But locals are at odds over the idea and when a group comes to the lodge to express their worries to Mr. Goodwin and the potential investors, a blizzard hits Beech Mountain. Like the weather outside, things quickly get frosty and Misty has to call local police to intervene. Handyman Rocky Crowder plows the lodge’s drive and, in an attempt to regain a jovial holiday atmosphere, smooths the snow pile into a makeshift sledding hill for the guests to enjoy.
Misty’s boys have finished their exams and are “home” from college for the winter break, planning to spend most of their time snowboarding at the ski resort. While taking a few runs down Rocky’s sledding hill, they discover a funny-looking, nose-shaped rock. Only it’s not a rock. It’s the frozen nose of Nigel Goodwin, who’s found dead and buried under the mound of snow.
Who put the developer on ice and why?
Misty is fiftyish and has started a new life ... she recently bought a mountain lodge which she'd visited many times with her now ex-husband and their two sons and has fond memories of. Brynn is her assistant, the restaurant across the street provides a buffet breakfast in the mornings and Rocky, a local handyman, lives at the lodge and does maintenance in return for a room. Her sons have a break from college so are working at the lodge while Brynn takes some time holiday time off.
Nigel is a resort developer from England and has invited some potential investors to learn about a property in North Carolina he would like to develop. He invites them to stay nearby at Misty's mountain lodge to learn more and to get to know and enjoy the area. Though Misty is happy to lodge is filled for the week (Nigel is paying for everything), she's not sure she's happy with his plans to knock down the trees to build his resort and is concerned about what will happen to the wildlife that currently lives there. Local people aren't pleased with this either and aren't shy about letting Nigel know. So when Nigel turns up dead and the police determine it's murder, there are a number of people, both local and in his investors' group, who could have wanted him dead.
I've read many books (and series) by this author and I liked this one ... it's the third in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. I liked the writing style. It is written in first person perspective from Misty's point of view and occasional third person perspective from Yeti, Misty's cat's point of view (the author has done this in other series ... had dogs and cats share their point of view, which as an animal lover I find cute).
It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. I liked the characters and look forward to reading others in this series. And I liked that Misty is a more mature age (so closer to mine) than a younger woman.
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