Death by Choreography
A Poppy James Cozy Mystery #6
by Gemma Harper
Published: April 4, 2026
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Cozy Animal Mystery, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Blurb:
A luxury food festival at sea, a “safe” plate that turns deadly, and a café owner who knows polished rooms can hide ugly truths.
When Poppy James boards the Bellafaire for a glamorous heritage-themed cruise, she expects fancy dinners, ocean views, and maybe a little quality time with historian Theo Mercer and her socially fearless friend Nadine. Instead, the festival director collapses after one carefully plated bite—and the ship is far too eager to call it a tragic mistake.
Poppy knows better. With Midsip, her clue-sniffing beagle, nosing where he shouldn’t, she starts seeing the cracks beneath the luxury: rerouted trays, wrong marker tags, and a room trained to obey the wrong voice. Celebrity Chef Luca Bellamy, with his polished charm and sharp temper, and sponsor heir Grant Mercer, with millions riding on the launch, both have reason to want the truth buried. So does cruise director Serena Vale, who can redirect a room with a smile.
As the voyage closes in and the killer tightens control, Poppy must expose a murder hidden inside service, timing, and trust—before the next “accident” disappears into the ship’s version of the story.
My Review:
Poppy, Nadine, Theo, and Midsip board the Bellafaire for an extravagant culinary festival at sea. Theo is the guest speaker for the event, and everyone present knows who he is, yet there’s something that makes him feel a bit uncomfortable about being in the limelight. Nadine, of course, loves it.
During the festivities, a woman suddenly collapses. The crew claims it was due to an undisclosed food allergy. Rumors spread among the passengers about the incident, and the staff works hard to craft a story to hide the truth.
All dishes are clearly labeled for allergies, yet someone has tampered with the allergy labels, and Poppy witnessed the act from behind a curtain, making it hard to identify the culprit.
Is the story the crew is telling accurate? Is there any truth to their explanation? What really happened to the woman? Why did she collapse if it wasn't an allergy? If someone switched the plates, what was their reason? Why would anyone want to hurt this woman? What did she do to provoke such a response?
Many questions raced through my mind, keeping the story lively and fueling my desire to find all the answers, especially the truth. The mystery of it all kept me turning the pages eagerly, racing toward the end to uncover what truly happened.
I highly recommend Death by Choreography to mystery fans! Be sure to get your copy today!
Check out all the books in the Poppy James Cozy Mystery Series I’ve read.
Caffeine and a Corpse
NightBlooms and a Burial #1
Killer Crust #2
Whistle Stop Murder #3
Murder at the Heritage Festival #4
Murder on the Bunny Slope #5
Death by Choreography #6
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