by Lorie Lewis Ham

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

When asked to review The Marlow Murder Club I was told if you love Only Murders In the Building, you will love this book—well I definitely LOVE that show so I decided to give it a try. What I didn’t realize is that the author was actually someone whose work I was already very familiar with. Robert Thorogood is the creator and writer of the BBC/Britbox TV mystery show Death in Paradise, which is a favorite of mine. When I made that connection, I was even more excited to read the book, and I was not disappointed.

The first character we meet in the book is Judith Potts. She is 77 years old, lives alone, and is perfectly happy doing so—or at least that is what she tells herself. She keeps busy by setting crossword puzzles for newspapers—it also helps keep her mind sharp. One night she goes out for a swim in the Thames and witnesses the murder of her neighbor, Stefan Dunwoody. The police don’t believe her so she ends up going over there to check for herself and finds that he has been shot.

The police still won’t take her seriously, so she sets out to investigate on her own and is soon joined by Suzie, who is a dog walker, and Becks, the wife of a local vicar. An unlikely trio, they are determined to find out who killed Judith’s neighbor and two other people whose murders they are certain are connected. Along the way, they learn that their little town has a lot of secrets! Acting SIO DS Tanika Malik finds herself out of her depth investigating these murders and ends up reluctantly accepting their help.

The Marlow Murder Club is a delightful and well-plotted traditional British mystery with many surprising twists along the way. It is filled with interesting and unique characters and set in a quaint British town. While there are moments that have you on the edge of your seat, the three unlikely sleuths also provide some light and funny moments, and the friendship that grows between them is sweet. I could definitely see this series as a TV show in the future, and Robert obviously has the experience to pull it off. I understand that another book in the series is coming out later this year and I can’t wait!

To enter to win a copy of The Marlow Murder Club, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “marlow,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 23, 2022. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If you are entering via email please include you mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Lorie Lewis Ham is our Editor-in-Chief and a contributor to various sections, coupling her journalism experience with her connection to the literary and entertainment worlds. Explore Lorie’s mystery writing at Mysteryrat’s Closet. Lorie’s latest mystery novel, One of Us, is set in the Tower District of Fresno and the world of community theatre!

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.