Melina's Book Blog

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Resort to Murder (Northwoods Mysteries) by Annie McEwen

About Resort to Murder

Resort to Murder (Northwoods Mysteries) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Wisconsin Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gemma Halliday Publishing (March 26, 2024) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 225 pages ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8884872738 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CSXRZXDM

When Emmy Cooper’s life in Chicago is turned upside down, the young interior designer retreats to her family’s lake cottage resort in the beautiful Wisconsin Northwoods for a much-needed break. Hoping to clear her mind and gain a fresh perspective, she looks forward to enjoying the slower pace and the crisp, clean pine air at her beloved Cooper’s Cove Resort with her family, dogs, and her best friend, Whitney. Unfortunately, her homecoming isn't as calm as she'd hoped when Emmy finds out a ruthless development company is relentlessly pressuring Lake Covington property owners, including Emmy's family, to sell their land so they can build an extravagant, modern resort that would ruin the quaint esthetic of the area. And things only get worse when Emmy finds the dead body of one of the developers floating in the lake—murdered! Suddenly the police are involved, and since Emmy's father was leading the fight to stop the shady development from getting approval, he's quickly painted as the prime suspect. Now it's up to Emmy to prove her father’s innocence, save the reputation of Cooper’s Cove, and find out who would resort to murder.

What I Thought:

This is the first book I have read by Annie McEwen, but it probably will not be my last. This is the first in the Northwoods Mystery series. In this one Emmerlynn has come home to Covington, WI and Cooper's Cove for a mini vacation. She has a secret but is afraid it will upset her parents. While she has been away in Chicago working, a huge resort conglomerate has tried to swope in to buy Cooper's Cove. When the head of the conglomerate if found dead on Cooper's Cove property, Emmy's dad becomes the main suspect. Emmy and her friend Whitney decide to investigate on their own. Emmy did not know her old pal Dean has moved to town and is on the police force. Emmy and Whitney get themselves into some scraps in this one. I thought this was a very well written book and he plot was well thought out and believable. I liked the setting and the main character. There were not a lot of suspects in this one, but I was left guessing till the very end. I also liked the romantic element in this one. I liked how the ending left you guessing as to what will happen in the next book, so I will definitely be reading that one. This was a fast read that kept me immersed till the ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About Annie McEwen

Annie McEwen is the author of the Northwoods Mysteries Series, set amongst the tall pines and sparkling lakes of northern Wisconsin, where she spent vacations as a kid. Annie and her husband are empty nesters living in their rural Indiana home, but their married children and two toddler grandsons fortunately live close by. Being grandparents is definitely the best gig ever! They also have four fur babies, one of whom is a very important character in her books. When Annie isn’t writing, playing with her grandsons, or tackling trash-to-treasure projects, she works as a radiological technologist. As a former farm kid, she still loves to dig in the dirt and garden. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and loves attending mystery conventions.