This book was so much fun, fresh, and unique! It came onto my radar as a May 2024 Indie Next pick and candidly I was drawn to its vibrant cover. I was grateful to receive an advance audiobook copy for review via NetGalley. The narration is great. The main character Eleanor is an author who finds herself in Italy on a book tour with superfans of her mysteries as well as her ex-husband, sister/assistant and a host of other colorful characters. I found this book very entertaining especially because the narrator constantly breaks the fourth wall and infuses witty lighthearted humor throughout this wild European ride. While I don’t think it will stand the test of time given the numerous hilarious pop culture references, this makes a great cozy mystery beach read for this summer. Great for fans of Finlay Donovan and Only Murders in the Building.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies
By: Catherine Mack
Narrator: Elizabeth Evans
Pages: 352
Length: 9h34m

The first in a witty series following the 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.Ten days, eight suspects, six cities, five authors, three bodies, one bestseller.

I started this book on digital and was then gifted the audio version.  For me, audio was the way to go.  Mainly due to the footnotes (there are a lot of them --over 200 I believe).  On digital, you need to tap the icon to see the footnote and that became annoying.  So, listening and having the footnotes be seamless was much more enjoyable (I'm sure it is more seamless in the print version too).

This book was a fun read.  The main character of Eleanor could have easily become annoying, but instead she was delightful - chaotic, scattered, funny and charming.  The side characters were a good support system to the story.  I enjoyed how Eleanor "talked" directly to the reader. 

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Minotaur Books for my digital and audio version of this book.

Such a fun book! This a fast paced book and the author really kept me on my toes. She also had me second guessing who I thought the murderer was which I always love in thriller/mysteries.

This book does have footnotes which I thought were fun; however, I don’t know if I would have felt the same way if I read this on my kindle. I really loved the “breaking the fourth wall” moment towards the end - I’ve never experienced that in a book before.

If you love the Finlay Donovan series definitely check this out - similar vibes ✌🏻

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.
I thought it was a fun read with the depth in the storyline. I think one thing that could pull you out of your reading experience when physically reading this is the footnotes that were mentioned to be in here.
The MC Eleanor was quirky and I really liked seeing her life.
The love life though, I genuinely didn’t feel a connection.
I think I’ll still read from this author

Super snarky mystery novel. This one shines as an audiobook because the footnotes on the page (which are tedious to navigate in an ebook) are inserted as asides throughout the narration, keeping the flow moving smoothly. I'm a huge fan of both breaking the fourth wall and of footnotes, so that elevated this book in my eyes.

This is a book, told to us by an author, Eleanor Dash. She is in Italy on a book tour, but she wants this upcoming installment in her mystery series to be the last. The reason? Connor Smith, both her main character and her ex, has been blackmailing her for part of her royalties every since the first book came out. Joining their group are a bevy of "Bookface" fans chosen from Bookstagram, Eleanor's sister and assistant Harper, some other authors and a few others. When it seems as if someone is trying to kill Connor, and then Eleanor--who can be trusted? And why are they targets?

I was entertained from start to finish with this novel. It's not a particularly complex mystery to figure out, but that's definitely not the point. The humor, the banter, the interplay between the characters--that's what keeps the story moving and engaging.

As I mentioned above, this is a novel you either want to read as a printed copy or listen to the audiobook. I hate footnotes in an ebook because it requires too much effort and you constantly lose the flow. The narration of the audiobook hits the proper snarky notes meant to be conveyed in the book.

I will definitely read another installment in the series because it's set up to continue with a cliffhanger at the end.

This audiobook is narrated by Elizabeth Evans, who narrates many of Sarah J Maas' books, so that felt very comforting and pleasing to the ear 🤣🤩

This book seems like it'll be the first in a series and I wasn't surprised to see that Elle Cosimano blurbed the book because I can see major comparisons to the concept behind the Finlay Donovan books here. However, this book breaks the fourth wall a bit (I know people either love or hate that as a technique - I thought it worked well here but it did take me out of the story once or twice). A murder writer, Eleanor, finds herself smack dab in the middle of a murder mystery while on a book tour with friends and fans. It took me a few chapters to get a grasp on all the characters but that's likely my attention span and by the end I had it all sorted (the characters, not the mystery).

This one falls much more into a cozy type of mystery read than a thriller but it was fast-paced and took place over a short number of days with a bit of a locked room component that made it intriguing and allowed the reader to question everyone at one point or another. There's a sweet sister relationship and a bit of a romance storyline though I wasn't as invested in that as I'd have liked to be. There was one amazing reference to one of my favourite YA novels and several Taylor Swift references thrown in though, so a star for those for sure!

Overall I'll probably continue this series if it continues and I'd recommend this one for a fun vacation read.

A murder mystery with lots of fun and banter, ridiculously hilarious characters, the perfect Italian setting, drama, plus a beautifully illustrated cover.. What is there not to love about this book?! Catherine Mack nailed this one!

