I thoroughly enjoyed Robert Thorogood’s The Marlow Murder Club last year, so I was excited to read his newest head-scratching caper featuring fierce and feisty septuagenarian sleuth Judith Potts and her mystery-solving sidekicks, vicar’s wife Becks and dog-walker Suzie. I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint!

This time Marlow’s renowned Sir Peter Bailey calls Judith out of the blue inviting her to a pre-wedding party at his mansion the day before his nuptials to nurse Jenny Page. He seems a bit nervous Judith notices and when he’s later found dead in his locked study, she has no doubt that he invited her to the party to solve his own murder!

While suspicion falls on everyone from his son, daughter, ex-wife, wife-to-be, gardener, and various others, everyone seems to have a potential motive, but they all have airtight alibis too! Was Sir Peter Bailey’s death an accident or murder? After all, he was the only one with a key to his study, and it was found in his pocket inside the locked room.

Unswayed by the utter impossibility of the evidence proving his murder, Judith once again uses her sharp mind and the unique insights and talents of Becks and Suzie to assist DS Tanika Malik, whose recent demotion has taken her off the case that her boss has written off as an unfortunate accident.

Who killed Sir Peter Bailey? In the fashion of a great Agatha Christie novel, Thorogood has written another clever and twisty mystery that worked all my gray cells and still ultimately fooled me! I love Judith’s spunk and intelligence. Honestly, you can’t pull a single thing over on this woman! It was nice to see Becks and Suzie’s stories fleshed out a bit more this time around as well as they’re each finding their own success outside of Judith’s formidable shadow.

I listened to the audiobook, once again perfectly narrated by Nicolette McKenzie, while reading along on my Kindle, and it was a great way to immerse myself in the story. I highly recommend the audio!

It’s a delightful series that will be followed next year by the third installment The Queen of Poisons and has just been announced to be in development for Masterpiece Theater on PBS. I know I’ll eagerly be looking forward to both!

★★★★ ½

This is the second installment of the Marlow Murder Club series and I really enjoyed it! Potts didn’t come off as quirky as she did in the first, but her sleuthing skills continued to be just as fun. There were a lot of potential suspects that kept me guessing until the very end! I thought the way the author tied everything up was detailed and cleverly done. These books are true examples of cozy mysteries so don’t expect that ‘edge of your seat’ writing style…just some good ‘ol fun detective work!

Sprightly septuagenarian Judith Potts is having a pleasant January of puzzling over crosswords and taking the occasional bracing wild swim in the part of the Thames that runs right past her home. She’s somewhat surprised to have her pleasant routine interrupted by a phone call from local dignitary Sir Peter Bailey, who invites her to his pre-wedding cocktail party that very evening. He says it's in recognition of her efforts last summer to solve a string of murders plaguing their town, but something about their conversation arouses Judith’s suspicions.

Concerned that something sinister may be afoot, she brings as her plus one another of the women involved in solving said murders, fifty-something dog-walker and part-time radio host Suzie Harris. The last member of their trio, the perpetually harried vicar’s wife Becks Starling, is too scattered to even have a proper phone conversation when Judith calls in an attempt to invite her, too. The other women are gratified, however, to find Becks already at the party when they arrive, in her capacity as the wife of the reverend who will be marrying Sir Peter to his intended, Jenny Page, the next day.

The party isn’t very long underway when a scene erupts, as handsome young Tristram Bailey shows up in defiance of his father’s express wishes. A very loud argument between Sir Peter, Tristram and Jenny results in Jenny retreating into the mansion in tears with Sir Peter in hot pursuit, while an unmoved Tristram goes to join the rest of the party guests assembled on the lawn of his family’s manor house. He’s actually in conversation with Judith, Suzie and Becks when a monumental crash from inside the manor startles everyone. Tristram goes to investigate, and the terminally curious Judith follows. In her defense, she isn’t the only one looking for an excuse to nose around the inside of White Lodge, as she’s joined by her friends as well as a not insignificant number of other interested guests.

