Death on Deck

by Courtny Bradley

Embark on a thrilling nautical adventure in "Death on Deck," a captivating cozy mystery by Courtny Bradley. Meet Lisa-May Midé and her Cruising Crew—a spirited group of women in their 60s facing retirement head-on. When a lifeless body is discovered, their leisurely cruise takes a sinister turn. Lisa-May finds herself entangled in a web of mystery and murder. Battling ageist suspicions and navigating the waters of friendship, the group of women unravel the secrets hidden beneath the ship's glimmering surface. With humor, resilience, and a bond forged through decades, the Cruising Crew proves that the journey to solving a mystery is just as exciting as the destination.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Audiobook, Cozy

237 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2024

Reviews

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courtny Bradley's debut, Death on Deck is a winner! With a fast-paced mystery, charming characters, and interesting setting, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Cruising Crew, and can't wait to see what's next in store for this feisty foursome!

[Hannah | The Teacher’s TBR 📚✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ✨
Such a cute, little cozy mystery. 🤭
A group of elderly ladies taking on a cruise and a murder? Say less. 👏🏻

[Lori Leaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot: The Cruising Crew, 4 lifelong friends who traveling together, are on a Mexican cruise. They find one of the annoying passengers dead and decide to investigate.

What I enjoyed:
The cruise setting!
The Cruising Crew. This bunch of senior ladies were a hoot.
The descriptions of life onboard.

Final thoughts: This was the perfect book to read as I headed towards my own cruise vacation. The setting was fun and gave that locked room feeling to the murder mystery that had lots of twisty clues included. I really enjoyed the characters, learning about their life long friendships and seeing their humor come through. The keys to a good cozy mystery are great characters, a memorable setting, a victim you love to hate and a cleverly plotted mystery. This had it all and I hope we get more in this series!

[Tara Lush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death on Deck is a delightful mystery set on a cruise ship, which is one of my favorite murder mystery settings! The protagonists are The Cruising Crew, a group of four older ladies who travel together. Each has a unique and fun personality, and the four met as kids at summer camp. This is a fun and twisty mystery with lots of clues, many amusing moments and a victim you love to hate. Don’t miss this book! The author has a deep love and knowledge of the genre, and it shines through in Death on Deck!

[Carlymor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 for this cute, entertaining, combination of Golden Girls and Murder She Wrote. Lifelong besties Lisa-May, Beverly, Wilma and Charlotte find the dead body of a truly obnoxious passenger while on their Mexican cruise. After witnessing the victim harass his girlfriend and argue with multiple others on the ship, the ladies decide to investigate and have their hands full with a number of possible suspects. This was fun and full of warmth. It ends with the suggestion of a sequel to come. I certainly hope so:)

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the coziest of cozies. With the most endearing and fun set of older besties turned sleuths, who use their wit, charm, and life experiences to go after a ruthless killer while floating in the middle of the ocean.  But don't worry, they have their share of relaxation aboard this lovely cruise; so much so that the descriptions of their floating hotel have me wanting to go on my own cruise (even though I do NOT like boats! Also minus the murder please!) The book was full of laughs, a splash of romance, nostalgia, and learning that even later in life you can change and open yourself back up despite previous dramas. The author has such a unique, poetic voice that brings the perfect tone to each scene; whether pleasure or peril! I can't wait to see what else these sleuthing mavens get into.

Audiobook note: I listened to the audiobook and loved it. The narrator did a great job of bringing to life these vivacious characters and luxurious setting.

[Sydney Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Golden Girls mixed with murder in this fun cozy debut! The characters, the setting, and the mystery had me from page one. I love a good friendship book and this Death on Deck delivers. Looking forward to the next one in the series!

[Pallas · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a debut and it reads like one, you can tell that this is a first for the author and I will cut them some slack.

How many little old ladies were there... four, two in each room would make sense but I don’t remember them much. Maybe fewer so that they would each get more attention?

Less telling and more showing. I’ll read the next book from this author.

[Krysti · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a vivacious cast of characters you’ll love as much as The Golden Girls themselves, this high-seas mystery will have you absolutely anchored to the pages! — 5 stars! ✨

[David G · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and a half. We are pretty into the cozy mysteries and this is like a cross between golden girls and love boat.
There is a lot of intrigue
But I am not completely taken by the narrator.

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death On Deck by Courtny Bradley is the first book in the Cruising Crew Mystery Series. Lisa-May and her friends head out on a cruise, to enjoy their retirement as life-long besties. Soon their vacation turns them into sleuthing seniors, as they discover a dead body and decide to investigate on their own. This little group of ladies remind me of the Golden Girls and I found them to be delightful. I really enjoy Bradley’s writing and her prolific style. She has a knack for creating interesting characters who have their own unique personalities. I particularly love her senior ladies who make up the “cruising crew,” the amateur sleuths in this mystery. Bradley’s descriptions of cruise life is so appealing and makes the reader want to set sail on their own cruise. Author Courtny Bradley also has a YouTube channel, where she is known as Courtagonist and shares her love of cozy mysteries. If you’re a cruise enthusiast, have cruising on your bucket list, or love books with senior characters, Death On Deck is the cozy mystery for you.

[Naomi's Novels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death on Deck by Courtny Bradley is an adorable cozy mystery set aboard a cruise ship. After reading the Miss Marple series, I found myself craving stories with sleuths of a certain age, and this book delivered exactly that. It radiates delightful Golden Girls vibes (and as a huge Golden Girls fan, I was thrilled)!

What truly stood out to me was the book’s positive messaging. I appreciated how it encouraged therapy and conveyed that life isn’t over just because someone is older—in fact, it might just be beginning. This uplifting perspective, paired with a charming mystery, made the story a joy to read. I’d happily pick up more books by Courtny Bradley in the future.

