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A Murder Most Camp

Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26
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The Guncle meets Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies in this fun, twisty mystery following a spoiled nepo baby forced to work at a struggling summer camp who stumbles into a real-life murder mystery he has no choice but to solve.

Rustic cabins. Lakefront bonfires. A painfully hot lifeguard. And a murder? Summer has never been this camp.

Mikey Hartford IV has coasted through his twenties in a distracted blur of yachts and sex and partying. But when his father discovers his latest million-dollar impulse buy and changes the terms of his trust, the party's finally over. Now, unless Mikey can make a positive contribution to the world before his thirtieth birthday—one that doesn't involve throwing cash at his problems—he'll never see another yacht again. (Or even so much as a canoe.)

Camp Lore, a struggling summer camp in upstate New York where Mikey has to work as the oldest, least-qualified staffer to prove that he can "do good" alongside his twelve-year-old aunt. (Yes, aunt.) But Mikey isn't sure he'll be able to survive the camp's ramshackle living conditions, let alone the gaggle of preteens who won't leave his side. And when his campers become obsessed with a local legend set at an abandoned cabin on the grounds, Mikey's chances of not making it through the summer become dangerously real—because it turns out there's a murder hidden beneath Camp Lore. And someone there will stop at nothing to keep it that way.

Solving a decade-old cold case will surely be enough "good" for Mikey to earn his inheritance. He just has to stay alive long enough to do it…


368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication April 28, 2026

12383 people want to read

About the author

Nicolas DiDomizio

6 books262 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
Profile Image for Amina .
1,398 reviews82 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 31, 2025
✰ 3 stars ✰

“... trying to define camp is perhaps the least campy thing one can do in the first place.”

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​Not to start off on a serious note, but how come no one ever writes fiction about the adverse effects of cutting off someone from something that pretty much has been a certainty all of their lives? It's always the argument that it's for your own good to be a better person, but why do we never get a glimpse of how they may at first struggle from being deprived of that assured dependency?

​Just saying.​ 🙆🏻‍♀️

Anyhoo, I did enjoy my trifecta with DiDomizio's works. Very easy breezy, pumpkin cheesy (literally) kind of a read for Saturday morning. Where as a millennial, thankfully, the many cultural pop references did not go over my head. ​💪🏻 ​But, also, yes, sadly, were a tad too much, like I get that Mikey is a film aficionado, and it made for a great ringing endorsement ​of Clueless' revival, but yeah, it got a bit unnecessary pushed in at times.​ 😮‍💨

​But ​not​ knowing ​Bonnie ​Tyler? What an affront! 😆 Although nowadays teens and tweens would probably only ever pick up on anything only when it's a viral sensation - on TikTok or the gram. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I can't say for certain if Annabelle and the SAG party were realistically portrayed, what with their offhand ga​y comments, but it was fun to see how ​Mikey dealt with their enthusiastic obsession into investigating Camp Lore's decade old cold case.

“It was just about getting you to a place where you care about your life.”

The mystery itself is a predictable chase, fairly reminiscent of Mikey's love of 90s cult campy classics. But, as an ode to those flicks that still make me smile and laugh for their campiness, there is that layer of trauma and self-reflection that shines amidst the adversity. 😤​ One which even Mikey was struggling with, but burying deep, until he found his niche that allowed him to admit that he was someone with feelings allowed to care.

​For it truly does live up to its name, of how A Murder Most Camp, not only in the literal sense, but one taking place at a summer camp exclusive for trust fund babies, packed with their own share of cliché family strife and​ a limited supporting cast. It's obvious, pretty early on, who is the likely culprit, which ​I suppose also fits the bill of campy teen thrillers.​ 😏

​Ah, take me back to those good ole days.​ ⏳🙃

“But if this is truly what Mikey wanted, then why does it feel less like a victory and more like a sad inevitability?”

​I'm not sure if it was a good thing that not everyone was of sound moral with traces of the f the darkest parts of humanity, his li, ​Jackson, included. but Jackson helping Mikey see that he was more than just the years of trauma, otherness, and rejection he was shouldering was sweet. 🥺​ Their repartee had some endearing quips, and as a tag team that buoyed on conflicting emotions also nicely played out. And ew, Jamie. 😬 What a horrid little person. Good riddance to cheapskate rubbish.

And ​I hate to be that guy, but pretty smooth sailing in terms of editing till the end, where I picked up a couple of spelling errors. There was also a comment that ​I think might offend some. ​Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but there was a comment that I think might be offensive to some - ​ 😕
Profile Image for MagretFume.
308 reviews396 followers
Review of advance copy received from Éditeur
February 12, 2026
Funny, cute, full of heart, my favourite dated references, and lovable characters. 

Add a mystery that kept my interest until the very end and the charming setting of a rustic summer camp, and I really enjoyed myself with this book. 

I think this is the perfect mystery read for this summer. 

Than you Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!
Profile Image for Natalie  all_books_great_and_small .
3,214 reviews178 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 5, 2026
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

A Murder Most Camp is a fun summer murder mystery with lots of twists and turns.
We follow Mickey Hartford IV, who's been pulled from his party filled lavish life of luxury and made to go to summer camp with his twelve-year-old aunt and redeem himself before he turns 30. If he doesn't make a change with his life and make a positive contribution to the world before then (in 3 months time), his trust fund will be revoked and he'll loose his lifestyle for good.
Mickey has the shock of his life when he arrives at Camp Lore to be a camp counsellor for the summer. And when a murder mystery literally drops into his lap, with the encouragement of his aunt and her new group of friends, Mickey rediscovers a passion from his childhood of making movies and seeks to uncover what really happened at Camp Lore many years ago when a previous camp counsellor went missing and was rumoured to have been murdered.
This was a fun, predictable, and camp read with discovery, finding oneself, reality checks, connection, and romance to name just a few things that the book unfolded with and it was a pleasant surprise and quick read. I didn't really gel with Mickey at the beginning, but by halfway through, I began to really like him and loved his connection and relationship with his aunt.
Profile Image for bookandachai.
508 reviews885 followers
December 8, 2025
4.5

Guncle meets How to Solve Your Own Murder.

