An Unwanted Guest: A Novel

A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway . . . but when the storm hits, no one is getting away

It's winter in the Catskills and Mitchell's Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxingamp;mdash;maybe even romanticamp;mdash;weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.

So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricityamp;mdash;and all contact with the outside worldamp;mdash;the guests settle in for the long haul.

Soon, though, one of the guests turns up deadamp;mdash;it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic.

Within the snowed-in paradise, somethingamp;mdash;or someoneamp;mdash;is picking off the guests one by one. And there's nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm.