A Very Woodsy Murder, the “premiere” episode in Ellen Byron’s latest series is pure gold! From the opening scene to the final curtain, this book draws you in and keeps you hooked.

Dee Stern wants to reinvent herself following her career as a sitcom writer, so she and her best friend, Jeff Cornetta, decide to purchase a motel in the mountains which needs a bit of work. The Golden has seen better days, but Dee and Jeff are determined to make it a popular destination. The arrival of their first guest, Michael Adam Baker, is a mixed blessing, as he is also a retired sitcom writer and a rival of Dee’s. Things really heat up when Michael is murdered and suspicion falls on Dee and Jeff. Michael, however, has no shortage of enemies, and Dee must sort through a plethora of suspects to get to the truth, clear their names, and save the fledgling reputation of the Golden Motel.

I can’t stress how much I liked this book. Having worked in the studio system myself (albeit on the business side), I find Dee totally relatable. I easily connect with her struggles with ageism in the industry and her wry view on life. While Dee (and to a lesser extent, Jeff) is the main character in the story, Ms. Byron populates the town of Foundgold (where the Golden is located) and the neighboring town of Goldsgone with colorful and quirky characters and infuses the story with an entertaining and comedic element. My favorites are Elmira, who’s baking skills leave a lot to be desired, and Dee’s father, Sam, a voice actor by profession, who expresses himself in the voices of the characters he has portrayed.

I was pleased to note that Ellen Byron added two recipes (for Cowboy Casserole and Trail Mix) at the end of the story as well as a useful collection of road trip tips. The brief author’s notes are also not to be missed, chronicling how a road trip to Gold Rush Country inspired the setting of the story. I also listened to the audio version, and the narration by Danielle Acitelli enhanced the book’s vibrancy and humor.

I can’t wait to embark on my next trip to the Golden Motel. I will be making my reservations for the next installment of what promises to be a wonderful series as soon as the second book is published.

Note: I received an ARC of A Very Woodsy Murder from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing/Kensington Cozies. The above is my honest review.

If you're a fan of quirky characters, lots of humor, and a well-planned mystery then this book is for you. A fabulous first in series by an award winning author, this one checks all the boxes! I loved the characters and setting and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. This series will make you want to pack a bag and head to California for you own very woodsy vacation (but hopefully not murder)!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a cozy mystery that follows a Hollywood writer that decided to buy a woodsy inn in a small town. Unfortunately, her first guest is murdered and she has to solve the case so that she can start getting guests and her new inn.

This book was just ok for me. I thought it was very over the top and the characters weren’t very likeable or relatable to me. I think the writing was pretty good and the mystery itself was engaging.

Overall, not a bad book it just wasn’t my favorite.

The Golden motel is a hidden treasure nestled in the Sierra foothills, a respite for sitcom writer Dee Stern and her data analyst ex-husband Jeff Cornetta. Neither have hospitality services experience but are giving it a go as budding moteliers in the rustic mountain setting. Unfortunately, the motel isn’t the only thing that is in the woods and no I not referring to Stoney the bear. This was not how Dee saw her new venture going, nothing like finding the dead body of your first guest, writer Michael Adam Baker. Dee remembers Michael Allen as being the most devious backstabbing writer whom she ever had the displeasure of working with. There goes that Yelp review he was holding over their heads. The suspects are plentiful, was it someone from Michael’s past in Goldgone or someone from his present. The guy was no prince and while some(one) might have heralded him as a “son” of Goldgone there were plenty of people who had nothing good to say about him.

Ellen Byron has done it again, created another awesome cozy mystery. Ms. Byron has a flair for creating characters that are characters. From the Goldsgone Mercantile and Emporium owner named Verity Donner - yes that Donner Gillespie to Elmira Williker the Foundgold shop owner who can’t bake but is one heck of a cook plus she’s the Mayor. There is also the extremely helpful older couple Ma’am and her husband, Mister Ma’am who live a stone’s throw from the Golden and sort of come and go out of nowhere. My favorite character by far is Serena Finlay-Katz, wife to a big time Hollywood agent and the creator of amazing charcuterie snacks. The funny thing about Serena, you just never know if she is carrying the baby in the sling and the dog in carriage or the other way around. Thankfully there is a “Who’s Who” at the front of the book to help keep the players straight. There are quite a few colorful characters, heck I don’t think there is a single ordinary person out of either town.

