This was so……FUN!! Eleanor is a writer and she is sent on a today book tour to Italy. She is joined by several fans, her sister, a man that has been blackmailing her for ten year, her ex, and a few others. Someone is trying to kill her blackmaileer, or so he says. Then someone tries to kill Eleanor! It’s very convoluted. Catherine Mack breaks down that fourth wall and speaks to us, the reader. Which is one of my favorite things in books. This had humor, lots of suspects, and a fabulous setting. I cannot wait for more from this author. There will be another book, because, of course, there is a cliffhanger!

Mystery author Eleanor Dash is ready to end her vacation mystery series and she decides to kill off her main character, Connor. The real-life Connor is Eleanor’s ex and not the nicest of guys. This is her way of getting him out of her life. Their publicist sends them on a book tour through Italy along with a few rival authors, devoted book fans and another ex-boyfriend Oliver.

Things take a nasty turn when someone tries to kill the real Connor. Can someone be taking a fictional story too seriously? Connor pleads with Eleanor to help him find the killer before he winds up dead. It’s not long before they realize he’s not the only one in danger when a dead body turns up.

This is a funny, captivating page turner. Humor, as well as mystery, is laced throughout this book. There are many LOL moments. The characters are well portrayed - some quirky, some serious and a few dangerous. I loved the Italy setting. The author made me feel as if I was on tour with them too.

One problem I did have was the formatting of the book. There are many footnotes throughout the book which I never saw in a fictional book before, but I found them to be distracting and would occasionally pull me out of the story. I read this as an E-ARC, which made flipping back and forth to the footnotes a bit bothersome. I see from other reviews that it was handled well in the audiobook and wasn’t a problem at all. So, readers might want to try that instead of reading the e-book. Once I got used to the footnotes, it was clear sailing and I enjoyed this mystery.

I found the storyline to be cleverly written with a full cast of suspects. Throughout the entire book I kept changing my mind as to “whodunit”. I do enjoy a book that keeps me on my toes. There was a sneak peek into the next book, and it looks like another good story is on the way. I’ll be looking for it.










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.

"Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies" is another great popcorn thrillers, perfectly tailored for fans of Finlay Donovan, Stephanie Plum, and "Peril in Pink." This novel has all the elements of a light-hearted mystery, mixed with personality, suspense, unexpected twists, and doses of humor.
The plot unfolds around the protagonist's vacation escapades, each time shadowed by the unfortunate demise of someone nearby. It's a premise that promises both intrigue and amusement, and the book delivers on both fronts with finesse. The author's knack for crafting engaging narratives ensures that readers are kept on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning pages to uncover the next twist. The cast of characters, both likable and unlikable, adds depth and complexity to the story. From charismatic protagonists to enigmatic supporting roles, each character contributes to the overall charm of the story.

"Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies" is a quick, easy, and enjoyable read. With its blend of mystery, humor, and travel escapades, it's sure to captivate fans and earn its place on the vacation reading list of many. So, pack your bags, settle into your favorite spot, and prepare for a thrilling journey that promises to entertain from beginning to end.

This fun book reads like a play with the central character constantly breaking the fourth wall and directly addressing the reader. It is full of quirky characters and generous doses of humor. If you like your mysteries with a touch of irreverence, you may enjoy this one. However it is important to note that this is the first book in a planned series so if you don't want to get sucked up into reading a whole series, you might want to skip it.

✨Pub Day Review: EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES

I spent the morning finishing up Catherine Mack’s EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES and I have to say, that it was the *perfect way* to spend this rainy Tuesday morning.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love this book, but I especially love the main character, Eleanor Dash, who simply brings the book to life.

Eleanor is funny, witty, and a little quirky. I love how she breaks through the fourth wall and talks directly to the reader in her re-telling of the mystery, in her personal journal notes (excerpts laced throughout the book in-between chapters), and in my absolute favourite part of the book—the footnotes.

I find that the footnotes *make* the book. I’ve never seen footnotes in a novel and I absolutely LOVED them. They add such a unique and fun extra layer to the story. If you listen to the audiobook (which is SO GOOD, by the way) you’ll notice that Elizabeth Evans reads them seamlessly as if they’re part of the main story. The footnotes provide the reader with so much insight into Eleanor’s thoughts, while also helping Eleanor’s personality shine through.

✨It’s also clear through the footnotes that Eleanor is a fan of Taylor Swift—which makes me love her even more—as there are numerous Midnights references hidden in them (footnote # 104 is my absolute fav)✨

ETIGOVSD is the first cozy mystery in a new series of Vacation Mysteries and I definitely recommend picking it up. You will absolutely want to meet Eleanor. Plus, books 2 & 3 are already on the way 😍

Thank you to @raincoastbooks, @minotaur_books and @stmartinspress for the review copies!

4.5/5!

Did I just find my new favorite humor-filled mystery series? I think so!

From the first chapter I fell in love with Eleanor Dash. I feel like we have the same personality. The same level of self-deprecating sarcasm. I love her! I want to be her bestie!

