4.5 stars

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it definitely lived up to my expectations! This is such a fun series, and I love Eleanor's snarky, direct way of speaking to you, breaking the fourth wall both in the narrative and the (many) footnotes. She's unapologetically sarcastic, sometimes jealous, petty and unlikeable, and uses humor as a defense mechanism. Hmm, sounds familiar. No wonder I like her so much! 😅 When in Rome, Eleanor's best selling mystery book based on her involvement in an Italian bank heist caper, is being made into a movie, starring her childhood best friend Emma. Emma and her costar, Fred, fell in love on set and planned a surprise wedding at the end of shooting on Catalina Island for the cast and crew. As an unprecedented hurricane rolls up the coast, Emma starts receiving threatening notes claiming that someone will die at this wedding, and they are soon cut off from civilization. I'll admit that the story, motives, and character connections did start to get a bit convoluted, and laughed at Eleanor's (and surely the author's herself) commentary that she's a pantser, because at times it definitely read that way. But that zany, madcap feeling is all part of the fun for this type of over the top mystery, where you have to suspend belief to make it work. I can't wait to see what happens next in the Bahamas, where This Weekend Isn't Going to End Well For Anyone. ¹

¹ See what I did there?

This was a fun continuation of the series. I really enjoyed this story and the characters. This is a sequel so it is hard to to spoil the first book.

What a fun follow up! I absolutely loved this one, which isn’t something I can always say for a sequel. I thought the characters were fun, diving more into their dynamics was intriguing, and the mystery was quite well done. The pacing was different than a typical thriller or mystery, but I found it enjoyable.

Eleanor is off to a fabulous wedding weekend on Catalina Island for her best friend Emma. The only problem is, her friend has been receiving death threats. With the whole cast and crew of "When in Rome" on the island and ominous things happening (and not just because of the incoming hurricane), Eleanor will have to figure out who's out to get Emma, or if it's actually a ruse to steer people away from the actual murder target. A wacky, entertaining sequel that will keep you guessing until the very end. It's funny, suspenseful, and thoroughly enjoyable. Can't wait for the next book!

Eleanor Dash continues her amateur sleuthing, this time at her best friend's wedding. I love Eleanor's wittiness, especially with the footnotes and breaking the fourth wall. I listened to the audio for this one and it was a little harder to keep up with the characters, theories and what was the screenplay/movie vs the book. I think I would have followed along better if I read it. Overall super entertaining! Excited for a possible 3rd book!!

This second installment in the Vacation Mysteries was another hit for me! I really enjoy Catherine Mack's writing and the character of Eleanor Dash. This story follows Eleanor as she heads to Catalina Island for the wedding of her best friend Emma Wood to Fred Winters, another movie star. Chaos ensues as murders seems to follow Eleanor everywhere she goes. I found the book to be well paced and kept me entertained throughout. I look forward to the next book in this series! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
After the movie of her book wraps, Eleanor accompanied everyone to Catalina Island for the marriage of her best friend, Emma, and Fred Winters. Those two also happen to be the stars of the movie.
A large group of people stuck on an island during a hurricane warning with evacuation notices? Plus a bunch of outdoor activities that somehow get pulled off before the weather turns, except dead bodies keep turning up. And I don't know how realistic it is for a movie star bride to go on a ropes course the morning of her wedding?
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one. The storm was a major plot point but didn't seem to have a very significant impact, other than people not coming or going from the island for a bit. I kept reading to find out what happened, but honestly it could have been anyonr and I didn't have strong feelings. It felt like there were some loose ends left at the end of the book - Eleanor's relationships with various characters, and more detail about the guilty and how that ended up.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

This book was interminable. I honestly could not wait for it to end so that I could run to the library and find something to make me forget this experience. What should have taken me a day or two to read ended up taking me almost a week because I just had no interest in getting back into the cutesy, empty, rambling storytelling.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I was so excited the the sequel became available so quickly, but unfortunately I did not enjoy this one. Which is really strange because all the things I liked about the first book are still there ( the quirky voice, the first person perspective, the footnotes, the constant twist of the story) but this time around it felt annoying and trite, cutesy for the sake of "style". I get that this is how you caught your audience, but let's evolve with the series.
It could also be that this is a thing now in storytelling (see the Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone series) and now it's just grating on my nerves.

