there was just the right amount of foreshadowing and side-bars from Misty. Always hilarious to get Yeti's (Misty's cat) perspective. I love that the romance with Rocky is not completely in your face, but ultimately seems very sweet. Again the secondary characters added a lot of dimension to the story. Can't wait for more.

A Trip With Trouble by Diane Kelly is the second in her new Mountain Lodge Mystery series. Misty Murphy has lived through an amicable divorce from her husband and opened this mountain lodge in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, and it has turned out to be a terrific move. She has new friends in Brynn, who works for her, and in Patty, who runs the diner across the street. She also has a romance in the offing with Rocky, her ersatz handyman. She has a loving pet in her cat, Yeti, and in Rocky’s dog, Molasses. This week there are a group of leaf “peepers” coming in the guise of a women’s motorcycle club, the Dangerous Curves. Life is looking up. Especially when on the second day they invite Misty and Brynn to ride with them. At first the duo is not certain but it looks like such fun. Sadly on the ride, tragedy strikes, and they lose their leader, Gerri, to a motorcycle accident that kills her.

All sorts of strange things are happening this week, above and beyond the death. For one thing, the sheriff names it as a murder. Secondly, two guys try to hold up Patty’s diner, but are stopped by a well aimed pot of boiling cider and another of hot gravy. One of the riders appears to be using a fake name, and one of the riders has such a chip on her shoulder they ask her to leave the group. All it all, it is a full week of activity, both good and bad. Misty seems to have a talent for investigating and the sheriff is all in. I didn’t read the first book, but in the second one she didn’t really put herself in serious danger, which is a good sign in a cozy mystery. Too often they catch the murderer by nearly getting murdered themselves. The mystery was a good one, and it made sense. The characters, permanent and visitors were well-written and interesting. I predict this will be a very popular series over time.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Trip With Trouble by St. Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #DianeKelly #ATripWithTrouble

Book Review: A Trip with Trouble by Diane Kelly
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read A Trip with Trouble in exchange for an honest review. It was definitely a fun book.
Misty Murphy purchased the Mountaintop Lodge post divorce and has been having a great time managing her little hotel. In this second book in the series (although it can stand alone – so unless you wish, don’t feel you must read the first book), A group of women who are part of a motorcycle club rent out the lodge for their annual group trip and ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
What starts out as a perfect trip becomes questionable. First the last rider in the group doesn’t show up at the planned meeting place. Something has happened, but due to spotty phone coverage, they don’t know what. After an extensive search, they find her bike had crashed and its rider lying further down the hillside. It’s a good mystery with some twists and turns – just like the BRParkway. No spoilers here – you’ll have to read it to find out what happened!

A Trip With Trouble is everything I want in a cozy mystery. Great characters in a well built backstory who all work together to solve the mysteries. It's not often you read about an all female motorcycle club, but it didn't stand out or seem different in the story. Diane Kelly did an excellent job of blending everyone's quirks to make an enjoyable whole. The Mountain Lodge Mystery series is definitely a good one for cozy mystery lovers.

This is the second book in the Mountain Lodge Mysteries series by Diane Kelly. The ladies of the Dangerous Curve's Motorcycle Club come to the Mountain Top Lodge, Misty is thrilled. All the rooms are full and she and her assistant were invited on a ride. When one of the women, the last in line, doesn't show up at the overlook. Will Misty, Brynn and Rocky and the riders be able to solve the mystery of who murdered the rider?

This book is just as fun to read as the first book was. It's great that the story of Misty and Rocky is moving slowly. Great group of friends, always a fun mystery to solve, wonderful writing. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of "Getaway With Murder" in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series and it was even better than the first book. Misty Murphy is the main character and she's running the Mountaintop Lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

The story is once again told from Misty's perspective and delightfully from the perspective of Yeti - her cat.

She has a staff of two - Rocky Crowder, the live-in handyman who works at the lodge in exchange for his room. Rocky has his dog molasses at the lodge with him and once again in this book his speed explains his name. Brynn - is her other staff member - her personal assistant/housekeeping manager.

This time around her guests are a ladies biker "gang". Once again Misty gets involved in murder when one of her guests is killed. There are several suspects, add in a robbery to muddy the waters and clues that lead in different directions before all the pieces fall into place.