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good debut cozy mystery. I wish there was more - for being seven hours it almost feels like nothing happened and the rest of the Cruising Crew didn’t shine as much as I hoped. Fun setting, on a cruise ship!
I love an older than average sleuth.

TW - domestic abuse, physical abuse

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cómo libro de misterio es malísimo, aburrido y predecible.

Pero si se hubiera enfocado en la amistad entre estas señoras de la tercera edad y los cambios que vienen en sus vidas a causa de la edad, entonces huwbiramos tenido un libro interesante.

Al final se queda en nada.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this one. I'm not a heavy cozy reader but this was fun throughout. The characters were great!

[Christian Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a well-written, cozy mystery that follows the cruising crew (a group of older women who mirror a modern take of the golden girls) aboard a cruise ship for vacation. But things take a wild turn when they find a dead body and decide to solve the case like Miss Marple. If you like character-driven cozies with a pinch of murder, this book is for you!

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun start to a new cozy mystery series by a debut author. It gave me all kinds of Golden Girls / 'Charlotte's Angels' (Second Chance Cat Mystery series) vibes. So, older...er, more mature...ladies, longstanding friends, who go on a cruise together. What could go wrong? Murder and mayhem, that's what! And the 'Cruising Crew' is born. Because our heroine, Lisa, and her friends take their amateur sleuthing seriously.

A cleverly plotted mystery held my attention even as I bonded with these unique women. And I loved the way the author introduced our heroines in such a way that it was easy to keep them straight in my mind. Sometimes I scramble for a couple of chapters before I get a handle on who's who in a story featuring a number of prominent characters, but Bradley made it easy. While the story is told from Lisa's POV, her friends are in nearly every scene and are crucial to both the mystery and the cozy side of the story and I so appreciated getting to know their individual quirks and back stories.

I'm curious to see where the author takes this series. Will their sleuthing always take place on a cruise ship? Or will the Cruising Crew be landlocked on occasion? If so, I think there might be a hint about what's next for Lisa and her crew in this book and I can't wait to see if I'm right.

Of note: some mild language throughout

[Sonia With an I · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun and interesting mystery. I adore the "cruising crew", the group of ladies who may be a little older but who aren't giving up on living life to the fullest. A close knit of ladies who have been there through so many different experiences in life. I am not usually a huge fan of cruise stories, but I really enjoyed this!
The author does an incredible job with discriptive language and creating an atmosphere. I adored the MC and her friends. The story kept me engaged the entire time. Great first book in a series! I hope there are more to come.

[Carmen Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to a 5. Debut author & cozy mystery vlogger Courtny Bradley shows her love for the genre in a fast, fun tale of sassy seniors. Lisa May and her Cruising Crew are active, alert and celebrating friendship and life after 60. When the "cruise ship bully" is murdered, they decide to use intelligence, intuition and life experience, along with research Intel from Lisa's daughter to solve the murder. All of the ladies are likeable and relatable. There's clues and a murder notebook of suspects. Highly recommend and will continue this series.

[heidi canton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful adventure! I must admit that I am friends with the author. This gave me some insight into little details, like the briefly mentioned holiday sweaters. But you don’t have to know Courtny personally to enjoy this mystery. It is beautifully written and moves along at just the right pace. The warmth I felt for the characters is beyond words. As I approach their chapter of life, I sincerely hope that I am able to surround myself with such genuine and loving friends, always up for a new experience.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cruise was dangerous

The Cruising Crew is a group of seasoned women - Lisa, Wilma, Charlotte and Beverly.
They've been friends for years and are headed out on a cruise.
The rude man in a cabin near theirs dies partway through the cruise. The women get involved in living the case. There are multiple good suspects who must be ruled out one by one.
Lisa is the narrator of the story too in first person.
I enjoyed reading Death in Deck. It's a good debut story for the author.

[Meg Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable book by this debut author. Really enjoyed the main character (Lisa) and her three BFFs (Wilma, Charlotte, and Beverly). It’s easy to imagine more adventures for this “Cruising Crew.”

The solution to the murder mystery was a little too easy, and the victim a little too horrible, so hopefully that skill will develop with the next book.

[Alicia Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute cozy with warm characters. I loved the friendship of the four ladies. You could tell they really respect and love each other. The setting of the cruise ship was so fun. The descriptions of the food was so mouthwatering. The mystery was very good. Very enjoyable read.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved embarking on a fabulous cruise vacation between the pages of Death on Deck! The Cruising Crew friends are a complete hoot and gave me perfectly cozy Golden Girl vibes. The mystery is fun and fast-paced. I can't wait to find out what mischief the Cruising Crew will get into next!

[Lacey Moone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Facebook giveaway and I am so glad I did! Lisa-May and her Cruising Crew are so much fun! It's Golden Girls meets Murder She Wrote. The mystery itself was nicely plotted and the real killer was a surprise, I will def be keeping an eye out for a sequel.

[Natasha Cottrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generous rating for the Oklahoma author. It’s a fun story, what I’ve come around to call a good beach read. Nothing too heavy or earth shattering, characters are enjoyable enough and the author gets to the point.

[Julie Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death on Deck is a fun dive into murder. From the lovable cast of characters to the charming onboard setting, Bradley weaves a clever, cozy, tale you won't want to miss.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the characters and the story, I look forward to another adventure!

[Marisa Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute new cozy series with Golden Girls Vibes and a solid story line. I look forward to more

[Sierra Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming debut with fun characters and a carefully woven plot. Looking forward to seeing what Bradley has in store next!