Earlier this month, I read Mother-Daughter Night and loved it. This was more than just a mystery/suspense novel, but also a novel about mother and daughter relationships, the choices we make as parents-- as humans, really--and how they can impact the other.

Lana Rubicon is as ambitious as they come, putting her career in real estate above all else. She learned the hard way how a person can only depend on themselves. A diagnosis of cancer and the stresses treatment put on her body mean Lana must turn to her daughter, Beth, for help. Lana finds Beth to be an enigma. She seems to be everything Lana is not. Beth lives a quiet life as a nurse in a sleepy coastal town with her teenage daughter, Jack. Jack is fiercely independent and longs for a different life than the one she's living. She loves her grandmother and mother and wishes they got along better.

When Jack finds a dead body while leading a kayak tour, the police are quick to name her as their main suspect. Lana and Beth are beside themselves with the accusations made by the police. Lana is quick to realize the police are not up to the task of finding the real killer, and, in an effort to prove her granddaughter is innocent, she begins to look for other possible suspects on her own. Beth, on the other hand, is not keen on the idea of her mother conducting her own investigation, especially not while she's in such a weakened state and should be focusing on her recovery. It soon becomes clear though that there is no stopping Lana, and Jack and a reluctant Beth lend her a hand.

Lana and Beth's relationship is mired in the past by slights and misunderstandings. I found myself siding with one or the other at various points in the book, but ultimately hoping they would find common ground between them. They are so much alike even as they think they are so different. And I really felt for Jack being in the middle. The relationships between all three women do grow over the course of the novel. I found all of them extremely relatable. (Not to mention I love the idea of a Mother-Daughter Murder Night! Read the book and you'll know why.)

From wealthy ranchers to land trusts, family vendettas and secret deals, Lana, Beth and Jack find themselves in dangerous territory. While not a fast paced mystery in the way some mysteries are, Mother-Daughter Murder Night was a compelling read. The mystery itself was made up of a complex web of conflict and characters that had me wanting to know where each thread would lead. While the final whodunnit was not a real surprise, the fun was in getting there.

This charming mystery delightfully unfolds through the eyes of three generations of women. As Lana, the grandmother, finds herself in a new environment, she and her daughter Beth and granddaughter Jack stumble upon a intriguing puzzle to solve. With their unique perspectives and playful banter, they weave together a tale of love, family, and mystery.

I love this book! Lana's humor and spirit made me laugh and feel happy. The author's personal story about her mom's cancer diagnosis touched my heart. The book's message of hope and resilience is inspiring. I highly recommend it - it's a warm and uplifting read that will make you feel good!

Mother-Daughter Murder Night is a good cozy amateur sleuth mystery involving Lana, a high-powered Los Angeles real estate business woman who is undergoing cancer treatments north of LA and staying with her daughter, Beth, and granddaughter, Jack. When Jack finds dead body on the slough during one her the kayak tours she leads, Lana steps in to occupy her down time by trying to solve the murder. Lana rebuilds her strained relationship with Beth and grows closer to her granddaughter as they work together on this project despite warnings from police detectives to back off. There are interesting tidbits and references to Lana's Jewish upbringing, but most of the story centers on Lana' struggle to adjust to her illness and new way of life in small town California.

Lana, Beth and Jack. Complicated mother/daughter/granddaughter roles that play out really well as the mystery in the story unfolds. Jack leads kayaking groups on the river and inlets and one weekend, part of her tour discover a dead body. It's hard to not give too much away, but the way the author builds on the relationships among the community and family really propels the mystery (and guessing) along.

Solid thriller that felt a bit like the finlay Donovan books. Fun read overall. I originally thought this would feel a bit like Disturbia because of the description and cover but I wasn’t disappointed it took a different direction.

Lana Rubicon, a high-powered businesswoman, takes pride in her sharp intellect, impeccable taste, and the impressive L.A. real estate empire she has meticulously built. However, her world takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself confined to a quiet coastal town, 300 miles north of the city, recovering from cancer alongside her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack. Lana, used to calculating square footage, now finds herself counting otters, hoping that boredom won't claim her before the illness does.

Unexpectedly, Jack, despite her small stature but fierce independence, stumbles upon a lifeless body while kayaking. This discovery thrusts her into the centre of a homicide investigation, making the Rubicon women the focal point of chaos. While Beth believes Lana should prioritize recovery, Lana has other plans. She decides to don her wig, unearth the true murderer, protect her family, and demonstrate that she still possesses power. Collaborating with Jack and Beth, Lana delves into a realm of lies, family vendettas, and land disputes concealed beneath the surface of a community comprised of folksy conservationists and wealthy ranchers.

As the amateur investigation leads the headstrong Rubicon women into increasingly perilous territory, they must rely on the one thing that has always bonded them—each other. Nina Simon masterfully tackles multiple themes in this narrative, seamlessly weaving the connection between three generations with a compelling mystery that persists throughout. The narrative's foundation is robust, enticing readers and holding their attention. The characters are relatable and offer layers worth exploring.

The alternating viewpoints of Jack, Beth, and Lana provide a well-rounded perspective, showcasing the strengths and complexities of each woman. Despite being the youngest, Jack's mature viewpoint adds depth to the story. The Rubicon family, already teeming with drama before the discovery of the dead body, is depicted with a blend of emotion and humour, creating a captivating narrative that resonates with readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a great book!! There are great characters and great story building in between the covers of this novel. The California coast setting makes this story that much more enjoyable for me. Character development is a strength of this author, along with relationship building amongst those characters. Three generations of women come together, trying to exist through an unexpected sickness, teenage years, and trying to survive amongst the differences. While the matriarch is trying not to succumb to the boredom she's expecting to experience upon her arrival in the small town, the youngest daughter enjoys spending her day at school and working at the local shop as a kayak guide, amongst the otters, and our middle mother tries her best to get along the best she can in a mix of personalities under the same roof, when a murder happens too close to home. Everyone's a suspect, but none look better than daughter Jack since she's the one who discovered the body. Grandma Lana has enough time on her hands and an interest in defending dear Jack. Beth finds out what the other two ladies are up to and on our hands, we have a great mystery novel and what turns into 3 amateur detectives looking for the truth. Traipse through this town of characters, or shall I say suspects, to discover some perfectly placed love and affection in some unexpected places, including a bit of forgiveness and understanding on some hard lived years amongst some great family members, neighbors and friends.

Considering that "mother-daughter murder nights" are what my mom and I call our regularly-scheduled Dateline binges, when I saw this title, I knew I had to give it a shot. For being a debut novelist, Nina Simon does a terrific job of crafting a tight plot in an atmospheric setting that's speckled with engaging characters - the trio of women at its heart are an excellently-complicated little family unit, and all three are really likeable, and the suspects who surround them are all sufficiently-shady. This was a really good, fast-moving read, and I look forward to seeing what else Simon writes in the future.

Thoroughly charming - a mystery, a multi-generational family saga, an environmental bent - all the details add up to make this book a winner! Looking forward to Simon's next!

What is your favorite book or movie that explores mother and daughter relationships?

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon is a delightful new novel that explores mother and daughter relationships during a murder investigation. Lana Rubicon runs a powerful real estate empire in Los Angeles. After she finds out she has cancer, needs treatment, and help, she moves in with her estranged daughter, Beth, and granddaughter, Jack in a coastal city three hundred miles north of LA. While her relationship with Jack strengthens, Beth and Lana remain at odds. Jack discovers a dead body while leading a tour group on a kayaking trip for her job, and quickly becomes the prime suspect. Lana pushes all of her energy into solving this mystery to help her granddaughter. Will she be able to solve this mystery and repair her relationship with her daughter?

I was not sure what to expect when I started reading Mother-Daughter Murder Night. Were the mother and daughter committing murders, victims of murders, what exactly did the title mean? The title is a memory that Lana and Beth have of watching crime shows together for a mother-daughter murder night. Lana wishes she could bring those happy times back by solving this mystery. I loved that.

This novel was all about family dynamics and relationships. I loved the characters, especially strong-willed Lana and her equally strong-willed granddaughter Jack. I felt at one with frazzled mom Beth trying to keep it all together. I loved these relationships and would really enjoy seeing this book made into a movie. The humor was fun throughout this book as well.

I enjoyed the cozy mystery aspect of this novel as well and wanted to know how it would end. I did guess the ending, but I enjoyed the journey getting there.

This is author Nina Simon’s debut novel and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I thought it was touching to find out in the acknowledgement section that Nina wrote this novel with her own mother as a project to divert them from her mother’s cancer and treatment.

Book Source: Review copy from NetGalley and William Morrow Books. Thank-you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic. I’m usually more into a thriller/suspense rather than cozy mystery, but I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great, the storyline moved well, there were lots of twists. Just all around good book!

An excellent read about mother-daughter relationships with a murder thrown in just to keep things interesting! A fish out of water tale starts when Lana, a smart, high powered real estate broker in Los Angeles, is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and has to move in with her estranged daughter, Beth, in a small coastal village. Lana has a Rear Window moment when she sees something suspicious through her binoculars, and shortly afterward, her granddaughter, Jack, is leading a kayak tour where a dead body is discovered. The environment plays an important role in this whodunit, as well as family. Highly recommended.

A generational family story focused on murder next door? Sign me up! Though there was complicated mother-daughter relationships in this book, that only added to the story and felt very cohesive to the mystery going on around them. I loved the characters and how different they were.

I really enjoyed this story. I didn’t like Lana at first, but she really grew on me as the book went on. Jack was my favorite character though. She was so strong for a 15 year old! I suspected quite a few people of being the murderer, except the actual murderer! I appreciate when that happens.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nina Simon and William Morrow for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I knew I was going to like this book when I’m the first chapter the character just wants a Diet Coke - me too girl. Me too. This was such an interesting take on a mystery and I would definitely read another by this author.

I thought this was a creative idea for a novel and I loved that it was a tribute to her mother. The debut author definitely captured the characters of the three women, and I loved seeing their dynamic change with time. The story started out slow and meandered a bit, and occasionally lost itself in details and dialogue. However, solid work from a debut author. 3.5/5

Beth and her mother Lana don’t have the closest of relationships, but when Lana gets a devastating medical diagnosis, Beth, a nurse, pulls some strings and gets her the finest of care…but her recovery is now taking place in Beth’s home with her daughter, Jack. Living in Elkhorn Slough, Jack works as a guide for canoe excursions and is an avid paddle boarder. When a body is found floating face down in the slough by a member of her excursion, fingers are pointed everywhere but where they should be. When Jack herself comes under suspicion, Lana starts her own investigation. Beth isn’t too happy with the investigation especially with the way she’s been rearranging her life. Beth recently lost one of her favorite residents at work and Lana starts to wonder if the two deaths could somehow be connected. As the investigation continues Beth finally joins in … if you can’t beat them, join them. The closer they get to the truth, the more danger they are in, will they be able to solve the mystery and repair their past relationship in the process, or is it much too late? Simon writes not only a well executed murder mystery, but a novel about the complexities of a mother daughter relationship and knits the two together seamlessly. Thank you to HarperCollins for an ARC of this book.

This was so smart and so entertaining! Who doesn't love a little dark humor with their murder read? I really loved the plot and characters in this one. If you love a female cast, pick this up!

I selected MOTHER -DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT for my book club and overall the readers felt it was enjoyable, if a little silly. I enjoyed the characters and the situations more after speaking to the author Nina Simon, about the circumstances that inspired the book. I truly liked and cared for all three female protagonists- and agree with the Gilmore Girls reference in the notes- but I wasn't wholly prepared for it to feel so much like a cozy mystery. I think the cover would have been more apt to show a woman in binoculars in a kayak eating popcorn, than the cover that suggested a darker thriller. Overall, enjoyable, but I like my mysteries less fluffy.

I really thought I would enjoy this one - it kind of fell flat for me - It kind of drags and I had to struggle to get myself to pick it up and finish it, The characters weren't really likeable to me except for maybe Jack. There are plenty of good reviews out there so I seem to be in the minority on this one.