This book did have some entertaining moments, but ultimately it just wasn't for me. There seems to be a trend in mysteries breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the reader. And I don't like it. It draws me out of the story rather than into it. The gimmick didn't feel quite so clunky in this novel, because the narrator is a writer. But by the end I didn't really care to know who the killer was.

Readers who don't mind skipping character development in favor of an active plot are more likely to enjoy this one.

I really enjoyed this one. The main character breaks the fourth wall to involve the reader even more in the story. The mystery is fun and the comedy is smart. I liked the characters and the setting. If you’re looking for a fun mystery, I would recommend this one.

Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies is the first book in The Vacation Mysteries series and was such a fun read. The author did a good job writing this one and every character in this was interesting. This was a light mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. I did enjoy this one and would recommend it to any reader who likes mystery reads. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/ Minotaur Books for this read in exchange of my honest review of Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack.

Sadly at 30 % I'm DNF it , because I'm just not enjoying ot at all, there's something about the main character that is driving me nuts , it could be that there was a few times she kept reminding us that she was going to kill off her main character, or it could be just her Attitude ,but sadly like I said I'm not enjoying the book to keep reading it .

This book was a lot of fun. I like how the third wall was broken as the main character talked directly to us. The characters were fun, and the characters you shouldn't like, are very east to not like and to not root for. I did move on to the second book in the series because I enjoyed the characters so much.
This is not a literary wonder, but this is a book that is a fun time. Quick read with some laughs thrown in.

Will a book tour in Italy, with other authors and a contest-winning book group, result in tragedy or triumph?

Throughout this mystery, there were many foreshadowing moments (highlighted by the multitude of footnotes!) into who the murderer was and the reasons for the deed. This was an entertaining book with an epilogue providing a peek into the second book of this series.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Catherine McKenzie, so when I saw she was putting out a cozy mystery (under Catherine Mack), I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed.

This light-hearted mystery was such a fun read. While the plot is far-fetched, it was such an enjoyable journey. I didn't need it to be realistic because it was just so fun!

Eleanor is relatable with her witty banter and lovable snark. I enjoyed the breaking of the 4th wall to include the reader in the narrative. The characters are quirky, entertaining, and really bring the book to life.

I look forward to reading the next one in the series, No One Was Supposed to Die At This Wedding.

This was very much a cozy mystery. The perfect way to enjoy suspense and mystery without it being spooky season. It was a decent story but I think I prefer a little more fast paced suspense novel. It was slow going and a little hard to get in to but overall still a decent read.

The footnotes are my favorite. I love a good footnote and the ones in this series are so snarky and funny and entertaining! Despite being about murder, this series is really lighthearted and hilarious, and even when it’s over the top and silly, it’s so much fun. The twist at the end of this was fantastic and a great surprise, and the setting/setup of travel through Italy on a book tour with a bunch of murder mystery authors, made it extra fun.

I am always excited to read a funny, cozy mystery in the same vein of the Finlay Donovan series, and this book was just that. While this ended up being more of an average read for me, I really liked that it broke the fourth wall and enjoyed the side characters a lot. This probably won't be an extremely memorable book, but I had a lot of fun reading it and I think it's a great one to take on a summer vacation!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a fun and delightful book to read! I enjoyed it so much, I would highly recommend anyone to read it!

This book was so much fun. I loved the cast of characters, the second chance romance, and the all out craziness of the mystery. It gave me Simple Favor vibes but so so so much better. I listened to the audiobook and it was fantastic.

Definitely recommend and can't wait to jump into book two!

I quite enjoyed this book! I loved all the footnotes, it was a very engaging addition to the story. The story had lots of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end! I am looking forward to see how this series evolves in the 2nd book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I finished Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack behind my grandson’s back — literally. When I went to babysit, I was 89% complete on my Kindle and HAD to finish, so I put him on my lap to watch Bluey so I could sneak read to the end.

Eleanor Dash is supposed to be in Italy to promote her latest book, not solve a mystery. But things rarely go according to plan, especially when your ex-boyfriend (and inspiration for your fictional detective) shows up on the scene… and someone starts trying to kill him.

In Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies, Catherine Mack introduces us to Eleanor: a bestselling mystery writer with a sharp sense of humor, a complicated past, and a knack for finding trouble. She’s hoping to quietly write Connor out of her series. Instead, she’s stuck with the real Connor—still charming, still infuriating—and a growing list of suspects that includes rivals, superfans, a stalker, and maybe even her own ex-husband.

