May Contain Murder

Chef Paul Delamare Mysteries #2

by Orlando Murrin

For fans of Nita Prose, Benjamin Stevenson, and Jessa Maxwell, this delightfully witty and tightly-written new locked room culinary mystery from the MasterChef semi-finalist, cookbook writer, and bestselling author of Knife Skills for Beginners features a charming chef, delicious original recipes, and a killer cruise aboard a luxurious superyacht.

“If it weren’t for all the terrible things that have been happening, I’d consider myself the luckiest man alive . . .”

While his flooded house undergoes repairs, chef-turned-writer Paul Delamare has been offered an accommodation upgrade—an all-expenses-paid trip aboard a private superyacht in the company of Xéra, one of his dearest friends. Paul will help Xéra work on her memoirs as Maldemer glides its sumptuous way to the Caribbean. The scenery is stunning, the luxury is unparalleled, and the food…well, at least the dishes that Paul is roped into preparing are delicious. The hired chef, meanwhile, seems completely out of her depth.

She’s not the only one. Much as Paul adores Xéra, a Parisian socialite who he was introduced to by his late lover, Marcus, he has little in common with the other guests, a motley crew consisting of Xéra’s new husband and his grasping family. 

When Xéra’s priceless new necklace goes missing, Paul falls under suspicion. But there’s far worse in store, as one of the passengers is found dead in mysterious and grisly circumstances. The stormy weather matches the threatening mood onboard, and as Maldemer veers off course, every semblance of order goes with it.

Above and below deck there are secrets and dangerous alliances. And as he untangles the truth, it becomes clear that Paul’s sharing close quarters with a killer eager to make this his final voyage . . .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Cozy, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2025

About the author

Orlando Murrin is a food writer, media personality, and author who inherited a fascination with mystery from his grandfather, a Met detective who rose to become a crack MI5 interrogator. A former editor of BBC Good Food, founder of Olive Magazine, and semi-finalist on Masterchef, he currently hosts the BBC Good Food Podcast with TV presenter-restaurateur Tom Kerridge and writes for Waitrose Weekend. He is the author of seven cookbooks, including Two's Company and A Table in the Tarn, and has served since 2020 as President of the Guild of Food Writers.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Delamere accompanies an old friend on a luxury yacht cruise supposedly to celebrate her new marriage. Paul is an intriguing character, a gay male who has lost the love of his life, a trained and talented chef and a sleuth by nature. Also a very trusting man which gets him into deep water (literally) before he manages to discover the murderer.

Paul's character is what made the book for me. The yacht turned the story into a locked room mystery and Paul's intelligence and experience kept things moving as he investigated. Some of the crew are very suspicious and most of the guests are unlikeable.

Nicely written, frequently humorous with a clever mystery. Four stars. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Dee (in the Desert) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up for the New Year. I've read both of these "chef-fy" series mysteries but this one was rather less successful than the previous, mostly due to a too long middle section that just drug on & on. The story was decent and I liked the super yacht setting so maybe just a pacing & editing issue. Not sure if I would read another...

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got the arc for review on Netgally.

I enjoyed this culinary cozy mystery with twist and intruiging plot. its not a 4 star read but it was fun following him around as he looked around for answers and was more twisty than some cozys I've read (but not in a thriller kind of way).

[Grandma Susan]

DNF.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second entry in the series by the professional food writer and podcaster Orlando Murrin is as delectable as the first. This time, Chef Delamare is invited to be a guest on his friend's yacht. The hired chef gets sick and he has to fill in one night, plus they have him in a crew cabin. Not cool. But then disaster strikes, and lives are at stake. It's one calamity after another, somehow expertly walking the line between neither too campy nor too overwrought. There are missing diamonds, a murder, the ocean, and chocolate cake. Oh, and there are recipes at the end - which may be a plug for the print edition over the audiobook, but the audiobook narration is spot-on (and British). I am already licking my chops in anticipation of the next Chef Paul Delamare mystery.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @RBMedia, @RecordedBooks, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #MayContainMurder for review purposes. Publicaiton date: 16 December 2026. Great light holiday reading for the mystery lovers in your life.

