The third installment of the Marlow Murder Club series, finds friends Susie, Becks and Judith putting their amateur sleuthing skills to work as "civilian advisors" for the newly promoted DI, Tanika Malik. The case is the death of the town mayor who promptly drops dead after sipping his coffee at a town council planning meeting. The cause of death - the queen of poisons, of course. But who would want a well liked man dead?

Although Robert Thorogood has created very likable and charming detectives in Susie, Judith and Becks, the plot does tend to be a bit thin at times and we are asked to suspend disbelief to make the puzzle pieces fit. While this is not the strongest of the three stories thus far,, it was lovely to spend time with the ladies who grow on the reader more with each book.

I do look forward to the next installment in the series.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ/Harper Collins for the ARC of this book.

The 3rd installment of the Marlow gang. Judith, Becks, and Suzie once again set out to catch a murderer. This time Suzie was a key eye witness to the mayor's death. The police decide to just give them investigative privileges this time, so need for the gang to sneak around. Through false leads and secrets the 3 find their way to the truth and catch the killer.

I've enjoyed all 3 of these cozy mysteries. They all have a little bit of absurdity to them, like would the police really give them that status to solve this case? The killers disguise. But that's what makes them fun.

Thank you netgalley and publishers for this arc.

The gang is back! And this time they are trying to solve the murder of a man who was loved by everyone. It was wonderful to be reunited with a favorite crime solving trio, but this has definitely been my least favorite of the three books in the series so far. The personalities weren’t meshing the same way they seem to have previously and the solution to the crime seemed rather far fetched. But, it still checked the box of a very classic cozy British mystery. And I’m excited to learn there’s a TV show as well! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The third book in the Marlow Murder Club series, this story takes place roughly a year after the events in the second book, Death Comes to Marlow. Elderly and eccentric Judith Potts, middle-aged and brash Suzie Harris, and just-over-forty vicar’s wife Becks Starling, have now been friends for going on two years; their lives aren’t perfect, and they occasionally get on each other’s nerves a bit, but they are always there for each other.

And so Judith and Becks are naturally the first two people Suzie calls after witnessing a murder–after all, someone else is already calling the cops, aren’t they?

I am really into the covers for this series; to me, they convey the kind of mystery that is between the covers, as well as tying the stories to each other. Covers, folks, that’s what gets people to look.

Beware: alcoholism; fatphobia; disordered eating; depression.

The three friends soon convinced the newly-minted Detective Inspector Tanika Malik to let them help with the investigation. First order of business: find out why anyone would want to kill a man so thoroughly decent and caring.

As with the previous two books, the story is narrated mostly from the points of view of the three friends, with occasional scenes from Tanika’s or some other character’s perspective to round up the narrative.

As Judith approaches eighty, she’s a bit more obnoxious in her arrogance–not in a class sense, but in her certainty that she’s likely to be the smartest person in any room. And it doesn’t help that she generally is. She’s also more lonely and depressed that she wants to admit, to herself or anyone else; both this and her drinking are explored more in this book, and play a part in the solution of the story–though not in a straightforward manner, of course.

The youngest of the three friends, Becks is still diffident and generally a rule-follower; after helping solve two cases, her family dynamics have improved somewhat, as did her marriage for a while. Unfortunately, her monster-in-law has run through all her own money and decided to move in with Becks’s family–and burn through Becks’s money now. Colin Starling’s submissive relationship with his mother, and Becks’s difficulty in standing up to her mother-in-law, lead to the solution of one of the case’s mysteries–again, in a convoluted kind of way.

This time around, it’s Suzie who’s the most comfortable in her own skin; her brashness and what comes across as a degree of ADHD are still played as comic relief, but that aspect of the story is a lot more balanced between the three characters in this book than in the two previous ones.

DI Malik, sadly, has a smaller role in this book; it works for the story, but I hope she has a larger part again in future installments of the series. I did feel a lot of satisfaction that her erstwhile boss is mentioned exactly once, then dropped forever more.

In mysteries, it is generally accepted that when people are murdered, there must be a reason; that no matter how good and saintly the victim may appear to be at first, there will be secrets in their lives, present or past, that will explain why someone wanted them dead.

This book takes the approach that the victim was in fact one of those people everyone liked, enjoyed, and appreciated, if not downright loved; Geoffrey was conscientious, generous, dedicated, ethical, hard-working, perceptive, supportive, and kind. As everyone around him, including the people with an actual opportunity to commit the crime, share their memories of the victim with our sleuths, the case seems to stall somewhat.

But of course, when the victim is blameless, then it’s time to investigate those around him–and boy, do they all have secrets that put them at odds with good, decent Geoffrey!

One aspect of the series I particularly appreciate is how the books thread a difficult line between dealing with serious issues with sensitivity, and keeping the humorous tone going, and it does it well for the most part, Judith’s depression and alcoholism contrasted with her penchant for naked swimming and hard candy (boiled sweets), being the most obvious examples.

