Morgan has just finished a run on Broadway and is contemplating her next professional move as well as wondering where things are headed with new boyfriend, Detective Roblings, when she gets a frantic plea from an old friend. Kathy is the entertainment choreographer on a luxury cruise ship and she’s desperately in need of a fill in performer. Hmmm, sun and sand after a Chicago winter? Morgan’s there!

What Kathy failed to mention, and what Morgan quickly finds out upon her arrival, is that she is replacing a well-liked girl, Angela, who died unexpectedly mid-cruise. Morgan meets the other cast members, most of whom seem welcoming though upset by their recent loss, with the exception of Jackie, a beautiful redheaded magician’s assistant.

Jackie wastes no time informing Morgan that she, Jackie, deserves the lead, not upstart Morgan, although Kathy assures Morgan that Jackie doesn’t have the talent. Because of the mid-cruise substitution, Morgan inherits not only Angela’s nametag, which causes some confusion, but also Angela’s former cabin mate - Jackie. But since Jackie is usually being entertained by male friends in what little spare time the troupe has off, Morgan is left pretty much to herself, to explore the ship (getting lost frequently), meet fellow crew members and greet passengers, one of whom turns out to be Morgan’s own Uncle Leo. (Without Aunt Bertha? What’s that all about?)

On their first free afternoon, a handsome passenger joins Morgan and Kathy and all three go sunning and snorkeling. It’s a beautiful day in the tropics until Morgan spies some red hair in the watery depths and discovers Jackie’s body stuffed in the coral crevices! Local police are called and Morgan gratefully returns to the cabin only to find it trashed, filthy words scribbled on the wall. Obviously, someone had it in for Jackie, or so Morgan assumes.

But when, the next day, Morgan is assaulted by a moped, she begins to wonder if she has inherited Jackie’s bad luck. The ship’s security officer begins asking Morgan if she has made any enemies. Morgan is not really a detective, but when a clue to Jackie’s past literally drops into her hands, well, she can’t help following it up, just a little. She winds up in the right place at the wrong time and narrowly escapes with her life.

The authors cleverly and painlessly impart a lot of information about cruising, dancing, even magic tricks, without the reader ever feeling s/he is being lectured. Learning about the sheer volume of food, supplies and other amenities needed on your average cruise helps one gain an appreciation for this particular type of lifestyle. The reader also learns just enough about Morgan’s family to want to meet them.

Cruising for Murder is light but not silly, substantial enough to hold the reader’s attention. A mild criticism is that the final resolution occurs in a grand finale rush and could have been brought to a smoother finish. Nonetheless, Morgan has a unique voice and is a welcomed addition to the mystery scene. I look forward to her next adventure.

-- K. W. Becker