Maybe it’s because I grew up navigating the subways and commuter rail lines of New York, but I never met a train trip I didn’t love. I wisely married a man who feels exactly the same way. Even more fortuitous, we live in California—a state with a rich and pivotal railroad history.
While my Golden Motel Mystery series is contemporary, each book contains a subplot touching on the Golden State’s fascinating past. The state’s nineteenth century oligarchs were largely responsible for the creation of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad, completed in 1869. This inspired the plot of All Aboard for Murder, where a souvenir from this momentous occasion turns out to be priceless. (The same can’t be said of this souvenir I found on eBay, but I love it anyway.)
In our quest to explore California’s railroad history, my husband Jer and I have hiked the Sierra Nevadas to nineteenth century tunnels chiseled by hand. We paid homage to the twelve thousand Chinese laborers who built the China Wall, an amazing edifice that allowed for the laying of tracks critical to eventually joining the Central Pacific Railroad Company with its eastern equivalent, the Union Pacific.
We’ve visited the state’s railroad museum in Sacramento and Railroad 1897 State Park in Gold Rush Country. The entertainment and transportation industries meet up at the latter, where the opening credits of the old TV show Petticoat Junction were filmed.
A ride on the Yosemite Sugar Pine Railroad led to the Halloween time frame of All Aboard for Murder. Originally a narrow gauge railroad used to transport lumber, the Sugar Pine is now a go-to destination for Yosemite visitors and train lovers like Jer and me. We were disembarking from a spring train ride when I saw that the railroad offered “The Halloween Limited,” complete with dinner, trick-or-treating, and “spooky storytelling.” I immediately made plans for a return visit. It did not disappoint.
After a dinner of hot dog and chips, we boarded the train, whose locomotive was decked out with skeletons and more. We passed creepy beings in the woods on our journey to the forest amphitheater. As night fell, we were indeed regaled with spooky storytelling. I had a blast incorporating elements from the event into the storyline of my third Golden Motel Mystery.
Weaving personal passions into plots is one of the great joys of being a writer. I hope the love of railroading that I sprinkled into All Aboard for Murder inspires readers to seek out their own train trips. To quote the giant Shay #10 steam locomotive at the Yosemite Sugar Pine Railroad, “Choo choo!”
ALL ABOARD FOR MURDER
Series: A Golden Motel Mystery, Book 3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: July 2026
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link
Dee Stern is starting to feel at home running her Golden Motel in the quaint California village she moved to, leaving behind her LA life as a sitcom writer. But a killer sees the town’s Halloween celebration as a golden opportunity to write a script for murder . . .
It’s October in Gold Rush country and all manner of tricks and treats are happening in the lead-up to Halloween. October also happens to be the birthday of Angus Sprockles, the man responsible for the town being designated a historic landmark, and the residents are celebrating his memory as well. His only living descendant, Moses Sprockles, runs the narrow-gauge railroad—once used to ferry lumber from the mountains to the sawmill, now a tourist attraction. The Sprockles Railroad is hosting a Halloween-themed fundraiser for the Historical Society.
But when a body is found on the tracks, it’s not a Halloween prank. It’s Moses himself, seemingly felled by a fallen tree branch. Dee’s dad Sam is convinced his friend is the victim of foul play and urges his daughter to apply her sleuthing skills. Dee’s train of thought leads her to suspects ranging from a former child star and one-hit wonder, the owner of a nail salon with her claws in everything, and even the mayor. When a self-proclaimed ghost hunter throws his hat in the ring and claims to know who did it, the investigation really goes off the rails. No matter how crazy things get, Dee is determined to blow the whistle on a runaway killer with a one-track mind.
About the author
Ellen is a bestselling author, Anthony nominee, and recipient of multiple Agatha and Lefty awards for her Cajun Country Mysteries, Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, Catering Hall Mysteries (as Maria DiRico), and Golden Motel Mysteries. She is also an award-winning playwright and non-award-winning writer of TV hits like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents, but considers her most impressive achievement working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart. Visit her at www.ellenbyron.com.