If you have read Team W books before, this one is a bit different from the prior collaborations. In the same respect, if you have been following Team W, you will find so many parts of this book extra amusing. I enjoyed this one for being a unique story - authors co-writing a book, bonded by something unexpected and stumbling into a murder. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the early ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A group of my favorite authors wrote a fun to read intriguing novel and this one will be a hit! Loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Author's Guide to Murder.

I was pleased my request was approved because the premise was intriguing but soon after I began reading, I found the narrative not to my liking.

First, the murder happens off-site and is a minor subplot to the real story, the lives of the three female authors who are staying at the castle and who all have ties to the deceased.

Second, for a 'cozy' mystery, the deceased is despicable scum and the women are survivors of assault and plagiarism, just to name a few of the awful things they endured.

Third, the narrative is too long, redundant, and tedious, since we have to deal with the women's perspectives and their backstories. That's what happens when three authors co-author a novel together.

I didn't like anyone, no one, except for the dog. I love dogs.

The ending was hard to suspend disbelief for, not to mention that happily ever after ending, but that was to be expected, I guess.

This was not my typical type of book, but I was very pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was hooked and couldn’t stop thinking about it every time I had to put it down! It put my detective skills to the test, and kept me wondering who the killers were. It was very entertaining and an incredible collaboration of three very talented writers! I did not care for the smaller details of the epilogue, but I was happy with the outcome for Kat, Cassie and Emma. Wonderful book! I enjoyed it very much!

Thank you #WilliamMorrow and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Did not finish. Got to 10%, and even that was tough. The characters are all awful and the writing is sloppy. Will not revisit.

Oh this is such a FUN one by the 3 Ws! It’s a comedic whodunnit with a hilarious premise (3 authors writing a book together & end up stumbling on a murder). Lighthearted and a lot of jokes. Set in Scotland - that was fun! I liked Emma the most but all 3 characters were really fun to read. Having watched Outlander helped with reading all the Scottish-sounding words! 🤣

I chose to not finish this book because it opened with very un-cozy like subject matter. I thought the book was cozy but apparently...not really. A bit too much sex talk in the beginning and I had a feeling it was only going to get worse. Not my cup of tea but it was a cute idea and premise. I gave it a three because the writing was very good and I'm sure others will enjoy it more than I would.

I do appreciate the publisher letting me give it a chance though!

The three W's deliver a departure from their previous offerings. While their earlier books were typically historical novels with three timelines, this is their first book set in the modern world; and instead of giving us a historical romance, they provide us with a satirical mystery told from the point of view of three different authors. This is obviously a tongue-in-cheek book, and you'll see many parallels between the fictional characters and the actual authors of this book; but that's part of what makes it a fun read. While Karen White, Lauren Willig, and Betraiz Williams were all successful novelists in their own right, they came together at a book conference many years ago and struck up a friendship that turned into a writing partnership. A similar situation happens in this novel, only the characters start out as enemies ... until they're forced to bond over the murder of their common enemy, a male author with an ego the size of Scotland, which just happens to be the setting for this satire.

I appreciated the new approach the authors took with this book. Their previous books were all great fun, but they were becoming formulaic. This time we have three very different characters with distinct personalities interacting with one another throughout the narrative, so it read like a cohesive novel instead of three separate novellas. Each character has their own subplot, and they all intersect beautifully at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my opinions. I look forward to reading more books by these authors.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Join the party! Three incredibly different and equally hilarious authors attend a writer's weekend workshop in Scotland. The three are determined to write a Scottish mystery together and have convinced their shared publisher to pay for the trip.

It turns out, that while the 3 (Kat de Noir, erotica fiction, Cassie Pringle, Southern cozies, and Emma Endicott, historical fiction) all have their own reasons for attending the workshop helmed by the famous novelist Brett Saffron Presley. When he is found dead, they are all suspects!
On an island of less then 250 inhabitants, there is plenty of small town hijinks, history, and romance. The story is infused with all three author's voices and they blend together seamlessly. I couldn't think of anything more fun than this novel except perhaps spendeing time with the novelists themselves!

A bit meta, a bit crazy but all together perfect, The Author's Guide To Murder is the by far the best -cozy, quotable, quip-ful and hilarious mystery!

#williammorrow #theauthorsguidetomurder #beatrizwilliams #laurenwillig #karenwhite

The Author's Guide to Murder* is a delightfully twisted concoction of murder, mystery, and satire, set against the atmospheric backdrop of Castle Kinloch, a remote and gothic estate in the Scottish Highlands. Written by the powerhouse trio of Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, this novel offers a perfect blend of dark humor, literary intrigue, and a classic whodunit.

The story kicks off with the sensational murder of Brett Saffron Presley, a literary superstar whose flamboyant lifestyle is as notorious as his bestsellers. Found dead under mysterious circumstances in his castle tower’s book-lined study, Presley's demise sends shockwaves through the castle’s guests—many of whom are there precisely because of his larger-than-life persona. Detective Chief Inspector Euan McIntosh, a local with little patience for pretentious American authors, is tasked with unraveling the truth.

The prime suspects? Three American lady novelists who couldn’t be more different from one another: Kat de Noir, the sultry author of erotica; Cassie Pringle, a harried Southern mom who churns out cozy mysteries while raising six kids; and Emma Endicott, a New England blue blood known for her critically acclaimed historical fiction. While the three claim to be best friends working on a collaborative book project, their stories about how they know the victim don’t quite match up, leading McIntosh to suspect that more than one of them might have had a motive for murder.

