A humorous, fast-paced novella with a strong central puzzle, memorable characters, and just enough chaos to keep things fun

Thank you to the author for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Opening Impressions

The opening is a scone heist. Seagulls and cats. That should tell you a lot about the stakes in Death on a Dinner Cruise.

After an hour of reading, my husband asked me what was happening and I answered, “the travel blogger was going around town slagging off the chowder and the B&B and now he’s turned up dead on a sunset cruise.”

“Nightmare,” my husband responded.

What Kind of Mystery Is This?

Light and humorous, Death on a Dinner Cruise fits into that space of not being overly serious while still giving you an excellent puzzle to solve. And a puzzle it is.

A classic murder mystery: the characters are lined up, the big crime scene is delivered, and we’re led into the amateur sleuthing of Rina, our B&B-owning protagonist. Set in the quirky small town of Beacon Harbour during a Chowder Festival, an unpopular travel blogger ends up dead aboard a sunset cruise, making all attendees suspects. Focusing on the local business owners and council members, it’s clear there’s something to hide.

Characterisation- the greatest strength

There are several stand out characters from Death on a Dinner Cruise, and this is a ‘hear me out’ moment.

Gerald the overly aggressive seagull is a hilarious addition. He has wonderful comedic timing. He has gall, or should that be gull? It makes the setting that bit more realistic. I have my own traumatic memories of being in Largs as a kid and having my sausage roll stolen. It’s a seaside hazard.

Secondly, I love the Gran. She’s dead. You never meet her. Well… she haunts the kitchen and gives Rina some lovely support in the form of poltergeist activity. Just, trust me on this. Read it. She’s wonderful.

Pacing and Format

This is a novella, fast-paced with a trimmed word count. There aren’t superfluous chapters, which helps move the plot along quickly.

I could totally see this as a sunny afternoon sort of book, something you start and finish in one sitting. In a world of attention-seeking devices and energy-sapping chores (looking at you, dishes. Why do you never end?) settling into a shorter book is a refreshing and rewarding experience.

Where It Falls Short

The pace somewhat hampers opportunities to really relish the cosy atmosphere the author has created. The need to solve the mystery, give the reader clues, and keep things moving means we don’t get to sit in the B&B, take time on the porch, or really taste one of the millions of scones mentioned throughout.

The cosy genre lends itself to taking a breather. This would have benefitted from enjoying its own setting a little more. It’s hardly bad feedback to say you’re left wanting more.

For another cosy genre book review, check out Sea Blooms- click here!

The Romance Subplot

There is a romance tucked inside between B&B owner Rina and Detective Jonah, but the pacing is so fast there isn’t really time to give them their moment. It’s just sort of taken as a nice thing that could happen, rather than something we properly see develop.

For a slow burn romance book review, check out Bargain with a Darkseer- click here!

Final Thoughts

The cover does explicitly mention this is book one, but this very much works as a standalone. Everything resolves by the last chapter, which leaves a satisfying feeling as a reader (and ARC reviewer. Love a standalone book).

I’d highly recommend this as a cheeky weekend read, best enjoyed in one sitting, preferably with something baked nearby.

Author Links:
Instagram: @deboradenniswrites
Website: https://deboradennis.com/

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