I love a good mystery novel. This book has all the makings of a classic Agatha Christie with a touch of Mean Girls, and a dash of Nancy Drew. Chick lit is not one of my favorite genres, I think this book carries a bit too much into that category for me personally, but I did enjoy reading this.

I think anyone who saw the film The Lost City with Sandra Bullock would totally enjoy this story. Right along the same lines of humor, crime and mystery.

*** Thank you to St. Martin's Press & Minotaur Books for providing this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is a fun read. It was thrilling and kept the pages turning. I loveed the characters and the story.

This was a quick read and the storyline flowed nicely. I had a couple issues with the main character. I found her a little too immature and annoying at times, but I would still read the rest of the series if it comes.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read Every Time I Go on Vaction, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read Every Time I Go on Vaction, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack in exchange for my honest review.

In Every Time, we follow MC Eleanor Dash who is an author and lazy adult. While on a trip to Italy when she was younger, she met a man, fell hard, had an adventure, and then returned home and wrote about it. The story she writes turns into a best selling book series and in Every Time Elle is back in Italy with her sister (who takes care of her because Elle refuses to be a responsible adult), a crew of other authors, and potenial enemies or friends.

If you didn’t pick up on my frustration with the MC from the above statements, I will share it here. Elle is not a good person. She was forced to raise her younger sister when their parents died, and apparently she decided to stop being a responsible adult in the mean time. Personally, I found her SO annoying that I almost quit reading multiple time. Why did I keep reading? The other characters were just as ridiculous.

This is one of those stories where everyone or almost every character is horrible. The location is by far the best part and makes me want a large plate of pasta and/or pizza.

As far as the story goes overall - it’s a quick read that flows easily. You may know the plot twists before they happen, but if you’re looking for a little mystery with a side of red wine and Mederterannian weather, I hope you enjoy Every Tiem I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies.

I just received "Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies" by Catherine Mack is a quirky book that pulled me in on the very first page. The title is what caught my eyes to begin with and I'm glad that i decided to read it. This book is a easy read and has several twists and turns. The characters are well written and likable. I can't wait to read more books by this author.

I know that this book deserves a 5 out 5 stars.

I received this complimentary copy from the Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine.

This was such a fun romp of a book. Murder mystery - Check, lovers to enemies - Check, Pettiness- Check. The book centers around a main character who is an author and has a series of books where her main character is a former boyfriend and current PITA- it is written from the first person and the writing is very witty with a number of red herrings thrown in. Perfect for your next beach read.

*4.5 stars* This was such a fun read! I’m excited already that this is going to be a series, because I can’t wait to read the next one!

The main character was unreliable at times, but I really enjoy that. But it does make her a little unlikeable, but also likeable, lol! I wish we had a little more back info for some of the characters, but hopefully that will come in future books. I didn’t figure out the killer which was exciting. I really enjoyed the setting and I kept imagining the scenes on a big screen.

I would suggest this as a physical copy. There are a lot of footnotes, which is different but in a good way. However they didn’t line up well in the kindle edition so you wouldn’t get a footnote for a little bit sometimes and would forgot what it was even in reference too.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack is a witty mystery that takes readers on a captivating journey through Italy, blending the lines between fiction and reality in a brilliantly entertaining manner.

Eleanor Dash, the bestselling author intending to conclude her Vacation Mysteries series by killing off her protagonist, Connor Smith, embarks on a book tour in Italy with that precise goal in mind. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when an attempt is made on the life of the real Connor Smith, a charming yet vexing con man from Eleanor's past.

Catherine Mack's novel is a cleverly crafted blend of mystery, humor, and intrigue. The premise itself sets the stage for an engaging narrative, weaving together literary rivalry, unexpected alliances, and a dash of romance against the picturesque backdrop of Italy.
The character of Eleanor Dash is brilliantly portrayed—a strong-willed and relatable protagonist whose life mirrors her fictional creations in unexpected ways. Mack skillfully navigates the complexities of Eleanor's relationships with her ex, Oliver, and the enigmatic Connor, adding depth and emotional resonance to the story.

What truly stands out in Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is Mack's ability to infuse humor into the narrative without compromising the intensity of the mystery. The witty dialogue, amusing situations, and clever nods to the world of publishing create a light-hearted atmosphere that complements the suspenseful elements of the story. (I received an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.) Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries, offering a unique premise and a charming protagonist that will leave readers eagerly awaiting more adventures from Eleanor Dash.

