It was so fun to go on another adventure with Eleanor Dash! The footnotes were fun. The narrator breaking the fourth wall to speak to the reader was great. The characters were amazing both the returning ones & the new ones. The story started off on a movie set then moved to celebrating a wedding. Shenanigans ensued & as usual, Eleanor gets up to all sorts of trouble. I smiled & laughed so much in this book. I never had the mystery figured out & was surprised by the ending. I loved the nods to Agatha Christie again & will likely try one of her books because of it. I really hope there will be more books in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a copy of this book.

thiss book is perfect for those who love a cozy mysteries,, this book is totally worth checking out!! It doesn’t take itself too seriously and very satire, and that’s what makes it so entertaining. The story itself moves fast, the characters are funny, and the mystery kept me guessing the whole time. this book could be read as a standalone too! a very much bingeable series

2-1/2 stars, rounded up to 3

I've enjoyed all of Catherine McKenzie's books, so when she started this series under the name of Catherine Mack, I was excited to read them. But, I was quite disappointed in book #1. Nevertheless, when this 2nd book came up on Netgalley, I decided to give the series another try. Nope. Still not for me. I don't like any of the characters and really don't care what happens to them. Eleanor in particular is annoying as all get out. Her stream of consciousness writing style, along with the mostly unnecessary footnotes, keeps pulling me out of the actual story, such that it is.

I don't know how many more books are planned for this series, but I won't be reading any more of them.

When mystery author Eleanor Dash heads to her best friend’s star-studded wedding on Catalina Island, murder crashes the party—again. With a storm rolling in and a chilling note warning that someone will die, Eleanor must unmask the killer before the vows turn into a final farewell.

I was thrilled to dive into the second installment of The Vacation Mysteries series, and it absolutely delivered. Eleanor’s signature snark and razor-sharp wit are back in full force, and I was completely hooked from page one. The plot is packed with twists, and Catherine Mack masterfully keeps you guessing with clever red herrings and a cast of suspicious—but distinct—characters that are easy to keep straight.

Mack’s inventive storytelling shines through Eleanor’s direct commentary to the reader, witty footnotes, and laugh-out-loud observations that give the mystery a fresh, entertaining edge. The moody, storm-swept setting of Catalina Island is the perfect backdrop for a wedding weekend turned deadly, and I felt completely transported. I loved the return of familiar faces from book one, especially Oliver, whose presence added tension and heart. Despite thinking I had it all figured out, the ending took me completely by surprise—which, for me, makes this a standout whodunnit and a total must-read. Book three can’t come soon enough!

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun read. It was witty, mysterious, and I must say, very creative. The characters were quirky and some were really a hoot! It was a very funny and enjoyable whodunnit. The writing by Catherine Mack was spot-on! This is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. Why I haven't read the first one is beyond me. Now I must move it up the TBR pile. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

I totally loved the first book in this series, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies, so I knew when I settled in to read this one that I was going to have an entertaining time. And boy did I! I think I spent the entire time with a smile on my face, if not LOL, because of the crazy antics of Eleanor and her friends.

It's supposed to a beautiful wedding getaway on a remote island but then a storm threatens to ruin the ceremony. But no, wait—a death threat and then a dead body does that. As things go from bad to worse, the direness of the situation and the bumbling of the people involved kept me amused even as I wanted the mystery to be solved and no one else to be hurt.

This is a hilarious series and I love everything about it. I can't wait for more! No pressure, Catherine, but well, maybe there kind of is, a little. I highly recommend No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding as well as the first book in this series.

No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding is the 2nd in The Vacation Mysteries by Catherine Mack. This time we follow Eleanor to her best friend’s wedding after filming of the movie based on her first book! I have to be honest, this story didn’t grab me in the way the Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies did. I enjoyed the banter and there was still mystery and suspense, but I just wasn’t hooked. I read the first after publication in physical form and the “footnotes” were at the bottom of each page. That helped them flow really well with the overall story. In the eARC, they’re at the end of each chapter (not sure if that’s how the electronic copies always are even after publication) or if that was specific to the advanced copy, but it caused them to have less impact on the story overall. Usually by the time I got to the end of the chapter I couldn’t always remember what they were referencing. If you enjoyed the first, you should definitely check this one out!

