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Discover why so many fans love the "Original" Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery series by Hope Callaghan!


When a crew member is mysteriously poisoned onboard the “Siren of the Seas,” Millie fights to clear her name after becoming a suspect.

Peculiar Poison - Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Book 18

BONUS: Recipe Included!

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As the Siren of the Seas continues their British Isles cruise season, Millie can’t wait for her first ever visit to a castle – and Blarney Castle at that. She and Amit plan to visit the castle to pick up some Hawthorne berries for Annette, hoping they’ll help her friend’s heart condition.

Unfortunately, all of the tours are booked and taxis nearly impossible to get by the time they are able to get off the ship. Sophia reaches out to a friend who agrees to take them to the castle. Little do they know, it’s going to be one wild ride!

Millie returns from the trip and discovers that Sophia has become ill. Her illness takes a chilling turn when the ship’s doctor discovers the woman has been poisoned and all of the clues point to Millie as the one responsible.

Sophia accuses Millie and files a formal complaint against her. The head of security promises to get to the bottom of it, but time is running out.

Will Millie & the gang solve the mystery of the peculiar poisoning…or will she be fired from her job and sent back to the States?

403 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 11, 2020

575 people are currently reading
93 people want to read

About the author

Hope Callaghan

184 books766 followers
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★ AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR ★
★ 2017 Mom's Choice Award ★

Hope Callaghan is an American author who loves to write clean fiction books, especially Christian Mystery and Cozy Mystery books.

She has written more than 70 mystery books (and counting) in six series.

Born and raised in a small town in West Michigan, she now lives in Florida with her husband. She is the proud mother of 3 wonderful children.

When she's not doing the thing she loves best - writing books - she enjoys cooking, traveling and reading books.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
Profile Image for JoAn.
2,460 reviews1 follower
August 10, 2020
In Peculiar Poison by Hope Callaghan Millie is in hot water this time. Accused of poisoning a new crew member, Millie must put on her sleuthing cap with the help of her friends and get to the bottom of this mystery. This one had a real twist to the end.
Profile Image for Meg.
229 reviews1 follower
May 30, 2020
As we sail on the Siren of the Seas to their next destination, Ireland, Millie and Amit are looking forward to their day excursion into Cork. They are headed to Blarney Castle and its famous garden in search of Hawthorn berries to help with their friend Annette’s health issues. Unable to line up a bus or taxi to take them, Millie and Amit are discouraged until Andy the Cruise Director informs them, Sonia, Millie’s nemesis, has set up a driver to take them to the castle. Although suspicious, Millie and Amit head out. What a wild ride they had! Sonia had set them up with a race car driver. Although the trip was terrifying, they made it back safely, with various forms of the berries. They became friends with the driver and also gleaned some insight into Sonia's past. . Upon their return, Millie finds out the Sonia has become ill and offers to take her tea made with the berries. When Sonia becomes worse, she files a complaint that Millie tried to poison her!

Sailing with the crew of the Siren of the Seas is one of favorite things to do. Not only is the plot well-developed but the attention to the details of the surrounding area wonderful. How I wish I could have tagged along on the excursion to the castle with Millie and Amit. There are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing, and although I had a thought of what might be going on, it wasn’t until the end of the book that my suspicions were confirmed. Another successful and enjoyable cozy by Hope Callaghan. I received this copy as a gift fro the author, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
57 reviews2 followers
November 10, 2020
Another fun & enjoyable cruise ship mystery

I absolutely love this series and this particular book is a favorite of mine. But, it's the first one I didn't give 5 stars. The story and all the characters are still great. I had two problems with this book. One is relatively minor but affects the book being a stand-alone story. There is no explanation or resolution to the crew's problem with a specific officer. It appears this issue will be resolved in the next book, which is fine with me. But as I noted it's not a stand-alone story. The second problem is much more important to me. It felt like the book ended too soon, I would have preferred much more information regarding the perpetrator. The security officer picks up the person then there's a VERY brief exchange between the Captain & his wife. I would have liked to read about the interrogation and the mindset of the guilty party. However, I still highly recommend this book & series and look forward to many more.
Profile Image for RO G'ma.
1,061 reviews43 followers
May 15, 2020
Peculiar Poison is the eighteenth book in Hope Callaghan’s Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series. The storyline is well plotted and flows smoothly. The mystery is intriguing, and affable characters are well-developed. Lots of things are happening in this steadily paced book, and the twists and red herrings keep the reader engaged and guessing. Every time I pick up one of Ms. Callaghan’s books, I know I’m going to love it, and Peculiar Poison didn’t disappoint me. I highly recommend this clean, well-crafted cozy mystery series as well as all Ms. Callaghan’s other books.

Siren of the Seas is on its second cruise around the British Isles, and Assistant Cruise Director Millie Sanders-Armati is looking forward to visiting Blarney Castle. Millie and Amit Uddin, one of the galley employees, are looking forward to touring the gardens, the grounds, and the castle ruins, but their main goal is to track down Hawthorne berry products for her good friend and Director of Food and Beverage, Annette Delacroix, who is experiencing some health issues. Cruise Director Andy Walker hired his friend, Sophia Williams, who has expertise in the British Isles for the summer season, and for some reason, she seems to have it in for Millie. When Sophia becomes ill, and Doctor Gundervan determines that she’s been poisoned, she blames Millie and even files a formal complaint against her with the cruise lines’ corporate office. Not only is Dave Patterson, the head of security, determined to find the underlying cause of the mysterious poisoning and respond to the complaint within forty-eight hours, but he’s also dealing with a group of disgruntled crewmembers. With Millie fearing she’ll lose the job she loves, be forced off the ship, and possibly lose her beloved husband, Captain Nic Armati, her friends join her in their own investigation.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
1,180 reviews
May 22, 2020
Another great book by Hope. I love the cruise ship mystery series. This time Millie is the suspect when Sophia is poisoned. Millie and Amit went to get some berries for Annette to help her health issue. While there, Millie came across some interesting herbs and one of them was poison. The girls get together to help Millie solved the case on who poisoned Sophia. Many twists and turns to keep you on your toes. I liked the friendship between all the characters and the plot was very interesting. I thought I knew who the murderer was but was surprise who the murderer actually was. Highly recommend this book and the series. Can't wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Shelly.
31 reviews1 follower
June 4, 2020
Great clean mystery series!

I have read the whole series of Millie’s life & excursions on board the ship! I like that these books are clean. No cursing. No sleeping around. Just a good clean, funny and yet intriguing, in trying to figure out “who dunnit?”
I love the friendship she has with her colleagues and looking out for each other. And I especially like the romance between Millie & the Captain.
Hope is a fantastic writer! If you’re looking for clean, funny, romance, & mystery all rolled into one, check out her other series. I’ve read several of those too.
The only thing I don’t like is finishing a book & having to wait til the next one comes out! Lol
Profile Image for Rena.
15 reviews
June 20, 2020
Could not stop reading this one!

I have always enjoyed Hope Callaghan’s mystery novels. This particular story was full of sleuth opportunities and investigations. Nobody understood why the new entertainment person, Sophia, was so hate filled toward Millie. As the story evolved, it was discovered Sophia was actually wanting to replace Millie and become the captain‘s wife. The first order of business for Sophia was to have Millie fired by the cruise line which would leave the field wide open to begin romancing the captain. As it turns out, Sophia had once been a captains wife on another cruise line, before her husband had died.
Profile Image for Renate Deutsche Oma.
1,390 reviews
May 16, 2020
Siren of the Sea has a new route - the Atlantic with stops at famous Emerald Isle attractions. Would you kiss the Blarney Stone or be intrigued by the Poison Garden? Hope Callaghan writes a page turning mystery fitting for 2020s pandemic. Book 18 in the Cruise Ship mysteries has our favorite characters, is filled with nail biting suspense, has a cast of red herrings, a narcissist, and mysterious illness aboard Millie Sander's cruise ship. Recipe for Three Bean One Pot Chili included. To what extremes will a love starved women go - to get what she wants?
66 reviews2 followers
May 24, 2020
How great it is to be headed on a new itinerary on Siren Of The Seas. A beautiful ship set to sail the British Isles. Millie loves her Captain Nic and the adventures they share. As Assistant Cruise Director, Millie leads her friendly band of merry makers into yet another mystery. Who is poisoning members of the crew? Why? Where to begin? You will be happy to learn all of the secrets when you sit down to spend a few hours enjoying Peculiar Poison by Hope Callaghan! As an ARC reader, I had the pleasure of reading and enjoying this book and leave this review freely.
136 reviews
May 28, 2020
Another Winner!!!

I love all of Hope Callaghan's books and this was no exception!! It has the "can't-put-it-down" that all of her books do and I typically get through each book in a day or a little more. Then I'm anxious for the next book of the series!! Although each book is a stand alone, they are really much better if they're read in order. I can hardly wait for the next installment of the Cruise Ship series.
Profile Image for Mary Barrett.
810 reviews11 followers
June 7, 2020
4.5 stars

Another high sea adventure with Millie, Nick and friends. Another mystery to solve with her crew member friends, Millie is determined to find out who is trying to poison Sophia, thus clearing herself of the crime. Having read the series so far, I feel like I am among old friends. This is a well written cozy mystery series you will enjoy revisiting with each new installment.
122 reviews2 followers
June 8, 2020
The hardest one to solve to date!

