✨ The Vibes ✨
Knives Out on a cruise

📖 Read if…
✨ You’ve read Agatha Christie’s entire bibliography
✨ You like the humor of the Finlay Donovan series
✨ You’re counting down the days until the next Knives Out movie

Loose Lips is the second book in the Ghostwriter series, following an unnamed ghostwriter as she investigates a death on a fellow writer’s cruise.

I wasn’t aware that this was the second book in the series when I picked it up, but that wasn’t a bad thing. The fact that the main character is intentionally mysterious means that you don’t need a ton of backstory to enjoy this sequel. The structure of the mystery is classic Agatha Christie, and the humor and zany characters feels in line with those in the Finlay Donovan series. I was hooked early on, and even though the pacing slowed a bit towards the middle, the story finished strong and definitely made me want to go back and read the first book.

There was one thing I struggled with though, and that was the unnamed main character. While the vagueness around her means that it’s easy to jump into the series, it also makes it harder to connect with the lead investigator. Series like this usually benefit from a distinct detective whose backstory and personality bridges the gap from book to book. However, the lack of information about the ghostwriter made it difficult for me to become fully invested in the way I have with other series.

If you’re a fan of the mystery genre and are looking for a book that has a unique take on classic elements, definitely check this one out. Loose Lips is available now. Thanks to Kensington Books Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book by Kemper Donovan following the Locked Room prototype. Here, we learn the pen name of the ghostwriter- Belle Currer- and are privy to her thoughts and speculations about the murders. The setting - 300 women on a week long cruise to "Get Lit" - referring to writing workshops and a lot of drinking- is the perfect locked room.
The invitation cruise is organized by a college frenemy and fellow writer of "Belle's" named Payton. The author develops each character with their background story and a little about their reason for being on the cruise. Payton's ex-husband as well as her current wife are on the cruise, but I thought that they were fringe characters without much to do. I didn't care for the fling between the ex and Belle as it didn't add anything to the story.
When the first death occurs, Belle joins up with Joan, a physician who provides some insight into potential cause of death. The two women then seek out potential suspects and motives in the death ...until there is a second death of a staff person. I thought the middle dragged a bit with the interviews and investigations but the book did keep me riveted till the end. I enjoyed the interesting twist and the gathered suspects when everything is revealed in this ingenious whodunit.
I was fortunate to receive an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and look forward to the next book by the author. The opinions expressed are my own.

Had fan, enjloyed this puzzle that kept me guessing and having fun
Due to personal issues cannot write a proper review now
A more extensive review will follow. Many thanks to the publisher

For fans of Agatha Christie with many nods and winks. This one kept it fun and kept you guessing and it was really surprising.

I liked the first book in this series, so I was very excited to get to read this second book. The narration is great, and the ending was so good. I need more to this story and more from this author. I will be sticking around for the next one whenever it comes out.

"𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬. 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐈𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲."

Loose Lips is a wonderful addition to the Ghostwriter mystery series, a modern homage to Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile.

Kemper Donovan's knowledge of the Queen of Crime shone though his debut The Busy Body, and continues to do so in this one, with "Belle Currer" (our ghostwriter's pen name) taking part in the Get Lit Cruise, a females-only literary cruise organized by frenemy author-influencer Payton Garrett. I loved how the cruise itself goes against the luxurious ones we usually see in stories like this; there isn't nice or warm weather due to it being in the North Atlantic during a chilly time of year with no real destination besides turning around and heading back to NYC. Some stories feel like a rip-off of Agatha Christie's writing, but Donovan cleverly gives tribute to Death on the Nile, through the ship setting, the heiress-type character who seems to get it all, a scorned friend, a missing necklace, and a third victim who knows too much, while crafting a fully original story. I'm glad we got to learn more about "Belle" while seeing pieces of her personality shine (her pop culture references are always such a fun way to visualize the comparisons she's making). The nod to Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game as one of "Belle's" favourite books was smart, as it (and this book) are both mysteries that are complex, yet solvable. I loved the characters on the cruise, all of whom felt distinct and developed, with believable motives; I felt a little foolish for not having put all the pieces together, because Donovan laid the clues out in such a clever manner, that made for a wild ending!

Loose Lips is an excellent followup to The Busy Body; in fact, it is an even better plotted mystery. Kemper Donovan has me hooked on the Ghostwriter and whatever murders come her way next. Thank you to Kensington Books for the ARC!

The synopsis for Loose Lips, book two in Kemper Donovan’ “Ghostwriter Mystery series, said this book was perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz, Nita Prose, and Agatha Christie, and I’d have to agree. This engaging mystery can be read as a standalone if readers are new to the series.