Mikey is a nepo baby with Dad's credit card and was doing JUST FINE thank you. Until Dad came down with the hammer - prove yourself before your 30 or kiss that inheritance buh-bye. The solution? Be a camp counsellor at Camp Lore where his 12 year old "Aunt" (think You've Got Mail) Annabelle is scheduled to attend for the first time

Mikey is APPALLED but the inheritance is worth it so off he goes. Except his group of kids has a different idea for their summer then campfires and archery. They want to solve the murder that happened a decade ago at Camp Lore and need Mikey's assistance to do so. Thank goodness his roommate Jackson is a dreamboat.

Read this book. Laugh out loud and fall in love with Mikey as he starts to think about who he really wants to be, how much he cares about his family and this group of kids at camp and find out how he suffered through dinner at Panera.
Profile Image for mtrics.
137 reviews12 followers
March 15, 2026
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mikey Hartford is a self-loathing millionaire nepo baby on the cusp of his 30th birthday. He has internalized marxist theories, keeps the worst company, and refuses to be taken seriously. In a last attempt to straighten him out, his father threatens to withhold his inheritance unless he "does some good", meaning accompanying his 12‑year‑old aunt to summer camp, and helping her come out of her shell. But once there, Mikey quickly stumbles into an old mystery: a disappearance that took place over a decade ago...

I've read Nicolas DiDomizio before, so I was very excited to get this ARC, and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint; in fact, it surprised me. The author really seems to have come into his own since The Gay Best Friend . I expected it to hit hard (murder mysteries are my comfort genre, after all), but it still managed to catch me off guard. I had so much fun with this book.

The pacing is perfect, no notes. The emotional beats feel a bit repetitive in the first quarter [CW: death] (there's only so much whining I felt that I could take--my favorite parent is dead too and I don't have zillions of dollars to wipe my tears with, Mikey.) But once it finds its legs, the story progress smoothly from there. I worried the main character would be unlikeable, the setting would fall apart (a rickety summer camp for spoiled rich kids? stretches believability), that the mystery would have plot holes. Instead, I thought it all came together remarkably well. I guessed who the killer was (at 79%!), but it made me more proud of myself than annoyed, and I still enjoyed the climax afterwards. For me, that's true victory! 😆

I loved the characters and thoroughly enjoyed their respective journeys. I thought the author did a fantastic job building complex beings with emotionally resonant fears and motivations. The humor (and narrative voice) land perfectly, it never feels too cynical or too over the top. It meshes well with the more serious/emotional story beats. My only complaint would be with the setting: for a camp full of bratty millionaires, it sometimes felt somewhat empty (aside from the SAG, there aren't that many kids-related shenanigans mentioned), and the location itself lacked depth (aside from the cabins and a night by the lake, the book lacked descriptions of the setting-the smells, the landscapes, the bugs! the feeling of being out in nature). However, these felt like acceptable trade-offs in the end; the focus on characters and mystery kept the pacing tight and definitely avoided bloat. Lastly, the romance also worked perfectly for me; it never felt like it derailed the main plot or felt unnatural. The characters had true chemistry and every step on their path together felt earned: again, a clear amelioration from The Gay Best Friend, cementing how far DiDomizio has come in my opinion.


In the end, I'd recommend this book to people who enjoy both rom-coms and murder-mysteries. Easily one of my favorite read of the year so far, and it's made me even more excited to crack open Nearlywed next time I need a comfort read!
Profile Image for Sherwood Smith.
Author 168 books37.5k followers
Read
February 17, 2026
If the title give you a little spurt of humor, there's a good chance you might enjoy this book. At least, that's what worked for me. I absolutely loved the voice, the wry humor and the flair, with spurts of gay-friendly camp. I would actually have loved a novel of manners with this voice, without the murder mystery--but then I don't really much like murder mysteries if they get too dark. The fact that I finished this one is testament to all the other things I liked about the book.

Like the characters. The author did an excellent job of making an obnoxious trust-fund baby appealing. It was his self-awareness of what a jerk he can be, and how loyal he is to his total stinker of a best friend/crush, and his dysfunctional family.

His father posits a conviction: he spend time at a remote summer camp (which turned out to be the very opposite of the cushy experience he was expecting) with his aunt, who is a kid heavily invested in horror and true crime grim dark novels. He discovers a grim mystery, which starts sparking his dormant creative side . . . and things get real. Including romance with a guy who seems impossible at first . . .

Well, anyway, I really enjoyed it! Looking forward to the author's next.
Profile Image for Kim Alkemade.
Author 4 books453 followers
November 30, 2025
Imagine a mystery set at an Adirondack summer camp with all the red herrings of an Agatha Christie infused with Andy Cohen's camp sensibility. A Murder Most Camp is bitchy fun from the very first page. Stick with our annoyingly privileged protagonist and you'll be rewarded with a heartfelt portrait of personal growth that rings true. Who-done-it mystery meets will-they-won't-they romance in this wild ride of a novel that I slurped up faster than an espresso martini!
Profile Image for Robin  Dickert.
327 reviews18 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 14, 2026
'“So you want me to go work at a summer ‘camp’ for trust fund babies?”'

