Just in case you think ageism has been abolished, think again. If you are a person of a certain age, over fifty for instance, you will have to launch a google keyword search of almost immeasurable scope to find books with narrators that aren’t in their thirties.

Thankfully I have some well-honed investigative book search skills. While putting them to good use, I stumbled across this charming gem of an amateur detective mystery.

Judith is a seventy-seven-year-old crossword creator who lives on her own in a small town. While out for her daily exercise she witnesses what she is sure is a murder. When the police don’t believe her story, she assembles a couple other unlikely older ladies to help in her quest to catch the killer.

I loved these women and their hilarious antics, and the author did an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing right until the ending. And as an added bonus the reader gets the inside scoop on how crossword puzzles are created.

I wonder if it’s too late to change my career path…

"Mrs. Judith Potts was seventy-seven years old and entirely happy with her life. She lived in an Arts and Crafts mansion on the River Thames, she had a job she loved that took up just enough of her time and no more, and best of all, she didn’t have to share her life with any man."

How we can not love her?! Judith is awesome, funny, smart and self-confident. Also, she is curious so when finds out the police didn’t believe Stefan had been killed, then she’d just have to investigate his murder for herself, wouldn’t she?

“We don’t know Mr. Dunwoody was murdered.”
“Are you saying the bullet hole appeared in his forehead as if by magic?”

Marlow’s worse happening in years was two swans were taking a walk down the high street and now people had been found dead with bullets in their heads! Judith starts investigating and in this way find two comrades to help her to fulfill her task and find the killer, maybe a serial killer or the killers!

Beth, the vicar's wife was the kids’ mum and a perfect house’s wife who does everything in order, clean and completely legal, or did, before joining the informal investigation murder club!

"If we only did what was wise, nothing would ever get done, would it?"

The third of Musketeers is my favorite, Suzie Harris, a very solid-looking woman who was about fifty years old and a dog walker.

“What on earth’s going on in Marlow that’s worth killing over?”
“Oh, there’s plenty of wrongdoing going on. Don’t be fooled by the nice front gardens and smart cars.”
“You think so?”
“I’ve been a dog walker the best part of three decades, and I can tell you, people around here are wicked.”

Wicked people who look nice, have witnesses in murder time, and many twists and suspend are in this book.

My huge thanks to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for giving me the chance to read The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood, I have given my honest review.
Pub Date: 3 May 2022
My review: 8 Apr 2022

3.5 stars

A charming and humorous (if rather long-winded at times) tale of three slightly eccentric ladies who together form a bond as unlikely amateur sleuths in an attempt to solve a murder mystery in deepest Buckinghamshire. It’s a decent enough whodunnit if you are willing to suspend any sense of disbelief. Just go into it as a form of light entertainment and enjoy it for what it is.

My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Some puzzles can be fatal! This is a fantastic mystery with characters you will love it. It’s perfectly paced revealing small pieces a little at a time. I’d describe as a cozy mystery. I’m already checking this author’s other books.

I had decided by the end of the first chapter that this was going to become one of my favorite series ... and that I want to be Judith Potts when I grow up. 

I have been a huge Robert Thorogood fan ever since I first stumbled upon Death in Paradise years ago. So far I only have two of the DiP-related books and, I believe, one has yet to be read ... but I'm thinking that will definitely have to change while I wait for Death Comes to Marlow.

Judith, Becks and Suzie are amazing and funny and complex and I greatly look forward to seeing what they get up to next and I highly highly recommend picking this one up -- even if you aren't a woman of "a certain age." The youngest of the trio is in her 40s and they are all written so well that I had to remind myself more than once that they were written by a man. I imagine that the women in Thorogood's life are very pleased to have someone around who "gets it" so well.

