I absolutely loved the narrator for this audiobook! She did a phenomenal job with the accents and flawlessly pronounced the Italian cities, which added so much authenticity to the story. This book was such a delight—it had the perfect balance of humor and intrigue. The low-stakes mystery made it a relaxing, enjoyable read, and I found myself laughing out loud more times than I could count.

The main character’s narrating voice was a highlight for me—witty, relatable, and full of personality. I especially enjoyed the breaking of the fourth wall, which made the storytelling feel fresh and engaging. The setting was beautifully crafted, and the charming cast of side characters only added to the book’s irresistible appeal. Overall, this was such a fun and unique listen, and I’d highly recommend.

This book sounded like it would be fun and entertaining but I couldn’t get into it. I really wanted to get into this but I just felt nothing for the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies is a darkly humorous yet surprisingly poignant novel that will keep readers guessing. The novel's charm lies in its playful tone and the engaging voice of the protagonist, which is highlighted by excellent audio narration. It's a refreshing and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries and quirky characters.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This book sounded like it would be fun and entertaining but I couldn’t get into it. The footnotes were obnoxious and I felt nothing for the characters. It just took forever to get into and I was ready for the story to be over. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book presents a lighthearted and quirky whodunit that is quite enjoyable. It strikes a good balance with minimal red herrings, which can often become tedious in similar genres. The plot is structured cleverly, with answers that are noticeable yet not overly obvious, keeping the reader engaged. Listening to the audiobook version was a delightful experience, thanks to the talented narrator, Elizabeth Evans, who effectively brings the characters and humor to life.

If you're in search of a murder mystery that incorporates humor, this is a great choice. The protagonist, Eleanor, is portrayed as a rather chaotic individual—an author navigating the complexities of life in Italy while getting embroiled in murder attempts.

The book offers a rich mix of elements including murder, vivid settings, cozy mystery vibes, romance, past relationships, blackmail, and international intrigue. This blend certainly keeps the reader entertained.

While some readers may find Eleanor's snarky personality off-putting, I personally find it makes her more relatable and enjoyable. Overall, this is a light and fun read that provides a nice escape. I’m looking forward to diving into the second book in the series!

I really liked this one! It can be hard to find a balance of being funny but also still a gripping mystery, but I felt like this one was able to do both without sacrificing on either side. The narrator was a great choice for the book as well!

This was a fun book! I loved the cast of mystery authors all together and also the setting of a vacation tour. There were lots of twists and turns and so much drama. I listened to the audio, so really liked the footnotes because they were imbedded right in the story (honestly I don’t realize it was a bit thing until someone else mentioned it).
I would definitely read another book by this author.

What a fun and funny read from the very first page I was drawn in. This was truly such a pleasure to read can’t wait to read the next book in the series! Also loved all the Taylor Swift references and the Italy setting so much

This is such a fun book! Audiobook was great and kept me very engaged the whole time. Love the concept and along the lines of Finlay Donovan but not as ridiculous

I called who the killer was and their motive about 2 chapters after she was introduced. So that defeated part of the whole story. But it was very fourth-wall-breaking and meta, so that was fun. 3.5/5 stars

Picture this: you’re on a book tour through Italy, soaking in the charm of six picturesque cities, indulging in gelato and Aperol spritz, and relishing the company of fellow authors and die-hard fans. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, for author Eleanor Wilde, it’s more of a high-stakes nightmare with literary rivals, a con man ex, and, oh yes, death.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack takes readers on a wildly fun ride, and it’s anything but your typical cozy mystery. With its snarky, witty protagonist, inside jokes about the publishing world, and the thrill of a whodunit, this novel makes for a laugh-out-loud read that fans of twisty mysteries and meta-humor will absolutely devour.

The story kicks off with Eleanor Wilde’s ambitious agenda: complete her latest novel (the tenth in her Vacation Mysteries series), embark on a whirlwind book tour across Italy, and kill off her main character, Connor Smith. Not much to ask, right? Except that Eleanor’s inspiration for Connor, suspects someone is genuinely out to kill him. And if that wasn’t enough, a body soon turns up in their traveling literary group, setting off a domino effect of secrets, suspicions, and betrayals.

Eleanor must balance her book deadlines with real-life detective work, sorting through a colorful cast of authors, agents, and obsessive fans. With each Italian city comes a new twist, and Eleanor’s to-do list grows longer: solve the murder, dodge her ex Oliver (who shows up at the worst possible moments), keep her literary rivals at bay, and figure out who’s really behind the mayhem.

This novel brilliantly breaks the fourth wall, letting Eleanor not only narrate her story but also chat directly with readers (footnotes and all)! It’s like having a lively conversation with a friend who isn’t afraid to let you in on the messy, hilarious parts of her job as a writer. Her cheeky self-awareness, paired with razor-sharp wit, makes for a refreshingly original tone.

If you’re a fan of snappy dialogue and unconventional characters, Eleanor’s one to remember. She’s a little chaotic, brutally honest, and endlessly opinionated, which adds a fun edge to the story. Her dynamic with her ex Oliver adds extra spice, and her deep reliance on her younger sister Harper (who, though a little overshadowed, plays the grounded assistant to Eleanor’s whirlwind) rounds out the cast in a quirky way.

