Set on the picturesque Santa Catalina island off the California coast, Whitney Dagner lives an idyllic life, running her gift shop and helping out her brother with the family tour business, taking out tours on their glass bottomed boat. When a body floats under the boat one evening, paradise is thoroughly disturbed, however, and when it turns out that Whitney’s brother Nick not only had been with the victim, but was sleeping with his wife… well, Whitney’s going to have her work cut out for her to prove Nick’s innocence.

This is rather charming, with lots of local colour on an island where folks drive golf buggies instead of cars and the residents all seem to know each other. Whitney has spent years away working in the corporate world (doing something unspecified in a railroad company office) but is now back and reconnecting with old friends, as well as dealing with the unexpected appearance of love interest Felix, who she thought had dumped her because he wasn’t interested in a long distance relationship, but has taken a job on the island and is making it clear he’s there for Whitney.

I’m not entirely sure how old Whitney or her brother are - we aren’t given exact numbers - but they both act pretty young and naive. My favourite character was easily their grandmother (but NEVER call her that!) Goldy. The mystery left a few too many things unanswered - did Jules have money, or was he in debt, or did everyone on the island owe him money? And the motive for the second murder made no sense whatsoever as the murderer would not actually have benefited, or if they did, it wasn’t explained how.

This was fun enough that I’d probably pick up the next in the series, but I want to see more character development and a deeper dive into the actual mystery. I’ll give this four stars.

Much Ado about Nauticaling by Gabby Allan is a breezy cozy mystery set in Santa Catalina Island, California. Whitney Dagner has left the corporate world to return to her hometown to help her brother, Nick run the family business, Nautically Yours plus open her shop, Dame of the Sea. After a day filled with tours, Nick and Whitney are cleaning the boat when they see a body under the window in the bottom of boat. It is the Chamber of Commerce’s Person of the Year, Jules Tisdale who had been on the boat earlier in the evening. The police zero in on Nick as the guilty party. Whitney with help from ex-boyfriend, Felix Ramirez and her cuddly cat, Whiskers work to clear Nick’s name. Much Ado about Nauticaling is the debut of A Whit and Whiskers Mystery series. Whitney Dagner is a friendly main character who is loyal to her family and not afraid of hard work. I loved Whitney’s grandparents, Pops and Goldy. Pops is a darling while Goldy is over-the-top. She wears high heels (even with a bathing suit), loves to sunbathe, and leaves a trail of sand behind her wherever she goes. There are several secondary characters that include Felix and Whitney’s roommate, Maribel. I am sure we will learn more about these people in future books. The mystery is straightforward with several suspects and misdirection. The whodunit wrapped up quickly leaving a few loose ends. Whitney was lucky in the investigation because the people she needed to talk to seemed to cross her path at the right moment. Whitney needs to work on her investigation technique. To say she lacks subtlety is an understatement. A reader does need to suspend their disbelief at times while reading. Since the story is told in the first-person, we are subjected to Whitney’s ramblings thoughts. I did find it a bit much at times. I could see her thoughts spinning around like a kid on the teacup ride at Disney. Whiskers is a fun addition to the story, and he was helpful with the investigation. Much Ado about Nauticaling is a carefree cozy with a cuddly cat, a glass-bottom boat, treasure map trouble, a bothersome ex-beau, and straggling sand.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NAUTICALING by Gabby Allan
The First Whit and Whiskers Mystery

Whitney Dagner has happily left the corporate world behind on mainland California and joined her brother, Nick, and grandparents to run the family business, Nautically Yours, on Santa Catalina Island. When Whit and Nick find the island's man of the year dead in the water, Whit is stunned, but even more perplexed when her brother is brought in for further questioning. Nick barely knew the man...or did he? Although Nick pulled a disappearing act, Jules' wife sure isn't acting like a grieving widow and there are plenty of other people who make better suspects than her brother. With the help of her roommate and her ex-boyfriend Whit vows to get to the bottom of the situation.

