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? (Goodreads synopsis)
I have read some of Daine Kelly’s novels prior to this one. Specifically, her Paw Enforcement series and the first novel of the Mountain Lodge series. Yeti, Misty’s cat, still was not as prominent. In fact, I felt that Yeti was in this less than the first one. Again, Yeti’s voice just felt like it was there to fill chapters. That’s one reason that I took a star away.
Another was that, while I admire Misty and her openness with everyone and everything, I found her a bit quick to jump to conclusions in her investigation. About 2 of the suspects for sure, but then also for dismissing others. I just felt that her judgment was off in this particular novel.
Outside of those two reasons, I actually really enjoyed this novel. I liked the acceptance of Brynn, Misty, Patty, and Rocky of the ladies motorcycle club. I loved the camaraderie of the ladies as well. I was also really happy about Rocky and Misty.
The mystery was great. The fact that there were two instead of one, and that they were seamlessly intertwined was very smooth. There are several theories along the way, along with plenty of suspects. I also liked the fact that Misty worked with the police rather than there being any tension. Sometimes, it seemed like the deputy shared more than he probably should have, but as we find out later, there are 614 residents, news travels fast.
Overall I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
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