I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ in exchange for an honest review.
I am somewhat of a novice when it comes to the 'cosy mystery' genre. I'm not even really sure what qualifies something as cosy vs an actual murder mystery, but however you class The Marlow Murder Club, it stands out as a really enjoyable story.
Judith is an elderly woman with a talent for crossword puzzles. When she hears her neighbour shot dead out on the river by their house, she takes it upon herself to investigate. Soon she gains two companions in the form of Becks, the lovely but prim vicar's wife, and Suzie, the rambunctious down to earth dog walker. Together they begin to investigate a crime involving art, rowing, mysterious medals and many intriguing suspects.
I was delighted with how well this book is written. I've not read anything by this author previously and I didn't realise he was behind the Death in Paradise fame until after I'd finished this book, but I can absolutely tell he is a master at a good murder mystery. There is nothing particularly showy here but this is a solid and interesting mystery told at the perfect pace with some wonderful characters serving as our protagonists. I loved the unique dynamics between the three women and how each of them brought something different to the table. Their dialogue and personalities felt very natural and I could believe they would be friends and would be brought together in this way.
There's not much else I can say about this book except for that if you like cosy mysteries, you should definitely give this a go. It reminded me a lot of Agatha Raisin but with a stronger emphasis on the actual plot and a bit less ridiculous characters. I would happily read a whole series about these characters and I sincerely hope that a sequel will be out soon.
Overall Rating:
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