Humor suffuses the first Whit and Whiskers Mystery making it a light-hearted fun read. I really like Whitney and wanted to smack her brother on her behalf! Whit is practical, self deprecating, loyal, and a good cat momma. Felix is a complete hunk while Maribel makes the perfect best friend/compatriot. Nick is the annoying little brother who is always getting into trouble, now grown up and in bigger trouble than ever! I absolutely adore Goldy and can picture the sun worshiper tooling around in her high heels giving out sage advice, as long as it doesn't take too much time away from her sun bathing.

The mystery is intriguing with plenty of interesting suspects, including Nick! I like how Whitney went about trying to solve the murder, with plenty of self doubt and no expertise. This made it much more believable and made her that much more likable.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NAUTICALING is a breezy island mystery with great characters and a wonderful setting.

I love the setting of beautiful Catalina island in this book. I spent many years on Catalina and can attest the author perfectly captured its magnificent beauty. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.

This is a wonderful debut mystery in the "Whit And Whiskers" series by cozy author Gabby Allan. Immediately I was drawn into the mystery and the atmospheric location. The charcters are brilliantly written and fun to know.

Whitney has moved home to Catalina Island to help her Brother run their family tourism business. Their glass bottom boat trip finds a dead body floating in the ocean. Whitney investigates the victim and finds some nefarious dealings Soon her Brother is suspect number one and Whitney must find the true killer to clear her Bother and save their family business.
This is a strong debut with a well crafted mystery that kept me guessin. I love the setting, the charcters and the sleuth. I look forward to the next in series.

Whitney Dagner returns to her home on the island of Santa Catalina, the perfect paradise in the Pacific. Along with her brother, she runs a tourism business which includes leading tours on a glass bottom boat and running a souvenir shop.

Everything is going well until the body of a wealthy business man is found in the water, strangled to death. The number one suspect is Nick, Whitney’s brother. Whitney vows to clear her brother’s name and her family’s reputation. She quickly learns the dead man had many other possible enemies much more angrier than her brother.

This is a solid start to a new series. Whitney even has a feline sidekick, Whiskers. Whitney is a strong character. She never waivers in her belief in her brother, even when he gives her reason to wonder. I thought Nick was a bit weak and seemed to leave Whitney to deal with his mess for most of the book. The characters are well-developed. Whitney’s grandmother is funny, witty and lively. She’s right there to lend her support any way that she can.

Whitney has a great support cast. Besides her brother and grandmother, she has her grandfather, her best friend Maribel, her ex-boyfriend Felix and, of course her beloved Whiskers. They are a fun group. I already feel as if they are old friends.

The storyline is intricately woven with many motives and suspects. Each one as much a potential suspect as Nick. If only he had a provable alibi. That doesn’t get Whitney down, though. She enlists the help of Maribel and Felix. Together with Whiskers, they search for a killer.

I didn’t guess whodunit until more than halfway through the book. The book kept me guessing. Even after I guessed, I wasn’t sure I chose the right person.

I can already see this is going to be a fun series and I’m looking forward to reading more.




FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Much Ado About Nauticaling by Gabby Allan is the first book in the new Whit and Whiskers cozy mystery series. This is the first book from this author I have read.
Whitney Dagner’s brother, Nick is accused of murder. They run Nautically Yours, a family glass-bottom boat tours business on Santa Catalina Island off the California coast.

Whitney needs to find other people with motives to kill Jules Tisdale. There are plenty of people not mourning Jules’ death. She receives help from Felix Ramirez, a police diver and her ex-boyfriend. He hopes to rekindle their relationship.

Both Whitney and her brother seem unseasoned. I am hoping to see growth and maturity in the upcoming books.
The author did a great job making me think I was on the island with all the characters.

I was given a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. I am not required to leave a positive review. I chose to do so.

I had high hopes for this one. I loved the idea of Catalina Island as a setting and the glass bottom boat business was creative (as far as cozy businesses go - I know they really exist), but the story left a lot to be desired. The main character, Whitney, spends WAY too much time going over the clues and who could possibly be to blame for the murder (every cozy does this once - it happened more than once in this one and breaks up the flow of the story). The secondary characters were likeable and I hope they are more developed in the next one. This could have been much shorter than it already was so it wouldn't be repetitive.