Wow! This was such a fun book! I loved the footnotes.
I loved all of the characters. The plot was fantastic. I didn’t see the ending coming at all!
I cant wait to recommend this one!

Best selling author, Eleanor Dash, is doing a big book tour through Italy. During her tour bodies start piling up and she must solve the mystery because she is a top suspect. This book was a fun easy read. It was a little too slow moving for my taste and the characters weren’t very likable. All in all it was a solid 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This book was weird for me. It tried to be light hearted but the author kept using foot notes. As I was reading this on a Kindle, I found them annoying and didn’t take the time to read them. It would have been better, in my opinion, to just say what you want to say. The book is about a group of authors that go on book tour to Italy. Except someone wants them dead…maybe all of them or just some of them. Our heroine, is an author with 10 books under her belt and is thinking about killing off one of the main characters. It turns out her first novel in the series was based on her adventure with Conner and he has been blackmailing her. This is an ok book but if you have something else on your TBR shelf, do that. You aren’t missing anything.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced E-Copy of Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack in exchange of an honest review.

"Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a captivating mystery novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the picturesque landscapes of Italy. Catherine Mack skillfully weaves together a story filled with romance, blackmail, murder, and an abundance of intriguing suspects. The book's anniversary book tour premise adds an extra layer of excitement and nostalgia. While there has been some discussion about the use of footnotes, I personally found them to be a clever narrative device that deepened the storyline. With its cheeky tone and quick pacing, this book is a delightful companion for your own vacation, offering an immersive reading experience that will keep you guessing until the very end." This is a solid 3.75 Stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is what I get when I take reviews at face value: disappointment.

I’ll only touch briefly on the mystery itself. I did not guess who did it, mostly because I never actively try to solve mysteries (that’s just how I read mysteries), and because I wanted everyone to die, so what’s the point in guessing when I know I’ll be further disappointed? The reveal would be a bit more convincing if I could see these people interacting with each other and if they had personalities, because as it is, finding out that Generic Flesh-sack No. 5 did it is underwhelming on all fronts. Woo-hoo, I guess?

If I was supposed to like the MC, I did not get the memo. She is helpless, annoying, bitchy, self-centered and a little…well, clueless. She also says that she’s a liar, which is strange because she still comes across as incompetent. If you lie, why would you portray yourself as hopeless? And if you’re such a liar, why are you seemingly determined to not come across as likable? And why is she so exquisitely clumsy that she legit falls to the floor when she trips on her own shoe? It takes skill to be that uncoordinated, I’ll give her that.

The difficulties she has with her sister Harper could maybe have been interesting. But I do not get the logic of, “I want to be an author, but because my sister got to it first, now I can’t publish a book.” Like, why? If you’ve got a book to write, write it and to hell with what your sibling is doing. Their relationship is (I’m pretty sure) supposed to be solid. But they can’t communicate on basic levels and Harper is a slave to the MC’s whims. And they live together, so how did their troubles remain hidden for so long? Also, GROW UP.

As for the other characters, I have never come across an ensemble cast that is so forgettable. But they’re not just forgettable, I had trouble separating them while I was reading. Isabella and Allison are so bland, it took me a really long time to tell them apart, and I was only able to by their names. I challenge anyone reading this book to give me strong descriptions of those two, and throw in Emily while you’re at it. Just for the fun of it, add Harper too. I can define them by their association/job, but their personalities are unavailable.

And the guys! Normally it’s easy to find at least one guy in a large cast that I like. Not so here. There’s Connor, whom Eleanor (that’s the MC’s name, in case you forgot, like I did) describes as a handsome asshole, and who is actually an asshole. I thought it might be a Mr. Darcy situation. But no. He’s an asshole. My reaction to someone trying to kill him is, “Get on with it already.”

Oliver is the other main guy and he could also die, for all I care. And let’s not forget Guy, who is just a guy, from what I gathered. One of the footnotes actually draws attention to the fact that Guy hasn’t been given a backstory.* I suspect it’s because the author couldn’t be bothered to write one.

Seriously, all these characters are either blank slates or unlikable. It’s actually kind of impressive.

The location of Italy is entirely wasted. I’ve never been there, but the descriptions provided here do not make me feel like I’m in a foreign country. Change the names and it could pass for California.