This book is so entertaining! The premise is one filled with secrets that the reader needs to figure out in order to guess who’s life or lives are in danger. Everything is told from Eleanor’s perspective, so we get to know right off the bat who of the secondary characters around her annoy her and should be considered as top-tier suspects. It seems like everyone has a motive to dislike each other, but who would go as far to attempt murder?

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the footnotes. I’m not sure that they’ll be for everyone, but I loved that they gave me that extra level of insider knowledge into what makes Eleanor tick.

The mystery itself has a lot of layers and there are several red herrings to be on the lookout for. I was able to guess part of the reveal, but this didn’t take away anything from my reading experience.

The book already hinted that there will be at least 2 more books in this series and I’m 100% going to be pre-ordering those once they become available!

The storyline has so much potential but this book never took off for me. The character’s dialogue was funny but it was a slow non progressing book. Thank you for Net Galley and Minotaur Books for this advance read.

Ten days, eight suspects, six cities, five authors, three bodies…and one trip to die for!

This was such a fun book! I loved the setting of a book tour throughout Italy. I was transported there and wanted to eat everything they ate and drink everything they drank! I’m thinking of gelato and Aperol spritz while writing this!

Eleanor was a quirky character. She’s snarky, opinionated, and kind of a wise a$$, and I loved that she said what she thought regardless of the consequences. It brought a lot of humor to this story. I did think she made some bad choices at times, but I guess that’s typical in this kind of mystery. There are a lot of characters in this book, and at times I found myself struggling to remember who was who. None of them were particularly likable except Eleanor’s ex, Oliver. I don’t think I’d want to be stuck on a ten day vacation with any of them though!

This book is written in a unique way where the author had Eleanor talk directly to the reader. She also included footnotes and a lot of opinions on writing, publishers, and other authors. I enjoyed this writing style and liked that it wasn’t a cookie cutter cozy mystery.

This is book one in The Vacation Mysteries, and I’m excited to see where book two takes us. If you’re a fan of the Stephanie Plum series and looking for a humorous mystery, then I recommend reading this one! It’s a great summer read so grab a copy, some sunscreen, an Aperol spritz, and enjoy!

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Eleanor Dash is in Italy with her sister/assistant, Harper. They are attending the tenth anniversary of her Vacation Mystery series along with a few invited authors and the BookFace Ladies club. Connor Smith is also along, her ex-boyfriend and blackmailer, as regards to having him as a main character in her books and forced to pay him a percentage of her royalties .
On the trip Connor confines to Eleanor that someone is trying to kill him and wants her to investigate. At first she doesn't believe him until she is also targeted. When one of their party is murdered, the police are now involved and Eleanor needs to find the culprit before it's to late.
A quirky, humorous cozy mystery set in lovely Italian cities with the protagonist doling out important information as the story unfolds. And always read the footnotes, for there, clues abound.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this e-galley of "Every Time I Go on Vacation , Someone Dies".

This was a pretty fun read. If you like the Finlay Donovan books you will probably like this one too. I listened to the audiobook whilst reading along with the ebook. At first I thought that the abundance of footnotes would make the audio version more difficult to follow the story but I found the opposite to be true. If I were to have been only reading I might have skipped a lot of the footnotes because I was too lazy to look down at the bottom of the page. The footnotes do add to the story. There’s a lot of pop culture references (some I knew, some I didn’t) which just added to the fun.

I spent most of the book wondering if there was a “fourth wall” and if there was if it was maybe made of mesh or something. Don’t take this book too seriously and you will love this one. I will definitely read a sequel if there is one.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Some Dies is lighthearted mystery with comedic banter. The plot revolves around Eleanor who is best selling author of the “Vacation Mystery” series and Conor who is Eleanor’s ex, and her sister Harper. Eleanor is working on her new novel and a character who just so happens to be inspired by her Ex. I enjoyed all the characters, Eleanors is refreshing and I loved her wittiness.

The book really picks up around the 40% mark, while on the book tour with other authors Connor confides in Eleanor that he believes someone is after him.

If you’re into the show Only Murders in the Building and looking for your next cozy murder beach read, Every time I go on Vacation, Someone dies will take you on a light hearted mystery ride!

Need a super fun read for vacation or a rainy day? If so, Catherine Mack’s EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION is a super perfect read. Our main character, Eleanor Dash, has authored nine books in her cozy mystery series and is working on her tenth story. I felt like Eleanor was talking to me throughout the book. She is in Rome where she is working to get rid of real-life Connor who has been blackmailing her as well as murdering fictional Connor in her tenth book. We ride around on a bus on a sightseeing trip with twenty of her fans who won a trip to Italy with their favorite author Eleanor. I could not stop reading this delightful book. I liked how the author talked with the reader. I would have liked the footnotes to appear in parentheses so I would not need to search for them. I can’t wait to see what happens in future books in this series. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

Mini synopsis: A writers vacation (with fans) turns into a messy & fun holiday with lots of tourist attractions & a splash of murder! After many years of writing a successful mystery series, Eleanor Dash is ready to kill off her main male character. Only problem? He’s on the trip & not happy about that. Oh and someone might actually be trying to kill IRL. What happens next? Shenanigans 😂

What a fun mystery novel & start to a series!!! I loved so much the tongue & cheek nature of the writing. Like through out we got direct to reader thoughts from her head (like how many common sayings imply death??) and we got other little witty footnotes that made me laugh out loud! Those just made me love her even more as a character with her quick wit! she almost gives Finlay Donavan vibes. Def if you like those books you’ll enjoy this!