I read the previous book in the series and found it really enjoyable. So when I saw the second one, I had to read it. Being stuck on Catalina Island during a storm would be frightening, being stuck on Catalina Island during a storm with a murderer? Beyond frightening.

I love the dialogue, the characters, and the mystery in each and every one of these books. The author does such an excellent job in building her characters and bringing them to life. This is on my must read list for my mysteries.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I loved this one even more! Eleanor Dash is the main character and she is of course trying to solve various murders throughout the book. Eleanor is fun and quirky and it’s great we get to know all her innermost thoughts throughout the story. The setting is Catalina Island and the characters are there for a wedding. Of course a major storm happens to add to the atmosphere and it cuts them off from the mainland.. Eleanor’s best friend Emma is the bride and in the lead up to and after the wedding murders and chaos ensue. It was great there are so many characters back from the first book. They are definitely an enterating bunch. So who is the intended target to be murdered and will it be prevented? Who is behind the murders? You have to read the book for the answers. Definitely add this one to the TBR and be prepared to be immersed in the story!!

Book one of this series was an absolute delight, and book two was such a fun follow-up.

One of Eleanor Dash's books is finally being made into a movie starring her best friend Emma. The cast and crew take a weekend off during shooting to celebrate the wedding of Emma and her co-star Fred, but things immediately go wrong on Catalina Island, with bodies and clues piling up.

This series has such a distinct, witty tone to it, and I loved seeing all of the wild characters in action again. The mystery was absolutely full of twists and red herrings, and I definitely did not predict the ending!

Mack packs in the witty retorts and plenty of fourth wall breaking, all delivered in a semi-snarky tone on the audio by narrator Elizabeth Evans. Evans narrates multiple characters and footnotes with ease, making this such an entertaining listen. Her various character voices are distinct, super helpful in the scenes where all the characters are involved in the action.

Thank you to Minotaur for the gifted copy and Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook!

In this sharp and stylish mystery, Eleanor Dash—a famous mystery novelist known for her quick wit and observational skills—is invited to the wedding of her childhood best friend, Emma Wood, on the idyllic Catalina Island. The luxurious destination wedding promises beauty, romance, and celebration… until things go terribly wrong.

During the reception, Eleanor stumbles upon the dead body of a guest, stabbed with a cake knife. A mysterious note warned that someone would die at the wedding...and now someone has. Trapped on the island by a storm with limited access to the outside world, Eleanor feels compelled to use her storytelling instincts and sleuthing talents to find the killer before they strike again.

As Eleanor investigates, the story is peppered with her hilarious, snarky inner monologue and clever footnotes that provide commentary on the writing life, Hollywood adaptations of her books, and even the rules of mystery fiction. The plot twists and red herrings keep readers on their toes, while the glamorous yet claustrophobic island setting adds an extra layer of tension.

No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding is a smart, laugh-out-loud mystery that delivers both charm and chills. It’s great for fans of character-driven mysteries with a touch of Hollywood satire and plenty of heart. A satisfying read whether you're new to the series or already love Eleanor Dash.

4.0

I remember seeing “Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies” on the end cap of the library and it’s bold, interesting cover. I downloaded the audiobook and I do remember enjoying it. That’s about us much as I could tell you. That’s not a comment on the book, but rather on my ADHD brain and the number of books I read (but mostly my brain). It’s also worth noting that it was not long before or after listening to “The Guncle Abroad”, another book I liked and—although I couldn’t tell you all of the similarities—both take place in Italy. Both main characters are also minor celebrities and have wedding and murder plots.

[P.S Wait. After listening to the first book again, one has a wedding and one has a muder plot. No bonus points for guessing which is which.]

There are many mentions of the previous book, though, I can’t believe I’m saying this, you could perceivably read this without reading the first. After starting it, I did go back and check out the audio version of book one and I am enjoying it without remembering fully what happens to spoil the ending.

