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Loose Lips

Part of A Ghostwriter Mystery

Author Kemper Donovan On Tour
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Hardcover
$28.00 US
| $37.99 CAN
Kensington | A John Scognamiglio Book
On sale Jan 21, 2025 | 336 Pages | 9781496744548
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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 . . .
Praise for Kemper Donovan’ Ghostwriter Mysteries:

"The Busy Body is a thoroughly modern, Agatha Christie-esque mystery set in a sumptuous corner of moneyed, Maine wilderness. It's a delightfully escapist, page-turner." —Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Friends Like These on The Busy Body

“Kemper Donovan has created a hugely entertaining character, a ghost writer and amateur sleuth, who is wry, gossipy and completely compelling. The investigation into a murder disguised as a suicide is full of twists and turns worthy of a classic mystery novel. The Busy Body is a delight from start to finish. If you like Agatha Christie, you’ll love this.”—Alex Michaelides, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient on The Busy Body

“Donovan’s successful rare feat is to write a sequel that’s even better than his debut mystery, The Busy Body. The large-scale, closed-circle mystery, a fast-paced humorous tribute to Agatha Christie, often refers to other mystery writers and their books. Characters are well-drawn, quirky individuals, forming a memorable cast…Fans of humorous, deftly written mysteries will enjoy this one.” —Library Journal STARRED REVIEW for Loose Lips

“The murder weapon is straight out of Agatha Christie or perhaps the board game Clue, and the tone is tongue-in-cheek a la Knives Out.” —BookPage on Loose Lips

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This book will have you quickly rearranging your life so that you can get to the all-so-worth-it ending ASAP and without any distractions.” —firstCLUE on Loose Lips

“Murder strikes—and strikes and strikes—the Get Lit Cruise, which has attracted 275 aspiring female authors, including one killer… Spoiler: 28 passengers end up suing the cruise organizer. It’s highly unlikely, though, that any readers will join them.” —Kirkus Reviews on Loose Lips

“Given Kemper’s knowledge and admiration of Agatha Christie, it isn’t surprising that he displays a similar flair for clever cluing and crafty characterization, not to mention the ability to throw in a killer plot twist at the end that would make Dame Agatha proud.” —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW for The Busy Body

“A gripping and highly entertaining mystery, with ingenuity and flair aplenty, and a wonderful detective character that readers will be dying to meet again.” —Sophie Hannah, New York Times bestselling author on The Busy Body

“Lively, clever storytelling with outsize energy.” —Kirkus Reviews on The Busy Body

“Readers will love this witty, fast-moving story that ends with the typical Christie gathering of subjects.” —Booklist on The Busy Body

“Sometimes it’s the setting that grabs you. Often it’s the plot. But here, it is two fabulous characters who come together and through sharp dialogue create a story that both cozy and traditional-mystery readers will love.” —firstCLUE on The Busy Body
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.
Kemper Donovan View titles by Kemper Donovan

About

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 . . .

Reviews

Praise for Kemper Donovan’ Ghostwriter Mysteries:

"The Busy Body is a thoroughly modern, Agatha Christie-esque mystery set in a sumptuous corner of moneyed, Maine wilderness. It's a delightfully escapist, page-turner." —Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Friends Like These on The Busy Body

“Kemper Donovan has created a hugely entertaining character, a ghost writer and amateur sleuth, who is wry, gossipy and completely compelling. The investigation into a murder disguised as a suicide is full of twists and turns worthy of a classic mystery novel. The Busy Body is a delight from start to finish. If you like Agatha Christie, you’ll love this.”—Alex Michaelides, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient on The Busy Body

“Donovan’s successful rare feat is to write a sequel that’s even better than his debut mystery, The Busy Body. The large-scale, closed-circle mystery, a fast-paced humorous tribute to Agatha Christie, often refers to other mystery writers and their books. Characters are well-drawn, quirky individuals, forming a memorable cast…Fans of humorous, deftly written mysteries will enjoy this one.” —Library Journal STARRED REVIEW for Loose Lips

“The murder weapon is straight out of Agatha Christie or perhaps the board game Clue, and the tone is tongue-in-cheek a la Knives Out.” —BookPage on Loose Lips

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This book will have you quickly rearranging your life so that you can get to the all-so-worth-it ending ASAP and without any distractions.” —firstCLUE on Loose Lips

“Murder strikes—and strikes and strikes—the Get Lit Cruise, which has attracted 275 aspiring female authors, including one killer… Spoiler: 28 passengers end up suing the cruise organizer. It’s highly unlikely, though, that any readers will join them.” —Kirkus Reviews on Loose Lips

“Given Kemper’s knowledge and admiration of Agatha Christie, it isn’t surprising that he displays a similar flair for clever cluing and crafty characterization, not to mention the ability to throw in a killer plot twist at the end that would make Dame Agatha proud.” —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW for The Busy Body

“A gripping and highly entertaining mystery, with ingenuity and flair aplenty, and a wonderful detective character that readers will be dying to meet again.” —Sophie Hannah, New York Times bestselling author on The Busy Body

“Lively, clever storytelling with outsize energy.” —Kirkus Reviews on The Busy Body

“Readers will love this witty, fast-moving story that ends with the typical Christie gathering of subjects.” —Booklist on The Busy Body

“Sometimes it’s the setting that grabs you. Often it’s the plot. But here, it is two fabulous characters who come together and through sharp dialogue create a story that both cozy and traditional-mystery readers will love.” —firstCLUE on The Busy Body

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.
Kemper Donovan View titles by Kemper Donovan

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