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and RBMedia for providing me with an ALC.

I enjoy cozy mysteries, especially the locked room type but sadly this one didn't work for me. I wasn't able to relate to the characters unfortunately and wasn't very invested in the plot. The food parts were nice, especially the recipes at the end. That was definitely a good touch, being able to recreate the recipes from the book. A lot of the stuff felt unrealistic, especially the investigation parts -- it felt too easy. A lot of things just felt like plot devices. I haven't read the first book but I think this can be read as a standalone. It's also possible that I just wasn't in the mood for this genre at this moment. I think it might have worked for me at a different time. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a food themed, nautical, locked room mystery.

The narrator did a good job of bringing the book to life, and definitely improved my experience.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and delightful cozy mystery. I grabbed it as a palate cleanser between thrillers, and it absolutely hit the spot.

I didn’t read book one in the series, but it’s billed as an interconnected standalone, which definitely held true. While Paul—the amateur sleuth and series throughline—clearly has history, the author does a good job weaving in enough background to keep you grounded without it feeling repetitive or info-dumpy. I can’t say with certainty how it compares to book one since I haven’t read it, but you get a strong sense of the characters and dynamics regardless.

I consumed this via audiobook, narrated by Sebastian Humphreys, who did a great job. He has a smooth, relaxing voice and maintains a comfortable pace that worked well at 1x speed.

Overall, I really enjoyed the ride, with its low-stakes twists and turns and the hijinks our MMC gets himself tangled in. I also appreciated the food representation—it added an extra layer of enjoyment—and the slightly grittier prose elevated the story, making it cozy without tipping into fluffy territory.


I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from RB Media via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.

⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.

[Natalia Farnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh I always forget how much I love the locked room mysteries and this one didn’t disappoint!!! And bonus points for giving recipes at the end. This one had some twists and did a great job setting up the who dunnit of it all. Really like the MMC and would actually read more of him if they did a series. So if you love a good mystery and a kooky cast of characters this one is for you!!!

[booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it.ill read more of his.

[Phoenix2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

'May Contain Murder' is a cozy mystery by Orlando Murrin, and it is the second book in the series.

The story is interesting to follow, with an endearing narrator and delicious recipes in the end.

The mystery was also enjoyable and unpredictable, with many dark twists that got quite deadly and had me on the edge of my seat.

The narration, finally, was great, as it was the production.

[Kendra Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable cozy mystery! It’s set on a boat with a slew of fun characters! I’ve never read this author but quite enjoyed his writing style and the depth of the characters! I was not expecting the ending! I also really enjoyed the cooking aspect and all the recipes at the end tied into the story! Very clever and I can’t wait to attempt a recipe or two!

Publishes tomorrow, December 16th!
Thank you RB Media for an ALC!

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul is invited to travel with Xéra, his good friend of fifteen years, on board a private yacht as they travel from England to the Caribbean. She wants Paul to write her biography, and he is happy to spend time with her.

The trip starts out poorly, with his clothes dropped in the water, washed improperly and ruined subsequently, and his cabin located in the crew area. And Xéra is tense, which only increases when a priceless necklace of hers is stolen. And the other members of the trip, family of her new husband, as well as his friends, are self-centred, rather awful people.

Paul learns of a long held recipe within Xéra’s family for a rich chocolate cake, and which Paul decides to make for the guests, when he’s roped into helping prepare meals (something he had not wanted to do when he boarded).

Early the next morning Paul finds Xéra dead, and though it looks like she choked on some of the chocolate cake, Paul immediately senses the scene of the supposed choking looks wrong. He believes Xéra was murdered, and he begins asking questions, leading to ruffled feathers, anger, and successive attacks on him. He eventually discovers who the murderer is, after several mistakes, and also exposes a couple of other crimes occurring on board.

Sebastian Humphreys again narrates the book (I went back and forth between book and audio) and does a good job taking us through Paul's emotions. He also does a nice job with all the other characters--I liked his Sir Billy and Declan also.