Besides that! The plot was so fun! I didn’t see the murder coming 😱 I also liked how she kind of baited us with things like “have you figured it out yet?” Or “I’ve given you all the clues” which made it deal interactive & fun to try and solve along with her. Another thing that I loved is more personal to me. I’ve been on a similar trip to Italy, rome, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast etc. so having that background and following on with the story was great! I kept thinking “I’ve been there!” Or “yup can totally picture that!” I just loved it!

What a sweet cozy mystery that I enjoyed once I figured out how to properly read footnotes on my Kindle! The footnotes make the book in my opinion! Eleanor Dash is a writer writing about being a writer plotting how to kill off one of her main characters (in her book only of course…). This was an easy summer read that would be fun on the beach or on vacation! I would absolutely pick up the next one in the series!

Every Time I go On Vacation, Someone Dies is a great beach read. I got some Only Murders in the Building vibes which is great because I’ve been wanting to read a book with that vibe for a while now! Also glad the footnotes “made the cut”!
There’s a variety of characters and all of them have issues- except maybe Oliver. Big maybe though. The humor is spot on and it is still a whodunnit type.
I did piece together a little of the big reveal and I was close to getting more (it was riiiiight there) but I didn’t quite guess it altogether. Definitely would recommend.

A murder mystery with a lot of humor! The idea of going on vacation with all the people that would be suspects if you died is pretty hysterical. There were a lot of potential suspects. The interactions between all of the characters were intriguing, planting a lot of clues. I did laugh out loud multiple times and was kept in the story trying to figure it out. I would definitely read more from this author. The only negative was the volume of footnotes. I liked the humor of them, but there were too many and they ended up taking me out of the story when reading as an e-book. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a fun, lighthearted mystery that everyone needs in their lives.

The humor in this book is the highlight and driving plot. Eleanor Dash is our main character who has a sharp sense of humor that really gives this book a personality. While some of this book was not entirely believable, it's easy to suspend your belief due to the nature of the book. It was funny, witty, and wove a murder-mystery with romance into it without being too overbearing and frustrating.

I loved all of the characters. The plot of Eleanor being on a book tour with other authors while being in slump gets mixed with Connor, another author, believing someone is after him. The book proceeds to spice up from there, and it's just genuinely enjoyable.

If you're looking for a fun, cozy mystery where you can suspend your beliefs and be taken along for the ride, this is for you.

4.5 ⭐

The book was a delightful who done it, very similar to a murder mystery dinner vibe, with a comedic sidebar. The cast travels around often but have to stick together so it reads like a closed proximity mystery. The side stories kept me very entertained throughout regardless of what was happening with they mystery. I thought it was witty and fun. The main character in this story is a novelist, making this a book about books. I thought the characters had depth and were interesting without being overwhelming. I for sure had my opinions throughout. I especially liked Eleanor's honesty to herself and therefore the reader, and I love to hate Connor. I definitely recommend this lighthearted mystery read.

I would consider this book a cozy mystery with funny moments sprinkled within. The writing style was interesting, the MC was speaking directly to the reader, rather than us following her story from the outside. The story reads as though you were sitting next to you, telling you her thoughts. There were a lot of footnotes which were completely distracting, and made it difficult for me to follow along. They took me away from the story, and I ended up skipping them as I went along (so it was easier for me to read). Aside from the footnotes issue, the book moves fairly quick. I found it predictable, but there were a few things that did surprise me.

To sum up the plot, Eleanor is the best selling author of the “Vacation Mystery” series. She’s on a book tour in Italy, working on an idea to write the main male character, out of her books. There’s one small problem. Connor is a real person, he’s Eleanor’s ex and he is on the book tour with her. He is also convinced someone is trying to kill him. She has also brought along her sister, Harper, with whom Eleanor is overly reliant on. As the group of 3 adventure around Italy, it becomes clear that there is foul play occurring, and Eleanor is determined to figure out what is going on.

This is a great little cozy mystery! It’s also hilarious! If you liked the Finlay Donovan series, I think you’ll enjoy this as well. The chapters either end on a cliffhanger or just in a way that makes you want to keep reading, and it was a very quick read. It’s also the perfect summer read, with lots of descriptions of sunny Italy and gelato! I did figure out the twist, but hadn’t figured out all the details or the whys.

The only issue I had were the footnotes. I was reading on kindle, so for me it was just too annoying to flip back and forth between the part I was reading and the end of the chapter where the footnotes were. After reading the first couple chapters’ worth, I ended up skipping them based on my own (and other’s!) intuition that it wouldn’t mess up the story to do so. And I don’t think I missed anything super important; based on a quick scan they seemed to be mostly funny anecdotes and asides from the FMC. It also would probably have been easier to read in a physical copy, since they were at the bottom of each page instead of the end of the chapter. But other than that, I really enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES is out now!