SOLID GOLD MURDER (Golden Motel Mystery #2) by Ellen Byron will be released on July 29, 2025, by Kensington Cozies.
Hoping to salvage her motel’s reputation and make people forget the unfortunate nickname of the nickname of “the Murder Motel,” Dee Stern and her partner, Jeff Cornetta, introduce a gold-panning sluice as a family-friendly amenity. The sluice is more successful than anticipated when guests find real gold alongside the fool’s gold. The discovery starts a modern day goldrush, and the Golden Motel is soon booked with prospectors. Everything is going well until the insanely rich and extremely arrogant Sylvan Burr is found dead at the bottom of an old, abandoned mineshaft. Sylvan had plenty of enemies—even among his group of friends—and Dee takes it upon herself to figure out which one is the killer.
SOLID GOLD MURDER was an enjoyable read. The setting is unique and picturesque. I wouldn’t mind vacationing at the Golden Motel so I can visit the towns of Foundgold and Goldsgone. Dee Stern is a likeable and relatable main character, as are most of the secondary characters. The only unlikable aspect of the book (aside from Verity Yes-that-Donner Gillespie) is the murder victim. I was cheering for Dee to solve the murder mainly to save the reputation of her motel over getting justice for the dead guy. I also enjoyed the various subplots that added to the overall story.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.