If you love cozy murder mysteries where the suspects are numerous and the twists keep coming, I’d highly recommend this one! The author breaks the fourth wall often which adds such a comedic effect to the whole storyline. I would recommend checking this one out on audio! Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

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.

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!

This book was laugh out loud funny and I loved every bit of it! This story is about Eleanor Dash, a mystery writer who is on tour to promote her latest book. Along for the ride are three fellow authors, one of whom is her ex-boyfriend Oliver, another ex-boyfriend and the inspiration for her series hero, and his ex-wife. This book was a delight to listen to and I loved the narration.

The story follows Eleanor through the Italian tour, where she is contemplating ways to kill off her main character, Cameron. Of course, Cameron is upset by this and swears someone is trying to kill him in real life. I loved the complex story and the laugh out loud dialogue. I hope that they make this book a movie someday.

The author frequently "breaks the fourth wall" for readers, which is delightful and even more hilarious than the story itself. I just really really loved this book and I am looking forward to more in the series, which the author did mention were coming!

What a fun story! This was the first book I had read by Catherine Mack, but I will read more! The location added to my appeal.

4.5 ⭐

I started this audiobook not really knowing what I was in for. I heard the narrator (clearly hadn't paid much attention) and my jaw drop. Ms. Elizabeth Evans is a favorite narrator of mine, and I am so thrilled to have gotten to listen to this! I think she does no wrong in any narration.

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.

Charming, clever and funny from a fresh new voice in the mystery realm! I loved the characters in this book - chief among them Eleanor, a best-selling romantic mystery writer who is being kind of blackmailed by one of her main characters. (Not the fictional character of course, but his inspiration who is so beloved by her readers.) When an attempted murder happens, is she the prime suspect? She will have to find out whodunit.

This is such a clever and fun read, made even more fun by a great audiobook narrator. Don't be fooled by the cute cover - these characters are well-drawn and layered, the narration is funny and smart, and the plot moves at a brisk clip. Reminiscent of Finlay Donovan in some ways yet totally unique, and I actually liked Eleanor even better than Finlay! (Don't tell Finlay, I'm still excited for her next romp, too.)

The book is also chock full of little winks and jokes about authors and mystery fans, which makes for a very fun read. I for one would love if this became a series, and either way, I'll be reading what this author writes next!

Where do I start? I loved this book! Catherine Mack’s new novel, Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies, is fresh, funny, engaging, and has a unique narrative style that I instantly fell in love with. This is a book for mystery readers, mystery writers, and really anyone who loves books and wants to get inside of an author’s head. You won’t regret adding this to your to-be-read list!

What is Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies about?

Bestselling mystery author Eleanor Dash has arrived in Italy for her latest book tour, and she’s prepared to use this vacation to plot how to kill Connor Smith (in her books).

Not only is Connor Smith the main character in her bestselling Vacation Mysteries series, but he’s also her real-life ex-boyfriend and apparently a conman. Connor spent the last ten years (and last ten books) blackmailing Eleanor for a portion of her book sales.

He’s made the case that she based the character off of him and a real-life bank robbery they solved the last time they were in Italy, so he’s entitled to a portion of her earnings. He also has something he’s holding over Eleanor’s head that makes her continue to pay him. Eleanor is willing to kill off the character of Connor Smith in her own series if it means finally being free of the real-life Connor Smith.

But it turns out that while they are on the book tour in Italy (yes, the publisher brings him, too), it seems someone else is trying to kill him too, but in real life. Did Eleanor manifest this into existence?

There’s a whole crew full of motives along for the ride, including Eleanor’s sister and personal assistant who is not happy Eleanor stole her career, literary competitors who are competing for sales and budget, rabid fans, a stalker, another woman Connor used to be involved with, and another of Eleanor’s exes, Oliver. Can Eleanor figure out who is trying to get away with murder?

What did I think?

I’ll shout it from the rooftops—I loved this book! It’s fun, smart, unique, and completely engrossing. This is one of those books that is definitely funny, but it’s in a clever, well-crafted way rather than over-the-top or silly. There are plenty of humorous comments, but it’s really the overall narrative the reader gets directly from Eleanor that make this book so wonderful.

I’ve seen people compare this book to the Finlay Donovan books and I absolutely understand the comparison, but I personally found them to be quite different in tone. The Finlay books are great, but they are more silly than they are funny. In contrast, ETIGOVSD (let’s abbreviate for space) has a drier sense of humor that appealed to me (think Listen for the Lie in terms of humor style) and was narratively quite different in style and tone.

