Kemper Donovan has achieved that rare feat. His second Ghostwriter mystery is better than his first, The Busy Body, in my opinion. Loose Lips takes the Ghostwriter, now working under the pseudonym Belle Currer, on a cruise with 300 suspects.
As Belle Currer, the ghostwriter told the story of her experiences in Maine in a mystery called The Busy Body. Now, her frenemy, Payton Garrett, has invited her to teach the mystery class on the “Get Lit Cruise”, a short cruise for women who are passionate about literature, and rich enough to afford the trip. Payton and Belle were friends in their MFA days. Now, Payton’s a successful self-help guru with numerous followers. She’s invited 300 of them, all women, on this cruise. The only three men on the excursion are the chef, Payton’s assistant, and her ex, a journalist along to write about the trip.
Even the beginning of the trip seems off when Flora Fortescue, another friend from grad school days, shows up. Flora has been suing Payton for plagiarism, so she certainly shouldn’t be on the trip. When Payton gets sick at dinner, and someone dies of poisoning, Flora is the primary suspect.
Belle is dragged into the murder investigation, assisting the ship’s doctor, Joan Chen. Belle doesn’t relish her role as sidekick. But, she’s forgotten some of the points she teaches in her mystery writing class. The three criteria for proving someone committed a crime are motive, means and opportunity.
Loose Lips is a fun mystery, with comments about classic mystery writers and their books. It’s a closed-circle murder with 300 suspects, but it’s easy to remember the main ones. Donovan, a podcaster who specializes in Agatha Christie, capitalizes on his knowledge and background with this enjoyable book.
Kemper Donovan’s website is https://kemperdonovan.com/
Loose Lips by Kemper Donovan. Kensington, 2025. ISBN 9781496744548 (hardcover), 336p.
FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent a copy of the book, with no expectation of a review.
