Murder Takes a Vacation is a clever and witty mystery featuring Muriel Blossom, a 68-year-old widow who was an investigator working for Tess Monahan in some of Lippman’s previous books. While listed as a cozy this is not what I typically think of as a cozy. It is a beautifully written story of international intrigue, with an interesting cast of characters and a bonus look at the art world and artist Joan Mitchell.