The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Joe Nichols is a charming cozy mystery set in Santa Barbara, California. The story takes place in The Marigold Cottages,a small community where the landlady, Mrs. B, rents her cottages only to people she likes. The residents of these quirky Doll House Bungalows form an eclectic group, each with their own unique secrets.
When a murder rocks the community and one of the renters is arrested, Mrs. B steps in and confesses to the crime.
This prompts the residents to band together and form the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective, determined to clear her name. I really enjoyed the multi-layered storytelling, with the plot unfolding through several points of view. It gave me a real sense of the characters’ individual personalities and their secrets.
There's a wonderful found-family element at work here and the community grows closer as they tackle the mystery, and I found that both heartwarming and unexpectedly twisty. The mix of characters is varied and interesting. The ending is satisfying, with everything nicely wrapped up.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I loved this book. It’s a cozy mystery, but with some actual suspense. Until the very last page, I had no idea what had happened! I thought all the characters. Had a lot of depth and interest. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC. This might have been my favorite book of the year!

Book Review: An Irresistibly Cozy, Murder-Infused Ensemble Drama



Jo Nichols’ debut mystery is a sun-drenched cocktail of chaos and charm, served with a twist of homicide and a generous garnish of humanity. Set not in the foggy dales of rural England, as the tone might first suggest, but rather in the golden sprawl of Southern California, The Marigold Cottages mystery channels the genteel sleuthing spirit of Miss Marple with a cast that feels plucked straight from any quirky modern-day detective television romp.



At the center of this peculiar narrative is Mrs. B—a landlady with a fiercely selective heart and a penchant for taking in tenants who are not just renters, but chosen family. Her cottage community, the Marigold Cottages, is a mosaic of human oddities: a formerly incarcerated man seeking redemption, a reclusive artist and her children, a haunted stalking survivor, a secretive tenant guarding unspoken truths, and an agoraphobe whose internal world is as rich as the one he avoids. What binds them? Initially, only proximity—and then, murder.



When a body turns up just three weeks after Anthony, the aforementioned ex-con, arrives, the natural scapegoat is obvious. But Nichols flips the classic whodunit on its head with a delightfully bold confession: Mrs. B claims responsibility. And from there, the plot blooms into a full-fledged amateur detective caper with the tenants turning from eccentric neighbors to reluctant sleuths.



Stylistically, Nichols’ prose snaps with wit and warmth. The dialogue dances. The characters speak with the kind of clipped realism that carries just enough theatricality to be fun without veering into caricature. Though the murder mystery is structurally solid—well-paced, satisfying in its reveals—it’s the human drama that lingers. The real stakes aren’t just in the killer’s identity, but in how this group of misfits finds connection, catharsis, and in some cases, the courage to begin again.



It’s a dynamic reminiscent of Only Murders in the Building—but with the added zest of Nichols’ own voice, which knows exactly when to lean into humor and when to let emotion rise to the surface. There’s an undeniable affection for each character, flaws and all, and that love radiates from every page.



In short, The Marigold Cottages is less about crime scene analysis and more about belonging. It’s a cozy mystery that doesn’t try to reinvent the genre but rather reinvigorates it with warmth, intelligence, and just enough madness to keep things interesting.

Mrs. B has accumulated a rather unusual group of tenants in her rentals....and now someone ended up dead. The officer is sure that the newly released parolee, Everyone has secrets and the 80 year old landlady confesses to the crime. Definitely a great story for a light and quick read.

Very cute story! I enjoyed the characters. Wondering if it will be a series.? Seemed a little long, I felt like it could have been a bit shorter. Some things did not seem relevant in my
Oppinion.

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective is a light, cozy mystery set in beautiful Santa Barbara.
The Marigold Cottages have an eccentric group of tenants. When Sophie finds a body in the hedge, the tenants investigate. It is an intriguing mystery. Working together really makes the tenants into a community.
A very enjoyable read. I don’t usually like different POVs but it works very well in this book.

Jo Nichols' The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective was a welcome change from the dark, twisty, angst-filled stories I've been reading lately. Similar to Only Murders in the Building, the eccentric residents of the Marigold Cottages band together to solve not one but two murders that have occurred on their property. While I wanted to solve the murder mystery, I was more vested in the outcome for each of the residents: Mrs. B, the motherly landlady; Anthony, the newly arrived ex-con; Nicholas, the secretive tenant of the nicest cottage; Sophie, the victim of stalking; Lily-Ann, the artist, and her two kids; and Hamilton, the agoraphobe. Through snappy dialogue we learn more about this dissimilar group and how they are drawn together to solve the murders and ultimately put their lives on a positive trajectory. I sincerely hope that Jo Nichols is in the process of writing another novel. I will be the first in line to purchase it!

The tenants of Marigold Cottages are a lovely collective of people, gathered by the landlady, Mrs. B. Members of the collective include: Sophie, a fragile young adult who dreams of writing plays, Ocean, a single mother of two kids, Lily-Ann, whose has extreme OCD, Hamilton, a homebody who spouts factoids, Nicholas, who works for the city and finally the newest member, Anthony, an ex-con. When a dead body is discovered at the cottages, Anthony is arrested for the murder. However, Mrs. B is convinced of his innocent and will do anything to get him out of jail including confessing herself. Soon, all the tenants are joining Mrs. B in trying to solve the murder.

