The Marlow Murder Club

Written by Robert Thorogood

Narrated by Nicolette McKenzie

The first in a stunning new series introducing the Marlow Murder Club!

‘A hugely enjoyable murder mystery written with wonderful verve, humour and compassion. Utterly delightful’ Robert Webb

‘I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ Peter James

From the creator of the BBC One hit TV series, Death in Paradise

‘Read the whole thing in one day . . . I was hooked. It had me laughing to myself all day. Would recommend' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Comedy, thrilling, suspenseful. It was a brilliant read’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A deftly plotted, funny and unexpected murder mystery . . . Highly recommended!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* * *

To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero…

Seventy-seven-year-old Judith Potts is blissfully happy. She lives alone in a faded mansion in Marlow, sets crosswords for The Times, and there’s no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink.

One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. When the local police don’t believe her story, Judith and two unlikely friends decide to investigate for themselves. Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club.

But soon another body turns up, and it seems they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. Now the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape…

* * *

Praise for Robert Thorogood

‘Agatha Christie with a modern twist’Sun

‘This brilliantly crafted, hugely enjoyable and suitably goosebump-inducing novel is an utter delight from start to finish’ HEAT

‘A hugely enjoyable murder mystery written with wonderful verve, humour and compassion. Utterly delightful’ Robert Webb

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Jan 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9780008238278

Robert Thorogood

Robert Thorogood is an English screenwriter and novelist. He is the creator of the BBC One murder mystery series Death in Paradise.

Reviews for The Marlow Murder Club

[Lisa Robinson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The characters and the whole story were well done great

[Valerie Laing · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A true delight - I loved the characters in this new (hopefully series). You do have to suspend disbelief a bit but that’s what fiction is all about and I couldn’t wait to listen to this one everyday.

[Elizabeth Rundle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love the way it was presented and the voices. Some mystery’s you can guess who did it early in the piece but I didn’t guess who the killer was correctly.

[Narelle French · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This audiobook was a laugh a minute & I often found myself laughing out loud!! The Narrator did a fantastic job with the different voices. I hope the Author continues with this new Series.

[Mari Melting · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A really enjoyable cozy mystery with some great amateur detectives. Looking forward to the next instalment.

[quirkylibrarian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely charming! This cozy but cheeky (language including a hilarious "what the fuck") mystery is anti-ageist and charming. Main character Judith is a 77 year old whisky-swilling, naked-swimming crossword writer and now amateur sleuth along with two new friends Bex and Susie. Back stories are hinted at - rounds the characters out and provides fodder for future stories. Delightful.

[bookappeal · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've been spoiled by Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series and nothing quite seems to compare. I never connected emotionally with Judith Potts. She's feisty and confident but not very likable. Judith definitely has her flaws but the friendships she develops while investigating the murder of her neighbor help humanize her and will likely improve as the series progresses. Some of the events that transpire strain belief but the actual murder mystery plot is clever and well-crafted. The audiobook narration is good with clear differences between three key female characters but Judith is voiced as impatient, caustic and judgmental, possibly more so than the text implies.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Murder Mystery set in England. Judith Potts, 77 year old woman who lives alone and swims naked in the Thames, also constructs crosswords for the Times. She witnesses a murder, contacts the police, but they don't believe her. Then, when the body appears, they start to listen to her, but are still skeptical. So, Judith starts to investigate on her own. She meets Suzie and Becks, who both help her uncover clues. This unlikely trio solves the mystery of why several people have been killed, but the real shocker is the ending of the story!Reminded me of the Thursday Murder Club series.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Judith Potts, 77, lives by herself in a house on the river she inherited in Marlow, We works as a crossword puzzle writer and is very reclusive. One evening while swimming in the river, she hears a gun shot across the river from her home. She knows that she cannot get to that side, swims back to her house and calls the police. Not satisfied when she is told the next morning that the police found nothing, Judith drives over to her neighbors home, and after a short search finds his body.Who would kill a man who was basically liked by all? But Judith knows that clues can be deceptive (crossword clues prove that) so she starts her own search for the truth. The unlikely characters, that she enlists to help her, entertain while moving the story forward. Look forward to more adventures by this trio.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Judith Potts is enjoying her nightly swim when she hears a gunshot across the river at her neighbor’s home. Unable to haul herself up the bank through the rushes, she returns home and calls the police. They find nothing amiss, but they don’t find the neighbor, either. Judith does, the next day, in his waterwheel and with a gunshot wound in his forehead. The police are reluctant to call it murder, thinking perhaps suicide, until another body shows up with the identical wound. The police are overworked and understaffed, and the detective in charge somewhat new at her job. It’s not long before Judith, already investigating, enlists the help of two other women, and this trio is approached by the detective to muster their puzzle-solving skills to work out who the killer is. It’s a lovely story, if indeed a murder mystery can be called lovely, due to the personalities of the (dare I say it!) elderly Judith, the outspoken dog walker, and the rule-abiding vicar’s wife. A more unlikely, yet thoroughly likable, trio there never was. Everything in this novel - the setting on the Thames, the well developed and real characters, and the intricate and intriguing plot - all come together to make one delicious read. Highly recommended.