I didn't find the mystery compelling, with the constant red herrings and misdirection and confusion not really there to spice up the story but to highlight how inept every single person is who's trying to solve this. And the narcissism of the narrator is tiring.
I couldn't keep the characters straight, and I didn't even care. Turns out it didn't make a difference anyway. And the final reveal was - meh.

I think I'm done with this series. There will clearly be many more as the book ends with a fresh murder. And apparently the author has sold the rights for a television show? I'm thinking it'll be along the lines of Elsbeth or something equally quirky. Good for her! But I'm going to pass on any more of her work.

If you're into light, quirky, nonsuspenseful murder mysteries than this might work for you. Not a thrill to be found, but you may find it funny.

3.5⭐️
Cozy mysteries are truly my favorite sub genre of mysteries but especially this wonderful Vacation Mysteries series that Catherine Mack has created! I loved book 1 in this series, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies, and this next installment was just as great!!

No One Was Supposed To Die at This Wedding has the same funny, break the fourth wall narration that allows the reader to full immerse into the read. Set on the island of Catalina with a hurricane about to hit, we meet our rag tag group of characters as these murders start happening. The mystery in this one was so good and had me constantly questioning all the characters. I thought I knew who the killer was so many times but each reveal had me questioning everything. I don't normally love footnotes in books but the ones in this one really worked for me! Through the footnotes, we got to see Eleanor's snarky funny inner thoughts surrounding the plot events which I really enjoyed! I do think the audiobook would be my preferred method for reading because the footnotes were a bit hard to read at times.

Overall, this was a fun cozy mystery read filled with funny and charming characters! This is the perfect summer or vacation read for lovers of cozy mysteries!! I can't wait to see what Eleanor get up to next because the teaser at the end of this one has me very excited!!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my review

Title: No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding
Author: Catherine Mack
Series: The Vacation Mysteries #2
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: May 13, 2025

I received complimentary eARC and ALCs from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Conversational • Breezy • Chaotic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Attending your best friend’s wedding should be a piece of (wedding) cake, but not for Eleanor Dash, bestselling author of the Vacation Mysteries series. Because murder seems to follow her every time she goes on vacation and is definitely her uninvited plus-one to the special occasion.

Emma Wood, Eleanor’s best friend since childhood, is starring in the movie adaptation of When in Rome, Eleanor’s first novel. Emma is also marrying Fred Winters, a major movie star and Emma’s co-star, who just happens to be playing Connor Smith, Eleanor’s ex and leading man of the series.

Filming wraps and they invite the whole cast and crew to their wedding at nearby Catalina Island. There may be a storm headed their way—because of course there is—but nothing will stop their nuptials . . . that is until Emma receives a note that says 'Someone is going to die at the wedding.'

Eleanor is a professional at this point, and she’ll do everything she can to uncover the murderer so true love can prevail . . . before it’s too late for her and the rest of the storm-trapped wedding party.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies, Book 1 in The Vacation Mystery series from Catherine Mack was a fun-filled escape with a entertaining cast of characters, so I was excited to receive an early reader copy of Book 2, No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding, ahead of publication. I was expecting more of the same in the continuation of this cozy mystery series.

Eleanor is back and finds herself in a host of new outlandish situations and engaging in funny antics. Footnotes don't always work for me, yet here the snarky tone of Eleanor's internal thoughts really help move the story along and provide much needed comic relief. It's these footnotes that make it seem as though the narrator and the reader are the only one privy to these important details.