This is the first installment in the Whit and Whisker’s mystery series. Whitney Dagner has returned to Catalina Island from the mainland (L.A.) to start over and work in her family business as well as run her own gift shop. Her Grandparents Pops and Goldy (don’t you dare call her Grandma) have recently turned over their glass boat business to their two grandchildren Whitney and Nick and they take turns taking tours out to see the beautiful sea and Whitney gets the lucky job of captaining the evening cruise for the Chamber of Commerce’s Man of the year Jules Tisdale. The man’s wife Tracy appears to be on her phone the whole time and later drops that she wanted to take over Whitney’s store even though it has not yet officially opens. She lets it go and has one more evening cruise before she calls it a night. When that cruise is finished her brother Nick meets her at the dock and as they begin to clean up the boat Whitney is shocked to see a body thru the glass boat and they stop it from going out to sea but shocked that it is Jules. She is also shocked to see her ex Felix on the dock as a police diver when she was unaware he was even on the island. Her best friend and roommate Mirabel works at the police station and calls Whit to let her know they are bringing in her brother Nick for questioning. Whit heads down to the station only for Nick to be released and refuse to tell her anything. Nick goes into hiding and appears to be the police’s primary suspect. Whitney is going to prove her brother is innocent even if he is not willing to help. Felix appears and wants to help and Whit is shocked he is on the island as she thinks he just stopped taking her calls when she suggested he move with her to Catalina. Whit along with Felix, Mirabel and some help with Goldy and Pops begin to gather some information and try and keep their businesses running along the way. This is a good solid mystery and a great first start to a new series. I am looking forward to see what happens next for Felix and Whit. An enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed the first of this new series featuring Whit who runs glass bottom boat tours, her brother Nick who does the same and their very cool grandparents Pops and Goldy. I just love Pops and Goldy! She's just a hoot how she's always out in the sun doing her tanning, but she's totally sweet and helpful to Whit when she needs her. Pops is the voice of reason and steadiness when Whit needs that. And Whiskers is a great comfort cat who got a chance to dig her claws into someone bad!

I just had a little tickly suspicion all along that wouldn't go away, and I was actually right for once about whodunit. I read one thing farther along that cinched it for me, and that was my guess. The showdown was a good one too.

Maybe Whit'll figure out that Felix isn't so bad after all. I actually felt sorry for him, because unlike most stories where the girl is wronged/left at the altar/cheated on, this poor guy to me was the one who got the short end of the deal with Whit leaving and no explanation. Hopefully there'll be plenty more of this series books for them to get reacquainted! I loved the sleuthing dynamics of Whit, Felix and Whit's bestie and roommate, Maribel who came in really handy since she worked at the police station

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Always fun to find a new-to-me author, and the family business of the glass bottomed boat was so much fun and something completely different! Really enjoyed the story line and meeting the family and Felix. Good, fun read! Excited to read the next book in the series!

Much Ado about Nauticaling by Gabby Allan is the 1st book in the Whit and Whiskers Mystery series, and it's off to a great start. Whitney has returned home to Santa Catalina Island with her cat Whiskers and to help her brother Nick run the family business, Nautically Yours. When Jules Tisdale, self-proclaimed Master of the Island is murdered, Nick is the police's main suspect. I really enjoyed this book, I could just picture taking a ride on the glass bottom boat and the grandparents are a hoot. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy cozy mysteries.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Feeling lost, Whitney leaves the LA corporate world to help her brother run her family’s boat tourism company off the California coast. When Man of the Year Jules Tisdale is found dead underneath Whitney's family's glass bottom boat, the police suspect her brother Nick. Determined to prove her brother's innocence, Whitney teams up with her roommate, her ex boyfriend, Felix Rameriez, and her cat Whiskers to solve the mystery of who done it to clear Nick's name.

