Loose Lips

Under the pseudonym Belle Currer, the ghostwriter has written The Busy Body, a mystery based on her experiences in Maine. Now, a friend and rival from grad school days, Payton Garrett, invites her to teach mystery writing on a cruise ship, the “Get Lit Cruise” that hosts 300 women and three men. When Payton and her wife experience poisoning symptoms during a dinner, and a staff member dies, Belle and the ship’s doctor step up to act as detectives. Looking back at the cruise, Belle has already warned readers there will be three murders on this trip, so it comes as no surprise when there are several more deaths. Despite her deep dive into sidekick territory, it’s a shock to Belle when the killer is revealed, and she’s disappointed in her own inability to see the murderer. Donovan’s successful rare feat is to write a sequel that’s even better than his debut mystery, The Busy Body. The large-scale, closed-circle mystery, a fast-paced humorous tribute to Agatha Christie, often refers to other mystery writers and their books. Characters are well-drawn, quirky individuals, forming a memorable cast.