Book Review: ALL ABOARD FOR MUDRER (A Golden Motel Mystery Book 3) by Ellen Byron

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 

About the Book:

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.

Review:

All is going well with the Halloween festivities, and, along with guests from The Golden Hotel, Dee takes a ride on the Sprockles Railroad, founded by Angus Sprockles. The train goes from FoundGold to GoldGone. The enjoyable trip takes a turn, when they happen on Moses Sprockle the only descendent of Angus. Dee, Jeff, and Dee’s father, aren't convinced Moses' death was an accident. 

I liked the characters, including Dee’s sweet dog and the hot tub-loving bear. There are plenty of suspects, and the killer isn’t easily identified. Byron sets a steady pace, filtered with humor, and small town vibes that will appeal to cozy mystery readers. This is my first in the series, and easily read as a standalone, though I always recommend starting a series at the beginning.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

Purchase Links 

Amazon ~ Kensington ~ Bookshop.org ~ B&N 

 Hudson Books ~ Target~ Walmart 

About the Author: 

Ellen Byron is the Agatha and Lefty Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of the Golden Motel Mysteries, the Vintage Cookbook series, and the Cajun Country Mysteries, as well as the Catering Hall Mysteries written under the name Maria DiRico. She is also an award-winning playwright and non-award-winning writer of TV hits like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and The 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. 

Website ~ Instagram ~  Goodreads ~ BookBub 

Chicks-On-The-Case ~ Newsletter ~ Facebook 

Catering Hall Mysteries  

 

Book Spotlight; THE WITLESS PROTECTION PROGRAM (A Catering Hall Mystery) by Maria DiRico

About the Book 

Mia Carina has steered her Italian-American family’s Astoria, Queens, catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, into becoming the borough’s premiere party site, and nothing could make her happier—except her boyfriend proposing. There’s just one presumed-dead obstacle in the way . . . 

A strong, independent woman and respected entrepreneur, Mia never imagined she’d pine for a marriage proposal. Yet lately, with her beloved Shane, she’s on tenterhooks. It’s especially surprising, considering Mia’s first husband, Adam, was a philandering grifter, assumed lost-at-sea after a boating disaster. But everyone knows what happens when you assume . . . 

While working a huge wedding expo in Manhattan, Mia is shocked to spot the man who nearly destroyed her life. The one who’s supposed to be sleeping with the fishes. But she loses him in the crowd. And when it happens again the next day, it’s time for an emergency meeting with the family—and the Family. Because if Adam is alive, Mia is still married . . . 

Everyone wants Adam dead. Everyone except Mia. She’s dealt with enough police for a lifetime. Mia needs to be a divorcée, not a widow. But someone out there disagrees, and if Mia doesn’t discover who, she may never be free to marry Shane—or anyone else . . . 

Italian recipes included! 

Purchase Links 

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Bookshop.org ~ Kensington

The Catering Hall Mysteries

Here Comes the Body (Book 1)

Long Island Iced Tina (Book 2)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder (Book 3)

Four Parties and a Funeral (Book 4)

The Witless Protection Program (Book 5)

About the Author 

Maria DiRico is the pseudonym for Ellen Byron, author of the award-winning, USA Today bestselling Cajun Country Mysteries. Born in Queens, New York, she is a first-generation Italian-American on her mother’s side and the granddaughter of a low-level Jewish mobster on her father’s side. She grew up visiting the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls, which were run by her Italian mother’s family in Queens and have become the inspiration for her Catering Hall Mystery Series. 

DiRico has been a writer-producer for hit television series like Wings and Just Shoot Me, and her first play, Graceland, appears in the Best Short Plays collection. She’s a freelance journalist, with over 200 articles published in national magazines, and previously worked as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. 

A native New Yorker who attended Tulane University, Ellen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs. 

Author Links 

Website ~ Chicks on the Case ~ Facebook ~ Twitter 

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Blog Tour and Excerpt: IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE MURDER (A Catering Hall Mystery) by Maria DiRico

 

Synopsis

 

Astoria, Queens, is decorated within an inch of its life for the Christmas season, and Mia Carina is juggling her job at the Belle View catering hall with a case of murder . . .

Mia’s busy with a full schedule of events at the family business—among them an over-the-top Nativity-themed first birthday party and a Sweet Sixteen for a teen drama queen. But her personal life is even more challenging. Her estranged mother has returned—and her lifelong friend Jamie has discovered a shocking secret about his past. He’s so angry that he starts hanging out with Lorenzo, who claims to be his long-lost brother—even after it becomes clear that Lorenzo’s story is as fake as a plastic Christmas tree.

Then a body turns up among the elves in a Santa’s-workshop lawn display, and amateur sleuth Mia has a buffet of suspects to choose from. Amid the holiday celebrations, she intends to find out who’s the guilty party . . .

Italian recipes included!

Enjoy an excerpt:

    Her cell rang again. Mia looked at it askance. She relaxed when she saw the caller wasn’t Kaitlyn. She didn’t recognize the number and decided to let it go to voicemail, in case the call was spam. Mia opened her internet browser and tapped in unique sweet sixteen themes. A list popped up that proved to be no help at all, being that she and Shane had already burned through most of them with Kaitlyn. She debated better wording and went with over-the-top sweet sixteen parties. Her cell rang again. The screen showed the same number as before. Whoever it is really wants to talk to me. Mia took the call. 

    “Mia, bella, hello. It’s Donny.” She sat up straight, the sweet sixteen forgotten. Donny was Donny Boldano, head of the Boldano crime family.  

    Her father Ravello had been a lieutenant in the organization, but now ran Belle View as a legitimate business for them, much to Mia’s relief, as well as her father’s, who had burned out on running the family’s illegal gambling enterprises. “Mr. B, hi. How are you?” 

    “Good. Good. I’m calling from a burner phone.” 

    “Yeah, I wondered. I didn’t recognize the number.” Mia’s heart thumped like a bass drum. Why was Donny Boldano calling her instead of Ravello? And from a burner phone? She panicked for a moment, thinking it might be bad news about her beloved father, but calmed down when she reminded herself that she’d seen him leave his office for the men’s room only ten minutes earlier. 

    He was still in the building. And probably still in the men’s room. Which made Donny’s call all the more curious. 

    “You’re probably wondering why I’m calling you. Especially from a burner phone.” 

    Donny wasn’t exactly reading her mind. These were obvious questions under the circumstances. “Yes. Exactly.” 

    “Uh . . .” There was a long pause. Whatever Donny had to say wasn’t coming easy. Mia’s heart thumped again. “Mrs. B and I would like to talk to you about something. Don’t worry, it’s not business,” he hastened to add. “Everything’s good with Belle View. You’re not in trouble.” 

    “Oh, thank God,” Mia couldn’t help saying. 

    “It’s . . . um . . . a personal matter. Do you happen to be free tonight?” 

    Mia, whose social life over the past few months had consisted of feeding her cat and bird, then falling asleep in front of the TV or her laptop screen, said, “Yes. I am free.” 

    “Wonderful. I don’t want you getting stuck in rush hour traffic, so let’s say eight. We’ll have cake and coffee. Oh, and sweetheart—please don’t mention this to Jamie.”

Excerpt from It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder. Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved.

 

About Maria DiRico

Maria DiRico is the pseudonym for Ellen Byron, author of the award winning, USA Today bestselling Cajun Country Mysteries. Born in Queens, New York, she is first-generation Italian-American on her mother's side and the granddaughter of a low-level Jewish mobster on her father's side. She grew up visiting the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls, which were run by her Italian mother's family in Queens and have become the inspiration for her Catering Hall Mystery Series. 

DiRico has been a writer-producer for hit television series like Wings and Just Shoot Me, and her first play, Graceland, appears in the Best Short Plays collection. She's a freelance journalist, with over 200 articles published in national magazines, and previously worked as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. A native New Yorker who attended Tulane University, Ellen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.

Author Links – Website – Chicks on the Case – Facebook – Twitter 

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - IndieBound 

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Blog Tour and Book Review: CAJUN KISS OF DEATH (A Cajun Country Mystery) by Ellen Byron

Synopsis

The next shot from Cupid’s bow may be fatal in USA Today bestselling, Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron’s hearty and delightful seventh Cajun Country mystery. 

In Pelican, Louisiana, Valentine’s Day has a way of warming the heart, despite the February chill. But the air at Crozat Plantation B&B turns decidedly frigid when celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson checks in. And when the arrogant Phillippe–in town to open his newest Cajun-themed restaurant–perishes in a fiery boat crash, Maggie Crozat’s dear friend JJ lands in very cold water. 

Did JJ, proprietor of Junie’s Oyster Bar and Dance Hall, murder Phillippe because he feared the competition? Might Maggie’s mother, Ninette, have bumped off the chef for stealing one of her cherished recipes? Or was the culprit a local seafood vendor, miffed because Phillippe was somehow able to sell oysters for a remarkably reasonable price, despite an oyster shortage? 

Maggie had planned to devote her February to art lessons in New Orleans, a present from her sweetheart, Bo. But now she has to focus on helping her friend and her mother cross a murder charge off the menu. Meanwhile, Maggie receives a series of anonymous gifts that begin as charming but grow increasingly disturbing. Does Maggie have an admirer–or a stalker? And are these mysterious gifts somehow related to Phillippe’s murder? 

