Murderous Cruise Habit

A Rachel Prince Mystery #6

by Dawn Brookes

Murder in the Caribbean...Rachel Prince joins the Coral Queen for the holiday of a lifetime, accompanied by her parents and octogenarian friend, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe.

Brendan Prince is asked to stand-in and take a Sunday church service which ends in tragedy. Shockwaves run through the ship when a nun belonging to an exclusive religious party collapses and dies. Initially, it appears the young woman died from natural causes. Rachel's best friend Sarah Bradshaw (cruise ship nurse) wants to believe this is the case, if only to keep Rachel out of trouble. Rachel is not convinced, believing the death is suspicious, particularly after her father shares the nun's dying words.

Jack Waverley, chief of security initially asks for Rachel's help when it looks as though things aren't what they seem within the religious order. He soon backtracks when the FBI board the ship.

Marjorie is as keen as ever to do a little sleuthing of her own much to Sarah's disgust. Rachel has her hands full, keeping Lady Marjorie safe and her mother in ignorance while she uncovers the mystery.

In the most dangerous challenge to date, Rachel must keep her wits about her to find out why the nun was killed and discover who is responsible.

To take another seafaring adventure with Rachel and friends, get your copy of Murderous Cruise Habit today!

Genres: Audiobook, Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2020

About the author

Dawn Brookes is an award winning cosy mystery and crime writer who also writes memoirs and children's books.
She has an MA in Creative Writing with Distinction.

Dawn writes most days and publishes regularly, to keep up to date visit her website.

Rachel Prince Mysteries:

#1 A Cruise to Murder set during a Mediterranean cruise
#2 Deadly Cruise set during a transatlantic crossing to New York.
#3 Killer Cruise set during a Baltic cruise.
#4 Dying to Cruise set during a cruise around Australia and New Zealand.
#5 A Christmas Cruise Murder set on a Canary Island cruise.
#6 Murderous Cruise Habit set on a Caribbean cruise.
#7 Honeymoon Cruise Murder set on a Mediterranean cruise.
#8 A Murder Mystery Cruise set on a cruise to the Norwegian Ffords.
#9 Hazardous Cruise set on a Mediterranean and Adriatic cruise.
#10 Captain's Dinner Cruise Murder
#11 Corporate Cruise Murder set in India.
#12 Treacherous Cruise Flirtation set in Hawaii.
#13 Toxic Cruise Cocktail set on a SE Asia cruise.
#14 Cruise into Darkness

The Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mysteries

#Prequel Novella Death of a Blogger
#1 Murder at the Opera House
#2 Murder in the Highlands
#3 Murder at the Christmas Market
#4 Murder at a Wimbledon Mansion
#5 Murder in a Care Home
#6 Murder at the Regatta
#7 Murder on a Bus Tour

Carlos Jacobi PI

#1 Body in the Woods Award winning novel.
#2 The Bradgate Park Murders
#3 The Museum Murders

Nursing Memoirs

#1 Hurry up Nurse: memoirs of nurse training in the 1970s

#2 Hurry up Nurse 2: London calling
#3 Hurry up Nurse 3: More adventures in the life of a student nurse

Books are available in paperback, hardback, large print, kindle ebook, and audiobook.

Dawn grew up in Leicester, England and trained as a nurse. She later moved to London to undertake further training in the East End. Dawn worked in the NHS in England for the best part of thirty-nine years and during that time gained a wide range of experience as well as academic and professional qualifications. She also holds an MA in Creative Writing.

Dawn's website can be found at: https://www.dawnbrookespublishing.com

Children's Books

Dawn has written a number of children's books including:

Suki Seal and the Plastic Ring

Gerry the One-Eared Cat

Danny the Caterpillar

Ava & Oliver's Bonfire Night Adventure

Ava & Oliver's Christmas Nativity Adventure

Jesus Feeds a Big Crowd

Jesus Heals a Man on a Stretcher

Dawn founded a literature festival in her locality which aims to engage readers and authors with all things literature.