The description of the lodge and surroundings paints a perfect picture to imagine what it might look like in real life. Hopefully there will be a book 3 soon.

Misty is enjoying owning and running Mountain Top Lodge, and is thrilled when the ladies of the Motorcycle Club book it for a week of fall foliage viewing –the ladies know how to have fun, and enjoy their time. They invite Misty and Brynn (her assistant) to take some time to ride with them. A beautiful ride turns scarry when the last rider (tail gunner) doesn’t show up – a search happens and finds her crashed in the woods at the side of the road. Accident or on purpose – Misty, without really trying is pulled in to the lives of these women, and is determined to figure out what happened.
Great 2nd installment in the series. Love how Misty is enjoying her new found life and purpose.

Misty bought and restored a lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was a big change (when she turned 50) from her former life, to a mountain home and B&B she now loved.

A group of women bikers (motorcyclists) called The Curves reserved the lodge for a week, and she looked forward to the "cultural adventure." But they are all surprised a couple of days later when the group's older but strong and vital leader is killed!

This book has chapter headings indicating the point of view; Misty, or her cat Yeti. Although Yeti sees events that may be important, I don't believe a cat would explain everything at such length. It didn't seem like a cat's thoughts at all.

I enjoyed parts of the story--about the mountain scenery, running the lodge, and the motorcycles, etc. Others were not my favorite.

Misty's Theories:
Misty's "theories and deductions" were so changeable and often unrealistic, that I laughed (derisively) or commented aloud to no one. These reactions are uncommon and far beyond eye-rolls for me. Her brainstorming approach to theories--which we read over and over--regardless of evidence or circumstances, become ridiculous.

Then there are the chain theories: "I wonder if they find this ____, and if they do, then this ____ could be what happened." I won't use an example, because it might be a real spoiler! I kept thinking: "Use some logic and probability, woman!"

Misty's Internal Dialogue:
The longer I hear Misty's thoughts and theories, the less I like her. She is a nice enough person on the surface, but seems to require convincing to even be civil to Erika--because she believes Erika is the killer...at different times. (One suspect of MANY!)

Reading her reasoning about whether a flimsy marshmallow roasting wire could be hidden on a motorcycle and dent a motorcycle helmet was unintentionally funny.

Over all, I enjoyed the story, but Misty's theories almost reached a level of musical-chairs paranoia in my opinion. And some other details made it a slog to get back to the story. I think this book needs a good story editor, and someone with common sense to smooth out some rough spots. (Then possibly a psychologist for Misty.)

Misty is very well-meaning, but her head just doesn't seem right sometimes.

3/5 Stars

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Paperbacks, and NetGalley for the temporary digital preview of this book; any review is voluntary and entirely my own opinion.

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New adventure for a recently divorced businesswoman✔️
An all women’s riding group called Dangerous Curves ✔️
A hunky handyman named Rocky ✔️✔️
A mystery in the mountains of NC✔️✔️✔️
This was a fast read. I loved the motorcycle group of gals simce I used to belong to one as a Harley rider.
I loved the mountain setting. The main character is my age and is ready for new beginnings.
The mystery bit kept me guessing.
I’d ride back to the series for more.

Misty Murphy is delighted that her Mountaintop Lodge is a success. In fact, her lodge is completely booked by a women’s motorcycle club. It’s a motley group, but they are paying customers and Misty is fascinated with them. They even invite her and her assistant to join them on a ride to see the beautiful fall colors.

Then, tragedy strikes. One of the women is found dead along the side of the road. Was it an accident or murder? Everyone is puzzled as to what happened. Misty is determined to figure it out. She wonders if a murderer could be staying under her roof. She’s more than a little shocked to discover just how many suspects there are.

This book is even better than the first one in the series. I love getting to know Misty and her friends even better. This series has everything I love about cozies. A great setting, a cast of fun, quirky characters and a mystery filled with many possible culprits. There’s even a hint of romance. It’s subtle and doesn’t overpower the mystery.

It’s one of those books I kept turning the pages and guessing "whodunit" until the very end. I’m looking forward to the next book in the 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.

