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Cranberry Creek Word Search Mystery #4
Murder on Vacation
Welcome to the fictional town of Cranberry Creek, where cozy mystery meets word search, creating the perfect killer combo! Abby may be ready to take a break from her amateur sleuthing with a romantic getaway—but trouble seems to follow everywhere she goes, and her detective skills are put to the test once again.
Abby Jones is ready to set her amateur sleuthing to the side and enjoy a peaceful, romantic, lakeside vacation with her boyfriend, Nathan. But when the beloved owner of the local bed and breakfast is shockingly murdered—and Nathan was the last person to see her alive—Abby puts her detective skills to the test yet again. It’s Abby’s most challenging case yet!
Abby Jones is ready to set her amateur sleuthing to the side and enjoy a peaceful, romantic, lakeside vacation with her boyfriend, Nathan. But when the beloved owner of the local bed and breakfast is shockingly murdered—and Nathan was the last person to see her alive—Abby puts her detective skills to the test yet again. It’s Abby’s most challenging case yet!
128 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2026
About the author
Rosie A. Point
135 books675 followersRosie A. Point is a USA Today Bestselling cozy mystery author who loves writing about food, small towns, and cats. Her favorite books are ones you can snuggle up with under a cozy blanket on a winter's day. Born and raised in South Africa, her books are all set in small towns in the United States. She dreams of visiting the places she writes about in her books.
Rosie wants to hear from you. Whether it’s about a recipe or one of her books, you can contact her on her website. Join her reader club today!
https://www.rosiepointbooks.com/
Rosie wants to hear from you. Whether it’s about a recipe or one of her books, you can contact her on her website. Join her reader club today!
https://www.rosiepointbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 30, 2026
If you love cozy mysteries and puzzles, this book is the perfect vacation companion, or do what I did, brought it for a work trip!
Murder on Vacation offers a unique interactive reading experience that combines a charming small-town whodunit with 50 entertaining word searches that help uncover clues throughout the story.
Abby Jones is hoping for a relaxing lakeside getaway with her boyfriend Nathan, but when a beloved bed-and-breakfast owner is murdered and Nathan becomes a prime suspect, Abby is pulled back into sleuth mode. Readers get to join the investigation, solving puzzles while piecing together the mystery alongside Abby.
I loved how the word searches were woven into the storyline, making me feel like an active participant rather than just an observer. The cozy atmosphere, engaging mystery, and interactive format create a fun and refreshing twist on the traditional cozy mystery.
Whether you're a longtime mystery fan or simply enjoy puzzles, this book delivers an entertaining escape that's perfect for a weekend read.
Murder on Vacation offers a unique interactive reading experience that combines a charming small-town whodunit with 50 entertaining word searches that help uncover clues throughout the story.
Abby Jones is hoping for a relaxing lakeside getaway with her boyfriend Nathan, but when a beloved bed-and-breakfast owner is murdered and Nathan becomes a prime suspect, Abby is pulled back into sleuth mode. Readers get to join the investigation, solving puzzles while piecing together the mystery alongside Abby.
I loved how the word searches were woven into the storyline, making me feel like an active participant rather than just an observer. The cozy atmosphere, engaging mystery, and interactive format create a fun and refreshing twist on the traditional cozy mystery.
Whether you're a longtime mystery fan or simply enjoy puzzles, this book delivers an entertaining escape that's perfect for a weekend read.
July 30, 2026
3.5 stars.
The latest installment of the Cranberry Creek Word Search mystery series is another winning combination of cozy mystery and related word search puzzles!
Abby Jones is thrilled to be going on a romantic vacation with her boyfriend Nathan and her pampered cat Reggie (short for Sir Reginald.) Sure they aren't going very far from the center of their small town, but a long weekend at the Lakeside Gardens bed and breakfast located on the outskirts of Cranberry Creek is a charming escape from their everyday lives. While Abby loves her job running the town's only bookstore, sheriff's deputy Nathan could definitely use a break from his overbearing boss, Sheriff Swift.
There are only two other guests at the B&B which, despite its designation, has a full service if limited menu dining room. Tim Kowalski is a shy artist, while Hunter Ashford is a debonair traveler. The B&B owner Jenny Krueger seems to often be at odds with her chef Brenda Schulz, but that's really the only wrinkle in the otherwise idyllic landscape of this lakeside inn.