Much Ado About Nauticaling is the first in a new cozy mystery series. The book was a quick, easy read. I loved the small island setting, as well as the boat aspect of the story. Nick was a great distractor, because the signs were over the top pointing toward him, but the author threw in just enough other characters to make you think hard about who the killer truly was. Just when I thought I had figured it out, that person turned out dead! The multiple layers of the story, plus those additional characters distracted me in the best way. I was obsessed with Whitney's spread sheet of suspects. It reminded me of the logic grid puzzles we used to do in middle school, which gave me nostalgic vibes.

I am new to the cozy mystery genre. While I did enjoy the book, I did not like this one as much as some other cozy mysteries that I have read over the past couple of months. Whitney was a little too over the top wholesome for me with her dialogue and inner thoughts. I did find the ending abrupt, with little resolution, but I can understand why this was done to set up the rest of the series. I would definitely give the next book a read!

Thank you Kensington and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Much Ado about Nauticaling is a breezy mystery with likeable characters and a fast pace. I wanted to love Gabby Allan’s first Whit and Whiskers story, but I had too many issues with the characters’ actions and the plot.

Like many a cozy mystery protagonist, Whitney doesn’t go looking for murder victims – they seem to find her. In this case, it’s Catalina’s “Person of the Year” Jules whose body floats on by under the window of her glass bottom boat. It’s a tragedy made worse when Whit’s brother is suspected of the crime. Whitney is determined to clear Nick’s name and catch the real killer. So far it’s all part of the cozy mystery formula and I was ready to go for a ride (albeit one with a slow start). The problem for me was Whitney’s methods of investigation. Mainly, that to say she lacks subtlety is an enormous understatement. She pretty much tells all and sundry what she’s doing, what her thoughts are… without spoiling it I’ll simply say there’s amateur sleuth and then there’s outright ridiculousness.

Whit is helped on her fact-finding mission by a number of townsfolk, some perhaps with their own motives (not always clearly defined). Her most trusted compatriots are her ex-boyfriend and best friend, Felix and Mirabel, both of whom are likeable but not incredibly well-defined. I had some questions about both of them and their roles in the investigation, especially since they both worked for the police. Suspending disbelief aside, I do wish they had more to contribute (especially Felix who looks to be a fun character if we learn more about him). The mystery of who killed Jules and why is OK and wraps up in a satisfying enough manner, but there were a lot of loose threads left hanging. Some of these perhaps will continue in another book but I think there are some red herrings in here that flopped because there was no resolution.

Much Ado about Nauticaling fell flat for me but I would give the next book in the series a try. The setting was charming (murder aside) and there’s the potential for the characters to grow and become more engaging. Plus, there’s an adorable cat who steals the show – how could I not give Whiskers another chance?

Much Ado About Nauticaling is the debut cozy mystery novel of the Whit and Whiskers series and it centres on Whitney who has recently moved back to her birthplace of Santa Catalina Island. While helping out with the family’s business of hosting tours with a glass bottom boat, she sees a dead body under the boat when the tour is over.

This one was a bit difficult for me to get through. I felt the characters and their relationships weren’t developed enough to draw me in and keep me engaged. The murder mystery itself would have been more enjoyable if I was able to connect with the characters, which in this case, I was not able to.

It was also marketed as a rom-cozy and I was really excited to discover this new sub-genre, but I only found the same amount of romance in this one as there is in most cozy mysteries.

While it took me a while to get through this story, I think I will like to give the second upcoming book a try as sometimes the writing improves the further the series evolves.

Thank you to Kensington Books for the advanced reading copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Whitney (whit) Dagner has returned home to Catalina Island far away from L.A. and her 9-5 corporate job. She and her brother run the family glass bottomed boat tour along with the gift shop.
I loved the description of the setting for this cozy mystery, I felt like I was right there on the island. It was fun to read about glass bottomed boats.

Trouble starts when Whit's brother is accused of murder and she has to solve the mystery.
She has help in the form of her BFF Maribel and her ex Felix.

I loved all the twists, this was a FANTASTIC mystery which I really enjoyed.
I adored Whiskers the cast.

A fantastic, well rounded , well written mystery. Cannot wait for the next book in the series!