This book as a lot of fun! This is a first-time author for me, and I don't feel like I missed out on anything by not reading the first in the series. I love cozy mysteries that feel like the town is a real, living and breathing thing, and the lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains felt just like that for me!

The premise of the book is fairly basic but fun (a group of women in a motorcycle club have rented the lodge for a week for a retreat). Of course, as with all mysteries, things soon start to go haywire. I did think that having the cat's perspective scattered throughout the book was fun and added a bit of whimsy I wasn't expecting. I also loved that the book was set in the fall (as I'm reading it in October), and I think it's a great pick for fall cozy mystery lovers that don't mind some other elements (like romance) tossed in. I will definitely be picking up book one and following the series moving forward!

St. Martin’s Paperbacks and Diane Kelly provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

In the latest addition to the Mountaintop Lodge series by Diane Kelly Misty is settling into her life after divorce and being the new owner of the Mountaintop Lodge in beautiful Beech Mountain. An all female motorcycle group has checked into the lodge to explore the local roads and enjoy the changing of the leaves when one of their group dies on a ride. With the help of her friends Brynn, Patty and Rocky she helps uncover what really happened. Fast paced, great characters and beautiful scenery - looking forward to more in this series!

This was such a charming cover with the autumnal colors and the cat that I just had to request it!

The peace of Misty’s lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains is disturbed first by a women’s motorcycle club, then by murder! What’s a lodge owner to do but investigate herself?

This was such a cozy story! I absolutely loved how Kelly set the scene with the lodge and the mountains. The characters, especially the motorcycle club, were really interesting and diverse. So much so that I wanted so much more of the club. Although with Erika’s character, and the birthday party the club interacts with makes me think Kelly doesn’t think very highly of millennials. 😂

The mystery was very interesting and engaging. We’re given a plethora of suspects and motives and red herrings, and then there’s a second mystery that has to be solved that muddies the waters. I had definitely narrowed down the Susie to to two, but I still ended up surprised by how everything resolved.

However, this story got a little bogged down by describing so much. All of Misty’s actions are written out in detail and it slowed down the story. And I was a little dissatisfied with how chapters from the kitty’s point of view were incorporated. I definitely expected Yeti to be more of the story or at least the climax when there were multiple chapters from the cat’s point of view.

This was a fun and quick read and stood on its own well as it’s the second in a series.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC.

It was fun visiting the Mountaintop Lodge again and for some reason it just seemed like forever since I'd read that first book, but the characters were so memorable there was absolutely no problem getting settled back in with Misty, Rocky and Brynn, and of course Yeti kitty and Molasses aka Mo, Rocky's dog. I always like those short scenes from Yeti's viewpoint since she sometimes sees stuff before the humans do or observes it differently. Too bad she can't tell the humans, lol.

Misty hosted a lively but orderly group and I was honestly sad when one of their own was who was murdered this time. Misty and Rocky's sleuthing together is always lots of fun, but she got with Brynn for part of it too. Was it one of the motorcycle club members who'd had too much of the lady or was a family member? Or some random stranger? Misty had all kinds of questions in her mind and worked closely with Deputy Gillespie to flush out their killer.

There were a couple side mysteries which could've easily been connected to the murder...were they or weren't they? You'll have to read for yourselves and find out in a couple days when this book releases on October 25. I can't wait for the next one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin's Paperbacks via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

A Trip with Trouble: A Mountain Lodge Mystery
By Diane Kelly
St. Martin’s Paperbacks
October 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

Autumn is setting in at Beech Mountain, North Carolina, and the Mountaintop Lodge is fully booked for the tourist, leaf-watching season. Owner Misty Murphy is expecting a rather unique group of guests, as the all-women Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club has reserved all of the rooms while they tour through the mountains and enjoy the lodge’s fire pits and nearby Greasy Griddle Diner. Purchasing the lodge was the first step in Misty’s new post-divorce, empty-nest new life, so she can’t help but admire the independent spirit of the motorcycle riders as they roar in wearing leathers and helmets. Ranging in ages and on cruisers and sportbikes, their inclusivity is only limited to members who follow their safety rules. Unabashedly breaking these is Erika Hursey, who not only pops a wheelie but seems to have no respect for the group’s leader. Misty’s radar also detects that something is not right with statuesque Katie Martin, who hides her true hair color and uses a misleading bike cover to disguise her type of motorcycle.

