I have not read the first book in the series but was intrigued by the description. This is cute, twisty, sarcastic and at times a very chaotic Hollywood mystery. The story for me was a bit laggy in some areas. It just didnt quite fully immerse me or grab me. This is a classic, easy going whodunnit. The twists were unique and I didn’t fully see the ending coming. If you are in the mood for some light, quirky wedding drama mystery it might be for you.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC.

No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding is the follow up in the Vacation Mysteries series and while I liked this one I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book. There were still some good twists and some fun moments but it just didn't hit the same way for me as the previous book. I will still recommend and will absolutely look for the next book in the series rating 3/3.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 11%

Yeah, so there wasn’t really anything wring with this. I think it’s well written, I just didn’t mesh with the style. Like the asides and interruption and I don’t know, too casual conversational. I just couldn’t do it. I think this book will be excellent for someone else. It was interesting what I did read. It just wasn’t for me sadly.

Thank you to NetGalley & Minotaur Books for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ebook ARC in exchange for my review.

This is the sequel to "Every time I go on Vacation, Someone Dies", which I didn't really love. IT was supposed to be cute and funny, but I really didn't enjoy that one. I was hesitant to go into this one, but I crossed my fingers and gave it a shot. I didn't care for this one either. Adding the footnotes to the book didn't come off as cute and funny, it just made for more distractions. Also, I was reading an uncorrected proof ebook, not the final edition, so hopefully the foot notes are cleaned up before publication.

This was just a huge miss for me.

2 stars - it was ok. I wouldn't spend money on it, but if you're bored and it's at your library, might give it a try.

3.5 stars

Thanks so much to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book! While you don’t have to read Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies before you read this, it would help put some things into context for you.

Eleanor, the author of the Vacation Murders series, is tremendously excited that When in Rome, the first book in the series, is finally being adapted for the movies. Her childhood best friend Emma is starring as the character modeled after Eleanor herself, and the handsome Fred Winters, an Oscar-winning actor, is playing the male lead, based on Eleanor’s ex (and frequent nemesis), Connor.

In an example of life imitating art, Emma and Fred fell in love while filming and plan to get married once the movie wraps. Everyone is invited to Catalina Island for the wedding. Eleanor will be Emma’s maid of honor.

But before the wedding festivities begin, Emma tells Eleanor that she’s received a threatening note which promises that someone will die at the wedding. She asks Eleanor to try and figure out who’s behind the threats. Of course, Eleanor isn’t expecting Connor to be at the wedding as well, nor is she surprised that he wants to help investigate.

As people start dying and close calls keep occurring, Eleanor starts to uncover a confusing web of secrets and lies. Every time she thinks she’s figured things out, something shifts. At the same time, a hurricane is heading for Catalina. (Naturally.)

This is a fun cozy series that definitely keeps you guessing. There are a lot of characters, and some are actors portraying the characters, so at times it’s hard to keep track of everyone. Eleanor is an appealing, yet sarcastic and insecure character that I really enjoy, and I’m excited there’s a third book on the horizon!

This book publishes 5/13/2025.

This one was such a fun romp and a delightful follow up to the first in the series! Eleanor Dash is back at it for her best friend's wedding to celebrate but unfortunately things start to go awry, as they often do for Eleanor.

I did feel like a lot of the names were confusing and I needed a bit of a refresher on everyone. I wish this had been a little more seamless within the story itself. Despite that, I still very much enjoyed the story and had a great time with this novel.

I was thoroughly blown away by the twist as I was in denial about who were potentially suspects and could have been committing murders.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This second book in the Vacation Mysteries was an engaging romp. Eleanor Dash is on the set of a movie being made from her first book - the book that launched her career. Her best friend Emma is playing her main character and A-List movie star Fred Winters is playing the part of Connor Smith. Unfortunately, the director is a childhood frenemy. Things should be going well despite her disputes with the screenwriter who has seemingly changed not only her dialog but the ending of the story.

The finale of the filming is a trip to Catalina Island for the wedding of Emma and Fred. Eleanor is convinced the Emma is moving too fast. Sure, she's had a crush on Fred for years, but she doesn't really know him. Then the notes start arriving - vaguely threatening and cut out of letters from recent scripts.

