Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press co: Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book in the Vacation Mysteries Series by Mack, and I had even more fun reading this than ETIGOVSD!!

Eleanor Dash is back; more sarcastic and wittier than ever, she is headed to her bestie Emma’s wedding on Catalina Island following the filming wrap-party for her novel to movie adaptation of When in Rome. But we know in the world of Eleanor Dash, nothing will ever go as planned… a hurricane is looming close and threatening to ruin Emma’s day… only, that’s not the only force working against the wedding party (and the cast… and the crew…). There is a murderer on the loose; everyone is a suspect and nobody is safe.

I LOVED the chapter titles and footnotes- breaking the fourth wall is tricky, but works so well here! The footnotes add so much personality and humor to the complex mystery at work. I also loved how the plot of Eleanor’s novel, and movie being filmed, When in Rome, was embedded and closely mirrored the events IRL.

Think cozy x locked room mystery, with LOL funny family dynamics, and a scattering of red herrings; you can expect mixed media (my favorite), an eccentric FMC, and female friendship.

4.25/5!!!!

Eleanor Dash could not be more thrilled that her hit mystery novel is getting made into a movie and her best friend is in the starring roll. Well, maybe she could be. It would be better if the screenwriter didn't introduce cringe dialogue at every turn. And her ex and blackmailer, Connor, weren't also on set. And someone weren't threatening the cast with murder. And a hurricane wasn't headed straight for them. But what's a movie (and a wedding) without a little drama?

I absolutely adored the first book in this series, with it's quirky FMC, Eleanor, story-within-a-story elements, and fourth-wall-breaking footnotes. And this second book slots right in as the perfect follow-up. There's tons of twists and turns and soap opera level antics that kept me guessing at every step. It had been a bit since I read the first book, so I had to dig to really remember some characters, so I would recommend reading these two closer in proximity than I did. I also think if you want to appreciate the footnotes, it's better read in print copy than in ebook--ebooks put all the footnotes at the end and clicking the hyperlinks is super annoying. But, as Eleanor tells us, there's nothing vital in the footnotes and they are skippable! But where's the fun in that? This book set up a book three perfectly and I can't wait to see where it takes us.

Thanks to Minotaur for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

What an excellent sequel!

It had been a while since I read the first one, but didn’t miss a beat because the author includes enough reminders of the key plot points! In this book, Eleanor and co. attend the wedding of two actors who are starring in the movie adaptation of her first bestselling book, and as is the case in these books, there’s murder, lots of feasible suspects, an investigator, and mystery ensues.

Eleanor is a narrator who is witty, fun and engaging! I’m a personal fan of the footnote style, but your mileage may vary. The murder mystery in this one is good and I didn’t see the twists coming, which is always appreciated!

Already looking forward to the third book, which is teased well at end of this book!

*Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

A great sequel and prequel to the next in the series, I loved every word of it. Highly recommended.

A wedding gone wrong, a dead body, and an author who'd much rather be writing about murder than solving one. Welcome to Catherine Mack's latest Vacation Mystery.

Eleanor Dash thought her biggest problem would be avoiding her ex at this high-society wedding. Now she's playing detective, racing to catch a killer before they strike again. Between her current boyfriend's suspicions, her sister's drama, and a cast of guests with more secrets than a confessional, Eleanor's got her hands full.

Mack has a knack for turning serious situations silly. She'll have you laughing one minute and gasping the next as Eleanor stumbles through clues and cocktail parties with equal determination. The plot starts slow but picks up speed like a runaway wedding cake, leading to a satisfying – if slightly chaotic – conclusion.

While the story hits familiar cozy mystery beats (amateur sleuth, quirky suspects, deadly special occasions), it's Eleanor's sharp wit that keeps you turning pages. She's the friend you'd want investigating your murder if you had to pick one.

For fans of mysteries that don't take themselves too seriously, this book delivers. It's the perfect blend of wedding drama and whodunit – just don't read it while planning your own nuptials.

