Snowbound with a killer? A romantic weekend turns deadly when DC Holly Towns and Danny Cavallo check into the Elora Inn.
Holly has just finished two weeks on shift and Danny is celebrating the launch of his private security firm. A getaway at the Elora Inn, a short drive east of Port Alma, sounds perfect.
With a blizzard raging outside as they arrive, the inn is a cozy haven… until the body of Professor Clive Langston is found early on the first morning.
Drifts of snow surround the inn. No one can enter. No one can escape. The killer is among them.
The Internet is sketchy, backup is impossible, and Holly and Danny must rely in their wits to eliminate suspects and zero in on the perpetrator.
Langston had a strong connection to Central America, but then so do many of the guests and staff. The clue is useless.
Except as an ominous message. The odds are high that another guest will be the next target.
Can the pair put the killer on ice before a second tragedy?
Goodbye Elora Inn is a novella, a short read that's long on action and suspense. An intriguing puzzle, perfect for a cold winter’s night.
What readers are saying about this
⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ Fast-paced and exciting! (Amazon Review)
⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, thrillers, or both, this book will appeal to you. I can’t wait to read more about Holly Towns. (Amazon Review)
⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ Could not put it down and ready to read the next book. You go Holly Towns! (Amazon Review)
⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ Good characters and the story line kept me up reading into the night. (Amazon Review)
⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ I absolutely love Holly Towns and Danny Cavallo! (Amazon Review)
I love writing every day and the result so far is three mystery series, and counting. I’ve been retired from teaching for a couple of years, and am totally immersed in my new career as a mystery writer. I hope you enjoy the results! The Murder In Season trilogy features injured detective constable Claire Beckett. The longer Poodle Versus… series is a reader favorite. It features small-town action, zany characters, and a Nasty Small Poodle who will capture your heart. This year I plan to release several books following DC Holly Towns, starting with Goodbye Port Alma. The Free Prequels to all my series are available on my website, AnneShillolo.com. You can find me on Facebook as Anne Shillolo Writer. Happy reading!
What a clever take on a murder at the manor type mystery. The police are already at the scene in fact they’re guests at the inn! A vacation turns sour when murder comes calling. Huge snowstorms, limited number of suspects, cut off from the outside and technology and normal procedures. Can DC Holly Towns and her partner crack the case before the culprit melts away with the snow? Novella length and yet action packed. Loved to see how the two investigators had to improvise when they couldn’t access the normal tools they’d use. A perplexing and frustrating mystery full of surprises and secrets. Most definitely a wonderful read! I received an ARC from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
Port Alma Murder Mysteries: GOODBYE ELORA INN - An interesting, quickly read investigation with good story lines, good characters, interesting support characters and a touch of humor. A simple, relaxing way to spend an evening. Source: the author, ARC. 4*
Goodbye Port Alma - Surprised and excited to find this author. Finally after all the trash I have to wade through to find an author that cannot only write an interesting story with good characters and good story lines, but also does not use profanity, knows proper grammar and punctuation and does not feel the need to add current politics. Refreshing. Fast-paced. Ready for the next book. 5*
Goodbye Lake Street - One big mistake made: Why wasn't 911 called either while she was chasing her or after the other incident was under control? Fifteen minutes is too long to remember the chased. Otherwise, a good relaxation. I missed the three previous books but it did not affect the story, a stand alone. Good, clean read with good characters and good story lines. Easy to read and fast-paced till the last page. 4*
Goodbye Foxbridge Lane, prequel - Interesting, short introduction to the Goodbye series. Good characters and good story lines. 4*
Goodbye Sky Field, #6 - Well written with intense story lines had me immersed in the pages, taking my time to read this book. Holly did well with all the cases from one day's events and the personal attack that puts her behind the desk. The ending was a cheerful balance to the heavy topics unfolding through out the story. Probably the best book so far. 5*
Goodbye Linden Square, #7 - This series is one of my favorites. Good, intelligent characters blended with good story lines, old and new, and good dialog weave a tapestry of interest and intrigue that is hard to put once reading begins. It is difficult to write a review without it becoming a book report since these books are so interesting with characters that are not silly idiots. There is a twist that was funny and well done, and that character will be a great addition to the regular cast. 5* Port Alma Murder Mysteries end.
Anne Shillolo has once again woven an intricate web of mystery and suspense in her latest book, "Goodbye Elora Inn." In this captivating addition to the DC Holly Towns series, Shillolo proves her mastery of penmanship, delivering a thrilling narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
Set against the picturesque backdrop of Elora Inn, DC Holly Towns and her partner, Danny Cavallo, embark on what was supposed to be a romantic getaway. However, their plans take a sinister turn when they stumble upon the lifeless body of Dr. Clive Langston. Shillolo cleverly orchestrates a tale where the isolated inn, gripped by a snowstorm, becomes the stage for a suspenseful murder mystery.
