Another great cosy crime novel featuring the wonderful Judith Potts and her friends Suzie and Becks.

Judith receives a last-minute party invitation from local big wig Sir Peter Bailey. It’s the eve of his wedding to his nurse - a match of which his son, daughter and ex-wife, the current Lady Bailey, disapprove.

After a loud argument with his son, Bailey storms into the house where a loud crash is heard and, after breaking into his study, his family, Judith and the rest of his guests find him crushed under a bookcase of his father’s scientific equipment.

And so we are drawn into a locked room puzzle, full of red herrings and subplots that run alongside the main action in the style of Miss Marple. In fact, reading this novel it became clearer and clearer that one of the reasons Judith Potts is *such* a brilliant character in the pantheon of Crime Fiction is that Thorogood has somehow managed to distill the best qualities of both Christie's best investigators: Judith has all of Marple's knowledge of her community and human nature, and she combines that with Poirot's eccentricity and (justified) arrogance.

Like every good Poirot novel, Death Comes to Marlow reaches a crescendo in which the great detective - Judith Potts - faces the murderer with what they have done, how and why. It's a bold move in a modern cosy crime, and especially when the murderer is so obvious, but Thorogood's writing and Potts's character are both so beguiling that it's a really good extended scene.

The only reason this was a four-star rather than a five-star one for me was that the murderer turned out to be exactly the first person I suspected. We were taken on a fun dance around it, and I enjoyed every single page, but a good locked room mystery has to allow the reader to solve the crime, and there really was only one possible person who could have killed Peter Bailey.

Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who loves Crime Fiction.

A return to the sleepy village of Marlow and our three sleuths Judith, Suzie and Becks. They must solve the classic scenario of a murder in a locked room. Sir Peter Bailey is getting married to his Nurse Jenny Page but on the morning before the wedding he rings Judith to come to a party. All is not as it seems. This is a great cozy mystery for a wet afternoon in the style of Agatha Christie. A series you wish to revisit soon.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher, Poisoned Pen Press) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

After solving a murder last year, things have returned to normal for “The Marlow Murder Club” which consists of crossword setter Judith Potts, and her two friends, Suzie the dog sitter (and new radio personality) and Becks, the vicar’s wife, (who now has a secret).

But, an intriguing phone call is about to change all of that.

Sir Peter Bailey has invited Judith to his “drinks party” planned for the afternoon prior to his wedding to his much younger nurse, Jenny Page.

But, the soirée reveals tension between Sir Peter, and his two grown children, Tristram and Rosanna, who don’t approve of his bride to be. In fact, before the afternoon is over, the groom to be, will be found crushed to death in his study-a room locked from the inside.

The Police don’t believe it’s murder, but Judith disagrees.

Looks like the ladies have their second case……and it’s a locked room mystery.

This is book #2 of the Marlow Murder Club, a COZY mystery series by Robert Thorogood, creator of the BBC Murder Mystery series, Death in Paradise.

Our main protagonist, Judith Potts, has her own very unique personality and yet book two was very reminiscent of an Agatha Christie’s “Miss Marple” story, so if you enjoy those, you should enjoy this one as well!

As a bonus, you might even learn a thing or two about how the clues to crossword puzzles are written-and how to go about solving them too, as Judith thinks she has deciphered a hidden code in the crosswords written for “The Marlow Press”. (a fun sub plot)

If she has-will it lead her to the murderer?

I enjoyed the first a bit more-which was more character driven-but the mystery aspect is probably stronger in this one!

Review for “The Marlow Murder Club” https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

3.5 rounded up!
Available June 6, 2023

Thank You to Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I definitely enjoyed Death Comes to Marlow more overall than the first book of the series. Was this some complex story with twenty turns and plot twists? No. In my opinion, this is a simple cozy mystery you read to just sit back and let your mind relax with nothing too complicated. That's what I needed right now. The pacing and writing definitely flowed better. The main characters had improved chemistry with the plot being more concise. Even though I guessed who did it very early on, what kept me intrigued was the 'how' of the murder and what would connect.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing a copy for an honest review.

This was a fun cozy, mystery read!

I hadn’t read the first in the series but found it easy enough to read this without it.

The characters were quirky and fun! I always love a good locked in one room murder story with a twist.

The second installment of the Marlow Murder Club, we join Judith, Susie, and Becks on another foray into solving a mysterious death. After inviting the club to his party cautioning the group that he fears for his life, a loud crash interrupts the celebration as Sir Peter is found dead underneath a large bookcase and behind a locked door.

Something is afoot however as Judith and her investigative team find unsettling clues that seem to have no place: olive oil on the hinge of the door, an unbroken jar amongst shattered glass, and a footprint in the shrubbery. How do these seemingly disparate pieces fit together? Surely the Marlow Murder Club can solve the case!

