I enjoy a good story about old people in England.
Judith is a hoot and doesn't let anything stop her.
I am so glad to know that there will be more adventures to come!

When you think “Cozy Murder Mystery” this is one of the first books I would recommend. I LOVED the characters and although this category isn’t my favorite (I enjoy thrillers more) I found myself in love with the Marlow Murder Club.

To start, who doesn’t love independent women? Judith Potts is everything that I wish to be when I am an elderly lady. The BALLS she has on her to do whatever she wants, I love it. And of course you have Suzie and Becks, who are both also completely different independent women in their own way. I think the reason I loved them all so much as that they were all so different. Judith is the crime junky sloth and when she witnesses what is going on, she is like a blood hound that wont stop until the truth is uncovered. Suzie has her back, and is definitely someone who you would want on your murder mystery team. She isn’t lovely and proper and will get the job done. Becks on the other hand is the exact opposite of them all on the out side but deep down wants more from her wifely duties.

I thought the mystery was pretty good, nothing I would have guessed and they uncovered a lot for just being 3 adult/elderly women. I don’t think I will pick up the next one just because this was way too “cozy” for me but I did really enjoy it!

I wanted to read this book, the first in the Marlow Muder Club mysteries, based entirely on the strength of the cover; realizing that the main protagonist is a single woman of 77 who sets crossword puzzles for the papers made it inevitable that I would.

And it was an absolute delight; the protagonists are all women, and there is no pretense that they are magically prepared to undertake investigating murder, or that their blundering into it anyway is the smart thing to do. Each of them, however, brings her own way of looking at people and the world into the affair, and, most importantly, they all have the drive to keep at it until they find out the truth.

Beware: alcoholism; depression; fatphobia; copaganda; domestic abuse as backstory.

The story is narrated in third person, past tense, and mostly from Judith’s point of view, but also from her partners in cr… erm, in solving the crime, and even from the cop in charge of the investigation.

The narrative voice is very funny while hinting at the very real sorrows in each of their lives, and the author cleverly pays homage to the greats in the genre, from Christie to Hitchock, while plotting a fair play murder mystery; several times the narrative draws the reader’s eye to a significant clue, then moves along, so we forget all about it until the climactic scene, wherein all is explained and we smack our foreheads in realization: yes, the solution was there from the very beginning.

The use of language is quite clever, as their dialogue reveals the personalities of each of the characters; some of the turns of phrase will stay with me for a while. (“Cast-iron, copper-bottomed, gold-plated motive” slayed me.)

Judith Potts is elderly, quite smart, quick, eccentric, has not had to worry about money or family for several decades, and generally spends as little time with other people as possible–essentially, none at all.

She also lives in a once grand mansion that’s slowly falling apart around her ears, drinks herself to sleep every evening, and generally is the poster person for clinical depression, notwithstanding the fact that she manages to keep a side gig creating (“setting”) cryptics.

The murder of one of her neighbors, a man who had once been kind and considerate to her, starts a chain of events that lead Judith to meet and then befriend two women with whom, on the surface, she has nothing in common: Rebecca “Becks” Starling, the near-forty perfect vicar’s wife–almost obsessively well-put together, always knowing what to say and do, and slowly losing all sense of self–, and Suzie Harris, fiftyish professional dog-walker and single mother of two adult children.

Despite the significant differences in their backgrounds and education, a common thread between all these women is…misogyny.

Women are expected to support the men in their lives in all ways; if his dream means he doesn’t make any money, she’ll support them both, and still do all the housework; if his dream is to serve the community, she’ll become the perfect helpmeet and “cleave to him”. And when his dream doesn’t include family responsibilities, it is women left holding the bag, paying the bills and raising the children.

But even women beaten down by life and compressed into a small box are still themselves; observant, quick, generous, funny, engaging, and interesting as well as interested.

And so the women bond over things said and unsaid, and as they embark on the investigation, they become dear friends; the kind of friend one trusts with one’s life.

I mentioned above that the author plays homage to Christie; Judith’s age and class invite a comparison with the amateur sleuth par excellence, Miss Jane Marple, but it’s Suzie who points out the wickedness in Marlow. And while Judith is certainly a force of nature, Suzie is no pushover, and Becks soon surprises even herself with her own resourcefulness.

As the murders are solved and the universe is righted, we leave the friends celebrating their success, even as their lives are still much as they were at the start. And yet, there is a feeling of hope; the walls have cracked, and positive change may now follow.

This was a delightful read; The Marlow Murder Club gets a 9.00 out of 10

A great murder mystery that I could not put down. The characters were fun, smart, and tenacious. I loved their dynamic and the plot.

Love books about elderly sleuths who are able to see what the local authorities cannot and solve a crime. This was a great addition to the genre.

These ladies were a fun time. I enjoyed this cozy mystery with the whodunit aspect of this book. I was just here for the vibes.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for a copy of this for an honest review.

This was an interesting cozy mystery. It reminded me of a slice of life drama in that the pacing can be languid, but there are layers and subtext if you’re willing to think about the little clues. The humor and eccentric characters won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but about halfway into the novel I started to really enjoy it. Looking forward to the upcoming television series.

