The Marlow Murder Club

Starred review from March 7, 2022
Judith Potts, the 77-year-old protagonist of this witty series launch from British author Thorogood (A Meditation on Murder), enjoys the occasional nude swim in the Thames, which runs past her mansion on the outskirts of the town of Marlow. One evening while out for a dip, Judith hears a gunshot coming from the vicinity of her neighbor Stefan Dunwoody’s garden. She calls the police, who do a cursory check and conclude there’s no cause for alarm. Incensed at their lackadaisical approach, she decides to investigate and finds Stefan with a bullet hole in his forehead. Other murders with the same m.o. that follow suggest a serial killer is on the loose. Judith is joined in her detecting pursuits by no-nonsense dog walker Suzie Harris; Becks Starling, the vicar’s efficient if insecure wife; and Det. Sgt. Tanika Malik, who, due to budget cuts, leads the police investigation rather than a more experienced officer. How these women of a certain age unite to solve the crime is as entertaining and intriguing as the fair play mystery itself. The way the characters evolve as their relationships grow sets this light mystery above the pack. Agent: Ginger Clark, Ginger Clark Literary.

September 1, 2022

The latest mystery from Thorogood, creator and screenwriter of the popular BBC mystery series Death in Paradise and author of novels based on the show, features a heartwarming trio of resourceful women as amateur detectives. A cryptic crossword writer by trade, 77-year-old Judith Potts lives alone in a grand, albeit incredibly cluttered, mansion on the banks of the River Thames in Marlow, a town northwest of London. When Judith's neighbor is shot, she refuses to accept the police explanation of suicide, especially as more murders soon follow. After meeting dog walker Suzie Harris and vicar's wife Becks Starling during the course of her investigation, Judith convinces them to join her search for the killer. Expertly varying her pitch and accents when portraying the three very different women, narrator Nicolette McKenzie vividly evokes these marvelously drawn women "of a certain age," who are frequently underappreciated and made to feel invisible by their families and society. McKenzie's relaxed pacing allows listeners to appreciate the many humorous scenes as well as the rich character development and growing friendship among the three women. VERDICT Cozy mystery fans will be lining up for the next series installment.--Beth Farrell

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