Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack is a cozy mystery that drew me in almost immediately. Mack effortlessly builds a witty and fun mystery with romance woven into it that makes it difficult to put down. I have a habit of trying to figure things out long before they are revealed and this story was no exception. I was partially correct however, the suspect list rapidly continues to grow as does the web of intrigue.

Mack's clever narrative style, akin to a manuscript with footnotes, is creative and makes for an overall experience that is fun to read. As questions continue to arise about the true intentions of characters like Harper, Marta, and Isabella, and the possibility of Eleanor being unwittingly drawn into her own tale, the intrigue only deepens. With tantalizing hints of ulterior motives from each of the characters, the mystery becomes more and more complicated yet compelling.

From the picturesque Italian setting to the witty banter and unexpected twists, this series debut left me craving more. I can't wait to see what adventures await Eleanor in future installments of the Vacation Mysteries series.

This book is being voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and Catherine Mack.

This was a fun and interesting murder mystery. Eleanor Dash is in Italy for the 10th Anniversary Book Tour of her first novel, and quite a group has assembled to accompany her. It was a little hard at first to keep all the characters straight, and all of their connections with each other.
I loved the touring around Italy and the food. There were almost 300 footnotes in the book, asides from Eleanor to the reader, and these were mostly fun and/or helpful but also got a bit distracting at times.
There was a bit of romance, some irritated exes, and sibling rivalry.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and how things wrapped up, and I would read the next book.

I am very happy that I was given the chance to read and review this book. I really enjoyed the idea of an author of mysteries being involved in a mystery herself. Also, the title is so catching! I am hoping this continues into a series of multiple vacations and more deaths (in the least psychotic way possible, of course!).

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a fun, gripping, unique story that I had the privilege to both read and listen to.

The book breaks the fourth wall and I absolutely loved it; knowing the narrators thoughts and feelings while the story is being revealed was so fun! I actually went on a deep dive of other books told in that format.

This was just released so I definitely recommend you run out and grab it!

First, special thank you to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange of my honest review. It was all over the book reviewer's networks and I was excited to have the chance for an ARC. 'Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies,' is the first book in The Vacation Mysteries by Catherine Mack. The cover is very colorful and attractive, and I guess I did break my rule at judging the book cover on this one. The story is about Eleonor Dash, a well-known mystery writer who went to Italy on a group tour with other writers that she shared publishers with for some sort of book promotion- kinda like team building activity. And, as the title goes, somebody died on their trip. At first, I was literally laughing out loud at the humor. Unfortunately that fun drive died down mid-way when I feel like Eleonor is a little redundant on everything. The plot was simple, and I guess that fits the entire vibe of this story being a cozy mystery and a fast read. Those goals were attained successfully. I did enjoy the reading journey despite the fact that it was predictable, and I was lacking more depth towards the end. Overall, a fun read and perfect for summer and vacation season. Make me want to travel to Italy!

Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies is the first book in Catherine Mack’s Vacation Mystery series. Eleanor Dash fell into her best selling author gig when she wrote about her Roman adventures and her liaison with private investigator/con man Connor Smith. Eleanor didn’t set out to be an author, that was her sister’s dream, but when she was just trying to make sense of the experiences of her post college summer travel she wrote about it.

Now, on the tenth anniversary of the series, Eleanor’s publisher has put together a special trip to Rome that includes a cast of characters almost right out of that first book, including her sister and special assistant Harper, Conner and his ex wife and assorted paramours, and a few fellow authors, including her former love Oliver Forrest. Also on the trip are a select group of top fans called the Book Face Ladies.

Early on in the stifling summer heat, Connor asks for help in figuring out who is making attempts on his life. But is Connor the only target? And why are people in this group being targeted? This is a humorous mystery with many clues, red herrings, and enough footnotes to cover all possible scenarios. I very much enjoyed this book and do recommend it!

A wonderful twist on the old classic cozy mystery. A cast of thousands, ok maybe a dozen. Lots of twists and turns, humor throughout. Will keep you guessing till the end, although I did guess one right. There are mixed feelings about the footnotes, I thought it was a refreshing approach. A author, writing about an author and the author including you with inside thoughts and being at times smart-alecky.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #EveryTimeIGoonVacationSomeoneDies

Thank you @minitaur_books for my complimentary copy. My thoughts are my own.

When best selling author, ELEANOR DASH goes on tour in Italy to get inspiration for the 10th book in her series, she has decided to kill off her main character, Connor. Connor, the one who is NOT so loosely based on her real-life sleazy ex-boyfriend CONNOR. Her publisher has also booked a few other authors to go along on the tour, as well as a group of twenty fans of Eleanor’s books…and Connor.

Once the tour gets underway, Connor thinks someone really IS trying to kill him. At first, Eleanor doesn’t believe him, but then an attempt is made on HER life! The next day someone on the trip is murdered. Realizing the suspect must be among those traveling with her, Eleanor knows she needs to solve this mystery, and FAST, before she becomes the next victim. After all, mystery writers should know how to solve a crime, shouldn’t they?