Guess I should have paid more attention or at least read the book this is loosely based on because I had almost no idea who anyone was or what was going on

Despite being initially drawn in by its captivating cover, "The Marlow Murder Club" failed to win me over. Admittedly, I'm new to this genre, and my bias might have tainted my enjoyment. The main character failed to captivate me, and certain elements felt too far-fetched for real life. The cherry on top was the oh-so-predictable ending, which left me struggling to stay focused on the pages. If cozy mysteries and Miss Marple are your jam, this book might tickle your fancy, but it just didn't do it for me.

Calling all cozy mystery fans! There's a fresh series in town that's bound to tickle your sleuthing bones! Three quirky amateurs (all fabulous ladies) join forces to unravel local murder mysteries while enjoying some social time and a splash of whiskey!

Meet Judith, a spunky seventy-seven-year-old with a passion for crafting newspaper crossword puzzles. She lives in an old mansion just outside of Marlow, and her character is as enigmatic as a riddle. The setting is perfection, providing the ideal backdrop for their thrilling adventures.

The mystery might not be the most original, but that's not the main attraction here. It's all about the colorful personalities and how they tackle the cases. However, a tiny complaint lingers about the overly detailed motive explanations – a bit like revealing the magician's secrets!

Overall, this light and enjoyable ride leaves you eagerly awaiting the next installment. With its captivating cover art and whimsical characters, this series promises to deliver more delightful surprises in the future! Three stars! 🌟🌟🌟

This book was a fun thriller and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery with an older main character.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Robert Thorogood's "The Marlow Murder Club" is a captivating and delightful mystery novel that takes readers on an engaging journey through a small English village where a group of amateur sleuths embark on a thrilling quest to solve a series of puzzling murders.

Thorogood masterfully blends elements of traditional whodunit mysteries with a touch of humor and a refreshing ensemble of quirky characters. Each member of the Marlow Murder Club brings their unique skills and backgrounds to the table, creating a dynamic and entertaining group dynamic. Their interactions and banter inject a light-heartedness into the story, balancing the gravity of the crimes they investigate.

The author's writing style is engaging, and the pacing is well-executed, keeping readers hooked from beginning to end. Thorogood expertly weaves together multiple plot threads, introducing intriguing twists and turns along the way. The puzzles are challenging and cleverly crafted, encouraging readers to actively participate in the investigation alongside the characters. The mystery itself is layered, with surprises and revelations that will keep even seasoned mystery readers guessing.

This was a very tame murder mystery and I never really felt much tension. I would have liked to see the police process a little more, which felt rushed. I did like that the 3 MCs were older and that they used that to their advantage!

Cozy mystery involving Judith, an elderly woman who swears she heard a gunshot one night, The Cops come out to investigate but don't find anything pertinent. Judith knows there is more to this and looks into it herself. Only to walk upon a murder. Book was a little slow, nothing too thrilling but as an easy read and had a great story.

A fun start to a new cozy mystery series. I loved that the 3 MC's were all older characters and became friends based off of the murders happening around them. All unique characters that I really enjoyed spending time with.

I really loved how they embraced their age and how people viewed them to 'catch a killer'.

Great fun!

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book. The plot and pacing were good. The characters were interesting. It did take a while to get into though. .

The Marlow Murder Club is the first book in an amateur sleuth village cozy mystery series by Robert Thorogood. Released in the USA 3rd May 2022 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an interesting and engaging cozy featuring a 77 year old (but quite young at heart) woman and her two unlikely allies, a young dog walker mom, and the local vicar's wife. A series of bizarre murders has stumped the local woefully underqualified police inspectors and Judith and her allies go boldly forward where the official investigative powers-that-be can't easily go.

The book is surprisingly full of misandry and I can't think of one single positively portrayed male character who actually made it to the end of the book alive. The mystery and main plot-line has a fair number of parallels with golden age plots from yesteryear and I can think of half a dozen which are quite similar. That being said, it *is* a clever plot device and the author does a good turn.

I also liked that the main character is a cruciverbalist and there are lots of crossword clues and wordplay throughout. Additionally, she's the type of person who takes daily skinny-dips, is an excellent sculler, and isn't afraid to take chances (although some of them made me shake my head in disbelief).

There's a bit of and Agatha Raisin vibe, and fans of MC Beaton, Deanna Raybourn, and Richard Osman will probably like this one as well.

Three and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. The Marlow Murder Club is a cozy mystery, crime book. I haven't really read this genre before, and don't think it is for me. The writing style was okay, and I liked the characters, but the story was predictable and there wasn't much character growth.

"Judith Potts is seventy-seven years old and blissfully happy. She lives on her own in a faded mansion just outside Marlow, there’s no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink, and to keep herself busy she sets crosswords for The Times newspaper. One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. The local police don’t believe her story, so she decides to investigate for herself, and is soon joined in her quest by Suzie, a salt-of-the-earth dog-walker, and Becks, the prim and proper wife of the local Vicar. Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club."

Didn’t like don’t recommend. It lacked plot and characters weren’t very interesting or relatable. It’s a slow read and I listed interest half way through and couldn’t finish it

I really enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I was going to. The characters were extremely well developed and the plot was very good. There were some twists and turns that I enjoyed and the author really had me reading much further into the night than I should have. I look forward to book number two the series!