That all changes when a mystifyingly locked dining room one morning is opened to reveal a very dead Jenny inside. She's sitting at a table with a cup of tea and a suicide note. Nathan immediately calls the police, who put the inn on lockdown. Soon enough, it's revealed that while Jenny did indeed die of poisoning, her suicide note is highly suspect. Worse, all signs point to Nathan as her killer, despite his seeming lack of motive.
Abby isn't about to let Sheriff Swift railroad her boyfriend in the same way that he's attempted to with other people of her acquaintance. Nathan, being police himself, wants her to let the authorities handle it, tho his protestations are fairly half-hearted given his own experience of Sheriff Swift's efforts vs Abby's. With the help of Reggie, Abby's going to find out who really dunnit, no matter what danger it puts her in.
The mystery is cute but slight, with charming characters and a cozy setting. The highlight of this series continues to be how well the mystery is integrated with the word search puzzles, which are of their usual very high standard. The book overall is a winning diversion for anyone who wants some light exercise for their brain, with fifty puzzles in total to accompany the story chapters.
I personally loved how this installment is purple-themed, as that's my favorite color. The shades they've chosen, in lavenders and lilacs, are very calming without being soporific. This is a lovely book for the mystery/puzzle reader who wants a soothing experience that's fun and absorbing without being too taxing on the little grey cells.
Murder On Vacation by Rosie A Point & Charles Timmerman was published May 26 2026 by Adams Media and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
This review originally appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
The latest installment of the Cranberry Creek Word Search mystery series is another winning combination of cozy mystery and related word search puzzles!
Abby Jones is thrilled to be going on a romantic vacation with her boyfriend Nathan and her pampered cat Reggie (short for Sir Reginald.) Sure they aren't going very far from the center of their small town, but a long weekend at the Lakeside Gardens bed and breakfast located on the outskirts of Cranberry Creek is a charming escape from their everyday lives. While Abby loves her job running the town's only bookstore, sheriff's deputy Nathan could definitely use a break from his overbearing boss, Sheriff Swift.
There are only two other guests at the B&B which, despite its designation, has a full service if limited menu dining room. Tim Kowalski is a shy artist, while Hunter Ashford is a debonair traveler. The B&B owner Jenny Krueger seems to often be at odds with her chef Brenda Schulz, but that's really the only wrinkle in the otherwise idyllic landscape of this lakeside inn.
That all changes when a mystifyingly locked dining room one morning is opened to reveal a very dead Jenny inside. She's sitting at a table with a cup of tea and a suicide note. Nathan immediately calls the police, who put the inn on lockdown. Soon enough, it's revealed that while Jenny did indeed die of poisoning, her suicide note is highly suspect. Worse, all signs point to Nathan as her killer, despite his seeming lack of motive.
Abby isn't about to let Sheriff Swift railroad her boyfriend in the same way that he's attempted to with other people of her acquaintance. Nathan, being police himself, wants her to let the authorities handle it, tho his protestations are fairly half-hearted given his own experience of Sheriff Swift's efforts vs Abby's. With the help of Reggie, Abby's going to find out who really dunnit, no matter what danger it puts her in.
The mystery is cute but slight, with charming characters and a cozy setting. The highlight of this series continues to be how well the mystery is integrated with the word search puzzles, which are of their usual very high standard. The book overall is a winning diversion for anyone who wants some light exercise for their brain, with fifty puzzles in total to accompany the story chapters.
I personally loved how this installment is purple-themed, as that's my favorite color. The shades they've chosen, in lavenders and lilacs, are very calming without being soporific. This is a lovely book for the mystery/puzzle reader who wants a soothing experience that's fun and absorbing without being too taxing on the little grey cells.
Murder On Vacation by Rosie A Point & Charles Timmerman was published May 26 2026 by Adams Media and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
This review originally appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.25 stars
This is the fourth book in the Cranberry Creek Word Search Mystery series, but each book works well as a standalone. The book is a light, cozy mystery with fifty short chapters ending on mini-cliffhangers with a mini chapter summary and teaser for the next chapter. Each chapter has a word search puzzle with words related to what happened in that chapter. The puzzles take less than 10 minutes to work, so they're nice and relaxing. Towards the end, there is a puzzle that reveals the killer by unscrambling the letters remaining after all of the listed words are found. Adding to the fun are the cute illustrations of the main character's cat throughout the book.
