The third book in the Mountain Lodge Mysteries did not disappoint!

Misty Murphy runs a cozy lodge in a picturesque corner of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. When an international developer rents out her lodge to woo investors for a huge, flashy resort in the area, controversy ensues as locals are at odds over it. Misty jumps into action when the investor is found dead, as many of the suspects are staying under her roof!

I love this series! Descriptive and atmospheric, Kelly makes me feel like I can see and feel the snow, the mountains, and every aspect of the charming world she has created!

These books have a great cast of characters, too. Misty is relatable and intelligent, and I like her a lot--a single mother to two sons, a businesswoman, and a highly competent sleuth. Misty thinks things through, which is enjoyable to read. She works alongside law enforcement, and her romance with Rocky is sweet. The secondary characters are memorable, too, and even though there are several suspects, Kelly ensures all of the characters stand out. Misty's sons are home for the Thanksgiving holidays and bring some lighthearted humor.

The mystery was fun and well-paced, with a few red herrings that kept me guessing. And the way the victim's body was discovered is a crime scene I won't soon forget! I enjoyed this! It's an entertaining, snowy, cozy mystery for your winter tbr. It works as a stand-alone, and I recommend this delightful series!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Misty is fiftyish and has started a new life ... she recently bought a mountain lodge which she'd visited many times with her now ex-husband and their two sons 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. Her sons have a break from college so are working at the lodge while Brynn takes some time holiday time off.

Nigel is a resort developer from England and has invited some potential investors to learn about a property in North Carolina he would like to develop. He invites them to stay nearby at Misty's mountain lodge to learn more and to get to know and enjoy the area. Though Misty is happy to lodge is filled for the week (Nigel is paying for everything), she's not sure she's happy with his plans to knock down the trees to build his resort and is concerned about what will happen to the wildlife that currently lives there. Local people aren't pleased with this either and aren't shy about letting Nigel know. So when Nigel turns up dead and the police determine it's murder, there are a number of people, both local and in his investors' group, who could have wanted him dead.

I've read many books (and series) by this author and I liked this one ... it's the third 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 occasional 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.

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly is a charming cozy mystery with terrific characters, not the least of which was the cat, Yeti, who had her own short chapter every now and then, reflecting her own thoughts, usually nothing to do with anyone but herself. Misty was fairly newly divorced and had bought this lodge because it was the life she wanted to live, not because she had any experience. She had a new man, Rocky, who was her handyman and lived at the lodge also. It was nearly Thanksgiving and Jack, her ex-husband, and her two sons were coming for the holiday. Jack discovered she had a new man when he arrived at her room the first night with a bottle of wine. Rocky was already there. It worked out OK but it made me laugh. The lodge was sold out for a week before Christmas, purchased by a man, Nigel Goodwin, who was bringing potential investors, so he could pitch them, both formally and informally. His scheme was to built a mega-resort nearby. Misty was not sure she supported it and she knew some of the locals didn’t as they arrived in her lobby to protest.

Misty is a good character who is growing into her new life. She did not hate her ex, she just didn’t loved him anymore, but she loved her boys fiercely. Rocky had kids, too, all but one were older than her boys and would be there for Christmas. The discovery of the murder came about in an odd way. They boys had been out sledding down the huge pile of snow Rocky had made scrapping the parking lot. There they found an oddly shaped rock and brought it in to show their mother. It wasn’t a rock, it was someone’s nose, and she knew whose. She and Rocky quickly went outside to explore and discovered the body of Nigel Goodwin, sans nose. They called 911 and settled back o wait. The man was beyond helping. He was frozen solid. It took some investigating by both the authorities and Misty to figure this one out. It was a good mystery, with actual forensics a part of it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Snow Place for Murder by St. Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #DianeKelly #SnowPlaceForMurder

Snow Place For Murder is the wonderful 3rd book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. I have read and enjoyed them all and they keep getting even better! The characters are likeable and interesting. The cozy mystery was good. The family and friendships really make this cozy mystery series a winner! Misty Murphy owns a lodge. Her handyman and boyfriend Rocky has a room at the lodge and Brynn is a friend and worker. Misty's two sons and ex-husband are coming to visit along with Rocky's daughter. Surprisingly they all get along well but they do add humor to the story. A new resort is going to be built nearby and the resort developer is bringing in a group of investors to stay at Mountaintop Lodge. The developer ends up dead and the investors, the wife, the assistant and some locals are all suspects. I guessed the culprit but wasn't sure until the end. This is a very enjoyable cozy mystery with a good pace and enough going on to keep my interest. I look forward to more books in this series! #SnowPlaceForMurder #NetGalley #StMartinsPress. #MinataurPublishing

Another good mystery in this series. It's always the one you least suspect. Misty has her lodge full for a week with people who will potentially be investing in a new resort near her lodge. It would be a beautiful place, but there are those who do not want it built and will do everything in their power to stop it. When the resort developer turns up dead on the property, Misty has to help find the killer. Is it one of the investors or is it one of the locals who are objecting to the project? With Misty's boys visiting and Rocky's daughter also visiting, the place is full. Can they find the killer before everyone checks out of the lodge? They have limited time and have to move fast.

