Book Review: A Very Woodsy Murder

A Very Woodsy Murder

• Series: A Golden Motel Mystery (Book One)

• Written by: Ellen Byron

• Published by: Kensington Cozies

• Publication date: July 23, 2024

• Mystery type: Cozy mystery

Dee Stern is burned out on writing scripts for kids' sitcoms, so she buys a retro motel on the edge of the California wilderness. When her first guest involuntarily "checks out," Dee creates a suspect list and starts sleuthing.

A Very Woodsy Murder is the first book in a new series from mystery writer Ellen Byron. Ellen is an experienced and award-winning cozy mystery writer with several series under her belt. (I particularly like her new vintage cookbook series. You can read more about it on the culinary cozies page.)

I’ve liked every Ellen Byron book I’ve read, and this one is no exception. I particularly enjoyed the rustic California setting and the concept of a sitcom writer turned retro motel owner.

The sleuth (Dee) and her sidekick (Jeff) are likable and easy to root for. They were married once but discovered they were better off as friends. The pair have a built-in camaraderie right from the start, which worked well for the plot. 

A Very Woodsy Murder is super funny. I laughed out loud. A lot. I love seeing humor this well-executed in a cozy mystery.

The mystery was also well-crafted with plenty of red herrings and a satisfying conclusion.

This book's cozy cover is one of my favorites of the year so far. It is fun and cute—I love the bear! A tip of the hat to the cover designer.

Overall, I found A Very Woodsy Murder to be a fun start to what I hope will be a long-running cozy mystery series. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Disclosure: I received this advanced reader copy of A Very Woodsy Murder from Net Galley and Kensington Books. Some of the links on this page are affiliate links that allow Cozy Crime Reads to earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.