Narrator good, story boring

I'm not sure how to describe this book except I feel like I was on a cruise with my grandma and her friends. There wasn't much excitement or really anything until the last few chapters of the book. Mainly it was just following a bunch of retired people around a boat day in and day out. Might as well be a vacation documentary from the eyes of the passengers? So when the "mystery" happens, it was more like "finally something exciting happens and then nope!" - it could have been a very exciting character study like so many of these types of situation books but this was more experiencing the vacation through my grandma's eyes and oh by the way some people got sick too.

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What a hoot! "Super!"

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This, the second of the Jarria and Will Ransom cruise mysteries is great fun. Yes, there are deaths but the real pleasure of this book is in taking a laid back holiday with friends - the Dansons again meet up with Nan and Charlie, the couple first encountered on the traumatic previous trip, as well as meeting new people. As the reader travels with them on a sailing towards Anchorage, there are many things to enjoy: like food, Scrabble, games of Trivia, food, line dancing, shopping,, chatter, food, sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, whales, food, stunning scenery and even the Northern Lights. Oh, did I mention food? There is even an on board murder mystery themed dinner, a "pretend mystery inside of a real one."

This is a book which concentrates on the characters, who become real people trying to enjoy their relaxing holiday together despite the unfortunate incidents occuring around them whilst simultaneously talking about it and trying to solve the puzzle. The biggest mystery of all is, of course, why Jarria ever allowed herself to be talked into going on a second cruise after having been so upset the first time round. But then, we all do incomprehensible things at times - and, hopefully she will be persuaded by Will to take a third trip soon.

Ginger Walton's narration, too, is simply delicious. Her lovely honey gravelled voice is the perfect medium to tell this story, her reading well modulated and nicely paced. The individual vocal interpretations of each protagonist is not particularly different but that doesn't matter, she is such a pleasure to hear and the reader is further pulled into a pleasant holiday fun by had warm delivery. At one point Ms.Walton even has to sing: that, too, is lovely.

This is as much a holiday for the reader as it is a mystery story. All without having to leave the comfort of one's home. My especial thanks to the rights holder of Murder on Deck for the free gifting of it to me, via Audiobook Boom. It was a treat. I sincerely hope that there will be more in this delightful series in the future.

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