I quite enjoyed this story of fame, fans, ego driven people who inspire fiction, and a writer's brush with actual murder. The author's writing was entertaining and crisp. The story sailed along and managed to surprise. I am not a fan of cozy mysteries as such, but am now a fan of Catherine Mack.

This mystery was delightful! Not only did it make me want to take an Italian vacation, despite the idea that every time she goes on vacation, someone dies, it made me laugh out loud as I was reading. Catherine Mack writes the story from the point of view of a cozy mystery writer, who uses her experiences to draw inspiration for her novels. The book itself reads as if it is a draft, with footnotes that let you into her thought process, and chapters that completely break the 4th wall as the main character speaks directly to the reader. It was a refreshing take on the cozy mystery genre.

I am a fan of Catherine Mckenzie's novels and I was super excited to read her new book under the pseudonym Catherine Mack titled Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies. It did not disappoint! This was so different than Catherine's other novel style, and I absolutely loved it. No matter what genre Catherine writes, she nails it!

The novel is about Eleanor Dash, an author who is about to write her 10th novel in her series of books and is on a book tour in Italy. I couldn't put this down once I got a few chapters in. The pace of this novel was wonderful, it had a witty charm to it and the footnotes were genial adding an original format to a novel. Each character in the story was relatable in their own way. Eleanor and her sister/assistant Harper were alike yet different as Eleanor is famous and Harper seems to be overlooked. Eleanor seems to not have her act together, but that's when Harper comes in, to keep her in line. Her ex-boyfriend Conner, whom Eleanor's novel's main character is loosely based on, joins the book tour with Oliver, another ex-boyfriend of Eleanor's. There's a few other secondary characters to give you enough of a suspect pool for the story. I did not guess who was planning the murder before it was announced in the book. I couldn't figure that out! I like how the narrative included the reader in the questioning in the book, that was fun. I cannot wait for the next book in this series as we are left with a sneak peak into the next story at the end making me want to know more.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Catherine Mack for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a fun, cozy mystery to read on your next trip - or if you're stuck at home and want to feel like you're on vacation! - this is the book for you.

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗜 𝗚𝗢 𝗢𝗡 𝗩𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡, 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗘𝗦 follows Eleanor Dash, a mystery author, on a book tour in Italy where someone is trying to kill the attendees. I loved the insider-y look at the publishing world, and the fun way Catherine Mack has Eleanor break the fourth wall and directly address the reader. The hijinx, witty banter and quirky characters have a 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘢𝘺-𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘯-meets-𝘒𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴-𝘖𝘶𝘵 vibe, and I'm excited to read the next book in the series.

I've seen a few reviews that found the commentary and footnotes frustrating. I listened to this one and thought they were well integrated into the story but I can see how they might be challenging in print. If you enjoy audiobooks, I would go with that format.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books and St. Martin's Press for the copies to review.

Unfortunately I couldn’t finish this one. It was so distracting with the footnotes and writing style and started to make my brain hurt.

Sadly this book didn’t hit the mark for me I DNFed at 60%.

It was just so hard to get into the story and I never once connected or even really cared about the main character. I found her and her sisters arguments childish and redundant. There were way too many characters introduced right off the bat without building the plot first and because of that I found it hard to connect (or keep track) of the dialogue. I was hoping that throughout the course of the book at least one character would have became likeable—that was not the case for me. The pace was slow and It took me nearly a week to get to 60%.
I wasn’t a fan of the usage of footnotes, and there were an abundance of them. 


Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I will refrain from posting this review on social media as to not dissuade other readers from giving it a try!

This just was not for me which is odd to say since I normally love these types of books. I like footnotes in my nonfiction reads but to do it in a fiction book is just weird. It doesn't work and it takes away from the actual story, in my opinion.

I couldn't connect to the main character, or any other characters for that matter, and that kinda of ruins the experience for me. It also makes it hard to care about anything happening.

And is there a thing as too much dialogue? I feel like if there is, this book has it...

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

The perfect early summer poolside read.

Every Time I Go on Vacation… is the best type of rollercoaster. The scene is set with little nuggets of context and clues, pulling us to the top of the mountain and then plunging us into a deeply fun and charismatic read. I am so excited to read the next book in the series after that DELICIOUS ending!!

Thank you so much to the publisher and author for access to this title in exchange for my honest review!

If you enjoy thrillers or mystery books where the narrator breaks the 4th wall, you will adore this new release!

