If you’re looking for a cozy mystery, this one is set in a picturesque Michigan State Park, with a Park Ranger turned detective. Maudy is desperate to solve the murder of a missing businessman so her State Park can remain funded and open. She has some details from local police, and a little authority of her own, but she must use what she knows of her small town to solve the case. Filled with descriptions of the sweetest small town, and a heroine just doing her best, Off the Beaten Path is a cozy mystery perfect for a rainy fall day.

Sad to say this book just wasn’t for me. The writing was really not my style, very descriptive over mundane details and at times too repetitive for my liking.

Straight off the bat, the main character Maudy was quite unlikeable. A man disappears and is potentially injured or worse and her biggest concern is how much of an inconvenience that is for her.? I understand her job ended up on the line, but I really couldn’t believe how little empathy or concern she had for this person and this didn’t seem to really go away even after learning what had happened to him.

I also found the days to be quite repetitive. Running us through her duties and to-do lists got old quite fast and no amount of cute dog moments could really make up for it for me. Her duties as detective also seemed surprisingly dull in such a serious case. I didnt find myself caring much about whodunnit or what any of the clues pointed to.

I did enjoy the small town atmosphere and the descriptions of nature and hiking. I can see why some people could enjoy this for its “cosy” vibes. But again, unfortunately even this got a little repetitive in the end.

For all these reasons I decided to DNF at 35%. I’m sure this will appeal to someone interested in a slow cosy murder mystery, unfortunately just not me. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

Thanks to Netgallery for this ARC.

Love this book and the characters. Especially Maudy as she tries to keep her park open, the threat of cuts shutting it down it's only made worse by a dead body found on the park. She is roped into the investigation as she is a park ranger and know the woods well, she has reasons for wanting it solved as any delays in opening the park would be bad for her job. Love the pace and the twist at the end which opens up possibilities for the next book.

Off the Beaten Path is the first book in a new cozy mystery series set in upstate michigan at Stone Throw's State Park. We follow Maudy a park ranger as she navigates finding a body in the park, that is already on the brink of being shut down. She works to quickly come to the bottom of what happened and solve the murder before too much damage is done and the park cannot open for the season.

There's a cute dog, some potential romance and suspense, but I did find the "murderer" obvious while also very "convenient". The only real surprise was the twist at the end, although I found that "relationship" also very odd. Without giving too much away, I wouldn't expect Maudy to go that way, unless it was to set up the next book in the series.

This series has potential, with a beautiful cozy town setting, so we will see how it develops.

Good mystery: kept me guessing and I enjoyed it as it's well plotted and solid
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is set as a cozy mystery, but there were so many other genre tools that the story never quite settled into its own rhythm. The dialogue and internal thinking were scattered and felt forced, and there was more commentary on the dog getting mud on the couch than there were details about the mystery at hand.

Maudy is a park ranger, and when a tourist goes missing the opening of the park is threatened. As she attempts to solve what happened to Michael, she engages with friends who are not given fully fleshed personalities, local curmudgeonly business owners who hold on to small-town prejudices while being wholly reliant upon outsiders to survive, and a best friend whose fragile male ego repeatedly gets in the way of her doing her job. There are lots of pop references, which highlight who Maudy would like to be but is not, and the new swoony guy in town also gives her panic attacks...so...not quite a believable love interest. Not quite intriguing mystery, rom com, or cozy, the most engaging pages are the very last chapter.

I was initially drawn to this debut for its small-town charm, nature-filled setting, and the promise of a cosy mystery - elements I usually really enjoy. The premise had so much potential, especially with a main character juggling personal challenges while being drawn into a suspenseful plot.

There’s certainly an audience for this kind of story, especially for readers who love mysteries set in quaint, atmospheric locations with a strong sense of place. If you enjoy slower-paced reads with rich descriptions and a focus on the emotional journey of the protagonist, this may very well appeal to you.

That said, I personally struggled with the writing style. It leaned heavily on detail, which made it difficult for me to stay engaged, and I ultimately had to set the book aside at around 35%. While this one didn’t quite work for me, I think readers looking for a gentler, introspective mystery with a strong natural backdrop might find it more to their taste.