There is, thus, a fairly large audience when Tristram deduces that the noise must have come from his father’s locked study. With no answer to his knocking, he breaks down the door only to discover the very worst: Sir Peter crushed to death by a large mahogany cabinet. Judith, already on high alert for murder, immediately suspects foul play. When called to the scene, Detective Superintendent Tanika Malik would tend to agree.

Unfortunately, their shared suspicion means nothing without hard evidence. While Tanika is wary of civilians interfering in police investigations, she knows that Judith, Becks and Suzie are surprisingly competent, especially after the trauma bonding the foursome recently went through while pursuing a murderer together. So when Tanika’s superior unexpectedly returns to work and overrides her authority, declaring the case a clear accident and demoting her to record taking, she knows what to do to ensure justice is served:

QUOTE
By the time she’d returned to her desk, Tanika knew that DI Hoskins’s intransigence left only one option open for her. Because if he wasn’t going to take the case seriously, then she knew three people who already did. As she contemplated what she was about to do, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. It was time for her–perfect, head girl Tanika Malik, dutiful daughter, wife, and mother–to go rogue.
END QUOTE

Judith is more than happy to take point on another investigation, but several things keep getting in the way. First is whatever’s going on with Suzie and her career, such as it is. More scandalously is the possibility of upright Becks having an affair. Judith would never sit in judgment on her friends, but if they need her help, she will certainly offer it. As the three women sort out their lives while sifting through clues, their friendships are tested, even as they find themselves at the mercy of a devious killer.

This second installment of the Marlow Murder Club is even more elegant than the first, as our intrepid heroines join forces to figure out the diabolical locked room puzzle before them. Each woman has her own area of expertise that comes to the fore in often surprising circumstances. In only one example, Judith sniffs out that something unusual has been used to oil the hinges of Sir Peter’s study door. It’s fearless Suzie who ascertains with a taste that the substance is olive oil. Strange then that a reconnaissance of the White Lodge’s kitchen turns up no such item:

QUOTE
“But that’s impossible,” Becks said. “There’s no way a family like this would have no olive oil.”

“Well, you’re wrong there,” Suzie said. “We’ve just checked and they don’t.”

“In that case, it just means you’ve been looking in the wrong place.”

“How can this be the wrong place? It’s the kitchen!”

“I bet you can work out where it is,” Judith said slyly to Becks.

“Good idea!” Suzie said, instantly divining her friend’s strategy. “If anyone can find the olive oil in this house, it’s you. You’re the most middle-class person I know.”

“Thank you,” Becks said, not realizing that Suzie’s words weren’t entirely complimentary.
END QUOTE

Robert Thorogood does a terrific job of keeping each sleuth’s personality and voice distinct as they strive to solve the murder together while dealing with the challenges of being a woman in the 21st century. His keen eye for character and dialog is matched only by his finesse in packing so much humor, plot and mystery into less than three hundred pages. It’s a nice throwback to the Golden Age of detective stories, and one this busy reader deeply appreciates.

Loved the first installment in the Marlow Murder Club and came into this book with great expectations being one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Death Comes to Marlow did not disappoint. I loved it maybe a little more than the first one. I thought the plot was enjoyable and maybe a little easy to figure out. However, the characters are what makes this shine for me especially our little gang who has grown a bunch from the first book for the better. Also really love a story that involves a family domestic mystery. Really looking forward to the next installment.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my copy of Death Comes to Marlow.

Judith (guzzles whisky and solves crossword puzzles), Beth(Vicar’s wife), and Suzie( professional dog sitter and walker) are a trio of murder-solving netizens of Marlow. And this time they’ve been invited to a wedding by the groom who fears for his life.

Sir Peter Bailey invites notable citizens of Marlow for champagne before the day of his wedding and ends up dead in his own study, which is locked from the outside. He has been crushed by a huge wooden cabinet that magically falls on him.

The police believe it’s suicide because obviously the room was locked. But Judith’s instincts are razor sharp and she believes it is a locked room murder mystery. Will Judith and the team be able to find the murderer before it’s too late?