This was a lot of fun. And funny, and tense. There were lots of twists, and it was difficult to tell who to trust on board, and Paul makes a LOT of mistakes about people because of his tendency to trust thew wrong people. But things do work out, and this was an engaging second entry in the Paul Delamare series.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Publishing and to RBMedia for these ARCs in exchange for my review.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and the murder plot is good. And a lot happens—maybe too much happens. So much happens it kinda obscures some of the narrative; it’s busy but perhaps too busy.

I was let down by no one believing the main character. Not only accused of theft, everyone ignores his claims that someone tried to kill him—even the character’s own actions seem to indicate that he basically forgot the attempt on his life just the day before. As bodies pile up it becomes increasingly whacky that everyone isn’t freaking out more and taking the dude seriously. Similarly, that he’s both a guest and a de facto member of the crew seemed to stretch credulity, clearly done so that he could serve the plot demands of interacting with both sets of characters. Both of these things made him feel less like a person and more like a device for moving the story forward.

[Leane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, Murrin combines solid procedural and culinary detail, as well as continuing to develop his introspective and compelling 1st person narrator, Chef Paul Delamare, in this second of a series. (See my review of the first for more: 2025’s Knife Skills for Beginners.) We get less of his London Jubilee Cottage home Setting, as in this installment, Paul is the guest of his dear friend, Xéra and her new husband Sir Billy on a luxurious yacht sailing from Britain to the Caribbean until it is not. Paul is there at the last minute, has an immediate mishap with his clothing, and while he is assisting Xéra with her memoirs (She is from a famous French patisserie family.), he is in the precarious position of being not quite a quest and not quite an employee, as he gets talked into helping in the kitchen because the cook is not a chef for this caliber of clientele, and uncovers some unsettling information about Sir Billy’s family, business associates, and the crew of the yacht after Xéra’s expensive necklace goes missing. Murrin builds an increasing suspenseful Tone and Pace as Paul is once again, wrongfully accused of the theft, and there is a murder. Paul is still grieving his partner’s death, dealing with chaos at the magazine he works for, and contending with harassment from his step-son Johnny. We have texts and emails from his bestie, Julie, and her boyfriend, police detective Declan, and those influence the Pace and Plot well. CH development for all the other CHs run the gamut from stereotypical and predictable to some innovate and colorful ones like the dog handler, and her charge, Colefax, and Bernie, the cook. The twists in the Plotting are well-laid, especially the red herrings, and the Tone is in turns, snarky and fun to sinister and suspicious. Cooking details add depth, and the colorful descriptions of boat décor and routine are very enlightening, aided by a schematic of the yacht and a passenger manifest. Economic, class, celebrity, social media, marriage, fidelity, family, and grief all are ingredients in the thematic and tonal mixture in this book. The author includes some recipes at the end of the tale. RED FLAGS: Human trafficking; Drugs; Violence; Drowning and Claustrophobia triggers. I will read a third even though I do think this one could have been better edited to make it a bit shorter. Readalikes, again, may be Jessa Maxwell’s A Golden Spoon for a VT cooking school, Colleen Cambridge’s American in Paris: Julia Child cooking mysteries which is post-WWII timeline, and Alexander Campion’s The Grave Gourmet series also set in Paris. Because of the trend to have closed location mysteries set on boats and trains, I also think if that is an appeal, C.L. Miller’s The Antique Hunter’s Death on the Red Sea which deals with antiquities, Laura Lippman’s Murder Takes a Vacation, and Kemper Donovan’s Loose Lips are candidates.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

many thanks and gratitude to NetGalley and RBMedia for providing me with an early audiobook copy of May Contain Murder by Orlando Murrin in exchange for my thoughts and honest review.

the main character, chef Paul, is traveling on a super yacht with a friend and soon finds himself scrambling to uncover a thief and murderer. this is a smartly crafted story and there are plenty of suspicious supporting characters that kept me guessing! Paul is a character that i could easily root for. with his caring and thoughtful personality, and the curiosity that drives him through the investigation, the journey he endured to uncover the truth was a joy to read.

although this is the second book in a series, and since i haven’t read the first book, i felt the story was strong. the mystery is clever and engaging, and is suitable to be read as a standalone. i enjoyed this cozy mystery and how the humor kept the nature of the plot on the lighter side. the mystery is well written and i thought the audiobook was wonderfully narrated by Sebastian Humphreys. he performs many accents of the various characters who also range in ages and genders. the cherry on top is that the book includes recipes!

