3.5 stars

There seem to be several "older woman" mystery protagonists popping up. Laura Lippman gives us Muriel Blossom, a late 60s widow who actually did win the lottery. Her only daughter and family are moving overseas and Muriel decides to move back to her home town of Baltimore, but first she wants to have an adventure. She invites her oldest friend, who is looking for her next husband, on a French cruise.

Muriel gets more adventure than she bargained for. She unexpectedly meets an interesting man on the flight and has a little romantic moment with him. The next thing she knows, he has fallen/been pushed off a balcony and is dead. Then she has another man following her who claims to be an FBI agent. And someone keeps searching her room and baggage.

There are lots of escapades and shady moments until the ending comes together. Muriel veers between being naive and clueless and being courageous and figuring things out. They mystery itself is pretty well plotted. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Laura Lippman's forthcoming novel, Murder Takes a Vacation, introduces readers to Muriel Blossom, a middle-aged widow and former private investigator who embarks on a transformative journey following an unexpected windfall. Determined to seize the opportunities life offers, Muriel sets sail on a river cruise through France, where chance encounters and unforeseen events lead her into the heart of an international mystery.

Lippman masterfully blends elements of cozy mystery with deeper themes of self-discovery and personal empowerment. Muriel's character is both relatable and inspiring, capturing the essence of embracing new beginnings later in life. The narrative seamlessly weaves suspenseful twists with introspective moments, offering readers a well-rounded and engaging experience.

The novel's setting along the picturesque Seine River adds a rich backdrop to the unfolding drama, with Lippman's vivid descriptions transporting readers to the enchanting locales of France. Supporting characters, such as the enigmatic Danny, add layers of intrigue, challenging Muriel's perceptions and decisions as she navigates the complexities of her surroundings.

While the plot maintains a steady pace, some readers might find certain developments predictable. However, the depth of character exploration and the novel's atmospheric setting more than compensate, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

In conclusion, Murder Takes a Vacation is a delightful addition to Laura Lippman's repertoire, offering a compelling blend of mystery, personal growth, and the timeless allure of travel. It's a testament to the notion that it's never too late to embark on new adventures, uncover hidden truths, and rediscover oneself.

Laura Lippmann adds to get already impressive collection with this gem of a mystery. Get ready to greet an old friend and meet some new characters. A great read!

The plot was solid, the pacing a mite slow, and the characters well-developed and all too plausible. I just couldn't get immersed in it. Nothing really wrong with it or anything, but all the detailing was simply mundane to me. Someone with a less hectic personal life might enjoy it better.
I requested and received a temporary copyrighted digital galley from William Morrow via NetGalley. Avail Jun 17, 2025
#MurderTakesaVacation by @lauramlippman @williammorrowbooks
#cozymystery #thriller #Contemporary #suspense @harpercollins #womensfiction

My thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy of this mystery set in the waterways of the city of Paris, dealing with art, food, courtship, lost love, and living one's best life when most might have just given up.

Just because someone has suffered loss, means that life is over. For some there is much to do, to see, to feel, even if one has to be alone. One can't take it with you, though many people especially today in government feel that they can, and govern with that in mind. Loving someone means knowing that barring a freak accident, one day one of you will not be there. One wants the best for those left behind, even if they don't think they are worth it. However there is a pharse from an old television show, that really sums things up best. Live long and prosper. Do those things if one can. Travel the world, eat that food, see those sights. And if one has to, solve that muder. Laura Lippman's Murder Takes a Vacation tells the story of a widow, with a particular set of skills, on the trip of a lifetime, risking her life to solve a difficult case.

Muriel Blossom is used to not being seen, being a trusted associate of the private detective Tess Monaghan, and at a loss since the death of her beloved husband. Until life throws her another curveball, for the better. Blossom finds a discarded lottery ticket, one that turns out to be a winner. Blossom suddenly has the world as her oyster, and wants to see as much of it as she can. Blossom plans a cruise through France, and takes along her best friend Elinor. The flight over is different as she meets a man, Allan that pays attention to her, makes her laugh and makes her think about men in a way that she hasn't since her husband died. Allan is traveling on, and Muriel parts with a feeling that this is going to be a great trip. Until Allan is found dead in Paris, a short time later, and things start to get strange. On her cruise, Blossom's skills at detecting are put to the test, as she feels people are watching her, searching her things, and maybe something worse. Another stranger Danny keeps asking questions, about art, Allan, and their relationship. Soon Blossom is worried that she might be seeing her deceased husband far sooner than she expected.

A very pleasant mystery, with a good setting, good food, and even better a character that grows more sure of herself, and her place in the world. Blossom could be played for a fool, but Lippman is a much better writer than that, letting the story unfold, letting the character grow, and surrounding Blossom with an interesting support cast and ideas. There is a bit of art history, Parisian history, food and more. The book is reminiscent of Aaron Elkins art stories, as there is quite a bit about art history, which is presented quite well. I love learning things in books, especially when the story is captivating. A great summer read, hopefully while sailing the Seine, with a nice glass of wine, and dessert.

