This was a great debut novel from Nina Simon! It involves a triple-generational murder-solving team (a teenage girl with her mom and grandma), and it’s a fun cozy mystery! I suspected just about everyone at some point, but didn’t actually figure out for sure who the murderer was. The book wasn’t as funny as I was expecting given the title and description (I was thinking along the lines of Finlay Donovan or Dial A for Aunties), and there were a LOT of terms relating to land control and terrain that I wasn’t super familiar with, but I definitely still enjoyed the book!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read before pub day on September 5th!

This was the story of a single parent and her daughter who are faced with several challenges. Beth and her daughter Jack live in a small apartment within a small town when they are faced with having to take care of Beth’s mom Lana due to her recent cancer diagnosis. Lana decides to move in with her daughter so she can be cared for.
Beth’s teenaged daughter Jack works at a Kayak rental/ tour company within her town. On one of her journeys with a group, she stumbles upon a startling discovery. Someone has been murdered. When the police get involved it becomes evident that Lana, and Jack need to try to solve a murder mystery in their hometown. Although Beth chooses to take a back seat to the investigation, she is still as supportive as she can be for the sake of her daughter.
There are many questions that need to be answered to get to the bottom of things. Nina Simon has seamlessly and logically constructed this novel to satisfy the reader’s curiosity. The novel is more than just a mystery. It is a combination of family and community drama that will keep you turning the pages.
If you enjoy learning about family secrets, and following the scandals that take place in a small tight knit community, then this book is a must read.

Beth is a single mom trying to raise her daughter Jack in a small town on the ocean, until her mother calls her to ask her for help. Lana, who has never even visited Beth, now needs to come live with her and Jack while she gets treatment for cancer. If this wasn't enough of a change, Jack also gets embroiled in a murder investigation when she finds a body while working. Lana, needing a distraction from her cancer and needing a purpose, decides to help Jack by investigating the murder. Mother, daughter, and granddaughter join together to solve the crime.
This story wasn't just about murder. It was about mothers and daughters learning to rewrite their relationships. It was about understanding the past and understanding each other. It was about learning to cope with the stress of disease and putting your differences aside for a common goal.
I really enjoyed this story. On one hand it was a good quick murder mystery, similar to Murder She Wrote. On the other hand, it was a story about love and forgiveness. If you like quick reads and powerful characters, this is the book for you.
Thanks to Netgalley, William Morrow Publishing, and the Scene of the Crime Early Reads for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

A hometown mystery that three generations of women strap in to solve!

I don’t know, honestly I think I’ve just read too many “grandparents solving mysteries” and I’m starting to judge them all against each other.

This one had a beautiful setting, some interesting elements to the solve, a few dramatic scenes, and of course, some emotional undertones as mothers and daughters start to understand each other better — but in the end, it just didn’t quite stand out to me. Perfectly fine read! I wouldn’t NOT recommend, it just wasn’t my favorite.

Thanks to William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley for my digital copy! Mother-Daughter Murder Night is available on Sep. 5.

3 outta 5 ⭐️

This is a very slow burn cozy mystery. It started off strong, but by the end I was ready for it to be over. This one just wasn’t for me.

I soft DNF'ed this book but there is nothing inherently wrong with it. It gave me the impression it would be cozy and similar to Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. I would definitely put it in a similar category and there were parts I enjoyed and was curious to find out what happened. I think I felt the set up was a little repetitive - you go do this with this person and find out this information... which is a logical template for this type of book I think it was just dragging a little for me. I am sure I'll pick it up again in the future and it will be satisfying!

4.25 stars. In this great debut, we find Beth and her daughter, Jack, living a quiet life together in California. Beth is a nurse and has provided a stable life for them both. High school aged Jack works a part-time job as a kayak tour guide, hoping to make enough money to convince her mom to let her buy a sailboat.

Their lives are disrupted when Beth’s real estate maven mother, Lana, comes to stay with them for awhile after experiencing a scary fall in LA. Lana has cancer, and while having treatment, the three of them navigate living together in Beth’s small home, working out past grievances, personality conflicts, and their alliance after Jack is suspected by the police to know something about a local murder.

I enjoyed this story as the pieces unfolded into an interesting murder mystery. The relationships between the three generations of women in this family were special, and watching Beth and Lana work through their fractured past was a special part of the story.

Thank you to William Morrow, Netgalley, and Cindy from Thoughts From A Page patreon for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night is not your typical cozy murder mystery and that's not a bad thing.

Jack, Beth, and Lana are a trio of amazing women in their own unique way. I felt the actual "murder" part of the book took a back seat to the relationships between the three Rubicon women which I felt was the best part of the book. I did find it slow going in the beginning and had a hard time liking any of the women, other than Jack. Once I pushed through the first quarter of the book, the storyline developed and the relationships between the women became more interesting than the murder itself.

The location seemed beautiful, although the details of the land trusts were a little confusing and I did skim over those pieces pretty quickly.

When I read the author's notes at the end of the book which explained how this book came to be, I was even more smitten with the grandmother/mother/daughter relationship development. Am I glad I pushed through and finished this one? Yes Would I read a sequel? Most likely, because we all need to know what Lana is doing next!!

