A super fun book one in a new cozy mystery series. Bestselling author, Eleanor Dash is doing her best to get through her book tour with an ex she can’t stand, an ex she wants back, other authors, her sister, and a group of super fans. Things get messy as there seems to be a killer amongst the group. As one would expect all sorts of shenanigans ensue. If you are a fan of the Finlay Donovan or Stephanie Plum series you will enjoy this one!

Eleanor Dash is a bestselling author who is on a book tour in Italy even though she’d rather be anywhere else. She plans to kill off the main character, who happens to be an ex, in the next installment of her series so that she is done with him once and for all.

The book tour becomes a real-life murder mystery, and it kept me guessing. I’ve never read/listened to a book written in this style before, and while I originally didn’t know what to think I ended up really enjoying the different style. I can’t wait to read other books in this series. I enjoyed the narrator as well and would without a doubt listen to other books narrated by her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to an ALC of this novel. #NetGalley #EveryTimeIGoonVacationSomeoneDies

“Rome
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
I want to commit a homicide.”

This. This is how the book starts. Utterly fantastic!

Dodging lost loves and death threats, literary rivals and rabid fans, protagonist Eleanor Dash wants to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, her handsome ex-boyfriend and star of her bestselling series, before her reality becomes one of her murder mysteries.

I 👏🏻 love 👏🏻 Italians! The country. The culture. The FOOD. Reading this book is like taking a crazy and murder filled hilarious jaunt through Italy, experiencing all that this most amazing country has to offer…with a sprinkle of shenanigans on the side.

This book is like a story within a story. It is so witty and cleverly written. There are also sooo many #bookstagram references that made me snicker and smirk and laugh out loud. The #bookface ladies. Not tagging authors in any review less than four stars. The Goodreads issue of snarky reviews without actually reading the book. So fun and relevant if you spend a lot of time either reading or writing reviews.

Narrator @elizabeththevansync nails it! Oh my did she bring this story and these characters to life.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, Miinotaur Books, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and in that way it was a huge disappointment. I expected something funny, clever, and unique, and this wasn't really any of those things. In fact, almost immediately I had a really bad reaction to this book and almost DNFed it because I was disliking the writing style, but I was buddy reading with my friend Paula, and she talked me down a bit and I gave it more of a chance. My expectations at a more reasonable level, this was a fine read. Not bad, but not great either. I hated the characters and I still didn't like the writing style, but the mystery was entertaining, and I loved all the descriptions of food and the Italian setting. The meta elements weren't as fun as I think the author thought they would be.

Elizabeth Evans does the audio narration, and she's great as always. But the audiobook production team made the terrible decision to have Elizabeth Evans just narrate the book without making note when she was reading a footnote, and as a result I have almost no idea what was text and what was a footnote. I've read audiobooks before where there's like a ding, or the narrator literally says like "Footnote 3" or something. And that definitely needed to happen here. (I cannot speak to how the footnotes played out in hard copy or e-book formats. Apparently there were A LOT of them.)

3 stars (rounded up)

The next time you’re in the mood for a light mystery, try Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies. In addition to the mystery, you are treated to a tour of some famous places in Italy. Eleanor Dash relates the story; she’s an author who is tired of her multi-book series that features a character named Connor Smith, and is planning to kill him off in the next and final book in the series. Her problem is that Connor Smith is a real person, with whom she had a relationship and who inspired the character. She finds herself on a tour through Italy with fans who have won a contest, along with Connor, her sister and assistant, Harper, an ex named Oliver (also an author), and other authors. There’s also a tour guide who doesn’t seem to know as much about some famous sites in Italy as Eleanor does. There were a lot of characters to keep track of.

Connor has been bleeding (not quite blackmailing) Eleanor for a percentage of her book royalties for years, because she based his character on him and used his real name.

There were some really funny things along the way. One was the name of the book fans, the “BookFace Ladies.” Apparently these women post photos of themselves with the book cover, hiding half their faces (or something like that). And there’s a snarky reference to GoodReads, calling it “MeanReads” for the ability of people who haven’t even read a book to post a review.

Eleanor speaks directly to the reader, breaking the fourth wall. There are even footnotes! In the ebook, there are links to the footnotes which you can read or not. I found them to be distracting. When I switched to the audiobook, the footnotes felt more like part of the narrative, like an aside, and you weren’t necessarily aware that the narrator was reading a footnote.

Connor is convinced that someone is trying to kill him in real life (not to be confused with Eleanor’s sketchy plans for her next book). And he’s right! This is a type of locked-room mystery, with everyone involved in the tour as a possible suspect.

Based on how the book ended, this looks like it’s going to be the start of a new series.

The audiobook was nicely narrated by Elizabeth Evans.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack is the first in the Vacation Mystery Series. The mystery is set on an Italian book tour, following our main character/best-selling author Eleanor Dash. What I really enjoyed about this book: The main character is complex- she has both likable and complicated traits, which makes her interesting to read and relatable to the reader. The mystery itself had multiple twists and turns that made this entertaining to figure out. A fascinating aspect of this book is that it often breaks the fourth wall. It had similarities with the Scream franchise (although this book isn’t horror and the storylines are extremely different), in that the consumer is deciphering the patterns and tropes of that particular genre whilst trying to figure out whodunnit at the same time. I loved the setting/environment, there are some cliches involved, but it’s definitely a gorgeous place to read in general. There is a sequel teased and a big cliffhanger, and if there is a second book in the works, I can’t wait to read it!

4.5/5 stars!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. My comments are an independent, honest review.

Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies by Catherine Mack
Genre: mystery
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: audiobook

Read if you’re a fan of…
🍹footnotes
🍹Finlay Donovan
🍹unserious mysteries
🍹fun narrators
🍹vacation settings
🍹beach reads
🍹a bit of ridiculousness
🍹books in a series

This book reminded me a lot of Finlay Donovan - the main character is very funny and an author, there are a lot of characters, there’s mystery and murder, and the audiobook is great!

Although this was a fun read, it wasn’t very memorable for me in the end. I don’t mind if a book is a bit ridiculous, but the fact that so many people were on this book trip was a little too unbelievable for me and made it a little hard to keep the characters straight at times. I also needed to feel a little more connected to our main character! She was funny and I liked that she was a little unreliable, but I needed more.

Pick up this book if you like Finlay Donovan, the game Clue, and mystery series with humor!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies is out April 30th.

Cheeky and twisty, a fun murder mystery with outlandish characters, like a modern day Agatha Christie. The narration perfectly brings out the personality of the MC, a funny and relatable writer trying to kill off her on-page lover. I think you’ll love the fourth wall breaks, the not so subtle foreshadowing and the very satisfying ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

If you liked Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone or the Finlay Donovan books, you will probably enjoy this one as well! Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies is a mash up of both of these books with the main character breaking the forth wall throughout the book like Everyone and a similar vibe to Finlay Donovan. It is a fun ride and an enjoyable read!

I do think I would have liked this more if I hadn’t read Everyone and Finlay Donovan as I thought both of these books were done better. While this book was entertaining, I would have felt more invested if there was more character development. I found myself several times throughout the book forgetting who characters were or getting people mixed up.

I loved the Italian setting and also all the Taylor Swift references. Overall it was a cute book and I’d read the next!

Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my review.

Wonderful narrator who perfectly met the tone of the book.

A meta story where an authors work and her life are intertwined, it was a light mystery that just didn't draw me in. I didn't connect with any characters and as a result, never truly committed.

2.5* rounded up to 3*.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an opportunity to review this audio ARC.

This was a fun Murder mystery set in the beautiful landscapes of Italy. I felt like I went on the Italian tour with the characters. Each stop on Italy was beautifully described and I could envision each of the landmarks that was discussed in the book.

The main character was really problematic but knew it! I love how she broke the fourth wall and spoke directly to us readers, telling us all of her faults and at times suggesting she could be the culprit because of those faults. The other characters all came with their own issues and the spotlight was on each of them at one time or another. The epilogue of this book set up the next perfectly and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

The narrator was also brilliant, bringing each of the characters to life! I will definitely pick up more audiobooks that she narrates.

This book is so fresh and fun! It's fairly fast paced and really takes you along for the ride!

I had a hard time connecting with the story and the characters. It probably would have been a DNF for me had it not been for the humour and the entertainment factor of this one.

Not my cup of tea, but definitely entertaining!

Who doesn’t love a cozy mystery, especially one set in Italy? This is a cute, entertaining and lighthearted story with a touch of intrigue, a few twists and a little bit of murder thrown in. The narrator was great - give this one a listen!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for my advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Eleanor Dash is the bestselling author of the blockbuster Vacation Mysteries series. The first book was loosely based on real events, with names changed to protect the innocent (and the guilty!). The only character whose name and likeness she didn’t change was her ex-boyfriend Connor Smith. Connor has been blackmailing Eleanor for a cut of her royalties for the last ten books, but she’s about to kill him off – figuratively of course! Unfortunately, while they’re on a book tour in Italy, someone seems to want Connor dead in real life!

This book is such a fun take on a cozy mystery, although snarkier and sweary-er than a typical cozy (which only made me love it more!). The cast of characters is such a hoot, from the sexy but smarmy con man Connor to competitive fellow authors, a gaggle of book clubbers, an ex that Eleanor never got over, and of course Eleanor herself. Eleanor is sarcastic and engaging, and I love it when she breaks the fourth wall to urge the reader to solve the mystery. The footnotes are a fun element where Eleanor shares gossipy little asides. The writing style is top notch (which is par for the course for this author, who you may also know as the talented Catherine Mackenzie), and aside from the witty banter, this is also a well crafted mystery with plenty of suspects and red herrings that kept me guessing!

Elizabeth Evans narrates the audiobook, and she does an outstanding job! Her voice was perfect for Eleanor’s wry sense of humor, and her engaging style made me feel like I was having a chat with a friend when Eleanor broke the fourth wall.

This book is perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan, especially because it sounds like there will be at least two more books Eleanor’s series, and I already can’t wait to see what else she gets herself into!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Ok! I seriously laughed out loud so many times! What a fun and fresh book. I really enjoyed this one a lot. It is a light and airy read that’s the perfect pallet cleanser after reading intense dark romances.

Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies was one of the few books that made me laugh out loud more than once. A lot of books make me laugh to myself but this one had me laughing hard at multiple points. The story was fun, and the way it was written was perfect for this book.

The main character is the narrator of the book and she would often break the fourth wall and talk to the reader. Sometimes it would add to the story other times it would just be funny. These were my favorite segments. The fourth wall break with all the explanations before the final act of the book is one of my favorite things I have read in years.

While I am talking about this book like it’s a comedy, it was actually a murder mystery. Our narrator Eleanor has a best-selling book franchise based on a real person who she still has to deal with because of the books. It all started when she wrote about a true event that happened and changed everyone’s names but his. Now ten books in she wants to kill him off and move on. The only problem is someone wants him dead for real, not just in the books.

This whole mystery takes place during a conference with a lot of other authors. You have all these creative minds coming together to solve a mystery. I can not recommend this book enough. It was funny, it was suspenseful, it was well written, and it was just a blast from start to finish.

Elizabeth Evans is one of my favorite audiobook narrators, and she did an amazing job with this book! I loved the way this book was written, the main character is an author and writes directly to readers throughout the book. It kept me invested in the plot and guessing what all the clues meant.

I didn’t necessarily like the main character, or many of the characters at all, but the narrator kept me engaged. This is not a serious mystery that tries to stick to reality, but is a fun ride set in beautiful Italy. I’ve watched the movie Knives Out before and this is definitely a literary version of the movie. The ending wraps up this mystery, but sets up for a new plot in the next book.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the audiobook and digital book! This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I typically do not read cozy mysteries, when I was given the opportunity to listen to Every time I Go on Vacation, I was very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it.

Within the backdrop of Italy, best selling cozy mystery author, Eleanor Dash finds herself in the thick of her very own murder mystery on her latest book tour.

The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the story and characters to life. I particularly enjoyed the story breaking the fourth wall, speaking to the audience throughout the story. Definitely plan on reading the continuation of the story in future novels.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. This book was the perfect palate cleanser. This book was fun, there were lots of twists and turns, mystery and some laugh out loud moments. The narrator kept me listening until the end because I wanted to find out what happened but she did a great job telling the story. I loved the descriptions of different places in this book. I would recommend this book.

Eleanor Dash, a bestselling mystery author, is ready to end her series and kill off her main character, Connor Smith. She's struggling through her book tour in Italy when real-life Connor is almost killed. Eleanor is also surprised to see her ex, Oliver, on this book tour and is dealing with a strained relationship with her sister, who also helps manage her career. Now she's trying to help solve an actual mystery and figure out who is trying to get away with murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I typically read a lot of romance and fantasy but when I saw the synopsis of this book, I knew it was one I wanted to read. I found it really interesting that the main character, Eleanor, breaks the fourth wall a lot and directly addresses the reader throughout the story through footnotes. As I listened to the audiobook version of this story, the footnotes were incorporated seamlessly. I also really enjoyed the narrator and it was a very easy listen. I found Eleanor's humor and sarcasm enjoyable and I was immediately drawn into the story. This will definitely not be my last cozy mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!





Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC!