Bon voyage to Murder

Imagine poor Nathan quaking in his shoes about going on a dreaded cruise just to please Fiona. Taking along with her school’s librarian Julia Bell and her husband bland personality Rob, they embark on their journey. The car ride was not that exciting as Rob was quite a tuned to driving according to the DMV driver’s Manuel and Julia ready to embark on her own fun in a respectful way. But as soon as they get settled and they receive their welcome, Nathan sees someone that his mother knew as a famous country western singer and her two companions. Dusty Stockdale a cantankerous and opinionated and grudge holding 79-year-old feisty woman. As the captain greets her and her two companions,

we learn a bit about her colorful past that led to her career downfall.  She’s booked on the cruise as the primary nightly entertainment. She is a has been country western singer who has peaked the ire and anger of Dusty for personal reasons that

will be revealed when the time is right.

Arguments, threats and a performance that will shatter more than the artist’s career as Dusty takes center stage during Cassidy’s show and what happens next is right out of a Murder, She Wrote Episode or a made for Fiona and Nathan series on Lifetime. Things spiral out of control as the lighting fixtures fall and Cassidy is the prime target but where is her assistant and manager. Neither one gets along with her, yet the threats made by Dusty adds her as a suspect. Rosemary her agent is nowhere to be found and neither is her assistant as she mistreats them both.

Things get tense when a storm takes control and those on shore enjoying a day in the sun realize it’s time to hear back to the ship but not before Cassidy demands get assistant get her a drink , take care of her possessions and makes a spectacle of herself. Getting to the ship along with Fiona, Nathan and Julia someone or something pushes Cassidy overboard and the tension rises. Was it Dusty who has cause to hate her due to their pasts, her assistant or manager for the abuse they endure? Why does Nathan whose seasick jump overboard to save her? Seasick and turning really pale , Nathan and some staff members manage to pull her up but he’s so sick he can barely make it to the bathroom, and you can picture what happens next. Poor Nathan just wanted to try out going on a cruise, but the Captain required that he’d help with the investigation as did Fiona. Questions are asked but her manager, Rosemary is either so drunk or on something else and can hardly function whereas Janessa her personal assistant seemed nothing worse for the west yet the three had an odd and strange relationship. Why remain with Cassidy and why take her abuse?

Things seem to settle down and Julia gets called to come to Cassidy’s room and then it gets weird. Yelling, arguing and unusual things sound like they are being thrown but Julia that Cass accused Rosemary of selling her tour bus . Cassidy’s overspending caused many things to have to be sold. Nasty insults and words spoken as Cassidy’s words really sent some sharp stings at Rosemary. Then Julia recounts going to Pallas and trying to remember more details that would help with the investigation since Cassidy is now missing again and the Captain declared her missing at sea. Is this murder? Did she get pushed over the balcony? How did so much glass get broken and just who was seen going into her room?

With both Fiona and Nathan assisting the Captain a member of the staff comes forward and what they learn might cause two members to be fired plus providing interesting clues to what might have happened to Cassidy. Poor Nathan just wants to feel better, Fiona lives getting her hand in solving a murder and once again author Cindy McDonald throws many clues at us, twists and turns before we learn what really happened to Cassidy and who wanted to find a way to create suspicion on someone else as poor Nathan just wants to say once and for all Bon Voyage to Murder would I do this again? Bon Voyage is meant to wish someone a good trip . Would Nathan agree?

There are three people in the suite that Dusty uses as home as she lives there all the time. Kent and Melva are her roommates. They seem to have a close relationship, or do they?

Within this novel there is a touch of humor as Chad, Fiona’s brother is enlisted to stay in her home, take care of Harriet and deal with Grandma Ev. Grandma is in full swing when she makes sure the coffee is made and is up to her old tricks but the fun starts when Harriet gets out and Chad has no idea how to find her. With the wild and zany fortune teller Astrid on the scene, some of his friends what happens will keep you wondering if poor Chad will ever learn the truth about where Harriet is and who was caring for her.

Returning to the ship we learn that Cassidy is now missing and has been declared missing at sea. The investigation takes many turns and then the Captain learns more about an argument between Cassidy and Rosemary plus her treatment of her assistant. But, the author brings in Melva, Dusty and Kent and when Andrew in charge of the lights and the rigging on stage, confesses something that he heard and why he was on deck 6 which is off limits to the staff, we learn about his romance with Seraphina and more.

Melva and Dusty have their own crosses to bear with Cassidy and suspicion falls on them, Kent, Janessa and Rosemarie. The Captain is besides herself and the author reminds us that Melva has trouble remembering events, dementia but is she so bad off and so forgetful that she should be placed in a special locked down facility?
When the Captain calls in the Police and Fiona and Nathan meet the Detective in charge their description of him and their opinion are anything but positive. Cold, no humor and totally bland in his personality, his interviews were short and to the point but it’s Nathan that puts it together. Maybe he needs a promotion.

While this is happening and the passenger want to go ashore, the Captain needs to secure the ship, find out who pushed Seraphina and where this will lead next. Added in we have a surprise and a twist that the reader will never expect and an ending in some cases you might say is a new beginning. Fiona and Nathan only wanted to spend some time on a cruise but if you know anything about them Murder Follows wherever they go, and the result is you never know. Who killed Cassidy? What does this have to do with Dusty’s daughter, Sonny who died from drug overdoses at school? Why does she blame Cassidy who stole her husband and married Jam Stockdale leaving poor Dusty out in the celebrity cold? Find out when you read this humorous, suspenseful and highly stormy and lightning filled novel as the Athena sets sail, join them on this rocky cruise.

The issue of Dementia is close to my heart as my mom had it and when you meet Melva you realize that she can be off base at times and then right on target. They do have their cognizant times until Alzheimer’s takes over. Loyalties, betrayals, and pasts come into play as author Cindy McDonald takes us on a rocky, storm cruise hoping that the next time the Athena sets sail the passengers will enjoy their Bon Voyage hoping there are no murders. Once again Fiona and Nathan bring the story to light in a humorous, loving and exciting way adding in her parents who come to rescue Chad because you have to read it and see it for yourself.

Fran Lewis: Just reviews