Three authors walk into a bar. That’s how The Author’s Guide to Murder really begins, although it’s not the opening sentence of this clever satire of the writing community with its jokes, puns, send up of mystery and romance tropes, and, of course, murder. The Authors Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White is fun, but you do have to read it as satire to appreciate it.

Three authors meet in a bar at Bouchercon, the annual convention that celebrates the writing community. Cassie Pringle is a cozy mystery writer, mother of six, who juggles multiple series including one about a crime-solving cat, and one about a bake shop. Kat de Noir is the author of erotic fantasy and romance. Emma Endicott writes historical portraits of forgotten women. After their discussion, they end up at Kinloch Castle on a remote island in Scotland where bestselling author Brett Saffron Presley is running a writers’ retreat.

Naturally, on an island where all the people are interrelated and know each other, when Presley ends up dead the night of the Kinloch dance celebration, the ceilidh, the three American authors are the prime suspects. As Detective Chief Inspector Euan Macintosh interviews them, he learns the stories the women tell as to how they met and why they’re at Kinloch don’t add up. Brett Saffron Presley wasn’t exactly a stranger to any of the women.

Williams, Willig and White know how to keep secrets and tell a funny story that will appeal to readers who understand mystery conventions and all the tropes of the mystery and romance genres. There are romantic hunks, and women who sexualize the men in the story. There’s even a dramatic rescue by helicopter. If you’re ready for a send up of the publishing industry, try The Author’s Guide to Murder.

I'm a big fan of Karen White's Tradd street series so I gave this a try. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it past the first three chapters -- it went way over the stupid line (with the most phony "Scottish" people imaginable) and I took an instant strong dislike to all three of the main characters who were over the top in somebody's interpretation of what "Americans" are like. It's possible that this is a set up and the whole thing will get better but I just can't make myself read further. It did give me an opportunity to think about how I can love books that are downright silly but can't take it when it goes past that line. Sorry! And I will keep reading White's solo books!

Castle Kinloch is a historic, gothic, fairy tale of a place, located on a remote island in the Highlands of Scotland (my husband left on a trip to Scotland today! Kismet!). Super famous writer Brett Saffron Presley (I feel almost certain that, for the three authors of this book, either those initials stand for something OR this is simply a thinly disguised real person. I’m OK with either) has been found dead in the castle’s book-filled study. Presley bought the castle years ago as an homage to his brand and as a place to hold lucrative writing retreats for authors (at which he does not deign to appear.).

Detective Chief Inspector Euan McIntosh is in charge of the three main suspects, all American writers who tell him they are best friends: Cassie Pringle, a Southern mom of six who pens cozy mysteries, Kat deNoir, a sexy erotica author and Emma Endicott, a blue blood from New England whose specialty is historical fiction. The women tell McIntosh they are there to write a book together that will be set in the castle, but there is something a little off about their stories. Who is responsible for the dastardly deed?

I’ve never read anything by any of these three authors, even though they have published quite a bit, both separately and together. I was afraid this might be too silly, too cozy or too twee for my taste, but I actually found it to be quite cute, if maybe a little long. Sometimes I felt like I was plodding into town along with them, they described that walk so many times.

Overall, nice, light, enjoyable fluff.

This was a great book by these amazing authors. It is a great cozy mystery for someone who likes the mystery but not all of the blood and gore. Beatriz, Lauren and Karen are fantastic authors. This is a must read!

There has been a murder t the historic Castle Kinloch. Literary giant Brett Saffron Presley has been found dead in the castle's tower. Three American novelists are at the castle and are determined to solve the crime. The claim the be best friends who are working on a book together but that isn't the whole story. This is a locked room mystery for all to solve.

Life imitates art! Three authors go to Scotland as they write a book together only to be embroiled in a murder or did one of them exact their revenge? From three bestselling authors. ARC from NetGalley.

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!