The plot was well thought out but the details of how the murder happened felt a little too much. A number of things could’ve gone wrong, but nothing did that’s a little unbelievable. The pacing also could’ve been a few levels faster and the characters were just boring. I enjoy Agatha Christie novels and she writes them fabulously so a different setup or different age characters with a faster-paced story would’ve made a unique 5-star read for me. But I loved the way the murder was executed. So three stars. Also somehow I got the impression that the British police are good for nothing. And so there are so many septuagenarians around solving murders.

And the crossword puzzle – OMG – even with the words given to me I never would’ve been able to guess even one clue.

The English setting, the amateur detectives, the whole cozy country vibe, and the lust for money and titles make it a perfect, twisty read for fans of Agatha Christie or The Thursday Murder Club.

I received a complimentary copy from Poisoned Pen and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Death comes to Marlow is book 2 in The Marlow Murder Club series which should be read in order for it to be enjoyable. The book follows The Marlow Murder Club (Judith, Becks and Suzie) who are invited to the upcoming groom's party Sir Peter who is marrying his nurse. Where there is the murder club there is always a delicious hint of murder.. During the event there is a crrash inside and the groom is dead inside a locked study. The Marlow Murder Club gets on the case. Death Comes to Marlow is a perfect dose of mystery, humor and who dunnit., Wonderfully written, relatable characters and a setting one cannot help but love makes this book a delight.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Death Comes to Marlow is the second book in Robert Thorogood's Marlow Murder Club Cozy Mystery series.
I had so much fun with the first book, The Marlow Murder Club, so I was anxious to get my hands on this one. I felt the cast of characters was very fun and I was anxious to embark on another case with them.

This mystery kicks off when Judith, along with her best friends Suzie and Becks, attend the pre-wedding festivities for Sir Peter Bailey at his stately-mansion on the Thames.

Sir Peter called and invited Judith himself and even though they aren't technically friends, or even acquaintances for that matter, the way he frames his invitation...well, she just can't say no. Gathering her troops, Judith is sure that the night will be one to remember.

As it turns out, Sir Peter is marrying his nurse, Jenny, and not everyone in the family is happy about it. There's even a bit of a scene made by Sir Peter's son, Tristram, voicing his opinions. Oh, the drama! That little spat pales in comparison to the what happens next. A large crash from inside the house, draws party-goers to investigate. Shockingly, they find the groom-to-be crushed by a giant wooden cabinet in his office.

Sir Peter doesn't survive. The police are notified, and since Sir Peter was discovered in his locked office, they do not suspect foul play. It was a horrific accident, pure and simple. Judith disagrees. She refuses to believe their accident theory. Something doesn't feel right and she's determined to get to the bottom of it. Judith, along with Becks and Suzie, begin their own investigation.

It's clear the police won't get it right without them.

I did appreciate how quickly Thorogood kicked off this story. There's not a lot of filler in the beginning. Before you know it the ladies are at the party and the juice is being squeezed. I loved that we had a classic locked-room mystery on our hands; one of my favorite tropes. I also liked the drama surrounding Sir Peter's family and the issue of a large inheritance being at stake.

For me, I did find that it dragged a bit around the halfway point. I felt like their investigation was slowing down and there was a little too much focus on side-plots involving the ladies than I necessarily cared for. I wasn't really engaged with those aspects and was always just wanting to get back to the mystery of Sir Peter's death. Because of this, the pace was off for me.

With this being said, I still enjoyed the characters and the cozy feel. I also really enjoyed all the classic-feeling mystery elements, like the detective denouement at the conclusion. That was really fun!

In short, even though this wasn't quite as fun and engrossing for me as the first book of the series, I will absolutely be picking up the next book when it releases. Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to reuniting with these ladies soon for another case!

Thank you to the author, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second in a series - I also read the first and again found the three women at the center of the "club" a great team. In contrast to the first book, the death of the title was not so easily solved and the plot not so far-fetched. In fact, it's much more approaching the Agatha Christie style, which is also the style the author uses for his characters and dialogue. An enjoyable read, with humor and enough action and brain puzzlers to keep you involved until the end. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I recently just dived into the world of "The Marlow Murder Club" just a few weeks ago. I adore the first book in the series. I thought it was done brilliantly and the story kept me reading until the mystery was finally solved. "Death Comes To Marlow", the second book in the Marlow Murder Club series was even better than the first book. The mystery was unfolded bit by bit and kept me intrigued into the final pages revealed "who dun it". I loved this book even more than the first book. I hope this series keeps going. I love these characters and I hope to read another mystery from them again soon!