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While swimming in the Thames, Judith, 77, hears gunshots at her neighbour’s house across the river. When she can’t convince the police a murder has been committed, she decides to investigate on her own. She is aided by Susie, local dog walker and Becks, the vicars wife. As their investigation continues and as the murder count rises to three, the clues seem to point in several directions, all of which lead to dead ends. Still they refuse to give up which leads them into ever more perilous positions. Can they solve the crime before one of them becomes the fourth victim?The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood was just a whole lot of fun. The story kept me entertained throughout and, if at times it put a strain on my willing suspension of disbelief, it made up for it with three of the most likeable amateur sleuths I’ve ever come across in the genre. I don’t know if this is the beginning of a new series but I hope so because I am so looking forward to see what shenanigans Judith, Susie, and Becks get up to in the future.Thanks to Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[loried_5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was exactly the type of book I was craving, and I found it thoroughly satisfying. I had not read the author's previous books (but will now), and I was delighted to get the opportunity to preview this book thanks to Netgalley. The premise reminded me of Richard Osman's wonderful Thursday Murder Club books, and it did not disappoint. The characters were fun and clever, some of the scenarios were far-fetched, but it all made for an enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book and look forward to future books.

[cathyskye · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Marlow Murder Club is just plain fun to read; I think I had a smile on my face most of the time as I read it. Robert Thorogood has created the perfect trio of amateur sleuths: each smart, each funny, each resourceful, each flawed in some way, and a force to be reckoned with when all three of them stand together.Judith Potts is one of those lovable English eccentrics who loves her whisky, shares her knowledge of crossword puzzles, and doesn't pass up an opportunity to go skinny dipping in the Thames. Becks Starling is the local vicar's wife, who has a touch of OCD (keep a tight rein on her when visiting a crime scene), plenty of useful local contacts, and really knows how to think on her feet. Suzie Harris, as a local dog walker, has her own contacts, and-- whether she realizes it or not-- is just as strong and important as the other two members of the Marlow Murder Club. These three women share their findings with Detective Sergeant Tanika Malik, who finds herself as Senior Investigating Officer of multiple murders because her superior is on sick leave. At first, the three women drive Malik batty, but she soon sees that they can be quite a help to her, and she comes up with an ingenious way to bring them on board her investigation.The Marlow Murder Club is being described as Agatha Christie-esque and compared with Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club. I think both comparisons are superficial and more wishful marketing than anything else. For me, the characterizations outshone the mystery because of its (to me) obvious plot connection to an Alfred Hitchcock movie, so as far as I'm concerned, this book is more Hitchcock than Christie-- which isn't necessarily a bad thing. As far as the Osman comparison, it's all marketing. Both books feature at least one elderly person solving a crime. For my money, Thorogood's The Marlow Murder Club is much the better choice. It keeps its focus and its humor, and the more manageable, smaller band of sleuths absolutely sparkles. I can't wait to see what happens in Marlow next.(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An unlikely trio of detectives solve three murders in the cozy village of Marlow. Judith Potts is seventy-seven and lives alone in a run-down mansion. She's content with her life, enjoying her whiskey, and setting crossword puzzles to keep her mind sharp. When Judith is out swimming nude one evening, she hears a gunshot at her neighbor's house across the river. Unable to get out of the river, she returns home and calls the police. They look around and don't find anything. The next day Judith looks around herself and finds the body of Stefan Dunwoody in the garden. Judith becomes interested in trying to solve the murder though she's discouraged by Detective Sergeant Tanika Malik. DS Malik is in over her head since her boss is out sick and their boss isn't quick to assign a more experienced investigator. So Judith begins poking around. When a second man, cabdriver Iqbal Kassam is found dead in his bed with the same sort of wound as Dunwoody, dog-walker Suzie Harris gets involved in the investigation along with Judith. And along the way, Becks Starling who is the vicar's perfectionist wife becomes part of the team. When a third murder victim is discovered, the trio spends a lot of time trying to figure out the connections between the victims and trying to prove that various suspects were guilty of the crime. I really enjoyed the various personalities of the three amateur detectives. The mystery was enjoyable too with lots of twists and turns, clues and red herrings. This was an engaging cozy mystery.