Reviews

[Pam G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sixth outing for Rachel Prince aboard the Coral Queen. This time Sergeant Prince is voyaging around the Caribbean with her parents and her octogenarian friend Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe.
Among the passengers there is a group of nuns on a special pilgrimage. Lots of them are noviciates and all extremely beautiful, which strikes Rachel as a bit odd. During a church service aboard ship, one of the young nuns drops down dead. At first it is put down to natural causes, but soon murder is suspected. Before long the FBI become involved and as Rachel becomes interested, her life is threatened.
This series is perfect for lovers of murder mysteries and cosy crime. Being set on board a cruise liner gives the books the air of locked room mysteries and each cruise brings a fresh set of victims and suspects.
I listened to this book on Audible. The narrator is very clear and reads with great expression.
A lively and entertaining adventure.

[Melanie Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

And we're off on the Coral Queen again. I must commend Ms Brookes as the detail of life aboard ship is excellent. Obviously an enormous amount of tireless and exhausting research goes into each book. Once again we are in the company of the determined Rachel Prince, but along for the ride we have Reverend Prince and Susan, his wife and Lady Marjorie. I do love Lady Marjorie. Throw in a group of beautiful nuns-in-training, a Mother Superior, a group of ex-military guns-for-hire and what could possible go wrong? The easy option is not one ever taken by Ms Brookes, and the path to the truth twists and turns its way around all my guesses until the denouement, which left be open mouthed. Alex Lee has done such a magnificent job with her narration of these books and once more turns in a top rate performance. All in all a super listen, which I'm proud to recommend.

[Suzanna Salter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawn Brookes does it again! What a cracking read this was. Rachel Prince’s crime solving skills know no bounds as she solves yet another murder onboard. Even though this is a murder mystery you can still have a chuckle along the way. I think to keep someone guessing to the very end is a skill not many authors have, but, my goodness this one does! Can not believe I did not (or could not) guess whodunnit. Don’t worry I’m not letting on as I don’t want to spoil this must read for anyone else. Highly recommend

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW


Another great story this time Rachel is bringing her parents along for the ride and as always in typical Rachel bad luck a murder takes place this time of a nun. As Rachel gets dragged into an investigation whilst trying to ensure her parents don’t know about her run of bad luck on cruises she gets drawn into a scary mystery and is again putting her life in danger to find out the truth. Honestly if Rachel Price is booked on your cruise cancel but that being said these stories are great fun.

[Heather W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murderous Cruise Habit is the sixth book in the "A Rachel Prince Mystery" series and is an entertaining cozy mystery.

I loved this cozy mystery and found the characters to be well developed and likable. The storyline is well written and flows nicely, with a wonderful Caribbean cruise, nefarious nuns, death, mystery, mayhem, danger, and intrigue.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook review

I really enjoy these books but I’d honestly never go on a cruise when these passengers are on haha

These 2 just attract murder & mayhem, thank goodness they do or we’d never have the stories here.

Nuns on a cruise, plus dodgy characters, it’s a must & a mystery abounds.

Great narration as always, the story flows and doesn’t disappoint

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. This is book 6 in the series and it is still as refreshing and enjoyable as the first, maybe more so as I know the characters so well. The mystery was good and kept you guessing as to who the killer was, which was interesting because there was plenty of clues and suspects. I also liked the fact that the murder takes place in the unusual setting of a cruise ship, so all the suspects are altogether in one place. I was worried that because the murder victim was a nun that the story might get bogged down and get a bit religious and preachy for my tastes but that wasn't the case and in fact it was just a good murder mystery. Can't wait for the next book, we might not be able to travel at the moment so books like these are a good substitute and the good thing is you don't have to worry about getting killed.
Rachel is back on board the Coral Queen with her parents and good friend Lady Marjorie. The rest of the crew jokingly comments that they had better get prepared for another murder and it is not long before the are proved right. A nun collapses during a service and Rachel and her friends first job is to find out if it was natural causes. The rest of the religious part don't help there investigating when rather than morn the loss of a fellow nun they go about there business as if nothing happened. Will Rachel have to under cover as a nun to find out what is going on, chief security man Jack Waverley believes so in to he gets pressured to drop the case. Just what aren't they being told? With her parents and elderly friend on board Rachel won't take any chances in keeping them safe even if that means still investigating when she has been told not to.
I liked he narrator she sounds very British but also does some very good accents from other countries.