The friendship between the main three characters, and to a lesser degree theirs with Tanika, is lovely because it allows them all to flourish, as they all contribute their own expertise, book smarts, or life experience, as they work to figure out the how, the who, and the why of the murder. Even better is that they all support each other’s growth as each work through their own challenges and traumas.

If I have one complaint in the overall tone of the series is the many unhappy romantic relationships showcased; we have the partner who contributes nothing to the relationship or family, the partner who cheats, the partner who is emotionally abusive, and so forth. It’s depressing when the only person in the novel who had a happy marriage was the victim, who had been widowed for a good two decades, and remained faithful to his late wife until his last breath.

The novel is divided into many short chapters; in fact, almost every change in venue translates into another chapter. This gives a sense of many things happening quickly, even when that is not quite the case. It does behoove the reader not to be fooled, and to pay attention to the clues scattered through the narrative; I am on the fence on whether this is a fair play mystery or not, because some of the clues are excessively subtle, but since they are in the text…

And to be fair, the novel does play to society’s prejudices, so even though it annoyed me a bit in its cleverness, the resolution is not a Deus Ex Machina move.

Once again, the best aspects of the Golden Age of mystery are present here, and I am very much looking forward to more entries in the series.

The Queen of Poisons gets a 9.00 out of 10.

I'm not going to lie I mostly picked this one up for the title. But I did love Judith's whole thinking outside the box. And bending the rules but not breaking them.

The third book in the Marlow Murder Club keeps up the fun, breezy and cozy mystery atmosphere of the previous books while giving our trio a bit of character development. I really enjoyed it, but perhaps not quite as much as the previous two. I will follow that statement up with my assertion that it's still a great read and a notch better than many of the other books I tend to read and review. You'll find me eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

Third book in the series. It follows Becks, Judith and Suzie in their adventures in solving crime in their town of Marlow. I liked the banter of the 3 women and how their personalities complement and support each other. When the mayor gets poisoned at a council meeting, everyone becomes a suspect. The trio have to uncover all the secrets of the members to find the killer. I enjoyed this book and the pace. The reason behind the murder is sad and makes sense. It wasn’t obvious who the killer was so it kept me in suspense. The struggle I had was the women were very quick to judge and act and jump to conclusions. That part was a huge struggle when reading.

I was disappointed with this third book in the series. I have enjoyed the previous two books, but this book was boring, flat, and linear. Anyone who is a usual reader of mysteries knows who was responsible early on. You might not know the why, but you know the who, and it is a trudge to get to the end.

I would have preferred the subplot of Becks conflict with her mother-in-law being plumped-up since the main storyline was boring. Their conflict was the spark this book could have used more of. Truthfully, I like Becks more than Judith and Suzie and would love to see more of her.

Fans of Robert Thorogood will persevere, but if this is your first visit to Marlow, I suggest you start at the beginning of the series and get to know this trio of crime-solving ladies.

My Rating: 4/5

I loved this book! Just like I have loved all the other books in this series. I can't wait to see the TV show they've made based on this series. All of the characters are so fun in their different ways and each mystery is so interesting.
If you love cozy English murder books/shows, this book and this series is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a 2 star read for me. I felt a disconnect from the characters and felt like the writing was very one dimensional. The story had a lot of potential and I loved the idea but I feel like more time could have gone into this.

This is a very favorite series of mine and one I recommend to any type of mystery reader. I am always looking for the next in the series so I can spend time with Judith, Suzie, and Becks again. I love their friendship and the way they encourage and push each other in their personal challenges. In each of the 3 in this series, I have enjoyed the way Robert Thorogood weaves the mystery and allows his characters to unravel it. Give me more Marlow Murder Club!!

The Queen of Poisons is the third in the series and is out now! Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for my e-arc!

Thank you to NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating : 3.5

This is the third book in the series (The Marlow Murder Club & Death To Marlow) which I didn’t realize prior. It could be read on it’s own as well. I plan on reading the other books sometime. I really liked Suzie and Becks characters the most. In some parts the story was slower paced than I usually prefer. It was a cozy murder mystery and well written overall.

#readingtime #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #poisonedpenpress #bookishlove #readmore #murder #mystery #tbr #bookstagram #books #poison #booking #whodoneit #queenofthepoisons

This was a fun murder mystery! Three nosy older women are helping the police with their third murder, only this time one woman was present when it happened! The ladies are officially contracted as civilian consults and given (more like taken) free rein around town to figure out who murdered the mayor and why. The banter in this book was great, the killer’s identity was particularly difficult to discover while reading, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending.