Full teaser post at https://wellreadpiratequeen.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-marlow-murder-club-by-robert.html

Three and a half stars for this fun cosy! Senior citizen amateur sleuths are currently all the rage in several series. However, Robert Thorogood has added the pleasant twist of a multi-age trio who end up solving a trio of murders. Mrs. Judith Potts lives in a crumbling mansion along the River Thames. At seventy-seven she is happy with her untethered lifestyle and is free to do as she pleases. She swims naked at night and feels just a bit naughty. However, she witnesses the murder of her neighbor Stefan Dunwoody while enjoying her nocturnal swim. Judith reports the incident but is quickly dismissed by the local police. Marlow just doesn't have murders she is told.

However, Judith doesn't give up eventually enlisting the help of two other neighbors to solve the case. Suzie, is a no nonsense dog walker and Becks is the local vicar's wife. A more unlikely trio couldn't be aligned! As they try to suss out the clues to Dunwoody's murder, two more murders occur with no discernible connection to each other. The trio forms a strong friendship, learns more about each other and themselves and ends up solving the mystery.

I hope we will have future adventures to share with this group of amateur sleuths. Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen for my trip to Marlow where murders just don't happen!

Judy Potts is a 77-year-old lady who lives alone in an untidy, imposing mansion on the River Thames. She is content with no man around to tell her what to do. Judy swims nude in the Thames at night, constructs crossword puzzles for a major newspaper, enjoys jigsaw puzzles, and drinks plenty of whiskies. One night while on her evening swim, she hears a shout followed by a gunshot across the river. She fears her neighbour, an art gallery owner, may have been killed.

Murders do not happen in Marlow! When she reports what she witnessed to the police, they do nothing until Judy investigates and finds the body. The one policewoman, new to being in charge, finds herself doubting her own competence. She dismisses the death as suicide or accidental. It is learned that he was shot with a missing antique gun. Since the police are not taking the killing seriously, Judy decides to prove the man was murdered.

Soon, Judy recruits two women to help in the investigation. One is Suzie Harris, a local dog walker who enthusiastically involves herself in solving the mystery. She has the annoying habit of speaking her mind. The second recruit is the uptight, introverted Becks Starling. She concerns herself with morals and rules and tries to present herself as the perfect vicar's wife. She becomes thrilled with being a part of what is known as the Marlow Murder Club. Soon, there is a second murder, a taxi driver, killed with the same gun.
Clues have been left on both victims, indicating a third murder is to be expected. When a third character is murdered, there seems to be no connection between the three victims. Is there a serial killer loose in Marlow? The three women eagerly pursue clues, interview suspects, examine alibis, and realize they have a highly complex puzzle to solve. They are enticed and puzzled by the twists, dead ends, and red herrings. They are undeterred by the possible dangers they bravely face.

I enjoyed the first part of the book, where the three very different women form a bond. Towards the end, it described frenzied, slapstick action that would be more amusing on screen. The solution to the mystery made sense, but we learn it by Judy explaining the twisted, complicated answer.

I enjoyed the growing friendship between the group's three women, and their dialogue and changes in attitude were amusing. There was a surprising background story thrown in.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this cozy mystery in return for an honest review.

This book is full of wonderful characters in an idyllic English village. I loved as the mystery progressed the group of loners became friends and formed the Marlow Murder Club. I love how there were clues laid out through the entire story that all came together in an ending i couldn’t have predicted..
I was so pleasantly surprised when reading the about the author blurb I discovered the author also wrote “Death in Paradise” which is one of my favorite shows.

Cosy detective story with a bit too much tunnel vision

I enjoyed this kind of unlikely, somewhat humoristic detective story, where Judith Potts, a 77 years old widow is determined to solve the murder that happened just across the river from her home. How she manipulates everyone around her without them knowing, just to gather more intel and proceed in solving the case. How she recruits two unusual co-conspirators to help her in her somewhat unconventional way of trying to solve the murder. Sometimes they even reminded me a bit of my great grandmother, who claimed traffic signs weren’t applicable to her whilst riding her bike because of her age (if you read the book, you’ll understand why 😉). Throughout the story, I really didn’t see all twists and revelations coming and I couldn’t put the clues all together either until everything is explained in the end. But in a good way, like it wasn’t really predictable, but you gather just enough information for the story to remain really intriguing. The writing style is also pleasant and the storyline is fairly straightforward, making the book an easy read. There was one thing that annoyed me though, and that’s the severe tunnel vision all characters are suffering from (they sticked to what they thought was the truth, instead of exploring some other possible trails. Although in the end I get why they did that, but still I’d have liked them to think of some alternatives too, because you can never know in advance whether what you think happened is indeed what happened).
Hence 4/5 ⭐.