I liked the premise of this book but the execution just didn’t hit the mark for me. The dialogue was at times very robotic and reminded me a bit of when video game NPC’s pop up to talk to you. It felt quite clunky and there was a lot of telling rather than showing.

I liked the small town vibes and the setting but found most of the characters to be quite unlikeable. I don’t know that I've ever read a book where the MC makes so many terrible decisions- if I were the police I’d never let her help out with an investigation again!

The final chapter was interesting, I’m assuming setting up for a second book but it felt a bit out of place if the intention is for this book to be a standalone.

Whilst the plot of this book was interesting I found it overall quite difficult to read. The writing style was a bit unpolished and put a lot of detail into things that didn't really need it but not enough into the things that did. I also didn't really enjoy many of the characters, especially the main character. Her actions were largely infuriating and I feel like we learned a lot of random information about her that told us little about who she is as a person. Overall I think this had the potential to be good but sadly fell short of the mark.

A park ranger and her canine companion make for a great setting in this debut mystery. Love the dog, Martin Short! An interesting mystery with delightful characters. Can't wait for more adventures. Thanks #Netgalley and #LevelBestBooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first entry into this new series. I loved that the span of time to solve the murder was in a short timeframe, the characters were very easy to keep up with and a surprising plot twist/cliffhanger at the end. I can't wait for the next book in the series. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eArc.

Off the Beaten Path is a cozy mystery set in a small Michigan town, where park ranger Maudy gets caught up in a murder case. The setting feels really authentic, and Maudy’s bond with her dog Martin Short adds a nice touch. The mystery keeps things interesting, though sometimes the pacing drags a bit and Maudy makes some questionable choices. Overall, it’s a fun, chill read if you like cozy mysteries with a nature vibe.

A charming mystery in an even more charming setting. Great cast of characters and the mystery was intriguing. However, the romance part took a little edge off the story in my opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

Reading this was a slug fest. I couldn’t get in to it, found the FMC unlikeable and silly. The writing was too clunky for me. But the cozy mystery premise and the cover art are lovely!

I love the premise of this book - a park ranger and her dog. The dog turned out to be the bright spot of this book. I was annoyed by so many things. Since when is a dump site enough to close a location forever? Why is the only one law enforcement officer in an entire area? If that is true, the officer should not spend 23 hours a day in closed meetings. Maudy the park ranger locked in on a suspect simply because she did not like the person. The ending was a twist. However I am not sure it is enough to make me read another book in the series.

I really expected to like this story more than I did. I mean the FMC, Maudy, is a Park Ranger with a really sweet dog, in a park located in a small Michigan village. She has a great staff, good friends and she is doing something she loves.

Sounds like a great setup for a cozy mystery or the introduction of characters in a cozy mystery series. Just a guess, as there were indications that might be the case. Oh yeah, and a dead body found in her park.

I feel like there were a few reasons I wasn’t as invested in the story. First, I feel like the author tried to fit too much information into the book that felt misplaced. There were multiple references to a devastating break up the FMC had, with no additional information except that she still uses the stationary set he got her so it’s always front and center, reminding her, and she can’t move past it.

Second, she got bad news from her boss about the future of the park, and while yes, Kelly, the officer stationed there asked for her help and the park couldn’t open until the murder was solved, she was so focused on the murder that the park took a back seat. She could have asked her staff who hadn’t been cleared to brainstorm ideas, but she focused on the murder and put herself in harm’s way.

Third, there was the local guy, jealous of two outsiders. Cozy murder mysteries can have a secondary romance storyline, unfortunately this one felt added after and could probably have waited until book 2, if this is a series.

The story itself was good, although not as cohesive as it could have been. I did enjoy the dual POV at the end.

I would like to thank the author, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given. As always, I wish you happy reading!