I received an audio arc of this book and will be leaving my full review on that copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Mayor of Marlow dies during a town council meeting and traces of aconite are found in his coffee. Aconite is known as the queen of poisons because of its toxicity. Before Judith, Suzie, and Becks can meddle too far, they are brought in as civilian advisors to the police and the trio begin to investigate, even if they don’t follow normal police procedures. This case appears to be more complicated than at first glance and the Marlow Murder Club must pull out all the stops to find the killer. Who would want to kill the mayor? Is anyone else on the murderer’s radar?

The Queen of Poisons is the third book in The Marlow Murder Club series. These characters are so much fun to read about and even though it had been months since I read the second book, I was easily able to remember the quirks of each of these ladies and jump full tilt into this new mystery. Thorogood has created a town with characters that most readers can relate to and another story that was hard to put down. Although this could be read and enjoyed on its own, readers will have more fun if they read the books in order.

Geoffrey Lushington, Mayor of Marlow, dies suddenly during a town council meeting. When traces of aconite—also known as the queen of poisons—are found in his coffee cup, the police realize he was murdered. But who did it? And why? The police bring Judith, Suzie, and Becks in to investigate the murder as civilian advisors right from the start, so they have free rein to interview suspects and follow the evidence to their heart's content… which is perfect because Judith has no time for rules and standard procedure. But this case has them stumped. Who would want to kill the affable mayor of Marlow? How did they even get the poison into his coffee? And is anyone else in danger? The Marlow Murder Club is about to face their most difficult case yet...

This is a great series with wonderful, quirky characters. I like Thorogood's descriptions and character development. His does use some English words, though, that I had to try and figure out by context if he did not explain. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request to read the latest in a delightful series.

This was a little too british for me. It was extremely difficult to get into, and wasn't as attention grabbing as I had hoped for. I love a mystery thriller, but this was too slow and i just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I love the cover! It just wasn't for me.

The Queen Of Poisons is the third book in the A Marlow Murder Club Mystery series by Rober Thorogood.

I would love to visit the Marlow Murder Club and its members. Judith, Suzie and Becks.

Suzie finds herself amid a mysterious meeting of the local planning council. As the members start to gather, Mayor Lushington's actions add an intriguing twist to the scene. Mayor Lushington heads to the coffee maker to make a cup of coffee before the meeting starts. He takes a sip, collapses and dies. It will be learned later that he had been poisoned. Recently promoted Detective Inspector Tankia Malik arrives and begins her investigation. She notices Suzie and knows she will tell Judith and Becks what happened at the meeting. Having worked with the ladies before, Malik knows they will start their own investigation, so she decides to make them Civilian Advisors.

Judith, Suzie, and Becks, with their unique personalities and shared determination, form a formidable team. They quickly identify several potential suspects, setting the stage for a gripping investigation.

I love this series. The Marlow Murder Club ladies are pretty interesting. Judith's home abuts the Thames, and she likes to swim naked in the Thames. Suzie is a dog-walker who produces an occasional podcast, and Becks is a vicar's wife.

The book is well-written and plotted. The characters are well-developed, engaging, and believable. Judith, Suzie, and Becks will put a smile on your face. There were enough red herrings that I kept guessing till the end who the killer was.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this delightful series.

I loved this book. It was so much fun. I hadn’t read the first two in the series, but was able to jump right into the storyline. The characters were endearing and the twist ending was great.

The third installment in Robert Thorogood’s The Marlow Murder Club series, begins with the death of Geoffrey Lushington, the mayor of Marlow, during a town council planning meeting in which Suzie Harris was one of the attendees. She is quick to summon her friends, Judith Potts and Becks Starling to the crime scene. It quickly becomes evident that the mayor was poisoned and as local law enforcement embarks on their investigation, DI Tanika Malik, well aware that no amount of warning would deter them from pursuing the case, engages the Marlow Murder Club as “civilian advisors” which allows them to conduct their investigation in collaboration with local law enforcement.

The narrative follows our amateur sleuths as they go about finding the killer. The suspect list is long and finding the culprit won’t be easy but our motivated ladies leave no stone turned as they delve into the lives of the deceased mayor who appeared to have been well-liked by those who knew him, his associates and anyone who might have held a grudge.

Having enjoyed the previous books in this series, I was looking forward to reading The Queen of Poisons. Though there are a few aspects of the story that implausible, I didn't mind having to suspend disbelief and chose to go with the flow. I do like these characters and have enjoyed following their antics in the past, but I struggled to finish this book. The premise was intriguing and while I usually enjoy investigations that involve multiple suspects, in this case, the plot becomes too convoluted as the narrative progresses. The pacing was uneven and I found the writing a tad repetitive with subplots that served no purpose other than to distract us from the primary narrative. Though I found the final reveal interesting, plot development was weak and the motive behind the murder wasn’t quite convincing.

I do appreciate the humor that the author injects into these stories and though I didn’t dislike the book in its entirety, this installment is the weakest among the three novels in the series. However, I won’t give up on the series yet and will await the next installment.

For those who are new to the series and the characters, I would recommend reading the preceding books before you read this one.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.