Ignore the Goodreads blurb on this one, because it's nothing like Agatha Christie and it's definitely not a locked-room mystery. That's not to say that it's not a decently entertaining story in its own right, but Detective Chief Inspector Macintosh is no Hercule Poirot and the foot traffic in the “locked” room rivals that of a suburban Walmart on the day before Christmas.*

But still, this is kind of a fun book. It's ridiculous and the main characters are insufferable (especially in the first 40% or so), but there's a well-deserved murder and some humor and a pet sheep, so there are certainly things to like about it. And the setting is fantastic – a castle with a dark history in a quaint Scottish village? Yes, please!

I also like the idea of three authors collaborating on a book writing about three authors collaborating on a book. Very clever.

The mystery itself is an interesting but fairly traditional one – lots of people had reasons to want Brett Saffron Presley dead (including our three main characters), but who actually did the deed? You shouldn't expect Christie-level twists or subterfuge with this one (no matter what the blurb tells you) and I guessed the villain pretty early on, but it's rather entertaining watching the main characters bumble around while attempting to solve the murder. I don't know if it can quite be considered a cozy mystery (how many rather tame sexual innuendos can there be before a novel is no longer “cozy?”), but it definitely has a cozy-like feel to it.

The romance, though? Ugh. So unconvincing and so very insta-love. I'm not a huge fan of romance in books to begin with, though, so maybe others will appreciate it much more than I did. The ending is also very saccharine for a murder mystery, so be prepared to roll your eyes a few times if you're a grumpy old curmudgeon like I am.

But, still, reading The Author's Guide to Murder isn't a terrible way to spend a few hours. It's not fine literature by any means, but if you're looking for a light, fluffy read with personable sheep and handsome Scotsmen, you've come to the right place … or, err, book.

My overall rating: 3.6 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is November 5, 2024.


*Perhaps a slight exaggeration, but you get my drift.

"I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Three female mystery authors have bonded at literary events. Kat writes urban fantasy, Cassie writes cozies, and Emma writes historical novels about forgotten women. When their editor, Rachelle, agrees to foot the bill for a writing retreat so the three of them can write a novel together, the ladies jump at the chance. They decide to go to a Scottish castle on a small island in the Hebrides. The castle is currently being leased by a well-known male author named Brett Saffron Presley, who runs workshops for writers but doesn't want to appear at them himself. As the women begin to investigate the history of the castle, it soon transpires that each of them knows the mysterious Brett Saffron Presley (or BSP as they refer to him) perhaps better than it first appeared. Once a dead body turns up, the three Americans are immediately pointed out as suspects, especially since aspects of the crime seem to implicate them for various reasons. With a limited pool of suspects on the island, it's up to the three authors to investigate and clear their names (and perhaps even find love).

The story was interesting and I was surprised to see that it's written by three well-known authors, and it isn't their first joint effort! The book alternates between the viewpoints of the three characters and slowly their backstories and reasons for being on the island are revealed. There is a bit of everything here: mystery, history, exotic/romantic setting, baking, cute animals, dramatic rescues, romance, and even a bit of a twist at the end. Great fun!