This sequel to last year’s The Marlow Murder Club is another fun small town British mystery. Judith, Susie, and Becks are three very different local women of different ages who met in the first book and ended up solving some murders together. At the start of this book, they’re at a party together when the host is found dead in a locked room with the key to the room in his pocket - and they’re convinced it’s a murder and start investigating, this time with the tacit blessing of the police detective they met last year.

The women, especially septuagenarian Judith, are funny and quirky, and it’s fun to see them investigate in their own way. And the mystery, a true locked room mystery, was a good one as well. With its amateur investigators trying to solve murders in a small British village, this series has a similar vibe to The Thursday Murder Club series, so would be a good choice to tide you over while you wait for the next book in that series.

Robert Thorogood’s Death Comes to Marlow is a fun, well-written, and intriguing mystery with excellent characters. This is the second book in the series and, although it works as a standalone, it would be much more enjoyable if you’ve read the first.

Our favourite skinny-dipping and crossword-setting septuagenarian Judith finds herself in the middle of a classic country house locked room mystery! The filthy rich Sir Peter Bailey is a prominent member of the Marlow community. Although they have never met, he suddenly invites Judith to his house for a celebration the day before his wedding. She senses something isn’t right and decides to attend. During the party, there’s a horrific crash from inside the house and the Marlow Murder Club discover Sir Peter crushed under a cabinet in his locked study. The police believe that the death is accidental. However, the Marlow Murder Club sense something afoot and they’re on the case!

This is a solidly entertaining and excellently-paced book! I love the mature writing and cosy village setting. The humour is wonderfully done with some truly hilarious moments. I also love the book’s heartwarming moments, great insight, and depth. The intricate mystery is well-crafted with numerous viable suspects, some great red herrings, and excellent twists. There are so many unique and well-written suspects that you’ll be changing your mind about everything till the big reveal! I figured out some aspects of the mystery early on but I do like that I couldn’t guess everything because there are a few great surprises. The big reveal comes together quite nicely and logically. However, there are a few minor details to the elaborate mystery that don’t wholly make sense but they don’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. I also like the light secondary mystery and its relation to the main one. But, I do wish there was less focus on it or that it contributed more significantly to the plot.

I just love this unique and wonderfully written group of women! Their realistically portrayed friendship is my favourite part of this series. I am also really pleased with the organic individual character development in this book. Brilliant Judith is a quirky hoot. I love her intelligent (and nosey!) sleuthing. Prim and proper Vicar’s wife Becks really shines in this installment! She contributes to the sleuthing in such unique and funny ways! I love her little side mystery and how perfectly it fits her character! However, the one weak spot in this book is Suzie. Although I like her enthusiasm for her dogs and her radio show comes hilariously into play, she is a little too oblivious and bumbling and not in the fun ways!



🧩🧩🧩🧩 out of 5 puzzle pieces!

Since establishing their characters and sleuth-y ways in book one, this second in the Marlow Murder series is shorter and more to the point. There’s some minor moves at furthering the individual characters and their friendships, but the larger focus is on the murder. That’s not to say that Judith, Suzie, Becks, and Tanika aren’t delightful, quirky, and wildly entertaining… but I could have done with 50 more pages of them and their “issues”.

Mostly it was a quick and entertaining murder mystery. I started it on a plane trip and it was exactly what I needed. Easy to read, funny and full of characters and amateur detective work. Little clues and puzzles abound and while the big picture was easy to surmise, it was trying to figure out how all those clues fit into the actual murder that kept me hooked.

Overall, it was a winner and I’m already ready for more stories with the Marlow Murder Club.

