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Without a Clue

Melissa Ferguson

4.35

"[This] fun romance has something for everyone: a large and vibrant cast of characters, a bookish storyline, a cozy locked-boat mystery, a slow-burn love story, comedic hijinks, and a dash of thrills." --Library Journal STARRED review

A laugh-out-loud rom-com wrapped in a whodunit, this high-seas adventure proves that sometimes the best love stories start with a little murder.

Penelope Mae Dupont has one superpower: keeping her cool. Which is essential when you're the personal assistant to renowned mystery author Hugh Griffin. But when Pip organizes a luxury book cruise featuring The Fabulous Seven--a glittering cast of seven bestselling authors known for both their brilliance and their drama--her trademark composure starts slipping. One boat. Seven egos. Hundreds of fans. What could possibly go wrong?

Well . . . murder, for starters.

On day two, Hugh is found dead--and the cruise security team proves to be utterly incompetent. Stranded in the middle of the Atlantic with no help in sight, Pip realizes if anyone's going to solve the case, it'll have to be her. And so, with her friend and ally Nash, the dreamy Western author who's just as rugged as the cowboys he writes about, she puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test.

As Pip and Nash navigate an ocean of secrets, shocking twists, and one too many red herrings, she'll have to decide whether she's meant to stay behind the scenes--or finally step into the spotlight . . . and maybe, just maybe, find love along the way.

In the world of mystery and love, sometimes you have to risk going overboard to find the truth.

Adult
Pages
336
First published
February 17, 2026
Language
English
Edition
Ebook

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Shelved by 4 Litcadians

Reviews

  • Started August 25, 2026 · Finished August 28, 2026

    Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for an honest review! ——— As an avid reader, the beginning of this story is like a dream come true: take a cruise with your favorite authors, attend their seminars, and spend your days with like-minded bookworms. However, behind the scenes, things are not as they seem. One of these larger than life writers has been murdered, and through countless mishaps, it is up to our protagonist to solve the case—all whilst working through some complicated, poorly-timed romantic feelings for the rogue friend who’s just re-entered her life. Everyone’s a suspect, but in the end…whodunnit? I had a blast with this story. The remaining authors are delightfully entertaining archetypes of the genres they write. Their personalities shined through Ferguson’s writing and gave the story an air of authenticity as we face the fact that those who spend their days in the worlds that they’ve created can be a rather odd bunch. Overall, what a funny, twisty, story that left me “without a clue” of what would happen next.