This is a delightful cozy mystery.

I was interested in this book based on the Author Robert Thorogood. Robert created the BBC series “Death in Paradise”. My husband and I have seen them all including the Christmas specials. We also finished the spin off series “Beyond Paradise”. I highly recommend them.

So, when I saw that he had written this book too, I thought it would be good. It did not disappoint. The main character is Judith Potts. Judith loves to take daily dips in the Thames. Early in the book is one of my favorite scenes which also introduces where the cover of the book comes from. It made me laugh out loud.

Judith and her friends Susie and Becks soon find themselves at a party in a local rich man’s mansion and a locked room mystery soon ensues.

The characters are all wonderful. They soon find clues and with their shared intelligence start piecing the puzzle together. There is no shortage of suspects.

I like how each of the characters are very different, funny, smart and better together. I highly recommend this book.

Death Comes to Marlow is a disappointing second entry in the Marlow Murder Club series. While the character of Judith is well drawn, most others are not. I found the solution to this locked room murder not to be difficult to unravel and the amount of involvement that police detective Tannika allows Judith and her two compatriots to stretch credulity. That being said, Death Comes to Marlow is an easy read and will surely appeal to many fans of its predecessor book (count me as one of them) The Marlow Murder Club. This series suffers in its inevitable comparison to Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, which to date is a superior effort.

Locked-room murder mystery Death Comes to Marlow is the second in the delightful Marlow Murder Club series. Friends Judith, Becks and Susie return and with them loads of wit, insight into human nature and whacky antics. Out of the blue, Judy is invited to a country house party by Sir Peter, a man she doesn't even know. But why not? She's curious. She and her friends attend but are taken aback (or are they?) when Sir Peter dies in his locked study on the eve of his wedding. Detective Tanika arrives on the scene. Red herrings and twists abound as she and the women inveigle, ingratiate and investigate.

I especially like that the sleuths are older ladies who don't care what others think. While not enamoured by their personalities, I do appreciate that they are unique. Locked-room mysteries are amongst my favourites, too. Such fun! However, the murderer was not difficult to ascertain. Author Robert Thorogood's style is reminiscent of Richard Osman, quirky and smart. I look forward to what he has in store for his readers next.

My sincere thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this rollicking novel.

Robert Thorogood delivers another fun continuation of the Marlow Murder Club with “Death Comes to Marlow,” a locked-room mystery.

After receiving an invitation to Sir Peter Bailey’s pre-wedding tea, where he just happens to be killed behind locked doors, plucky and eccentric Judith Potts once again joins forces with her friends, dog walker Suzie and the vicar’s wife Becks, to solve his mysterious death. When several suspects all seem to have valid reason to kill Peter, but all seem to have rock solid alibis, the three women have to work quickly to solve the mystery.

What follows is a delightfully quirky tale with lots of laughs but also plenty of suspenseful moments that will leave readers guessing until the very end.

Thorogood also does a great job of developing some clever characters, including Judith who is like a modern day Jane Marple or Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote, Suzie who’s developed a new hobby of her own, and Becks who has her own mystery.

Fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osmond’s Thursday Murder Club series, and even Alfred Hitchcock will love “Death Comes to Marlow,” which is due out May 30.

One warning: this book does contain the occasional curse word.

Five stars out of five.

Poisoned Pen Press provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

As a Robert Thorogood fan who has read all of his books and loves his TV series, I was excited to get this ARC from Netgalley! This was the perfect Agatha Christie-esque novel to read in the springtime and imagine myself in a cozy village in England. Time has passed since the events of the first Marlow Murder Club mystery, but Judith, Becks, and Suzie are still firm friends and get involved in another locked room mystery, this time at the local gentry's estate. Thorogood seems to specialize in his previous novels and TV shows in locked room mysteries and this was no exception. He allows the readers to follow the sleuths, giving us little clues along the way, and allows for the big reveal to explain all. If you're looking for a great cozy English mystery and love Agatha Christie, this is for you! I cannot wait to read more in the Marlow Murder Club series, but selfishly also hope he continues to write his Death in Paradise stories too or perhaps a Beyond Paradise book!

A fun mystery revolving around three retired friends who have recently started investigating murders. Although this is the second book in the series, you don't need to have read the first to enjoy this book. Judith, Becks and Suzie are at a swanky party to celebrate the pending nuptials of local bigwig Sir Peter Bailey. You can tell pretty quickly that he's going to be the one to get knocked off; however, it's a locked room mystery that needs to be solved. I thought the characters were all well-written and distinct, with my favourite being Judith. This is a fun weekend mystery to read, and I'm looking forward to going backwards and reading the first book. Definitely recommended.

Death Comes to Marlow - Robert Thorogood

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher of this book for providing this eARC.

