You’d think that my days living full time on a private residential cruise ship would be spent sipping cocktails poolside with a good book and my sister Jane, but there’s so much more to it than that. There are the extravagantly themed parties, exploring exotic ports of call, murders to solve, and, of course, arts and crafts.

What was that? The murders?

I suppose that does require a bit more explanation.

In our case, we didn’t seek the murder solving life, it found us. And we’re pretty good at it if I do say so myself. I chalk it up to the fact we were both librarians in our pre-seafaring lives with a penchant for crime fiction. Decades of learning to put the puzzle pieces of a murder mystery together from the likes of Miss Marple, Kinsey Millhone, and Eve Dallas have come in quite handy.

Sure, the head of security Xavier Mesnier—former special forces with a French accent and an enigmatic smile—would prefer we don’t interfere with his investigations, but I think he’s finally starting to see us more as assets rather than meddling mystery mavens or damsels in distress. I’ve come face to face with murderers on more than one occasion and lived to tell the tale.

Take my beloved nephew Andy’s ill-fated wedding cruise, for example. When his bride Phoebe was murdered and he—the groom—became the prime suspect, I had no choice but to confront the killer once I discovered their identity. Anyone would have done the same. Okay, maybe not anyone, but you know Jessica Fletcher would have.

One of the best parts about living on a cruise ship is you can tell a lot about a person by how they dress for themed events such as roaring 20’s night, electric 80’s prom party, and especially who they choose as their favorite fictional character. Phoebe’s Uncle Frank chose Bugsy Siegel, who not only was a criminal, he also wasn’t a fictional character. Halfway through dinner he changed his persona to Don Corleone, complete with Godfather-style affectations. I’m not saying an affinity for criminal types makes Frank a murderer, but it’s an interesting insight into his state of mind.

There are also many great amenities onboard, such as the spa. A word of warning, though: going into the sauna when there’s a murderer running around isn’t the best idea. Trust me, I speak from experience.

So, if you’re looking for an adventurous life, come aboard the Thalassophile of the Seas and hang out with Jane and me, aka the Cruising Sisters!

Until Depths Do Us Part, A Cruising Sisters Mystery Book #1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: April 2024
Format: Digital, Print-to come
Purchase Link

Sudden riches lead to a world of trouble…

Newly widowed Charlotte McLaughlin is adrift following the sudden death of her husband of twenty years and the shocking discovery of the lavish double life he’d lived while purportedly traveling for business.

When Charlotte’s only nephew and his fiancée are notified that their secluded wedding venue has flooded, her sister Jane suggests an alternative venue: a Thanksgiving week cruise from Seattle to Alaska aboard the private residence ship where Charlotte’s husband had purchased a two-bedroom unit without her knowledge.

What better way to get closer with her family and banish the memories Charlotte can’t bear to touch now?

But the bride is found dead less than twenty-four hours after departure, and the head of security holds the groom on suspicion of her murder. Charlotte and Jane must figure out who is responsible for the murder before their nephew goes to jail for a crime they’re adamant he couldn’t have committed. Then a second victim is discovered, and Charlotte becomes even more certain there’s a killer on the guest list.

Meet the author
Kate B Jackson (KB Jackson) is an Agatha Award nominated author of mystery novels for grownups and mystery/adventure novels for kids. An alumnus of the University of Washington, she lives in the PNW with her hilarious husband. They have four mostly-grown children. A part-time genetic genealogist, she loves to craft stories with elements of history and family dynamics. Her books are about secrets (Chattertowne Mysteries), Sasquatch (Sasquatch Hunters), and sisters (Cruising Sisters Mysteries).