An entertaining mystery with wit and a memorable cast of characters. I loved the even paced plot and look forward to the next installment.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest feedback.

This title along with The Marlow Murder Club are permanent additions to the Murder Mystery BOGO table in the Barnes & Noble in Waterbury Ct. My review is that I hand sell these titles every day.

What would Judith do to figure out a murderer when she set her mind to it? How far she would go? How come a dead duck floating in Thames would start chain of events in this story? How is it possible to be smashed by a cupboard when there is no way in or out?

Marlow Murder Club was invited to a pre-wedding party as esteemed members of the community only to find themselves in a locked room murder mystery. Dead man had a title and a lot of money. His kids, soon to be wife, ex-wife were all interested in his will, but it was missing. While police thought this was an accident, Judith and co were adamant that someone killed Sir Bailey.

These women wouldn't be stopped! They were cunning; they were paying attention; they were resourceful. While I found explanation of locked room mystery a bit convoluted, I still liked the amount of planning and thought went behind it. Waiting for more of these ladies.

I enjoyed this mystery but it seemed to drag at times. I liked the classic "locked door" mystery, and I enjoyed the conclusion. I love crossword puzzles so I definitely like that aspect of the series. It took me a long time to read it for some reason, but I will continue the series.

This is such a fun series, and book #2 doesn't disappoint. I love these characters. They're extremely entertaining. I chuckled throughout while also trying to guess the culprit in this cozy mystery. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series to see what Judith and her friends get up to.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Now available.

This second Marlow Murder Club installment is a good locked door mystery. Sir Peter Bailey, a local aristocrat, invites Judith to a pre-wedding party at his estate. Sir Peter is scheduled to marry his former nurse, Jenny. Judith witnesses an argument between Peter and his son. Peter goes inside, Jenny goes to her room, and the son leaves. A loud crash is heard shortly after, and the guests have to break down the door. They find Peter dead - smashed by a large bookcase that fell on him.

Judith and her friends, Becks and Suzie, follow numerous clues to prove how Sir Peter died and who was responsible.

Very entertaining with lots of clues spread throughout.

"Death Comes to Marlow" by Robert Thorogood is a captivating addition to the murder mystery genre. Set in the picturesque village of Marlow, the book introduces readers to an intriguing cast of characters, each with their own secrets and motives. Thorogood's writing skillfully navigates the twists and turns of the plot, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The protagonist, often an outsider or newcomer, adds an element of fresh perspective to the investigation, allowing readers to uncover the village's hidden layers alongside the detective. The atmospheric descriptions of Marlow contribute to the immersive experience, making the setting almost a character in itself. While adhering to some classic mystery conventions, the novel also offers unexpected surprises that set it apart. "Death Comes to Marlow" is a compelling whodunit that will keep mystery enthusiasts engaged and entertained, showcasing Thorogood's talent for crafting intricate plots and memorable characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Death Comes to Marlow is the second book in Robert Thorogood's Marlow murder club amateur sleuth cozy series. Released in the USA 30th May 2023 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 288 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) protagonist and her two unlikely allies, a brash young(ish) professional dog walker radio personality, and the local vicar's wife. The death of a local squire in bizarre circumstances at his own pre-wedding garden party induce Judith and her allies to investigate where the official powers-that-be can't easily go.

The main mystery plot-line has a fair number of parallels with golden age books 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. There's a central locked room murder with lots of convoluted wealthy family relationships and widening ancillary follow-on crimes to untangle.

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).

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours 28 minutes, and is expertly narrated by Nicolette McKenzie. She has a clear, well modulated, and nuanced voice and does an impressive job with a myriad of local (English) accents, both male and female. Despite having a full cast of varied characters, it's never a problem to keep them sorted during the read.

There's a distinct Agatha Raisin vibe, and fans of MC Beaton, Deanna Raybourn, and Richard Osman will probably like this one as well. The resolution and denouement were as expected, but satisfying nevertheless. This is the second book, there's a third book due out from the same publisher in first quarter 2024, making this one a good candidate for a quick binge/buddy read.

Four stars.

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

I loved The Marlow Murder Club and was excited to read the second novel in the series. In this novel, Judith, Suzie and Becks (“the Marlow Murder Club”) are back to solve the murder. This time, the police believe there is no way that Sir Peter could have been murdered as he died in a locked room with the only key in his pocket. Judith knows something is amiss and is on the case with her friends.

Like the first novel, this one was quite entertaining. However, I found this to be longer than needed, and some parts dragged on. The “who dun it” was a little predictable, but I love that in cozy mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and The publisher for the eARC! I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and was ecstatic to receive an arc of the next installment. This was engaging and fun and I’m excited for the rest of the series!

This is the second book in the Marlow Murder Club series. We are back with Judith, Becks, and Susie. If you have not read the first book, do not worry, you can read this locked room mystery and love it.

When Judith gets a call from Sir Peter Bailey inviting her to his house for a pre-wedding celebration, she cannot say now. She is even more interested in why he would invite her. When Sir Bailey is found dead in a locked room crushed by a cabinet, it seems like a horrible accident or suicide. However, busy-body, skinny-dipping, crossword puzzle author, Judith is not so sure.