May Contain Murder will be available on December 16, 2025.

[JJ Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review at www.NerdyNerdyBookBook.com

[Winnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ Woot!

[Jason Lavoie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and A John Scognamiglio Book for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of May Contain Murder by Orlando Murrin. The hardcover is to be published on December 16, 2025.

Chef turned author, Paul Delamare is invited by his close friend, Xéra de Sully, onto the private superyacht, Maldemer, for an all-expense paid trip where he will help her write her memoir. Xéra’s priceless new necklace, a gift from her husband, goes missing and Paul becomes a suspect. Then, one of the passengers dies. Was that an accidental death or something more sinister?

This novel was very much like an onion with multiple layers containing an eccentric cast of characters. The mystery revolves around the stolen necklace and the death as Paul peels back layer after layer until he gets to the root of the mystery. If this was a movie, it would be very similar to the Knives Out series. At times, the antics in the book felt very chaotic like an early episode of Hell’s Kitchen when the kitchen just has to be shut down for the evening but I say that in a very endearing way. Chaotically wild and fun!

It was an absolutely fun voyage though the length could make one seasick. Paul makes for a great narrator even if he was pulled away from playing detective to assist the chef and staff with kitchen duties.

One spoiler: He does make dessert for one of the dinner services, a cake – Gâteau Reine de Saba. Thankfully, that recipe is included in the book.

Like a bowl of Lucky Charms, this was a magically delicious read!

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

I grabbed this because I was intrigued by the setting (a luxury yacht) and the locked room premise. The main character is Paul Delamere, a food writer who has been invited by Xera (aka Lady Hardcastle, one of the yacht's owners) to join her honeymoon trip and work on her memoir. There are around 10 passengers and a small crew.

Immediately, Xera's priceless necklace is stolen and Paul starts snooping around.

The book had a partial epistolary format which added some variety. But even with the passenger manifest, I had trouble keeping all the characters straight and just wasn't that gripped by the story. This was just not the right book for me!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a tremendous fan of Orlando Murrin's delectable Culinary Mysteries since the opening pages of KNIFE SKILLS FOR BEGINNERS. In fact, I credit that Debut novel with inspiring my fascination for Culinary Cozies (and subsequently, Cooking shows).

As did KNIFE SKILLS FOR BEGINNERS, MAY CONTAIN MURDER features our delightful Feckless Hero, food writer/sometimes chef/culinary expert Paul Delamare of London, a gentle Gay individual whose devotion to his friends and loved ones is without compare. Struggling to maintain the London cottage left him by his late, lamented, life partner Marcus against the depredations of Marcus' wayward son and reputation-assassin ex-wife, Paul must cope with a (suspiciously) flooded basement so accepts the offer of long-term friend Xera, a descendant of Louis Quatorze's mistress Madame Pompadour, to ghostwrite her memoir. Unfortunately the venue is a Master Yacht sailing from England to the Caribbean, which renders this a "locked-room" situation. Unfortunately, fatalities are unavoidable. Unfortunately, greed is rampant and Secrets are rife. Fortunately, Paul is like a bulldog when detection is involved; and he will never back down this side of death.

[Kat Kunz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erstwhile chef and current writer Paul Delamare finds himself on a yacht as the guest of his friend Xara (sp? I listened so I'm not sure, but it starts with an X) to assist her with writing a memoir as they traverse the Atlantic. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes before he can get very far: Xara's gorgeous, priceless necklace is stolen, and Paul himself falls under suspicion as he was the last one to see the necklace before it vanished. Worse, as he's low-key investigating the necklace, a guest dies under suspicious circumstances--an accident? Murder? With suspects limited as the yacht speeds along toward a murky destination, Paul needs to figure out what really happened before someone else dies.

