annieb123's Review of A Trip with Trouble

by Diane Kelly

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 couldn’t be more entertaining. The ladies even invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to join them on a ride to admire the colourful 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. The women are having the time of their lives, stopping to enjoy the landmarks and vistas along the route. 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? Could a downed tree near Mount Mitchell have forced the missing woman to take a detour or turn back? Has she lost control of her motorcycle on one of the curvy peaks and gone over the edge? 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?

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

A Trip with Trouble is the second Mountain Lodge hotel cozy mystery by Diane Kelly. Released 25th Oct 2022 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a fun and easy to read light cozy from an experienced and prolific author. All the working parts fit together well into a seamless, escapist read. Mainly told from the third person PoV of the protagonist, Misty, a 50something recently divorced destination lodge owner, there are short interludes featuring her cat as the central dramatis persona. The chapters have an identifying heading for which character is in focus for added clarity.

It's lightly humorous and easy to read. Although it's the second book in the series, the mystery is self contained in this volume and it works well as a standalone. The setting is beautifully rendered and evocative. With 2 books extant and a third due out 4th quarter 2023, it would make a good choice for a short binge or buddy read.

Four stars. Fans of Cleo Coyle, Lynn Cahoon, and Amanda Flower will find a lot to like here.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

23 April, 2023: Started reading

23 April, 2023: Finished reading

23 April, 2023: Reviewed