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

★¸¸.•*¨*•★My Spoiler Free Review★•*¨*•.¸¸★

My tags for this mystery novel: Easy to read / Entertaining / Original / Page-turner (Engrossing listen) / Unpredictable / Wonderful Characters

Format read: Unabridged Audiobook (via Audible)

Narrated by: Alex Lee

Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins

Series: A Rachel Prince Mystery, Book 6

Release Date: 06-03-20

Publisher: Dawn Brookes Publishing

Writing style: Third Person Omniscient

Ratings:

Alex Lee's Performance - 5 stars, bravo!
She's so vocally expressive, and I just love how she's able to give each character such distinct vocal personality. She has no problems with gender or accents which is no small feat to this picky listener's ears.

Story - 4 to 4.25 stars!
It was fun to have Rachel's parents featured more heavily on this family vacation. I enjoyed learning more about them and witnessing their dynamic with their star sleuthing daughter. Of course, her regular Coral Queen cruise ship friends were on duty and ready to interact with her. And, rounding out this mystery surrounding the death of a nun novitiate first and then yet another cruise ship passenger was Rachel's ever spunky octogenarian sidekick Lady Majorie.

Overall - 4.5 stars!
The Caribbean destination was brought to life beautifully, and this time I was 100% stumped as to who murdered the victims and why. My 'aha moment' only came after Rachel revealed all, doh!

Up next...book 7!
I'm looking forward to Rachel and her Private Investigator fiancé Carlos going on a cruise together next in Honeymoon Cruise Murder so much that I've already pre-ordered the Kindle e-book copy (Release Date: August 7, 2020). Hopefully, the audiobook format will be available around the e-book release date as well.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic ‘Rachel Prince Mystery’ by Dawn Brookes, although part of a series it can be read as a standalone story. This time Rachel is in the Caribbean and is back on the Coral Queen along with her parents and elderly friend Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe for a holiday of a lifetime. Best friend and professional cruise ship nurse Sarah is also on board, and it’s not long before a death is announced. At first glance it appears that a nun who collapsed and then died did so from natural causes but Rachel is suspicious especially when her father tells her what the nuns last words were. Chief of Security asks Rachel to assist in the mystery but when the FBI come aboard they are not too happy with her interference, not helped by the fact that Lady Snellthorpe is doing a little sleuthing of her own. This is Rachels’s most dangerous challenge yet and she must uncover the reason for the nuns death and discover the murderer whilst protecting those she loves.
As usual Dawn Brookes gives us drama, mystery, a bit of romance, some humour and a glimpse at life on board a cruise ship all wrapped up in a fun murder mystery story. I was hooked from page one and could not put it down. Over the series I have fallen in love with the returning characters especially Rachel and like how her character has developed over the six books. The storyline flows along nicely and has plenty of red herrings, which kept me guessing as to the identity of the murderer until the end. Another fantastic book by Dawn Brookes which I definitely recommend.

[Laurel Heidtman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel Prince is at it again! She, her parents, and her friend Lady Marjorie are on a Caribbean Cruise, and whenever Rachel cruises, someone is murdered. This time the victim is unusual—she’s a nun-in-training traveling with a group of other novitiates. To add further intrigue, she’s estranged from her wealthy mother and her mother’s much younger husband who are also on board.

It may have just been me, but I had a little trouble getting into the book at first, but once I did, I was caught up in the story. One complaint I had about an earlier book in the series was that Rachel sometimes seems a bit fragile for a police officer, and there was some of that here as well. She seems to frighten more easily than I would expect from someone who wears a badge. But in spite of being frightened, she never gives up, and that’s all anyone can ask of a character—or a real person, for that matter.

I read a lot of mysteries and can usually figure out most, if not all, of the solution, but this one had me stumped. I was afraid that when the reveal came, it wouldn’t ring true, but it did. Good job! I see there is another book in the series coming out this year. Looking forward to it!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sixth book in a series, but the first I have read and it worked quite well as a standalone. There were brief references to the history behind the characters’ relationships and I felt it was enough to understand and enjoy the story. That being said, I enjoyed it a lot and will go back and read the others!

Rachel Prince is aboard The Coral Queen for a well-earned luxury Caribbean cruise with her parents, joined by her good friend Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe. And it would appear that whenever Rachel and Lady Marjorie are aboard a cruise, murder isn’t far away. The day after boarding the ship, a nun dies during a religious service from what appears at first to be natural causes. But then something a bit more sinister starts to unfold and Rachel finds herself once more drawn into investigating what is really going on in the order of nuns and their pilgrimage to Brimstone Hill, but with potentially dangerous consequences.

