Murder Takes a Vacation

 

Author: Laura Lippman

Publisher: William Morrow

Publication date: June 17, 2025

Thank you William Morrow Books & NetGalley for the e-arc! 

Laura Lippman takes a turn to the cozy side of the mystery genre in her upcoming book. Not to worry, there’s still an enticing murder to solve. 

Muriel Blossom is a grandmother,  a widow, & recent lottery winner. She’s at an age where many women blend into the background, which helped with the bit of private investigative works she’s done. Mrs. Blossom is on her way to Paris when she meets handsome & charming Allan. He’s the first man to spark something in Mrs. Blossom since her beloved husband died. She didn’t expect to see Allan again, let alone for him to turn up dead in Paris. She also keeps running into a young man named Danny who tells her Allan was involved with smuggling a precious piece of art. Danny thinks Mrs. Blossom knows more than she letting on about the smuggling & the murder. As Mrs. Blossom embarks on a cruise up the Seine, she has more questions than answers & more men flirting with her. As the cruise progresses, the danger increases. Can Mrs Blossom find answers before it’s too late? 

I love Mrs Blossom! Kudos to Lippman for giving us a mature female detective. I loved seeing this character literally bloom throughout the her journey. She found strength & courage when she needed it most. I also enjoyed Mrs Blossom teaming up with Danny. They made an unlikely, but engaging pair of investors. This is a well constructed whodunnit sprinkled with Lippman’s usual wry wit. I found the whole book absolutely delightful. And I want more! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Murder Takes a Vacation publishes June 17 just in time to be your perfect beach read. 

QOTD: do you read cozy mysteries or do you prefer more hard boiled? 

I usually prefer hard boiled mysteries. 

About the Author

Laura Lippman was a reporter for twenty years, including twelve years at The(Baltimore) Sun. She began writing novels while working fulltime and published seven books about “accidental PI” Tess Monaghan before leaving daily journalism. Her work has been awarded the Edgar, the Anthony, the Agatha, the Shamus, the Nero Wolfe, Gumshoe and Barry awards. She also has been nominated for other prizes in the crime fiction field, including the Hammett and the Macavity. She was the first-ever recipient of the Mayor’s Prize for Literary Excellence and the first genre writer recognized as Author of the Year by the Maryland Library Association. She was recently named a 2025 Grand Masters award recipient by the Mystery Writers of America. 

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