This was a fun, “escape the doldrums read”! A ten day book tour in Italy with a cast of quirky personalities definitely guarantees an interesting murder, romance (well, it is Italy!) and of course, alcohol (again, it is Italy)!

This is a combo of scenery, wit, snark and cozy all wrapped up in one mystery read! The first of “The Vacation Mysteries” and I am definitely looking forward to reading more! Thank you Catherine Mack.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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

"Quick, captivating, and oh-so-much-fun! This delicious mystery is as spellbinding as Knives Out."—Elle Cosimano, New York Times bestselling author of the Finlay Donovan series

I wanted to like this one a lot more than I actually did, in the end. It started out very promising - I liked the quirky style and the footnotes made me smile, as did the whole breaking-the-fourth-wall element. There were allusions to Things to Come and bizarre secrets aplenty. Unfortunately, those contrivances got old much quicker than I expected and I started to find them irritating rather than entertaining about 40% in, and from that point on it just felt like I kept re-reading the same plot "surprises" and snarky bits. That's when it started to lose me...

I kept going, to see where it would all net out. I didn't see the identity of the villain(s) coming, which is a definite plus, but I also didn't miss much by skimming - or outright skipping - the footnotes or even whole chapters at that point, which is definitely not a plus... I liked the setup for the next book, and would probably give it a go but with an eye out for that same repetitive issue. Sometimes the first book, as the series setup, needs to be given a little leeway. While the characters weren't particularly compelling (frankly I found the protagonist and her sister irritatingly whiny and surprisingly simplistic, given their roles), the construct is fun and makes it worth another look in my book.

A new to me author & a fun new series from how book one was! Eleanor is an author, on a tour with her sister, two ex-boyfriends, and a group of authors, as well as fans, in Italy. There are murders (of course), who did it, speculations and funny tidbits in between. The story was an easy read, as well as enjoyable. When the murderer is revealed, it was a surprise, so not something that was figured ahead of time by me (the reader). I look forward to reading the next in the series. Thanks to NetGalley, and Ms Mack for the pre-read in exchange for an honest review.

I finished the book, but can't say that I enjoyed it. I didn't care for any of the characters. The narrator seemed too ditzy to be a successful author of 10 mystery novels.
The footnotes were annoying on an e-reader. I stopped reading them as the going back and forth was tedious, and, for the most part, pointless.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an Arc of this novel.
#EveryTimeIGoOnVacationSomeoneDies#CatherineMack#MinotaurBooks#NetGalley

What a romp! Lots of characters and things going on. I had no idea who the killer would end up being and it was a fun read getting it all figured out.

The footnotes confused me the first chapter or two and then I got used to them and enjoyed what they added to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hilarious! I enjoy a book with footnotes and I loved the snark in this one. Reading footnotes with a kindle was a challenge, but I made it work. I loved the story and it would make a great movie! Highly recommend as a great weekend read!

Another in the emerging 'Meta-Mystery' go-to genre, with a sweet, cozy aspect that compliments Mack's sparky, witty repartee.

El is a whirlwind bestselling mystery author... that hasn't come by it honestly. Embroiled in a blackmail plot and international crime, she finds herself on a book tour in Italy, contemplating losing her sister, ending her career, and possibly losing her life.

As she routinely breaks the fourth wall to talk to, and sometimes coach us, her readers, we find that sometimes the facts can be deceiving... and that second chances can be a double-edged sword.

Ultimately, it is a very satisfying read that does its best to make it CLEAR whodunit.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this debut novel.

The first of a planned series featuring mystery writer, intrepid traveller, and unwitting sleuth Eleanor Dash, this book exemplifies the protagonist’s name. It is indeed a madcap dash through a series of episodes featuring a large principal cast of characters (mystery authors) and a fair-sized secondary cast.