I did not read the first book in this series and I think the beginning of the story may have made more sense and been more immediately immersive if I'd had some context first. As it was, I was flailing a bit for the first few chapters till I sorted out who everyone was. I appreciated Paul as a character and liked his subtle sleuthing efforts better than the last locked-room mystery I read, with the would-be investigators literally knocking on doors and interrogating suspects in a very inauthentic manner. The narrator was excellent and did a great job with distinguishing voices, including different accents, and ramping up the hysteria when needed. My two complaints are that the pacing was somewhat slow and that a whole plot point turned on Elaine Paige's rendition of "Midnight from Cats." The song is MEMORY. The LYRICS begin with "Midniiiiight," sure, but the song is MEMORY. This error is doubled-down upon in the novel and it feels like lazy writing and/or fact-checking. Dinged yourself a star for that one, Murrin!

Oh, and there are real recipes at the end. They sounded delicious! Would cook/bake.

Thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Davena · Rating 3 out of 5]

May Contain Murder: A Chef Paul Delamare Mystery, Book Two by Orlando Murrin

I requested this book based solely on its cover art, but sadly, the sharks swimming lazily in a bowl of bisque are actually red herrings; no one is eaten by a shark. Although some recipes are included at the end, there's no bisque recipe included. I read the first book in this series, Knife Skills for Beginners, as homework and in that, Chef Paul Delamare agrees to help a friend by teaching at an exclusive cooking school. In this book, Chef Paul is roped into accompanying an old friend on a cruise aboard a superyacht.

An expensive necklace goes missing, and Chef Paul races to catch the thief (because he is the leading suspect) and then one of the passengers is found dead, surrounded by crumbs of the cake he'd baked the night before *gasp!*

The setting is interesting, on board a superyacht, which means this is a locked-room mystery (I do love a locked-room mystery!). The yacht is filled with wealthy (and mostly tedious) passengers, and Paul is also roped into helping in the galley, so he has access to those who work below deck as well. The more he looks, the more he discovers about the dark secrets the yacht is hiding.

Paul does have some 'off yacht' help, in the form of emails from his friend who draws him a daily tarot card, and later, emails from her police man boyfriend when things turn ugly on board.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC. May Contain Murder by Orlando Murrin will be out in the USA on December 16 2025.

Sidebar: In other regions, the same book, under the title "Murder Below Deck: A Chef Paul Delamare Mystery," is available now.

👍 Mild thumbs up.

Body count = 1

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow! Who knew traveling on a boat, sorry super yacht could be so eventful and I loved every minute. There is a lot going on with a murder, theft and storms and that's just a few of the goings on that I can mention without giving away to much of the plot or the twists. Let's just say it moves at a fast pace and stays entertaining all the way through. I had guessed a few of the twists but there was still plenty of surprises. I liked the characters, Paul was a great main character whether he was investigating, cooking, writing or fighting for his life, he managed to do it with style and grace. The fact that everybody was trapped on the boat was a lot of fun and lead to some interesting situations. I will be looking out for more books by this author and definitely in this series.

Chef turned writer Paul is asked to write the memoirs of his closet friend, by joining her and her new husbands family on a super yacht as it travels to the Caribbean. Things don't go to plan and Paul ends up getting roped into helping out in the galley, preparing the food for the others guest. Then when the brides bridal necklace goes missing the fingers start pointing in his direction. Can he clear his name? Even worse can he find a killer? When his friend is found dead, Paul knows it's murder but cut off from the outside world he has no help coming and no way to prove it. With a killer on board, a storm about to hit and the other passengers keeping secrets is time about to run out for Paul?

I liked the narrator. He made the story come to life and so how made it even more entertaining.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You would think that if a crime, like theft or murder, occurred on a yacht it would be easy to solve. Well in May Contain Murder it is anything but easy !!

May Contain Murder is the second book in the Chef Paul Delamare Mystery series by Orlando Murrin and Chef Paul is in way over his head. Chef Paul has been invited by his dear friend Xera to help write her memoir. Xera has just gotten married, and a small group of family and friends are traveling with the newlyweds on an Atlantic cruise and Paul is included so they can begin their writing journey.

