Review: The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White

The Author's Guide to Murder marks the fifth collaboration between the dynamic trio of Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, and it’s clear that they are having an absolute blast working together. Their latest cozy mystery feels like an inside joke shared with the reader, blending a lighthearted atmosphere with a tongue-in-cheek narrative style that keeps you smiling throughout.

The plot is delightfully self-aware, almost breaking the fourth wall as it taps into the quirks and charms of the mystery-writing world. The “insider” moments—like a meet up at Bouchercon, which mystery lovers will recognize as a real-life convention for crime writers and fans—are a special treat. Having attended a couple of Bouchercons myself, it was a thrill to see these references woven into the story, making it feel all the more personal and immersive.

Set against the backdrop of a charming Scottish village, the setting is like the cherry on top, adding to the novel’s cozy and atmospheric appeal. There's something about the misty Scottish highlands that perfectly complements a good murder mystery. It’s an ideal setting for readers who enjoy a mix of charm, wit, and a dash of satire.

For fans of cozy mysteries, this book delivers the perfect blend of humor, insider knowledge, and suspense. If you’re looking for a fun, satirical read with a strong sense of place and character, The Author's Guide to Murder is a delightful choice.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.

I have read every single book from this trio, and for that reason I finished this book. For whatever reason I just could not get into this book at all. I'm not sure if it had to do with the way some of the characters spoke, or if it just wasn't for me.

The book follows three authors (Emma, Kat and Sandy) who have embarked on a journey to a foreign land to write a book together, or so they say. The group was sent by their agent, Rachelle, to work together and create a book involving the possible solving of a decades old mystery and murder. While the ladies are researching and investigating there happens to be another murder on the island, and the girls may need to solve this one too since they have now become murder suspects themselves.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. When I read the synopsis for it on NetGalley, I thought it sounded like a fun, lighthearted mystery since it was listed as humor/satire. However, I didn’t realize how much sexual humor, innuendos, and other references it was going to be chock full of, and that really isn’t my kind of story or humor. I appreciate the opportunity to give this book a try, but I ultimately decided to DNF’d it.

DEFINITE recommend
4.0 stars

I really wanted to love this book, but I couldn't do it. I liked, rather than loved this book. It was overly long and needed some strong editing.

The police interrogations at the beginning of each chapter at the start of the book were the best part! The interrogations were hysterical!

Unfortunately, the book moves very slowly until the last 25% or so and then becomes fast-paced and so much fun! The ending was perfection! I wish the last 25% could have been all of this book!

Published/posted dates with links
• Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6382361209; posted 10/11/2024
• Books by Dorothea - https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2024/10/review-authors-guide-to-murder-ebook.html; posted 10/11/2024

I read this book early release on NetGalley, and I love it. It took a little bit to get really into the book and story line, but after I got into it I loved it and couldn’t stop! If you are looking for murder, drama, crazy ride with some girlfriends, love stories this book is for you!
Be sure to look for this book on shelves next month November 5th!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The first thing to remember about this book, and to keep in mind the whole way through, is that it's satire. It's supposed to be ridiculous. The characters are supposed to be insufferable, it's all supposed to make you laugh with disbelief, and maybe even roll your eyes a little. Once I got that straight in my head, I loved this one! Remember that Netflix show a few years ago? The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window? If you liked that at all, you'll like this book.

The Author's Guide to Murder is a mystery novel written by three authors about three authors trying to write a mystery novel together. Unfortunately, the writer's retreat they've chosen to work together at is the scene of a murder and they're all going to be suspects.

I want to say this one is for fans of the mystery genre who also like to laugh, but I think that, even more than that, this one is for fans of writing and the bookish life, if that makes sense. There are so many tongue-in-cheek jokes that bookworms will appreciate, I think. Especially bookworms who enjoy a little #booktok drama every now and then.

I've read other books by the individual authors of The Author's Guide to Murder, but never one of their collaborations. After reading this, I'm planning to go back and check out their other works together.