The premise is that Eleanor Dash, author of nine mysteries set in nine vacation spots, is back where it all started with her first book, set in Rome. The Roman mystery involved a bank heist and a famous Mafia family, and its hero, Connor Smith, proved so popular that he became the series star. In fact, Smith is the real name of a real person, a wily, unscrupulous and utterly charming man who, in real life, was Eleanor’s lover. The supposed foiling of the Mafia plans actually happened, with his involvement as a ´police consultant.’ Eleanor was drawn into the affair, and was inspired to write a bestselling fictionalized version of what really went down.

Ten years later, the real relationship long since ended, with much bad feeling left behind, the fictional Connor Smith still stars in every one of her books because her fans can’t get enough of him and her publishing house won’t let her kill him off. And the real Connor has something on her that makes her great desire to be rid of him (in her books though occasionally in real life) a questionable move.

In Rome, on tour with a number of other mystery writers connected to Connor, who seems to have swindled each of them, it appears that someone really is trying to kill him. Everyone has a motive, including Eleanor, and even the adoring female fans who won a contest to go along. A murder or attempted murder takes place everywhere they go. It’s hard even to decide if Connor or Eleanor, or both, or one of the group are the targets. And whose side are the Roman police on?

Eleanor Dash is the classic unreliable narrator, underscoring the point by reminding readers that she is a practiced liar. She is also at once a possible murder target and a possible murderer—maybe even a serial killer. She is definitely a victim of Connor’s schemes. And she ostensibly tells this story while trying to solve the mystery and set right her past errors. She also speaks directly to the readers, calling on their participation, a device I liked rather less. But I can’t imagine any reader resisting.

The author has a fast-paced, often uproariously humorous, style. Her footnotes alone, really asides, are hilarious. The twists and turns are breathtaking. I’m very much looking forward to the next installation!

When I got back into reading, I was looking for mystery /thriller books. I knew that I loved crime shows that also had humor, so I was looking for the same thing in books. This proved to be a hard feat. I have stumbled across a handful but I can honestly say that Catherine Mack is now on my list.

I truly enjoyed every bit of this book. This is the first time I’ve read a book (for entertainment) that had footnotes and I loved every single one. The way Eleanor was written, she practically had two stories going on at the same time (how she interacts with the characters and her internal thoughts) and I personally related to that because I can be talking to someone and have an internal dialogue about the same thing but with more humor or maybe it wasn’t an appropriate thing to say aloud.😂 That’s the vibe I got from Eleanor. I hope in the next book (which I am so ready for) she gives herself more grace.

As for the rest of the characters, I enjoyed them all with the exception of Conner. He deserved everything he got. The clues are in your face but I promise, you will not know until the very end who did it!

Thank you NetGalley for this awesome read. I received the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I just finished the above book. It started off very well. In fact I believed at first this was the 10th book! However, and it’s a big however…I do not know what “state” the written book is in at this time. I found the footnotes which were to be humorous misplaced by being at the far end of chapter. In fact I could hardly follow them that way.

The story in the end came together, but I found myself after page 50 wondering where it was going and a bit repetitive regarding the sisters.

I enjoyed the humor but again the flow of the story was bogged down by the story which had an issue rolling out.

With a good editor I would definitely recommend this book. At this point it was okay but definitely not up to the hype I would hope it will have when finalized.

This was the most fun I’ve had reading in a long time! I fell in love with our main character El - she’s sarcastic and funny and breaks the fourth wall in such a way it feels like you’re watching this like a movie while you read it.

And THE ENDING?! 😳

We still have 6 months before this publishes but I’m already itching for Book 2! Catherine Mack, you can just send it straight to me when it’s ready, thanks fellow Swiftie! 🫶

Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies publishes April 30, 2024. Go ahead and pre-order it so we can talk about it!

Thank you to Catherine Mack, Minotaur and NetGalley for an early copy! I’ll be first in line for the next one!

Author Eleanor Dash just wants to get through a book tour in Italy--torture, I know, right? But when you're stuck with a group full of people who may or may not want to kill you, it takes on a different perspective. Toying with the idea of killing off one of her main characters, Connor, from her wildly popular novels, Eleanor realizes the real-life Connor (also on the tour) might not go so quietly. Always looking over her shoulder, Eleanor must use the expertise she's gathered from writing her own mystery to save her own life.