Snow Place for Murder is book 3 in Diane Kelly’s Mountain Lodge Mystery series, and it is a series that I love. In Beech Mountain, NC lodge owner Misty Murphy is wondering if she should regret allowing Nigel Goodwin to use her lodge to promote his new resort to investors. Along with a couple of rude guests, there is also a group of local business owners and residents who descend on the lodge to voice their complaints against Nigel and his resort. When things get out of hand, Misty calls the police. The next day Misty’s two college -age sons are working at the lodge during their winter holiday and are sledding on the nearby snow pile when they discover an interesting rock. Taking it to their mother, Misty is horrified at what her boys have found. Rocky and Misty rush outside and discover Nigel frozen solid body. Why and how did Nigel die? And who would have done such a thing?

I love this series for so many reasons. One is the descriptions of the mountains and the weather. One paragraph is written as peaceful, but another could make the mountains out as sinister. It's a double-edged sword, but a healthy reminder about reality in those conditions. Another reason is because the author inserts random chapters told from the pet companion’s POV. In this case, it is Baroness Blizzard, a.k.a. Yeti, Misty’s cat. I enjoy the levity Yeti’s chapters bring to the page, but also the fact that animals notice things that humans might not.

Finally, there is Misty herself. I am notoriously known for having pet peeves regarding cozy mysteries. However, Diane Kelly doesn’t touch any of those pet peeves in this series. There is no police officer who automatically dislikes Misty. Instead, they sometimes actively ask her for help and encourage her ideas. There is no love triangle. Instead, Misty and Rocky are very down to earth about their romance. It's also not a distracting point to the story. The last pet peeve is Misty does not put herself in danger. I cannot stand when main characters state they don’t want anyone to get hurt but then do something stupid. Misty does not do that. She always communicates with Rocky, Deputy Hardy, or Deputy Yona Highcloud.

I knew about two-thirds of the way who the killer was, and why. I was a little surprised that Deputy Highcloud didn’t make the suggestion, but there were quite a few more obvious suspects. Though I knew, it didn’t take away from the novel for me. I enjoyed reading as Misty untangled all of the other threads as well.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

Why have I not been reading the Mountain Lodge Mystery series by Diane Kelly? This is the third in the series of murder and mayhem. After her divorce, Misty Murphy bought a mountain retreat in the North Carolina mountains. Nigel Goodwin rented the whole lodge to pitch a new resort idea for the area. However, with both push back from the locals and grumbles from the potential investors, everyone is a suspect when Nigel is found dead in a snow pile. Who took out the developer? Misty has too many suspects and not enough time. Will she figure out who did it? Or will the murderer get away?
I do love how this author sets her mood for the story. I would love to go and stay at Misty's quaint inn, however, we can hold the murder. The settings are well developed and make you want to curl up with a good book and read or go into town and shop the little shops or hit the slopes. I plan to look into the first two books in the series. I want to thank Netgalley for introducing me to another keeper author. A review was not required.

This is such a fun little cozy mystery series! We, again, follow Misty as she hosts a private group at her lodge in the mountains of North Carolina. This time, the group is headed by Nigel Goodwin, a man with a plan to build a huge resort in the area but needs investors to get the project going. I like how the author uses a lot of different scuffles and disagreements to throw the reader, and Misty, in different directions trying to figure out whodunnit. This installment was really fun because we get to really meet her two sons who are visiting for the winter break, as well as Rocky's daughter who is doing the same. I liked reading their interactions with each other. It was really fun and wholesome.
If you like this series, this is a good installment! If you like cozies in general, I think this is also a really fun series to get into; especially, since it is still just starting out and each book is relatively short. You wouldn't necessarily need to read it order, but it does provide a little more context for the relationships between the main people in the lodge. As always, I love having the couple little chapters from Yeti the cat's POV. It's really fun!

I have read another of Diane Kelly's Mountain Lodge Mystery series and enjoyed it just as much as this one. While this is a fun cozy to read, it has something very special to me. This is an amateur sleuth that doesn't fight with the cops. I love it. The police are police and yet the amateur, Misty, has been asked to look out for some things only because this is a small town. Even though this situation might not be 100% realistic, it is a cozy. But finally, the police and the main character aren't fighting all the time. Made the plot and the characters much more visible. Great read. Waiting for more.

Another great entry in the Mountain Lodge mysteries. I really enjoy this series. Maybe it’s because they are set in the mountains of North Carolina and close to where I call home. It’s like you can picture exactly what is being described almost like being there. Totally recommend this series. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Snow Place For Murder was a great cozy mystery. This is book three in Diane Kelly’s Mountain Lodge Mystery series and it’s very easy to jump right in without reading the previous books. I really enjoyed reading this one and loved the main character, Misty. This is great read for the upcoming winter months. If you are looking for an atmospheric cozy mystery you should give this one a try.

