Meow and many purrs to you. I’m Baroness Von Blizzard, the gorgeous white cat who Misty Murphy was immensely fortunate to adopt from a shelter in Raleigh, North Carolina a few years back. Of course, her two sons took one look at my soft, snowy fur and dubbed me “Yeti.” The moniker stuck. Whatever. I don’t much care what the humans call me so long as they keep the treats and back scratches coming. After all, I deserve the attention. I mean, just look at me. I’m beautiful.

Misty and I recently moved from our home in Raleigh to a lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The place is by no means fancy, but it is undeniably comfortable. My room, which I allow Misty to share with me for my convenience, has two large windows. One of the windows is on the side of the lodge. The other window looks out onto the woods behind the lodge, and gives me a long-range view of the peaks in the distance.

My typical day begins with a breakfast of the most expensive canned food. If Misty’s first offering is not to my liking, I’ll turn up my little pink nose and sit on my haunches until she serves me something else that better suits my mood. After eating my fill, I’ll hop up onto my king-sized bed and take my early-morning nap on the red and black buffalo plaid comforter. A kitty like me needs her beauty sleep. After an hour or so, I’ll wake up and perform my morning stretches—one leg out behind me, the other leg out behind me, back raised in a nice arch. Properly limber now, I’ll head to one of the two windows and take up a position on the sill to keep watch over the goings on outside the lodge. Most days, I’ll spot a groundhog or two waddling by, several types of birds flying overhead or flitting in the trees, maybe a fox or a skunk meandering past. I also see lots of deer, mostly does and fawns, though occasionally a buck will strut by, antlers up like he’s all that. Sometimes, I see strange things outside, like people lurking on the nearby hiking trail, or someone snooping around the lodge or fleeing from the police throughout the woods. Humans are an odd species, subject to unpredictable and sometimes violent behavior.

When things aren’t too busy at the lodge, I’ll hang out with Misty at the registration desk. From there, I can hear the guests talking. If I prick my ears, I can even hear the things they whisper in secret to each other or on their cell phones. The counter is also the perfect spot for watching the parking lot in front of the lodge and the diner across the parking lot. Often, police cars and cruisers from the sheriff’s department pull up in front, and officers come into the lodge to talk to Misty, her handyman Rocky, and her assistant manager Brynn. Seems the guests keep getting themselves killed. Shame. At least the mountains are a beautiful place to die.

A Trip with Trouble, A Mountain Lodge Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: October 2022
Purchase Link

The second in a charming and engrossing cozy series from Diane Kelly, A Trip with Trouble proves that in the Blue Ridge Mountains, life in the fast lane could end in a crash.

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?

About the author
Diane Kelly is a fan of furry, four-footed creatures and creatively concocted whodunnits, and combines the two interests in her mystery series. Diane has published over forty novels and novellas, including the Death & Taxes white-collar crime series, the Paw Enforcement K-9 series, the House Flipper cozy mystery series, the Busted female motorcycle cop series, the Southern Homebrew moonshine series, and the Mountain Lodge Mysteries. Find Diane online at dianekelly.com, on her Author Diane Kelly page on Facebook, and on Twitter at @DianeKellyBooks and Instagram at @DianeKellyBooks.

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