The novel excels as a locked-room mystery, keeping readers guessing as McIntosh methodically peels back the layers of deceit surrounding Presley’s death. But it’s not just the mystery that makes this book stand out. The authors deftly weave in satire about the literary world, poking fun at everything from genre snobbery to the sometimes absurd dynamics of the publishing industry.

At the same time, *The Author’s Guide to Murder* explores themes of unexpected friendship and the complex relationships between women who, on the surface, seem to have little in common. The chemistry between Kat, Cassie, and Emma is electric, and their banter provides much-needed comic relief amidst the tension of the murder investigation.

Williams, Willig, and White bring their unique voices and strengths to the novel, creating a seamless narrative that balances the darker elements of the mystery with sharp wit and genuine warmth. The result is a novel that is as much about the power of friendship and the unexpected turns life can take as it is about solving a murder.

For fans of classic mysteries, literary satire, and stories about the bonds between women, *The Author’s Guide to Murder* is a must-read. It’s a crafty, clever, and thoroughly entertaining tale that will keep you hooked from the first page to the last.

Thank you to NetGalley. the publisher, and author for an advanced copy to review.

Nope. This book was slow and boring. Got annoyed by the stereotypical Scottish accents that were included. I've been to the Outer Hebrides, they don't actually speak that way. The characters got on my nerves and the book was just trying too hard.

There’s a lot…. I mean A LOT of historical references and Scottish terminology that slowed the pace of this book for me. The story of the three authors trying to revitalize their waning careers by collaborating together had so much promise. There are quite a few characters to keep track of and old folklore that is mixed with a present day murder. I want to say it was interesting but it left me feeling like there was too much being stuffed into each chapter. I was reminded that “less is more”.

I have always loved the idea that 3 authors get together and write a book. All the other books the 3 authors have written are some of the best books ever.
I can honestly say I didn’t care for the story or the format of this book.
Three struggling authors go to Scotland and lo and behold the owner of the castle ends up dead. Now who done it….
Thank you for the ARC of this book for my honest review.

As a fan of Beatriz Williams and the Williams, Willig, and White Collabs, I really wanted to enjoy this, but for me, it was a bit flat. The characters got on my nerves, and I struggled to get through it. While, I had my troubles, the story is still well written, and it's an easy read. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for this e-ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. This novel is a bit of a send up on cozy mysteries and romances. It is a fun read. Three authors are on a writer's retreat in Scotland under the ruse that they are "besties" writing a book together. In truth, they are there to exact revenge on an author who has wronged them all in different ways, but, unfortunately (?), is murdered in the castle. There are several side characters who add humor to the story as well.

I enjoy all of these authors on their own.
When they get together it is like fireworks!
This is a fun read and recommended for fans of the authors' individual books.

This was an entertaining story of three writers going to Scotland to stay in a castle and murder ensues. I enjoyed this cast of characters. Even though it’s about a murder and does have some serious subject matter I think it’s written in a light hearted manner so maybe more of a cozy murder story.

4.0

I hate making this comparison as much as you hate reading it, but this mystery is like a cliché cozy mystery and “Knives Out” had a baby..who had a Scottish brogue.

But isn’t Beatrice Williams a writer of historical fiction with strong women facing difficult times? Actually these are strong women facing difficult times as well, but not quite the same. I had seen that she wrote some books with co-authors, but assumed they were similar to her other books, which I think they were more or less. As far as I know, this is a complete departure. I am not familiar with Karen White or Lauren Willig and didn’t recognize their books, but they seem to be both prolific and successful.

This is a satire but, like I said a bit cozy. These three seemingly completely different women writing completely different genres come together as a somewhat cry for help to reignite their careers. Apparently that happens on a remote island in Scotland. Ironically I was also listening to the latest Jane Wonderly book at the same time which, you guessed it, takes place on a small remote island off of Scotland. I don’t know how I get these themes all the time.

The women are there to confront a man who, by all accounts, was evil and deranged and a complete S&M sex maniac. He rented a castle because it was the home of a lord who was similarly evil in 1900 and was murdered. It’s like the women who write letters and even marry serial killers in prison.

There are some convenient, repetitive, and unbelievable bits, but you have to love some of the characters. A lot. They have lots of layers. There is plenty to spoil if I was evil. But I’m not. If you go into this wanting a cozy mystery that does mention a lot of sex and some deranged people, but not really having sex scenes per se, this is a fun, unique mystery from three authors similarly coming together. They also met a convention and, by the looks of it, at some point, I am guessing they were seated alphabetically by last name. Otherwise, what are the odds all of their names start with W? Anyway, in this case, I don’t think it’s their careers needing a boost that spurred the writing book together, but the book is a bit of a satire on real life. A fun read!

Thank you to the authors, NetGalley, and publisher William Morrowfor providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️The Author’s Guide to Murder is a fun mystery set in Castle Kinloch, Scotland. Who doesn’t like a girl friendship story with minor romance and cozy murder mystery? Kat, Emma and Cassie are authors who are writing a book together. They are besties, met at a mystery convention, and decide that writing a novel together would be a great way to have a publisher pay for a girls trip, AKA book tour.

Publishers pay for your book tour??? Really?? I always assumed the authors paid themselves and the publisher just lined up the signings/readings.

Cute how this breaks the fourth wall (3 writers crowding a book written by 3 writers). I really liked Emma the best, she had a great back story and motivation.

This was a page turner, for sure, but I am left with some questions that were unanswered. I do personally like when things are wrapped up at the end. My favorite parts were the interviews they had with the detective, Euan Macintosh. He was very deadpanned and their answers highlighted their personalities well.

If you enjoy books about Scotland, the publishing industry, cozy mystery and female friendship, this would be a great next read.

Thanks to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the ARC. Book to be published November 5, 2024.