Although this new book takes place on Catalina Island, which I hear is lovely, it is no comparison to Italy. The added disappointment is that the weather is treacherous and because a hurricane is on its way, the island is also mostly deserted. I guess that plays into the plot in a sort of “And Then There Were None” feel, but is no match for the piazzas and pizzas of Italy.

I am a fan of Eleanor/El’s fourth-wall narrations, though not as much for the footnotes. Nothing against them personally. They didn’t seem to be present in the first book’s audiobook and I can never remember a reference by the time I get to the notes. Perhaps they were worked into the narrative for the audio fomat, but going back-and-forth within the text this time—even with links to and from the information—was a hassle.

This series is obviously jumping on the recent "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" bandwagon with both the title and the metafiction POV. I do like both thouh, particularly the narration. Ernest Cunningham as a self-published how-to-write-a-mystery ebook writer (without ever having written a mystery himself) is absolutely priceless, but his books are darker and not nearly as cozy as El’s series.

El is entertaining and the plot is complex enough, but maybe not wih the grip of the first novel. There must be a reason most of the series El wrote takes place in Italy. Connor is in this book too, though not as much of a central figure, and the rest are a mix or old and new characters, none of which are especially compelling on their own. It’s more of an ensemble cast.

This was an interesting, vivid read, though I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t just listened to the first book again. I always wonder, too, if switching from a well-done audiobooks series to the book format doesn’t factor negatively into my impressions. Still, the chaos that is El’s mind with lots of my brand of sarcasm could even be enough to carry the milktoast equivalent of settings.

Thank you to Catherine Mack, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book for my unbiased review.

#NoOneWasSupposedtoDieatthisWedding #NetGalley #bookreview #ADHDreader #metafiction #desertedisland #murder #mystery #EveryTimeIGoonVacationSomeoneDies #CatherineMack #StMartinsPress

A murder mystery book that will takeaway your whole weekend! ❤️

I love this one a whole lot more than the first one so it kind of started like the first one where a murder happened where it shouldn’t. Our protagonist took interest and started profiling guests and their interests. This book is so funny and witty! I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. 🫶🏻

Eleanor Dash is back as a wedding guest and amateur sleuth! Murder seems to follow Eleanor, best selling author of a Vacation Mystery series and she’s off to Catalina Island for her best friends wedding.

This was a fun follow up to book 1, Everytime I go on Vacation Someone Dies. I’m excited to see where the rest of the Vacation Mysteries series takes us!

If you like snark and banter you will enjoy this action packed murder mystery. This isn’t your typical straight forward mystery read - there’s a lot going on, drama and witty words between the characters that keep you entertained while trying to figure out who dun it!

Thank you to author, Catherine Mack, Publisher Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

No One Was Supposed To Die At This Wedding
Author: Catherine Mack
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: May 13th
Star Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Scoville Spice Scale: 🫑

"I Went To Hollywood And All I Got Was This Lousy Murder?"

Eleanor Dash is up to her elbows in murder suspects at the wedding of her long time friend, actress Emma Wood to actor Fred Winter. The Fred Winter who was Emma's teenage crush. Hollywood is in the midst of making a film out of Eleanor's first book "When In Rome" - the book based on her real life experience with Connor Smith and his schemes and doublecrossing. Connor is in the thick of it having secured himself a consulting title on the film. Somehow Emma and Fred have fallen in love in real life and secured Catalina Island for their wedding and for the cast and production crew. A litany of press will also join them. That is, until the hurricane. Because, of course, there is a hurricane and, of course, most of the island is going to be deserted. It's a Catherine Mack Mystery! Keep Up!

I loved the relationship between Oliver and Eleanor. He is the right amount of strength and calm to her frenetic and sarcasm. I loved how the Dash sisters pulled together in supporting each other, especially when Harper makes her big reveal. I loved the twists and turns. Phew! This was a rollercoaster!

The hurricane itself took one its own foreboding characteristics as it menaced everyone. Will it ruin everything? Will it strand them there on the island? Will there be enough alcohol to get through this (I did miss my Aperol Spirtzes!).

One technical YAY! note. The footnotes worked so much better with pop ups at the note¹ instead of just at the end of the chapter. Thank you! This made the reading so much more enjoyable!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I felt it had a few pacing issues but that really didn't take away from my enjoyment.