I am leaving this review voluntarily, based upon an advance review copy I received for free (through Netgalley, thank you Poisoned Pen Press). Nevertheless this hasn’t influenced my review of this book, my opinion is and remains 100% my own.

The story was ok. A little slow in the beginning, but enjoyable overall. Not sure I will continue with the series though.

This trio of murder solving women were like a balm to my soul. From the intelligent mystery to the lovable characters that were equally intelligent it is hard to see how anyone could fail to enjoy this book.

This one is one of my favorite reads of the year so far. There were so many underlying stories and unexpected characters. Twists and turns at every chapter. It kept me on my toes and it kept me engaged enough to finish it in one sitting.

For fans of true crime podcasts who view themselves as amateur sleuths, this book feeds that need for adventure.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

An unlikely trio of women become the police's best assets when a number of murders occur in the small quaint town of Marlow. Judith Potts is the leader of the group, a headstrong seventy seven year old cross word aficionado who loves a good puzzle. Her sidekicks, dogwalker Suzie and vicars wife Becks ,make up the rag tag group that takes it upon themselves to try and find out the mystery of a serial murderer before they become victims themselves.

The writing of this story was fantastic and kept my coming back for more. It read like a contemporary whodunit, a genre that often gets missed when people are trying to fill the psychological thriller bit. I greatly enjoyed this read, the character development of Judith, Suzie, and especially Becks was fantastic, and you couldn't help but root for the squad as they tried to find out the killer.

Overall, this was a fantastic mystery novel, one I will think of every time I see a cross word puzzle especially. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

My goal in life is to become an eccentric old lady who solves murders, so I might be the target demographic for The Marlow Murder Club.

I enjoyed the friendship that Judith, Suzie and Becks built. While Judith is obviously the main character, I felt like we were given enough interaction with the other two to form a bond. I am interested to see if the growth the characters made in this book continue or if it will be more of a slow burn. I think it takes more time to resolve the issues the women have, so I hope they don’t get swept under the rug.

Overall, I loved the book. There were switches in POV mid-chapter that were not clear, so you had to do a double take, but overall a very fun book. I will for sure read the next installment.

When I requested this book I did not realise the author also wrote Death in paradise! What a great story, I was completely hooked from the start and cannot wait to get the next instalment. I loved the girl trio of amateur sleuths,especially Becks. Great characters, a complex whodunnit and plenty of humour. I so recommend this book. My thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC of The Marlow Murder Club. Excellent

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

I truly enjoyed this delightful gem of a book. It reminds me of <i>The Postscript Murders</i> by Elly Griffiths, and I am thrilled that this might become a niche genre. Meddling groups of locals getting together to solve crimes is exactly my cup of tea. I adored Judith utterly and completely, and I could read about her in her cape whisking about town doing whatever Thorogood wishes.

Note, you do need to suspend some disbelief in this story, and if you're looking for a sincere police procedural, then this might not be the book for you. I had an incredibly good time with it however and am eagerly anticipating the next in the series.

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

Seventy-seven years old Judith Potts loves her life and being totally in charge of it. It consists of her routine of setting crosswords for the The Times newspaper, swimming nude in the Thames, drinking, lots of drinking, and riding her bike in town where everyone seems to know her, to her constant surprise. She's not big on keeping her mansion tidy, there might be a bra hanging from something in the living room, but she is happy with her way of life. When she is nude swimming in the Thames one hot summer night, she hears a yell and a gunshot from her neighbor's place. When the police do a lousy investigation, Judith takes matters into her own hands and investigates her neighbor's property herself and finds his body. She knows he's been murdered even though the police, which seems to be mostly just one beleaguered police woman, aren't taking the death of her neighbor seriously.

