Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies (Vacation, Bk 1) on + 704 more book reviews
Dollycas's Thoughts
Eleanor Dash is the bestselling author of the Vacation Mystery Series and she has had enough of her protagonist Connor Smith. Connor is based on a real person with the same name and that mistake has cost her dearly. It all started 10 years ago when a real attempt was made on his life, she got involved and decided their experience would make a great book. Now with the final book in the series under contract, she has decided she needs to kill the character off so that she can get him out of her life and get on with her own.
While on a book tour in Italy with other authors and super fans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 1st Vacation Mystery tour Eleanor is contemplating the perfect way to kill the character but it appears someone is actually trying to kill off the real Connor Smith or are they? Could she be the real target?
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Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a book written by an author about an author being an author. Eleanor Dash talks directly to the reader at what seems at breakneck speed with a lot of footnotes. Eleanor is a flawed individual who depends on her younger sister Harper to keep her entire life in order. Connor too is flawed. He has a past with Eleanor, first as a love interest, but even broken up he has inserted himself into her life as a "consultant/inspiration" for her books and made sure he receives a percentage of every dollar she makes. He is also sure someone is trying to kill him. Another ex, author, Oliver Forrest is on the tour too. Eleanor may still have feelings for him. Oliver may still have feelings for her. Eleanor cracked me up several times throughout the story. I would label her as snarky but very funny. The author has surrounded her with the perfect cast of characters. They all play off each other very well. The dialogues and interactions are crisp and feel real.
There were several murder attempts in the book, along with Eleanor's thoughts about how to kill Connor, the character, okay, and maybe the man too a few times. There were a couple of actual murders as well. Ms. Mack served up plenty of twists and turns that kept both the characters and this reader misdirected. The mystery was very well-plotted. I started to put things together before they were revealed or spelled out. One character drew my attention for several different reasons so I had them at the top of my suspect list. I wasn't expecting the true grandeur of the scheme though.
Eleanor Dash is not a fan of reviewers like me and can't believe anyone would give any of her books under 4 stars. She also calls GoodReads "MeanReads" claiming people are allowed to post reviews there for books that haven't even read. I won't let Eleanor's feelings affect my review.
I have to address the footnotes. I was reading a digital copy. At first, they were funny and entertaining and placed well within the text. As the story continued I found myself flipping pages to follow the number to the footnote because they were not lining up well at all. They messed with the flow and took away from the story. I know this is the price I pay for receiving an early copy. I hope these issues are fixed in the actual for-sale digital copies readers receive. Placed well, they make the writer's style of breaking the fourth wall unique.
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is full of humor, quirky characters, a little romance, and a clever mystery set in picturesque Italy that takes readers behind the scenes into the crazy publishing world. It was an entertaining read. I hope there is a sequel.
4 Starfish! That should make Eleanor happy.Â
Eleanor Dash is the bestselling author of the Vacation Mystery Series and she has had enough of her protagonist Connor Smith. Connor is based on a real person with the same name and that mistake has cost her dearly. It all started 10 years ago when a real attempt was made on his life, she got involved and decided their experience would make a great book. Now with the final book in the series under contract, she has decided she needs to kill the character off so that she can get him out of her life and get on with her own.
While on a book tour in Italy with other authors and super fans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 1st Vacation Mystery tour Eleanor is contemplating the perfect way to kill the character but it appears someone is actually trying to kill off the real Connor Smith or are they? Could she be the real target?
____
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a book written by an author about an author being an author. Eleanor Dash talks directly to the reader at what seems at breakneck speed with a lot of footnotes. Eleanor is a flawed individual who depends on her younger sister Harper to keep her entire life in order. Connor too is flawed. He has a past with Eleanor, first as a love interest, but even broken up he has inserted himself into her life as a "consultant/inspiration" for her books and made sure he receives a percentage of every dollar she makes. He is also sure someone is trying to kill him. Another ex, author, Oliver Forrest is on the tour too. Eleanor may still have feelings for him. Oliver may still have feelings for her. Eleanor cracked me up several times throughout the story. I would label her as snarky but very funny. The author has surrounded her with the perfect cast of characters. They all play off each other very well. The dialogues and interactions are crisp and feel real.
There were several murder attempts in the book, along with Eleanor's thoughts about how to kill Connor, the character, okay, and maybe the man too a few times. There were a couple of actual murders as well. Ms. Mack served up plenty of twists and turns that kept both the characters and this reader misdirected. The mystery was very well-plotted. I started to put things together before they were revealed or spelled out. One character drew my attention for several different reasons so I had them at the top of my suspect list. I wasn't expecting the true grandeur of the scheme though.
Eleanor Dash is not a fan of reviewers like me and can't believe anyone would give any of her books under 4 stars. She also calls GoodReads "MeanReads" claiming people are allowed to post reviews there for books that haven't even read. I won't let Eleanor's feelings affect my review.
I have to address the footnotes. I was reading a digital copy. At first, they were funny and entertaining and placed well within the text. As the story continued I found myself flipping pages to follow the number to the footnote because they were not lining up well at all. They messed with the flow and took away from the story. I know this is the price I pay for receiving an early copy. I hope these issues are fixed in the actual for-sale digital copies readers receive. Placed well, they make the writer's style of breaking the fourth wall unique.
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is full of humor, quirky characters, a little romance, and a clever mystery set in picturesque Italy that takes readers behind the scenes into the crazy publishing world. It was an entertaining read. I hope there is a sequel.
4 Starfish! That should make Eleanor happy.Â