This mood-booster of a book is what we all need. A nearly 30 year old 'giant gay disaster' (akin to David Rose from Schitt's Creek), and his tween aunt, spend a fateful summer sleuthing, forging relationships, and trying to stay alive. He's full of snark and pop-culture references, she's a lonely 12 year old obsessed with true crime. He's there to cement his inheritance, she wants to solve the cold case of a disappeared camper. This book is truly hilarious and I enthusiastically recommend!

'“I’m not going to be working-working with the children though, right? I presume there will be trained professionals on hand to feed and chaperone and talk to them and, like, ensure they don’t die and stuff?”'

A big thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the privilege of reading this in advance of its April 2026 publication!
Profile Image for Jaimes_Mystical_Library.
977 reviews48 followers
December 27, 2025
This was an enjoyable summer mystery. I loved the summer camp setting and following Mickey and the campers as they tried to solve the camp’s decade-old mystery. I initially wasn’t a huge fan of Mickey as a character, but I appreciated his character’s growth and liked him more as the story went on. I liked the overall mystery of what happened to Rose Churchill and found myself guessing alongside the characters. Overall this was a great read.

Read this if you like:

📖 Summer camp settings
📖 Great character growth
📖 Pop culture references
📖 LGBTQ rep

Thank you to @poisonedpenpress for the gifted arc.
Profile Image for Trisha.
6,052 reviews236 followers
Want to read
February 16, 2026
this sounds so fun! I can't wait to read it!!

ARC REC'D THANK YOU!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Profile Image for Sophia.
Author 5 books407 followers
Read
March 6, 2026
A father’s ultimatum to his spoiled trust-fund-baby son leads to a cold case murder mystery, romance and antics in the wilds of summer camp. Nicolas DiDomizio is not an unfamiliar name for me and I’ve been meaning to try his books, but the promise of a rustic summer camp setting made A Murder Most Camp the must-read moment for me.

My full review will post at That's What I'm Talking About on 4.23.26.
Profile Image for Madeline Corzine.
22 reviews1 follower
March 10, 2026
A great mystery set at a camp where the truth about a long ago event at the camp is uncovered. While the main character is a bit unlikable at first, you become invested in the story and the answer to the main mystery is not what you expect, but makes sense, which is always what I feel mysteries should aim for.
Profile Image for lorenzodulac.
168 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 11, 2026
Well, that was almost exactly what I was expecting. And it worked like a charm. I only have some minor complaints, the rest was just so entertaining and I can’t really pinpoint any actual plot problems this book had.
We’re following Mikey, a 29 year old rich guy whose trust fund is being temporarily frozen by his father after his umpteenth careless use of his (family’s) money. And to have access to it again he has three months to come to his senses, be a responsible adult and do something meaningful with his life. In comes Camp Lore, a summer camp for young kids he’s being forced to go and be staff in. Him and his 12 year old aunt, that is, she’ll be attending too. Annabelle is Mikey’s grandfather’s daughter with his new wife that’s in her thirties, Sienna. At the camp, the kids start telling scary stories about Cabin 1 and a girl going missing. Which is just a thing of the past, or so you’d think. As Mikey and the kids start unearthing more and more on the case, things get dangerous. The past might come back to haunt the camp.
Safe to say I loved this book. I’ve always wanted to read one of DiDomizio’s books. They’re not exactly the genre I normally gravitate towards but the wish was there. Which is why when I saw he came up with a mystery book — which is more my thing — with the same flare he (supposedly) puts in this books, I knew I had to pick it up.
I will say, there are mystery elements scattered throughout the entire book. We learn about the girl going missing early on. But the actual mystery, like the part when the book actually focused on the mystery, was only at the very end. And I don’t mean the mystery being unraveled, just the mystery being the main focus. There is a romance in this, that you of course have to doubt until the very end, because this is a mystery book. But I thought it was so sweet. He was the first guy who actually cared about Mikey and I loved to see that.
Mikey himself is, well, not very relatable in the money department. He’s a spoiled nepo baby, and not all of us grow up on yachts. But he is also your regular guy. He’s gay and a film buff. Which might as well be the title of the book, based on how many film references there were in here. Pop culture references, you name it, they were all there. Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well”, 10 minute version was mentioned. It took a while to get used to I’ll be honest. Through the first half all of that was genuinely killing me. I’m generally not a fan of real world references in books. That’s kind of all that bothered me. Back to Mikey, I loved that scene where Jackson asked him about his favorite movie and when Mikey wanted to cut it short because he thought he didn’t want to hear about it, Jackson sort of just went, go on. Beautiful. And all the talk about Mikey’s mother, and grief masked in sarcasm. It was needed to understand Mikey a bit better.
Now, the mystery itself. I thought I was so smart reading this until I realized I was wrong about it all. I had one or maybe two theories, both wrong. I did figure out who the actual killer was about, I don’t know, maybe two lines before their name was said? Nice save, I know. I felt pretty proud of that. But the fun is in the following along, you don’t have to have it all figured out for it to be a fun time and that it definitely was. I read it pretty quickly and I only regret that I don’t have more of it to read now!
Overall, had fun, it was a quick and easy read. It’s definitely in the 4 star camp, maybe a 4.25/5⭐️ very solid first read from this author. And it won’t be my last!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Trevor Stone.
99 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 10, 2026
Advance copy received from Netgalley in exchange for a review
★★★★☆
David Rose takes on Scooby Doo is the level of Camp that is served in this mystery. If you are interested in this queer novel, then I am going to assume that you are familiar with David Rose from Schitt’s Creek. The man who is so out of touch with reality and is forced to move a small town when his family’s wealth is seized and they must make do, yeah, that is the main character of A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio
This mystery follows a 29-year-old Mikey Hartford, a nepo baby that has not worked a day in his life. Though he is aware of his faults of being a toxic rich gay man, that does not stop him from pulling the “do you know who my father is” card within the first 100 pages of the novel. To spark something within his son, Michael Hartford III decides to make a new rule to his son’s inheritance where he is cut off until his 30th birthday and must find something that helps society. Enter Camp Lore, a camp designed for the children of rich families to get outside, touch grass, and find a little normalcy. Mikey is offered a position there by his grandmother, who is only a few years older than him, and becomes the Special Activities Coordinator. As he works with his group of kids, they stumble onto the cold case of Rose, a former counselor gone missing.
Let’s get into it:
Mikey is UNSUFFERABLE in the best campy iconic way. He is constantly spouting off random 90s references and is deemed Lorelai Gilmore as he does it. Which is iconic to me, because I love someone who can be witty, as it is something that I do constantly. Mikey might be out of touch with reality, but the author does not make it that painful for us, sprinkling moments of authenticity from the beginning. There are a few moments where I will bang my head against the wall as he complains about his fancy shoes getting muddy or not being able to handle a sloppy joe but then will follow up with being like the best “uncle” to his own preteen aunt or sweet with Jackson.
Jackson is the handsome eye candy that is the forced proximity love interest of our main character. Do not worry, the spice level is one pepper, with a fade to black scene. Do not get me wrong I do love a sexy med student and a gay romance in my books, but it was a little odd to have a romance bloom in a mystery. However, if you look at the 90s sources and references made within the pages it makes sense. Overall, Jackson is like Jackson to Sookie or Patrick to David to our sweet Mikey and I was not against it.
The pacing was decent and the mystery was interesting. I could envision this easily as a movie or limited series that would do well. The scenes are quick and it was hard to put down once the plot got moving and I was anticipating who did the crime. I think this is the perfect type of mystery for someone who loves comedy and something that does not get too dark or intense. I would certainly recommend this for my friends and see if they can figure out the ending before I did, however I did take a wild guess early on, that might or may not have been right.
This book will murder you with its quick wit, heartfelt scenes, iconic references, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.
Lastly, I have an idea for the sequel Mr. DiDomizio, so please reach out to me if you want it.
Profile Image for Darren Gray.
111 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 1, 2026