What sets Shillolo's storytelling apart is her ability to craft multifaceted characters. Dr. Langston, portrayed as a polarizing figure, leaves a trail of potential suspects due to his antagonistic nature. The confined setting amplifies the tension, creating an atmosphere ripe for suspicion and intrigue.
Shillolo's narrative prowess shines as she masterfully constructs a plot filled with twists and turns. The challenge of limited communication amplifies the urgency for Holly and Danny to rely solely on their intellect to unravel the mystery, adding layers of complexity to the investigation.
Furthermore, Shillolo intricately plants clues throughout the story, allowing readers to engage in their own detective work. The meticulous attention to detail keeps the reader captivated, eagerly piecing together the puzzle alongside the protagonists.
"Goodbye Elora Inn" is a testament to Anne Shillolo's remarkable storytelling finesse. Her ability to craft a compelling narrative, coupled with well-developed characters and a suspenseful plot, cements her as a standout author in the mystery genre. This installment not only satisfies existing fans of the DC Holly Towns series but also entices new readers into the captivating world of Anne Shillolo's mysteries.
It's a great time for DC Holly Towns and her boyfriend, Danny Cavallo to take a romantic break at the Elora Inn. Making it there just in time to be snowed in, they run into a cranky obnoxious guest and decided to stay away from him. With now way to get in or out of the inn due to the huge snowfall, this could be a very cozy getaway for the two. But this was not to be in the cards for Holly and Danny. First they had an argument and Holly decided to leave the room and sleep in the inn's library for a cooling off. When she awoke, though, she saw the obnoxious guest propped up in the chair opposite her, dead as a door nail, she and Danny now have a closed in murder to solve. Obviously, the murderer is still in the inn with them and they needed to narrow down the suspects and find a murderer and time is of the essence. Who wanted to kill Dr. Clive Langston? With so many twists and turns we are lead down a ride until the end! This is a really good series and this book is a great addition. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Another great read from Anne Shillolo. I haven't read a book of Anne's that I didn't like. This novella follows the further adventures of Holly and Danny. What started out as a romantic getaway for the couple eneded up being anything but. After a falling out on their first night at the Inn, Holly leaves their room to sleep on a couch in the library. She wakes in the morning to find an unexpected guest keeping her company. The guest proves not to be good company at all. Foul play is suspected. The snow storm has trapped all the guests and staff at the Inn, with nobody able to arrive or leave. There begins an Agatha Christie like investigation with all the suspects in-house. Holly and Danny are left to manage the case on their own. A very enjoyable read moving at a good pace. I read it in two sittings, but it could quite easily be read all at once, being a great page turner. I received an ARC copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.
Holly & Cavello get snowbound by a blizzard at the Inn, where they’d booked a weekend together. Just got there in time. There is an obnoxious man, annoying everyone. Cavello gets really annoyed that Holly has some of her security items with her & so she goes & sets herself up in the library & has a good night’s sleep. When she wakes up she sees someone else in there, only that person is dead! She manages to get word out via text as the phone reception is poor. Then the microwave explodes & someone needs to be taken out by air ambulance which is managed as nearly everyone works hard to clear a big enough area. That leaves Holly & Cavello to make plans of how to catch the murderer. With some sneaky placement of devices they discover who the murderer is & an exciting capture then takes place.
Holly and Danny need a quiet weekend away, the lovely Elora Inn is just the ticket. When they have a spat about Holly bringing her security measures along, she decides to sleep elsewhere until things cool off. Sleeping in the quiet Inn library seems a good choice, until she wakes to a dead body keeping her company. Now they need to find out who wanted the cranky obnoxious guest dead. Snowed in, they have no choice but to investigate on their own.
Holly and Danny make a great investigative pair. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep them busy until help arrives. This is a quick read, not a full length novel (more of a novella), but it still packs plenty of clues and suspects to keep a reader happy. As always this book is very well written.
Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own
Holly and Danny go away for a romantic weekend, but an argument makes her stalk off. She goes to sleep and wakes up to find a body. Not what she expects. The group is snowed in. Now DC Holly Towns with Danny must find the killer among them. Holly is such a great character. She's smart, a whiz with electronics and determined to get justice. Danny is her former partner. He jumps in to help Holly. Seeing them work together makes for a great story. There are plenty of suspects who had good reason to kill the victim. Could these two solve the case before the roads are opened? I wasn't sure. I loved their inventiveness. They used common items to help find the murderer . I enjoy this series. The setting is interesting and the stories are compelling. Anne Shillolo has a writing style that makes me feel as if I know the characters.
Excellent Closed Circle Mystery Novella This novella, book 8 in the DC Holly Towns series was an excellent read and thoroughly enjoyable. When Holly and Danny arrive at their weekend getaway destination in the middle of a snowstorm, all of the guests and employees end up stranded. When a murder is committed, Holly and Danny must investigate and also attempt to keep everyone safe until help arrives. I really loved how they worked together and came up with ingenious ways to investigate without the help of their normal tools. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more in the series. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Hoping for a nice get-a-away weekend, Holly and Danny had anything but. They arrive at Elora Inn during a blizzard hoping for some togetherness, but sometimes a murder can’t wait. With no help arriving any time soon, they must depend on their skills and expertise to keep everyone safe, and identify and apprehend the murderer. Will they solve this before help arrives?
This was a fantastic read. It had great suspense, complex characters, think-on-your feet, and the puzzlement was a great challenge. Join Holly and Danny as they work solo on this case. Ms. Shillolo has a way of writing great stories with great details that keep your interest!
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from the author as an ARC member and this is my honest review. DC Holly Towns and Danny Cavallo, a former DC, decide to spend their four days off at the Elora Inn. They manage to get to the Inn despite a huge snowstorm, but are now snowed in with 5 feet of snow, 5 staff members of the Inn, and the other registered guests of the Inn. One guest turns up dead the next morning. Holly and Danny have to discover who the murderer is while being stranded with spotty internet and phone service. Meanwhile there is an explosion in the kitchen and the Chef has been stuck in the walk-in refrigerator with damage to his person. One of the wait staff needs medical care. This is a fast paced story which will have you on the edge of your seat and occasionally cause you to laugh. You have to read the book to find out what happens! I enjoyed the suspense and the laughter and highly recommend this book as well as other books by this author.
What an excellent mystery. Even though Holly Town and her boyfriend Danny Cavallo were on a weekend getaway, they were forced to investigate a murder at the Elora Inn. They were snowed in and no internet and spotty phone coverage at best. Holly and Danny were forced to use their imagination and come up with security measures. Boy, did they use their imagination. LOL I was actually chuckling as they were choosing their props to use. There were a lot of ups and downs and twists throughout the book, so it made it difficult to guess who the murderer was. Otherwise, even though they were investigating a murder, the story seemed lighthearted and easy to read and follow the story.
I volunteered my honest review as I received an ARC copy of this book.
I loved this book, which is part of the Holly Towns series, A Port Alma Murder Mystery. It can be read as a stand-alone, but you won't want to after reading it because you will be totally hooked. Anne Shillolo has the capability of creating realistic characters with wonderful human flaws that tend to be a benefit in the murder mysteries she writes. Holly Towns is such a wonderful character who is strong in so many areas but has her weaknesses as well. What should be a relaxing and celebratory weekend at a lovely inn ends up being snowed in with a murderer who just killed one of the guests. This mystery of who did it is well written and hard to put down.
I received an ARC of the book and I am leaving my own opinion without influence from the publisher or author.
Danny Cavallo and DC Holly Towns check into Elora Inn to celebrate his launch of his private security firm. The body of Professor Clive Langston is found early next morning. Holly and Danny have their work cut out as the weather is bad and no one can enter or escape. It was Holly who had found the body in the library the next day . The information they learn while interviewing everyone is very interesting. One of the guest had also contacted the CSIS. Rufus was the next casualty and he was in a serious condition. A nail-biting finish to the read. I received a ARC copy and leave a honest review. I recommend this book to other readers.
An engaging police procedural with realistic and likeable characters. I have read and enjoyed Shillolo’s Hilary Casgrain series, and decided to try this one. This is a standalone novella, but I will definitely be reading the rest in the series to get the back story on the characters. DC Holly Towns and her boyfriend plan a romantic getaway weekend. When a fellow guest is murdered and the hotel is snowed in, Holly and Danny investigate while trying to keep the other guests safe. An engrossing mystery that kept me turning the pages! I received an ARC from the author, and this is my honest and voluntary review.
So happy to see Danny and Holly back again and glad that their relationship is still on track to the point where they have arranged to go on a post Christmas, romantic getaway together. That's when it all goes horribly wrong, starting with a snowstorm and ending with a murder.
Anne has managed to get everything into this novella. Fun, romance, murder, mystery. Danny and Holly work brilliantly together. If I had one criticism it would be that I wanted more and can't wait for their next adventure.
Holly and Danny have a 4 day weekend. Hmmm, a romantic getaway perhaps? So they head off for the Eldora Inn down the coast from Port Alma. Holly's anxiety has her pack a few of her surveillance toys and when Danny spies the Mug, he gets angry at Holly for not trusting him. So, she picks up her toys and heads for the Library to spend the night and wakes up to find a dead body sitting in a chair across from her
And the fun????? begins. Don't miss this one. As Anne Shillolo does it again.
I received this ARC from Anne and am leaving my voluntarily review.