The excellent start for a new cozy series: gripping, fast paced, full of twists and turns.
The mystery is complex, there's plenty of suspects and red herring, it kept me guessing and the solution surprised me.
I love Whitney and the cast of characters. They are fleshed out and likeable.
I can't wait to read the next instalment, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

MUCH ADO ABOUT NAUTICALING, the first book in the brand-new Whit and Whiskers Mystery series by Gabby Allan, is a great start to a delightful series. I was drawn to this new book because of the setting, Catalina Island, which is situated off the coast from where I live. Ms. Allan does an admirable job capturing the essence of the island and enables the reader to feel like they’re right alongside the protagonist, Whitney, feeling the sun, sand, and salty sea air. I greatly enjoyed getting to know Whitney and her quirky grandmother, who adds humor with her antics. A good cast of supporting characters sets the stage for change and growth in future books. Included in the mix is Whit’s ex-boyfriend, Felix, a police diver, who has recently moved to the island with the hope of reconnecting with her. The mystery is solid and the plot has a good pace. With enough suspects to keep the reader guessing, Much Ado About Nauticaling should appeal to both the armchair detective and the armchair traveler alike.

I’ve never read a “rom-cozy” before, but I’m so into the idea of it! I don’t read cozy mysteries often, but I always love them when I do. And we all know that romance is one of my favorite genres!

I’ve read a couple of small-town island mysteries lately, and I really love that setting. It’s not quite as small as a closed-room mystery, but there are only a handful of characters. I really enjoy searching for the clues. The descriptions of Catalina were beautiful, and it made me really want to take a trip there!

I really loved Whit as a character. She was just so determined and energetic, and she seemed like someone I would want to be friends with in real life. Goldy was awesome too--I really enjoy spunky seniors, and she was just so snarky and fun. I’m excited to see more of both of them in the next book. Nick, on the other hand, was obnoxious. Shouldn’t he be the one rushing to clear his own name?? Or at least be a little grateful to Whit for all her work.

There wasn’t much “rom” in this rom-cozy, but the setup was definitely there for a second-chance romance in the next book. We meet Whit’s ex Felix, who she left behind when she moved to Catalina. She wasn’t interested in long distance, but there didn’t seem to be much bad blood over their breakup. I’m excited to see how it plays out in the rest of the series.

This book was the perfect light addition to your beach bag this summer!

Thank you NetGalley, Gabby Allan and Kensington Books for the ARC of Much Ado about Nauticaling. This is my personal review.
This is the first book in a new cozy series Whit and Whiskers Mystery Series.
Whitney Dagner and her brother, Nick, operate Nautically Yours—a glass bottom boat tour business.
The mystery is a good one when the not so nice Jules Tisdale is killed, and her brother Nick is a prime suspect. Whitney knows Nick did not commit this crime and she is determined to find out who did and clear Nick’s name.
The author wrote in such a great way that I felt like I was right there with everyone.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

Santa Catalina is a favorite location of mine so finding a new cozy series set on the island was a must read for me. I found myself humming the tune 26 Miles across the sea - Santa Catalina, the island of romance. For Whitney Dagner, newly returned to the island there is a murder to solve when her brother Nick is accused of killing the self proclaimed Master of the Island. The list of suspects is long as he wasn't well liked but Nick holds the place of prime suspect #1.
Whit decided to ditch her corporate life and the hectic travel on the 405 in L.A. and return to Catalina to help run the family's glass bottom boat business and her very own gift shop. Her commute on an island mandated golf cart, known to the locals as an autoette, tops out at 17 miles an hour. Life on the island is much less stressful. That was until the body was spotted as she and Nick take their boat, the Sea Bounder, out for the daily tour. She knew Nick wasn't guilty and she had to clear his name.
I liked everything about this debut cozy, from the location to the well plotted mystery. The setting and the cast of characters - her grandmother, especially - all pitch perfect. Then I looked at the copyright page to discover, to my delight, that Gabby Allan wrote another of my favorite series under the name of Misty Simon. I can't wait to enjoy the next Whit and Whiskers mystery. I have a spot on my TBR list set aside in anticipation.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.