Nicolas DiDomizio's A Murder Most Camp is pretty much exactly as the title promises: a murder mystery that embraces humor, nostalgia (especially queer nostalgia), and flair without losing emotional sincerity. Beneath the jokes and pop culture references is a story beyond the mystery, about identity, privilege, and becoming a true adult.

The novel follows Mikey, a wealthy, openly gay man sent to a summer camp not out of nostalgia but necessity. His attendance is required if he hopes to retain a sizable inheritance tied to his family’s fortune as descendants of the county’s second-largest grocery chain. The premise immediately establishes both the book’s comedic tone and its central tension. Mikey arrives resistant, entitled, and more concerned with inconvenience than self-reflection — yet DiDomizio quickly reveals a character more thoughtful than first impressions suggest. Mikey’s narration balances sharp humor with moments of genuine insight, allowing him to evolve without ever feeling artificially redeemed.

The cold case at the center of the novel unfolds through discovered diary entries and lingering camp legends, but Murder Most Camp is less interested in shocking twists than it is in the psychology of suspicion. The novel plays fair, offering attentive readers enough clues to anticipate the solution before its official reveal. Rather than diminishing suspense, this approach creates a satisfying sense of participation. The book’s tone is distinctive. Despite frank discussions of sexuality and desire, the emotional rhythm occasionally recalls a coming-of-age story, an unusual but effective fit for the mystery genre. DiDomizio allows humor, vulnerability, and romance to coexist with darker revelations, giving the novel a lightness that never fully abandons core emotional stakes beyond the central mystery.

If the story stumbles slightly, it is in its closing moments. Much of the narrative pushes Mikey toward humility and a broader understanding of others, making the final image — a glamorous reunion involving private-plane travel — feel somewhat at odds with the personal growth carefully built throughout the novel. The ending doesn’t undo that development, but it complicates it.

