"Getaway with Murder" By Diane Kelly: Review/Giveaway

 Review by Cynthia Chow

 Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

After sending two sons off to college and managing her family’s budgets and schedules for decades, Misty Murphy undramatically “consciously uncouples” from her marriage and moves on to the next stage of her life. The Ridgeview Inn was always a reliable destination for enjoyable family vacations throughout Misty’s life, and now it seemed like the perfect time for her to buy the deteriorating Blue Ridge Mountains facility and renovate it into a profitable destination lodge. Intending to target large groups looking to throw events or participate in local sport activities, Misty’s first guests are the Third Eye Studio Spa, whose initial ashram site for their retreat burnt down. It doesn’t take long for the very unrelaxed spa owner Sasha Ducharme-Carlisle to have Misty and her very short-staffed inn running ragged with her demands, which prematurely end when Sasha is found in a literal corpse pose at the bottom of the new deck.

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The Watauga Sheriff’s Department investigating Deputy Yona Highcloud is extremely competent and refreshingly fair, allowing Misty to continue to operate as further evidence is discovered. Misty is having second thoughts about rather hastily hiring a cleaner, handyman, and partnering with the Greasy Griddle for catered breakfasts, and she can’t help but worry that she may be working with criminals. Everyone does have their secrets, but Misty also feels an immediate connection with the very handy handyman Rockford “Rocky” Crowder. His experience with those needing shelter while hiking along the Appalachian Trail, not to mention his excellent home repair skills, mean that he provides both business and investigative insights. A wiccan maid is unexpected, but it’s the famous, infamous, and secretive guests who prove to be most troubling as Misty attempts to keep her newly branded Mountaintop Lodge positively promoted on social media and not linked with a lurid murder.

This first in a new series by one of my favorite authors introduces a heroine slightly more mature and centered than her other lead characters. Like her House-Flipper and Paw Enforcement series, short chapters are interspersed throughout with first-person narrations from a furry companion’s perspective. Misty has brought her white Persian Baroness Blizzard with her from Raleigh, and “Yeti’s” opinions here are decidedly appropriate for a feline. Centered mostly around her next mealtime or when it’s time for a nap, Yeti does have definitive opinions on the erratic behavior of her owner and the guests. Readers are quickly introduced to Misty’s new friends and business partners, which makes it easy to sort out the arrival of demanding and suspicious guests. An intimidating masseuse, Instagramming NASCAR driver on a redemption/apology tour, and a very Zen yoga instructor are all entertaining candidates for a culprit. 

Misty is a genuinely likable and relatable lead character, one without the tropes of vengeful exes, immature adult children, or complicated love triangle. This is the start of a very funny and clever mystery featuring a woman starting over in a business that has her serving up hearty meals in an absolutely stunning setting.  

To enter to win a copy of Getaway with Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "getaway,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen January 15, 2022. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. BE AWARE THAT DUE TO THE CURRENT SITUATION THERE MAY BE A DELAY IN SHIPPING THE WINNING BOOK. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode went up this week.

You can use this link to purchase the book or click here. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

 Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.