This book was compelling, irreverent, and laugh out loud funny. Mack's voice was unexpected, breaking the fourth wall often and urging us to try and solve the case ourselves. I loved the Italian setting, and it made me want to book my own ticket (though not for July).

My only complaint was the footnotes--they were funny, but I hate the logistics of reading footnotes on a Kindle. Maybe this is a me problem, though. Can't wait to see the next installment in the series!

Vacation, sun and attempted murder? If you enjoy all three, then Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a book for you!
It has humor along the way and is a great beach read!
Not a big fan of the footnotes, but can see the added fun to them.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a decent, quick read. A beach read with Clue vibes. I really enjoyed the interspersed "outlines" and other primary source type articles.
The use of footnotes was really unique & interesting at first but I stopped reading them about 1/3 through.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a fast-paced, super fun, humorous mystery. Bestselling author Eleanor Dash finds herself celebrating her soon-to-be 10th book on a booktour in Italy filled with diehard fans, other authors, and her main character, Connor, who she is secretly plotting to kill off in that 10th book. However, someone on the tour soon attempts to kill the real Connor, and now everyone is a suspect. Is Connor the only target? Who would want Connor dead (other than everyone!)? Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is laugh out loud funny and filled with a fantastic cast of characters. The epilogue hints at a sequel, and I cannot wait! If you're looking for a light and funny mystery, I highly recommend this book!

Very light, fun read! There are a lot of characters to keep in line, as the storyline is set on a author book tour through Italy. It was a lot to keep track of, as there is a lot of shared history between these characters. It took me a bit to remember who was the ex wife/ the girlfriend/the ex lover, etc.

It definitely has the hijinks and humor of a Finlay Donovan book, so if you like those (and who doesn’t!) you’ll probably be a big fan of this one also. This was one of those books I liked more as the story progressed, and I liked the wrap up and reveal. There are quite a few footnotes, which I admittedly skimmed. They weren’t for me, but I wouldn’t say they detracted from my reading experience.

Overall a good read, the epilogue promises a sequel and that’s exciting!

Thanks to Catherine Mack, Minotaur Books and St Martins Press for this advance copy!

This book sounded right up my alley but unfortunately it was a miss for me. I disliked all the characters, especially our heroine. The footnotes were fun at the beginning but became tedious and I stopped reading them halfway through the book.

The food and location descriptions were great.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own. Thank you, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books.

Marvelous new series by Catherine Mack! Within the first few pages, my attention was caught as the story started to unfold from the main character’s point of view. Chapter by chapter details slowly unfold providing a glimpse into the mind of a mystery writer attempting to determine who would want them dead. The storyline kept me guessing despite the numerous clues and the insight into the writers process was entertaining as well as enlightening. I’m looking forward to the next installment and secretly hope Connor reaps the rewards of his personality.

What a fun book! A light and humorous, whodunit set in beautiful Italy that will keep you guessing until the very end. I loved how the author used Eleanor's character to interact with the reader. I felt like I was part of the story and experiencing everything firsthand alongside of her. Eleanor gave me major Stephanie Plum vibes with her quick wit and silly personality. This is one of the highest of compliments, as she is one of my favorite fictional characters. The only thing I did not like about this book was the footnotes. Sorry!! It was very hard to follow along with them on my Kindle, as they didn't show up until the end of each chapter. I know that it was stated that this might happen in the note from the publisher. It was frustrating at first because I couldn't remember what each one referenced, and then it became a chore trying to go back and figure it all out. About 10% into the book, I realized that I could click on the footnote icon, and it would take me directly to it. This worked for most of them, but sometimes there were double or triple footnotes together and when I clicked on the icon, I was only shown the last one. Very hard to navigate if you're reading an e-book. I felt like I spent more time clicking then reading. While I did enjoy the concept of the notes and what they said, I would have preferred these quips and asides to be presented in the actual writing. Maybe in italics or something else that would differentiate them from the actual dialogue or narration. Despite the footnotes, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next one. I highly recommend it, but in print copy to better navigate the footnotes.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!