From the publisher:
A Riveting Mystery of Deception, Art Theft, and Unexpected Romance on a Parisian Cruise―Perfect for Summer Reading
Highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman returns with an irresistible mystery featuring Muriel Blossom, a former private investigator and middle-aged widow whose vacation on a Parisian river cruise turns into a deadly international mystery…that only she can solve.
Mrs. Blossom has a knack for blending into the background, which was an asset during her days assisting private investigator Tess Monaghan. But when she finds a winning lottery ticket in a parking lot, everything changes. She is determined to see the world that she sometimes feels is passing her by.
When Mrs. Blossom booked her cruise through France on the MS Solitaire, she did not expect to meet Allan on her transatlantic flight. He is the first man who’s sparked something inside her since her beloved husband passed.
She also didn’t expect Allan to be found, dead, twenty-four hours later in Paris, a city he wasn’t supposed to be in.
Now Mrs. Blossom doesn’t know who to trust on board the ship, especially when a mystifying man, Danny, keeps popping up around every corner, always present when things go awry. He is convinced that Allan was transporting a stolen piece of art, and Mrs. Blossom knows more than she lets on, regarding both the artifact and Allan’s death.
Mrs. Blossom’s questions only increase as the cruise sails down the Seine. Why does it feel like she is being followed? Who was Allan, and why was he killed? Most alarmingly, why do these mysterious men keep flirting with her?
A New York Times “Best Beach Reads of Summer”
One of Washington Post’s “Best Mysteries to Read This Summer”
One of Boston Globe‘s “Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List”
“Witty and propulsive. Lippman’s fans will feel like they hit the jackpot with this warm and cozy romp.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Lippman triumphs with this charming mystery…. By the time the clever conclusion rolls around, readers will be sad to see this trip come to an end.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A rollicking adventure of the highest order.” — New York Times
“Energetically entertaining…. Lippman manages to combine a light amateur sleuth story with a harder-edged thriller, combining both types of mysteries, which seldom intersect, into a cohesive, solid plot.” — South Florida Sun Sentinel
https://amzn.to/3SH5DnA
Mrs. Blossom, a widow in her sixties, relocates to Phoenix to help care for her grandchildren. But her plans are upended when her son-in-law announces that the family is moving to Japan—and there won’t be room for her. With no reason to stay, she returns to her hometown of Baltimore. A former private investigator who conducted surveillance work for renowned detective Tess Monaghan—star of Lippman’s popular mystery series, who makes a few cameos here—Mrs. Blossom’s unassuming appearance as an overweight woman in her sixties made her practically invisible during investigations.
Her life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a winning lottery ticket in a parking lot. After being told there’s no process for returning found tickets, she suddenly finds herself with more money than she’ll ever need and no family obligations. She decides to fulfill a lifelong dream: her first trip to Europe, booking a week in Paris followed by a river cruise with her oldest friend.
Mrs. Blossom is surprised when her economy seat gets upgraded to business class. Allan, a fellow passenger who overhears her confusion about the upgrade, takes her under his wing. He arranges for them to sit together and offers her a sleep aid for the overseas flight. When she awakens, she’s missed her connecting flight from London to Paris.
Allan convinces her to take the train instead, and they spend a delightful day exploring London together. Once in Paris, she meets Danny, a charming young man who claims to be a stylist and persuades her to go shopping. Their day together is pleasant enough, but things take a dark turn when Allan turns up dead—not in London where he claimed to have business meetings, but in Paris. The French police question Mrs. Blossom, and she discovers that Danny isn’t the stylist he pretended to be.
Her hotel room is thoroughly ransacked with no attempt at concealment, leaving Mrs. Blossom bewildered about what’s happening and why she’s involved. Danny continues appearing wherever she goes, even showing up on her river cruise. While he seems helpful, his constant presence raises questions about his trustworthiness. When her cabin is searched, the pieces begin falling into place as Allan’s death becomes entangled with insurance fraud and a missing bird statue, with a clever nod to The Maltese Falcon.
Through determination and her rusty detective skills, Mrs. Blossom ultimately unravels the mystery. This fast-paced story delivers an entertaining adventure with Mrs. Blossom as a thoroughly likable protagonist, plenty of plot twists, and a satisfying conclusion.
6/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
MURDER TAKES A VACATION by Laura Lippman. William Morrow (June 17, 2025). ISBN: 978-0062998101. 272p.
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