This debut exudes irresistible charm, as narrator, Eleanor Dash, is on a book tour across Italy to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her smash his series when bodies start dropping and her real-life begins to imitate the world of her books. With a hilarious cast of characters, including other rival mystery writers, rabid fans, her sister, and two of her ex-lovers, this trip is an absolute romp. It seemed like every one took their turn as a suspect as Eleanor attempts to solve the mystery and save her own life. The Italian scenery! The snarky narrator (with her hilarious footnotes)! And the reveal made this book a perfect summer read. I am so excited that it seems to be the start of a new series as well.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan audio for my complimentary copies. Narrator Elizabeth Evan’s did a fantastic job capturing the humor of Eleanor. As she broke the 4th wall, I felt as if she was just a dead friend telling me a story. Fantastic narration!

This is a well-written, entertaining, fast paced, lighthearted mystery novel. It has humor, a touch of romance, vividly described settings, murder, intrigue, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. I especially enjoyed the quirky footnotes! Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Ms. Catherine Mack, from whom I received an ARC of this delightful novel. This is my honest opinion.

Want to travel to Italy from the comfort of your own home?

Look no further than Catherine’s Mack's fun new cozy mystery, "Everytime I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies."

Thank you, Minotaur Books and MacMillan Audio, for the #gifted early copies of this book.

I loved the audiobook experience! The music at the beginning really set the vacation in Italy vibes & I am HERE for it. Elizabeth Evans really did an amazing job with her performance. I mistakenly wrote down that this is a full cast of people... that's how great she does! I am obsessed with how Evans portrayed our main character, Eleanor. She's so sassy, sarcastic, and hilarious. I could not get enough of her footnote side thoughts. Listening to this story was AWESOME, but I could see it not being as great without having a copy of the book with you.

This is a perfect vacation read. It is the perfect recipe for escapism. Lots of mysterious happenings. A little bit of romance. Endless hilarious dialogue. A setting that will make you never want to end your vacation.

My favorite favorite favorite thing is when the main character breaks the fourth wall to talk directly to the reader. Eleanor Dash chatting with us has to be the best bookish experience. The way that the book is set up is creative with footnotes that have hilarious side dialogue that only makes the major plot so much more interesting. The sarcastic & sassy tone did it for me.

I will say that cozy mysteries are the best when they are simple and have a group of core characters that really stand out. "Everytime I Go On Vacation Someone Dies" felt like it got over complicated. There are way too many characters. The addition of Inspector Tucci in the last quarter of the book felt random, and I wish Eleanor held his role instead. I had a hard time keeping all the suspects straight. It was difficult to keep track of their itineraries and where the group was. It got to be a little overwhelming.

I hate to admit it, but when I finally got done reading, I had a headache and felt a little exhausted. I loved the escape of going to all these beautiful places in Rome & the snarky main character. It was a super fun read, but to me, simple is better.

- Italy
- Cozy Mystery
- A Lil Bit of Romance
- Fun Look Into the Publishing World
- Vacation Vibes
- Taylor Swift References
- Knives Out
- Unreliable Narrator
- Finlay Donovan Lovers Need to Read
- The narrator breaks the Fourth Wall

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and give it a solid 4 stars. In Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies we follow Eleanor Dash, an author of a successful series of books featuring her real life first love, Conner Smith as the male hero of her stories. We learn Eleanor met Conner when traveling through Italy for a month after graduating from college. Conner is investigating a series of bank robberies and Eleanor helps him solve the case. Eleanor writes up their adventure into the novel that becomes When In Rome, and it is wildly successful. She writes 8 follow-up novels in the series and is working on ideas for her tenth story featuring Conner when they go on a tenth anniversary tour in Italy for When in Rome. The tour includes other authors as well as fans of the books. Conner tells Eleanor he thinks someone is trying to kill him, and Eleanor dismisses him. But, then Eleanor realizes someone is trying to kill her! Who could want them both dead?

Mack breaks the fourth wall early and often in this story. At first, this felt odd, but I began to expect these clever asides. I loved the quick pace, the sarcastic, funny attitude of Eleanor. The imposter syndrome that dogs her, because she dismisses her writing success as luck not talent, is something I've heard authors talk about it, so it feels genuine as well as referring to Good Reads as 'mean reads' and the indignity of begging other authors to blurb your books. I've seen frequent complaints about this from authors on Twitter and Threads. As well as the frustration of being tagged in one-star reviews. This is a good and enjoyable read with a terrible tour guide, obsessed fans, and a good mystery to solve. I loved the sister relationship between Eleanor and Harper and the romantic storyline, too. Breezy and fun with murders, too!

Thank you Net Galley for the advance audio copy of this book. Thank you Minotaur Books and Catherine Mack!

