The Marlow Murder Club
Ratings62
Average rating3.5
Rating 4.25
This is in the same vane as Thursday Murder club and I enjoyed it a bit more - mainly because of the feisty 77 year old protaganist - I want to be her when I grow up.
Honestly I found this book a little boring. It was definitely a cozy mystery as opposed to a thrilling mystery, which I prefer. It's a series and I'm not sure if I want to continue reading them. I did enjoy the ending though and I love the main character Judith, she's so funny.
Overall rating: 4.5 rounded down
This was such a fun and delightful cozy mystery! Plus if you like British humor, which I really do, it is quite funny as well! Recommended for lovers of cozy mysteries, especially if you appreciate the journey as much as the destination.
I will definitely be reading the future books in this series!
While this was a mystery first and foremost, I really loved all the protagonists. There's Judith Potts the 77 year old cryptic crossword creator, Suzie the blunt dog walker, Becks the too proper wife of a Vicar and Tanika the by-the-books detective. They were flawed but loveable. I really enjoyed their found family/murder club. I loved how they pushed each other outside their comfort zones and empowered one another to take control of their lives.
I especially loved the main character Judith Potts. She was so independent, brilliant, and quite an introvert too. And just like the other members of the murder club I liked that she wasn't static, she changed throughout the book and started to let other people in.
Overall I appreciated the focus on women being brilliant, strong and empowered. I always worry about men writing women but this one I thought was done very well.
Now, onto the mystery, while I did figure out who dun it, too early on, I still enjoyed the journey very much, and the book still managed to give me a bunch of edge-of-my-seat moments. And I enjoyed the path our intrepid amateur sleuths took to solving it.
Possibly because the author is from the world of the TV, there were a lot of scenes that I could easily picture, especially the climax. I can imagine this being turned into a movie/TV series and I'd be more than happy to watch it.
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and NEtGalley for the eARC!
3.5 stars. In a very similar vein as the Thursday Murder Club, this book follows unlikely detective- 77 year old crossword creator, Judith Potts - as she attempts to solve (Miss marple style) and series of murders in her sleepy little town.
It's a fun, cosy mystery if you are looking for something lighter, and like tea (and whiskey!) with your blood shed and murder.
I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't the type of mystery/thriller book that caused any stress or anxiety while reading it. I'd describe it as cozy more than anything. I was surprised by the plot twist and how I didn't see it coming, but it felt slightly like I had been cheated. There was no way for the reader to really solve the mystery themselves, which is half the fun with a mystery novel.
In terms of criticisms, I'd say this book is definitely cheesy. The dialogue is cartoonish, and I never really felt myself getting attached to any of the characters. There were points where I found myself skimming because I simply didn't care about the minutiae, and the final chapter with the grand reveal included a monologue so incredibly long that I skipped through most of it. The most unrealistic part was that that monologue was allowed to go on for so long.
However, it was an entertaining read and if you enjoy a mystery, no matter how cheesy, then this book might be for you.