Eleanor Dash practically became a writer by accident. Some 10 years ago she went through a crazy experience with her then-boyfriend, Connor Smith, and felt it was so unbelievable she just had to write it down. She had no intention of publishing it, however fate thought otherwise. She ended up publishing her first book, and then another, and another. Her series became a best seller, however there's just one issue. Everyone loves the character Connor Smith (yes, she used her ex's real name!) Real Connor, of course, used this as the perfect opportunity to get his share out of it, asking for 10% first then increasing to 20%, with a little bit of blackmail. Ten years later and Eleanor is tired of Connor's ways and is determined to kill him off! His character, that is.
She is now on her book tour in Italy and needs to find a way to put an end to Connor's character in her newest book, however, she just doesn't know how. She needs some inspiration and just when she starts brainstorming, Connor shows up, claiming someone is trying to kill him! What are the odds?! Of course, Eleanor does not believe him, until someone tries to kill her! And then an actual murder happens that has everyone trying to figure out who did it? Who is the murderer and what is their motive?
I absolutely loved this read! I enjoyed it from start to finish. I really loved how the author included little "side chapters", like little side notes where she was actually talking to the reader. That took it up a notch for me! The humor is this book is perfect and kept me laughing the entire time, and the twists were definitely there! I did have an idea of the killer, but not of the motive. This book was wonderfully entertaining, and I'm anticipating the next book of this series!
Thank you NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Catherine Mack for this 5 star read!

This was a travel murder mystery with a beautiful cover and a witty main character. There were times that I laughed out loud. It reminded me a little of the Finlay Donovan series, only in a more exotic location. The author also breaks down the fourth wall and directly address the reader, which I normally don't like but it worked here.
There is no shortage of suspects on this book tour, and the main character is one of the authors. The best thing about this book is not so much the mystery itself but the voice of the characters and some of the other characters on this tour.
I had both the audio and the ebook and read along but I think it is easier on the audiobook. The author uses footnotes which were hard to follow in the ebook but fine in the audio.
The narrator was good and covered a multitude of accents and voices. I was engaged throughout.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the book and the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

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 audio 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!

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!

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 and MacMillan Audio 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.

This is a favorite read so far this year! It is clever and funny and has such a great setting! I love the narrator and am glad I listened to this!

This is a quick and fun read that draws you into the characters' lives effortlessly. I am glad this is a series b/c I can't wait to read about Eleanor & Harper's escapades in the next book! This was my 1st book by Catherine Mack but I am now adding all of her books to my TBR!

#EveryTimeIGoonVacationSomeoneDies
#NetGalley

The plot is twisty, the backdrop is beautiful, and the narrator sounds like Selena Gomez -- what more could we possibly ask for? I loved this book and I'm so glad that more are on the way.

The opening scene drew me in -- our protagonist, Eleanor, beloved author of the vacation murder series, is confessing to a priest in an Italian church at the opening of her Italian book tour for her tenth book. The problem? She's talking about a murder she wants to commit -- that of the real-life inspiration of the hero in her books, Connor Smith. Connor has been secretly blackmailing her for a cut in all her books after they were involved in an event when they met that Eleanor would rather forget. But when a real attempt is made on Connor's life -- and possible Eleanors -- she enlists the group on the trip with her to help her solve the crime.

This book was so fun. I loved how Mack wrote the character of Eleanor, I loved the breaking of the third wall (not sure what else to call it?) where Eleanor enlists the reader to help solve the mystery. I even loved the footnotes, although it was hard to discern when they happened while listening to the audio version.

Very enjoyable read -- four stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such a fun who dun it! I liked how the author here broke the fourth wall consistently with the footnotes, dropping clues, asking if we caught on to them or not. There was a lot of setting up the would be murderer, to writing off each character as not plausible, but then sprinkling in something that actually make them the killer. I did guess the would be killer early on, <but</i> there was enough back and forth I consistently questioned myself. I never could land on a good motivation for the person I thought it might be, and when it all came together, wow!
For the audio version, most of the sections are switched over to "keep listening to find out..." instead of the book which I'm certain is "keep reading..." there are a couple that got missed.
One thing of note for others, there are a LOT of pop culture references, T. Swift, other books/authors, tv shows, etc. None of that bothered me, I thought it was well done, but I know this turns others off.
I dropped a star because it took a good 30% to be able to track all the characters. I was confusing them regularly. Also, with the footnotes in the audio version, it was hard at times to know if it was a footnote or a continued part of the story. About halfway through I finally started to figure out who the narrator was changing their voice, but again taking that long drops the star.
I also wasn't sucked into the book, where I just HAD to keep listening to know what was going to happen.
It set up for a 2nd book which I'll definitely read.

Thanks to Net Galley for the arc!

Not the book or vibe I thought it was going to be but I ended up really enjoying it! I possibly didn’t remember the synopsis properly, and partially the fault of the misleading cover art, because I expected cozy writers girls trip gone wrong with some happenstance murders interrupting cocktails by the water. Instead it’s a calculated suspense and murder plot amid a professional trip where everyone’s a suspect. Somewhere in between cozy and classic mystery.

There’s a lot of characters and personalities shoved together on an unlikely tour and it makes for great fiction. I didn’t particularly like anyone and yet I was all in for the drama. But what really makes it all shine and work is Eleanor’s, the narrator and MC, fourth wall break. Her snarky observations and asides keep everything lively. The footnotes are seamlessly added to the audiobook delivery and I highly recommend it over the physical book.

The murder does take a while and there’s a lot of build until we get to it so it dragged a little. BUT the setting and descriptions added a lot along the way and I loved that Italian vacation feel. Even with a couple implausible situations I just kept gaining momentum in the second half and binged until the end. It ended up being highly entertaining and I’m definitely in for more in this series.

It's a 3.5 for me. It's not that I didn't like it but it wasn't necessarily my style of writing I guess. I love a good murder mystery but something about the point of view being from the writer was a little confusing to me. It started out slow then got pretty good but then I just kind of wanted it to wrap up. If you don't easily get confused by point of view it might be better.

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!