The mystery is fun, the pace is fast, and the setting—sunny, bookish Italy—makes it feel like a vacation in itself (well, minus the attempted murder). Eleanor’s voice carries the story with wit and just enough vulnerability to make you want to follow her wherever she goes next.

A cozy, clever read with plenty of suspects and just a bit of romance.

I received this Advance Reader Copy of Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I ended up listening to this as an audiobook and it was a lot of fun. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, but I enjoyed the listening experience and I often kept listening longer than I had planned because I had to know what happened next!

Hilarious title and lovely cover! This is the first cozy mystery book I have ever read and I think it was a great introduction to the genre! It was fun and lighthearted. I enjoyed the fourth wall break and how immersive this read was. The characters were so enjoyable too! Amazing debut novel! Looking forward to her next books!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This was not one of my favorite books at all. I enjoyed some of the humor but it felt, to me, like the author was just trying too hard. And, oh my goodness, the use of footnotes drove me crazy and really detracted from the story. In addition, the characters did not come to life for me and came across as very flat. I was hoping for a more engaging read so was a bit disappointed. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, quirky mystery that takes a lot of twists and turns along the way, you might enjoy Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies.

For the first third of this book, I was enjoying it. I really liked the travel aspect, and there were even some funny moments. It was easy to flip through the pages and the pacing always felt right.

What began to bother me was the writing style. It’s very simplistic and bare bones, and it often felt a bit too quirky for my taste. It’s not very descriptive which left me frustrated as this was set in Europe and I wanted to feel more grounded in the setting. There were also A LOT of characters in this book. Unfortunately, since the book is so short, it meant that many of these character weren’t as well developed and fell flat.

But you might enjoy a more over-the-top, crazy, action-paced mystery.It’s a very fast read and is, for the most part, entertaining.

I did go back and forth between reading the ebook and listening to the audio. I’d highly recommend the audio, as I had a more enjoyable time listening to this story than I did reading it. The narrator did a great job at bringing the main character to life!

I do have the sequel for review, so I will continue on in the series. I just hope the writing style doesn’t get in my way of enjoying the rest of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the digital and audio arcs. All opinions are my own.

Bestselling author Eleanor Dash won a competition she didn't really know she entered. The bonus, though, was a free trip to Italy with her personal assistant/sister. The downside is her awful ex Connor also won a spot on the list of authors who were awarded this trip. With a packed itinerary, Eleanor was hoping to get through the crazed-fan events as quickly as possible and squeeze out some minutes to enjoy Italy while planning how to end her famed series starring the character she had based on Connor.

This was a very fun book to read - liberally sprinkled footnotes full of snark. I was so involved in giggling and snorting at Eleanor's wry sense of humor, I didn't cue into the real drama and suspense until it was on me (and Eleanor). I would recommend this book for those who enjoy Jesse Q. Sutanto, Katy Brent, or Freya Sampson's books.

Catherine Mack absolutely gives Death on the Nile in a modern, sweatier, and definitely funnier way. Eleanor Dash knows she’s not the best person in any room and she definitely cannot claim to be the most put-together. However, she’s such a fun, real main character sharing thoughts we’ve all had while trying to solve a mystery on an Italian work trip/vacation and keep her life somewhat in order at the same time.

Mack’s, and her characters’, sense of humor and the sunny backdrops of coastal Italy were the perfect balance to the heavy topics and themes that hallmark a whodunnit. The shift from dark to light didn’t feel forced or overdone throughout the book. The characters were a great cast to support the idea that we were taking this mystery seriously, but because everything worked out in the end it’s almost a quirky story to tell because a friend will never believe what happened.

In a very Christie-esque way, we’re greeted with a level of extravagance that worked because our characters were just the right parts over-the-top yet realistic themselves. They fit where they were going, what they did themselves, and the events they had experienced and were going to experience. I really loved Eleanor, personally, and found the footnotes and fourth-wall breaks to be a fun addition that helped readers get to know the character better without taking from the plot itself. As asides, they also were good at misdirecting readers who thought they may have guessed who was behind everything.

Part of the who may be a smidge predictable for hardcore mystery fans, but the twist was great because it almost seemed intentional for readers to guess at least a smidge of what was going on. The red herrings, the subtle hints, and then a less subtle clue all worked together to make reading this book so much fun.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this one. It was cute, felt like warm summers with the scent of lemon teased on a cool breeze, and so funny. I’m for sure excited for book two!