I’m honestly not sure what to say about this raucous disastrous attempt
at filmmaking and personal relationships that would make any sense at all !
Obviously, the event that sets the whole story is the note discovered;
‘Someone is going to die at the wedding,” which sets into motion all
kinds of problems that involve a group of film makers, writers and
actors. These are people whose lives are intermingled in messiness
and they each have their own agendas and reasons for the things
that will take place and will *guess what* lead to and explain the
murder at the wedding venue!
The story is fast moving and complicated, right up until the
epilogue, but it’s also fun to become a part of the chaos for
a bit.

This is a series and I suggest reading it in order because while
the Author,does a good job with hints, it’s really more enjoyable
when you have a frame of reference.

My thanks to St Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books,
via NetGalley for the download copy of the book
for review purposes

Book number two in the Vacation Mysteries series about an author and her entourage and the straight up chaos that seems to follow her. The pace of this book was too fast for me. Things happened so quickly that I had trouble keeping up with the characters and who did what and where. I suppose that might have been the point, but the first book in the series didn't feel like that to me. The characters stayed true to self, which I expect from this seasoned author. The descriptions of place were ok but since it felt like we flew through the story, some of that kind of got lost. I live in dullsville Ohio, so if we are going to an island, I wanna go to an island!
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Catherine's books. I look forward to the next in the series.

pretty ridiculous and funny mystery with some interesting fun themes. would recommend. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

“No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding” is a delightful sequel in Catherine Mack’s Vacation Mysteries series, following the adventures of bestselling author Eleanor Dash. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Catalina Island, this cozy vacation mystery masterfully intertwines humor and suspense, keeping readers guessing in this engaging whodunit.

Fans of the first installment, “Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies,” will appreciate the familiar faces and the seamless continuation of Eleanor’s escapades. However, newcomers can easily enjoy this book as a standalone novel. Mack’s engaging writing style ensures that readers are both entertained and challenged, as the intricate plot unfolds with precision and flair.

In summary, “No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding” is a thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery that combines a charming setting, relatable characters, and a compelling whodunit plot. It’s a must-read for fans of the genre and anyone seeking a lighthearted yet suspenseful escape.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC read.

This murder mystery has it all: love, laughter, affairs, betrayal, snark, and Agatha Christie references. I didn’t even read about the “about the book” before I requested this arc from NetGalley. I saw the title, saw the author’s name and recalled how much I loved her first novel in the series, I downloaded it so fast you wouldn’t even believe it! The second installment in the series sees our intrepid heroine enjoying the shooting of her first book-turned-movie. Unfortunately there Connor is again. But at least Oliver is there with her this time! Catherine’s footnotes are fun, and the reader gets a look inside tons of author methods as well as film production and screenwriting realities as well. Such a fun and addictive novel that I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish it in a single evening!

I absolutely love this series. Catherine Mack hits it out of the park again with No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding.

From the very first pages, I was hooked. I absolutely love Mack’s use of dialogue. Not only does it make her characters feel both real and modern, it adds to the quick pacing this story needs. The setting was also fantastic. I love modern murder mysteries that feel like a classic locked room mystery, and this absolutely delivers as we are stuck in a resort on Catalina Island while a hurricane rages outside. The impending storm adds to the suspense nicely! Mack also peppers in plenty of twists and turns. Each time I thought I had figured out whodunit, something new emerged, leaving me constantly guessing.

I would definitely recommend reading the first book in the series, Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies, as it is heavily referenced here. But that was also a complete delight, so it’s well worth the read.

Overall, I am 100% here for the Vacation Mystery series and cannot wait to see which vacation Catherine Mack takes us on next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!

I loveddd being back in this world! The book had me hooked as much as the first one did & it kept me guessing until the very end. I love how her writing makes you question every character and doubt everyone. The footnotes are also a fun addition and make the book so interesting! Can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!!

It was so much fun being back with Eleanor Dash and her entourage. These books are so fun, which is somewhat weird to say since a lot of people are being murdered.