 MY THOUGHTS: The premise of this one is fun! An author decides to kill off her main character, and the real-life person the main character is based on thinks someone is trying to kill him!
 
Eleanor makes for a witty, if immature, main character. She tells her story with side comments (aka footnotes) and speaks directly to the reader, expressing her often irreverent thoughts. She even invites the reader to solve the crime with her as she lays out all the clues! Her snarky sense of humor is amusing. I love books that center around traveling and I enjoyed the beautiful Italian locations in this one.
 
The footnotes (which I thought were fun) were a bit hard to follow in the digital copy, as I kept having to flip back-and-forth. I recommend reading this book in physical print.

While I don't often read cozy mysteries, I took a chance on this one because I've read other books by this author (writing as Catherine McKenzie). And I'm glad I did!

This book was a humorous romp through Italy with the main character Eleanor Dash. After 10 years, she's ready to kill off the main character in her book series, because she's tired of including him, and his games. Little does she know, someone is planning to kill Connor for real. Or are they?

Follow Eleanor as she tries to suss out the suspect(s) and figure out who, what, and why.

But, beyond the story are the footnotes. While the formatting was a little crazy on my older Kindle, I was able to read them better on my Kindle Fire. They should be just fine in the paperback/hardback versions. The author gives us a behind-the-scenes look at writing, publishing and the pitfalls of traveling under the watchful eye of social media. I really enjoyed these asides.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for this highly entertaining arc.

👙🇮🇹 ☀️BOOK REVIEW! ☀️🇮🇹👙

Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies
By: @catherinemckenzieauthor
Genre: Mystery
Length: 352 pages
Publish Date: April 30, 2024! 🎉🎉 @minotaur_books

Today is the pub date for this awesome mystery by Catherine Mack! I was given an advanced e-copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my own review.

Synopsis:
Successful mystery author Eleanor Dash has a problem. Both her books and her vacations always seem to end in death. While on a book tour to commemorate 10 years since the first book of her 'vacation murder mystery' series was published, Eleanor finds herself entangled in a real-life murder plot. 'Stuck' in Italy with her sister, Harper, ex-boyfriend con-man (and lead protagonist in her book series), Connor, other author/ex-boyfriend, Oliver, and a few other significant book world characters, attempts are made on her life and Connor's. When someone winds up dead on the book tour, Eleanor must decide who she can trust and put her mystery author brain to work to solve the case before she herself winds up a footnote...

Opinion:
I loved this one! It read as more of a cozy mystery with a nice humorous narration by Eleanor, including her own footnotes throughout the book. This gave it a unique perspective, breaking the 4th wall and involving the reader in solving the case. Think Finlay Donovan vibes, mixed with a hint of Agatha Christie, in a gorgeous Italian setting. If you love humor, a good old-fashioned murder plot, and some great pop culture references, you should definitely read this!
A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me!

QOTD:
Do you like when an author breaks the 4th wall in books?

#stephsbookreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #netgalley #catherinemckenzieauthor #minotaurbooks #mysterybooks

Mystery author Eleanor is on a book tour in Italy to celebrate the release of her 10th book. However, along the way she uncovers a real life mystery… someone is trying to kill her! With suspects around every turn (her resentful sister, her con-man ex boyfriend who her book series is based upon, his ex-wife, her one true love who got away, other authors hungry for the spotlight, and some die hard fans, Eleanor doesn’t know who she can trust. Will she solve the crime in time to save her life?

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💭 Thoughts 💭

This was a very funny book. Eleanor was a witty and sarcastic narrator. The multitude of suspects kept you guessing, although in the beginning I feel like the pacing could have been a little quicker.

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⌛️Favorite Moment ⌛️

All the pop culture references- from Taylor Swift to White Lotus! She also described each character by referring to a celebrity look alike which made it so easy to picture everyone!

Bestselling author Eleanor Dash got her start from losing basing her first book on real events over ten years ago. Now with her 10th book coming out, she’s celebrating her 10-year anniversary with Press Tour to Italy. Her ex-boyfriend Connor Smith, her sister, and others involved in the series are all joining her on the tour. All is well, until Connor unveils that someone is trying to kill not just him but also Eleanor. Can this mystery writer solve this real-life mystery before her time is up?

This book was such a fun cozy mystery and with lots of snark and quirky banter I flew through this book. All of our characters distinct, and I found even the unscrupulous Connor to be entertaining. Eleanor made such a great lead character, even with all her sidebar tangents. I listened to the audio and all the footnotes were added into the narration. I have heard a few other reviews say that when actually reading the book, it was hard to navigate all the sidenotes but as far as audios good it was seamless.

