Starboard Secrets

Cruise Ship Mysteries #1

by Hope Callaghan

Millie Sanders' husband of 35 years suddenly leaves her for her "friend" and hairdresser. After months of mourning and moping, Millie is surprisingly hired on a cruise ship as assistant director, where she investigates how a dead body ended up near the atrium bar. The deceased had more enemies than friends. Will Millie delve too deeply and risk losing her job - and possibly her life? (Includes recipe)

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Amazon

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2015

About the author

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★ AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR ★
★ 2017 Mom's Choice Award ★

Hope Callaghan is an American author who loves to write clean fiction books, especially Christian Mystery and Cozy Mystery books.

She has written more than 70 mystery books (and counting) in six series.

Born and raised in a small town in West Michigan, she now lives in Florida with her husband. She is the proud mother of 3 wonderful children.

When she's not doing the thing she loves best - writing books - she enjoys cooking, traveling and reading books.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought I would really like this book based on the premise: an older woman, Millie, starts a new life with a job on a cruise ship after her husband dumps her for a younger woman.

The book opens with her arriving on a cruise ship to work as an assistant cruise director with no experience (a fact which even SHE questions). First thing she sees a bunch of people standing over a dead body. No word of police activity, investigators or anything. Huh? Next thing we know she has taken it upon herself to investigate and just starts questioning everyone she meets about the dead woman and who disliked her. Huh? Turns out the woman died of a brown recluse spider bite (intentionally murdered via spider bite???) So that just made me irritated - young healthy people don't die from recluse bites. Period. Death is so rare that it is even hard to find cases and it certainly wouldn't cause a sudden death. Lots of sickness, necrosis, eventually maybe gangrene leading to loss of a limb but no - get bitten, drop dead.... Not to mention how would a killer expect a spider that tries to avoid contact with people to bite and kill the victim? It doesn't make sense.

Moving on, there is no real police investigation, just Millie and a nominal ship security officer that doesn't seem to do anything at all.

Then there is her motive for involvement -- to prove to her ex that ran a PI firm with her as admin support that she CAN? I realize in cozies, getting the amateur sleuth's involvement to be involved is a tricky thing, but this is weak. Then there are the interchangeable, flat, one-dimensional characters. None are interesting because they aren't developed. Their interactions do not feel natural at all either.

This is also labeled a Christian cozy. There are a few Bible quotes, she goes to church once and she prays a few times but I actually was a bit upset when she prayed for God to help HER solve the crime. I think it annoyed me mostly because it wasn't let the crime be solved, or help the Police solve the crime but her. It seemed so self-serving. That is what I disliked the most: it was all about HER solving the mystery - not justice for the victim or protecting someone wrongly accused or something noble at least.

So, the bottom line is that I normally give a lot of leeway when I see lots of good elements of a story that outweigh the bad, especially with the first in a series. Honestly this time there really wasn't much I did like. I can hope that as the series continues there is real character development and it gets more believable. Maybe down the road I would be able to enjoy one but for now, if I want to read a cruise ship cozy, I will read Lori Avocato.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great!

I have not been enjoying very many books lately. But this one changed that for me. I enjoyed it very much.

I loved meeting Millie and her new friends from the cruise ship she is working on now. She is newly divorced from Roger her husband of many years, and is looking for something new to do with her life.

She sees an ad for a cruise ship and decides to look into getting the job. Not t sure she will get it or if she really wants it, she goes for the interview. She gets the job as Assistant Cruise Director.

When she gets to the ship, she runs into a dead body on board. Since her X husband was a PI she takes it upon herself to investigate the crime. She makes some friends quickly on board and a few help her.

With a few twists and turns she successfully gets through the first week of her cruise job. At the end of the week, she is still employed and ready for her next cruise, so am I!