An enjoyable cozy mystery with some likeable characters, this is a great light-hearted read to keep you entertained whilst keeping you guessing.

[Joanne Cartwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent murder mystery on board the Coral Queen.
Having read all of this series (and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one) this is definitely a slight departure from the "normal" plot line with some quite sinister nuns joining the cruise who seem to have some sort of agenda that is unclear and concerning.
The intrigue around their order and purpose is very well crafted with just enough hints to raise your suspicions page by page but not enough clues for you to really determine what is going on ahead of Rachel working it all out.
Meanwhile all the usual suspects are once again onboard and romances forged in previous titles continue to blossom (disappointed that I have to wait for the next book for the wedding though!).
A great cosy murder to get into which could happily stand alone but is definitely better read in conjunction with the rest of the series.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Prince is back again on the “Coral Queen” accompanied by her older friend, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe, and her parents. As they begin the cruise, a young nun on pilgrimage with an exclusive religious party becomes sick, her death considered suspicious. The chief of security needs help and asks Rachel to assist since the dead woman’s last words are worrisome.

The FBI of course tells Rachel to stay out of it. Will she listen as she tries to keep her friend Marjorie safe while tracking down the murderer?

We have another wonderful cozy mystery in this series! We are back with a few of the great characters we all know and love, along with an intriguing plot and a mystery to tackle. All of this keeps the reader avidly following along trying to figure out who did what and why! Grab your copy and join the hunt with Rachel for the murderer!

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cruise, another murder. Perhaps our heroine should consider another form of travel.

This is book six in the series, but each book is written as a standalone, so no prior reading is required.

This is a murder mystery book set on a cruise ship. The story is well written and easy to read and populated with an interesting cast of characters, including a group of nuns. The mystery is intriguing, with lots of twists and turns which keep you guessing and engaged. I enjoy this series using cruise ships as the setting. I have taken several cruises and I can usually visualize where our heroine is as she moves about the ship. Overall, a very enjoyable book and I look forward to reading others in the series.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes

[Sandra Leivesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel Prince is on another cruise. this time to the Caribbean, along with her elderly parents, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe and Rachels friend, Sarah, one of the ship's nurses. Rachel promises herself that this time she won't get involved in any more murders. Haha fat chance! Also on the ship are a large party of very beautiful nuns and no sooner has the ship set sail when one of the nuns drops dead.

As always, this is a well plotted mystery with little touches of humour and enough red herrings to keep me wondering right till the end. It was great to catch up with Rachel, her friends and the crew who now feel like my own friends. The detail of life aboard ship and the stunning locations visited when the ship is in port make this a delight to listen to.

Alex Lee, as always, did a wonderful job narrating.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This time, Rachel's parents and Marjorie join her on the Coral, although now fiance Carlos is off to a family funeral. Carlos does not understand why Rachel is so fond of cruising, as there is a murder every single cruise she takes!

As vicar Brendan, Rachel's father, officiates at a Sunday service in the chapel, their group becomes aware of a strangely beautiful group of nuns. Also on board is a particularly nasty man, travelling with a woman he passes off as his wife, but is not.

One of the young nuns drops dead of an overdose of digoxin and by strange coincidence, her wealthy mother is on board with her very young husband. Naturally the husband is suspected. He possibly wanted his full share of an inheritance.

Not a bad book, but at the end I am still wondering how it happened that all the young nuns happened to be so beautiful.

[Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great series of books, a great light murder mystery. This time Rachel Prince is joined on the cruise by her parents, as they venture to the Caribbean. Once again there is a death on board - this time a young nun who is travelling on a pilgrimage with a group of other nuns - and Rachel is determined not to get involved because of her parents. However, the presence of her parents actually makes it very difficult to stay away - and of course Rachel is great at sniffing out information.
Not so much of the cruise side of things in this story, with the focus mainly on Rachel rather than her nurse friend Sarah, but still a great glimpse of life on board a cruise ship as well as an entertaining read.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time reading Ms. Brookes and I am delighted! The mystery was very good with lots of suspects and kept me guessing until the end. The characters are great and very funny. They interact very well and are very entertaining. The cruise is wonderful too. Since I am an armchair traveler I enjoyed it very much. Will definitely be reading more of this series. I mean who can resist a whole order of nuns being involved in multiple murders while on a pilgrimage on a cruise ship? It doesn't get much better than that!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan Wüthrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you pick up a Dawn Brookes’ cruise mystery, you are in for a real treat! This time intrepid Rachel Prince gets involved in the death of a young nun, who was sailing towards a holy shrine with a gaggle of novitiates to an island in the Caribbean. At first it seems the death is possibly a suicide, but wily sleuth Rachel is not convinced and won’t be put off by her fellow crew members. Together with her eighty something sidekick, Lady Marjorie, they forge ahead taking dangerous risks among sinister criminals, while sifting through a number of suspects until the mystery is solved. 5*

[Jenny H · Rating 4 out of 5]

You wouldn't want to be a fellow passenger with Rachel Prince, as murder seems to follow her around! This time she's on St Kitts in the beautiful Caribbean with her parents, her best friend, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe and, weirdly, a party of nuns. I've walked up Brimstone Hill, where some of the action takes place, so can appreciate how tired they felt by the time they got to the top! Dawn Brookes books are always fun. If you're a frustrated cruise-goer, who can't travel due to the dreaded virus, try this to cheer yourself up!

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel Prince finds herself entangled in another murder aboard, this time without her fiancé but with her parents and elderly friend around. When a member of a group of nuns on a pilgrimage is murdered, she realizes quickly things and people are not what they seem. Cozies are always a great way to escape and with the current situation, taking a virtual one through the pages may just give you the escape you need.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristi Blessing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Cruise Ship Mysteries & I love Rachel Prince mysteries

This was another fun & exciting cruise ship mystery. It was great having Rachel's parents aboard and learning more about her family. Of course it wouldn't be any fun without Rachel's second family, the crew of the ship & her new good friend from the first book. The nun storyline was lots of fun with all the different personalities. I highly recommend this book & this series. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love cruise cozies. It’s fun to read about places I’ve gone, especially when real locations are included. The thought of being on a cruise where there has been a murder just scares the heck out of me! Especially one that doesn’t have Rachel Prince on it! She’s an amazing detective! These characters are fun and real. I mean, Rachel is a detective, so her investigating isn’t so out of the realm of reality. Lady Marjorie is a hoot! I’m looking forward to the next book coming up!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beryl A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

MurderAgain, With Nuns!?

I have come to thoroughly enjoy these books with Rachel, Sarah, Waverly, etc. I will most definitely recommend this book to several of my friends. They are fun, serious, dramatic and it is enjoyable to read and try to figure out who is involved with the crimes going on board and how many others, such was the case in this book would be found out toward the end of the book. This author keeps the reader on their toes and that is what makes these books so interesting.

[Kelly deli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read all the others and will more than likely download 7. What I will say is the ending always has a good twist but they main content us samey and far from believable. You know at the start there will be a murder, Rachel will be told by the crew and her friends to keep out, she won’t, she will be in danger and then she will solve the case. I don’t find any of the characters relatable either or likeable especially Rachel. That said they are a easy read just needs a like mixing up.

[Dorothy Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murderous Cruise Habit

This was a great read! I love the cruise ship personal. They all play such a great role in these investigations. The passenger that are regulars are also involved. This is such a GREAT READ!! I enjoy these books sooooo much! I hope you will too!! I don’t want to give anything away but I’m sure once you read book one you will be hooked!! I was!! You must start with book one or you will be lost!🥰🥰🥰

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great cozy, murder mystery that has the suspense and twists and turns that keep you guessing who dun it. Entertaining characters you'll love getting to know and they interact well in the story. The story line keeps your attention and makes it hard to put down until you reach the end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this whole series and I love Rachel Prince. Since I also love cruises, this book is another awesome journey on a wonderful cruise. Of course, having someone die on the ship is not fun and it is up to Rachel to figure it out. Love this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I've read written by Dawn Brookes; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Margarida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well when Waverley is asking for Rachel's help, you know it's going to be a good one! We are so happy to have Rachel back in another mystery, along with old friend Marjorie, and we get to meet Rachel's parents. Wonderful! I loved this latest issue of this series. You can read this on its own, but it so much better if you can start with book 1 to get to know the beloved continuing characters.