This book was such a pleasant read, after getting to know the characters in the first book, I loved revisiting the people, places, and relationships. It was like reading about old friends! The book clipped along at a nice pace as the clues were discovered and the reader tried to solve the mystery. I thought Thorogood did an excellent job of weaving the story together so that the pieces didn’t quite fit until the final reveal.

Final thoughts: a cozy murder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s series and mystery fans alike.

Go to @bookclubtreats on Instagram for a treat to go along with the book

Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Marlow Murder Club members are back in this second book of the series! This is a fun and delightful cozy mystery that will keep you guessing. Perfect for Agatha Christie lovers, and the British cozy mystery shows. After all, the author is the creator of one of my favorite such shows: Death in Paradise.

You don’t have to have read the first book to enjoy this one, though the first one is definitely worth reading as well, especially if you wanna get to know the characters better.

I wrote this in the review of the first book: “There's Judith Potts the 77 year old cryptic crossword creator, Suzie the blunt dog walker, Becks the too proper wife of a Vicar and Tanika the by-the-books detective.” What’s cool is that even though all of that is still true, (except Potts is now 78) they’ve also all grown and changed in some ways.

Compared to the first one, I found this to be a bit more focused on the mystery. We get less of all the characters’ lives and quirks outside of them solving the mystery, which makes sense, since the first book probably had to spend some time introducing the characters fully. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since the focus on mystery makes the pacing feel very smooth, though I do really like the characters as well so I wouldn’t have minded either way.

In terms of the actual mystery, this one really got me! It has a locked room mystery, and it’s done so well. All the classic pathways are covered from the very beginning, in a way that it really feels like an impossible murder. You might figure out the culprit(s) early on, but the mystery of how they did it will still have you scrambling.

With brilliant characters, an intriguing mystery and perfect cozy vibes, this is a must read for the fans of the genre.

Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

I just love the Marlow Murder Club Series. Septuagenarian Judith Potts has had a quiet year since she and her friends Suzie and Becks helped solve three murders. When Judith gets an unexpected invitation to celebrate the upcoming wedding of Sir Peter Bailey, she happily accepts. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy with the upcoming nuptials and before the day is over Sir Peter is dead. While the police don't believe it was murder, Judith is determined not only to prove that it was, but also who did it.

Judith has a very methodical mind and I love her approach to solving crimes. With the help of both Becks and Suzie, the three leave no stone unturned in checking for motive and alibis, as well as solving the mystery of the locked murder room. From the start I had a suspect in mind but, just like the women, was stumped by the locked door and a seemingly flawless alibs. Robert Thorogood has put together a creative and entertaining murder mystery. . I am already looking forward to what comes next for the Marlow Murder Club.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced readers copy.

This cozy mystery follow up to Marlow Murder Club was fabulous and I was so happy to be stumped by the mystery.

So, I enjoyed the first book in this series, and have been looking forward to reading the second. In the first one, I liked the characters and setting, but found the murder a little easy to solve. In this one, I liked the characters slightly less and again found the solution to the murder fairly obvious, which was a bit of a shame. I can't quite put my finger on what wasn't right this time, but I still enjoyed it enough that I would read more. This is very definitely in the group of books looking to capitalise on the success of Richard Osman's series - and as such it's one of the better series that I've read so far.

4.5⭐

The pre-wedding party of Sir Peter Bailey, a wealthy resident of Marlow ends in tragedy when the groom, who was in his sixties dies, after being crushed underneath a cupboard in his study. This was to be his second marriage, the first having ended in divorce. He was alone in his study with the door locked from the inside when the cupboard fell on top of him resulting in his death. His two adult children, friends, and acquaintances were in attendance at the party as were the members of the Marlow Murder Club - Judith Potts (after receiving a personal telephonic invitation from the now deceased Sir Peter despite not being previously acquainted) and her friends Suzie Harris, dogwalker and now also a radio host and the vicar’s wife Becks Starling. Judith is convinced Sir Peter’s death is no accident despite there being no obvious evidence of foul play. Judith being Judith decides to investigate. As Judith, Suzie and Becks proceed with their sleuthing, they find multiple people in and around the deceased gentleman’s life who have the motive to kill him. With multiple suspects to look into and plenty of surprises and red herrings along the way, The Marlow Murder Club have their work cut out for them. They find an ally in Detective Sergeant Tanika Malik, whose own doubts about the case are ignored by her superior officer, who returns after a long leave of absence and conveniently sidelines her.

Having previously read and enjoyed Robert Thorogood’s "The Marlow Murder Club", I was eager to read the next installment and I was not disappointed! In fact, I enjoyed the second installment in this series even more than the previous book. I loved the friendship and camaraderie between Judith, Suzie and Becks. Seventy-eight-year-old Judith is a force to be reckoned with! Observant, fearless and sharp- she still loves her crosswords and swimming the Thames in the nude (despite the winter chill). When she isn't out actively searching for clues with her friends, she diligently studies her makeshift incident board with her “thinking scotch”, trying to figure out how the different pieces of the puzzle fit together . Suzie is smart and comes up with the most creative (at times hilarious, but effective) ways to get information. Becks is perceptive and her knowledge of the community and everyday matters proves to be a great asset. The subplots with Judith and her cryptic crosswords, Suzie’s struggles and Beck’s keeping a secret from her friends and family are expertly woven into the primary narrative, without distracting from the core mystery of the plot. The mystery is very interesting and though the identity of the culprit might not be completely unpredictable (though I did change my mind a couple of times), I truly enjoyed the ending and was surprised more than once by the revelations that gradually came to light as the plot progressed.

With a good dose of humor woven into its cleverly crafted plot , consistent pace and cast of interesting characters, Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood is an entertaining and absorbing read. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to fans of the cozy mystery genre. Those who enjoy Agatha Christie mysteries would enjoy this one. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Many thanks to the author Robert Thorogood, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this entertaining read. All expressions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released (U.S.) on June 30, 2023.

situational-humor, verbal-humor, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, locked-room-mystery, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, small-town, sleuthing-seniors, sly-humor, England, friendship, safecrackers, inheritance, missing-will, misogyny, lies, secrets, crosswords, conspiracy, wealthy, wedding-madness, friction,*****

The informal Marlow Murder Club reunites as Judith Potts (who still swims naked in the Thames at 78), dogwalker Suzie Harris and the vicar’s wife Becks Starling (with the assistance of DS Tanika Malik) involve themselves in the death of a wealthy neighbor on the eve of his wedding. The official police stance is that the death was an accident, the three amateur sleuths believe it to be murder, and the DS has reason to trust their instincts. The plot is convoluted, and the investigation keeps turning up even more suspects and theories. An excellent read!
I requested and received an EARC from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

The Marlow mystery solvers are back. A follow up to the first book, this is a good locked room mystery. I didn;t think the ending was particularly shocking or 'twisty'but still an overall enjoyable read. Look forward to more in the series,

Love this book and don’t want it to end. Would love to spend more time with Judith, Susie and Becks. Their unlikely friendship group makes you laugh out loud as to why each have their own way of helping to solve local murders. The ultimate cozy mystery. I hope Thorogood keep them coming! Thank you for the copy.

Another fantastic mystery with the Marlow Murder Club! Judith is one of my favourite characters written, so strong and quick, so I was delighted to follow another of her stories! Pure brilliance!

Loved it! It's like a modern day Miss Marple

.Judith, Suzie and Becks are looking forward to the upcoming wedding of SIr Peter Bailey to Jenny Page.

However the day before the nuptials the groom is mysteriously found dead in his locked study the police believe it to be a tragic accident but this crime solving trio think otherwise and are hell bent to prove it.

Witty and wonderful, there's nothing I didn't enjoy about this book.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

If you are a fan of a golden age, locked rooms style murder mysterious then Death Comes ot Marlow definitely need to go on your list.

Judith, Suzie, and Becks are back with another mystery to solve.

With his wedding imminent, Sir Peter Bailey fears for his life and calls Judith, asking her to come to the party. When he is found dead in very suspicious circumstances, it seems as if he was right to be concerned. But with the door locked from the inside, murder seems impossible.

The Marlow Murder Club are back in action, using their combined skills to get to the bottom of an intriguing mystery that keeps everyone guessing.

There are plenty of red herrings and tricky little side mysteries to add to the story.

The friendship between the women is growing stronger as they get to know each other better in this book. Their differences and quirks become strength as a team.

This is both cosy and fun and intriguing and clever at the same time and is a great treat for cosy mystery fans.

Thank you HQ and Netgalley for my gifted digital copy.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for this ARC. I have been eagerly awaiting this book after having thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series. This book is unputdownable and kept me up reading. Meeting Judith and the gang again is a complete delight and accompanying them as they solve the murder was truly exciting. I can't wait for the next installment in this series.

Oh Judith, you had me laughing by page two!
I am so happy to have revisited Marlow and the trio of Judith, Suzie and Becks. This book definitely (for me) had Agatha Christie vibes, especially the conclusion.
I had fun along the ride.
The characters made me laugh, made me roll my eyes, made me realize there is a reason I am terrible at crossword puzzles and throughout, they made me smile.
Looking forward to book #3.
I also love the cover!

I’m enjoying the Marlow Murder Club series at least as much as the Thursday Murder Club!

Marlow Murder Club was one of my favorite books that I could reread and never get bored. Death Comes to Marlow is just as good. I hope there are many more books planned in the series!