Main character and ghost writer/author Belle Currer (pen name) has agreed to be a part of the “Get Lit Cruise.” The cruise is being organized by Payton Garrett, a very popular, bestselling author—and the ghostwriter’s long-time frenemy from back in their MFA days. The guests, all female, will receive personalized instruction from experts in five different writing genres, including Belle herself.
It’s not long into the cruise when an attendee is found dead under suspicious circumstances and several others suffer symptoms of poisoning. This locked room mystery provides many twists and turns, as well as numerous suspects and motives to choose from. There’s also a mixture of humor throughout, which makes for a compelling read.

What I most enjoyed about the mystery, though, were the characters. So many were eccentric and dramatic, adding much flavor to the story. Others were deeply flawed and competitive, but I was entertained by them all. Watching them interact on the limited space of the cruise ship brought them all to life. While I didn’t necessarily think the actions of Belle were the best choices she could make, she and her choices certainly made for good reading.

My only small quibble with the book is who gets to make the big reveal at the end. It’s not who I wanted, but it was still well crafted and made for a satisfying resolution. An entertaining and well-voiced mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This series is so entertaining! Weaving in an author trying to write a book amidst murder and a plethora of motives and suspects and you have one wild ride. The style is very reminiscent of Anthony Horowitz and Benjamin Stevenson. A great series that I hope continues (and sooner rather than later).

Fun Twist!

Belle, the ghostwriter, has been invited on a cruise for a group of want-to-be writers. The cruise is organized by a well-known and extremely popular writer, Payton, who is considered to be a friend of Belle. Another point to keep in mind, this is an all-women cruise, not including Payton's ex-husband and her assistant. Of course with every mystery murder takes place and we have to figure out who did it.

I do have to say I did not like any of the characters. They all seem to annoy me and our main character isn't that much better. That being said they "fit the story".

I am so glad I stuck with this series. I did not enjoy the first book, but "Loose Lips" was a redemption. I'm looking forward to the next adventure.

Thank You to Kemper Donovan, Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really loved the first book in this series and to be honest I was a little let down by this follow up. This is no means saying it’s a bad book, it’s just missing that spark that the first book had. The mystery elements are well thought out and it has a very interesting ending/twist. The humour and foreshadowing was all very well done, I think maybe I just preferred some of the side characters from book one. This is a really fun cruise ship mystery, I loved the locked room aspects and the development of the relationships with some unexpected characters. I also particularly enjoyed the nod to a certain bodyguard from book one. This one could almost be a standalone because it doesn’t actually give away the details from the first book, but I would still recommend reading in order.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-ARC that I chose to listen to and review.

Here is a fun and entertaining mystery that is just perfect for a winter night's read. The ghostwriter narrator of the first book in the series is back. This time she is going on a cruise (despite not really liking the sea) for a group of would be writers. This is a clue to the double entendre of the Get Lit moniker that is the name of the event.

The cruise is organized by a writer, phenomenon and self-promoter known to our ghostwriter from their MFA days. On this mostly all women cruise, Payton has brought along her wife but also her ex husband and her male assistant. The staffers on the cruise, the guests and the writers are all brought to fun (and somewhat snarky) life.

Not so many of the attendees have signed up for our ghostwriter's mystery writing class. But no matter, there will be plenty of real life mystery and murder on board.

Come along for a fun trip and feel like an insider in this quite entertaining read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for this title. All opinions are my own.

I found the main character to be frustratingly unlikable. I wanted to like her, she was funny and snarky and I enjoyed a lot of her dialogue, but she was not relatable at all-- I often didn't understand what motivated her to act as she did-- and she didn't really have any redeeming qualities. I found myself not caring about the mystery at all, because I could not find it in myself to care about Belle or any of the other people on the Cruise.
It was also distracting how evident it was that the author was obsessed with labels. So much of the text is descriptions of what labels Belle and the others are assigning to people and objects. "The Ship's Captain is a Nerd," "The Merman Rivera is a gay male ship," "So and so is a Ravenclaw," etc etc. It took me a while to figure out why the constant stream-of consciousness that is the narrative, and the various conversations, were making me so frustrated, because for the most part I enjoy Belle's point of view (she's witty and curious). It felt like the plot was stopping and starting, stopping and starting-- reading this book was like being stuck in stop and go traffic: we just couldn't pick up momentum. But then I realized that every other paragraph included some judgement call, some labeling of another person, with internal explanation for why so and so was called that and why Belle liked people who were "nerds" (or whichever label she'd just assigned to somebody). Even when she immediately states that she likes whatever assignation she just gave someone, it still made me vaguely uncomfortable. This is probably an internal issue I have with the idea that everything has to fit in a box or have a label, but it unfortunately made me feel less and less endeared towards Belle the more that I read. And without any characters to care about I found myself less and less invested in the mystery, and in the book as a whole. I was also distracted constantly by the conversations between the (many) female characters, because they felt entirely artificial. I'm not going to say that no woman talks the way that the women in these books talk to each other, but I don't think I know any women who do.