I always like a good, locked room mystery and returning to Marlow for another adventure with Judith, Becks and Suzie was a welcome sight on the library hold shelf. Judith receives a phone call from the local big wig, Sir Peter Bailey, and he asks her to attend a pre wedding party at his estate. After a couple of cryptic comments, Judith is intrigued and anxious to attend with her two friends. The upcoming wedding of Sir Peter to his nurse Jenny is the only excitement in town this time of year. The party is underway. There is a rather public argument with Sir Peter and his son. Sir Peter retires to the house and Jenny to her room while the party continues. After a loud crash is heard, everyone runs to the study where they have to break down the door to get inside and find Sir Peter crushed under a very large piece of furniture. Judith and her friends follow many clues to help investigate and inform their new friend with the police department, Tanika, of their findings.

The Marlow Murder Club is at it again. After solving a murder last year, Judith, Suzie, and Becks have been enjoying some much needed down time. That is until the richest man in Marlow ends up dead, locked in his study alone, with the sole key in his pocket. Their friend, Detective Tannika, agrees that his death is suspicious, but unfortunately the rest of the police don't seem to agree. The list of suspects is long, and it's up to the Marlow Murder Club to solve this mystery before the killer claims another victim.

This is such a fun cozy mystery, just like the previous installment. I adore Judith and her friends. She is so insanely intelligent, much like Sherlock Holmes, she sees the connections in everything. And if there's a bit of insight she's missing, you can bet her friends will provide it. These amateur sleuths are top notch. The mystery completely kept me guessing; I wasn't able to solve it on my own. The story is engrossing and entertaining. Strong five stars from me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an advanced copy of Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood from the publisher Poisoned Pen Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: After solving their huge case, Judith, Suzie, and Becks (also known as the Marlow Murder Club), things have been rather quiet. The biggest event in Marlow is the upcoming wedding of Sir Peter Bailey to his nurse, Jenny Page and the Murder Club is invited to a party at the grand mansion on the Thames. But suddenly there’s a crash and once they open the locked room, they find the groom-to-be crushed by a cabinet in his study.

What I Loved: This book is a really fun cozy mystery and I am so looking forward to the adaption. I love the characters of this book and getting to reunite with them again was fun. The book is an excellent cozy mystery and I thought the mystery was really unique and I liked that there were red herrings and I didn’t see the ending coming! It was a fun read.

What I Didn’t Like: The secondary stories surrounding our characters (Becks and Susie) were not super intriguing and there was bit less character building this story.

Who Should Read It: People who love cozy mysteries. People who love locked room mysteries. People who love British murder shows.

Summary: A new mystery that occurs in a locked room is the next case for the Marlow Murder Club.

For a quaint little English town, Marlow has a lot of murders that get left to old ladies to solve. So basically it’s everything you want and expect out of a cozy British mystery. The whole story was quite entertaining and perfectly picked up where the first book left of. That being said, it is not a book or smart crime solving that will stick with me - I was a little bit disappointed to figure out the locked room case in the first 75 pages. But, still an enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a great story with murder mystery and mayhem. It was pure enjoyment trying to figure out who did it. There was spots that the characters lacked some details so it got hard to keep going. I powered through and end d up loving it. Looking forward to more to come

I think I gave this a real try but, after some dark nights of the soul, I have to admit that I just really don't like Judith, Becks, and Suzie AT ALL. All amateur sleuth stories have that vein of "wouldn't the police just arrest (our her0) for interference in an investigation?" which we all ignore, but I wanted the detectives to tell these ladies to f**k right off. Man, they are beyond irritating. The mystery is neither here nor there and I would wager the author is writing with an eye to on a limited series adaption for Netflix or some similar service. It would probably be a nice watch but the novel is not for me.

I really liked the first book in this series and that just amped up with the second edition - this was a doozy of a story [with some fun side stories that will make you laugh, scratch your head and swoon a little with the idea of a love that last for a lifetime] and watching Judith, Susie, Becks, and Tamika solve the mystery, each using their unique way of seeing things, was just so fun and even though I knew who the killer was before them, it didn't take away from the story or the way it all unfolds. Really well done and I CANNOT wait for book 3; there will be a book 3 right????

Thank you to NetGalley, Robert Thorogood, and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot tell what year this book takes place. One aspect seems to be an old-fashioned 1950s mystery, but at the same time, they have cell phones and talk cryptocurrency. Then they talk extortion, but the number mentioned seems correct for the 50s but is missing a few zeros for the current day.

Once you get past that confusion, next up is a mansion without staff that conveniently, because that is what the plot needed, allowed people to wander unnoticed. That brings me to another quirk. How does a man on a boat hear a display case fall in a house quite a distance away?

Granted, I read an ARC, and I hope the editors caught onto the glaring issues in this 2nd book in the Marlow Murder Club series.

The book was slow-paced, repetitive, had problems with consistency, and lacked the same energy that the women brought to the first installment.

Another great mystery with Judith, Suzie and Becks! This one, 'a locked door' challenge. Definitely didn't figure this one out. Also a fun crossword challenge to solve. Lots of excitement for these ladies and looking forward to another installment by Robert Thorogood.