The main character is Abby Jones who runs a bookstore in Cranberry Creek, Wisconsin. She loves reading and also solving word search puzzles. In this book, she goes on a weeklong vacation to a lakeside bed and breakfast with her boyfriend, Nathan, and her cat, Reggie. Their relaxing, romantic trip goes sideways when the owner of the inn is killed. Nathan is a sheriff's deputy but still becomes a suspect since he was one of the last people to see the victim alive. Abby will do whatever it takes to prove her boyfriend's innocence. This is a cute series and I like Abby and Nathan as a couple. Abby is also a competent sleuth, even though she sometimes crosses the line in her investigations (like sneaking into other guests' rooms to search them.) The books in this series are short and light, with fun stories and word search puzzles. I've enjoyed each one and look forward to the next one.
I received an advance copy of the book from Adams Media, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
This is the fourth book in the Cranberry Creek Word Search Mystery series, but each book works well as a standalone. The book is a light, cozy mystery with fifty short chapters ending on mini-cliffhangers with a mini chapter summary and teaser for the next chapter. Each chapter has a word search puzzle with words related to what happened in that chapter. The puzzles take less than 10 minutes to work, so they're nice and relaxing. Towards the end, there is a puzzle that reveals the killer by unscrambling the letters remaining after all of the listed words are found. Adding to the fun are the cute illustrations of the main character's cat throughout the book.
The main character is Abby Jones who runs a bookstore in Cranberry Creek, Wisconsin. She loves reading and also solving word search puzzles. In this book, she goes on a weeklong vacation to a lakeside bed and breakfast with her boyfriend, Nathan, and her cat, Reggie. Their relaxing, romantic trip goes sideways when the owner of the inn is killed. Nathan is a sheriff's deputy but still becomes a suspect since he was one of the last people to see the victim alive. Abby will do whatever it takes to prove her boyfriend's innocence. This is a cute series and I like Abby and Nathan as a couple. Abby is also a competent sleuth, even though she sometimes crosses the line in her investigations (like sneaking into other guests' rooms to search them.) The books in this series are short and light, with fun stories and word search puzzles. I've enjoyed each one and look forward to the next one.
I received an advance copy of the book from Adams Media, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
July 3, 2026
The fourth entry to this series I met for the first time last time – https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... – here has our heroine on a remote holiday. Actually, that's a lie – while she lives and works in Cranberry Creek, she and the deputy boyfriend and the cat are on holiday just a mile or so away from Cranberry Creek. But death has followed her – fresh from witnessing murder at a wedding weekend, here the hostess has been found after hitting the fatality button. And there are all of three suspects – although that's a half-lie, as this has to try its best to pretend said deputy hunk is one, too.
And that's the problem – the guilty person is obvious from the start, and there is so little scope to dissuade you. Last time things weren't as ideally self-contained as this is, but there was a bit more oomph to the case. Here the culprit stands out a mile, and all we might be left with is the spread of word-searches this book also contains, one after every page-long chapter. The concept remains we read a page (and a short page, as most of them have a cartoon of the cat) and then do the word-search of semi-relevant words, to try and reinforce our knowledge of the clues. Which is kind of redundant here, as I say. So do you want fifty word-searches with a bonus hour of cosy crime, or do you want a weak thriller bulked up with puzzles? Either way this is a step down, and this unsuccessful edition to the series is two and a half stars, oddly the same number of innocent suspects...
And that's the problem – the guilty person is obvious from the start, and there is so little scope to dissuade you. Last time things weren't as ideally self-contained as this is, but there was a bit more oomph to the case. Here the culprit stands out a mile, and all we might be left with is the spread of word-searches this book also contains, one after every page-long chapter. The concept remains we read a page (and a short page, as most of them have a cartoon of the cat) and then do the word-search of semi-relevant words, to try and reinforce our knowledge of the clues. Which is kind of redundant here, as I say. So do you want fifty word-searches with a bonus hour of cosy crime, or do you want a weak thriller bulked up with puzzles? Either way this is a step down, and this unsuccessful edition to the series is two and a half stars, oddly the same number of innocent suspects...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Murder on Vacation: Book 4" is a quick story and puzzle book, with each short chapter revealing more of what's happening through FMC Abby's narration. Every spread has a wordsearch puzzle that includes words and references to the scene before, which is fun. Abby and her boyfriend, Nathan, are having a little vacation at a bed and breakfast (they bring their cat too!). Everything starts normal and pleasant, until they find the B&B owner dead--in a locked room.
