A Murder Most Camp - by Nicolas Didomizio (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER

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...

Review Quotes

"A Murder Most Camp plays confidently to DiDomizio's strength while pushing into new territory, blending queer romance, satire, and mystery into a story that's endlessly entertaining."--Queer Book Club

"A book that understands transformation isn't elegant. It's loud, awkward, and, ideally, a little bit humorous. "--The Seattle Times

"A combination of coming of age, family saga, gay romance, and cold-case mystery."--firstCLUE

"A hilariously flamboyant and ultimately endearing. An utter delight."--Crimespree Magazine

"As [Mikey] investigates, awkward attempts at doing 'good' collide with buried tensions and evasive behavior, framing the cold case through fish-out-of-the-water humor and sharp social satire."--CrimeReads

"Buoyant humor and a sweet subplot add to the fun."--Publishers Weekly

"DiDomizio dexterously juggles his tiny cast of suspects en route to a climatic reveal that will surprise most readers."--Kirkus Reviews

"DiDomizio's voicey, lively writing shines."--The New York Times

"Summer camp goes hilariously awry."--People Magazine

"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!" -- Kim van Alkemade, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan #8 and Bachelor Girl

"DiDomizio's latest will camp out in your brain long after you finish. The vibes are immaculate, with plenty of murder, mayhem, and mosquito bites, and the twists are genuinely head-spinning. This is pure summer camp chaos, and I'm absolutely here for it." -- Mallory Arnold, USA Today bestselling author of How to Survive a Horror Story

"From the first page to the last, DiDomizio's A Murder Most Camp is a hilarious, fast-paced delight. Mikey Hartford IV might not be your typical amateur sleuth, but he is an entertaining one--especially when he's thrust into a world of precocious preteens, sloppy joes, and women who wear scrunchies. If I ever go missing in the middle of a forest, I hope my detective is even half as fun as Mikey!" -- Tamara Berry, author of Murder Runs in the Family

"With the camaraderie of summer camp and eerie thrills of stories told around the fire, A Murder Most Camp delivers an irresistible mystery full of endearing characters, heartfelt emotion, and clever twists that will keep you up well past lights out." -- Brianna Heath, author of Robbie McNeil's Hit List