With the summer season looming, former Hollywood sitcom writer Dee Stern has one small goal—scrubbing her motel’s unflattering moniker as the “Murder Motel.” Dee and ex-husband-turned-business-partner Jeff Cornetta are excited to introduce a family-friendly panning activity complete with fool’s gold just in time for the peak tourist months. Except neither could have anticipated the discovery of a real gold nugget or the ensuing social media frenzy. In a flash, the viral sensation draws grizzled prospectors, wide-eyed adventurers, and trend-chasing thrill seekers to the abandoned mines scattered around the woods . . .
The instant popularity proves great for business, but it also attracts a group of out-of-touch Silicon Valley techies with dreams of striking it rich—again. Dee finds herself particularly annoyed by the insufferably smug Sylvan Burr, a retired CEO who sold his startup before age 30 and won’t let anyone forget it. But things take a sinister turn when Sylvan meets a grim fate at the bottom of a mineshaft, leaving Dee at the center of a deadly mystery that could end her days as a motelier. And while Sylvan had plenty of enemies, Dee suddenly faces adversaries rooting against her own success. Now, with her life and the future of the Golden Motel hanging by a thread, Dee must unearth a minefield of suspects and outwit a greedy killer before she finally digs herself too deep . . . (Summay via Goodreads)
Sometimes readers come across a book that they fall in love with .... that is exactly what happened when I read A Very Woodsy Murder. This was the first book in the Golden Motel Mystery series written by Ellen Byron. So much to love and knowing it was the first book in a series made it even better !!! So when I received the second book, Solid Gold Murder, I waited as long as I could then had to tear into it !!
One thing I think readers will appreciate is the Who's Who in the beginning of the books. This gives the reader an idea of the characters and their roles in the books.
Okay let's get into Solid Gold Murder ... Dee, who co-owns the Golden Motel with her best friend Jeff, is recording her father as he gives a lesson on how to pan for gold in the sluice to a father and son staying at the hotel. It is suppose to be a fun event for families to do while there. Unfortunately as a result they find that they have a few real specs of gold !! And Dee was so excited that she accidentally shared the video !!
Soon the hotel is full with people who are there to pan for gold in areas around the hotel. Dee and Jeff have their hands full wih all kinds of interesting people. They even have a foursome of young techie rich kids and a married couple that is down on their luck hoping for something good.
Sadly things get out of hand and one of the techie's ends up missing but is soon found dead in an abandoned mine shaft. Sylvan Burr, the leader of his little group, had ruffled quite a few tail feathers so the suspect list is quite long. Dee and Jeff will do whatever they can to solve this murder so that they can try to get people to stop calling it the Murder Motel .... which isn't going to be easy !!!
The Golden Motel Mystery series is so fun !! Byron has creative a great setting for the books, with colorful characters, two interesting towns and even without the murders, it would still be a fun series to get lost into.
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