My Review
All Aboard for Murder is a cozy
mystery set at the Golden Motel, a renovated retro motel in
California’s Gold Country. Dee Stern runs the motel with her
ex-husband turned best friend, Jeff Cornetta. It’s Halloween
and they are anticipating a big spooky season at the motel.
They don’t anticipate murder though. Moses Sprockles, who runs
the town’s old railroad, is discovered dead. Dee begins
sleuthing, with a number of suspects, including a pair of
spoiled former child stars who are staying at the motel.
I wanted to read All Aboard for Murder because I love this
series. It’s one of my favorites! I really love the retro
motel setting, and the California Gold Rush town is fun.
This is a fast paced mystery with a lot of characters. The
author has included a Cast of Characters section listing all the
characters and their place in this little corner of the world.
It’s very helpful!
I like Dee as a sleuth. She’s smart and as she states herself,
“I’m obsessed with people’s backstories. You know, people’s
pasts.” (eBook location 2760)
Her coworker Ma’am adds, “That’s what makes you a good writer.
And a good snoop.” (eBook location 2761).
I like the extended cast that recurs in this series, including
Dee’s father Sam, who plays Prospector Pete for family groups
visiting the motel; her folksy older coworkers Ma’am and Mister
Ma’am; her hound dog Nugget; and of course Bud the Bear!
I enthusiastically recommend All Aboard for Murder for other
cozy mystery fans. Anyone interested in Mid-Century motels or
folksy American road trips will absolutely adore this mystery.
Do yourself a favor and read the entire Golden Motel series - it is great
fun, and you will enjoy seeing the characters interact over the
different books.
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.
Author Bio
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.
A native New Yorker, Ellen is a graduate of Tulane University and lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, daughter, and a rotating crew of rescue pups. Visit her at http://www.ellenbyron.com/.
Author Links
Newsletter: https://www.ellenbyron.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellenbyronauthor/ https://www.facebook.com/CateringHallMysteries/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenbyronmariadirico/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ellen-byron https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maria-dirico
Goodreads: Ellen Byron (Author of Plantation Shudders) | Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19130966.Maria_DiRico
Purchase Links – Amazon – Kensington – Bookshop.org – B&N – Hudson Books – Target – Walmart
Giveaway
Thanks so much for the great review!
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