This cozy does a great job of keeping you entertained and intrigued. Each new character adds another layer of enjoyment and suspicion as the clues mount and the red herrings are running up stream. By the end of this well spun yarn you will find yourself craving trail mix and down home cooking while considering how to work “tarnation” into your next sentence. Even though this isn’t technically a culinary cozy, there are some mighty fine vittles mentioned in the book and I am glad to see that there are recipes in the back. I tried out the Cowboy Casserole which was both simple and delicious. I am looking forward to the next installment and recipes.

a Very Woodsy Murder by Ellen Byron is the first book in her new series called Golden Motel.

It is a nice, easy to read cozy mystery. It has a beautiful setting which plays a big part in the series and it only adds to the charm.
It took a while for murder and investigation to start but I like that in a brand new series as it gives readers a chance to get to know the characters,
Main character has a side kick, her best friend and they really work together well. They are nicely drawn out and I am hoping they continue to grow. There is also an arrey of side characters each more colourful than the other.
The book was very atmospheric and it truly hightened the experience of reading.
The ending was satisfactory and well rounded up.
Good start and I will be looking to continue the series.

I really enjoyed the start to Ellen Byron's new series. If definitely gave a woodsy vibe. The characters were fun to get to know although it was tough to know who to trust! I can't wait to see where Ellen takes us next.

Thank you, NetGalley, for my free copy for exchange for a review.

This is a good start to a promising series!

Burgeoning moterliers, Dee and Jeff, give up their lives in LA and move to the Sierra Nevadas to renovate the Golden Motel. They are faced with snooty people from the town next door, who don't want any competition in the tourism market and dead bodies keep finding their way onto the motel grounds.

What's a new guy and girl to do in a new town? Clear their names and solve the case, of course!

There is a great cast of characters that can be built upon and I'm curious to see where their arcs go. Well-written, a quick read, and lots of fun!

Put on your TBR list today!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5*

As a cozy mystery aficionado, I was absolutely charmed by A Very Woodsy Murder by Ellen Byron. Set in a quaint little town in rural California surrounded by enchanting woods, this book had everything I adore: a touch of humor, a dash of suspense, and a cast of characters that felt like old friends. From the moment I dove into the story, I was swept away by the vivid descriptions of the town and its cozy nooks. Byron has a knack for making the setting come alive, almost as if I could hear the rustling leaves and smell the pine in the air. It’s the kind of place you want to curl up with a cup of tea and stay a while. Dee Stern is relatable and likable—she feels like someone you’d want to chat with over a slice of pie at the local diner. Jeff Cornetta is Dee's best friend who is a hoot! I loved the dynamics between the townsfolk, with their quirky personalities and hidden agendas adding layers to the story. The pacing was just right, too; Byron keeps the plot moving without it ever feeling rushed. Cozy mysteries are my comfort reads so this was just perfect and I did not see that ending coming!
Overall, A Very Woodsy Murder is a delightful escape that reminds me of why I love cozy mysteries in the first place. If you enjoy a good whodunit wrapped in warmth and wit, this book is a must-read. I can’t wait to see what Ellen Byron comes up with next—she’s officially on my “auto-buy” list!

Thank you to netgalley and Kensington for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was such a great series debut! It provided laughs, investigative mishaps, intriguing red herrings, and a fun setting and cast of characters.

Dee is a screenwriter drop out who invests with her partner an old run-down motel in southern California by a national park. Making her stance in the small town along with the rival small town neighbour, she is met with an intriguing set of characters who make it difficult for her and her partner to successfully relaunch the motel. And when a murder takes place on her property, Dee takes it upon herself to investigate who the true murderer is.

Overall, this was such a fun story to read. I especially loved the setting and the interesting interactions Dee had while trying to solve the mystery. The set of friends Dee makes were so engaging and were a big part of what kept me hooked to find out who dun’ it.

This is a charming and ambitious series starter. I liked the Hollywood adjacent and gossipy parts the best- it brings something different to the quirky small towns at the center of the book. Interesting mystery and great suspects.

This cozy was so fun, a bit zany and just a pleasure to read.

Ellen Byron new series set in the Sierra Nevada Mountains follows Dee Stern a former tv writer (like Ellen herself) who leaves Hollywood behind to renovate an old hotel. She buys the Golden with Jeff, her good friend and ex-husband! and inherits the owners old dog nugget as well as a mystery.

The town of FoundGold is full of quirky characters and it warms to Dee and her project. THe town next door Goldsgone is another story. When the Golden's first guest (a former writer colleague of Dee and the favorite son of Goldsgone) ends up dead, the neighbouring town is full of suspicion. The local police and the neighbouring national park police both investigate and naturally Dee and Jeff are under the microscope.

The pair starts investigating and finds out Micheal burned a lot of bridges over the years and has made enemies. More issues target their motel and Dee grows desperate to save her new life and solve the case.

I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next adventure at the Golden.

What a great first in series. This book was so much fun. Great setting and different from other cozies. Very Character driven with good chemistry.

I've read everything Ellen has written and knowing her personally, her voice truly shines in this book. I pictured Dee as Ellen the entire time. I actually laughed out loud multiple times.

I cannot wait for more in this series.

Ellen Byron’s latest culinary cozy series is just as delightful as her other books, but draws more closely on her real life experiences as a former television screenwriter. Her heroine here, Dee Stern, shares a similar occupation but has decided that she's had enough of Hollywood. Instead of writing for mediocre sitcoms, she's going in a completely different career direction, rehabilitating and running the Golden Motel nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

In partnership with her best friend and first ex-husband Jeff, Dee buys the charming fixer-upper that used to belong to the late Jasper Gormley. Jasper left a ton of effects that Dee and Jeff have to sort through, as well as his sweet dog Nugget, whom the new motel owners happily adopt. This naturally endears them to their neighbors in the small town of Foundgold, a place settled all the way back during California’s 1849 Gold Rush.

Getting the motel up and running again is a challenge, but the best friends’ plan to work room by room pays off when they get their very first reservation. Dee’s heart sinks a little when she realizes that their inaugural guest is a fellow screenwriter named Michael Adam Baker. They’d worked together on a sitcom years ago, and though he’s always been friendly to her face, she’s pretty sure that he did his best to undermine her whenever he could. She only hopes that he really means it when he says that he wants to support her new career venture by renting one of her motel’s cabins so that he can work on his new television pilot in bucolic peace.

Dee is thus aghast to discover that he’s planning to base his series pitch on her own life, without so much as a by your leave. She gets into a huge and public fight with him about it, which unsurprisingly does her no favors when he’s found bludgeoned to death in the woods behind the motel. With Jeff just as much of a suspect as she is, the best friends will have to figure out who really hated Michael enough to kill him, as they uncover the surprising ties he had in both Foundgold and in the neighboring, rival town of Goldsgone. They’ll have a scheming killer to contend with, however, who won’t hesitate to strike again.

Ms Byron knows how to write warm, witty characters who draw readers into their orbits and have you rooting for them even as they work through the unusual and often zany elements of their lives. Dee and Jeff are so much fun to be around, as are the inhabitants of both Foundgold and Goldsgone (well, except for Verity, who is a pill.) I really enjoyed our dynamic duo’s sleuthing, too, and look forward to reading of their further adventures in both hospitality and crime-solving.

There were several road trip tips and two recipes included in this book, and I decided to try out this one:

QUOTE
Cowboy Casserole

1 T. olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey, beef or veggie substitute
1 small-medium onion, diced
1 T. minced garlic
1 28 oz. can baked beans, any style
2 15 oz. cans corn, drained
1 15 oz. can creamed corn
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
26 oz. tater tots, thawed

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat up the oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot on medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until tender. Add the garlic and cook together briefly.

