Oh my, menopause has a lot to answer for!
Whilst most of us will not resort to murder, it is a funny, dark, humorous reflection on the hormonal changes that affect many women during menopause. I loved this book, Perhaps it should be left on the coffee table for the next time the husband asks why I am being ratty!

I enjoyed this story with all the characters within. The main characters were Debbi Dickerson and Jerry Dickinson.

Debbi Dickerson is a house wife that has two kids and a husband.When she turns forty- seven she start having menopause problems. She not sure how to handle this new changes in her life. She asks her friends that she been scrapbooking with to give some advice on how to survive this but nothing seems to help but one thing.

Jerry Dickinson lives with his wife and their two children.  He work as a homicide detective. While at work he is sent on an assignment to find out what has happened close by. But the more he looks into this assignment he becomes more puzzled by it.

This was a fun story to read. It had action, adventure and suspense throughout. There were quite a few laughs throughout.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

In their thrilling novel, "The Menopause Murders," authors Mary Maloney and Ed Markel weave a tale that combines the challenges of menopause with the unexpected twists of a gripping murder mystery. Centered around the lives of Debbi Dickerson and her husband Jerry, the story delves into the complexities of midlife struggles, strained relationships, and the dark allure of revenge. Debbi, a seemingly ordinary housewife, finds herself trapped in a monotonous existence. Her dreams of artistic expression have long been overshadowed by a failing marriage and a sense of invisibility. However, everything changes with the onset of menopause, which completely blindsides her and sends her life spiraling into chaos. As she grapples with relentless hot flashes, unnerving night sweats, panic attacks, and an uncontrollable rage, Debbi becomes desperate to find solace. Surrounded by well-meaning but ineffective advice from her scrapbooking club friends, her journey takes a sinister turn when she discovers an unexpected remedy for her suffering: killing. Meanwhile, Jerry, a pompous and insensitive homicide detective, dreams of catching a serial killer to finally gain admiration and recognition. As a series of peculiar deaths unfold in Tacoma, Washington, Jerry's excitement grows, but he soon finds himself entangled in a web of personal and professional challenges. His boss, Sergeant Myra Manners, adds to his troubles as she navigates her own menopausal journey, making life increasingly difficult. To complicate matters further, his teenage daughter unleashes hormonal chaos upon the household, leaving Jerry to contend with his own misogynistic tendencies and seek solace in an affair with a vapid woman. As the body count rises, tension escalates, and not just in the form of domestic disputes. The authors masterfully create a sense of impending doom, with the question of whether Debbi's newfound clarity amidst menopause will lead to a brighter future or a catastrophic collision with Jerry's looming fate. The intricate blend of menopausal struggles juxtaposed with a murder mystery creates a unique and captivating narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Maloney and Markel skillfully develop the characters, particularly Debbi and Jerry, who undergo substantial growth throughout the story. Debbi's transformation from a meek, overlooked woman to a force to be reckoned with is both empowering and unsettling. Jerry's journey is equally intriguing as he battles his own demons, navigating the complexities of his personal and professional life. The authors expertly explore the nuances of midlife experiences, shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals in this phase of their lives. "The Menopause Murders" is a riveting page-turner that seamlessly blends the struggles of menopause with an engaging murder mystery. Maloney and Markel's sharp storytelling captivates readers from the very first page, weaving a narrative filled with suspense, dark humor, and unexpected twists. With its unique premise and well-crafted characters, this novel stands out as a must-read for fans of both crime fiction and women's literature. Prepare to be enthralled by the thrilling journey these characters undertake as they confront their respective crises while entangled in a web of mystery and murder.

It took me a couple tries before I finally sat down to read this one. I get that it is supposed to add humor to a right of aging. Just don't see why. But to each their own. It was not an awful book. Just not for me.

Debbi finally figures out a lot of things. She is horrified to realize the weird physical symptoms she has been having -night sweats, hot flashes, irrational mood swings-are the completely normal process of menopause. She figures out her husband is a jerk and her marriage is unhappy no matter how hard she has tried to be the perfect wife. She figures out she can support herself and be happy.

This book is hilarious and horrifying. As a woman of 'certain age,' I was taken aback when Debbi's rage caused her to murder a$$holes who crossed her path, but also couldn't help giggling through some of the other scenes. Take this one with a grain of salt, sense of humor and appreciate a character like Debbi in books that are seldom written about this part of a woman's life.

A very funny and relatable read that was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that were real and believable

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I honestly found this book a little slow. I thought is was going to be funny but Iit wasn't .

I had such high hopes for this book but was disappointed.

I was a very disappointed with this story. I was really looking forward to readyit but I didn’t like the story or the characters. Sorry

After several attempts, I could not get into this book. No other reviews will be posted. I wish the author luck with their future endeavors.

At 47, fulltime housewife and part-time painter Debbi Dickerson is suffering the worst of menopause. She’s a case study for menopause, suffering all the symptoms relentlessly. Her teenage children, Brad and Chelsea, don’t care about her, and her cop husband Jerry is having an affair, though she doesn’t know that yet.

It seems that there is only one relief from her symptoms and the misery they inflict, and that is giving vent to rage. Very soon, Debbi begins to hear Ted-talks, imaginary talks by Ted Bundy that egg her on. But when bodies begin to drop dead and Jerry is given the case, what’s an upcoming serial killer to do?

The book is set during the presidency of one of the most sexist presidents the US has ever had. This dark comedy has been written in a light-hearted, fantastical vein, that stops short of going into the implications of snuffing life out.

Beneath the breezy tone, there are issues of significance being raised. How there is much ado about sex and not enough emotional connection in marriages.

This was a thriller with a higher goal, to blow the dust off the misconceptions surrounding menopause, albeit in a darkly comic way. The book throws light on how so many of modern pharma’s solution to the travails of menopause are just experimental. It also puts the spotlight on real issues such as opioid addiction, ageing and the rejection and discrimination that menopausal women face.

The authors bring their own female and male gender-centric perspectives to the writing. This is an asset, especially given the exaggerated nature of Debbi’s situation. In fact, between the two of them, Jerry and Debbi represent the pro- and anti-Trump support groups.

The chapter names were fun and funky, often referencing popular songs. The narrative referenced lines and ideas from popular books and movies such as Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, Dylan Thomas’ poem, Rage, Rage, Against the Dying of the Night, Gone With The Wind, Silence of the Lambs, Aretha Franklin’s songs etc. Lorena Bobbit who added the word, Bobbitisation, to the dictionary, also finds a place here.

The book was very long, but it didn’t feel tedious, thanks to the writing.

The time slipping away like a boat drifting downstream, unnoticed from the docks.

Chocolate and wine were temporary corks.

New wrinkles on her face and neck erupted every day, as if tectonic plates under her epidermis were shifting and pushing up land masses and creating deep trenches in the landscape of her body.

The imagery was graphic. When she kissed him good-bye, he reacted as if she had dog poop on her lips instead of lipstick.

It’s easy to sympathise with Debbi, even though she’s far from perfect. For one, Jerry is no paragon of excellence himself. He is an unabashed racist, faithless in his marriage and secretly a criminal. Egged on by her menopause woes, we find ourselves sympathising with her plight, and watching to see how she reacts to situations around her.

From being an accidental killer, Debbi morphs into a deliberate killer in front of our eyes, and the transformation is believable. Of course, the menopause symptoms described here are highly exaggerated. I doubt any woman suffers every symptom attributed to menopause, certainly not to the heightened extent that poor Debbi suffers.

The authors do not glorify Debbi, letting a minor character do that instead. But Debbi is punished for the impunity with which she kills with the sight of best friend, Ellen, slowly declining in health as cancer ravages her.

There was humour, as in Debbi’s use of the coffee enema. Of course, the humour in this case was slapstick but it worked well.

The book needed some proofreading. In one place, the author refers to a whole ‘gambit’ of symptoms; it should have been gamut.

I never thought I’d root for a killer but that’s just what these two co-authors made me do. I would definitely read other books they write.

this was such a fun read!! it gave me everything i was looking for in a book!! i'm so thankful to netgalley that i got to read this one early. it was a pure delight and everyone should read it!!

Book: The Menopause Murders by Mary Maloney, Ed Markel
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication: 1st March 2023

Unusual and definitely hits the right audience who are looking for something absolutely out of their comfort zone because this book is wacky, witty and absolutely downright hilarious with a pinch of weird.

This book is very relatable and the events are most surely based on reality, having laughed out on quite a few book moments and seen it happen to me in person is what makes me say this. The menopause and the struggle and the “feels” is so accurately portrayed but surely not every woman feels stabby but you CAN relate,of course.

I absolutely enjoyed this epic roller coaster ride and can’t wait to read more work by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and author for the ARC copy.

Could've been great, but I'm really disappointed with this. I was so excited for the premise of this book but it was poorly executed. About 100 pages was just filler to make the book longer. I couldn't feel sympathetic with Debbi as a character because they made her outright crazy. Her husband, Jerry, was somehow a complete moron & genius at the same time. It all fell flat for me.
Thanks Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

This was such a disappointing read. The story was so cliche and I didn't find any of it funny. The characters were droll and and annoying. I was looking forward to good laugh but I struggled to finish .

This novel is intentionally ridiculous, but it's actually pretty enjoyable. Considering the premise, there's a built-in audience for this (myself included), but even women who haven't reached middle age, as well as men, will likely get a kick out of it. The murders are a bit out there and a couple of them are actually funny. Plus, it's easy to identify with the protagonist to some degree - the annoyances of both life and the change of life. It did feel at times like the authors were trying to show how much they knew about menopause, so that could have been dialed back a bit. And the husband is an absolute jerk, but he's obviously not meant to be the least bit sympathetic or likable anyway.

The Menopause Murders was a fun and interesting read. The chapters from the points of view of Debbi and Jerry really read in a different tone, which I enjoyed and which makes sense with two authors contributing. As a woman nearing menopause, I really understood Debbi's irriations and was really rooting for Jerry to get his just desserts.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I am very disappointed with this book. I wanted to love it but I hated it. There was nothing funny about this story. None of the characters had any redeeming qualities. They were all awful. I found this to be a huge insult to women and men.

This one was just not for me. I never once laughed. I found the main character and every woman in the story to be poorly created caricatures of all female stereo-types. The MC is completely overrun by her hormones and menopause and completely flies off the handle at every slight. Other women in the story are all angry liberals that get mad at bad jokes, attack cops, or don't believe in medicine/science and just need some meditation and coffee enemas. All the women in this story were controlled by their emotions without one normal, well-rounded character. I'm honestly surprised there was a female author.

I was also completely turned off by the mention of politics. Inserting controversial presidents is always a dicey because you're probably going to disengage at least part of your readers (whoever is pro or against). Maybe just once could be ignored but it was brought up time and time again and just left me wondering why.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Loved this book, as a woman of a certain age it was relatable, fun and honest. One question. Can I use this in my defence should I find myself mid hot flush and murderous?

Weird, wacky and wonderfully entertaining while laced with reality and murder. I picked this up because I like murder mysteries, but I enjoyed it because I am the target audience! Anyone who is going through or has been through menopause will absolutely relate to this book especially if they enjoy dark and exaggerated humor. Now don't get me wrong, menopause does not turn most women into killers, but it very well could if you aren't with a loving partner who is understanding and caring. I laughed a lot reading this book and even yelled a bit as I was reading as there are several parts that are way too real and way too common to actually be funny. I am looking at you medical field and you should be hanging your head in shame!!! The book is definitely a comedic look at murder while also trying to lace it with the reality of the mentality of the time period this book is set in and the opposing views that were and are still being yelled about today. Overall it was a fun read and I will definitely look for more books from this author duo as they obviously had fun writing this book and it shows.