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack proves to be a fun summer beach read. I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Eleanor is a best-selling author on a book tour in Italy. Throw in some competing authors, her ex-boyfriend, his ex-wife, and a few crazed fans who are also along for the trip and the story gets even better. Eleanor's ex, Connor, is sure someone is trying to kill him. Eleanor isn't so sure and she isn't sure he doesn't deserve it. Will Eleanor solve the case before Connor is killed or will she discover he invented the whole thing? We travel with Eleanor and her entourage throughout several tourist sites in Italy as we find out exactly what's going on.

This was an entertaining and funny murder mystery. A well known writer, Eleanor Dash, is on tour with family, friends, and fans. I enjoyed the many footnotes as it added humor to this book. It reads like attending a murder mystery dinner where diners are suspects and victims, and they are there to solve the mystery. I've read many of Catherine McKenzie's books and this new series under a different name is a nice change from her usual writing. Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for the ARC.

This book was THE most fun. First of all, check out this amazing cover. I'd totally be recreating it if I still lived in Vegas and had access to poolside lounge chairs. Or if I were on vacation, if only!

If you liked Finlay Donovan or Blonde Identity, RUN to pick up EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES. I love these lighthearted cozy mysteries with an unwitting amateur detective. It's the perfect fun summer read, and I can't hype it up enough. I've read many of Catherine McKenzie's thrillers as well and can confidently say that she nails the genre switch.

Elizabeth Evans absolutely nails the delivery. I obviously couldn't see the footnotes when listening to the audiobook, but I loved that it felt like El was talking right to me. The narrator's tone was the perfect match for El's sarcasm.

I'm so excited that this is already a series, and that it has already been sold for a TV show, I think it's going to be an absolute blast to watch. I can't wait for the next book!

Accidental mystery novelist Eleanor goes on a convoluted tour with an ex-boyfriend who has been blackmailing her for 10 years and is also the inspiration of her popular book series. Also on tour is her resentful sister/personal assistant, and for some other reason - other authors?? - one of which is also an ex of the main character. There are no speaking engagements, readings, etc. It’s more like they’re on a vacation that none of them really want to be on with a group of fans which are kept semi-separate from them as the author and author adjacent crew visit tourist attractions. Attempted murder and murder ensues.

The book was low stakes and the twists were decent. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad and it was mildly entertaining and a quick read (despite the problems below).

By page 38 there were 36 footnotes. Even if I didn’t HATE footnotes (which I do), I would hate these because the actual footnotes are thrown into the middle of the text because it’s an ebook. Also the rest of the formatting sucks. I know it is an ARC, but it is still bad. There are line breaks for no reason and multiple times, an italicized word not only messed up the readability, but it was actually out of order in the sentence - or paragraph. If this wasn’t an ARC, I would have DNF’d it at about the 10% mark between the EXCESSIVE footnotes (237 all in - in a 352 page book) and the horrible formatting/readability (really hope they fix that before publication!). I did feel like the author was trying REALLY hard to make the main character witty and flawed and real, but it came across as forced and disingenuous. I didn’t feel particularly invested in any of the characters and most of them were not fleshed out at all.

To end on a more positive note, I didn’t figure out “who done it” until it was revealed and the motives were believable. 2.75⭐️

I had been hearing and reading a lot about this book.
I was excited to have the opportunity to read an early copy. I can’t say I loved it like most everyone else seems to. I didn’t really care for the main characters.
I wasn’t a fan of the cliff notes that were stuck randomly through out the story. Maybe that’s just how it formatted out on the kindle. Maybe it wouldn’t have bothered me so much in the actual book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

A fun whodunnit for fans of Knives Out, which it reminded me of.
Told from the perspective of Eleanor, an author on an Italian book tour, someone is out to kill Connor, the man who inspired the main character in her novels, just as she’s trying to figure out how to kill off his character in her next book. Connor’s beliefs that someone is out to get him are not so far-fetched though when it’s clear someone is also out for Eleanor. With too many close calls, anyone can be a suspect. But when someone does die & Eleanor is named a suspect, the mystery is just beginning.
This was a fun novel full of comedy and suspense, & has more twists & turns than I was expecting.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies was such a fun whodunit. It will keep you guessing (and laughing) until the end. Looking forward to reading more in this series!!

At face value everything about this book looked very good to me. I liked the idea of a vacation cozy mystery that centers around a cast of characters that are all a little bit inter twined. Where this didn't work as well for me was in the execution. I found the insertion of the footnotes and breaking of the "fourth wall" so to speak a distraction and it made the main character seem too scattered and also made it difficult for me to become invested in the story line with so many break aways. I also thought that the introduction of so many intertwining characters so quickly became confusing, especially because I wasn't sure why all of them were even on the trip to begin with.


I think that this had potential but I wouldn't move on to the next book in the series if there is a sequel.