Cruising for Murder

Susan Sussman
with Sarajane Avidon

It is the end of an 8 month run of Rent in Chicago and Morgan Taylor is going to have to look for work again. She is ready for a change. She doesn't know what show will be next but she's ready to look. Then her old friend Kathy calls. Kathy is the entertainment director on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Their lead singer had to leave the show. Can Morgan take the spot over for the remaining 3 weeks of the contract?

Morgan, finding herself at loose ends, jumps at the chance. She leaves messages for the man in her life, detective John Roblings and her parents, then leaves cold December Illinois for the sunny Caribbean. It's only after she arrives in Florida and prepares for the new job that she remembers why she didn't want to work on a cruise ship again. Oh, well, she can take it for 3 weeks.

She soon learns that the previous actress had died from falling and hitting her head. Then someone starts targeting Morgan for vandalism and viciousness. Perhaps there was more to the first woman's death? When another crew member dies people start getting suspicious that something more is happening. Morgan can't help but poke around to see if she can figure it out. If she's not careful, she'll be the next person killed.

Cruising for Murder is a cozy murder that keeps the reader entertained. It is in the first person narrative by Morgan and keeps moving. While the novel doesn't grab the reader and pull him/her in, it is good for a relaxing afternoon read, even on a cruise ship. (That's where I read it - and learned interesting facts about the behind-the-scenes of the cruse employees.) In this sequel to Audition for Murder, Susan Sussman and Sarajane Avidon deliver a fun tale.