Loose Lips

Knives Out meets high seas intrigue on a literary cruise to nowhere in this intelligent, wildly funny locked room mystery for fans of Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz, Nita Prose, and Agatha Christie!

The USA Today bestselling host of the "All About Agatha" podcast injects the spark and fizz of a Golden Age murder mystery into the present-day, as the ghostwriter's skills are put to the test aboard a bestselling author's decidedly insalubrious cruise.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. So goes the adage, but sometimes, even a first-rate ghostwriter and successful mystery author needs to make a buck. Even if that means setting foot on a cruise ship, something she vowed she'd never do. To top it off, the "Get Lit Cruise" is being organized by Payton Garrett, a very popular, bestselling author--and the ghostwriter's long-time frenemy from back in their MFA days.

Over the years, Payton has reinvented herself. She gained a wife while ditching her journalist husband--who is also on board. And she's acquired a rabid following who eagerly snapped up the invitations sent to a select few of her newsletter subscribers. The guests, all female, will receive personalized instruction from experts in five different writing genres, while basking in Payton's reflected glow.

Between mentoring guests, flirting with Payton's ex, and taking bets on how long before someone performs a reenactment of Titanic's "I'm flying!" scene (answer: not long enough), there's plenty to keep a ghostwriter occupied. But there's one activity nobody expected: solving a murder.

When an attendee is found dead under suspicious circumstances and several others suffer symptoms of poisoning, there are numerous motives and suspects to choose from. But could it be that the victim wasn't even the intended target? As the body count rises along with onboard tensions, no one is safe--except, perhaps, for a killer whose scruples have long abandoned ship. And of course, like every well-plotted mystery, this one has an extra twist . . .

Author: Kemper Donovan
Publisher: John Scognamiglio Book
Published: 01/21/2025
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.9lbs
Size: 8.44h x 5.87w x 1.14d
ISBN: 9781496744548


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 12/01/2024 pg. 5
Publishers Weekly 12/02/2024
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2025

About the Author
Kemper Donovan is an acclaimed author and host of the "All About Agatha" podcast. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, he worked at the literary management company Circle of Confusion for a decade before transitioning to writing full-time. He is a member of the New York Bar Association, PEN America, and Mystery Writers of America. He lives with his husband and daughters in Los Angeles and can be found online at KemperDonovan.com.