What is that unique narrative style I keep referencing?

One of my favorite parts of the book was the way it was narrated in the second person to the reader through footnotes. Eleanor is telling the story of what’s happening directly to the reader, and interjects her own story for commentary, context, and to engage the reader in the process of solving the mystery.

After reading this (and particularly doing the audiobook narrated by Elizabeth Evans), I feel confident saying Eleanor and I are close friends. We solved a mystery together! And I’d imagine this is a feeling most readers will have. Eleanor isn’t just telling the story to us, she’s pausing the story to discuss it with us. Sometimes this is done through footnotes to the reader, and other times we get whole chapters.

These second-person narrations tied back to the process of writing and the structure of mystery novels. For instance, Eleanor may pause to talk through the start of act three, and what that should entail. She asks us to be the one to solve the mystery. Sometimes she deep dives the suspect list and why we should or shouldn’t consider someone as a suspect (including her!). She may also fill us in on background information (she finally tells us what the thing is that Connor is holding over her head, for instance).

All of these kept pulling me in, as though I was sitting with Eleanor during a storyboarding exercise (if she did those, which she is very clear she unfortunately is not that type of writer) or chatting over a few lemon spritzes and a delectable bowl of cacio a pepe. Throughout her dialogue with the reader, Eleanor drops in tidbits about her thought process, her inspiration, and other great literary works.

At one point a fellow writer says to her “Goodreads is the worst” to which Eleanor adds the footnote to the reader, “Also known as MeanReads among authors, it’s a site that lets people review books they haven’t even read.” She’s not wrong! I loved these peeks into how authors work, think, and feel about their work and the parasocial relationships readers form with them.
How are the side plots?

There’s so much to love in this book! The sister-relationship between Eleanor and Harper I barely touched on in this review, but it’s actually a wonderful part of the story. Harper dreamed of being a writer, but Eleanor is the one who nearly accidentally achieved that dream. Harper is now Eleanor’s assistant and there is definitely a lot to work out between these two, though they have a great bond.

Connor is a constant, infuriating presence in the story. Like Eleanor, I wanted to roll my eyes at everything he did, but there is something that makes it hard to hate him despite how he treated her. Eleanor seems to agree. For you romance readers, there’s also a romance plot between Eleanor and her ex-boyfriend Oliver. I won’t go into details, but there could be a second chance at love for these two, if they can work through their issues!

What’s different between the physical book and the audiobook?

I read part of this in the physical book and then switched to the audiobook. I loved both in different ways! In the written form of the book, the footnotes are tagged with the comment Eleanor is responding to, but presented at the end of the chapter. This means the reader may be doing some flipping back and forth to see where they fell in context, though it also showcased how brilliantly this book is written and structured.

If you’re an audiobook listener, I think you’ll love the audiobook for a few reasons.

The audiobook narrated by Elizabeth Evans drops those comments directly in where they are referenced, rather than at the end of the chapter. This made the story read seamlessly from Eleanor’s perspective, rather than as a novel with footnotes. I loved both, but I think the audiobook brings the story to life. Elizabeth Evans captures Eleanor’s personality and tone, and the format made the whole book feel like a conversation between Eleanor and the reader (or listener).

If you’re on the fence, I’d say do the audiobook!

Final Thoughts (TLDR)

I cannot recommend this book enough! In terms of genre, this is probably closest to a cozy mystery, though I could also label it as a literary mystery. The tone is light and the main character is wry and witty in her commentary. Eleanor has a self-awareness that she shares with the reader that makes her infinitely likeable, even when she is doing or has done questionable things.

The mystery is gripping and the reader gets all of the clues to solve it along the way, with Eleanor’s coaching. I loved the romance subplot between Eleanor and her ex, Oliver. I wanted them to make it work! The narrative format is clever and fresh, and the audiobook narration truly brought it to life. An absolute delight!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for my advanced copies. Opinions are my own.

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 character, Connor Smith, out of her books. There’s just one small problem. Connor is a real person, Eleanor’s ex, is on the book tour with her, and is currently convinced someone is trying to kill him. As the group adventures around Italy, it becomes clear that there is foul play occurring, and Eleanor is determined to figure out what is going on.

