Giovanna Rogers restarts her career as expatriate manager of the new Leisure Dreams resort hotel on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. Due to her youth and limited proficiency in Spanish, she struggles to gain the respect of her staff and the company’s executives. She has to prove to them that she got the job because of merit, not because the CEO is a family friend. And prove to herself that she can overcome a past business failure and make the hotel a success.

When the story opens, Giovanna and her staff prepare for the hotel's grand opening. Friends, family, and corporate bigwigs fly in for the event. Renowned documentary producer Claire Costello and her film crew have arrived; Giovanna has the staff send a bottle of champagne to Claire's room to welcome the VIP guest. The next morning, Claire is found dead in her bed; the cause of death is apparent poisoning. Now Giovanna must work with her boyfriend, local police detective Victor Zuniga, to solve the case while juggling the details of the grand opening and controlling the narrative around the mysterious demise of a VIP guest on the property.

Complications in her relationship arise when Giovanna’s ex-boyfriend decides to join her family to attend the grand opening. Her best friend and several of her employees have a history with Claire. And Claire’s team is somewhat dysfunctional, keeping secrets and telling contradictory stories. Despite Giovanna’s efforts to maintain normalcy and apprehend the culprit, things continue to worsen.

REVIEWS:

"This twisty mystery at a luxury resort in the exotic Galapagos Islands is a delicious treat,  complete with a spicy detective and a fugitive tortoise. Murder at Leisure Dreams– Galapagos will keep you guessing who-done-it until the satisfying end." — Donna H. Black, author of Risk Tolerance and The Memory Editor 

“Marchisello weaves her characters together through an exciting series of meetings and  events. The story transports you to the mysterious Galapagos Islands with all its natural  beauty. With no shortage of suspects, I kept guessing who the killer was until the end.”    — Brett Nichols, author of Follow the Leads: Hunting a Serial Killer 

"A perfect escape from the ordinary with adventure, mystery, murder, and a little romance  in a gorgeous setting. I was hooked from beginning to end."  — Ann Michelle Harris, author of North

"Master storyteller, Sharon Marchisello, entices readers once again with a mystery set in the majestic Galapagos islands, this time at the idyllic Leisure Dreams Resort, which she litters with the corpses of guests and staff alike. Giovanna Rogers, the heroine of Ms. Marchisello’s first foray into the unique and beautiful setting, reappears in this fast-paced, tropical, whodunit. Grab an umbrella drink and a comfy chair, as the breezes and intrigue sail off the pages in this equatorial adventure." — Cathy Tully, USA Today Bestselling author of the ChiroCozy Mystery Series

"The giant Galapagos tortoise – a character in a murder mystery? Who knew? Author Sharon Marchisello artfully weaves elements of the environment – plant and animal life, and the climate, with its storms and dangers, into a suspenseful whodunit. I enjoyed learning about this part of the world while turning the pages through adventures, dangers and red herrings and an interesting cast of characters." — Nancy Kilgore, author of Pennsylvania Love Song

"Veteran storyteller Sharon Marchisello knows how to hook the reader.  P. 1 - Love interest in an exotic setting. P. 2 - Dead VIP body. Turn the pages - the list of suspected killers (if it was a murder) grows, as do the love complications. And every darn scene ends with a cliffhanger. Beware! - this is a tough book to put down." — Roger A. Smith. Author of Rian Krieger's Journey, a historical saga in ten parts

Author: Sharon Marchisello
Page Count: 258
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: June 17, 2025
Imprint: Milford House
Genre: Mystery

FICTION / Action & Adventure / Romance
FICTION / Mystery & Detective / International Crime & Mystery
FICTION / Thrillers / Psychological