I love the three W's collaborations and as an avid mystery fan, this seemed right up my alley. However, it just didn't work for me. Perhaps it was the wrong time for it. We have three female authors off to a writing retreat on a Scottish island owned by a mysterious and famous author. Each author had the voice of one of the actual authors and they wrote a variety of genres. It was definitely a parody of the genre and showed insight into the publishing world. I enjoyed how they slowly unpeeled each layer of the story along the way. I just think it was too over the top with some of the humor that hampered my reading. I loved the setting though and the variety of backgrounds of the three authors. I look forward to reading their individual work and their next collaboration in due time!

Book Review: The Author's Guide to Murder
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

I had the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, thanks to Netgalley. While I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and character development, I’m giving it 4 stars because there were parts that felt unnecessarily long, which slowed the pacing at times. However, I must commend the authors for their seamless collaboration—had I not known, I wouldn’t have realized multiple people had written it. The narrative felt cohesive, and the unique blend of suspense and humor kept me engaged.

The setting was rich and vivid, giving off a cozy yet intriguing atmosphere, which made me want to find an excuse to travel to a foreign country to write! If you enjoy mysteries with sharp wit, an engaging plot, and compelling characters, I recommend giving this a read. It’s a delightful escape, and fans of these authors will not be disappointed.

#ARC #Netgalley #ScotlandFiction #authorswhoread

The Author's Guide to Murder offers a fun look into being a writer and the obsession with true crime. Three writers (probably based on the authors themselves) team up to write a book about an unsolved murder at a Scottish castle. What they really hope to do is to solve the murder themselves. They attend a writers' retreat in the castle, sponsored by a male author who neglects to make an appearance. Cassie is a mom of six kids, unsure she should even be there. Emma is the historian of the trio. Kat is a sex-pert in thigh high stiletto boots. The novel flits between the three writers being interviewed by police about a current murder, then goes back to before the murder. The prose tends to be a bit cliche - BFFs and bestie are bandied about - A LOT. Sometimes the prose forces a "we're hip and in the know cuz we're authors" vibe. Overall the book is a fun, light-hearted read.

I've been a fan of Beatriz Williams's books for a few years now, and I've read all but one of the books by Team W. This book is a little different from their others, but from the moment I saw the cover and book description on social media, I started ticking off the days until it came out. (Thank you, William Morrow, for the ARC!)

I loved the book, and not just because I'm already a fan of this writing team. The Author's Guide to Murder is a satirical peek at three mystery writers who come together to write one mystery (at the suggestion of their publisher), and as someone who's spent some time in the mystery world, I couldn't help laughing at the tropes and the stereotypes (some of which are perpetuated within the mystery-writing community). By the 10% mark, I knew this was a book I wouldn't want to end, so I tried to slow my reading pace, but if you're reading this, then you're a reader too, and you know that doesn't work.

It's clear upon reading this that the authors had a lot of fun with this one. Feminism, friendship, dark secrets, Scotland, romance, and a mystery--there wasn't a lot left on the table. And about that ending, the mystery reader in me has to say: I knew it!

I can tell the 3 authors had fun writing this crazy mystery set in an old Scottish castle. There is a little bit of everything in this story, mystery, romance, secrets, a dead body, a daring rescue. Some quirky characters and witty conversations in this book written by the three authors who call themselves Team W.

THE AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO MURDER is the latest collaboration by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. The story takes place in Scotland and doesn't seem to miss any opportunity to explore Scottish themes - from plaid to whisky to accents.

Three authors are at Castle Kinloch for a writing workshop. They have convinced their editor to send them so that they can write a story about the death of the notorious Naughty Ned who died at a house party in 1900.