[g33kgrrl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an ok murder mystery. I admit I figured out the solution a ways out, but it was interesting to watch the characters get there. I was interested to watch the relationships between the three friends develop.The biggest problems I had with this book were that 1) it was far too long. It probably could have been cut in third and tightened up and been more successful for that and 2) the foreshadowing was more like "fore-getting-hit-on-the-head." Basically I honestly thought this was a decent first novel. I don't know about it not being a first novel...Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[kathl33n-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved everything about this book. I'd classify it as a cozy as the sleuths were amateurs, and I loved them. A motley crew thrown together through circumstances that become friends - one of my favorite tropes. The characters were really well rounded and lived in a great little town. Add to all that a pretty well done mystery and this read was definitely a winner for me! My thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Judith Potts is a seventy something, happy to be able to continue to make crosswords for the paper as she ages. She keeps a punt at her riverside home and goes out often. One night, she witnesses what may be a murder. There's art history, a possible serial killer and a couple of fine sidekicks for Judith to get to know. This seems a bit more like a traditional crime novel (think Christie) and a bit less cozy than I found the Osman books. They are definitely different, but interesting to note that both authors have backgrounds in British TV. It was a good read and excited to hear there will be another book about with this trio.

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

crosswords, small-town, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, sleuthing-seniors, sly-humor, situational-humor, verbal-humor, England, friendship, theft, cosy-mystery*****Fun!There's the puzzle maker, the dog walker, the rector's wife, and the police detective?! Judith starts the sleuthing after hearing voices and a gunshot at her neighbor's while swimming naked in the Thames (she's 77). The police disregard her but she is determined to follow up and make them listen. The detective only listens after the rector's wife pipes up, the second murder occurs, and the dogwalker joins in. This book is as much fun as the characters and has plenty of plot twists and red herrings. Loved it!I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

[smik_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have categorised this novel as "geezer lit" - a sub-genre of mystery crime fiction in which "old geezers" are the principal characters, usually as amateur sleuths. (see this link for further examples). The authors themselves often fall into the "old geezer" category too.Judith, Suzie and Becks work with a local police woman to find the murderer first of Judith's "neighbour" and then of the two subsequent murders that take place in the small Thames village of Marlow.The reading audience is probably those who are "of an age" and like their cozies. I found the story entertaining. Under the leadership of Judith, a 77 year old who likes swimming in the Thames naked on a summer's night, the trio investigate a number of suspects and commit some very audacious acts. I enjoyed participating vicariously with them