While the book’s ensemble of suspects can get a bit overwhelming, each one brings something fresh to the story, and even the more aggravating personalities contribute to the chaotic fun. Though it’s hard to get attached to any of them (perhaps intentionally), this motley crew of characters, annoying quirks and all—adds to the atmosphere.

The audiobook narration by Elizabeth Evans deserves special praise. Evans captures Eleanor’s voice to perfection, bringing out her snark, frustration, and subtle vulnerability in a way that enhances the reading experience. If you’re an audiobook fan, this is one to add to your list.

So grab a gelato, settle in, and prepare to laugh, gasp, and cheer as Eleanor brings the mystery to life—one Italian city at a time.

3.5⭐️ Overall, this was a fun cozy mystery, with all the humor. I loved the narration, which was an added bonus to get to listen to, and I thought the performance did a great job with the characters, and it immersed me into the story, with the yummy food and drink descriptions too!

*many thanks to Minotaur Books, Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Oh goodness, what a whirlwind.
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies follows a bestselling author Eleanor Dash, whose sole purpose is to get through the book tour in Italy and finally kill off her character Connor Smith in her mystery series.

But suddenly the real-life Connor Smith is also being threatened, and Eleanor is enlisted to find who is threatening to kill the real man.

A little over the top, but a fun ride. I enjoyed the mystery and the characters were fun. I thought Eleanor was a great character to follow, I did enjoy the storyline and the writing was good. I would read more from this series in the future.

This was such a fun listen! The perfect audiobook to listen to at the beach. This was my first Catherine Mack book, and definitely won't be my last! I really enjoyed the narrator as well.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this story. Somewhat slow moving, but inventive and quirky. The use of footnotes, especially in the audiobook version, was very weird.

Personally I felt this book wasn't for me. I found the main characters to be not very likeable and it actually led to me DNF-ing the book. I really love the whole premise though. There's definitely and audience for this book though, as not everyone will feel as I do about the characters

I gave this book beyond 50% before I decided not to finish it. At this point I wasn't really invested in the characters or in the story. I didn't really care to know who wanted them killed and by that point nothing had really happened either. I felt that it took way too long for the mystery of this story to begin and the bickering between Connor and the main character was more annoying than anything else.

Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the ALC! #MacAudio2024

🍋 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🍋
I love books featuring authors as the main character and this cozy murder mystery hits the spot! It is the first book in the Vacation Mysteries series, and I look forward to the next one!

Eleanor Dash is going on an Italian book tour for the 10th anniversary of her first book. She has to deal with Connor Smith, who she got involved with 10 years ago when they solved a crime together… leading her to base her main character off of him. He has been irritating her since then! She also has crazy fans, an ex boyfriend, and other shenanigans happening. In the midst of chaos, there is murder and Eleanor is trying to stay safe and solve it!

I enjoyed the breaking the fourth wall perspective in the book. Eleanor literally called herself an unreliable narrator, which was amusing! Her main character Connor was annoying and comical at the same time. I liked how we were taken in circles as to who could have the motive and means to the murders that happen on this trip. It kept me guessing until the end!

I look forward to reading the next one in this series! I enjoy a cozy mystery with humor blended in!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
Elizabeth Evan’s was amazing as Eleanor, bringing a witty and charming persona to life! She was great at narrating all of the fourth wall moments in her role.

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🍋 Cozy Murder Mysteries
📘 Books featuring Authors
📗 Breaking the Fourth Wall
🍋 Italian Book Tour
📙 Blackmail and Funny Characters

I think this story would be better as a book than an audiobook. I did find the audiobook somewhat confusing and difficult to follow, but that could have been partially due to the format with which I consumed the book. I would check out more books by this author though.

Eleanor Dash is a best selling author of a mystery series starring a male P.I. She is being extorted by the man, Connor Smith, who the books are based on. She is tired of her ties to Connor and her goal is to kill him off in her next book. She is on a book tour in Italy, and of course Connor is there. When there is an attempt on his life, then Eleanor's it becomes a real whodunnit. With some crazy fans, jealous authors and their partners, a stalker and Eleanor's ex, Oliver, there are secrets revealed that could be motive. With lots of suspects, will they find the culprit before Connor or Eleanor end up dead in real life?

This was such a fun first book in a series. I love that the MC is an author of the Vacation Mysteries series and that they are in danger. The characters are an eclectic bunch with Connor being a con-man, and several authors and fans being a bit off. The characters are flawed, at times unlikeable, and not completely trust worthy. Eleanor's sister is her personal assistant, and at times she is the main suspect. Even the police are a caricature based on the way they were treated in the past, and their reaction in this book. There are a lot of suspects with motives, so which one is trying to get away with murder. The ending was satisfying, with everything tied up nicely. There are many times that the reader will have to suspend belief, but it is fiction. I love that this is book has cozy mystery vibes, armchair travel and lots of humor. I do recommend it and am looking forward to seeing what is next for Eleanor Dash. I listened to this book narrated by Elizabeth Evans. She does a nice job with the story and voices and I enjoyed her performance.