I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but I don't think it's necessary. I caught on quickly that Abby is a puzzle solver and a sleuth and this wasn't her first time investigating crime. It was a good and fast read, although I think I would have preferred the physical book to the ebook, because then I could do all the wordsearches! Regardless, the story holds its own and it's fun to put together the pieces along with Abby to solve the case!
Thanks for the ARC! :)
I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but I don't think it's necessary. I caught on quickly that Abby is a puzzle solver and a sleuth and this wasn't her first time investigating crime. It was a good and fast read, although I think I would have preferred the physical book to the ebook, because then I could do all the wordsearches! Regardless, the story holds its own and it's fun to put together the pieces along with Abby to solve the case!
Thanks for the ARC! :)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the ARC of this book!
5 stars - Cozy mystery
What an interesting concept for a cozy mystery book! It is a mystery story (I’d call it a short story) on alternating pages with word search puzzles. It has “cozy” written all over it. From the cozy scenes described in the story (aside from murder,
of course!), to the cozy purple colors on the pages, and the adorable drawings of the cat character, it’s just asking you to get a cup of hot tea or hot cocoa and curl up under a blanket on a quiet afternoon.
This book would be the perfect gift for someone!
5 stars - Cozy mystery
What an interesting concept for a cozy mystery book! It is a mystery story (I’d call it a short story) on alternating pages with word search puzzles. It has “cozy” written all over it. From the cozy scenes described in the story (aside from murder,
of course!), to the cozy purple colors on the pages, and the adorable drawings of the cat character, it’s just asking you to get a cup of hot tea or hot cocoa and curl up under a blanket on a quiet afternoon.
This book would be the perfect gift for someone!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🥟🪻Murder on Vacation: Book 4 ☕️🐱
Murder on Vacation is a charming and cozy murder mystery hidden between crossword puzzles. Abby and Nathan are excited to enjoy a relaxing vacation… until the owner is found dead.
⭐️⭐️⭐️- 3 Stars
I have never read a puzzle mystery book before. I love the concept and had a great time with the puzzles snuggled between the story. I do feel like the story could have been a little richer and I very quickly figured out the mystery but I still enjoy this. I should have saved this to bring on my vacation!!
Thank you NetGalley and Adam’s Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own
Murder on Vacation is a charming and cozy murder mystery hidden between crossword puzzles. Abby and Nathan are excited to enjoy a relaxing vacation… until the owner is found dead.
⭐️⭐️⭐️- 3 Stars
I have never read a puzzle mystery book before. I love the concept and had a great time with the puzzles snuggled between the story. I do feel like the story could have been a little richer and I very quickly figured out the mystery but I still enjoy this. I should have saved this to bring on my vacation!!
Thank you NetGalley and Adam’s Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for given me the opportunity to read this book. It was the first word search mystery book that I've ever read, and I have to say that I need more of these in my life. The wordsearch and having to figure out the clues let me really get into the book, and of course, once you start reading you can't stop. I'm a person who likes to know everything and most of the times I can figure it out early in the book. This one definitely surprised me, and I will be buying this book for some of my reader and puzzle friends. They are going to love it! Keep writing more of these please.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have always found a need for books that I can read a little and put down for a while when I’m busy. This series is one of those that helps me read in short bites when I’m super busy. The stories are always good and each chapter ends with a puzzle that lets you feel like you fulfilled a goal each time you finish a chapter. Bring it all together and you’ve got a fun read with a puzzle to solve from the ones you solved throughout the book. FUN!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
- I received this book from NetGalley -
Another really fun book in the series. I felt out of all of them this one was the most consistent, probably because there weren't huge time gaps and that it was centralized to one location for the whole time. I thought it was well done and that the puzzles were fun. Only downside was there was a shift in the last puzzle that pointed to the answer before solving it. Hopefully that would be corrected for the final version.