Maudy Lorso is a park ranger in Stone’s Throw Michigan. She loves her job, living in a small town, and spending time with her friends. When the body of a missing tourist shows up in the park, can Maudy solve the mystery? With likeable characters, fun pets, a few twists and turns, and a great small town setting, this was an entertaining mystery that kept me turning pages! Looking forward to the next adventure!
I received a free copy from NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to Netgallery and the publishers for this book.

The book is about a 20-something park ranger who finds herself in a murder and is a consultant to the cops since the murdered person was found in the park grounds. Overall the book was enjoyable and I was right along with Maudy trying to figure out who did the deed. The beginning I felt it was a bit slow, the author introduced basically everyone in the little town, but once the body is discovered it picks up speed.

I think my biggest issue was with Maudy herself, she launches herself into the investigation when the police only wanted her to keep her eyes and ears open. She even gets annoyed that the detective won’t share anything pertinent even though she was told things would be kept from her and she agreed. Miss Nancy Drew threw herself into interviewing everyone she assumes to be the killer and even takes a liking to someone she thinks might be the killer. As far as picturing herself getting back into dating because of this alleged murderer.

When the killer is finally found out she decides since she can’t get ahold of anyone she’s going to take them on herself, all 5’0” of her, which spoilers does not go well for her. The saving grace in this book for me was Marty, her dog, who by the way nothing happens to him.

The final bonus chapter I think could have been left on the editing floor, I don’t think it was necessary to the overall story and I feel took away from the feeling of the book being over. But I suppose it kind of opens up to a second book, if that was the goal.

My rating for this book 3.5 stars.

Unterhaltsame cozy mystery Geschichte mit National Park Vibes und Kleinstadtfeeling.

Die Geschichte habe ich mir speziell für meinen USA Roadtrip durch die Nationalparks ausgesucht und obwohl ich nicht am Lake Michigan unterwegs war, hat die Stimmung perfekt gepasst.

Typisch cozy Mysterie, stehen neben dem Mord, den es aufzuklären gilt, vor allem die Haupt-und Nebencharaktere im Vordergrund. Wir begleiten Maudy, die als Park Rangerin, zusammen mit ihrem Hund "Martin Short" in einem kleinen Ort am Lake Michigan lebt und arbeitet. Kurz bevor die Campingseason in ihrem Park wieder eröffnet werden soll, verschwindet ein Tourist und taucht als Leiche wieder auf. Dadurch steht nicht nur die Eröffnung sondern auch ihr Job auf dem Spiel.

Der Schreibstil hat mir gut gefallen und die Geschichte konnte mich gut unterhalten. Wie in dem Genre zu erwarten war, war die Spannung zwar vorhanden, aber nicht so, dass ich mir deswegen die Fingernägel abgebissen hätte :-)
Es werden einige Charaktere und die Stadt vorgestellt, da dies ein Reihenauftakt ist, und auch mit einem Cliffhanger endet. Für meinen Geschmack waren es aber fast etwas viele Infos und Personen, die man sich merken musste.

Maudy als Hauptcharakter mochte ich gerne und vor allem ihren Hund "Martin Short" habe ich ins Herz geschlossen. Maudy war mir zwar sympatisch, blieb aber stellenweise etwas blass. Man erfährt hier und da etwas aus ihrer Vergangenheit, aber die Zusammenhänge waren mir nicht immer klar. Auch ihre Gefühle und Beweggründe hätten noch etwas mehr ausgebaut werden können.

Da ich die "ARC" Version des Buches gelesen habe (danke an Netgally), hatte es ein paar Stellen, die man meiner Meinung nach noch anpassen bzw. kürzen könnte. Das wurde vermutlich in der finalen Version auch gemacht.

Ich würde das Buch empfehlen und werde auch gerne in der Reihe weiterlesen. Ein sehr solider cozy Mystery Roman für alle die das Setting Kleinstadt und Camping/ National Park mörgen.

This is the first book of a new series by Eloise Corvo.. I enjoyed reading this book and loved the setting in Michigan. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing (and turning pages)! Stone's Throw State Park is located near Traverse City and the main character is a park ranger. who is dealing with several challenges at once. I will be looking for more books by this author and will be interested in seeing what happens next in this series.