LOVED IT!
I was excited to learn a new book was going to be released in this delightful series. I read the first book, The Marlow Murder Club right after its general release, and I found it refreshing and charming, and Death Comes to Marlow echoes those sentiments.

There is little better for a fan than to receive a copy of a book written by one of their favorite authors before it is made available to the public. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher of this book for providing me this delightfully witty eARC for review purposes.

After solving the mystery in the first book, The Marlow Murder Club, things had quieted down for Judith, Suzie and Becks. That is until Judith receives a call from Sir Peter Bailey inviting her to his pre-wedding celebration on his posh estate. Judith asks Suzie to accompany her and then they meet-up with Becks who is there with her husband, the vicar. When Sir Peter’s son, Tristram, appears he has a nasty argument with his father because Sir Peter didn’r want him there. Tristram is opposed to the marriage and thinks that his father’s fiancée, Jenny, is only interested in his money. Sir Richard leaves and enters the house to calm down.

Soon they hear a loud crash coming form his study. They race to the door but it is locked from the inside. Tristram manages to break down the door and they see Sir Peter lying on the floor with a large cabinet on top of him. Apparently the cabinet fell over by itself and crushed him. Or did it? The room is locked and the only key is in Sir Peter’s pocket, The police are called and think that it was a horrible accident but Judith, Suzie and Becks think he was murdered and set-out to prove it.

This locked room mystery with quirky characters, clever twists and turns is another enjoyable addition to this fun series. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGally for the advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for approving my request to read and review this book!!

Judith, Suzie and Becks are back to solve another mystery that happens before Sir Peter Bailey's wedding and his death occurs in suspicious circumstances in a locked room. How did it happen? Who dunnit? No spoilers from me as you will have to read the book to discover the who, why, what, how, the murder was done!!

There are plot twists and turns with a few moments that I thought I knew who did it!! There are plenty of moments of laughter when the 3 ladies are together. You will be surprised in the end!! I will be recommending this book to my fellow book friends.

"A puzzling locked room mystery...who better to investigate than the ladies of the Marlow Murder Club?

It's been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks - AKA the Marlow Murder Club - since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne.

But during the soiree, there's a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study.

The study was locked from the inside, so the police don't consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she's concerned, Peter was murdered! And it's up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again..."

Anyone else know that the creator of Death in Paradise writes books too? Maybe I'm just not paying enough attention... Not a good trait if I want to be an armchair detective.

After the utter delight that was “The Marlow Murder Club” with its trio of three intelligent, funny, non-compromising women who took matters into their own hands when a string of murders took place in their hometown Marlow, I knew I had to pick up whatever sequel(s) Thorogood decided to pen.

“Death Comes to Marlow” picks up half a year after the events of book one, and things seem to have returned to normal: Judith still enjoys her daily swims in the Thames (even though it’s January; this woman is tougher than me fr) and setting her crossword puzzles and Suzie still works as a dog walker though she has recently taken up voluntary shifts at the local radio station. Out of all three, Becks is the only one who seems to have changed, sporting a new diamond ring on her finger as well as receiving mysterious phone calls. Beck’s change in habit is intriguing, though not more so than the ominous call Judith receives from Sir Peter Bailey, inviting her to a party the day before his wedding because he fears… what exactly?? Naturally, the Marlow Murder Club are more than interested to investigate, even more so when during the party, they witness a crash and find out that the groom-to-be has been crushed to death. Judith calls foul play, but how can his death be any more than an accident when the room was locked from the inside, the key was in his pocket and every single person who might wish him harm has a bullet-proof alibi?

What can I say, I LOVE a clever locked-room mystery. If they’re done right and well-written, I will stay up way too late to find out who the murder is. Did I stay up way too late trying to finish this one? YES. In fact, I got so tired, I had to stop and go to bed at the 85% mark just when the murderer was revealed, arghh! But I simply couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer!

That I didn’t go to sleep earlier is a testament to Thorogood’s talents as a storyteller. The Marlow Murder Club’s second outing was just as delightful as their first; this novel’s narrative is so tightly kept, without a scene out of place, with every character’s actions driving the plot forward without any superfluous nonsense, that reading this book felt like a breeze on a hot summer’s day.

The returning characters of Judith, Suzie, Becks, and DI Tanika felt very familiar and it was a joy to spend time with them. I appreciate that Thorogood kept their unique traits while simultaneously granting them some form of development (especially Suzie and Becks) which only added to their depth. I find that with cozy mysteries, the protagonists are too often written a certain way only to stay that way throughout a long period of time, becoming almost caricatures of themselves.

The murder mystery of this novel reads like a true Agatha Christie story. There are a lot of suspects – though not so many as to lose oversight – and even more red herrings the MM Club is chasing. Thorogood really plays up the mystery part of this story, as the locked-room or “impossible crime” mystery did not only keep Judith and her friends on their toes but me as well. The reveal is incredibly clever and thought-through and more than worthy of an adaptation as an episode of Miss Marple or Poirot.

