Death Comes to Marlow: The most charming and gripping cosy crime mystery novel full of twists and turns for 2023 (The Marlow Murder Club Mysteries, Book 2)

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In Death Comes to Marlow, Thorogood expertly crafts a locked-room mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s well-plotted stories. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. It’s early December 2022 and the Fairway Players are rehearsing for their latest command performance: a one-night-only production of Jack and the Beanstalk in aid of the local church’s roof repair fund. Judith isn’t super familiar with Sir Peter so she finds it odd when he invites her and even more odd when he reacts strangely to her joke of hoping no one gets murdered at his wedding. Judith barely has chance to explain Sir Peter’s surprise invitation to Becks before the genteel peace of the garden party is shattered by a loud argument among Sir Peter, his fiancée/former nurse Jenny Page, and his son Tristram.

Heavner isn’t exactly mollified when Tempe, aided by retired police detective Skinny Slidell and a host of experts, puts a name to the dead man. Marple), along with Becks the vicar’s wife, and Susie the dogwalker find themselves in a head-scratching, utterly clever country house, locked-room murder mystery. When a murder does in fact take place, Judith and her friends must investigate what seems like an impossible murder.When Judith, Suzie and Becks launch their own investigation, however, they find that just about everyone close to the aristocrat may have had a motive to kill him. It landed with a splash, readers taken with the author’s ingenious double locked-room murder mystery, which played well on one of the oldest formats in the genre. The ways the trio challenge and complement one another are not only highlights of the book but also the things that help them successfully solve the mystery.

Readers will enjoy piecing together this engaging puzzle alongside members of the Marlow Murder Club. Thorogood’s characters are vivid and companionable, the dialogue sparkles with wit, and the plot gives armchair detectives a fighting chance to solve the mystery. In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.Judith goes to speak to Howard and makes up a story about him spilling her drink at the Regatta and owing her money.