
Member Reviews

The book begins with Eleanor, a writer who is made famous for her mystery series that features a crime solving duo based loosely on herself and her former flame.
Her publisher arranges a tour of Italy for Eleanor, her team, a few fellow mystery writers and some of her top fans to commemorate her first book’s 10th anniversary. Chaos and murder ensue. Can Eleanor figure out who the culprit is before she’s the next victim?
Eleanor breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to you, the reader, throughout. This adds so much fun and humor to the book. I really enjoyed this romp of a book. It kept me guessing until the end. This is the perfect summer mystery to read poolside. I listened on audio as well and the narrator does a fantastic job!

This book was fantastic. The footnotes alone had me cracking up and I am thrilled that this will be a series. The MC is a hoot and her attitude and personality had me giggling. The humor-filled murder mystery/whodunnit kept me hooked from page one. I kept calling my daughter over to read her passages because I thought they were hilarious and smart-witted. This is a fantastic summer read.
I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies follows best selling author Eleanor Dash as she returns to Rome, where she helped solve a crime that led to writing the first book in her series. She's traveling with other writers and Connor, the man who inspired her story and is currently blackmailing her, on her book's tenth anniversary tour. Connor is convinced someone is trying to kill him and enlists Eleanor's help to find out who!
This was a very fun read, however, my ARC was a formatting disaster which made it hard to get into until I got the hang of the flow of things. I do not fault the book for that. There are footnotes, so if you like to read those, I personally recommend reading a physical copy. It will make it so much easier to hop back and forth. This is also the first in a series!
I did find some faults with this book that are likely subjective so I won't mention them here. The crime was easy to follow and to solve, but was a fun (and sometimes frustrating) journey. It feels written for the screen which made perfect sense when I found out the series was picked up my FOX before publication! There is also some breaking of the fourth wall.
This book isn't perfect, but it was fun and enjoyable and I will definitely be reading more of the series as it releases and I will be waiting for the tv show to air!
If you're a fan of Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series, you'll likely enjoy this!

Thanks, Minotaur Books, for the early review copy via NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook. #macaudio2024 (Available Now!)
What a fast and fun series debut! Eleanor Dash is an accidental best-selling novelist of nine murder mysteries at various vacation spots. She’s plotting how to k!ll off her MC (real-life ex-boyfriend Conner) while on an Italian trip with her ex, her other ex, a couple of rival authors, a group of rabid fans, and her sister when she realizes someone is trying to murder Conner IRL. Hilarity and hijinx ensue.
I’ve heard chatter about the footnotes used as part of the story and was concerned about reading this via audiobook, but they completely worked! Maybe even better than in print, as each one felt like an aside from the author/main character, like she was breaking the fourth wall to wink at the audience. They made me cackle. “Foreshadowing? Duh!”
Narrator Elizabeth Evans was perfect as Eleanor! She captured her unique blend of snark, wit, and insecurity, and I could see each character in my head. I can’t wait to watch the Fox TV series.
Pair this with your favorite sunnies in a comfy lounge chair by the bluest pool, sipping something crisp and lemony.

I really like Catherine McKenzie as a thriller writer, so I was excited to read this book published under a pseudonym. While it was fun, I thought it tried a little too hard. The footnotes were funny, but also a bit distracting.
I was confused at the mystery, and was not able to figure out the answer, so she did a clever job with that, making nearly everyone a suspect. There was a lot of humor, and tongue in cheek parts, and it was very clean, all positives!
I will definitely read book 2, and hopefully, I will adapt to this writing style.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity
Perfect peach or vacation read. Very entertaining.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Everytime I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. Eleanor is a successful author of mystery novels. Her sister is her manager, even though she was the one in the family who was supposed to be the writer. Eleanor wrote her first book after she and her boyfriend Connor solved an actual mystery in Italy, and it was about what happened, and Connor was the hero of the book. Things did not go well with Eleanor and Connor, but they are still connected, after she has written 10 books. They are on a book tour in Europe and there are several near misses, and one of their group is murdered. Despite the murder and attempted murders, the book is light and kind of funny. This would probably be a good beach read. #everytimeigoonvacationsomeonedies #catherinemack #murdermystery #bookaboutbooks #debutnovel #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday

I really had high hopes for this one and I'm not saying it was a flop but unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations. A solid 3.5 stars from me which is absolutely good. There was just something about how it came together that didn't work for me. I think it may have been the sheer volume of footnotes. The experience with those is probably better in the physical book but in the ecopy, depending on where they wind up in the page it is frustrating and I found they took me out of the story.

3.5 This was a fun fast paced cozy mystery chocked full of pop culture references and fourth wall breaking. This book follows Elenor Dash cozy mystery author who finds herself in her own trouble with an ex who is blackmailing her and a trip to Italy with some lucky fans and her ex who is a star in the book series. When people start ending up dead and failed attempts on Eleanor and Colin they have to find out who the killer is before another death happens. While this was a fun fast paced thriller the pop culture references and the fourth wall breaking really distracted me at times. I also felt like I was picking this book up mid series as it seemed like the author expected you to know all of the characters. I feel like some of these pop culture references may not age to well. I did enjoy this book though and would pick up more from this author in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

This is a “feel good” and “fun” comic mystery but it just wasn’t for me. I tried to connect with the character but that relationship fell short and I’m disappointed because I really wanted to love this! I feel the writing style is hard to follow with the extra footnotes thrown in.

I started this book when I was spiraling down into a reading slump. It snapped me right out of it, and I had so much fun! I love the structure of the book and the snappy pace. I will definitely continue on with the series!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

This one was lots of fun - perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan and Benjamin Stevenson, I flew through it! I will say that the formatting made it tough to read as an e-galley, but of course that didn’t detract from the charm of the story itself. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for future stories from this author!

This is a genuinely fun read. Enjoyed the narrator voice and laugh at loud moments. Would recommend for a light hearted summer read!

Let me just say it—Catherine Mack's *Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies* is a riot! From the jump, you're thrown into a wild ride as Eleanor, a popular author, decides to kill off Connor Smith, a cherished character from her book, in order to escape her blackmailer: the real Connor Smith. Things get really juicy when (the real) Connor, a charming conman and Eleanor's former flame, starts receiving actual death threats. Eleanor has to juggle promoting her new book all over Italy and keeping the real Connor alive.
This was my first time reading Catherine Mack's work, and her writing style intrigued me right away. Honestly, I wasn’t a huge fan of every character being compared to a celebrity or the multitude of quirky “footnotes” throughout (not your usual footnotes, mind you), but once I let go of taking it all too seriously, I found myself laughing out loud and thoroughly enjoying the ride. Mack's got a knack for blending humor with suspense in a way that’s hard to resist.
This book is the epitome of a lighthearted, or what some might call a “cozy,” mystery with relatively low stakes. The whole thing is rather PG. Picture a Hallmark mystery movie in book form—if that's your jam, then this book is calling your name. It’s the perfect companion for a lazy day at the beach. So grab a copy, kick back, and get ready for a fun-filled, page-turning adventure!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

This book was a great, light read. I enjoyed the narrator’s sense of humor and it was fun envisioning Italy’s beauty and pasta and wine. It was a little slow for me in the beginning but I read the last half pretty quickly and was dying to find out “who dunnit.” All in all, I would recommend this book to a friend looking for a light, funny thriller for summer.

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4 ⭐️
EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: cozy mystery
📖 304 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: 🇮🇹🚓🍝✍🏼🍧😮🍊🪼🥂🍋🕵🏻♂️🔫
𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱? 👍🏼
🩵𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲🩵
Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy!
If you're seeking a fun, adventurous, whodunit cozy mystery, this book is a perfect choice. Set in Italy, it brims with laugh out loud commentary, limoncellos, a sleuthing detective, 2 attractive men, & a quirky stalker. Eleanor's internal dialogue is a highlight, adding depth & humor to the story. The writing style is engaging, with interviews & magazine articles interspersed throughout, & intriguing book titles that offer insight into Eleanor’s mystery novels.
The narrative immerses you in Eleanor's head, providing a unique, interactive experience as she unravels the mystery. The direct address to the reader makes the story feel personal & engaging. I loved the insight into the main character’s writing process too!!
The plot is filled with potential culprits, & just when you think you've figured it out, a twist surprises you. The contemporary references to BRIDGERTON & Goodreads add a topical touch. This book sets the stage perfectly for a sequel, & I highly recommend it!
⚠️ death of parents
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ cozy mysteries & suspense
◽️ FINLAY DONOVAN
◽️ Italy
◽️ Aperol spritz’s
◽️ a book about books
◽️ international book tours
𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Bestselling author Eleanor Dash just wants to finish her book tour in Italy & kill off her main character, Connor Smith. However, when someone attempts to murder the real Connor, a con man from her past, Eleanor is dragged into solving the case. She faces literary competitors, rabid fans, a stalker, & her ex, Oliver, who appears unexpectedly. As theories & rivalries emerge, Eleanor must navigate broken hearts & old rifts. But the real question is, who is trying to get away with murder?

First book of a series. This was a fun read, lots of intrigue and humor. Looking forward to other books in the series. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I adored this one. I love the snarkiness of the main character and how likeable and unlikeable she is. The setting is definitely one of my favorites as they cavort through Italy.

So many people are loving this book, so I'm definitely in the minority here. I liked the plot and the setting, but I'm not sure that the writing style was for me. I actually thought that this was the 2nd book in a series at first because of the way the MC kept referring to past events.
I might have enjoyed this one more if I had read the physical copy or done the audio. The e-book formatting was a bit wonky. The author uses quite a bit of footnotes, but they would all show up at the end of the chapter, and scrolling back became such a pain that I eventually just skipped over them.
Thank you, @Netgalley and @stmartinspress, for the #gifted e-arc!

This was such a cute cozy mystery and had laugh out loud moments. I wasn't expecting much, but I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The characters were lovable and the story kept me hooked. I will definitely pick up more from this author in the future.