This was such an enjoyable book, I read it in a day. I absolutely adored the characters and the inter-actions between them. Their quirks, flaws are apparent yet everyone is respected and cared for and by each tenant. Mrs. B is the glue that holds the community together, and each tenant plays their part of the community to include the kids. A good mystery, I thought I had it figured out but was proven wrong but in a fun way! If you enjoy cozy mysteries, don’t pass this one by, delightful, comforting and oh so enjoyable.

Golda Bakofsky, widow, owns the Marigold Cottages, six craftsman style buildings. Mrs. B rents them out to people that she feels need a helping hand. There is Nicholas, who avoids Mrs. B. Hamilton, who never leaves his house. Lily Ann, separate from her husband. Ocean with her two children and divorced from her wife. Sophie, fragile and afraid. And the last tenant is Anthony, tattooed with a criminal past. When a dead man is found on the property, the detective in charge looks no further than Anthony and takes him in.
Mrs. B is certain that he is innocent and gets the other tenants to try and figure out who murdered the man. When another man is murdered and Anthony is again suspected, Sophie and the others present to the detective, evidence and a viable suspect.
A highly entertaining murder mystery with quirky but lovable characters that work together to solve their problems and keep Marigold Cottages their safe haven.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this e-galley of "The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective".

A charming village-style mystery with a quirky, found-family vibe. When shady real estate dealings stir up secrets at the Marigold Cottages, it’s up to a motley crew of neighbors to solve not one, but two murders. Told from multiple POVs (favorites: Lily-Ann, Vernon, Ocean), the story mixes cozy intrigue with heart. Think Hallmark Mystery meets community theater—complete with a playwright subplot. Light, engaging, and full of warmth. I’d happily return for another visit.

A fun cozy mystery filled with a wonderful community of characters that support and protect each other in the face of not one, but two murders. I had a great time reading this and recommend it to those who love a good murder mystery.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.

Solid 4.5 🌟

What a fun read! Relatable characters, a little romance and a mystery that runs from the beginning to the very last page! You may think you know what happened at Marigold Cottages but you really don't.

I really like this book! I kind of thought I had it all figured out but then it was not the way I thought it would be!! I loved all the characters and how they all worked together. Great book and a fun read.
Thank you Sara from St. Martin's Publishing Group for the email offer the book. Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of the book.

This one was even better than I expected! Smartly written, close to the vest, and I didn’t guess the ending. The dialogue was quick and straightforward, and I especially loved the sly voice of Mrs. B, who had some great lines.

The characters were the quirky bunch you’d expect from a book like this, and it was interesting to see their motivations unfold. 4.5 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I'm so, so happy to have read this book. I laughed, I cried, I kept guessing until the end.

This is a cozy mystery set in a small community in Santa Barbara, CA. The residents all have some idiosyncracies, but they all have big hearts. When a murder occurs in the midst of their cottages, they need to figure out who the killer is before the newest neighbor (and recently paroled ex-con) can be railroaded.

This story was so full of hope and love even in the midst of some of the dark parts of life. I don't know if this will be a series, but I do know that if it is, I will definitely be reading all future installments. This was such a pleasure.

Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.

This was pure cozy murder mystery gold. Think The Thursday Murder Club meets Only Murders in the Building but make it beachy, warm, and wonderfully weird. Speaking of I can see this making a great series on Hulu, Netflix, or Prime.

Every character is delightfully annoying and lovable, and I swear I’ve lived next to each of them at some point in my life. The rotating POVs actually worked (shocking, I know), and I never once felt lost or bored.

I fell for every red herring, questioned everyone, and still couldn’t solve the case which, in my opinion, is exactly how a good mystery should go. Cozy? Absolutely. Predictable? Not at all.

Someone please give this book a full cast audio adaptation. (4.5 rounded up to 5)

Imagine a small town where everyone knows your name... and your business. Now, add in a group of unlikely amateur detectives, a charming neighborhood full of secrets, and a murder mystery that just won’t stay buried. Welcome to The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective.

Jo Nichols crafts a delightfully quirky, suspenseful tale that had me hooked from the first chapter. The characters are an absolute joy—each one bringing their own flair to the group of would-be sleuths, who manage to make even the darkest mysteries feel lighthearted and fun. There’s a perfect balance of cozy vibes and thrilling intrigue, making this one of those books you’ll want to curl up with and devour in one sitting.

If you love small-town charm, a good whodunit, and characters who feel like they could be your neighbors (or your best friends), then this is your next must-read. It’s a heartwarming and thrilling ride all rolled into one.

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective is a solkid bit of fun reading.

A corpse is found on the grounds of their small bungalow community & the residents are suspects and suspicious of their fellow neighbors. This was a quick & easy read that kept my interest throughout. I enjoyed the quirky (but not too quirky) characters and their interactions. The mystery was well done & I'm hopeful that Jo Nichols will give us a new story with this same cast.

I was not expecting to love this cozy mystery! It kept me guessing - great writing style and good pacing! Loved the multi POV. Overall, a great read!!

I so thoroughly enjoyed this whodunnit, cozy mystery style story. This was such a fun and sweet story, and I enjoyed the multi-person POV more than I expected! You'll get to know these lovable characters at the same time the story and mystery is unfolded, and if you're in need of a beach read you can't put down, pick this book up!