This one was especially fun because I was so smug. I had it all figured out within the first few chapters. But obviously, I definitely didn’t.

Also, I know the footnotes in these series are contentious. You love them or hate them. But I love them. I continue to think they are a great way to highlight Eleanor’s personality even more.

This is the second book in the series and I do highly recommend reading the first one before going into this one. There are a lot of references to the first book and a lot of little quips that won’t make sense if you’re not familiar with Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies.

I definitely recommend this book if you love cozy mysteries and funny narrators.

This book releases on 13 May 2025. A big thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author, Catherine Mack, for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding is the second Catherine Mack book in the Vacation Mysteries series. I hardly know where to start. There are a lot of characters--so many that writing them down will be helpful. At the end of the book, I was struggling to place all those people into their jobs. It was tough. Readers learn there will be a murder early in the book. And like many cozy mysteries, the murder(s) occupies the characters in an attempt to solve the case. Obviously the title is in error. Clearly guests were suppose to die. The questions are who and why?

One of the things I liked the most about No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding is the concept that writing is a performance. Just like a play or film, acting is happening, even when it is the character in a novel. The question with this mystery is when is the acting happening? I am not a fan of footnotes, and I suspect I am not alone. I solved the footnote problem by ignoring them. The narrator in No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding breaks character and addresses the reader. I am not a fan of that technique, whether it is a novel, a TV drama, or a film, unless the character is Bridget Jones.

The ending twist of No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding is well done and makes up for some of my objections. I did like Mack's first novel in this series, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies, better than this second novel, but other readers may feel differently. We do not all enjoy the same things. But I certainly will remember that writing is acting. I had not thought of that before, but I liked that point quite a bit.
4 stars

Second installment of the quirky, witty "Vacation Mysteries" series by Catherine Mack. Jam packed with humor, intrigue and calamity. Eleanor Dash is back but this time she is in California, going to Catalina Island for the wedding of her childhood friend who portrayed her in the film adaptation of her book "When in Rome." Amist an uncharacteristic storm there are plenty of sarcastic footnotes, breaking of the fourth wall, humor, murder, crazy characters and twists. Catherine Mack's writing style is quite original which gives this series its charm.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest and personal review.

I love this series! Eleanor’s first novel is being made into a movie. Her best friend Emma is starring with Fred Winters. Emma had a huge crush on him when she was younger and now they’ve started a relationship. Turns out they are getting last weekend of the shoot. While on Catalina Island in the middle of a hurricane a body is found. Of course, Eleanor ,it’s solve the murder. This one has so many twists and turns I was shocked at the ending.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book. I really enjoyed it. Highly recommend reading the first one to get to know the characters and events that are referenced from it. The characters are fun, the inner thoughts and endless footnotes are a bit much at times but really add to the storyline. I'm excited to see what happens with Eleanor in the future.

📖 Book Review 📖 What is the most eventful wedding you have ever attended? Hopefully a real life murder mystery is not your answer but for Eleanor Dash, could it be anything but this?!? As she wraps up filming for the film adaption of her hit movie, she also gets to celebrate her best friend’s/star of the movie’s nuptials on Catalina island. But nothing is ever boring when it comes to Eleanor’s life and she draws the reader in, continually breaking through the fourth wall (is it possible to break beyond?) in this delightful novel and I am here for it! No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding is the perfect addition to this comically cozy murder series!

This time it took me a bit to get into the rhythm of this book. I love when the author speaks directly to the reader, but for some reason, the beginning was a bit too much for me. But once I settled into the pacing I really enjoyed the book. Lots of twists and turns with our favorite characters all assembled together again. Fun series. Stick with it if you have the same experience as me...it's worth it. 3.5

I always have a good time with Catherine Mack books. If you like cozy murder mystery with lots of humor I think you would like this. It picks off the first book with Eleanor the murder mystery writer who goes to her best friend wedding and finds a dead body and doing what she does best to solve the murder. It's a fun ride,