This book is a cozy mystery with funny moments sprinkled throughout. The writing was interesting, because Eleanor was speaking directly to the reader. There were footnotes in the audio worked really well, and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator, Elizabeth Evans, and the way each character was given a unique voice.

The book moves really quickly and while it was fairly predictable, I didn’t figure everything out. I didn’t find Eleanor to be a super likable character. She’s really dependent on other people to manage her life, specifically her sister, Harper. It was a fun read, but I never felt fully invested in the mystery or in any of the characters. I'll still probably pick up the next one in the series, because it was an easy read and I'm interested in what happens next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the MacMillan Audio for the ALC.

“if everyone didn’t make a bunch of stupid decisions this book would be over by now”. That’s the freaking truth. This wanted to be. Gilmore Girls episode mixed with Clue and it ended up just being a mess.

This book just annoyed me and really wasn't enjoyable at all.

I had SO MUCH fun listening to this book! HIGHLY recommend for a good laugh & a murder mystery!

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

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book!

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies
By: Catherine Mack
Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
Series: Vacation Mysteries Series, Book 1
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release date: 04-30-24

This cover is amazing, the title is intriguing, and I love books set in Italy. I had really high hopes for this book after seeing it compared to the Finlay Donovan series. Unfortunately I struggled a bit with this book. There were quite a few characters on the book tour and at times I had trouble keeping up with who was who. The constant interjecting by the narrator was too much for me. It reminded me of The Fury in that she's kind of taunting the reader for not figuring out the murderer yet. I don't mind footnotes, it was just too many. I also think I just didn't jive with the narrator's style. I feel like she used too much slang trying to make herself sound young/cool. Of course I didn't write down an example so now I can't think of one. I also really didn't like how she treated her sister as an employee. Maybe they can have a better relationship in future books.
There were a couple things I liked about the book. The biggest being that I didn't guess who was trying to kill Connor and Eleanor! I also liked Eleanor's dilemma with trying to kill off Connor in her books. That was like a fun little side story within the main story. I did like the ending and that it ended on a cliffhanger. I would give the second book a try!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for a review!

This audiobook was delightful! I know it may not work for everyone but I love when an author or actor break the fourth wall and this happens often in this one. I found it super entertaining.
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The tagline for this is perfect for a vacation mystery. “Ten days, eight suspects, six cities, five authors, three bodies ….one trip to die for.” This sums it perfectly!
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Eleanor is the best selling author of the vacation mystery series but she’s looking to kill her main character, who happens to be based on her ex-boyfriend in real life. What if someone is trying to kill them in real life and the even bigger question is why? I would love to see this one as a summer tv series!

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Huge thank you to #MacAudio2024 #minotaur and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was already hot to read this book because it's a mystery involving an author and a group tour of Italy. That hits a lot of summer fun reading buttons! I was further encouraged by the wonderful cover blurb supplied by Elle Cosimano (author of the Finlay Donovan series, which I find so much fun), including her comparison of the book to Knives Out. Sadly, I didn't find that it held up to this hype. In all fairness, I'm sure there is a mighty fine line between whipping up advance enthusiasm and going over the far edge by setting too-high expectations.

Eleanor Dash isn't the most appealing of main characters. She certainly brought on some of her troubles herself, and she comes across as being both scattered and self-centered. Many of the other characters are also over-the-top personalities, which is perfectly suitable in a farce. Eleanor's sister—who is also her main support staff in her writing career—is possibly the most appealing/least annoying character.

Eleanor breaks the fourth wall almost constantly, throughout the book. I imagine this is supposed to fun and casual. I found it bothersome, especially when she's suggesting that a certain thing she's just said might be a clue. There's also a heavy reliance on footnotes in the book. While I thought this made the audio a bit choppy, I can't begin to imagine how much more disruptive and tedious it would have been had I been reading with my eyes. [Again, in all fairness, at the same time I was feeling irritated about this during reading, I had to acknowledge that my casual writing style tends to include an excessive number of asides. Will I change? Doubtful. It gave me pause, though.]

Narrator Elizabeth Evans did a good job with many of the female characters. She wasn't as strong in voicing male characters, and was slightly inconsistent with non-English accents.

All that being said, I felt a fair sense of satisfaction with the mystery's resolution, and I'm curious about how the series will continue, so I'm likely to read the second book.

This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—Macmillan Audio from Minotaur Books. Publication is expected April 30.

Every time I go on vacation, someone dies is my top 2024 so far.