I did not figure it out until the end. I love a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. You could feel the stress put on Millie with every page. In your heart your cannot imagine why anyone would suspect her for what does she have to gain from poisoning Sophia. Since she is causing trouble in all departments the suspect list is so long. Everyone seems to have problems with her but Andy. I loved the ending!
Profile Image for Joan.
966 reviews
June 20, 2020
As the ship is starting it's season cruising the British Isles, an old friend of Andy is hired to provide local knowledge for the guests. Sophia seems to have Andy wrapped around her little finger, but for some reason she hates Millie and does everything she can to make her life miserable, and even get her fired. When Sophie is poisoned with wolfsbane, she of course blames Millie or even possibly Annette, as she is Millie's good friend.
1,718 reviews8 followers
July 3, 2021
Another fun addition to the series

Millie investigates a plot to get her fired. A new addition to the ship falls ill and blames Millie for poisoning her. She files a complaint with corporate and mil,ie is at risk of being fired. Millies group help her fight back and find the real culprit. Sharkey has become a frequent part of the group and adds color to the group. Looking forward to reading the next book
Profile Image for Cher  Kelley.
199 reviews
May 27, 2020
Thorougly enjoyable!

I read #17 and was disappointed about loose end regarding a new ship employee, trouble maker Sophia! This book is not only fun to read but ties things up nicely. I read it in record time too!
Love this series. Drama, love, devotion, faith, fun and mystery with in depth characters and friendships.
Profile Image for cat.
40 reviews1 follower
June 7, 2020
Binge read worthy

This most recent book in the Cruise ship cozy series was riveting up to the end..can’t wait for the next book...

Only critique would be the excessive religious quotes and comments..they don’t seem to have any value add to the overall storyline keep waiting for the tie in but haven’t seen it yet
Profile Image for Kay Tuck.
275 reviews4 followers
September 20, 2020
Another great book from Hope Callaghan

Another great book from Hope Callaghan! I have read all the books in this series and each one is really good. Each one gets better and better. It is a cozy mystery and the characters are believable and likeable. I am ready to start the next one. I have it and can't wait to read it. I highly recommend this book and author to you.
7 reviews1 follower
October 2, 2020
Typical easy read. The suspense builds up as Millie is accused of poisoning a new crew member that was introduced in the previous book. Once Millie figures out who the person is, the story ends quickly. No final encounter or near death experiences with the antagonist. The book just wraps up and ends.
152 reviews1 follower
August 9, 2021
Sophia had it in for Millie from her first step onto the ship. Now, Sophia has been poisoned and is pointing the finger at Millie. Who could have poisoned her coworker? The why is easy. She has made many enemies in all departments. Millie is devastated that she has been accused. How is she going to solve the mystery and clear her name?
Profile Image for Terri Borkgren.
789 reviews6 followers
August 12, 2023
Peculiar Poison Millies Cruise Ship Mystery Book 18

Millie encounters a crew ship member that is determined to get her fired and Miliy is at a loss why? She had never met her before and the woman is a close friend of Andy her boss.Another great cruising adventure by Hope Callaghan in her Millie's Cruise Ship Mystery series.
Profile Image for Linda Rainey.
2,348 reviews21 followers
May 28, 2020
Nice Cozy

Hope Callaghan again gives us another intriguing cozy filled with plenty of suspense,twists and turns.
The storyline and characters are superb.
I highly recommend this book,series and anything Hope Callaghan writes.
1,063 reviews4 followers
June 1, 2020
A great cozy

I love Millie and all the wonderful characters in this series by Hope Callaghan and I can't wait till the next book .If you're like me and love a great cozy with characters you will love and a story that keeps you turning the page then this series is a must read.
68 reviews
June 12, 2020
Another spectacular siren of the series mystery! Sophie is being poisoned and she accuses Millie of trying to kill her! Can the girls get to the bottom of the mystery before Millie is fired or arrested?
Profile Image for Veronica Knack.
148 reviews
June 24, 2020
Joy to read

A joy to read of Millie's and gang's adventure as usual and as per usual, it ended too soon! I have really enjoyed this series and reading all the mishaps Millie and friends get into. This one didn't disappoint!
Profile Image for Chrissy.
105 reviews9 followers
July 24, 2020
I love these stories when I just want a quick, fun read

You can read these books in no time, and when your done you feel like you just had that candy bar you have smartly avoided...that satisfied feeling of a sweet but innocent indulgence.
440 reviews3 followers
November 3, 2020
Millie under siege

Millie finds herself accused of poisoning her co-worker, Sophia. Millie and friends are beside themselves trying to solve the mystery. They are successful in the end.
Profile Image for Avalon.
618 reviews3 followers
November 5, 2020
Cruise ship mystery

Another cruise ship mystery winner. Wolfsbane is a poison but who is poisoning the diva Sophia on board. The answer will surprise you. Join Millie and her friends as they cruise the Emerald Isles. Great series. Highly recommend
130 reviews1 follower
January 24, 2021
Living This series Hope Calahan is amazing in this adventure

I am loving every cruise adventure. This is so well written. It's a chirp out the book down. I highly recommend this awesome book
63 reviews1 follower
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February 22, 2021
Peculiar Poison

I would never have guessed that Sophia would be poisoning herself, but she was trying to get rid of her rival Millie so she would do anything.
I gave this book a good rating because it had me going for awhile.
I recommend this book to anyone.
141 reviews
June 29, 2021
As usual another good read starring Millie Amati . This time Millie is accused of poisoning a new staff member and could lose her job. With the help of her friends, Millie sets out to solve the mystery and save her job.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews

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