Still, Murder Most Camp succeeds where it matters most. DiDomizio delivers a mystery that is funny, engaging, and emotionally perceptive, providing us all a reminder that even stories built on camp can arrive at something sincere.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the opportunity of reading this in advance of its April 2026 publication.
Profile Image for Janalyn, the blind reviewer.
4,723 reviews144 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 15, 2026
A Murder Most Camp by Nicholas DiDomizio, Michael Stewart Hartford hails from a family that made their fortune on Walmart type stores in his dad Michael Hartford the third is not happy. It seems Michael Mickey Hartford the fourth bought his best friend a $5 million brownstone and Mickey‘s dad believes he has to do something before it’s too late. This is how he learns there is an amendment put into his trust fund that before he turns 30 in four months he has to do something that benefits others and his step grandmother who he went to high school with has a perfect idea. He’s to work at a summer camp on George Lake in New York and he has to bring his 12 year old aunt with him. he tries to put his best foot forward but Annabelle his aunt refuses to engage with him she’s more intent on reading gone girl and listening to her headphones. As if things couldn’t get worse they soon arrive at Camp Lore and it isn’t anything like the surfing club in the Hamptons that he went to. After trying to get out of it or at the very least get his own cabin and this includes the empty cabin one that has a macobb mystery attached to it. his new boss Judy Weathers tells him his roommate is going to be a medical student from California named Jackson and he’s going to be the lifeguard while Michael will be activity director for the campers that don’t want to play tennis swim all day or hike in the forest. When Michael was younger he was obsessed with film and even went to LA to try and make it big as a independent director feeling like he was laughed out of California he then came home and became the Micky we meet. This is why he decides to get the kids to make a movie previously learning that cabin one was where a Syracuse student named Rose Churchill went missing they beg him to investigate the mystery something he is at first opposed to but soon they’ll all be obsessed with the case and risk everything to solve it. While all this is going on his love hate relationship with his roommate Jackson soon just becomes love but when he betrays him in the worst way he may not only lose his inheritance but Jackson as well and compared to Jackson he doesn’t even care about the inheritance. I loved love love this book so much it was so much fun I love Michael’s growth immaturity sorta and his relationship with Raymond, Annabelle not to mention with Jackson even when they would quarel which was mainly Michael because Jackson just seemed entertained by him most of the book I loved it I recommend this to anyone who wants a fun feel good happy ending story I just loved it. I love when books are written about camp adventures that don’t turn out the way they’re supposed to I just love this book read it read it read it so good! #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
Profile Image for Kristi Lamont.
2,244 reviews76 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 8, 2026
BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Murder Most Camp, by Nicolas DiDomizio, from Poisoned Pen Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

⭐ 3.5 ⭐

Oh what fun!

Smart, witty, laugh-out-loud funny in parts. Perfect for reading outside in the pretty winter sunshine—would be even better if you’re able to get yourself to a warm ocean locale and enjoy it with a frozen adult beverage in hand.

“Whodunit” was painfully obvious to me, but that’s probably because I’ve read a jillion or so of these type books.

Definitely appreciated that the author took the less-is-more approach when it came to the romance (y’all know what a prude I am).

Look forward to reading more by Nicolas DiDomizio.

DESCRIPTION
The Guncle meets Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies in this fun, twisty mystery following a spoiled nepo baby forced to work at a struggling summer camp who stumbles into a real-life murder mystery he has no choice but to solve.


Rustic cabins. Lakefront bonfires. A painfully hot lifeguard. And a murder? Summer has never been this camp.

Mikey Hartford IV has coasted through his twenties in a distracted blur of yachts and sex and partying. But when his father discovers his latest million-dollar impulse buy and changes the terms of his trust, the party's finally over. Now, unless Mikey can make a positive contribution to the world before his thirtieth birthday—one that doesn't involve throwing cash at his problems—he'll never see another yacht again. (Or even so much as a canoe.)

Enter: Camp Lore, a struggling summer camp in upstate New York where Mikey has to work as the oldest, least-qualified staffer to prove that he can "do good" alongside his twelve-year-old aunt. (Yes, aunt.) But Mikey isn't sure he'll be able to survive the camp's ramshackle living conditions, let alone the gaggle of preteens who won't leave his side. And when his campers become obsessed with a local legend set at an abandoned cabin on the grounds, Mikey's chances of not making it through the summer become dangerously real—because it turns out there's a murder hidden beneath Camp Lore. And someone there will stop at nothing to keep it that way.

Solving a decade-old cold case will surely be enough "good" for Mikey to earn his inheritance. He just has to stay alive long enough to do it.
Profile Image for Molly.
162 reviews9 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 16, 2026
A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio was just what I needed to read. I went into this book blind, and I’m glad I did. It’s an utter delight! Our MMC Mikey was the most entitled man-child I’ve read about in a while. In the first chapter or two, I was questioning where the book was going, but I didn’t have to wonder for very long. In order to receive the rest of his inheritance, Mikey was given the task of spending the summer as a camp counselor to “do some good in the world.” Also going to the camp is his aunt, teenage Annabelle, his grandfather's daughter. Annabelle doesn’t have many friends at school, and her mom is hoping camp will be a good experience for her. Her mother, Sierra, went to high school with Mikey, but is now married to Mikey’s grandfather. It’s a complicated family situation. The two decide that Annabelle will call him her uncle at camp to avoid any weirdness.

Mikey’s growth was beautiful to watch. What begins with Mikey complaining about every little inconvenience gradually blossoms into him accepting his situation and genuinely enjoying his time at the camp. He was made the Special Activities Coordinator by Judy, the camp’s owner/operator. At first, he struggles with this title, but he quickly adjusts and, with the children he is assigned, develops a plan to investigate and make a documentary about the vacant Cabin One. There are rumors of a murder happening there, but Judy makes it clear that he is not to investigate it. And so he and the children ignore her words. The result is the best kind of chaos.

I loved all the 90’s references and the quick, snappy banter between the characters. I especially enjoyed it when Jackson arrived, as a different kind of tension began to develop in the book. Jackson doing crossword puzzles every night was a nice touch. It was moving when Mikey felt safe enough to let his walls down around Jackson. When Jackson said Mikey “didn’t have to pretend he didn’t care about the worst thing that’s ever happened to him,” I just melted. Also, it made me so happy to see Mikey and Annabelle genuinely bond over the summer.

