A Trip with Trouble
When the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club take over the Mountaintop Lodge for their annual autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Misty Murphy couldn’t be more thrilled. Every room is full, and the adventurous women even invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to join them on a ride to admire the colorful fall foliage. Hotel handyman Rocky Crowder is happy to keep an eye on the lodge for the day, and the ladies set out for a fun ride on the scenic road.
The skies are clear, the air is crisp, and the leaves are gorgeous. But what starts as a perfect ride turns worrisome when the tail gunner, the last rider in their group, fails to show up at the Craggy Gardens overlook. Cell phone service is spotty in the remote, mountainous area, and the group is unable to connect with their friend. Might the missing woman have simply run out of gas? Or is something far more sinister afoot?
The ladies are determined to locate their ride or die, and Misty is equally determined to help them. But will they be able to solve the mystery when the scenic route seems intent on hiding its secrets?
The Details
Series: The Mountain Lodge Mysteries – Book #2
Author: Diane Kelly
Genre/Category: Cozy – Amateur Sleuth/B&B
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 1250815991
Page Count: 304
Rating: 
The Review
I really enjoyed book one in the, “Mountain Lodge Mysteries,” and book two, Trip with Trouble, was very much in the same vein as the first book and gives several hours of mystery and intrigue. This time a motorcycle group ride turns into a murder scene, and most of the suspects are, once again, under Misty’s roof at the lodge.
The women of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club are special, and most of them are older women who just enjoy the ride and the companionship. As with any group, however, there are always one or two who don’t seem to fit in, and this club is no different. A fun, easy ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains turns into a desperate search for a missing member, but what Misty and the ladies find isn’t all falling leaves and a slow trek through the hills; it’s murder.
Misty is back, along with Patti, Rocky, Brynn, and everyone’s favorite scaredy-cat, Yeti. These characters are original with enough realism to give the reader a next-door neighbor vibe. The scenery is fantastic and easy to picture. I wish there was more of a town for readers to enjoy and explore, but right now, everything is centered on Misty’s lodge. Using a motorcycle club and a ride through the mountains is a picture-perfect setup for the death of a character readers will love. Add in the drama of other members in the club and Misty’s ongoing developing romance with Rocky, and you have a combination that works great to keep readers flipping the page. Finding the killer can be a lesson in patience and digging deeper for the average armchair sleuth, but worth every minute. This murderer isn’t your usual suspect, and once readers figure out who it is, they may be stunned.
I love Misty’s lodge; I could see myself spending a week or more there. The location of the Blue Ridge Mountains is something I can picture in my mind. The group of returning characters has charm and personality that will sustain the series for many books to come. The victim was someone I was hoping would stick around, and was upset that the character wouldn’t be returning. I like the idea of the women-only motorcycle club; I especially liked that they were mostly older and didn’t care much about what anyone thought. Experiencing the mountains on a ride through those twisting, turnings roads would be lovely, even if you aren’t a motorcycle fan. There is plenty of action for any reader, and everyone will find at least one character they can connect with from the beginning. I highly recommend A Trip with Trouble.
The Author
A former tax advisor, Diane Kelly, inadvertently worked with white-collar criminals more than once. Lest she end up in an orange jumpsuit, Diane decided self-employment would be a good idea. Her fingers hit the keyboard, and thus began her “Death and Taxes” romantic mystery series. A graduate of her hometown’s Citizen Police Academy, Diane Kelly also writes the hilarious Paw Enforcement K-9 series, the Busted female motorcycle cop series, the House Flipper series, the Southern Homebrew moonshine series, and the Mountain Lodge Mysteries series.
If you haven’t already, you will want to read the first book in the “Mountain Lodge Mystery” series, Getaway With Murder, or check out a book from one of Diane’s other series, such as Batten Down the Belfry from the “House-Flipper Mystery” series.
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