Ghostwriter Mystery #2
A John Scognamiglio Book
May 2026
On Sale: May 26, 2026
Featuring: Payton Garrett
352 pages ISBN: 1496744578 EAN: 9781496744579 Trade Paperback Add to Wish List
Knives Out meets high seas intrigue on a literary cruise to nowhere in this intelligent, wildly funny locked room mystery for fans of Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz, Nita Prose, and Agatha Christie!
The USA Today bestselling host of the "All About Agatha" podcast injects the spark and fizz of a Golden Age murder mystery into the present-day, as the ghostwriter’s skills are put to the test aboard a bestselling author’s decidedly insalubrious cruise.
Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach. So goes the adage, but sometimes, even a first-rate ghostwriter and successful mystery author needs to make a buck. Even if that means setting foot on a cruise ship, something she vowed she’d never do. To top it off, the “Get Lit Cruise” is being organized by Payton Garrett, a bestselling author—and the ghostwriter’s long-time frenemy from back in their MFA days.
Over the years, Payton has gained a wife while ditching her journalist husband—who is also on board. And she’s acquired a rabid following who eagerly snapped up the invitations sent to a select few. The guests, all female, will receive personalized instruction from experts, while basking in Payton’s reflected glow. . . . Between mentoring, flirting with Payton’s ex, and taking bets on how long before someone reenacts Titanic’s “I’m flying!” scene, there’s plenty to keep a ghostwriter occupied. But there’s one activity nobody expected: solving a murder.
When an attendee is found dead under suspicious circumstances and two others suffer symptoms of poisoning, there are numerous motives and suspects to choose from. But could it be that the victim wasn’t even the intended target? As the body count rises along with tensions, no one is safe—except, perhaps, a killer whose scruples have long abandoned ship. And of course, like every well-plotted mystery, this one has an extra twist . . .
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