The things i loved :

The story is written from the authors perspective of events as she's working on her manuscript for newest novel. It was a different way of telling the story and I loved it.

The story itself was really good. It draws you in and becomes really hard to put down. There is everything from humor to suspense but there is never a dull moment. The story just flows so nicely.

Things I disliked:

I can't find a thing I didn't like about this story. I had the audiobook version so I cannot comment on the writing structure.

Audiobook Review

I highly recommend listening to this every time I go on vacation, someone dies as an audiobook for the first time. It was an absolute blast. Elizabeth Evans does a great job of embodying Eleanor and really brings her to life. I usually prefer the physical book to the audiobook but I definitely think the audiobook would come out on top this time.

Eleanor wants to get through her Italian book tour so she can go home and write her next book where she plans to kill off her main character. What she doesn’t expect is to be in the middle of a real murder mystery. While on the trip, someone attempts to kill Connor, her ex that the main character of her series is based on and named after, Eleanor finds herself in the middle of trying to figure out who wants Connor dead and why.

With an unreliable narrator, twists and turns around every corner, and the most hilarious footnotes, this book was a blast! I love that it often broke down the fourth wall and with the footnotes often read as a stream of consciousness in a way that had me laughing out loud, but very unsure of what to believe. This book was so much fun to read and I think any fans of the Finlay Donovan series will love the humor and suspense this book brings!

I enjoyed the audiobook and the narration by Elizabeth Evans. While her narration was fantastic, I did find the physical book worked better for me. The footnotes were more clear in the physical, and although they flowed seamlessly into the story in the audio, my brain preferred the obvious difference on the page. I also preferred the physical copy when it came to the notes, lists, and brain dumps that occurred between chapters.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copies.

What an interesting and fun book this was. This was a sort of whodunnit mystery that really focused on getting the reader to follow the clues and try and solve the mystery as well. This was done through the use of footnotes throughout the book, which at first was a bit tiresome and overdone but by the end I found that it flowed quite well. In the audiobook I feel like the narrator did a fantastic job of helping the footnotes flow quite a bit. It made for a great listening experience. The fourth wall was broken several times with the narrator talking directly to the reader, which I feel is a trend but it is still fun for me. For a book about multiple murders, blackmailing, and generally bad topics, it was quite light and easy to read. Some of the choices of putting a supposed "cliffhanger" at the end of every chapter seemed a bit overzealous, but overall I found it a satisfying read. I enjoyed the main narrator, and I think that it was a good enough book that I would look to read more in the future. It appears this is going to be a series, and I hope to read the following books to come. I give this book 3.75/5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Macmillan audio for an advanced listening copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the audiobook ARC! The first in a new series, Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies, follows bestselling author Eleanor Dash who is planning to kill off her main character, Connor and start fresh. But first she must get through her special vacation book tour, survive her ex-Connor (the inspiration for her book character) and his current partner, her ex-Oliver, a fan who has always been a bit too obsessed with her, plus a vast cast of interesting side characters. Oh, and then someone dies. This book has a large cast, several twists and turns and a bit of second-chance romance as well. An entertaining mystery with bits of humor thrown in, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies makes for a great summer read.

Elenora Dash goes a trip with her sister Harper & other authors, In Europe with several stops on this trip. One of the author authors Conner is blackmailing Elenora for a portion of her sales and to be included in her books but also feels someone is trying to kill him. This book started off pretty cute, but got confusing and hard to follow with so much back and forth between thoughts and explanations between several characters. I felt like Elizabeth Evans did a great job with the voices to bring each character to life and using different accents and tone inflections.

I loved listening to the audiobook format of this book! The narrator Elizabeth Evans did a fantastic job of bringing the plot and characters to life as well as hitting all the humour, sarcasm and wit at the right points!

If you are looking for a murder mystery that is positively hilarious in some points, then look no further. Eleanor is a hot mess. She is an author travelling through Italy and finds herself consumed by chaos and murder attempts. There is a lot of scenes where our MC breaks through the fourth wall which is delightfully done.

This book has it all, murder, visual settings, cozy mystery, love interests, ex’s, blackmail, international crime, whodunit. Quite the concoction to keep you entertained.

Some may be irked by Eleanor’s snarky demeanour, but I find her endearing. I definitely recommend this for a light fun read which allows the reader to escape for a short time. I will definitely be reading the second book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a listeners copy of this book.

Publish date: April 30th