I really can’t say enough positive things about this book. When I had to put it down to do other things, I was always itching to get back to it. The murder-mystery plot was great; it was interesting, and there were plenty of red-herring moments. The familial drama was there. The romance element was unexpected, but played in nicely. It just all worked together seamlessly. Kudos to the author for writing an excellent, entertaining book with all the heart in the world. I loved it, and I’m giving it five stars!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Brady.
854 reviews6 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 29, 2026
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I absolutely loved this! Mikey Hartford spends his days living the lavish life full of yachts and foreign locations. He’s counting down the days till his 30th birthday and which he’ll get full access to his trust fund and no longer have to have his purchases monitored. That is until his father changes the terms of his trust, now in order to get it Mikey must do good by his 30th birthday or he’ll have to wait till after his father passes. But how is that even possible? Lucky for him, his step-grandmother, who’s only a few years older than him, has it all figured out. He’ll be a counselor at a summer camp, the same summer camp that his 12 year old aunt is attending. Mikey is horrified at the ramshackle like conditions of the camp and its buildings not to mention its food and total like of cell service or WiFi. He can’t possibly stay here for three months can he? But then the group of kids he’s in charge of, that includes his aunt, tells of a missing counselor, one who disappeared without a trace 13 years ago. They’re determined to solve her disappearance and this could be just the thing Mikey needs to get his life back on track, after all solving a missing persons case has to be “doing good” right? Their only problem is no one seems to want to dredge up the past, not the camp director, the locals, or the hot camp lifeguard who also happens to be his roommate. It seems many people have something to hide and someone really doesn’t want Mikey and his kids looking into the disappearance. Could they figure out what happens? Or will they be the next ones to disappear? A fun twisty queer mystery that is full of camp, grief, humor, thrills, some romance, and plenty of heartfelt moments between Mikey and the kids, especially his aunt! Mikey is a somewhat selfish rich out of touch character that is still incredibly likable (if you’ve seen Schitt’s Creek he’s a total David Rose!) Mikey’s growth and rediscovering himself was every bit as exciting as the mystery! Nicolas DiDomizio writes a fun mystery that I completely consumed!
Profile Image for Amelia.
218 reviews1 follower
February 5, 2026
Another hit from one of my favorite genres: murder mystery + romance! Extra points for being so fun that I pretty much read it in one sitting.

Mikey, the spoiled trust fund baby nearing his 30th birthday, is given an ultimatum by his father: get it together or get cut off. He is allowed to prove his mettle by working at a rugged summer camp for tweens for one summer, proving that he has what it takes to do more with his life than spend it on a yacht.

Weirdly enough, Mikey is a likeable character. Yes, he is spoiled. He does things that would make me want to punch him in real life, but he also knows that what he is doing/saying is wrong and wants to do better. He’s sometimes rude but it’s because he puts up a facade since he’s afraid of being vulnerable. He is also quite funny, which goes a long way towards creating a character you want to root for.

Overall through, the most surprising and heartwarming aspect of the story was the relationships Mikey built with his special activities campers, especially his 12-year old aunt. For a book that leans more in the campy/funny direction, there were a lot of sweet and moving conversations about being different, about making friends, and being true to yourself.

I don’t want to say much about the mystery elements because it’s tough to without spoilers—there were some good twists that I don’t want to give away!

Overall, all I really wanted more from was the romance. The focus of the book is more on the mystery, and it’s relatively short, which didn’t leave as much time to watch Mikey and Jackson create a deep and intimate romance. Realistically this makes sense considering the book takes place over just one summer, but I usually prefer my romances to have just a bit more oomph. I definitely think the book could have been longer (I would have read another 100 pages of it!) but in the end I was satisfied how everything wrapped up. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

4.25/5
Profile Image for Jeremy Fowler.
Author 1 book31 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 6, 2026
Campy, Delightful Chaos & Murder

DiDomizio absolutely delivered the witty chaos I was hoping for in A Murder Most Camp. Nicola DiDomizio returns with another book that is as delightful as it is heartwarming and suspenseful. The book leans hard into its camp (pun fully intended), serving pop‑culture quips, self‑aware humor, and a delightfully exaggerated sense of melodrama that feels like Clueless meets a lakeside cold case. Watching Mikey Hartford IV trudge into Camp Lore as a pampered, yacht‑polished nepo baby who thinks “rustic” is a personal attack is comedy gold. He’s supposed to be deeply unlikable at the start, and honestly, he succeeds. This speaks to the writing skill of DiDomizio because Mikey is HARD TO LOVE when this story starts. But as the story rolls on and the layers peel back, you find yourself evolving with him. He’s still dramatic, still ridiculous, but there’s a sweetness in his core that sneaks up on you. By the time he’s bonding with Annabelle and bumbling through actual detective work, you kind of can’t help rooting for him.

And don’t even get me started on the twists. This book may be light and silly on the surface, but the murder mystery will consume readers as they progress in this story. There are dead ends, red herrings, leads, and evidence around every corner. There is some shady camp history, and all of it builds towards a reveal that had my jaw on the floor. DiDomizio juggles suspects and clues so deftly that by the time you reach that final reveal, you’re yelling, “Wait, WHAT?” at the page like you just saw everything happen in real time. It’s fun, it’s twisty, it’s wildly entertaining, and the ending is one nobody is ever going to predict. A perfect pick for when you want a mystery that’s as sharp and surprising as it is gloriously over‑the‑top. OH, and if you wanted some romantic charm, there just might be some of that for readers in this story too and it SWEETENS the story in all the best ways!
Profile Image for Nick Artrip.
580 reviews17 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 13, 2026
I requested and received an eARC of A Murder Most Camp by Nicholas DiDomizio via NetGalley. Mikey Hartford IV has coasted through his twenties in a blur of partying, men, and privilege. An extravagant purchase and a lifelong aversion to responsibility, however, prompt his father to change the terms of his trust. Now, Mikey must make a positive contribution to society before his 30th birthday or he won't see a dime from his trust. Backed into a corner, Mikey is forced to work at Camp Lore, a summer camp for wealthy youngsters to have a "normal" experience. When Mikey and the gaggle of preteens he's in charge of unearth clues in the disappearance of a former camper, their experience quickly becomes anything but normal.