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super Fun Mystery

I was very excited to find this series! I love cozy mysteries, and the Christian aspect is a nice bonus. The perspective of working on a cruise ship was portrayed fairly accurately. As a former cruise ship employee, it brought back fun memories for me. I have already bought several more of this series and others by Hope Callaghan.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book when it was offered for free and I always appreciate free stuff, so thanks to the author for giving me the opportunity to try this. Despite the fact that I appreciate the freebie, I want to be honest in my review. As cozy mysteries go, this book was just s0-so. The main character was somewhat likable but she was very one-dimensional. The other characters lacked depth and personality. Aside from the fact that they had different names and jobs on the ship, it was hard for me to distinguish one from the other, they just weren't distinctive. If you are looking for Christian fiction in particular, the main character is a Christian (in that she mentions praying for people, and uses a couple of Bible verses) so you might like that. Other than that, there isn't much to distinguish her as different from the other characters. There is no offensive language used. The grammar, sentence structure, etc. is all fine. The plot and characters, however, were dull. I think this could have been a good book and one day this author could write a book that grabs and holds the reader's attention. She just needs more experience/practice. For a free book, it was okay, but I would not read any others in the series. I might look this author up again a few years down the road as I think she could be good eventually, if she keeps writing.

[Eve · Rating 1 out of 5]

This just wasn't good...like, at all. I feel a tad bad only giving it 1 star since I didn't explicitly hate it, but at the same time, I really can't think of any redeeming features. Every single character was bland, there wasn't even a hint of personality to any of them. The story was practically non-existent, I never truly understood what Millie got out of trying to solve the mystery, and none of it was believable in the slightest. I'd also like to point out that it never felt like a mystery even got solved; someone died, literally everyone was a suspect, and then, to top it all off, at the end, it was kinda just like "oh yeah, and this person did it, well done Millie" like no...that is not engaging in the slightest. She didn't solve shit, it was handed to her.

This one gets a no from me, just terribly written. There were a lot of loose ends that never got a second glance, this was just so lazy, I can't.

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the mature lady solving crime (sub)genre which is a pleasant way to say a nosy old lady nosing in — anytime and anywhere I’d read these themes, especially this author who doesn’t browbeat you in her beliefs but does exemplify in plots a Christian lifestyle — and a nosy old lady ... 😄💕😄

[CarolynB · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read by Hope Callaghan. It was pretty good. I like the idea that the main character is an employee on a cruise ship--it makes for lots of opportunities for cozy mysteries about lots of different people! I'm sure I'll be reading more of this series.

[Cathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute cozy for a snowy day like today. I’ve started this series because I have another cruise booked and I’m so ready to get aboard. I love hearing about the ship and the crew life you don’t get to see when you’re a passenger. The mystery was interesting and it had a good pace.

[Lori Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book which I got for free from one of the aggregating sites. I wasn't sure I would like it, but the author managed to make it funny and readable. I had one nitpick...the protagonist is an older woman, but throughout the book she was called one of the "girls", and she moves around way too well for a woman of her age, and considering I am almost there, I totally know what I am talking about. So, if you are looking for a funny mystery, with good clues and red herrings, and no cursing... this is the book for you!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are going on a cruise with Mildred “Millie” Sanders.
Millie has been recently divorced, left with the house
but she had been bored and wanted to earn some money.
Answering a newspaper ad for Assistant Cruise Director,
she was surprised not only to get a face-to-face interview
but to be hired.
Stepping on to the cruise ship, Millie sees a body lying on
the floor-----a DEAD body. Who was the dead person?
What had she to do with the ship? How did she die? Who
would have killed her?
Leave it to Millie to investigate beyond doing her assigned
tasks.
I enjoyed learning about the cruise ship personnel positions,
jobs and the various parts of the ships when Millie took the
tour with her new boss.
A quick read filled with quirky characters. An enjoyable
humorous murder mystery!!!
The first Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series.
Recipes at the end of the book. .

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though I know better, I get these urges to read travel industry mysteries. I should slap myself.
An ad in the newspaper: Maybe. That she'd be hired with no experience or credentials in the hotel management or entertainment management business: Never. That she did have a week of training before had that included being dragged over, not only the ship she was being assigned to, but others in the fleet: Never. That just meant the reader got a blow by blow walk around this ship. That the cruise director meet and greet of and on the ship, even for shore excursions: Never. That's done by security. Mystery, okay, but had a hard time believing that murder weapon. Had to skim a lot of
extraneous descriptions.