Unfortunately, shortly into the cruise a very unique and expensive necklace the groom, Sir Billy, gave to this bride, Xera, is stolen out of their cabin. But before they can figure out where it is or who stole it, Xera is found dead the next morning.

Paul knows that something isn't right with the scene but has no authority and it is all a hunch plus the captain of the boat has the authority and dictates how to handle it. Xera's death is ruled an accident, and things are to continue as normal as they can.

Luckily for Xera Paul will do whatever he can to find out what really happened to her ... no matter how dangerous it gets !! Sadly, he is among strangers and doesn't know who he can trust or if he can trust anyone.

May Contain Murder is such an interesting read. With everyone stuck on the yacht, not being able to leave, you would think it would be easy to keep track of everyone ... but that is not the case for Paul. It's a good thing readers aren't there and can sit back and relax while they tag along with everyone and you don't have to worry about getting seasick.

[Carol Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paul is invited to travel with Xéra, his good friend of fifteen years, on board a private yacht as they travel from England to the Caribbean. The trip is part pleasure, a celebration of her recent wedding, and part work – she wants Paul to write her biography and they plan to work on it together on board. The trip starts out poorly when Paul’s clothes are dropped in the water and his cabin located in the crew area. Xéra seems tense, which only increases when her priceless necklace, a present from her new husband, is stolen. And the other members of the trip, family and friends of the husband, are self-centered, unlikeable people.

I like Paul, I really do, which is why it annoys me that so many bad things happen to him here. I guess I should really list them, because that would probably ruin half of the plot, but it’s a bit over the top. It’s almost like the author thought of a bunch of bad things that could happen on a yacht and threw them all in.

I did guess who the killer was, but there were a couple of twists getting there. Paul might have known what was going on sooner, too, if he wasn’t so trusting.

There were a few recipes in the back that sounded good and doable. I did listen to the audio – the narrator did a great job, especially bringing Paul to life, which usually means I’ll never try the recipes. I need a paper copy to actually follow them. Happily, the author has the set of recipes on his website, along with photos of each. I’d have to convert them, but the mushroom and onion marmalade tartlets look delicious.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Transworld Digital and NetGalley for the earc. This mystery novel follows Paul Delamare aboard a luxury yacht accompanied by his wealthy friend Xera, her new man, and a small group of other stuck up, wealthy passengers. Paul is quickly looked down upon and ignored for his status, but he quickly becomes a person of interest when his friend Xera’s priceless necklace goes missing from her cabin, followed by a horrifying, mysterious death. Although Paul is is considered suspicious, he knows he would never hurt his dear friend and quickly gets down to detective work to uncover which of the passengers is a murderer, and whether the theft is related in anyway. As Paul discovers more clues, he finds out the yacht is hiding some dark secrets and he may be on a boat heading for danger. I rated this novel three stars. I enjoy a whodunnit mystery, especially when it’s on a small space with only a small group of suspects. I think the writing in this book was not a style that I particularly enjoyed because it was affecting my ability to focus and be present in the novel. It’s just not the style I’m used to. It also took some time trying to remember each characters name and who they were as there were quite a few people on board the yacht. I was absolutely not expecting what Paul discovered about the yacht and its passengers but it made it all the more darker. I also enjoy the little addition of the emails as it makes a book more interesting. I did notice a couple of odd grammatical mistakes and sentence structures that were very odd. Some sentences switches the order of words so it sounded a bit backward and I couldn’t tell if this was actually a normal way of speaking in other parts of the world, but it made it seem like it was inserted by a robot. For example, a sentence might read: the boy to the pool had arrived at. Ultimately I think what made me less invested was that the mystery revolved around money, jewels, and rich people being bad, which isn’t typically isn’t the most interesting concept for me. I do love a little Hercule Poirot moment when Paul announces what happened and who did it. Overall it was a decent novel.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a long one nearly 100 short chapters so be ready to settle in and really dive deep. The story leans heavily into mystery and whodunit territory, keeping you guessing as layers slowly unfold. If you enjoy authors like Freida McFadden, The Woman in Cabin 10–style suspense, or even Anthony Horowitz, this will likely be right up your alley.