Elizabeth Evans returns with another fantastic performance as Eleanor on audio, capturing both the humour and charm of the story. She has distinct voices for each of the various characters and makes good use of a variety of accents. I definitely thought the narration brings the story to life in a way simply reading the words wouldn't.

Overall, No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding was a fun palette cleanser between a couple of more serious books with a large cast of charming characters. It's the perfect lighthearted read for summer or vacation. For anyone thinking of picking it up, the series should definitely be read in order to get the full experience and get to know the characters. I look forward to seeing what Eleanor and company get up to next.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• cozy mysteries
• fun summer reads
• breaking the fourth wall

⚠️ CW: death, murder, blood

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"It's my personal belief that the only people who hate weddings are sociopaths. Because they are in a room full of people they have to pretend in front of."

Till death do us part?

Just like with the first book in this series, I loved the narration in No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding. Breaking the fourth wall makes it feel like a friend recounting one of those you-won’t-believe-what-happened stories, complete with sarcasm and inside jokes.

The mystery was also great - lots of red herrings that had me suspecting nearly everyone except the actual murderer.

I do wish we’d gotten a bit more from the atmosphere. The story takes place on the island of Catalina with a hurricane about to hit, which could have great And Then There Were None vibes, but most of the build up takes place while the sun is still shining and ferries are still running.

Also, I don’t recommend reading the ebook version of this. The author makes great use of footnotes and it’s a pain in the butt to scroll through the ebook pages to find them.

Overall, a great summer read that has me looking forward to the next one in the series.

Cozy mysteries are hit and miss for me, but without a doubt Catherine Mack’s ‘The Vacation Mysteries’ series is an absolute hit! Book two in the adventures of Eleanor Dash was delightful and laugh-out-loud funny. But taking a step back, one thing that I LOVE about this series is how Mack constantly breaks the fourth wall. She talks directly to you and the publishing industry insight is so fascinating (because I know it’s true!).
This serious just doesn’t take itself seriously, yet is so witty and well-written. In book two Eleanor finds herself on Catalina Island at her best friends wedding when a storm hits and locks everyone onto the island. Murder obviously happens, and our full-time mystery author/part-time amateur sleuth gets to work trying to figure out what happened, however it’s an ensemble comedy at its finest.
I just adore this series and while you technically don’t have to read the first book to follow this one, I highly recommend it because you’ll get to know the characters and back story so well (and honestly it’s also just a delightful book). I really hope we get a third book in this series!

Thank you @macmillanaudio for the gifted audiobook! Thank you to @minotaurbooks for the eARC! I fell in love with this writing style and this main character when I read Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies. The teaser at the end of the book had me hooked and I cannot wait for more escapades in this series. It’s a much different dynamic and a smaller setting, a stark contrast to the first book. The entire novel takes place within one wedding week/weekend, & it’s clear that someone is out to get the bride and/or groom and it’s up to our amateur sleuth/murder-mystery author heroine to solve the crime and save the day once again.

There was a lot happening and many misdirects - the mystery kept me on my toes this time and with the smaller setting and seemingly fewer characters it was nice to have so many possibilities that could have made sense. I loved the callbacks to the first book, and seeing Eleanor and Oliver’s relationship growth (tbh I’m worried the love triangle isn’t done yet though) was nice. I’m excited for more to come in this series!

Entertaining murder mystery. Having visited Catalina Island helped me enjoy the story even more. Many surprises. A unique way of telling the story. I would have been happier without the "f" word. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Book and NetGalley for the eARC. This book was laugh out loud funny, witty, and the foot notes were a great touch!

No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding - Catherine Mack
Pub Date - 5/13/25
Rating - 3/5
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is a very interesting cozy mystery set on Catalina Island. The main character, Eleanor, is a best selling author of the Vacation Mystery Series, who writes her books based on her real life. One of those books, When In Rome, is finishing up filming at the beginning of this book, leading the reader into a wedding weekend. Eleanor is the maid of honor at this wedding since the bride is her childhood best friend and lead actress in the movie. Since death seems to always follow Eleanor, naturally someone dies.