The three women are claiming to be best friends, but that assertion falls apart quite quickly since they are so different from one another and so prone to bickering. Kat de Noir writes paranormal erotica; Cassie Pringle writes a number of cozy series; and Emma Endicott writes detailed and annotated historical biographies of obscure women. But they do have one thing in common. Each was victimized by best-selling author Brett Saffron Presley who is renting the Castle and is the host (though an unseen one) of the writing workshop.

When Brett Saffron Paisley is found dead, it is not leap for the police to center their suspicions on the three women. In fact, they briefly even doubt each other but then decided to work together to find out what happened to BSP and, incidentally, clear their own names.

The story was filled with romance tropes. It also had interesting and well-developed characters in the three authors. The story was also filled with humor both in the characters of the authors and the estate manager with the pet sheep.

This was a fun reading experience. Readers of romance and mystery will enjoy this one.

Three authors (serious, cozy, erotica) travel to Scotland on the pretense of writing a book together. The pretense promotes their friendship, the reality is that they don’t really like each other and each one is dealing with their own challenges as well as the serious issue that underlies a rather fun read. The murder victim is none other than an award-winning greatly-admired author who has leased a castle on a Scottish Island. But we discover that the victim is more a predator than someone to be admired. Each author tells the story, gradually revealing more about themselves, their families, their editor, the victim, and the residents of the island, BTW - a thoroughly satisfying ending.

"The Author's Guide to Murder" whisks you away to a stunning location – a remote Scottish castle steeped in history but the tranquility is shattered when a famous author is found murdered! This novel unfolds from the perspectives of three bestselling authors, each with their own unique voice and writing style. As they become entangled in the investigation, their own secrets and hidden agendas begin to surface. The book is fast-paced enough to keep things interesting and the reader finds surprise after surprise with each new POV.

Three authors, all specializing in different genres and struggling with their own personal lives after suffering at the hands of well-known author Brett Saffron Presley (BSP) travel to Scotland after their shared agent hatches a plan to take BSP down. The three women pose as best friends writing a book together, but it is soon revealed to readers that they are not friends at all and actually there to humiliate BSP after he negatively impacted each authors life through various forms of emotional, physical and sexual abuse. However, the authors find themselves in a sticky situation when BSP turns up dead, and all eyes turn to the foreigners in this sleepy Scotland town after the death is announced to be a homicide. Their is a quirky cast of characters and the three women need to band together to clear their names and find out who really is responsible.

Overall, the book was entertaining but also cliche and a bit cringey at times. The three main characters, Kat, Emma and Cassie were mostly likeable (some moments of annoyance) but tolerable. The book felt slow in the beginning and did not seem to flow well. I'm not sure if this is because their were three authors writing this book, but it was hard to stay focused at times as it seemed like nothing was happening for a lot of chapters but a lot of information was given.

I had some issues with some plot holes, but I won't share them here as its no spoilers allowed!

Okay, first of all, "The Author's Guide to Murder" is technically correct, but if the book has three MCs, shouldn't the title be" The Authors' Guide?" The fact that I was grammar nitpicking before I even started reading wasn't a good sign. And unfortunately, the book's content did nothing to change my first impression. The fifth "Team W" collaboration attempts to meld together slapstick comedy, romance, cozy mystery, women's fiction, and #MeToo. The result is cartoonish, uneven, occasionally offensive (jokes about whether or not a well-dressed man is gay in 2024?) and unnecessarily long. I'm giving it 2 stars instead of 1 because the "fake friendship evolves into #Girl Power" trope was actually rather touching, and because the last few chapters are brazenly bonkers.

The three authors have published several historical fiction novels together, but apparently the idea for this one emerged from a drunken bar conversation in which they joked about co-writing a historical romance set in Scotland with the dubious title "Fifty Shades of Plaid." Now that the trio has a loyal following, they decided it was time to revisit and fine tune the idea, although their publisher drew the line at keeping the original title. I've read a few Beatriz Williams books, but nothing by the other two women. As a relative newbie I can't recommend a document that would have been better suited to the authors' newsletters. YMMV if you are a Team W fan who can appreciate the in-jokes and Easter eggs.