The writing style is witty, it feels very breezy with some zing to it, as well. There were two to three instances where I thought the author was ostensibly thinking himself very clever for coming up with sentences like this one for example:
“It looked to Tanika as though Judith was wearing yellow marigold gloves and holding a small metal can on a table mat. As Judith reached her, Tanika realized that this was because that was precisely what Judith was doing.”

These were luckily just outliers, as Thorogood usually doesn’t lose himself in repetitive statements such as this one.

Another thing that irked me, which is also a huge pet peeve of mine, is characters referring to the murderer as “he” even when they don’t know the murderer’s gender. During one scene, Judith and Tanika even talk about a woman they think could be the suspect while still saying stuff like: “What if he pushed the cabinet on Sir Peter”, “but he couldn’t have…”. Then, in the next sentence, they are back to using the woman’s name again. It makes no sense. I realise it might be a force of habit but come on… If “Chicago” taught us anything it’s that women can be murderers, too (he had it coming!).

Nevertheless, this was a fast-paced, enjoyable, very narrative-focused outing for the Marlow Murder Club, and I will happily read more books detailing their adventures.

As always, thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder Comes to Marlow is the true example of a locked room murder case. Sir Peter Bailey is having a party at his residence to celebrate his upcoming marriage to his nurse, Jenny Page. But during the party, there’s a loud crash. And soon, Sir Peter is found inside his locked study underneath a large cabinet that has fallen on him.
Judith, Becks and Susie are all at the party and immediately launch into investigative mode. Judith is especially suspicious as Sir Peter had called her just that afternoon, hinting that he was in danger. This time around, DS Tabitha Malik isn’t nearly as hesitant to take their assistance. And when DI Hoskins returns after a long sick absence, she’s relegated to drudge work anyway.
The characters are all well developed, even Tabitha. We learn more about their personal lives with this story. The story is told in the third person narrative, which keeps the pace moving briskly. Thorogood, who was the writer for Death In Paradise, knows how to add the right amount of humor to his stories. There are some fun little subplots, especially concerning the local crossword puzzle writer. This was an entertaining cozy mystery. The ending wasn’t quite believable, but I found it devilishly clever.
The book is the second in the Marlow Murder Club series but works as a stand-alone.
My thanks to Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for an advance copy of this book.

Another great mystery in Marlow from Robert Thorogood! I love this series and the characters he as created in the village of Marlow. "Death Comes to Marlow" is a great twist on the typical "locked room mystery" in that the victim is found alone in a locked room with the only key inside. I could not have guessed this ending for anything, it was so creative and original and very well thought out. Even if you haven't read the first Marlow book you will still be able to enjoy this story!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication!

I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in the Marlow Murder Club series. This is perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder club by Richard Osman. Death comes to Marlow is a cosy mystery set in the town of Marlow in England. We re-join Judith, Becks and Suzie as they have to solve a locked room murder, that shakes the town. This is fast paced, and had me gripped from start to finish. It did at points feel like the plot was not moving forward, but then there would be twists that I could not see coming. Overall a highly enjoyable read.

I very much enjoyed ‘The Marlow Murder Club’ and dare I say it, I enjoyed ‘Death comes to Marlow’ even more!
It was lovely to read about Judith, Becks and Susie again, like meeting up with old friends!
The story was a great locked room murder and it all came together very nicely, ends tied up and a logical and clever conclusion.

More of a 3.5, but I rounded up because the book in general is just a fun romp of a story.

Once again we find ourselves with Judith, Suzie and Becks as they are embroiled in another murder. This time however, Judith was invited, almost as if the victim knew he would need her keen eye there. Despite being a rag tag group of civilians, the three women are undeterred in their pursuit of solving the murder.

All of this is delivered with the same charm that the first novel had. You still see the glimpses into the lives of the three women, are brought along through their foibles in their personal lives. Judith is presented with a riddle wrapped up in the weekly crossword puzzle, Suzie has taken on new popularity as a radio host, and Becks is caught meeting with a mysterious man. Of course, hijinks ensue, bringing levity and making this book ever so cozy.

This was a solid second outing to add to the Marlow Murder Club. A solid addition to collections with cozy British mystery interest.

A locked room mystery starting Judith, Suzie, and Becks and their best detective Tanika. I loved this even more than the first book in the series. The mystery is crisp, engaging, and kept me guessing to the end. Highly recommend

A light and fun mystery read with the sleuths being some mature women not with the local police force. Setting is in England with its rich background and the first murder taking place in a large old manor. It isn’t a crime thriller but not quite cozy either. Maybe comfortable mystery with fun sleuthing involved.

I enjoyed this second novel in the Marlow Murder Club series! The unlikely crew of crime-solvers is becoming familiar and like old friends. I look forward to seeing what they get into next!