Does someone want Emma dead? Or is something else going on? Connor has shown up claiming to be hired by the director who wants Connor to look into Fred's finances. Fred owes him bunches of money. And not only are there threats but a hurricane is bearing down on Catalina Island leaving one lone rookie cop when threats escalate to suspicious deaths.

This was a very twisty story with generous punches of humor. One seldom reads a mystery with footnotes, but they are very successful here. And the story is told by Eleanor in the first person. She has a very quirky viewpoint and voice.

For fun and thrills, this is an excellent story.

This follow-up to Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies has Eleanor Dash at the impromptu wedding of her BFF after the movie adaptation of Eleanor's first book wraps. The wedding is on beautiful Catalina Island except there's a tropical storm on the way, everyone's stuck on the island and the bodies start piling up!

The story picks up a couple of days before the last book left off to give readers a heads up about where things ended (although I strongly recommend reading the first book to get your bearings). This locked room mystery features a large cast (and their complicated relationships) who were a challenge to keep track of but if you're reading on a Kindle or Kobo, using the search option will help remember who's who.

This is an easy-going whodunnit but it lagged in a few places for me. This sequel was a little less funny, less engaging and a touch too chaotic and despite feeling like it never quite grabbed my attention, the reveal was a nice surprise.

I really enjoyed the first book and like that Eleanor continues to be a flawed but endearing character. The footnotes (and their delightful snark) make another appearance and were handled without distracting this reader and added some levity.

If you're in the mood for a mystery, check out this new addition to the series where Mack provides some wedding drama and decent twists for readers who enjoy a story with a bit of a quirky cozy mystery vibe.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Minotaur Books for the complimentary advanced digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

Another fabulous read in this series. I really enjoyed the first book, and I am happy to say that the follow-up is just as good. This time, we find Eleanor Dash involved with the Hollywood production of "When in Rome", starring her best friend Emma and major movie star Fred Winters. Emma falls in love with her leading man and plans a secret wedding at the close of production at an exclusive resort on Catalina Island. However, a hurricane is blowing in, and that is not the only trouble ahead! Emma has received threatening notes that indicate that someone is going to die at the wedding. Can Eleanor figure it out before her friend's wedding is ruined? It's a witty, amusing and fast-paced murder mystery that breaks the fourth wall. Catherine Mack has great dialogue, and I love all the footnotes and banter. I am looking forward to the next in the series.

A Murder Mystery...written by a Swiftie. Need I say more?
I adored Every Time I Go On Vacation..., and needless to say I am a HUGE FAN! (Not Eleanor's stalker, Crazy Cathy type fan, jsyk)
This mystery has it all: beautiful setting, swoony MMC sidekick, hilarious banter, and all of the red herrings that will keep your guessing until you reach THE END. Thank you so much, Catherine Mack, for your wit and your Footnotes. They are top notch.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur, for an ARC of No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding. Pub Date: May 13, 2025.

I didn’t love this one. I really enjoyed Every Time I go on Vacation Someone Dies so I was excited for the next book in the series. A big issue for me was the footnoted. It was addressed before the start of the book that the formatting was off on the arc so I knew it going in. The footnotes are some of the funniest points so I felt like I really missed out. The story didn’t captivate me like the first one. Would recommend but I didn’t love.

I was obsessed with every time I go on vacation someone dies so when I got approved for this I immediately started it. This was just as much of a fun ride as the last.

Interesting format, more layers than a princess wedding dress! With a look into Hollywood movie production and the books they are based on setting up lots of opportunities for deceit and intrigue. This tale keeps the readers interest with the many twists and turns. A great read!

Fast-paced and funny, with a crazy group of characters (including many from the first book) and another vacation setting with a locked room vibe. Eleanor and crew are on an island for a wedding, with a hurricane bearing down and, it turns out, a murderer on the loose. While I did struggle a bit with the number of potential killers (everyone is a suspect! How can they all be so awful!?) and with the resolution, the story moved so fast and the footnotes were so much fun, it was easy to just ignore any overkill and enjoy reading!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC of this book. I absolutely adore Eleanor Dash and the characters in her orbit. This book is the perfect cozy mystery to read this summer. The snippets of Hollywood glam and the California setting pair perfectly with a day in the sunshine. I don't always love when an author breaks the fourth wall but Catherine Mack does it right. Tell me why the footnotes bring back the nostalgia of Lizzie McGuire's inner dialogue via her cartoon self, makes for such a fun read!

💒 No One my Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding - Catherine Mack

4 ⭐️ - Welcome back to the world of hilarious, whimsical murder mysteries. I was so happy to be back in Eleanor Dash’s chaotic author/detective life. This one is just as bantery, funny, and mysterious as the first book!

It’s so weird to say that a murder mystery book is fun; but this series is! It gives me the same feeling as when I read Finlay Donovan. I am invested in the murder mystery as well as the characters and their banter and connection, the storylines, and the fun they also have. This one is a classic wedding on an island, bad storm, Agatha Christie vibe. It was fun, ridiculous, and mysterious at the same time. You don’t necessarily need to read the first book to read this one BUT I highly recommend that you do. There’s a lot of characters and their backstories, connections, and storylines will make more sense if you read book 1 first. I love this series and I can’t wait to continue reading it!

Thank you to Catherine Mack, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for the early ARC! This one hits shelves on 5/13!

Catherine Mack is back with a vengeance in No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding, the hilarious and suspenseful sequel that proves murder is definitely a bad plus-one.

Bestselling author Eleanor Dash is off to Catalina Island for her best friend's movie-star wedding. What could go wrong, right? Well, for starters, a threatening note predicts a death, a storm is brewing, and Eleanor's ex is the groom.

Mack serves up a delicious cocktail of laugh-out-loud humor, zany characters, and a twisty plot that will keep you guessing until the very end. Eleanor's signature wit and fourth-wall-breaking asides make you feel like you're in on the investigation, and just when you think you've figured it out, Mack pulls the rug out from under you.

If you're looking for a mystery that doesn't take itself too seriously but still delivers a satisfying whodunit, No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding is your perfect escape. Think Agatha Christie meets a modern-day comedy of errors, with a dash of Hollywood glamour and a boatload of laugh-out-loud moments.

This is the second of a series featuring mystery author, Eleanor Dash. Although I read the first in the series, I didn’t remember much, and I found it wasn’t really necessary to read the first to enjoy this book.

I find these mysteries fresh and enjoyed the mystery and humor. In this sequel. Eleanor is on Catalina Island for her best friend’s wedding. Since her friend is an actress starring in the dramatization of one of Eleanor’s books, there is lots of Hollywood info. I really enjoyed Eleanor’s take on the filming process, the Catalina Island setting, and Eleanor’s sly asides and the hilarious footnotes.

A very enjoyable read!

Cute and twisty!! I have to say, I think I liked the first one more- it felt very fresh and fun and this one almost felt like the same book in a vaguely different location?? I also think I enjoyed the footnotes more in the first book, in this one they felt less funny to me (more factual maybe?? and less quippy inside thoughts). Aside from the similarities, the twists were unique and overall I liked the story and the whodunnit aspect. I didn’t see the ending coming which is always a win. I am looking forward to reading the third one when it comes out though! I really enjoy the world that Catherine Mack is building here!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC. All opinions are my own :)

Eleanor Dash, author extraordinaire, will be attending the wedding of her best friend, Emma Woods, after wrapping up the movie adaptation of her Eleanor’s first novel. Emma is starring in the movie along side Fred Winters whom she will be marrying on Catalina Island now that the filming of the movie is finished.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing Minotaur Books for the early copy. This is the second book I have read by Catherine Mack and this review is my honest opinion.
What I did not like:
So many characters were introduced in the first chapter I had to go back and read it again to keep them straight.
I also did not like the footnotes as I thought they were distracting. (The author did acknowledge this may be the case for some readers.)
What I did like in this pleasurable book:
The amusing and snarky dialogue of the characters, especially Eleanor.
All the twists and red herrings.
The love interest between Eleanor and Oliver.
The “whodunit” at the end
The intro “cliffhanger” for the author’s next book.