Fans of whodunnit murder mysteries are in for a treat with Murder at the Blue Ox Inn by Jesse Isfet. Mike Stier's ranger duties at the Olympic National Park don't prevent him from taking hiking trips with his friend Paul Anderson. But when the new owners of the nearby Blue Ox Inn bring a New York paralegal as the chief coordinator, the entire area is filled with tourists of all kinds. While a group of environmentalists led by a disgruntled professor clash with the timber industry business owners from all over, the brutal killing of one businesswoman with an axe ensures chaos. Now, Mike, alongside Sheriff Gleason, must catch the culprit while preventing a potential bombing that could spell disaster for all.

Author Jesse Isfet keeps readers on their toes, pulling the rug from under their feet over and over again. Murder at the Blue Ox Inn follows a varied array of characters, each of whom has the agency and motive to commit murder on their way to accomplishing their goals. Apart from the unexpected twists and turns of the plot, what impressed me most was the distinct personality traits of the characters, which shine through as every single one of them receives a decent amount of page time and makes their presence felt. Mike is a laid-back person who wants nothing more than to return to his humdrum routine. But his ingenuity and perceptiveness make him thoroughly compelling to follow. Overall, a delightful cozy murder mystery to spend your evenings with.

Murder at the Blue Ox Inn by Jesse Isfet is an intriguing murder mystery set in the Blue Ox Inn in the Olympic National Park. The readers are introduced to the story’s diverse characters. Paul Anderson, an ex-lumberjack who is temporarily working as a waiter/handyman at the inn. Mike Stier is a park ranger living in a station nearby. There is also the owner of thousands of acres of Olympic Peninsula timberland and sawmills, Kathy Dunlap, with her secretary and apprentice Lydia Kerrigan, and Professor Baptiste, a teacher at Emerald State College who is a committed environmentalist. Things become volatile at the Blue Ox Inn when the scheduling of the timber and environmental conferences overlap, and the tension comes to a head when a dead body is found in the gazebo.

The premise of Jesse Isfet’s Murder at the Blue Ox Inn is highly relevant as deforestation continues to be a global issue affecting climate change today. The beginning focuses on revealing the characters’ social status and backgrounds. This makes it easier for the reader to relate to the story’s varied and colorful characters. Character conflict is also established in the first few chapters, which is especially effective in creating the tension that flows and ebbs as we read on. Carefully constructing these characters before the murder reveals several plausible suspects that should not fail to engage readers. And when the inn brings together two groups of people with completely opposing views by hosting two conferences simultaneously, you won’t want to put this book down until you finish it. Murder at the Blue Ox Inn is an intriguing story full of twists and turns with an ending you’ll never expect.