Thank you to @NetGalley @CatherineMcKenzieAuthor and @Minotaur_Books for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#noonewassupposedtodieatthisweddiding
#CatherineMcKenzieAuthor #MinotaurBooks
#ARCbookreview #outtoday #mysterybook

Your Next Cozy Mystery Read for Summer

Eleanor Dash is back—and she’s landed herself in yet another irresistible mystery. After loving the first installment in the series, I’m happy to report that the sequel delivers just as much charm, wit, and intrigue.

This time, we follow Eleanor as she takes on the role of maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding, set on a picturesque tropical island. But when a hurricane traps the wedding party, the story quickly turns into a delightful Agatha Christie-style locked-room whodunnit.

Following Eleanor is always a joy. She’s honest, relatable, and consistently funny—her fourth-wall-breaking commentary adds a unique flair that sets this series apart. It’s flat-out fun. The return of familiar side characters from book one is a welcome touch, and the new faces are just as engaging. The mystery itself is packed with twists and kept me guessing right up to the reveal.

I’m already looking forward to book three to see where this ragtag crew winds up next!

Read this if you enjoy:
-Cozy mysteries (perfect for a beach read!)
-Fast-paced stories
-A likable, quirky main character
-Endless plot twists
-Tropical settings
-Classic locked-room whodunnits

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books for the digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Eleanor Dash is back!! I seriously couldn’t wait to see how this story continued. I really enjoyed the first novel in the Vacation series called Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies and just couldn’t wait for the next one in the series. It seems like wherever Eleanor goes there is someone or a bunch of people murdered. Eleanor’s first novel “When in Rome” is being made into a movie starring her best friend Emma Wood and movie star Fred Winters. After the filming wraps up the entire cast & crew head to Catalina Island for Emma & Fred’s secret wedding. Hurricane Isabella starts to arrive setting the scene, bringing on more twists and turns. Emma receives a note that someone is going to die at her wedding. Can Emma & Eleanor figure out what is going on before the trip & wedding is ruined? There is the same humor, banter & wit from the first novel which I love. I honestly couldn’t figure out who the suspect was in this story. I was actually surprised at the end! I am happy that I couldn’t figure it out and the entire novel left me wondering. You can read this novel as a stand alone however, book 1 builds up the characters but with a different story line. It’s fun to read them in order but you can totally read this one first if it’s the first one by Catherine Mack you’re picking up. I absolutely recommend this novel as well as the first book and I look forward to seeing some more of Eleanor Dash in the future.

Another wild ride with Eleanore! The quirky stream-of-consciousness writing style and witty dialogue makes this story so entertaining. Like the first book, I enjoyed how the author breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to the reader. There were a few moments in the first half of the book where I felt it dragged a bit, but the pace picked up in the second half of the book. Thank you for the ARC, and I cannot wait for book 3!

Best-selling author Eleanor Dash is excited to see her best friend, Emma Wood, get married on Catalina Island. Emma is also starring in the movie adaptation of Eleanor's first novel and happens to be marrying her handsome co-star, Fred Winters. Everyone can't wait to celebrate but Emma gets a distressing note that someone is going to die. A storm is coming in more ways than one, and Eleanor is determined to figure out who the murderer is.

I enjoyed the first installment of this series (Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies), so I was excited to be back with Eleanor Dash on another adventure. This was the perfect entertaining and cozy mystery and I loved the footnotes (just like in the first book). The cast of characters in this one will immediately draw you in and won't let you go.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the ARC!

4.5/5!

This book was easily one of my most anticipated spring releases and it did not disappoint!

Last year I fell in love with Catherine Mack’s writing style and the characters who starred in Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies. Naturally, the next in the series was a must read!

Our main character, Eleanor Dash, is back and just as witty as ever as she attends her best friend’s wedding that turns, you guessed it, murdery! The location is isolated, the cast of characters are suspicious, and the fun is next level!

Fans of cozy mysteries that come with a side of sarcasm need to put this series on their must read list and get started soon because Mack teases at the end of this one that there will be a book three!