With plenty of suspects and Mack’s engaging writing; Every time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies was such a fun listen! Elizabeth Evans who narrates the book was simply outstanding. It’s the perfect road trip listen, or beach read, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!


Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies comes out April 30, 2024. Thank you to Minotaur for my advanced copies in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

I absolutely loved this book. It was like a vacation from house! I’m actually going to many of these places in 3 weeks on an Italian cruise. I loved the plot and the mystery itself. It is clever and funny and the suspects are fabulous! I love the book face fans on the tours!

A unique tale told by an author, Eleanor Dash, which includes footnotes with every chapter which makes for an interest method of telling the story. El is on a fan event in Italy with a few other authors and twenty fans who won the trip. There is a murder or two in which the main characters are all present. Think Agatha Christies murder mysteries. Who is the killer?

I enjoyed the voice and the breaking of the fourth wall didn't bother me. The Italy setting was fun and I felt like I was right there on the tour. However, I didn't find myself really caring if Connor died or not and there were a few times when I thought I would DNF. But the witty banter and insight into the publishing industry kept me going. I also appreciated the relationship between Eleanor and her sister, Harper. It felt real and genuine whereas a lot of the rest of the book and characters felt over-the-top and convoluted. The footnotes were fun initially but after a while, I felt like there were too many of them. It's hard not to read them though!

This book was a ton of fun! The characters are well-fleshed out with the best banter with a plot that kept me entertained and flipping pages until I got to the last page. I loved how the main character Eleanor tells the story, and how occasionally she speaks directly to the reader.
So many laugh-out-loud moments, twists, turns, and red herrings kept me guessing. And I had a great time trying to figure out what was going on alongside Eleanor.
The footnotes were hilarious, and I loved that extra bit of detail and humor they added to the story. I can't wait for the next one!

4.25 stars
I very much enjoyed this book! I loved the humor and cheekiness of the main character and found it to be a very fun story! These are the exact sort of cozy mysteries that I love. I’m quite excited for this series to continue. I will say, I started this as an audiobook, and while I enjoyed the narrator, I think the format of the book lends itself better to reading it physically. But I highly recommend!!

Hello, let me introduce you to the book that I will be recommending to everyone I ever talk to.

Bestselling author Eleanor Dash on her Italian book tour that turns into a real-life murder mystery, as her life starts to imitate her fictional world.

This book is hilarious. I loved all the inside jokes especially the Goodreads diss (sorry not sorry.) Iswitched back & forth from both the audiobook & the ebook & the audiobook made it feel like your friend was telling you the story.

This is such a good & it’ll be the perfect read for by the book this summer!

3.5 stars. Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is the first entry in a new series of cozy mysteries by Catherine McKenzie, and it’s a fun and fresh take on the genre. Eleanor Dash writes the popular Vacation Mysteries series, but after 10 books she’s ready for a change – and that means killing off her main character, Connor Smith, who also happens to be a real person she met a decade ago, and who she now can’t get out of her life (or her books). Maybe a book tour throughout Italy will provide the inspiration she needs for (figuratively) killing Connor – until, that is, there’s a threat on the real Connor’s life, sending the entire tour group into a tizzy of chaos and suspicion.

This book has been compared to the Finlay Donovan series, but it’s also similar to the Ernest Cunningham books, in that Eleanor addresses the reader directly, in a narrative that includes plenty of meta moments about the book world and publishing. It’s light-hearted and entertaining and funny, full of zany characters, and it’s also a pretty solid mystery, with plenty of suspects and red herrings.

There are lots of footnotes, which Eleanor uses to provide snarky asides and tidbits of juicy gossip, and I have to admit those got a bit tiresome after a while. It felt like Catherine Mack was trying just a bit too hard to be funny and clever, and I’m not sure how much those really added to the overall reading experience. However, I do love that Eleanor is a Swiftie, and as to how she’s going to get out of the predicament she finds herself in at the end of this book? All I have to say to her is: YOYOK (IYKYK), but I’ll definitely be coming back to see how you manage it. Thank you to Minotaur Books for the early reading opportunity.

Bestselling mystery author Eleanor Dash is on a whirlwind book tour trip to Italy, looking for inspiration on how to kill off one of the main characters in her book series. She is joined by the real-life version of said character (Connor), her sister, fans, her ex, and a slew of others. Her book tour takes quite a left turn when she finds that someone is trying to kill her and Connor in real life, and suddenly her days are mirroring her books a little too much. With everyone on the tour as a viable suspect, can Eleanor solve this mystery before it’s too late?

This was such a cute read. The style sucked me in immediately, with the author leaving hilarious footnotes throughout, as though they were talking to the reader. It was a fun and fresh take on the “book about an author writing a book” storyline, I thought all of the supporting characters were done well, and I really enjoyed this lighthearted cozy mystery. I can’t wait to pick up the next one in the series when it comes out!

Thank you to Catherine Mack, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This charming story hit shelves yesterday!