*I received a free early ecopy from the publisher via netgalley

The Marlow Murder Club is a really delightful new mystery series featuring three unlikely friends investigating suspicious deaths in their small village. I think cozy readers will love this series, but there is certainly some appeal for mystery readers who love good characters. I really enjoyed the representation of older people living exciting lives! I have already told several customers about this one, and all have reported back that they truly enjoyed it!

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Death Comes to Marlow (The Marlow Murder Club #2) by Robert Thorogood from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in order to read and give an honest review.

…I loved this book, a twisty locked room mystery that has such engaging characters, a complex and intriguing plot, and a steady dose of charming wit…

This is my first book from author Robert Thorogood, and I know it will not be my last. Death Comes to Marlow follows three friends Judith, a crossword setter, Suzie a dog walker and radio show host, and Becks, a mother and vicar’s wife in there day to day life in Marlow. The three women known as the Marlow Murder Club have made a reputation for themselves as local celebrities after catching a murderer in the previous book which I have yet to read (but will be!). Although life has quieted down for the three friends, when Judith is contacted by a friend who is certain that he is going to be murdered before his wedding the three women decide to see what it is all about. At the rehearsal dinner Sir Peter Bailey celebrates his upcoming wedding to his bride, nurse Jenny Page, and it is extremely easy to see that tensions run high between family members.

The friends are shocked when a large crash thunders through the mansion and the groom is found dead in a locked room under a heavy shelving unit. Although the murder looks like nothing more than an accident the Marlow Murder Club begs to differ when the question of an updated will leaving everything to Jenny goes missing, giving a good motive for murder. When Jenny asks for help Judith, Suzie and Becks cannot say no.

I loved this book, a twisty locked room mystery that has such engaging characters, a complex and intriguing plot, and a steady dose of charming wit. A fantastic read that keeps the reader captivated until the very end. I highly recommend it to readers who love locked room mysteries.

Murder mystery readers, it was so wonderful to be back with the girl gang! Judith, Beck and Susie are back and better than ever. The murder mystery in this one is a good one, the clue/not clue on the infamous crossword puzzle was such a smart addition from the Author!
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The writing is magnificent, your attention is grabbed from the beginning, you would laugh, cry and worry alongside the characters!
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You will cheer them on, also there is something specifically that I loved about this book and the writing, the part when the Author takes us behind the scenes of each of the characters, of the little every day things they do once the get home and close the front door, that right there made me fall in love with this book and the reason I’m giving it 5 glorious 🌟!
Pick this up, trust me!

Death Comes to Marlowe is the second book in the Marlow mystery series.

Judith a septuagenarian cross-word puzzle creator, Becks, the vicar’s wife and Susie a dog-walker and now local radio host are back in another mystery set in the bucolic town of Marlowe. Judith is having her usual dip in the river Thames when she has a run in with a dead duck and an irate swan. After recovering from that debacle Judith receives an intriguing phone call from local squire Sir Peter Bailey. Sir Peter invites Judith to his engagement party at his Georgian Mansion White Lodge. Sir Peter is to marry his nurse Jenny the next day. Sir Peter is quite wealthy with the requisite lazy son and go getter daughter. The son Tristram is the sole heir, though he has had a recent falling out with his father over his choice to remarry.. At the party that Judith has brought Susie along as her plus one, and Becks is there in her role of vicar’s wife, there is a dust up between Sir Peter’s son Tristram and the bride to be Jenny.
Sir Peter and Tristram have words and Sir Peter locks himself in his study, Then an almighty crash is heard. Sir Peter is discovered dead in his study a heavy cabinet having fallen on him. Enter Detective Sergeant Tanika Malik, the detective from the 1st Marlow mystery. SInce Sir Peter was found alone in his locked study and the only key to the study was found in his pocket, this looks like a tragic accident. Judith is not so sure and deep down neither is Tanika.
Judith, Becks and Susie start to investigate on their own. They discover that Sir Peter changed his will prior to his marriage and after his falling out with his son, but the will is missing, Bailey’s have always left everything to the 1st born son. Does the missing will name Jenny as the main beneficiary? Was Sir Peter murdered or was it a tragic accident? What about the Bailey daughter Rosanna who runs the estate and keeps everything ticking with no support or praise from her father?