The first of the speedbumps to hit Dangerous Curves is the theft of one of the member’s bikes, which is seemingly part of a string of local robberies. When Erika fails to keep track of the sweeper on her ride and abandons Gerri Burnham, Erika is ostracized and blamed when the last-rider roadguard is found dead on the side of the ride. Misty is less willing to jump to conclusions when she learns that Gerri’s stepdaughter’s family was in town before the accident, demanding that Gerri release funds from her late husband’s estate. When evidence quickly appears that Gerri’s accident was intentional, Misty finds herself suspecting her guests, a guest’s stalker, and even an inebriated, selfie-stick wielding college student. Chapters narrated by Misty’s fluffy white feline Yeti provide extremely catty observations, while the burgeoning romance for Misty with the handyman adds banter and levity as they engage in a mature, very fun string of dates full of adequate food but great conversation.

Full disclosure, I was completely sold on this second of the series at the first mention of Dangerous Curves. Having first joined Dangerous Curves Honolulu in 2002, the all-women’s motorcycle riding club not only taught me how to ride safely, it bonded me with women who shared a love of motorcycle riding. Diane Kelly gets all of the details right here, from the emphasis on safety (although we did ride staggered and not always single lane) to the extremely diverse collection of women who varied in age, race, education, and choice of bikes. As much of a pleasure it was to read about this celebration of female companionship, the mystery here is just as compelling as it focuses on motives that involve stalking, robbery, and inheritances. A heroine hitting the mid-century mark is refreshing as well, especially as it has Misty starting over with a new career and even a new romance. Incorporating all of the humor from her Tara Holloway mysteries and the unique pet-centric viewpoints of her Paw Enforcement and House-Flipper series, this latest of her many novels delights with a compelling plot, well-developed characters, and an extraordinarily intelligent and engaging protagonist. While I will miss Dangerous Curves as they ride off for their next long group ride, I look forward to the next appearance by Misty, Yeti, and the rest of the Beech Mountain residents.

Misty is fifty and starting a new life and recently bought a mountain lodge which she'd visited many times and has fond memories of. Brynn is her assistant, the restaurant across the street provides a buffet breakfast in the mornings and Rocky, a local handyman, lives at the lodge and does maintenance in return for a room.

A women's motorcycle club has booked the lodge for the week so they can ride the roads, go for hikes and enjoy the fall colours. Misty and Brynn are quite envious so jump at the chance when they are invited to spend the day on the back of the bikes touring around. But the fun ends when the leader of the group, who was bringing up the rear of the pack, disappears and everyone heads out to find her.

I've read many books (and series) by this author and I liked this one ... it's the second in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. I liked the writing style. It is written in first person perspective from Misty's point of view and third person perspective from Yeti, Misty's cat's point of view (the author has done this in other series ... had dogs and cats share their point of view, which as an animal lover I find cute).

It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. I liked the characters and look forward to reading others in this series. And I liked that Misty is a more mature age (so closer to mine) than a younger woman.

When I read and reviewed the first book in this series I said I'd read the next one without even thinking about it. I do not regret that statement at all! The next book in the series is great, an awesome mystery and again I didn't realize who the murderer was until right before it was revealed. I like that Misty and Rocky are starting to act on their feelings for each other, maybe in the next book we'll see more of their relationship emerging. Can't wait for more of Misty and the crew.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

A Trip With Trouble is a fun fall read. It’s the second book in the Mountain Lodge mystery series set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Misty owns a mountain lodge where she likes to host groups. This time is a female motorcycle group called Dangerous Curves. The group is fun and take Misty and Brynn along for the ride one day.
I was really sad about the woman who dies suspiciously on one of the rides. I liked her personality and her backstory.
The author weaves a intricate tale with a number of possible suspects and motives.
Misty, Rocky and Patty are some of my favorite new cozy mystery characters and I love the setting in the mountains.
I happily recommend you pick up A Trip With Trouble. It is delightful.
Thanks to Netgalley and and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review this book.