A TRIP WITH TROUBLE (Mountain Lodge Mystery #2) by Diane Kelly will be published on October 25th 2022 by St. Martin's Press.
The Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club have come to Misty Murphy's lodge to enjoy Fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Misty and her assistant, Brynn, play hooky from their housekeeping duties and join the ladies on one of their rides along a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. While on the ride, one of the club members goes missing. Gerri's body—alongside her wrecked motorcycle—is found in the woods flanking the parkway. What appears to be a tragic accident quickly turns into a murder investigation after the police determine that Gerri was run off the road and forced to crash. With a lodge full of suspects, and a few other suspicious people hanging around the area, Misty is determined to help the police find the person responsible for Gerri's murder before anyone else becomes a victim.
A TRIP WITH TROUBLE is a great follow up to GETAWAY WITH MURDER. The Blue Ridge Mountains make for an idyllic setting, and the lodge allows for a new cast of characters with each novel. I'm not really a fan of the chapters that are written from Misty's cat's perspective. Those few chapters don't really add to the story and can be skipped without missing any of the plot. Aside from a few sections that seemed to drag, I enjoyed the book. There are a number of red herrings and enough suspects to keep the reader guessing. The final confrontation with the killer was a bit ridiculous and over the top, and I would have enjoyed more scenes with the killer to further set up the reason behind the murder. That being said, I'm looking forward to the next Mountain Lodge Mystery.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the ARC.