Overall, I found this book engaging and genuinely interesting. It held my attention, kept me curious, and delivered a solid mystery experience. The audiobook narration was especially well done the narrator brought the story together nicely and made the listening experience enjoyable and easy to follow.

The only thing that held this back slightly for me was the inclusion of tarot card references. While it wasn’t a major focus of the story and was easy enough to brush past, it felt a bit unnecessary for my personal taste. That said, it’s handled lightly, and even the main character isn’t portrayed as a strong believer, so it won’t be an issue for most readers.

One fun surprise I really enjoyed was the bonus recipe at the end a thoughtful, cozy touch that added a little something extra to the overall experience.

All in all, May Contain Murder is a solid, entertaining mystery and a strong second installment in the series. If you’re in the mood for a layered, slow-burn whodunit with plenty of intrigue, this one is worth checking out.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review

[Rebecca Bridson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of Orlando Murrin's latest novel 'May Contain Murder' in exchange for my review.

Unfortunately this book almost made it on my DNF list, the only reason it didn't was because I had to know who the murderer was.
The story is burdened by too many unnecessary plot devices and the only character that was remotely interesting got killed off very early on. I found it hard to connect with the main character Paul and I can't say that I grew to like him. The story revolves around the murder of Paul's friend on a super yacht filled with rich, snobby people with serious personality issues and financial problems - and a dog. The crew are a motley bunch of characters who, again, are not likeable. Thrown into the mix is Paul's other friend Julie who sends him regular emails informing him of his daily tarot card reading. Thankfully the chapters are tiny so you can pick up and put down the book as you lose interest in the convoluted plot. Every now and then the author remembers the main character's personality revolves around food and we are treated with some culinary tips and tricks.
You'd have to read it to fully understand how tedious and unnecessary this book is. It's a shame because Murrin's previous book was very well received in the murder mystery community.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the super yacht trip. In the Maldemer this book written in Paul Delamare’s perspective - he was invited by the host Xéra and one of his closest friends and her husband sir Billy. Paul is still grieveimg the loss of his partner Marcus. The trip is a much needed get away. And Xera wants to do an autobiography having Paul to write it.

other characters on the boat -

Sir Billy daughter Elise and her husband Shaun ( ex- tennis pro)
Marje Mayham- Sir Billy sister . A talent agent
Judith and her husband Russell Tate ( he is the lawyer/ money manager for Sir Billy
Karol- Kate - dog handler/ walker for Elise and Shaun
Blue Aspray- ? assistant to Marje , plays piano

Challis - back of house maid
Captain Romer - captain
Aimee - navigator co-captain
Bernie- chef?

We can’t forget Paul’s BFF at home and her boyfriend Declan their/her emails and her attempts at tarrot card readings, and the back and forth to Paul during his time on the yacht.

From expensive necklaces stolen to an unexpected death, stowaways, and people falling over board either pushed or “accidentally falling over”…

I really enjoyed this story. Wasn’t sure who did what until the end. Felt like an Agatha Christie story. Paul was like inspector Piorot.

Happy 📖 Reading

[LauraBeach123 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely contains murder but that’s just the beginning! Orlando Murrin piles on trafficking, theft, fraud, and every sort of terrible indulgence rich people can get up to, all while sailing across the Atlantic on a luxury yacht. It’s part mystery, part social satire, and very entertaining.

What I loved most was luxury yacht setting, it is full money and excess, and I kept pausing to Google all the over-the-top brands, décor, and accessories that Murrin casually drops in. It’s like getting a peek into a world that’s equal parts glamorous and rotten.

The chef element was a fun too, just like his last murder mystery, Knife skills for Beginners, plays a major role in the story, and the recipes at the end were a delicious bonus. I enjoyed the way the culinary details balanced out the darker crimes, giving the book both flavor and bite and a nod to Julia Child and Salt, fat, acid, Heat.

Overall, this is a sharp, darkly funny look at the ultra-rich behaving very badly. If you like your closed room mysteries served with champagne, caviar, and a side of moral corruption, this is a good book for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.