Dani's Rating: 4⭐️

Summary: Eleanor Dash literally fell into becoming an author ten years ago after an eventful trip to Italy. Now, she wants nothing more than to get through her book tour in Italy and kill(in the books, not for real!!) off her main character, Connor Smith, in her series. When it becomes apparent that someone actually is trying to kill Connor while on this book tour, Eleanor is pulled into solving the case.

Dani's Thoughts: I don't think I've laughed so much while reading a mystery before. This book was funny and quirky, but certainly kept me on my toes until the very end. I couldn't seem to solve the case as Eleanor is such an unreliable narrator throughout the story. I loved all of the moving parts and how many different directions the ending could have taken, even though it was always only leading one way. The epilogue eluded to a new vacation mystery and I cannot wait to see what Eleanor and gang will get into this time.

I actually was able to listen to the audio of this book and loved how the footnotes were incorporated into the script, instead of all at the end. I can see how having to read those footnotes all at the end would have been cumbersome, so I suggest listening to this one if possible!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the #gifted copy of the eArc.

I’m not even sure where to start. Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies could have been an enjoyable book but I found it to be difficult to read for several reasons.

The footnotes. Seriously? In a cozy mystery? Ok, I could see using a few, just for fun and to be a little different, but this book has 237. It seems like a bit much to me. I will admit, I didn’t read every single one but the ones I did read didn’t really contribute to the plot nor were they even very funny. So, I’m not sure why the author decided to use them. They were nearly impossible to keep track of in digital form and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like them any better in print.

Meanwhile, the pace is relatively slow, and much of the dialogue isn’t attributed to one of the characters (this can go on for almost a whole page), so it’s up to the reader to figure out who is speaking and sometimes who that person is addressing. On top of that, the discussions seem to meander while the characters are immature, annoying, and unrealistic. I enjoyed “visiting” Italy but I had to slog through the story to do so. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

Catherine Mack has written a fun and sassy mystery with unique features, perhaps especially her entertaining footnotes; they are embedded in the text.

Ms. Mack’s protagonist, Eleanor Dash, is the author of a mystery series. For reasons that readers will soon discover the handsome and dashing Connor Smith features in all of them. What are Eleanor’s feelings about him? Will she get her wish regarding Connor? Find out in this fun read with its insider’s view of publishing.

I received an e galley of this book. I love that the inside covers of the hard copy absolutely meet the feel and rhythm of the story. They are worth a look.

Readers who like mysteries with humor, pick up this debut. Many will hope that this writer will keep on writing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s-Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

Mystery author Eleanor Dash can’t wait to remove the fictional Connor Smith and the real Connor Smith from her life. But she never expected murder!

This is a fun book. The idea of an author trying to figure out how to kill off her main fictional character while reckoning with his real life counterpart is really clever and well-done. The setting is fantastic-a tour around Italy-and the characters are all well-delineated. There’s a lot of murder attempts and murder, as well as romance. The ending is a great twist, and I would recommend this book.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I loved the premise but the footnotes and the constant comparing herself to her sister was what didn't allow me to continue reading this book. Maybe as an audiobook this would be better? I think I'd give it a shot as an audiobook because I am interested in the story and think the footnotes being read to me would be more appealing.

This was fun but just not appropriate for my classroom. I did enjoy the mystery and the ending was really fun. I think this book would do well with the NA audience.

The publisher’s do give a “warning” that there are footnotes throughout the book, but seriously it was way too much. It was actually this formatting which makes me dislike the story. It was hard to get into because you had to keep going to read the footnotes in case something important to the mystery was there.

I didn’t actually care for Eleanor either.

3.5/5
"Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies" offers a curious blend of mystery and adventure, keeping readers guessing until the final pages. While the premise is intriguing, and the plot unfolds with enough twists to maintain interest, some may find the pacing uneven, with moments of excitement interspersed with slower passages. The characters are well-developed, each with their own motivations and secrets, but at times their actions feel contrived or predictable. I didn’t really connect with the characters that much, and found the footnotes unnecessary and a bit confusing. Overall, it's a decent read for fans of the genre, but falls short of truly standing out among its peers.

First thank you to st martins press and NetGalley for giving me an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars

Synopsis: Eleanor dash is a famous author on the 10th anniversary tour for you first book when things get dangerous. Will she survive this tour?

What I liked: I’m a cozy mystery lover and foodie so the premise and story were enjoyable to me. Eleanor was funny and love when she would break the fourth wall. However I thought it over complicated a lot by adding so many characters or plot choices. I had a hard time keeping track of the characters and more kept getting added all the way to the end of the book. I also didn’t see the value that the footnotes added to the story. There was some humor but not not enough to not feel disappointed when reading them. Overall the story was enjoyable but don’t think it will be one that I remember

This was a cute, cozy mystery perfect for the summer months! The humor in it reminds me of “Everyone on This Train is a Suspect” and I loved it. Definitely check this out for a light-hearted mystery

EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION SOMEONE DIES
Catherine Mack, Author
Cozy Mystery

In this debut book from Catherine Mack: ten days, eight suspects, six cities, five authors and three bodies is a trip to die for. While on a book tour in Italy, all Eleanor wants to do is go home and finish what she hopes will be the last in her ongoing series. All while being pursued by fans, stalkers, and a murderer.

This book is hilarious; you will go from one emotion to another. Between, laughing, being scared and saying “Ooh la la,” it has a little bit of everything in it. I give this book a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

This was a very fun read. It has humor, a little romance, mystery, murder, and vividly described settings. I felt like I was in Italy with Eleanor and her group!

In this book you follow an author on a vacation in Italy with other authors & some fans, she's trying to (fictionally) kill off the main guy in her series, but he says someone is really trying to kill him, and then bodies really start dropping.
I did get annoyed by the footnotes. I thought they interrupted the flow of reading because I had to keep flipping back and forth to read them.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. If you are looking for a quick, cozy mystery set in a fabulous location, this is your book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the chance to read this book.
I

Thank you, Minotaur Books, for the gifted copy of Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies. {partner} 

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Setting: Italy
Format: 🎧📖
Audiobook Narration: ☆☆☆☆
Pub Date: 4.30.2024
Star Rating: ☆☆☆

I wanted to love this book - a cozy mystery set in Italy? Sign me up! But, unfortunately, it fell flat. 

To begin with, I started it on my Kindle, and the footnotes made it almost impossible to read. Footnotes in historical books provide interesting details or source information, but footnotes in a cozy mystery? They just offered unnecessary commentary. So, I decided to switch to the audio. Sure, the footnotes were more bearable as they seemed like babbling interruptions to the story. But that was the issue; they were interruptions. So many times, something exciting was about to happen, and the FMC would interrupt the scene with idle chat, and then we would never return to the excitement. Some of the added dialogue was funny, so that's a plus. 

Then the characters? The only one who was likable was Oliver. The others grated on my last nerve - they felt so elitist that I spent most of the book rolling my eyes at their ridiculous and immature antics. If that was what the author was aiming for, then bravo. But they didn’t work for me. 

👎🏼 Unlikable characters
📝 Footnotes
😜 Funny
🗣️ Breaks the fourth wall
🇮🇹 Setting

I believe this will end up being a series, and will I continue reading? You bet I will because maybe the next book will be better. Plus, everyone deserves a second chance.

"Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies" is a thrilling, page-turning mystery. The protagonist, Eleanor, an author herself, finds herself living a story that she herself is trying to create. As she decides how to conclude her novel, reality begins to mirror fiction—characters in her life are targeted. The narrative takes us on a suspenseful journey, posing questions such as: Who is the real killer? What are their motives? And is everything as it appears? The plot cleverly echoes the classic "Murder on the Orient Express," giving it a fresh and entertaining spin. With its fast-paced storyline and unexpected turns, readers are kept guessing until the very end. Despite the high stakes, the book maintains a sense of fun and adventure. This novel is recommended for those who enjoy gripping mysteries that blur the lines between fiction and reality.

I love a cozy mystery!!!
If you enjoyed the Finlay Donovan series, this is a book for you.
There is death, drama, & suspense but the characters are so funny that you forget there is a killer on the loose.
I did take a star away because of the writing. There is one thing the author does throughout the book that was annoying (to me) but I just skipped it. Which she actually says to skip too.
I am ready for book 2!

A super fun murder mystery set in multiple cities in Italy. I love the lighthearted writing and found it similar to the Finlay Donovan book series. The perspective constantly breaks the fourth wall and uses (often cheeky!) footnotes. The story follows Eleanor Dash, who is a mystery series writer while she's on tour in Europe. She soon realizes that she is being targeted by someone trying to kill her!

The story evolves like one of her murder mystery travel novels. I really enjoyed how meta this story was. The cast of characters was vibrant and well-written. I really liked learning about Elle's backstory and tidbits about the publishing world. There's a rekindled romance and a widening mystery. I listened to the audiobook, which is perfectly narrated by Elizabeth Evans. She captures Eleanor's snark perfectly. It's quick moving and super fun. Definitely a perfect beach read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ebook / audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies is the cozy mystery series debut of Catherine Mack. Focusing on a mystery writer and her friends and colleagues, this was a pretty quick read with numerous suspects.

Author Eleanor Dash is on a book tour with her sister/assistant Harper, ex-boyfriend/novel's hero Connor, and several other writers when Connor asks for Eleanor's help because he thinks someone has been trying to kill him. Filled with humor (a lot in the footnotes) and too many suspects to keep straight, El has her work cut out for her. When she's pushed and almost falls down a steep flight of stairs, they start to wonder who has it in for BOTH of them. Taking place over several days in different Italian cities, the perpetrator has to be someone in their group...Is it Harper, who hates that Eleanor got the writing life she wanted? Connor's ex-wife, who divorced him after finding out about Eleanor? Shek, because his marketing budget is being "diverted" to Eleanor's next book? It could be anyone!

The writing is casual, a lot of the time it's as if she's talking directly to you, the reader (which seems to be popular right now). There are several people, and at some point I gave up trying to remember who they all were. I thought I knew the whodunit early on, just not the why, but I was so far off!

All in all, a great start to the Vacation Mysteries series. For anyone who loves books about books, or books about authors, this is a contemporary cozy mystery that hits all the right places for cozy lovers.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @Minotaur_Books for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

Reading Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies made me crave pasta. It takes place in Italy and they are constantly eating yummy sounding food. Setting that aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. It is the story of an author with a successful crime series based on vacations who is on a book tour in Italy when things run amok. A bunch of authors, rabid fans, possibly a stalker, all thrown together trying to figure out a crime. It was absolutely hilarious. I guffawed and snorted. The footnotes added were absolutely genius. There was so much snark and sarcasm with pop culture references peppered throughout and the quirkiest and funniest group of characters thrown together. And for us book nerds, some inside jokes. This is a must read this summer.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies by Catherine Mack
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 344 / Genre: Cozy Mystery

Eleanor Dash is an author on a book tour in Italy for the tenth book in her wildly successful book series, The Vacation Mysteries. The main character is the dashing Connor Smith, who’s based on her real-life ex with the same name. But in real-life, he’s just as handsome but also a jerk who’s been black-mailing her for 20% of her royalties on every books she writes. And she’s had it. She’s ready to kill him off in the series to be done with him once and for all. Unfortunately, someone is actually trying to kill him in real life on this book tour, putting her in danger.

Overall, this was a fun cozy mystery. And I loved the Italian setting. But it was ruined by all the too cutesy and numerous footnotes throughout the entire book. Trying to keep up with all the footnotes was annoying and they were totally unnecessary. They were mostly the author trying too hard to be cute and funny, but instead were just irritating. So, 4 stars for the book without the footnotes and 3 stars with them.

Thank you, @netgalley and @minotaur_books for my gifted copy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book! A fun and cozy beach read to spice up a more relaxing (but perhaps sometimes a little too boring!) getaway, this book has fun characters, good twists, and an enticing narrative. I enjoy vacation mysteries that take place in settings where I will vacation so it feels like I'm getting drawn into the drama of a vacation spot without all the real-life consequences!