I like this version of a cozy mystery, it's meatier and more contemporary!

Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow publishing, and author Nina Simon for the advanced copy of this book.





T

MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT by debut author Nina Simon follows three generations of feisty women who solve a local mystery with their amateur sleuthing. I enjoyed the antics of the grandmother and the way Simon touched on more tender topics such as caregiving, coming of age, and the relationship dynamics between family.

The author's personal connection to the story is quite special as she wrote this novel while caring for her ill mother. I enjoyed hearing from Nina in the @thoughtsfromapage early reads program prior to the book release. This one is perfect for fans of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers!

RATING:4/5
PUB DATE: September 5, 2023

Many thanks to William Morrow and Thoughts From a Page podcast for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mother Daughter Murder Night, Nina Simon's debut novel, was a fun read and a fabulous first novel! At the start of the book, a cancer diagnosis means Lana must move from her home, job, and comfortable lifestyle in LA to a coastal California town to live with her daughter, Beth, with whom she does not have a great relationship, and with her granddaughter, Jack. Soon after Lana's arrival, Jack, a teenager who works as a kayak tour leader, leads a group on a tour and ends up involved in the discovery of a dead man. As the police begin questioning Jack and her potential involvement, Lana begins her own investigation into the murder to figure out what the police are missing.

I loved that the book was more than just a mystery but also a family drama involving three generations of women - a grandmother, mother, and daughter. Jack was a well-written character, showing great maturity for a teenager, although not perfect in her decision-making, the kind of teen that is a joy to read about. But Lana was probably my favorite character - her strength while undergoing cancer treatments and the humor she brought to the story made the book even more enjoyable. I also appreciated Nin's descriptions of the slough - the landscape and the animals.
Mother Daughter Murder Night reminded me of other books I've enjoyed, like those by Jesse Sutanto or the Thursday Murder Club series. I look forward to seeing what else Nina writes!

Thank you to Thoughts from a Page Podcast/Patreon group and the publisher, William Morrow, for the advanced copy of this book!

Gilmore Girls meets Vera Wong

When Jack, the youngest of the Rubicon women, finds a dead body while leading a kayaking excursion, she becomes a prime murder suspect. In order to clear Jack’s name, her grandmother Lana trades cancer treatments for undercover ops as an amateur investigator. Beth, our Rubicon woman in the middle, will do all she can to keep the other two out of trouble.

Not quite a cozy mystery, this emotional whodunit is reminiscent of Gilmore Girls, but not in a cute and easy way. Instead, I felt something both familiar and refreshing in the complex intergenerational relationships between mothers and daughters that pivoted around a teenage pregnancy. These women love each other, but they don’t always like each other and rarely all agree.

This nuanced read kept me guessing, and it will be an especially enjoyable read for women thinking about their connection to the generations before or after them.

4/5 ⭐️

A huge thank you to William Morrow for the advanced copy! As always, opinions expressed here are 100% honest and my own.

Thanks so much to @thoughtsfromapage patreon group and@williammorrowbooks for not only the eARC of Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon, but also an amazing hour zoom call listening to Nina discuss her book. I loved hearing about her publishing story.

This was such a great whodunnit novel featuring a grandmother, daughter and granddaughter trio investigating a murder that pretty much happened right outside their window! These characters are well developed and different from each other, but work so well together. I don’t think I can pick a favorite? The setting of Monterey Bay adds much to the mystery and was a little armchair travel for this reader. This was suspenseful, thoughtful, tender and funny. That’s a lot to get in one debut (!) book and Nina does this beautifully. I just loved it so much. 5 stars.

I'm stepping out of my romance/sci-fi/fantasy wheelhouse to read Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon. The title is excellent, as is the cover, but (full disclosure) I wouldn't have requested the ARC if I hadn't had professional connections (and been social media mutuals in some places) with the author, because I don't usually read mystery!

That said... this is such a good book! Centering on three generations of women - tough-as-nails real estate developer (and grandmother) Lana, single mother Beth who's built a life from the ground up, and teenager Jack, who gets caught up in a murder investigation after discovering a body in the course job as a kayak tour guide. Beth has built a life with Jack on the Elkhorn Slough (which is brought to life beautifully in this book - it's another character) and find it turned sideways when Lana comes to live with them as she's going through cancer treatment.

There are two threads to this story: the murder mystery, complete with multiple suspects with shady motivations, a mansion on a hill, and a spot of arson. But it's the story of these three women - how they navigate their new reality and how Lana and Beth build a new understanding of who they are in relation to each other but most of all how they support each other - that makes this book stand out.

Absolutely worth your time.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley & William Morrow publishing for the eARC!

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4)

This one started off strong for me. We were thrown into the thick of the drama pretty early on & it immediately got my attention. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs so that we got to see the plot unfold from all 3 women’s perspective. I loved Lana & watching her relationship with her daughter & granddaughter grow & develop throughout the book. This story did a very good job of casting suspicion on almost everyone & I truly wasn’t really sure who the murderer was until the end! However, this story is very much a slow burn mystery & some parts in the middle lost me a little bit. Some of the talks about the land were hard for me to follow with a lot of technical terms (but that may just be me😅). It kind of drug in the middle but really picked up during the last 30%! If you enjoy cozy mysteries then you should definitely pick this one up!

This ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I just loved this book! Every time I thought it was leaning one way, another clue would point you in a different direction. By the time you are 75% in, you think any of the characters could have played a part. Well done, Nina Simon!

Lana Rubicon is a force to be reckoned with in the cut throat real estate market in Los Angeles, but a medical condition sidelines her to live with her daughter, Beth, and granddaughter, Jack, in a small coastal town 300 miles away. The three, who enjoy watching Columbo together for "Mother-Daughter Murder Night" marathons, find themselves entwined in a complicated web of murder and lies. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Cindy Burnett at Thoughts From a Page and William Morrow for the advanced ecopy of this book - due to be published on 9/5/2023.

3.75 stars

This mystery was a bit different. It features three generations of a family that gets swept up by a murder investigation. Grandmother Lana is a tough and elegant L.A. power player. She is battling cancer and has moved in with her grown daughter and teenage granddaughter far away from the city and her comfort zone.

Lana is admirable but not likable. There’s not much warmth there and no nurturing, which explains a lot of her prickly relationship with daughter Beth. But she is smart and savvy and a formidable opponent. Beth is more of a laid back earth mother type. She is artistic, loving and honest. She works in the medical field in a retirement home and tries to be the kind of mother to her daughter Jacqueline (Jack) that she wished she had.

When Jack discovers a dead boy floating in the water while working her part-time job as a kayak guide, their household comes unglued. Lana, who is feeling puny and irrelevant and totally out of her element, takes on the murder investigation as a crusade. Her original motive is to protect her granddaughter but it is obvious she is bored and needs to prove something to herself and her family.

A realistic and often funny look at a family with all their baggage and bonds of love and exasperation. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night stars the feminine trio of Lana-Beth-Jack (aka the grandmother, the mother, and the daughter) as they work together to solve a murder mystery in a coastal town north of Los Angeles. The author's love of the water and the natural world grounds the story, and I would go so far as to say that the natural setting itself is a central character in the unraveling of the mystery. I really liked Jack's independence and competence on the water despite her youth. She is a refreshing and believable young woman. Lana is also a strong character even though her maternal qualities leave a lot to be desired. Lana's cancer treatment brings the three women together, and their physical and emotional compromises in sharing a home and tending to one another are heartfelt.

Gilmore Girls + Only Murders in the Building
Thank you, William Morrow, for the gifted copy of Mother-Daughter Murder Night {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 9.5.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“You have to love yourself the most. No one else can do that for you.”

For a debut novel, I was impressed with the story that Nina Simon created. I hope Simon decides to write something else around the Rubicon ladies because I’m all for three generations of women coming together to solve a mystery and protect their town.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night falls into the slow burn category for me - there were places where the pacing felt too slow and struggled to hold my attention. Still, others had me flipping the pages quickly because I needed to know what was happening. But it was still an entertaining read!

Lana was undoubtedly my favorite character. She was quirky, witty, and fiercely protective of her daughter/granddaughter (even if she didn’t show it in the best ways). Nina Simon captured the often precarious nature of mother-daughter relationships perfectly! It had me laughing in all the right places as I pictured the three Rubicon women staring one another down because each was too stubborn to admit that the other was correct.

🌊 Seaside Town
🌎 Environmental Protection Themes
🔍 Classic Whodunnit
🫣 Mother-Daughter Dynamics

I recommend reading Mother-Daughter Murder Night if you enjoy reading the Finlay Donovan series.

My thanks to Net Galley,William Morrow and Thoughts From a Page for an advanced copy of this e-book.

Lana Rubicon has a very successful real estate business in Los Angeles, but has suddenly found out she has lung cancer. She reluctantly calls her estranged daughter Beth and who flies down to pick her up and bring her back to the Monterrey Bay area for the best care. She moves her 15 year old daughter Jack (short for Jacqueline) to the sofa and puts her mom in that room. Thus begins the fun of watching a powerful controlling women take control in her daughter's home with much push back from Beth. I did find some humor in the relationship struggles!

One night when Lana can't sleep, she looks across the slough and sees what looks a farmer pushing a wheelbarrow with a person in it.....and then dumping it in the water! Two days later, Jack, who works for the Kayak Shack, is leading a kayak group on the slough and one of her clients sees a dead body floating in the water. Thus begins a grandmother-granddaughter sleuth team!

I truly enjoyed these characters, the murder mystery that kept me turning pages and guessing to the end, and the relationship between this grandmother-mother-daughter team. Don't miss the Author's Note at the end! It will warm your heart!

This is the author’s debut for thriller/mystery and that is fantastic. I like the dynamic of the women in the story. Three generations… three independent thinkers plus a mystery solve? what could go wrong?
Well, at one point I DNFd this a quarter of the book but decided to push through. It went a bit slowww for me. Story was ok but not totally gripping.