Customer Reviews

Bon Bon Voyage

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I really don't like mysteries with gimmicks.

I should also mention that I don't like books with inconsistent characterization: Why would a woman who's a staunch feminist blame another woman when a man makes a pass at her? And why would that same feminist continually tell this other woman (and not in a sarcastic manner) that she shouldn't do something because her husband wouldn't like it? Gah.

Also, the story bounced around between 3 different first-person POV characters, as well as sections written in 3rd person from the POVs of the villains.

And then there were the stereotypical and cliched accents and two-dimensional stock characters.

This wasn't so much a mystery as it was an adventure--we always know whodunit and why and how. The heroine/sleuth is a food writer, taking a free cruise so she can write about the food, and she has her friend (cue stereotypes: hispanic ex-cop) and mother-in-law (the pseudo-feminist) along.

The cruise ship gets hijacked, and she saves the day, with the help of various passengers and members of the crew.

So why three stars? It did get entertaining, particularly toward the end.

This was one of my favorite Carolyn Blue mysteries. I have always enjoyed Carolyn's adventures as she travels around the world tasting local cuisine and solving crimes. What's especially delightful about this book is that it takes place on a cruise--and as I spent a wonderful week once with my husband on a cruise to Mexico--I could really imagine all that author Nancy Fairbanks describes as taking place on board. And--it's not just any cruise--it's a gourmet food lover's cruise. Even better. Of course, Carolyn's professor husband is unable to go with her as he must attend a stodgy academic conference so Carolyn is forced to drag along one of her friends and her mother-in-law for company.

All of this is great fun, but the story gets even more entertaining when we discover that a shipboard mutiny is underway--and Carolyn and her traveling companions are caught right in the middle of it. The planned mutiny adds a unique note to the adventure, and Carolyn's life truly does hang in the balance. Will her husband be able to get to the ship and save her before the mutineers do her in? I won't tell. You'll have to read "Bon Bon Voyage" for yourself and have as much fun doing so as I did.

Patricia Rockwell
Author--"Sounds of Murder"

I am a HUGE fan of women sleuths and culinary mysteries, and I just love this series, which keeps getting better with every book! Mrs. Blue just keeps evolving and I love that we're getting to see more of her humorous and adventurous sides!

This book is awful, boring and poorly written. I would not have read so much of it, if I hadn't been so tired. How on earth did this drivel get printed?

The children of food columnist Carolyn Blue send her on a food cruise sailing the Mediterranean with stops in Spain and North Africa as a Mother's Day present. Carolyn is disappointed that her husband Jason cannot accompany her, but he has a conference to attend in Canada. She asks her friend Luz, an ex cop, to go with her. Luz reluctantly agrees because it is impossible to refuse any request by Carolyn. Carolyn is dismayed that Jason asks his mother to go with Carolyn since two women do not get along.

Carolyn enjoys the cruise until an obnoxious passenger disappears and she is determined to find her even sending telegrams to the authorities in Majorca where the woman allegedly disembarked. She does not know that five of the ship's officers including the chief steward and head of security are planning a mutiny to take control of the ship and then blackmail the owner into paying a fortune to prevent them from blowing up the vessel. Carolyn, Luz and a few other passengers soon realize that the captain is no longer in charge. They come up with a scheme to regain control from the mutineers, but need plenty of help from other passengers and the loyal crew members if they are to succeed; failure probably means death.

The luscious description of food served on a cruise ship (recipes included) will make readers' mouths water, but this novel contains plenty intrigue and action as well some amusing counterpoints. BON BON VOYAGE grips the reader as Nancy Fairbanks has written more of a thriller than her usual amateur sleuth mystery especially since the audience knows the villains from the moment the ship sets sail and the answers to motives.

Harriet Klausner