DC Holly Towns and Danny Cavallo find themselves in a classic snowbound crime situation when their holiday stay at a small romantic inn becomes a working 'vacation' with murder. The phones and internet are down and the roads impassible. The killer is snowbound with them. There aren't many choices and there isn't even a butler to have done the deed. Holly and Dan act completely rationally as two people trying to find the killer while protecting everyone else. This short fast paced story is entirely satisfying.
This fast-paced first-person story Goodbye Elora Inn is a fun read. Detective Constable Holly Towns and her friend, private investigator Danny Calvalla go for a romantic weekend to the Elora Inn outside of Elora, Ontario. Of course, there is murder and mayhem ensues at the snow bound inn. It is a great cozy mystery, with just the right amount of description and character development. Is the story about espionage or trips to Mexico? It was a short novel, read in one day, but well-written and witty.
Loved this book! DC Towns and PI Cavallo have another murder to solve. What starts as a romantic getaway quickly goes downhill-with bad weather, a misunderstanding, and an annoying guest at the inn. Just when they thought it couldn’t get worse, someone is murdered. They’re trapped at the inn, with a dozen suspects and no backup. Ingenuity and teamwork are going to be necessary Anne weaves in the thrill of the chase with relationship quirks that totally hold you captive. This novella was a great read-I couldn’t put it down! I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
I love DC Holly Towns and this is another addictive police procedural crime fiction novella by talented author Anne Shillolo. Be prepared to read from the first word to the last because you won't be able to put it down. It starts when Holly and Danny Cavello check into the Elora Inn for a romantic getaway and end up snowbound with a killer -including lots of action and surprises. Can hardly wait for Holly's next Port Alma adventure. I received an advance reader copy of Goodbye Elora Inn and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Excellent book. The story is engaging and well written. The characters are diverse, and the mystery entertaining and meticulously plotted. One thing that set this book apart from others in the series is that the protagonists were not working from the station or office but rather away for a short vacation. While other books in the series have brief periods when they are working away this is the first time the entire location was different and none of the other regular characters were part of the story. A wonderful read!
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
DC Holly Towns and Danny Cavallo arrive at Elora Inn for a romantic getaway. But things don't go as planned. Holly's hyper-developed need for security devices enrages Danny and the couple spend the night apart. Then Holly wakes to find a dead body in the room. And they are snowed in. And the internet is down. The couple must investigate the murder and prevent further violence without all their usual support and back-up. This novella is perfect for curling up in front of the fire on a winter's evening. Recommended for lovers of cozy crime.
This novella provides a quick crime solving fix when your time is limited. It’ll only take an hour or two for you to follow along with Holly and Danny as they figure out whodunnit. How do you investigate a murder, find the killer and keep everyone else safe without your usual investigative tools while stranded by a snowstorm? You go a little old school and channel a bit of MacGyver! An entertaining read!
This is a fun, entertaining read. I read it as soon as I received from Anne. It’s set in a small Inn & the guests & staff get snowed in. Nobody in or out. DC Holly & ex-cop turned PI Danny take charge, despite an order to the contrary. This is so well written. Thoroughly recommend Best closed Inn mystery I’ve read. Page-turner I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the author, & I am writing a voluntary honest review.
In the midst of a severe winter storm, a romantic getaway for Danny Cavallo and DC Holly Towns becomes a murder investigation when the body of a guest is discovered. With phone service and internet spotty or nonexistent, the pair are on their own to catch a killer.
This is a well-written thriller with intriguing clues to follow from beginning to end. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary.
Murder Snowed in at the Resort This novella-length story is part of the DC Holly Townes Murder Mystery series. Our main character and her beau decide to take a romantic weekend at a winter lodge but murder interrupts them. It is a closed campus murder mystery and they need to figure it out before the roads are cleared. There is a lot of action, but no gore, violence, bad language, or sex. The story flows well and the ready gets clues as the detectives do. Fun series.
An ARC book -DC Holly Towns and Danny Cavallo went on a well deserved break at the Elora Inn and found out they were snow storm in there, the first night Holly found the body of a guest Clive Langston in the library. The authorities were notified but they are unable to get there because of the storm. So Holly and Danny decide to investigate the . The murderer had to be one of the guests! Another great story that you can't put down until you finish!
Another great story from Anne Shillolo. DC Holly Towns and her ex partner/romantic partner Danny Cavallo decide to have a few days away but unfortunately get caught up in a snowstorm, then there's a murder, with no possibility of outside help they have to try and figure out whodunit and keep everyone safe. A great story - it keeps you guessing, good characters with a few possible suspects and an easy read. What more do you need?
An interesting murder mystery in a enclosed hotel in a freezing winter. The author brought us inside the family owned resort hotel in the bitter cold winter with snow storm raging on for days, we met those guests with different backgrounds, as well as the hotel stuff, anyone of them could be the killer. It strongly reminds me of "Death on the Nile". The story is well written and fast paced, an enjoyable read.