Snow Place for Murder is the third book in Diane Kelly's cozy Mountain Lodge Mystery series. In this installment, an international developer has purchased a nearby property. He rents out Misty's Mountaintop Lodge to host wealthy investors. Many of the locals in Beech Mountain oppose the over-the-top development. When the developer is found frozen to death inside a mini sledding hill behind the lodge, Misty helps the local police solve the question of whodunnit.

Not only was the mystery a good one, but the relationship between Misty and her two sons is also explored. It is heartwarming to see the recently divorced mother being able to connect in a positive way with the two college-aged young men. Also, the youngest daughter of the handsome handyman, Rocky, comes for the holiday, adding even more family fun.

“Snow Place for Murder” by Diane Kelly
A Cozy Mystery in Ski country
I really liked this story and thoroughly enjoyed my time in this who-done-it. I had forgotten that I had enjoyed another who-done-it involving lodgers at Misty’s Mountain Lodge. It was nice to be back at Misty’s place with her crew and neighbors and solving another mystery. Happy Reading ! !
Note: This review expresses my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley.

It's almost Thanksgiving and Snow had arrived on the mountain. Misty's sons and ex-husband are arriving for the holidays and it promises to be a time for family and fun. It's also time for murder. Misty is hosting Nigel Goodwin and a group of potential investors who are there to see about building a resort on prime land by the lake. There are some people who are not happy about it though and then Nigel turns up dead.

The story starts just before Thanksgiving and continues through Christmas. As always, Diane Kelly does a great job introducing new side characters. We also get to spend some time with Misty's family and Rocky's daughter. I didn't think Phoebe's dialogue was very realistic but it makes so much sense for their families to be included in the storyline.

I laughed out loud several times. Misty gets pretty creative with some of her methods of investigation. I like that she shares information with the police. I do think some of Misty's involvement is unrealistic but it makes for a fun time.

This series has a little quirkiness to it. I would love to see Yeti make it out of her room next time.

Diane Kelly’s third Mountaintop Lodge mystery gets off to a plodding start, making it hard to continue reading. The premise of this story involves a developer who intends to present his plans for “an exclusive new resort to wealthy American investors.” He takes over the lodge to accommodate his guests, including space for his elaborate presentation and exhibits.

A contingency of locals protesting the resort’s development creates a scene at the lodge while a blizzard hits the mountain. Then, the next day, the developer is found frozen outside the lodge, a victim of murder.

A healthy list of suspects – locals and investors – keeps Misty busy, tracking down motives and alibies.

Diane Kelly plots an intriguing mystery but loses focus with her slow pace and story presentation.

This is the third book of the series. This time Misty Murphy owner of Mountaintop Lodge helps police solve the murder of a visiting property developer. A lot of people are against his plans for building a resort.

A nice addition to the series that's just as good as a standalone so long as you know and appreciate in advance that some of the chapters are in the voice of Yeti the cat. Yep, the cat has a point of view which while not critical to the story, is entertaining and often funny. Misty's sons are home for the holidays and they are the ones who discover the body of Nigel, a real estate developer in the show at the Lodge. He'd been there to show the place and the area off to potential investors but this hadn't set well with the locals. Did one of them do it? Or was it one of his party? Misty, along with her love interest Rocky, her assistant Brynn and her other pals (and family) work their way through the suspects to find the real villain. It's a large cast of characters but you won't have trouble keeping them straight. And the setting is lovely. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read for cozy fans.

Snow Place for Murder is the 3rd book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery Series. It's a cozy mystery. Misty owns the Mountain Lodge and a group of investors for a new resort are going to be at the lodge for a week, starting on a Sunday. A lot of the town people are not happy about the resort.

I wish Goodreads did half stars, because to me this book is a 2 1/2 ⭐. I was going to give it a 2⭐, but the book got a little better after the half way mark. I usually enjoy Cozies, especially when they have an animal as a character. Yeti is Misty's cat but I really don't know why he was even in the book. He didn't add anything to it. I just didn't really enjoy this book. Of course, it's just my opinion, you may enjoy it. Remember everyone reads a different book with the same title. They get something different out of it.

Tentative Publishing Date: October 24, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🙂 Happy Reading 🙂

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Snow place for murder by Diane. Kelly is the third in a murder mystery series, but works perfectly well as a standalone. I loved the pacing and the build up, and was particularly delighted by the snippets we got from the cat‘s perspective. I will definitely be pitching this book for inclusion at my bookstore, and be pursuing more books by the author.

SNOW PLACE FOR MURDER by Diane Kelly

This was another charming and engrossing Mountain Lodge mystery series book by Diane Kelly. The weather on top of this mountain is truly frightful.

This novel was so enjoyable, I couldn’t put it down. Lots of drama. There were many great characters. If you enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and murder, this is the novel for you. It has many twists and and turns leading us to the murderer. I highly recommend this book. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.