3.75⭐

It's definitely giving 'Knives Out' & 'Death on the Nile' vibes, without reaching a destination, though. Plus it's a literary cruise full of women (w/ a few exceptions).

I will always eat up a good ol' "who done it" any day. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Belle has agreed to teach a mystery writing class on a weeklong literary cruise that her friend Payton put together. However, when participants start dying, it's clear there is something afoot. Overall, a great follow up to a Busy Body with a lot of twists and turns. Fans of Benjamin Stevenson and Deanna Raybourn will enjoy this one.

Mystery and intrigue on the high seas.

What a fun book! I came into this second installment without reading the first in the series, but I was able to quickly become absorbed without the benefit of a lot of backstory. The premise involves the concept of bringing a large group of women together for a short ocean cruise focusing on different genres of books. Organized by a prolific author, the main character, Belle, is invited to be a guest instructor in the mystery group. Not everyone in attendance is there to enjoy talking about books, eating the fabulous food, or enjoying the free bar drinks. One person, in particular, is bent on murder.

I loved Belle (not her real name) with her snarky personality and antisocial tendencies. Her clever banter and the many astute references to literature and other forms of entertainment were spot on and relevant and added to the narrative. I had to really work to figure out who and why with the motive, means, and opportunity. The denouement was quite the revelation and very well done.

I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book, both ARCs provided by the publishers. The narrator. Eva Kaminsky, did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life with all of her accents and dramatic flair. I’ve found that listening while reading really enhances my enjoyment of a book when the narrator is good. It was an excellent production.

I’m looking forward to another in this series and I need to go back and find a copy of the first so that I am properly caught up. I feel like I might have missed out and I typically don’t read series out of order.

Loose Lips, is the second book in A Ghostwriter Mysteries series by Kemper Donovan. in the second installment, we find the main character who is going by her ghost rider name Bella Kerr, boarding a ship. it seems our ghost rider and amateur sluethe was invited to be a guest teacher on her college friend now author/influencer Payton‘s weeklong cruise. she makes fast friends with some of her students and Dr. Joan and also has a big fan on board the ship. although the cruise doesn’t last the whole seven days it still last long enough for them to have three deaths and for our friendly amateur sloop who really is more like an amateur sluethe sidekick to get some romance and solve a crime yet again. I think it was a brilliant move to make this amateur sleuth. To be the sidekick of someone else who is obsessed with solving the crime. I find Bella’s Witt to be so funny. I love these characters. I love the way she rationalize everything even her inner dialogue. this was a fast and enjoyable read that any cozy mystery fan will love. I certainly did. It is intelligent well done well written but over way too soon. #NetGalley, #KemperDonovan,#AGhostwRitersMystery, #LooseLips,

3.5 stars
This is an entertaining and lighthearted mystery novel, but I didn't think the red herrings were all that effective. I was able to guess the murderer by about the middle of the book. For readers who enjoy cozies and don't want too much graphic violence and gore, this is a good book to recommend. The characters and setting are decently entertaining, and the writing style is easy to read, making this a good choice for a beach read. The whole plot was a bit of a stretch for me, but for readers who enjoy Janet Evanovich and her style of writing, there's definitely enough to enjoy to make it worth reading.

The highly entertaining book #2 in the ghostwriter series. The story sets our narrator in the middle of a cruise where a large group of women have paid alot of money to take writing lessons from various authors. She's less than happy with the hostess....bad feelings from their past...but the workshop is a once in a lifetime opportunity, especially since she needs the money. This book gave me the same enjoyment vibes as Benjamin Stevenson's EVERYBODY series. Treat yourself to a great mystery and see if you can solve it before the reveal.

A diverse cast of characters, ranging from eccentric to obnoxious. The plot is intriguing, and the killer is cleverly disguised. The author gradually reveals a human side to the “ghostwriter,” which will likely satisfy fans of the first book. While the book begins slowly, it quickly gains momentum and becomes an unputdownable read.

This review is entirely voluntary, and all opinions expressed reflect my personal views.

The Ghostwriter returns in another wildly funny and intriguing mystery, this time aboard a cruise ship filled with aspiring writers! Fresh off the celebrity bestowed on her by the book she wrote about the last time she got involved in a murder (Donovan’s previous book, The Busy Body), she agrees to teach a course on writing mysteries for a literary-themed cruise. The premise: 300 women, all fans of the writer who organizes this event, set sail—in January—for a cruise to nowhere. The women who sign up are mildly interested in writing and very interested in drinking, but after only one day at sea the page turns to murder. The Ghostwriter is, once again, self-deprecating and sarcastic, and her interactions with the other writers, the staff aboard the ship, and the aspiring creatives are compelling. This is a quality mystery, thoughtful and twisty, with a marvelous ending. Highly recommended! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.