Soon, the Marlow Murder Club comes into existence, once Judith recruits Suzie, a dog walker, and Becks, the wife of the local vicar (I couldn't help a real laugh when she saw herself on video). Each woman brings their own unrealized special talents to the forefront and they start uncovering shady and unsavory dirt on the murder victim and someone he'd fought with recently. And then there is another death, a murder, they just know it. A serial killer in their midst, for sure. Judith gets things done, even things no one knows she's gotten done, so with the help of Suzie and Becks, they are going to break this case wide open. With whiskey and wits, these women are on a mission!

So many twists and turns in this cozy murder mystery. I would never have figured out what was going on because there are so many suspects with alibis that check out. But there are also strange connections between people, red herrings galore, and the police woman telling the women to stand down, not talk to suspects, so Judith just lies to the police woman and does what she was going to do anyway. Judith didn't become a wiz crossword puzzle setter by letting a puzzle go unsolved!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

I thought the plot was good until the last few chapters. I thought the ending was disappointing. I don’t think the character of Becks could accept Judith possibly being a murderer. I also don’t think the placement of all of the shots of the murdered trio would or could be exactly the same from three different shooters, who were in no way identified as marksmen or even experienced with a handgun.. I also was disappointed in the timing of the ending- the scene with Danny and Judith being prolonged and Danny’s shot missing Judith at close range. I also thought that moving the tree across the road was timed awkwardly, and the dog rescuing Susie and Judith was too far-fetched.

4 cute and unexpected superhero stars

This one was definitely a cozy read with three unlikely women who band together to stop a killer.

First up is Judith, she’s 77 and sets crosswords, so she knows how to put clues together! Then there’s dogwalker Suzie, she knows everyone in Marlow and their dogs. And the final one in the trio is Becks, she’s the wife of the vicar who always says and does the right thing.

Judith’s neighbor is murdered, and she thinks she heard the shot while swimming in the Thames. The police aren’t quite doing enough so Judith takes it on herself. Along the way she ropes in Suzie and Becks and soon the women are having the time of their lives!

When another murder rocks the small town, the women double down despite being warned away by the police. One thing I like about this style of book, is that I never feared for the women. They just go blazing in to confront suspects and it comes across as more comedic than dangerous. It made for an entertaining read and more power to older women that can feel invisible! I have a feeling there may be another case for the Marlow Murder Club to solve in the future.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this one and provide my honest review. Set to publish on 5.3.2022.

3.5 stars rounded down.

This was a charming cosy mystery with delightful characters. Mrs Judith Potts, 77 year old cruciverbalist, was having her customary nude evening swim in the Thames when she heard a call and a shot from her neighbour, Stefan’s, place across the river. She couldn’t actually climb ashore there so swam home and called the police. Stefan had been shot dead right between the eyes. The very next day though the local Marlow taxi driver, Iqbal Kassam, is also shot dead in the same manner.

Judith meets middle aged Suzie Harris who walks Iqbal’s dog Emma and these two ladies eventually hook up with the vicar’s wife, Becks Starling, and they take it upon themselves to investigate these murders because the police seem to be making no headway. They identify a handful of suspects but the pieces don’t seem to fit. Soon there is another murder! Liz Curtis who runs the boat hire place is also shot between the eyes. None of this is making sense.

The characters were lovely. Judith is a formidable old woman with a sharp mind and a great deal of determination. Suzie is a staunch ally and Becks finally comes out her shell and realises she is for more than just a vicar’s wife. It was a very character driven story and it is lovely to see older people, particularly women, kicking ass! The three women got themselves into a lot of amusing situations while they were playing amateur sleuths. The book was a bit slow and ponderous in the first half but got much better in the second half.

The resolution of these murders was an eye opener. I suppose a savvy reader could, in theory, have worked it out but you would have had to make a lot of assumptions so it was satisfying in that respect. I enjoyed this story although I wouldn’t say I loved it. I suppose I’m open to reading more cosies now that I’ve dipped a toe in the water. They can be quite fun without the blood and guts of some of my usual thrillers. Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.