ARC received from Net Galley and publisher in exchange for objective review.

The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White promised an intriguing blend of mystery and literary drama but ultimately fell flat. Despite being written by three accomplished authors, the novel suffers from uneven pacing and a lack of cohesive voice. The plot tries to balance too many elements—murder mystery, historical references, and writerly intrigue—but fails to excel in any of them, leaving readers with a confusing narrative.

The blurb on Goodreads and NetGalley for The Author’s Guide to Murder says “Agatha Christie meets Murder, She Wrote meets #MeToo in this witty locked room mystery and literary satire…” and yes, that’s true. All those things are parts of the story. They don’t always work quite right in tandem with each other, but they are there. And in the end, the story comes to the neat, more or less happy conclusion that a classic murder mystery in novels and Hollywood do.

The story is about three writers on a retreat in a castle on a far-flung Scottish island so the setting of the story is mysterious and atmospheric and strong. The writers are all Americans, who are sometimes wont to lean into the brash American tropes that are both true and a little awkward. The retreat is hosted by an American writer who created some sort of convoluted deal with the Scottish laird to rent/borrow/adapt his castle and ancestral home (complete with murder mysteries in centuries past) to be, more or less… Disneyland, But With Sex.

King Edward VIII’s infamous ‘sex chair’ plays a surprising supporting role in the story.

As the blurb states, though, it is a locked room (or rather Island) mystery and there is a murder. The Americans are all prime suspects, what with being the only foreigners on the island, and the sexy police investigator soon finds himself with three writer-sleuths helping, whether he wants it or not, to solve the murder.

The #MeToo part comes in to play when the American writers reveal what their American host did to all of them, and none of it is easy to read although it happens.

What they suffered because of him is what bound them in the first place, and brought the island. And they became true friends over the course of trying to prove their innocence.

That is where the story comes full circle and redeems itself after an inordinate amount of tropes being met, stereotypes being used as props, and even the actual authors name-dropping themselves through their characters. It was a perfect ending to an occasionally wonky story.

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I received a copy of The Author’s Guide to Murder through NetGalley and William Morrow in exchange for an honest & original review. All thoughts are my own & freely given.

Three veteran authors team up to write this wacky whodunit mystery. Acclaimed writer Brett Saffron Presley is found murdered in his ostentatious Scottish castle. The local detective must interview the guests to solve the crime, including three female authors from America — who all appear to have something to hide. This skewering satire of the publishing world is both hilarious and heartwarming.

Three very different authors.
A writer's retreat at a Scottish castle with a sordid history.
A body found in scandalous attire following a night of drinks and dancing.
All crafted by a trio of exceptionally talented and acclaimed writers who lead their readers off their well-loved path into a literary quagmire.

Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White have collaborated on several historical fiction books that remain favorites on my shelves. So, when I saw their latest effort, I leaped at the chance to read an Advance Reader's Copy from publisher William Morrow and Netgalley. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll seek out a copy of The Author's Guide to Murder for my bookshelf.

What's it about? Three authors meet at a conference. Along with their shared agent, the women discover something they all have in common: disastrous, distasteful, and despicable encounters with the same man. The writers (encouraged by their agent) hatch a plan to travel together on a writer's retreat to Scotland. Posing as best friends researching their next collaborative book project, they plan to seek out their not-so-illustrious host and exact a measure of justice. Not a bad plot! At least in theory. In execution, the tongue-in-cheek nature of the three authors writing as what feels like caricatures of themselves was uncomfortable and even cringe-inducing at times. I felt like the authors were hiding just off-page, watching for reactions, ready to lean forward with a wink, a nudge, and a whispered, "Did you see what I did there?

As I always ay, every book isn't for every reader--and that's okay! Fans of the cult-classic comedy film Clue! will likely adore this contemporary mystery story.