A Murder Most Camp was the perfect reading escape for me. DiDomizio has such a gift with telling stories that pack in the humor and heart! Mikey is such a great protagonist. He immediately comes across as very spoiled, so it’s nice to see him humbled with the prospect of Camp Lore, but he’s also tremendously likeable. His one-liners definitely earned a few genuine laughs for me. He also comes across as a very believable character, with space to grow, which makes his character act particularly satisfying. And I really enjoyed watching the development of his dynamic with his step-aunt, Annabelle!

The mystery element of this book was super fun. I love a good camp murder! There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me invested in the story, with just the right level of tension which was rounded out with great pacing. I was anxious to get to the end to see if my suspicions surrounding the disappearance were correct, but I was equally eager to spend as much time with Mikey and his crew of campers as well. The combination of comedy, mystery, and romance made A Murder Most Camp an instant favorite. DiDomizio doesn’t disappoint!
Profile Image for Jamie.
494 reviews834 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 17, 2025
Imagine that David from Schitt's Creek was forced to spend a summer as a counselor special activities coordinator at a rustic summer camp for privileged rich kids, and then add in a decade-plus old murder mystery. That is this book. It's entertaining, kind of campy (ha!), and a whole lot of fun.

Our main character, Mikey, is a self-absorbed rich “kid” (he's 29) who spends his days flitting around from party to party and generally not doing much of importance. When his exasperated father puts new conditions on his inheritance, Mikey must spend the summer “doing good” in order to regain access to his trust fund. Enter Camp Lore.

While this book is entertaining, it's not exactly a deep read. You know from the very beginning how things are going to play out (as far as Mikey's character growth goes, anyway, not necessarily with the murder mystery) because it's been done a bazillion times in a bazillion books. It's light and fluffy and heartwarming, but it's not exactly surprising.

The murder mystery, though? I mean, it's not Agatha Christie, but there are some twists and turns and I had no idea who the villain of the story was until the big reveal. There are humorous investigation hijinks and unconventional death threats and weaponized sloppy joes, and it's all pretty delightful.

Also, I love all of the shade thrown at Panera in this book. $12 for a microwaved bowl of macaroni and cheese is just criminal.

So, yeah. This one doesn't require a lot of deep thinking, but it's fun nevertheless. If you generally appreciate not-quite-cozy murder mysteries with humor and heart and rich people behaving badly, there's a pretty good chance you'll enjoy this one too.

4 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is April 28, 2026.
Profile Image for Sam.
171 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 29, 2026
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for a little review!

Mikey Hartford IV is an aimless, privileged somebody with zero concept of reality. Like David Rose before him, all of that is taken away from him in an instant when his father puts him on a timeclock to make some sort of valuable contribution to the world by his 30th, or he’ll be destitute and on his own. Dear old dad already has an idea in mind and sends Mikey with his teenage aunt (long story) Annabelle to Camp Lore, whether Annabelle will be a camper and Mikey will step into the role of activities director. Camp Lore is everything expected and everything Mikey dreads it to be (outdoors! cheerful! not internet friendly!) As if stepping into these ancient conditions isn’t already a horror movie, the camp boasts a history of murder and legend that Mikey will get wrapped up in with his curious campers.

Cozy, kid-friendly chaos awaits. Nicolas DiDomizio charms with this summer mystery about rediscovering yourself and growing as a person, against all odds. Mikey is lovable, if comically ignorant, and so he’s really starting at the bottom of the barrel in terms of self-awareness and selflessness. Camp Lore gives him the opportunity to not only step out of his comfort zone, but step into parts of himself rarely explored. While less of a straight up romance, DiDomizio still gives Mikey plenty to contend with when he bunks in close quarters with the handsome lifeguard Jackson. A little forced proximity and pre-conceived notions educated and dismissed, if you dare. The murder mystery is fun, but this book remains more of a light hearted nature hike versus anything too thrilling. No scary ledges or precarious paths, but perhaps a few trust falls. It’s never too late to try something different.

What could go wrong??! Or just maybe – what could go right?
Profile Image for Piedad.
345 reviews32 followers
December 5, 2025
I stumbled upon A Murder Most Camp by chance on Netgalley. Seeing the cover and reading the synopsis, I decided it looked promising and requested the ARC (thank u for this). However, the book gave me more than I expected. It's a mystery, a novel about a murder, but it is also completely and absolutely hilarious. It is a cozy crime without a doubt, because it left me with a very pleasant feeling.

The story revolves around Mikey, who must volunteer at a summer camp for teenagers along with his twelve-year-old aunt in order to recover his inheritance. During their stay, both of them, along with another group of children, decide to investigate the disappearance of Rose Churchill and why no one uses cabin number one.

Throughout the entire process, we encounter references to movies, series, and books, which, for me, was one of the strong points of the story because I love the use of comments, scenes, or nods to other narratives. Furthermore, the necessity of fitting into a specific social group, the search for social acceptance, and summer love that might turn into something more, all come into play.

The mystery even managed to surprise me because I was so focused on knowing the why that I didn't see the who coming. As I said before, everything was blended with a rather intelligent humor that made everything more enjoyable and succeeded in making me empathize and fall in love with all the characters.