I loved it! First of all: a caper, a cruise ship, a statue, Europe, old friends, new friends, flirtations, attempted murder, successful murder - it reminded me of some of the stand-alone Elizabeth Peters novels (which I also love) in that you learn a about art, history, an intriguing locale but you also get to enjoy a cracking adventure. I was so happy to spend time with Muriel Blossom and hope that I get to spend more time in the future. What a delight to read about an intelligent (and lucky) woman deciding how to spend the next chapter of her life! I saw the author refer to this as an age-swapped Charade and I was IN.

Muriel Blossom is taking a vacation of a lifetime after having a lucky windfall. She is taking her life long friend, Elinor along for a European cruise.

She finds herself in an odd romantic situation that leads to upturned rooms, death and mayhem. I loved Muriel, but I hated her obsessive dialogue about her own weight. It was really irrelevant to the storyline but the sole focus of her character. I liked the pieces of her past being a PI, those could be a great line of cozy mysteries if they aren’t focused on her age and weight.

I liked the hidden in plain sight baddies and treasure, I liked Danny but I didn’t like his yo-yo cover story, I think both could have been plausible, but it may have flowed better sticking with the one story that rooted in his true past (trying to not give away part of the story).

It was overall entertaining, but had so much more potential!

This mystery, which takes place overseas, captured my interest from the start. I was invested on following our main character as she encountered various men with nefarious intentions along the way.

However, I felt like the ending stretched on and on and I lost track of the characters.

This was a fine murder mystery. Muriel won the lottery with a found ticket and is taking her friend on a European cruise when a series of unexpected events kicks off. The story was a little long and disjointed for me. I'm pretty good at suspending disbelief for mysteries, but I struggled with this one.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for a free copy of #MurderTakesAVacation by Laura Lipman. All opinions are my own.

3 5⭐️

Thank-you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoy murder mysteries, but this one dragged a bit and was predictable in some regards. There were a couple twists I didn't see coming. The body image theme throughout the book got old. This was an easy read and would be a good one to read on vacation, pun intended.

A good crime mystery with settings in fascinating locales is to a degree overshadowed by a protagonist who is obsessed with her weight and the perceptions of others regarding it. Muriel Blossom had a loving husband who has since passed, a daughter and grandchildren who care about her, a best friend, and millions of dollars that she accidentally (!) won in the lottery. In her late sixties, she is able to travel independently, have an amorous night with a new paramour, and indulge in a new wardrobe. Yet she is unhappily conscious of her weight, jealous of her friend’s ability to attract men, and carrying guilt over her marital behavior. Throughout the narrative, there are constant referrals regarding her weight though not by her acquaintances, the man she becomes interested in, or her friends but, tellingly, by Miriam herself. Her weight consciousness is reflected in the clothes she chooses to wear, recall of her experience making her way down the aisle on a plane and sitting in the middle seat, and her need to question whether she can climb step, narrow steps. Yet, her focus on her weight is never accounted for in her choice of meals, drink, desserts or treats.
Muriel had worked as an assistant for a detective agency owned by Tess Monaghan (the fictional character in Laura Lippman’s book series). After winning the lottery, Miriam embarks on a river cruise in Paris after first embarking in England. On that flight, she meets Allen, and together they take in the city, eat in fine restaurants, and have a one night fling. Allan stays on in England for business while Muriel moves on to Paris and her cruise. Allan is found dead, in Paris, having fallen from a balcony only the day after Muriel’s departure. Muriel soon realizes that a young man named Danny is following her in Paris and seems to be present each time a series of mysterious events unfold. Danny at first passes himself off as a stylist, then an FBI agent, and later as an insurance investigator. Muriel never asks to see his FBI credentials or after Danny shows Muriel his driver’s license, any further proof of his identity. She is disturbingly gullible and slow-witted regarding her involvement in the intrigue surrounding her. Danny tells Muriel that he believes that Allan stole a valuable artifact. Thus, Miriam becomes involved in a devious plot. Even as situations involving the mystery unfold and Muriel is caught up again and again in the intrigue, the dialogue felt at times more heavily centered on lectures about men, late age romance, friendship, and wealth.
Miriam’s best friend, Elinor, is positively giddy about men and despite her age, her ability to make good judgements is affected by male attention. All the women in this story are used a pawns by men. The women play against each other, keeping secrets and being misleading. Even the new friendship that Muriel makes turns out to be a ruse.
The mystery, the duplicitous characters and the question of how Muriel assists in the solving of the murders and theft could have stood on its own as a sharp thriller. Despite the ongoing heavy-handedness of the theme surrounding Mrs. Blossom’s weight, there is an interesting whodunit with unsavory characters and hard to decipher motives. I have read many of Laura Lippman’s other novels and found Tess Monaghan to be a strong, self-assured woman and would have liked this older, single woman to have had some of the same characteristics. It would be entertaining to meet Muriel Blossom in a new mystery adventure. We need older, independent, sharp female characters who can outwit, rather than be lured in by, the male culprits.
I want to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy of Murder Takes A Vacation and the opportunity to write an honest review.