[Ted Tayler · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Harmless fun"

This ticks the boxes in the description. It's set on a cruise ship, and it's a cozy mystery, in which the plot is fairly straightforward. The red herrings are easy to spot, and the murderer is unmasked in the final pages. I'm not a fan of Christian fiction, and skipped over the prayers, and biblical passages.
The other thing that grated after a while was the frequency with which our female sleuth kept telling everyone 'I'm Mildred, but you can call me Millie.'
If you're looking for a bit of harmless fun, then this series will suit you just fine. For me, this will be my only voyage.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is a digital book, and apparently has never been edited because there are quite a few grammatical errors and funny wordings, I found the story line to be fascinating and the mystery to be shallow, but intriguing. Taking place on a cruise ship it was especially interesting to me, as we love to cruise, and just booked our next trip on Princess. While it's not particularly one of the better written books I've read, it was fun and kept me wanting to read. I'll enjoy more of this series (there are quite a few). (I also appreciated the subtle Christian hits, such as attending church and praying for meals, and for fellow crew members, but not in-your-face preaching.)

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Millie's husband leaves her for another woman, she decides to do something different. She applies to be a cruise ship assistant director. The first thing Millie encounters is a dead body when she gets onboard the ship. After working with her husband in his detective agency, although in the office, she decides she has enough knowledge to help find the killer.

Millie is delightful and this is a good setup book for the rest of the series. Lots of suspects in this one and good supporting companions. I did think she was pretty energetic for a 60 something grandma type but I can work with that...

[Sheila Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was a light and fun read, after some of the more serious plots I have been reading recently. It was completed in just over a few hours. Although it was a murder mystery, I found I was concentrating more on the unique personalities within the story than with the fact that a life had been taken.

My biggest disappointment was that the resolution seemed to me rather abrupt.

Bottom line, however, was that I enjoyed the read, appreciated the spiritual input, and actually rate it closer to a 3.5.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starboard Secrets by Hope Callaghan was a fun cozy mystery to read that kept me entertained for an afternoon. I liked Millie and could relate to this "mature" heroine as she begins a new adventure. What I liked the best is that Millie did not rush into risky situations but worked with others to uncover the clues so that the culprit could be arrested. I've already gotten the second book ready to read next.

[Star ☔️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thoroughly enjoyable Christian cozy mystery! I really liked the main character and sleuth, Millie. Starting a new career in her sixties might be scary, but she does it with courage and grace. I love that the setting was on a cruise ship. Made me feel like I was on a cruise, solving a murder mystery. I also enjoyed the bible verses. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

[Cheryl Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cruise ship murder

Good, clean fun book about Millie who decides she needs something new in her life, so she accepts a job as a cruise ship assistant. Not even her first day on the job, and there is a murder. She plays detective to try to determine who did it.

A few plot twists, and lots of interesting characters.

[Janis A Hewes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!

A entertaining mystery, easy reading, Christian values kind of reading. I would recommend this book to others to read. Enjoy!!

[Anna Beason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Please consider reading this book and others by Hope Callaghan. You will not be disappointed. Very entertaining and enjoyable too.

[Keli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate cozies. I only read this for a challenge.

[Kit Donner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but not great. Highly entertaining but totally unrealistic. Neither the brown recluse spider nor the more commonly encountered black widow spider is that likely to kill a healthy adult human that quickly. Maybe there are some spiders somewhere that could. Certainly there are some animals that could. Certainly there are some other methods that could have been used to kill the dead person and leave a similar trail of clues. The book had other parts that were equally unrealistic. But the lead character was likeable, most of the other characters were likeable, the settings were entertaining, Millie learning about a new situation was at times very entertaining. I expect that the series will probably continue to be unrealistic but fun as long as you can accept that fiction does not always need to be realistic. Remember some of the books you enjoyed as a child? Even children know that sometimes favorite children's books are totally unrealistic, but they are often favorite because the things that happen are better than real life or at least more entertaining to read about.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-Reader. Mystery

Mildred Sanders, Millie, 60 years old has gone through difficult divorce. She & her husband had owned Michigan Private Investigations. He did the investigations she did all the office jobs.
She decides to apply for Assistant Program Director on the Siren of the Seas cruise ship. Her very first day getting onboard there was a commotion, a woman had died & was on the floor. It was Olivia who managed a gift store on the ship.
She can't stop thinking about who the murder was. She prays to God for assistance.
There are so many suspects on her list. She investigates between her very busy schedule. And she has a friend who's helping.
Plus she goes to the chapel for Church services on Sundays. To keep focused as a good Christian.
There is so much that goes on the cruise with keeping the passengers entertained, good food & service.
There is danger & many characters in this book. It's well written. Please it so can find out what happened.

