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.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Emmy Cooper had a great job at a design firm until she didn’t. Now, she has returned home to the Wisconsin Northwoods and her family’s cottage resort on Lake Covington for a break and to reassess where she is in her life. Sadly, life in the lake is not as relaxing as she hoped. Instead, some bigwigs from a development company are working hard to get property owners to sell their land so a ritzy modern resort can be built. Emmy’s parents have refused several times but the pressure is on.
Then, Emmy finds one of the developers bobbing in the lake near one of the cabins. A piece of evidence puts Emmy’s dad in the hot seat. Now, Emmy is on a quest to clear her dad and find out what happened to drive someone to resort to murder.
Ms. McEwen does an excellent job introducing Emmy, her parents, her brother, and her friends. They are all true-to-life and relatable. The developers put on a full-court press to get them to sell their resort but they stayed strong even after finding a body. Reservations were canceled, and rumors were flying but the Coopers and their friends stuck together while Emmy, and her friends, Whitney and Marcus-with-the-mullet, “way cooler than Billy Ray Cyrus” tried to find the truth. Friends forever, they reminisce about the old days, and poke fun at each other, but always have each other’s back. Another old friend happens to be on the police force. Emma blushes head to toe whenever he is around. All the characters grew over the course of the story but there is plenty of room for them to evolve as the series continues.
The author penned a well-plotted mystery that was filled with twists and turns. Both Emmy and I rotated through the possible suspects. I had my a-ha moment sometime before Emmy. Thankfully, the girl has the Wisconsin gift of gab, the ability to devise a plan, and the fear to follow through. It was edge of the seat moments for me.
Ms. McEwen’s descriptive detail brings the Wisconsin Northwoods, the close-knit town of Covington, and Cooper’s Cove to life. It was easy to follow in the characters’ footsteps and see in my mind’s eye every person in the story. As a lifelong Wisconsite everything rang true to me from the settings to the dialogues. Now that I have met the Cooper’s and the wonderful people of Covington I can’t wait for my next visit.
Resort to Murder has sent this series off to a super start. Genuine characters and a twisty mystery set in an idyllic spot made for a very enjoyable read. I am excited to see Dead White and Blue will be released on July 2, 2024, so I will be returning soon.
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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.
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Dead White and Blue will be released on July 2, 2024.
Great Escapes Praise for Resort to Murder (Northwoods Mysteries)
by Annie McEwen
Resort to Murder by Annie McEwen transports readers to the beautiful Wisconsin Northwoods where Cooper’s Cove Resort resides. I like the close-knit town where gossip flows faster than maple syrup on a hot stack of pancakes. I am amazed at how much the characters can accomplish in one day. It made me wonder if the days were longer in Wisconsin (If so, I need to move there).
~The Avid Reader
The strength of family and friendships is at the fore of RESORT TO MURDER, a delightful first entry to a new mystery series.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
I instantly fell in love with author Annie McEwen’s writing voice from the very first chapter of Resort to Murder, and I stayed charmed all the way through this great series starter!
~Reading Is My SuperPower
I absolutely love it when a new cozy mystery series is off to a strong start and that is the case for Annie McEwen’s Resort to Murder, book one in her new Northwoods Mystery series.
~SARAH CAN’T STOP READING BOOKS
Resort to Murder is a well-paced, plotted, and written story that had me wanting to book a reservation at Cooper’s Cove and eat at the fabulous restaurants. I am looking forward to seeing what is next for Emmy, her family and the wonderful residents of Covington.
~Carla Loves To Read
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.”
This sounds so good and I love the cover. Thanks for the article!
Sounds like an interesting story.