In conclusion, I highly recommend the story at any time of the year because, being a mystery, it's perfect for winter, but as it's a summer camp, it also goes well with the arrival of warm weather. It's fun, it makes you reflect, and it keeps you intrigued the entire time.
Profile Image for nia.
209 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 21, 2025
I received an ARC of from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Having worked at summer camps and lover of mysteries, this book is so far up my alley its insane.

I couldn't put it down, literally done and dusted in one day! It's so addicting I couldn't stop myself from reading!!

Mikey is told to stop spending money his inhertiance in an attempt to buy love from a wannabe activist but really six figure earning free loader - more on him later. to satisfy his father, and his family reputation he is packed off to a summer camp with 12 year old auntie in tow - the family are off their rocker richer and seem to be somewhat insane too when it comes to familial ties.

Mikey's mini breakdowns aside he arrives at said camp and we find out that cabin one has something wrong with it, really wrong with it in fact. begin the scooby doo style investigation of what the hell happened and why no one will talk about it. and so begins the children including auntie Anna-b and Mikey in trying to figure it all out with more twists and turns than you may have expected - in the best way possible!!

I never get the murderer right and as per usual I didn't with this one but I was so caught up with being in love with the book that I truly don't mind. Mikey is so easy to like once he stops trying to be the rich boy everyone expects him to be and instead goes with his heart. Jackson is a good guy at heart, Judy gives weird vibes - mini dictator ish and resembles more than a few people I've met at summer camp and then there's the baby auntie - I love her, she's so me, and I find her character hilarious.

It was such a good book truly go read it, maybe read it AFTER a summer job at a summer camp just in case...
Profile Image for ThisBookIsLit.
36 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2026
Nicolas Didomizio does it again! I’ve been a huge fan of everything he’s written, and A Murder Most Camp feels like a welcome addition to his growing catalogue. From the first pages, it’s clear that Didomizio is once again playing to his strengths while also having a bit of fun pushing into new territory with a murder mystery.

One of the things Didomizio does best in my opinion is building rich, chaotic ensembles, and it was such a pleasure to see that skill applied to this genre. Every character feels intentional, flawed, and delightfully messy. Taking a spoiled rich kid and throwing them headfirst into squalor is a classic trope, but the execution here feels perfectly paired to the story being told. The way the book explores unrequited lust, entitlement, and self-sabotage adds real emotional texture, making the characters feel three dimensional rather than caricatures, even when they’re at their most absurd.

The pop culture references are sharp and deeply satisfying without ever feeling forced, the bubbling romance is genuinely steamy without tipping into excess, and THE CAMP, both literally and of the homosexual variety, is dialed up to exactly the right level. This is a book that knows what it is and fully commits, which makes it such a joy to read.

While some elements of the storyline are a bit predictable, the way Didomizio tells the story is so engaging and enrapturing that it’s easy to forgive. The pacing, the voice, and the sheer fun of the experience matter far more than being shocked at every turn. This is the kind of book you race through because you’re enjoying yourself, not because you’re trying to just figure out “whodunnit”

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC copy!
Profile Image for Xavier Whitman.
45 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 20, 2026
A Murder Most Camp is not as camp as I was hoping. The story follows Micky, a disillusioned nepobaby as he works at a summer camp to fulfill his trust requirement of completing a singular good deed. This gets complicated as he winds up in the cross hairs of a decade old mystery, but solving a mystery counts as a good deed right?

The main issue I found with this book is that it was more of a story that I just wanted to finish rather than enjoy. The mystery was only interesting enough for me to want to know the outcome rather than enjoy the process of it unfolding. I think this was because this mystery seemed more interested in misdirection and the most surprising twists rather than properly unraveling a mystery. This did lead to me guessing the murderer purely on the fact that it would be the largest but still somewhat logical twist.

I also found Micky okay as a character. I felt like DiDomizo was trying too hard to make him sympathetic. As if he felt that the audience would not like him on sight due to him being a nepobaby, so he had to be cheated on, lose his mom to cancer, and be isolated his whole childhood. When honestly the best improvement that could be given to Micky is for him to not give me second hand embarrassment every other line.

The children characters were ok. I just felt like none of them were particularly memorable or distinct outside of Anna.

The relationship between Jackson and Micky felt like it came on a bit fast, even if I liked the dynamic a little.

Overall, this book was not the campy summer romp that I was expecting and is more a mediocre mystery with a lot of 90s movie references.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Aura C.
197 reviews1 follower
January 23, 2026
This was a fun, cozy mystery with a surprising amount of heart beneath the humor. The summer camp setting is used really well, both as a nostalgic backdrop and as a contained space where secrets, old wounds, and a long buried crime can resurface naturally. It felt campy in the best way while still giving the story emotional weight.

Mikey is an entertaining protagonist to follow. Watching him get pushed out of his comfort zone and slowly confront who he is without money or privilege cushioning every decision made his arc genuinely satisfying. His relationships, especially the found family elements, added depth to the story and gave the mystery more impact than I initially expected.

The supporting cast is a standout. The campers and counselors feel intentionally messy and human, and the dialogue and pop culture references add personality without completely overpowering the plot. There is a strong sense of community here, and the emotional beats land because the characters feel lived in rather than exaggerated.

The mystery itself is fairly predictable, especially for readers familiar with the genre, but that did not detract from my enjoyment. This is very much a cozy mystery where the experience matters more than the final reveal. The pacing is quick, the tone balances humor and introspection well, and the campiness feels intentional rather than forced.

Overall, this is an engaging and enjoyable read that blends humor, queerness, nostalgia, and mystery into something charming and easy to sink into. It may not reinvent the genre, but it knows exactly what it is and delivers on that promise.
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