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman

I really wanted to like this book as several of my friends have suggested I read her mystery series. This one was easy to put down and I struggled to finish it.

It began on a positive, "fun read" note – Muriel Blossom, a retired widow, found a winning lottery ticket and decides to go on a cruise, inviting one of her friends. She begins her trip traveling solo, planning to meet up w/her friend in France. From there, they will see some sights before boarding their cruise.

During the first leg of her flights (she has a connecting flight) she meets and is romanced by a seatmate who convinces her to stay for a short visit in London. This is where it gets a bit wonky. She refers to herself as having worked for a PI, having at least a bit of savvy, but at the same time, seems easily taken in.

She heads on to France and sees, speaks to, a stranger on the way and sees him again in France. And sees him again. Is he following her? What is going on? Suspend disbelief. Really? A retired woman has someone following her? Why? It gets even crazier from there. Initially, I found it interesting, but then I found it dragging. It didn’t help that I didn’t like that she kept referring to herself as fat; she seemed a bit jealous of her friends looks, ability to attract men (a bit juvenile?). Just a bunch of “little things” that annoyed me. Maybe the Tess Monaghan books will be of more interest to me.

Thanks to Laura Lippman, NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy of this book.

I am a big Laura Lippman fan. Her latest book, Murder Takes a Vacation is one I really enjoyed. Pick it up on pub day!

muriel blossom was a very interesting and fun protag if a bit less knowledgable than I'd expect (which makes sense as she mainly did surveillance and also apparently has some memory issues). the mystery was fun. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

An overseas getaway, a suspicious death, and Laura Lippman at the helm—what’s not to love? This brisk whodunit plays with classic murder‐on‐holiday tropes in a really fun way. Lippman’s writing is sharp, and the tension gradually builds until everything explodes in the final chapters. Definitely a highlight of my month to read.
I loved the main character starting to find herself in her later years. The plot was clever! After reading this book, I went and purchased a previous book by Lippman as I enjoyed her writing style so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a few of Lippman's books before and I always enjoyed them. While I did enjoy this book, bit was so different from the other's I read. The main character, Mrs. Blossom, is a 68 year old widowed grandma who is naive and kind and her voice is so different from Tess, who I've read in all the other books. Mrs. Blossom is on a trip to Paris after winning the lottery and I enjoyed her story and her voice. I liked all the travel aspects of the story. But, poor Mrs. Blossom falls victim to a schemer who immediately realizes how gullible she is and how easy she will be to manipulate. Without spoilers, multiple times throughout the book I was thinking, come on! Open your eyes!!!!

I really liked the mystery of this story. The story kept me intrigued, but not necessarily a page turner. I would recommend this book if you like a cozy mystery more than a psychological thriller occasionally. This was a very cozy read. I would continue reading books that Lippman puts out!

I really hope by the time I'm Muriel's age I don't think about how other people must be thinking I'm fat, or at least I hope I don't think about it as often as Muriel does. It's bizarre honestly, a murder mystery is happening in the background while Muriel bemoans her lack of love-life and assuming everyone thinks she's actually the biggest woman alive. Maybe for other readers it felt relatable but for me it did not. The structure is strange, and I couldn't buy Muriel as a former PI assistant capable of solving anything. The beginning with Allan was so suspicious that I struggled with Muriel's skills/ her opinion on other people. I am probably the only reader who recognized the deep cut reference to the podcast Dead Eyes which I loved, so that was great.

I enjoyed this book and was invested in the outcome. Mrs. Blossom shows promise for growth in future stories (I hope). My biggest issue with this book was the focus on her weight. She was constantly paranoid that she was being judged and singled out because of her size. She is written as an intelligent woman and I wish she would realize her worth is not dependent on her body size. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

This was a good book, and I enjoyed meeting Mrs. Blossom and following her on her adventures. The plot was nicely executed and the mystery kept me both intrigued and in suspense. So many players had a role in telling this tale and it was fun watching Mrs. Blossom come into her own self-worth, despite the nefarious doings that surrounded her.

I have a very up-and-down relationship to Lippman's writing. Her descriptions (and cover art!) nearly always draw me in, but I find my enjoyment of the books to be very uneven. Some I love and some I just cannot get into at all. Unfortunately, this latest was one of the latter.

Muriel sounded like my type of character, but her presentation - with its focus on her physical size and naivete - just wore me out, and quickly. The plot felt plodding and the characterizations just didn't work for me. By the time she got to Paris I was already so over her willingness to simply follow Allan and do whatever he said that I couldn't even stand it.

I never read the Tess Monaghan stories. Maybe if I had, I would have understood this character more - but as it was, as a standalone read, I must confess I found her rather pathetic and stereotypical and not at all someone I could relate to. This one did not work for me at all...