Judith, Becks and Susie are on the case and the ending was quite a corker. The murderer was somewhat easy to ascertain, however the method of murder was quite original. A locked room mystery is always fun and this one was no exception. I look forward to the next Marlow murder mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this title. It is the second in Marlow Murder Club series, and it is a delight!

Judith and her friends Susie and Becks are looking forward to enjoying a party celebrating the nuptials of the one of village's elite when the soiree is interrupted by a crash inside the mansion. The bridegroom is discovered crushed by a large cabinet in a locked room. The police think it was an accident, but Judith is suspicious.

I haven't read the first book but plan to remedy that soon. It is briefly referenced but not required to enjoy this tale.

I love these characters!! They are friendship goals in how they understand and support each other, blundering at times but loyal. They each bring something to the story.

The mystery is a neat locked room puzzle with lots of suspects and motives. I adore how Judith and friends investigate. This is quintessential English village murder mystery done well. I look forward to more from this series.

In Death Comes to Marlow, Judith is a free spirited 78-year-old, who creates crossword puzzles. She and her two younger besties, Suzie and Becks, also like solving mysteries. When rich Sir Peter calls Judith to invite her to his engagement party despite not knowing her, she feels compelled to attend. Despite commenting “No one’s frightened for their life here”, Sir Peter quickly turns up dead in a locked study. He is killed by an unusual murder weapon, a large mahogany cabinet. Can Judith solve the crime?

The book revels in its golden age old fashioned whodunnit style. Can you, as the reader, solve the perplexing and seemingly impossible crime before Judith? The clues are all there along with a several red herrings and dead-end theories.

I love reading these types of mysteries! So, of course, I love Death Comes to Marlow. It is the perfect challenge for armchair detectives. The characters are also fun to be around with Judith modernizing Miss Marple.

Overall, the book is a fun read, perfect for fans of fair play mysteries. 5 stars!

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

The three amateur investigators from Marlow successfully solved the mystery of how three murders were committed in their quiet town. Now, a year later, another murder occurs, and the leader of the group, elderly but spry Judith, gets pulled in right away. In fact, the murder victim calls her the day of his death to tell her he suspects he’s going to be killed.

Sir Peter Bailey is a wealthy baronet who is about to be married. He’s throwing a party the day before his wedding to his former nurse. He calls Judith the morning of the event, saying he has heard about her sleuthing skills, to invite her to the party. He’s worried his adult son, who doesn’t get along with his bride-to-be, is going to kill him.

Judith brings along friend Suzie, the dog walker who knows about everyone in Marlow, to the party. And Becks, housewife extraordinaire, is present as well because her husband, the vicar, is going to perform the wedding. So they all witness both the loud argument between Sir Peter and his son, Tristram. And they hear the loud crash that comes from the mansion later on. They also see the dead body of Sir Peter under a very large and heavy cabinet — in a locked study, with the only existing key in his pocket. The police officer in charge of the case brushes off the idea of it being a murder. It had to have been an accident because of the locked room. But Judith and her friends know better.

So begins another investigation by the three ladies of the Marlow Murder Club.

While I found the first book lightly entertaining but not too memorable, I enjoyed this one a bit more. The mystery is more intriguing and readers get to learn more about the characters. And this one was a touch cleaner, with no strong or moderate profanity at all, while the first had a few uses. I can easily recommend it. I’m sure there will be more deaths to come in the future to Marlow!

Thanks to to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been a while since I read the first book in this series and if I’m being honest I could only vaguely remember what happened but I didn’t need to worry because the author fills us in on the previous books antics so it was fine.

We’re back with Judith, Suzie and Becks.

Judith gets invited to a pre wedding party by local rich guy Sir Peter Bailey which is strange because she doesn’t know him at all only knows of him, she goes along with Suzie only to find Becks is already a guest.

They’re all just chatting then wham Sir Peter is dead!.

What comes next is a funny ride as the Marlow Murder Club do what they do best, which is investigate murders!.

It’s full of laughs and red herrings that I enjoyed, it’s a fantastic second book in a series.