This was a very witty and fun book! It gives Finlay Donovan vibes, which is a series I absolutely love. The story, plot, and events were well written. I felt like the story could have moved a little faster, which is why i gave it a lower rating. Overall, great story, and will definitely be checking out the first installation to this series.

Book 2 in The Vacation Mysteries series was a hit! I just LOVE the FMC, Eleanor- and her footnotes! Eleanor is super witty, and had me laughing out loud through the whole book! I thought this storyline was really unique, and the pacing worked really well. I was able to fly through this book, and DID NOT predict the twists. I'm hoping there are more stories in this series, because I really enjoy them.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I truly appreciate when an author can make me laugh out loud when I'm reading. To accomplish that in the midst of wedding drama, mysterious threatening notes, and bodies dropping like flies, I'm even more impressed. I was thrilled when I received the eARC for No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding, as I had just finished the first book in the series Everytime I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies. Finding another series of cozy mysteries with a side order of snark has this reader very happy.

These characters. Eleanor simply can't walk away from anything that slightly resembles a mystery. And she drags poor Oliver and Harper along, ignoring all the dangers, and putting herself into the crazies of situations. The twists and turns in this book kept me guessing all the way through, and although I had one plot line figured out, there were a lot of surprises by the time I reached the end. The footnotes add the perfect amount of snark and sarcasm, and they might be my favorite aspect of these books.

Looking forward to seeing where Eleanor and her motley crew end up next. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I anticipate many positive reviews for this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Publishing for the ARC of No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding" in exchange for an honest review.

With open arms, I welcome back Eleanor Dash, best selling mystery author and world's most luckless traveler to beautiful places. Because where El goes, fictional murders turn into real ones. Yes somehow, with her first person narration dripping with witty sarcasm, she stumbles her way into identifying the killer. And readers get a far more sunny, funny vacation than Eleanor's coterie of friends, enemies, frenemies, lovers and suspects.

After her calamitous book tour through Italy, El's on gorgeous Catalina Island not only to watch the filming of her book, but to attend the wedding of her movie star friend Emma and her co-star Fred. From the cast and crew, the guest list is of course rounded out with every Hollywood arch=type you can think of., along with the Eleanor's current love-of-her-life novelist Oliver and the never ending thorn-in-her-side, the dashing rogue, Connor. (She's still living with the mistake of making him the romantic lead in her mysteries.)

Like the most beloved murder mysteries set in islands off the coastline, a hurricane's headed for Catalina to coincide with the wedding. Also coinciding with the nuptials......simmering rivalries, ominous secrets, threatening notes, mysterious near fatal 'accidents'.......and dead bodies.

Loaded with laugh out loud moments, author Catherine Mack takes multiple whacks at the foibles of the publishing world and Hollywood's cast of A-Listers, Hangers-on and Bottom Feeders. Eleanor's self-depreciating narrative makes her the most endearing character amid this nest of oddballs and vipers, and you don't want to miss her further comic asides via her footnotes.

I had the same great time with this one as with the first book in the series and will definitely book my ticket for wherever El lands next. One of the most delightful 5 star beach reads you'll find this year.





Reading Progress

DNF at 14%. Witty, witty tone from the start, but I couldn't find a footing with this book from the get-go. It's the 2nd book in the series, and it showed. Readers typically get a big of a recap when reading a series, but the recap in this was too jumbled and too you-should-have-read-the-first-one.

Yes, yes, I should have, but I was excited to read this and thought perhaps the setup would be simplified and actually fun. Turned out, it barely gave me the chance to sink into the scene or the characters before shifting to something else or someone else. This was to be a cozy mystery, but it was too many things that didn't land. Too bad because this just sounded so clever, and the wit was right up my alley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a copy of this. All opinions are my own.