Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson


Girl interrupted. My first ALC from NetGalley, so I paused my other book to hop on this one.

NetGalley:

A laugh-out-loud rom-com wrapped in a whodunit, this high-seas adventure proves that sometimes the best love stories start with a little murder.

Penelope Mae Dupont has one superpower: keeping her cool. Which is essential when you're the personal assistant to renowned mystery author Hugh Griffin. But when Pip organizes a luxury book cruise featuring The Fabulous Seven—a glittering cast of seven bestselling authors known for both their brilliance and their drama—her trademark composure starts slipping. One boat. Seven egos. Hundreds of fans. What could possibly go wrong?

Well . . . murder, for starters.

On day two, Hugh is found dead--and the cruise security team proves to be utterly incompetent. Stranded in the middle of the Atlantic with no help in sight, Pip realizes if anyone's going to solve the case, it'll have to be her. And so, with her friend and ally Nash, the dreamy Western author who's just as rugged as the cowboys he writes about, she puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test.

As Pip and Nash navigate an ocean of secrets, shocking twists, and one too many red herrings, she'll have to decide whether she's meant to stay behind the scenes--or finally step into the spotlight . . . and maybe, just maybe, find love along the way.

In the world of mystery and love, sometimes you have to risk going overboard to find the truth.

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Romance

Day 1: She had me at cowboy! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎉 Overall Enjoyment? 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

🎣 Did it grab and keep my attention? 🎣🎣🎣🎣(see one star deduction below) 

🗣️Would I recommend it to anyone? Yes ➕If you like a cozy romantic mystery

🕮 Would I want a sequel? Yes ➕ I can imagine a sequel with The Magnificent Seven in a European Castle at a Book-A-Rama event trying to solve another mystery. Could someone please plant that seed with the author?!

📚 Would I want to read more books by this author?  Yes ➕

💣💥 📢 Triᵷᵷer Warnings? Not really, other than finding your boss-friend murdɇrɇd. 

🌶 Spice? No

🌪 Plot Twist? YES

👟 Pace? Good

💻 Tidbits ~ First she had me at cowboy. Than she had me at a theme cruise with The Magnificent Seven. Who doesn't want to go on adventure with seven famous authors, especially when they all write different genres?!?! 

We have a:
Locked Room Mystery aka dead man on a cruise ship.
Amateur Sleuth with Pip trying to gather clues while keeping the groupies aka paying cruisers at bay (they can't find out Hugh is dead).
Friends to Lovers with the handsome and overprotective Cowboy Nash :swoon:.
Chosen Family (although slightly dysfunctional) offering support. 

The narration by Karissa Vacker was excellent. So many voices and seamless transition. 

*I deducted one star for too much past drama/trauma with Pip's ex. 

Not yet published, expected Feb 17, 2026

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. 

🎧Karissa Vacker 👍

🎧8.43 hours 🕮 336 pages



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