I love this series and every single character in it. This second book is no exception. Mack is witty, funny, and creates mysteries that are predictable until they aren't.

No One Was Supposed to Die at the Wedding is a light, entertaining murder mystery with a fun setting and plenty of drama. While the twists are engaging and the pace is quick, the characters lack some depth, and a few plot points feel a bit rushed. Still, it’s an enjoyable weekend read for fans of cozy mysteries with a modern flair.

This was a fun follow up. A summer read where the author is directly talking to the reader will never not be fun. This wasn't as good as the first, I think it was because we sat in once location and it felt like we had to wait till it was revealed to us.

To the defense of this audiobook, this series is MORE fun when read in print. There are footnotes which lose their impact in the audio since you can't tell that they are being read as easily as in print. It's this breaking of the 4th wall that really just make me adore this series. That being said, this is a cute cozy series with a famous writer who creates books while living her life.

Even though this is book two in The Vacation Mysteries series, you'll be fine to jump in since she reflects back to the first book and shares the important details. This time she is at a wedding on Catalina Island, a place I hope to visit one day! It is a locked-door mystery with several potential criminals. It's not her wedding but that of the actor who plays her book characters on screen. One addition is the help from her boyfriend, which makes me hopeful he will be in future books.

If you are interested in watching her mess her way to solving the crime, this one will delight you.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for sharing this cozy mystery's ALC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was another witty, clever, and head-spinning story from author/detective Eleanor Dash's point of view, which is filled with humorous internal dialogue. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and listened to the audiobook version of this one.
I spent the last few chapters of the book continually changing my mind about who was behind the murders, a story that truly kept me guessing right to the end.
Another entertaining story from this author! Thanks to NetGalley and Mintaur Books for the ARC audiobook of this fun story.

When Eleanor heads to her best friend's wedding on Catalina Island, hijinks and murder follow. A movie adaptation of Eleanor's book, When in Rome, with Emma starring and engaged to the actor playing Connor Smith. A note saying Someone is going to die at the wedding" . Will it happen & who will it be? Connor is back as is Mack, Eleanor's lover. Great fun, perfect summer read (or anytime)! Elizabeth Evans' narration was spot on and I loved listening to the audio!

A delightful blend of cozy mystery and Hollywood glamour, with Eleanor Dash—bestselling author and reluctant amateur sleuth—once again finding herself in the middle of a murder investigation, this time at her best friend’s wedding. With storms rolling in, secrets flying, and a suspicious note threatening doom, the stakes are high, and Eleanor is in her element.
The story balances humor, suspense, and heartfelt moments, making it a breezy, page-turning escape. While the plot leans into familiar tropes, it does so with wit and charm. Perfect for fans of light mysteries with a dash of celebrity drama and a strong, savvy heroine.
Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for an ALC!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance audio copy of this title. This is the second in a series with Eleanor Dash as the main character. She is a mystery writer who seems to always be in a mystery! In this story, Eleanor and sister and close friends are at the wedding of her best friend on Catalina Island with an impending hurricane. As the deaths pile up, Eleanor and company slowly figure out who the culprits are. A quick, but not entirely cozy, mystery; just a fun read.

No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding was the perfect follow up to Every Time I go on Vacation Someone Dies. I loved being back in the world of the Vacation Mysteries and following Eleanor Dash as she unravels another mystery! This kept me guessing until the very end.

Elizabeth Evans absolutely KILLED the narration. She truly brought the story to life and made every jaw dropping moment all the more exciting.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC!

This one was a fun follow up to part one, Every Time I go on Vacation Someone Dies! I do think you should read the first one prior to this one so you can get a better understanding of the context for much of what they say!

As with the first one, this was a fun and easy read! I loved how light and breezy it was and read it in a day!

While I would read this series if it continues, I'd be even more excited for some new characters from Catherine Mack!

The narrator did a great job and made this such a fun listening experience!

3.5 stars

It was okay to read. It was more YA type of mystery and didn't feel like a thriller as much. It definitely had it ups and downs but it seemed like it dragged on a little too long and had too much going on.

This audiobook held me captive right from the beginning! Eleanor Dash is an author and her newest book is being made into a movie. At the end of filming the stars are getting married and she has been invited to the wedding. Of course she has, the bride is her best friend. When the guests arrive on the island they find out they are there for a real wedding and things start happening. Threatening notes and an impending major storm/hurricane and when bodies start dropping they look to Eleanor to solve the mystery. Such a fun story, full of twists and turns.

