Cozy Wednesday featuring All Aboard for Murder (A Golden Motel Mystery) by Ellen Byron #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @KensingtonBooks @ellenbyronmariadirico

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I am delighted to share my thoughts today about All Aboard for Murder (A Golden Motel Mystery) by Ellen Byron!

All Aboard for Murder (A Golden Motel Mystery)
by Ellen Byron

About All Aboard for Murder

All Aboard for Murder (A Golden Motel Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 28, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496745418
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496745415
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496745439
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G23HXVT7
Audiobook
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G1RFKXTN
Audio CD
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8228793408
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G8DZ4KY7

Dee Stern is starting to feel at home running her Golden Motel in the quaint California village she moved to, leaving behind her LA life as a sitcom writer. But a killer sees the town’s Halloween celebration as a golden opportunity to write a script for murder . . .

It’s October in Gold Rush country and all manner of tricks and treats are happening in the lead-up to Halloween. October also happens to be the birthday of Angus Sprockles, the man responsible for the town being designated a historic landmark, and the residents are celebrating his memory as well. His only living descendant, Moses Sprockles, runs the narrow-gauge railroad—once used to ferry lumber from the mountains to the sawmill, now a tourist attraction. The Sprockles Railroad is hosting a Halloween-themed fundraiser for the Historical Society.

But when a body is found on the tracks, it’s not a Halloween prank. It’s Moses himself, seemingly felled by a fallen tree branch. Dee’s dad Sam is convinced his friend is the victim of foul play and urges his daughter to apply her sleuthing skills. Dee’s train of thought leads her to suspects ranging from a former child star and one-hit wonder, the owner of a nail salon with her claws in everything, and even the mayor. When a self-proclaimed ghost hunter throws his hat in the ring and claims to know who did it, the investigation really goes off the rails. No matter how crazy things get, Dee is determined to blow the whistle on a runaway killer with a one-track mind.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

All Aboard for Murder! We arrive in Gold Rush country just in time for Halloween and a birthday celebration honoring Angus Sprockles, the man responsible for securing the town’s historic landmark status. His only living descendant, Moses Sprockles, now runs the narrow-gauge railroad tourist attraction, which was originally built to haul lumber to the sawmills. The Sprockles Railroad celebration is also serving as a fundraiser for the Historical Society.

Sadly, the event takes a tragic turn when Moses is found dead, apparently struck by a tree branch. Except the branch did not fall from any nearby tree. Moses was murdered. Dee is asked to step back into amateur sleuth mode again. As she starts looking around, she quickly realizes there is no shortage of suspects. Can she get on the right track and catch the killer?

This 3rd Golden Motel Mystery has Dee and Jeff still working hard to fill the cabins and rooms at their Golden Motel, so they are offering family packages for Halloween. Dee’s dad, Sam, has really taken to his new role as Prospector Pete, the Man of a Million Voices, loves to entertain. Ma’am and Mister Ma’am are spending much more time out of the woods, helping Dee and Jeff with the hotel, and Ma’am has even taken over Dee’s sewing machine to make winter attire and a quilt. Dee has teamed up with her friend Serena in a charcuterie board business. Meanwhile, the people at the Sprocket Valley Railroad are embracing the Halloween spirit while also celebrating the life of Angus Sprockles, a man who fought hard to preserve his little “piece of heaven.” Among the tourists, twin child stars Dougie and Danny Keefer arrive in town for very different reasons. Bud the Bear is back too, of course, and causing his own brand of mischief. I enjoy how Dee, Jeff, and Sam are settling in to Foundgold by getting involved in the community and making friends.

Ms. Byron has written a highly entertaining mystery that blends Gold Rush Country history with present-day small-town intrigue. The neighboring towns of Goldsgone and Foundgold try to work together, though Verity Donner Gillespie is determined to run the show. When Moses is found dead and a historic artifact is stolen, the list of potential suspects becomes impressively long. Sam is deeply affected by the death of his friend and asks Dee and Jeff to help with the investigation. Since they have assisted with previous cases, Deputy Sheriff Raul Aguilar is willing to let them be involved. With several twists and turns, including an attempted murder, everyone gets on board to arrest the guilty party and put the little towns back in tourist mode.

All Aboard For Murder is a fantastic whodunit with cleverly crafted core characters, an engaging supporting cast, and a tightly plotted mystery, all set against a historic backdrop with a fun Halloween theme. And, of course, there is Bud the Bear, who loves his snacks and the motel’s hot tub, along with Dee’s hound dog, Nugget, who faithfully “guards” both Dee and the motel. Ms. Byron has become one of my favorite authors. She has a wonderfully creative imagination, and she draws on her sitcom writing experience to create cozy mysteries that are almost impossible to put down. She also adds a little teaser at the end of this one, which has me very intrigued to see what she has planned next for these fabulous characters. Don’t wait, snap this one up today!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About Ellen Byron

Ellen is a bestselling author, Anthony nominee, and recipient of multiple Agatha and Lefty awards for her Cajun Country Mysteries, Vintage Cookbook Mysteries,  Catering Hall Mysteries (as Maria DiRico), and Golden Motel Mysteries. She is also an award-winning playwright and non-award-winning writer of TV hits like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents, but considers her most impressive achievement working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart.

A native New Yorker, Ellen is a graduate of Tulane University and lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, daughter, and a rotating crew of rescue pups. Visit her at http://www.ellenbyron.com/.

Author Links
Webpage – Facebook – GoodReads – Instagram – BookBub – Newsletter

Purchase Links – 

Find all of Ellen’s Books HERE.
Written as Maria DiRico HERE.

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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.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.