Blood may be thicker than water, but this case is thicker than gumbo. And solving it will determine whether Maggie gets hearts and roses–or hearse and lilies–this Valentine’s Day. 

Review 

With a Lousiana setting, it's no surprise that the mystery involves food and celebrations, even if it's not in New Orleans proper. The big question is whether some famous chef can out cook the local restaurant run by JJ (and put JJ out of business). With Philippe Chanson romancing one of his sous chefs while still in partnership with his ex-wife, adds another layer of intrigue and then Philippe is murdered. And they're all staying at the bed'n breakfast run by Maggie and her family. As the story heats up, with JJ's closed and Chanson found to be stealing recipes from many, Maggie barely has time to think about the mysterious gifts arriving and not from her husband, Bo. 

The Cajun flavor is delightful and the pace is steady. It's not quite clear how the Valentine's countdown plays into the murder until the end. Nor is it clear how the guy Maggie dated a few times is involved. I liked the characters I was supposed to like and I wasn't too unhappy or surprised when Philippe was killed. There are plenty of surprises, right to the very end.

This is the seventh in the series, but I haven't read the whole series. It was easily read as a stand alone and I enjoyed the mysteries and celebrating Maggie and Bo's first Valentine's Day as husband and wife.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

About the Author 

Ellen’s Cajun Country Mysteries have won the Agatha award for Best Contemporary Novel and multiple Lefty awards for Best Humorous Mystery. She writes the Catering Hall Mystery series, which are inspired by her real-life, under the name Maria DiRico. Ellen is an award-winning playwright, and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and FAIRLY ODD PARENTS. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines but considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart. 

Author Links 

Newsletter  

Facebook (Ellen Byron)

Facebook (Catering Hall Mysteries)

Instagram  

Bookbub  

Goodreads (Ellen Byron) 

Goodreads (Maria DiRico) 

Purchase Links 

PenguinRandomHouse – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – IndieBound

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Blog Tour: BODY ON THE BAYOU : A Cajun Country Mystery Book 2 by Ellen Byron

2nd in Series

Genre – Cozy Mystery

Series: A Cajun Country Mystery (Book 2)

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (September 13, 2016)

ISBN-13: 978-1629537689

E-Book – ASIN: B01H082DPY

Synopsis:

The Crozats feared that past murders at Crozat Plantation B&B might spell the death of their beloved estate, but they’ve managed to survive the scandal. Now there’s a très bigger story in Pelican, Louisiana: the upcoming nuptials between Maggie Crozat’s nemesis, Police Chief Rufus Durand, and her co-worker, Vanessa Fleer.

When everyone else refuses the job of being Vanessa’s Maid of Honor, Maggie reluctantly takes up the title and finds herself tasked with a long list of duties–the most important of which is entertaining Vanessa’s cousin, Ginger Fleer-Starke. But just days before the wedding, Ginger’s lifeless body is found on the bayou and the Pelican PD, as well as the Crozats, have another murder mystery on their hands.

There’s a gumbo-potful of suspects, including an ex-Marine with PTSD, an annoying local newspaper reporter, and Vanessa’s own sparkplug of a mother. But when it looks like the investigation is zeroing in on Vanessa as the prime suspect, Maggie reluctantly adds keeping the bride-to-be out of jail to her list of Maid of Honor responsibilities in Body on the Bayou.

Review:

This was not a tale of your typical pre-wedding jitters although Van and her mother could be up for the bridezilla award even before the Ginger's body is found.  There are a lot of quirky characters and hostilities abound - family feuds and the stand-in for Rufus just for a few. Add in puppies and kitties, and and old run down plantation home. Many twists and turns and suspects.

The story moved along nicely and held my interest. I liked Maggie and Bo, but my favorite character was Xander. If you like Louisiana bayou as a setting and a little romance with your mystery, you'll enjoy Body on the Bayou. I didn't read the first in the series - Plantation Shudders - and this can easily be read as a stand alone.  

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

About The Author:

Ellen’s debut novel, PLANTATION SHUDDERS: A Cajun Country Mystery, has been nominated for an Agatha Best First Novel award, a Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery, and a Daphne Award for Best Mainstream Mystery. The second Cajun Country Mystery, BODY ON THE BAYOU, will be available in September 2016. Ellen’s TV credits include Wings and Just Shoot Me; she’s written over 200 magazine articles; her published plays include the award-winning Graceland and Asleep on the Wind. Ellen Byron is a native New Yorker who lives in Los Angeles and attributes her fascination with Louisiana to her college years at New Orleans’ Tulane University.

Webpage – http://www.ellenbyron.com/

Blog – http://www.ellenbyron.com/#!blog/c1in0

Twitter – https://twitter.com/ellenbyronla

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ellenbyronauthor

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23234.Ellen_Byron

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