Another really fun book in the series. I felt out of all of them this one was the most consistent, probably because there weren't huge time gaps and that it was centralized to one location for the whole time. I thought it was well done and that the puzzles were fun. Only downside was there was a shift in the last puzzle that pointed to the answer before solving it. Hopefully that would be corrected for the final version.
June 2, 2026
Two of my favorite things…a cozy mystery story and a word search!
This is such a fun way to read! The story was a fun, quick read, with lots of clues to help solve the mystery. At the end of each chapter is a word search that also helps you solve the mystery! You can read the story without doing the puzzles, but it is much more fun to complete the word searches.
Thank you NetGalley and Adams Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This is such a fun way to read! The story was a fun, quick read, with lots of clues to help solve the mystery. At the end of each chapter is a word search that also helps you solve the mystery! You can read the story without doing the puzzles, but it is much more fun to complete the word searches.
Thank you NetGalley and Adams Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
August 12, 2026
3.0
This book is a mystery with word searches.
I had hoped that the word searches would add to the storyline or give clues, but was disappointed. If this wasn't part of my expectation, I might have enjoyed it more.
The reason I rated it as high as I did is because the story was told well and quick paced.
This book is a mystery with word searches.
I had hoped that the word searches would add to the storyline or give clues, but was disappointed. If this wasn't part of my expectation, I might have enjoyed it more.
The reason I rated it as high as I did is because the story was told well and quick paced.
August 16, 2026
I stumbled upon this series by accident and I ended up loving it! I did start with book 4, but I will work my way backwards!
Im really liking the idea of having a story within a puzzle book. Murdle started it off for me and now im looking for more! This was such a great break and I love me some wordsearches!
Im really liking the idea of having a story within a puzzle book. Murdle started it off for me and now im looking for more! This was such a great break and I love me some wordsearches!
July 9, 2026
I was very excited about this concept. And the read was also fun. However i was a little bit disappointed, the puzzles were quite easy, and i had hoped that every puzzle would add a small clue to the story, not just the one big one (that was also much too easy) i would add much more words to the word search and then have only the needed letters leftover in the entire puzzle, instead of all of them being in one column. Good concept but could have been better. Nice to read if you like a simple word search though.
Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review
July 12, 2026
This is really hard to rate! I loved the word searches but the actual mystery was lacking. I wasn’t invested in the story and felt that the pacing was weird. It was a cute mystery but I wasn’t invested in the plot. The word searches were the only thing that made me motivated to finish the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A cute little puzzle book. I love interactive puzzle books and this was no exception. This was my first time trying a book like this but it definitely won't be the last.
June 4, 2026
I love the twist at the end! I’m glad I was wrong with my guess until literally “chapter” 45!!!
July 1, 2026
It was a good read.
July 6, 2026
fun new idea for an activity book! combining a mystery read with crosswords
July 20, 2026
The word searches do not advance the story. I assumed they would. Very disappointing.
July 26, 2026
I like the format but it felt very underdeveloped
July 31, 2026
Another murder solved!! Even while they were on vaca!!! Murder follows Abby everywhere lol……
July 7, 2026
Abby Jones is immersed in another murder investigation. The bookstore owner is on a getaway vacation with boyfriend Nathan. The bed and breakfast owner where they are staying has been murdered and Nathan was the last person to be seen with the woman. Abby needs to investigate to help him. Readers find words in each of the 50-word search puzzles to accumulate clues to see if they can solve the murder mystery.
I received a digital copy from the publisher Adams Media through NetGalley. This is my own unsolicited opinion. I really like this type of book. I enjoy word search puzzles. Combining puzzles and a mystery is such a nice idea. This story moves along in short chapters; each followed with a puzzle. In the end all unused puzzle letters are combined to identify the murderer. It's an intriguing story and was overall, quite a fun read and puzzle project.
I received a digital copy from the publisher Adams Media through NetGalley. This is my own unsolicited opinion. I really like this type of book. I enjoy word search puzzles. Combining puzzles and a mystery is such a nice idea. This story moves along in short chapters; each followed with a puzzle. In the end all unused puzzle letters are combined to identify the murderer. It's an intriguing story and was overall, quite a fun read and puzzle project.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews