3. 75 stars rounded up! This was a charming and entertaining mystery novel from first time author, Nina Simon. The mother and daughter in mother daughter murder night are Lana and Beth Rubicon but also Beth‘s daughter, Jack. Laura and Beth have had an estranged relationship since Beth got pregnant as a teen and left for Northern California , Lana comes to live with Beth and Jack when she’s diagnosed with cancer and needs help. While all this is going on in their lives, Lana, up late one night due to her cancer treatments, accidentally witnesses what she thinks could be a murderer, dumping a body. Desperate to give herself something to hold onto in the middle of all the chaos of her life, Lana decides to investigate the murders happening around them. This was an entertaining read, but what I enjoyed more than the murder investigation was the dynamic between the three women. I would definitely read another novel about the Rubicon family.

When dark comedy meets murder mystery with strong female leads, you get Mother-Daughter Murder Night! While the family dynamics were a much stronger aspect than the murder mystery part, both aspects played an important role in story. I wish they was more of a cozy vibe from the “cozy mystery” this was supposed to be, and since it wasn’t exactly a thriller, the book fell a little short. The characters kept to story going for me though. If mother-daughter relationship wasn’t as great as it was I may have DNF’d it. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This is a really difficult book to review. Even though this novel centers around a murder mystery, the book is not really about that. The focus of this book is around the relationships of 3 generations of women. It's about how difficult mother-daughter relationships can be and how powerful they are. The strength of this book is completely in how well each of these characters is developed. I loved all 3 of the main women in this book, Nina, Beth and Jack. They were so vastly different yet I could see myself in each of them.

The biggest weakness of this novel is the plot. The murder isn't well crafted and it's neither cozy or suspenseful. It feels almost like an afterthought, which I was really disappointed by. Overall, it's a fine novel, but I hope Nina Simon manages to polish the craft of plot development since she already can craft excellent characters.

Unique set of characters: grandmother, mother and daughter. Lana Rubicon has built a a high powered real estate empire in L.A. She finds herself in her daughter's little town and she is bored. Then a local boy finds a dead body while kayaking. The mystery begins and Lana turns detective to solve the murder and protect her family. In this book the women of the Rubicon family have to work together and depend on each other. A new concept for them.

I really enjoyed this murder mystery novel wrapped up in a family story.
The story opens with Beth burying a body, but it isn't what you think! Her teen daughter, Jack, works at a kayaking club, and is called to the scene of a dead body. Meanwhile, Lana, Beth's mom, finds out she has brain tumors. So, Lana comes to live with Beth and Jack. Since Lana can't run her business while convalescing, she decides to solve the murder mystery, and to protect her granddaughter.
Beth and Lana are at odds with each other. Lana has never visited them before, and now is changing Beth's home decor.
This story bonds the 3 women and also uncovers a shady and greedy person intent on taking control.
Enjoyable story.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night was an excellent book. I would classify this book as a cozy mystery, and just as the publisher marketed it--"Gilmore Girls," but with murder. If you are looking for a fun read, this is it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this cozy murder mystery that focused on the "whodunit" mystery, but also the relationships of three generations of women. Lana was a fabulous character, and I really loved how the story unfolded. The ending was satisfying, and overall this was a very enjoyable read!

Sadly this was far too slow and meandering to really get me hooked and exciting. After almost 100 pages in I still didn’t find myself invested in the crime of whodunnit.

Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow, and Nina Simon for an advance copy of Mother- Daughter Murder Night in exchange for an honest review! What a delight of a book!! A mother and daughter get an unexpected visitor when their mother/grandmother becomes ill. When she arrives, we find the three of them somewhat thrown together solving a mystery together. I found myself constantly questioning everyone and truly loving how this story played out. I truly think this story would make a great film adaptation! This is available now and is the perfect amount of family drama, mystery, and suspense so I cant recommend enough that you pick it up! 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for GR!

After receiving a cancer diagnosis, Lana moves in with her estranged daughter Beth & granddaughter Jack.
One night, Lana wakes up and sees someone dumping something in the slough by their home; but she cannot be sure of what she saw because it was super late and she was super groggy after a round of cancer treatments.
The following day, while giving a tour on the water Jack discovers a dead body and becomes prime suspect number 1. Lana is determined to prove that her granddaughter is innocent while trying to repair her relationship with Beth.

This was such a super cute book! I loved how it focused more on the relationships between the three generations of women living under one roof rather than the whodunit aspect.
If you are looking for a thriller, this isn't it, as this is a light book.
The best part, in my opinion, was the ending because it felt cohesive and done. It did make me tear up a little but made me smile as I continued reading.

I will definitely love to read another book surrounding Lana, Jack and Beth. I could actually see this becoming a cute series!

I’d round up to 3.5 stars. I love a good mystery story but I had some trouble following along with this one. The twists and turns of the investigation were interesting but I had difficulty with keeping track of various details and the motives of the different characters. Having said this, I would still suggest this to friends who like this kind of story.

This book was okay. A lot was happening throughout the book, with lots of details and characters to keep straight. The twist at the end totally got me and I always love to be surprised by a twist. Thank you to Killer Crime Club, William Morror and Net Galley for the advance e copy of this book.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT was a wildly entertaining mystery featuring three generations of amateur sleuths. Simon delivered a story filled with real family issues, hidden secrets, and an intriguing murder investigation.

The bottom line is the Rubicon women make this book. The author wove a narrative together that allows Beth, Lana, and Jack to come alive and jump off the page. Lana is simply perfection with her over-the-top bravado and carefully guarded heart. Beth is the everywoman in the book. Her struggles, choices, and interactions with her daughter and mother are relatable. And then you have Jack. She is fifteen going on twenty-five with her intensity geared towards her passions and opinions. However, there is still something so fresh and youthful about her when she is with her family.

These personalities, mixed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding a dead body found by our youngest sleuth are pure gold. What better way to mend a fractured family than having them solve a mystery? The tension built through each clue discovered allows the reader to follow along with these women. You truly feel like you are right there with them. This investigation is fast-paced and completely pulls you in. Just when you think you know who the perpetrator is, there is a new twist or reveal culminating in a fabulous edge-of-your-seat ending.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT will pull at your heartstrings, send you down a who-don-it rabbit hole, and make you giggle out loud. It is one heck of a ride.

I loved the premise of this one and had fun reading it! I did feel that the way the family investigated things were a bit unconventional but after suspension of disbelief it was an entertaining read.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Even though it's often described as three generations of women working to solve murders, it's really Lana, the grandmother who's the driving force. Her focus moves from one suspect to another. And another. And yet more. All have credible motives for committing murder, and Lana needs the help of daughter and granddaughter, along with her own substantive knowledge of land ownership and inheritance to figure it all out.

Murder she wrote meets Gilmore girls.
A story that shows it doesn’t matter how far apart family has grown it only takes one thing to pull you back together. A cancel diagnosis and a murder is all this family needed to bring it back together again.

Great premise, but it seems to be too much of a slow burn. Only 58% in, I decided to skip to the ending. Lovely writing, but seems like it could be trimmed down a bit.

Very enjoyable mystery novel. The family dynamics between the three generations of Rubicon women added an interesting and layered element to the typical cozy mystery genre. The mystery was well-plotted with enough red herrings to keep it intriguing until the end. HIghly recommend if looking for a light mystery with Gilmore Girls-esque family drama.

This was a very touching mystery set in Monterey Bay, California that explored so many subjects: mother-daughter (and father-son) relationships, family illnesses, wildlife and land conservation, and greed. I've recently spent some vacation time in Monterey Bay so this story was evoking some very fond memories of the beauty of the area. And Lana, Beth, and Jack - what a trio! Thanks to @bookclubgirl and @williammorrowbooks for this copy.

Thanks Net Galley and HarperCollins Canada for this ARC.

Nothing like a good whodunit! Three generations caught up in a mysterious death or two, throw in grieving relatives and a couple of wannabe bad guys and you have a recipe for a great read. Fast paced and enjoyable.