The writing itself is readable, mostly. I know this is an ARC, but I could’ve used more dialogue tags because it’s kinda hard to tell who’s talking when no one has a distinct voice. And some of the back-and-forth bits go on for just too long, so I had to backtrack to check who’s talking.

I read this whole book at night just before I went to sleep and maybe it’s because my brain was winding down, but I don’t think I genuinely smiled once. (When I’m reading with no one around, I never laugh out loud.** For a book that’s being promoted as “funny,” I imagine that’s a bit of a problem. It’s especially bad since I’m not that hard to amuse.***

One major problem that may not be a problem, depending on how you read the book, are the footnotes. Now, one of the first footnotes says that they are optional.**** But being a bit of a completionist, (and I’d have to pass them anyway on my Kindle), I read them. This is where Eleanor really comes across as annoying, pitiful, resentful and plain unlikable. It also dates the book to a distracting degree. I mean, it references the third Ant-Man movie, which isn’t even a year old and it’s already been forgotten. The notes (and the book proper) also mention Bridgerton, The White Lotus, Only Murders in the Building, BookTok, and actors who may not be a thing in a couple years. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want contemporary books to be quite so easily carbon-dated.

To summarize, if this hadn’t been an ARC, I would not have finished it.


* I’m fairly sure this is true, but I couldn’t find the spot in the book, so maybe I imagined the whole thing.
** Unless it’s Terry Pratchett, P. G. Wodehouse or just some absolutely brilliant bit of dialogue.
*** Which is not the case with the other reviewers, who all seemed to die of laughter while reading this book.
**** Much like mine are.

A murder mystery set in Italy?! Sign me up!

This was a fun read that I could not put down. I loved the setting of the book, I really felt like I was there in Italy with them. I struggled with the format of the book. It was hard to keep up with the footnotes as an ebook. Hopefully the print version will be easier to follow. Overall a fun cozy mystery! I will definitely be reading the other books in this series.

Bestselling author Eleanor Dash is on a book tour in Italy that turns into a real life murder mystery. It's the 10th anniversary of the publication of her first book and Eleanor is working on the 10th in her Vacation Mysteries series when her publisher sends her on a tour of Italy. Eleanor has yet to tell anyone (including her publisher) that this will be the last book she'll write in the series as she plans to kill off the main character, Connor Smith, who is based on a real life con man that she met while travelling in Italy 10 years earlier.

Others on the tour include Eleanor's sister/assistant, her ex Oliver who is also an author, rival authors, a group of fans and Connor. When an attempt is made on Connor's life, Eleanor agrees to help him solve the case.

There's not much suspense but this is a cute, cozy mystery. Loved the setting as the group travel from Rome to Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. I didn't love how heavy it was on dialogue and the cute footnotes were frustrating in the digital version but I enjoyed it enough that I would likely read a follow-up book if this is a new series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

DNF due to the messy nature of the footnotes, edit notes and typos. Would give this another try in a print copy. But the Ebook is not it

Every Time I go on Vacation, Someone Dies
Catherine Mack
Pub Date: April 30, 02024
St. Martins
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series—is that too much to ask?

Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life—the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can't get out of her life—Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case.

Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker—and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly—theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is the irresistible and hilarious series debut from Catherine Mack, introducing bestselling fictional author Eleanor Dash on her Italian book tour that turns into a real-life murder mystery, as her life starts to imitate the world in her books.
I loved this fresh take on mystery!! 5 stars

An interesting take on the usual mysteries out there. I loved how unique and meta it all was with a murder mystery writer as the main character. Great pick for fans of Everybody in my Family has Killed Someone!
Really loved all the footnotes and humor. The cover makes the book seem a bit lighter, the tone of the actual story is snarkier and more dark than the cover implies. Which I enjoyed!
The beginning was slow to get started at times but by 65% really picks up!
I think this may be the first in a series and I sure hope so, cause I would enjoy reading more!

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies
Has an interesting story line about an author who wants to kill off her main character because the real life person is extorting her. Eleanor is a successful writer but her private life is in shambles. She is in Italy on a book tour but didn’t read the itinerary. Her main character, Connor, wants her help because he says his life is in danger. Everyone on the tour has a reason to want him dead including El. Can she figure it out before someone dies?
I found the footnotes irritating and her thoughts distracting so I wasn’t sure if I liked Eleanor.
The author has an easy writing style and she writes three dimensional characters.

The footnotes were difficult. I liked the concept but the layout at least in the arc was hard to follow. Story was fun!