No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding by Catherine Mack was the 2nd installment in The Vacation Mysteries. I read the first one in book form and really liked it. I did the audiobook on this book and did not enjoy it as much. I felt like it was a narrator issue (Elizabeth Evans). I had a hard time completing the book because of this. I'm not sure if I will read the next book in the series or not. I will definitely skip the audiobook if I decide to continue with the series.

Synopsis:
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.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced digital copy of the book for my opinion.

What an adventure! This was my first Catherine Mack book, but definitely not my last. Although this was second in a serious, we get enough background information to not feel left out. I absolutely love how our narrator Elle talks directly to the reader and drags us into the action. And though I listened to the audiobook, I could still hear it when the hilarious footnotes were being read. This book is laugh out loud funny! I’m sure my fellow Houston drivers thought I was a crazy woman if they saw me driving while I was listening to this. I smiled throughout the entire thing. I loved the pop culture references— hey fellow Swifties!! Wonderfully written and perfect narration. I’m ready for the next one! Big thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of this recording.

Eleanor Dash is such an amazing character with her author background and witty sense of humor. I’m so glad more of these books are coming. The cozy plot is entertaining with an intriguing mystery and secondary characters that always deliver entertainment. I read both books in this series in audiobook, and Elizabeth Evans did such a great job with the narration.

I was so happy to continue the adventures of Eleanor and her sister, Harper and the murder and mayhem that surround them. In this episode, Eleanor's best friend Emma is having a surprise wedding on Catalina Island following the filming of the movie about Eleanor's last book and to her co-star in that film. Most of the characters from the prior book are included in some way due to the movie of their earlier escapades and murder follows. While the book is a bit convoluted at the beginning with having to track the story of a story within a story and the movie inside that story (see what I mean) it does get its feet under it and take off int he second half. I both read and listened to this title and would recommend both. It was easier to read at times with the script pages and other characters monologues thrown in, but then again was easier to listen to as the footnotes flow more evenly in the audio version and the narrator is delightful. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the early access to both in exchange for my honest opinion.

Catherine Mack’s *No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding* delivers a breezy, meta-infused cozy mystery that’s as much about its quirky narrator as it is about the murder plot. This second installment in the Vacation Mysteries series finds bestselling author Eleanor Dash attending her best friend’s secret wedding on Catalina Island, only to be swept into yet another murder investigation—because, of course, someone dies at the wedding.

What Works:

Eleanor’s voice remains the standout feature. Her snarky footnotes, pop culture references, and self-aware commentary add a layer of humor and charm that keeps the tone light, even as bodies start piling up. The Hollywood-meets-murder setting is fun, and the inclusion of a hurricane trapping the wedding party adds a classic locked-room vibe. Mack’s conversational writing style makes the book feel like a friend recounting a wild weekend.

What Falls Short:

While the premise is promising, the execution falters in places. The pacing drags in the middle, with repetitive suspect interrogations and meandering internal monologues. The large cast of characters—some underdeveloped—makes it challenging to keep track of motives and relationships. Additionally, the mystery’s resolution feels somewhat convoluted, with certain plot threads left unexplored.

Final Verdict:

*No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding* is a decent follow-up that maintains the charm of the original while raising the stakes. Like a good wedding, it has its awkward moments and occasional lulls, but ultimately delivers a celebration worth attending—even if someone does end up dead in a broom closet.

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I loved this sequel! It was so good with an ending I didn't see coming. I will totally read the next in this series. I believe this one was even better then the first.

Please hold while I go run to listen to Catherine Mack’s first book in the Vacation Mysteries series! Because if book 2 was this good, I need to immediately listen to book 1!

I could not stop listening to this mystery that both made me laugh out loud and kept guessing who the murderer was! Read or listen to this one if you’re a fan of the movie Clue!

Also, the narration was perfection
- especially how she handled the “foot notes”.

Thank you,@macmillan.audio for my free audiobook. #MacAudio2025 #macmillanaudio

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding (The Vacation Mysteries, Book 2) by Catherine Mack
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 337 / Genre: Cozy Mystery
Audiobook Narrator: Elizabeth Evans
Duration: 8 hours 45 minutes
Release Date: May 13, 2025

Like the first book in this series, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies, this was a cute lighthearted cozy mystery. As indicated by the title, Eleanor attends a wedding where someone dies. The writing is fun but a little too cutesy for me. She’s also footnote crazy, which makes reading on an ebook super annoying. If you’re going to read this one, definitely go for the audiobook. It reads seamlessly that way, which begs the question—why doesn’t she just write it that way instead of using the irritating footnotes? Because that’s her thing? Time to find a new thing. Seriously.

Anyhoo, Elizabeth Evans does a marvelous job narrating the audiobook.