ARC Review: No One Was Supposed to Die at this Wedding by Catherine Mack

No One Was Supposed to Die at this Wedding
Author: Catherine Mack
Series: The Vacation Mysteries (Book 2)
Publication: Minotaur Books (May 13, 2025)

Description: The second in a witty, USA Today bestselling series following author Eleanor Dash as she goes from wedding guest to murder mystery investigator at her best friend’s wedding on Catalina Island.

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.

My Thoughts: 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.  

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.