Add the ground meat to the onion and garlic mixture, breaking it up as it cooks into small pieces. Once it's cooked, lower the flame slightly and add the baked beans, stirring to combine. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner.

In a medium bowl, combine the creamed corn and regular corn.

Spoon the meat-bean mixture into a greased 9 x 11 baking pan or casserole dish. Top it with the corn mixture, gently spreading the corn to cover the meat-bean mix. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of the grated cheese over the corn. Arrange the tater tots in a single layer on top of the cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese on top of the casserole and bake another 10 minutes.

Serves 8-10.
END QUOTE

I love any casserole with tater tots, and while this definitely isn’t the healthiest thing I’ve ever eaten, it’s certainly filling and delicious! I was actually pretty surprised at how well seasoned it tastes despite not having any salt and pepper added. I was fully expecting to have to add both to each individual serving but the garlic and onion give it a terrific base even before the sweetness of the beans and corn round out the flavor profile. It does make for quite a lot of food, so make sure you have lots of hungry people around when you’re ready to serve it.

Next week, we cross the pond for another culinary cozy series debut while baking up something that feels decidedly American. Do join me!

Ellen Byron is one of my favorite authors. I really enjoyed this book for its theme, quirky cast of characters, and the fun cozy mystery plot. It’s a must-read!

This was a fun, fast paced read set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. The cutely named former gold rush towns are fighting for the next tourist dollar and have a whole host of quirky characters. Dee is a former sit com writer and she and her business partner Jeff purchase the Golden Motel in all its' vintage glory. The mystery is strong and Dee is resourceful. An unlikable character dies and the rivalries between the towns and the background of the deceased lead down a twisty road with plenty of red herrings among the characters as their personalities come out.

This was a highly anticipated read and it did not disappoint! Fun location, fun premise, fun characters...it's a home run! I loved the relationship between Dee and Jeff! I laughed out loud several times @ Dee who i thought was witty and very relatable! This woodsy mystery left me stumped till the end!
I highly recommend this book to all cozy lovers!
I would like to thank netgalley, the author Ellen Byron, and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

This was such a fun read! Ellen Byron is great at creating cozy settings and fun murder mysteries. I loved the getaway in the woods theme, and the characters were so quirky and fun.

This is a perfect summer read, the outdoorsy locale is ideal. I knew as soon as I began it would be a fun read. The rich, woodsy cabin descriptions are what cozies are all about. I really like Dee & Jeff, they are perfect leads, quirky, intelligent & relatable. Some of the things Dee says & thinks are absolutely hilarious! And I loved hearing about all the made up tv shows Dee wrote for, they were really good for a laugh. The supporting characters are delightfully eclectic & mystery is handled adeptly. I had a fun time trying to guess the killer. I can easily see that with excellent setting & cast of characters Byron has created, it can lead to future stories.

This is definitely one of the strongest first books in a new series I’ve read recently. I will be looking out for book two ☺️

When two friends become motel owners from Studio City California to the quaint village of Foundgold. Running a rustic getaway in the woods beats the LA traffic until murder ruins the peace and quiet. But soon Dee and Jeff realize there couldn’t be two more unprepared for the hospitality business. There’s also prowling bears and a general store as the only shopping spot for miles. Living and working in the middle of nowhere takes some getting used to especially when a disrespectful guest ends up dead. Dee must stay clear of a meddling park ranger face her past in show biz and determine if the killer is a local or a tourist. This is a very enjoyable story I would recommend to everyone.

There is just something about a cozy mystery as the perfect "palette cleanser" book. A Very Woodsy Murder starts off with Dee Stern and her ex-husband turned best friend Jeff Cornetta getting ready for their first guest at the country side motel they just purchased. Dee was a television writer and decided to leave her career for something a bit more relaxing. Unfortunately, their first guest is her former television rival and if they wasn't enough to ruin the start of her new career - murder happens. I love the cast and crew of this book - it reminded me of Schitt's Creek at times. It was funny with a Janet Evanovich vibe, but a PG version of her books. I really enjoyed this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this eARC.