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millie Sanders' husband has left her for her so called friend and hairdresser. After she mourns and gets her life back in order she puts in an application to be an assistant director on a cruise ship. Little did she know she was getting the job.

When she arrives on the ship she sees several people looking over a dead body. This sets the tone as she helped her ex run a detective agency. With some help from her new friends, Zack a dancer, Annette the head cook, Andy her boss and Cat they find help find out who killed the woman.

I liked all the characters. The red herrings are some what noticeable and you might even figure out who did it before the end but what makes the book so much fun to read? Millie and her antics. She can get herself into some trouble. At the end is a nice recipe from one that is mentioned in the book and Annette.

[Federica De dominicis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

As many have mentioned, the use of bible verses and full prayers is a step too far, but it's not the worst "crime" committed in this book. While the characters are at the beginning of their "journey" (yes, pun intended), and will have time to develop, the premises are a let down, it's interesting that the MC comes from a detective of sort background, but her being hired without experience for a completely different job on board is ridiculous (had she been the assistant of the head security, it would have made more sense). The real crime is the proof reading and editing, the author has had quite some time and feedback through the reviews since publishing her work, but hasn't bothered to go back and clean up the mess.

[Charles Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less than ten minutes after arriving for her first cruise, a dead body is found near the ship’s bar. There’s speculation that the victim, a clerk in one of the ship’s stores, was murdered. Millie had previously worked for her husband’s PI agency, and decides to investigate the crime. This gets someone on board the ship upset, and she gets threats, but with a new-found friend, she persists, even though her new boss is one of the prime suspects.
Starboard Secrets by Hope Callaghan is a humorous cozy mystery with an interesting cast of characters. This is a quick read that can be done in one sitting, and is actually quite entertaining.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like when a story comes in like we semi know the main character. It gives you insight into parts of them that may otherwise take a while to lead up to.
I believe this is the first book I’ve read, where it is an employee of the cruise ship who is the main character. A different perspective with her having full access of the ship. I also really love the peek into Millie’s day, from eating, to relaxing and running the trivia games.
Good characters with many possible suspects!
A well written and nicely paced read! Some scenes are predictable and some border on too easy or “coincidental”. The ending was also a little too neatly wrapped up for me! But overall not too bad.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great cozy that has a mature female lead starting a new life after her husband leaves her for a richer younger woman. Millie applies for the job as assistant cruise director for a luxury cruise liner and gets the job. As she boards for the first time she walks by a dead body in the welcome area and spends her first trip finding out who killed the sales clerk. This is a Christian book but it is not over whelming and is a natural part of the story. I look forward to seeing more in the Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mystery series. Millie is a fun easy going woman who isn't afraid of new experiences.

[Tracey Billing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This was the first book in a free box set that I got and it was really good. I am never sure what to think of free books, but this was great.

It was very easy to read and pretty much had me hooked from the get go. Millie is an interesting character, a grandmother type whose husband leaves her and she decides to do something completely out of character and applies for a job on a cruise ship.

Her ex-husband was a PI so Millie bring this with her on the cruise and helps to solve a murder on board. Very interesting read. Looking forward to the next 2 in the box set.

[Tina Chaffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this was an easy, fun read, a lot of this book makes no sense at all. As a seasoned cruiser, too many things don't add up. There are major chunks missing. First of all, she just gets on the boat and is hosting Trivia with no training or prior experience. The plot could have been good, but I found it clunky, and it seemed like a hurried end. I found some things over-explained, while others were never or hardly explained. I wanted to like this and continue with the series, but the lack of reality of the cruise ship employee life frustrated me.