The queen of poisons is the third book in the Marlow Book club series and another great book.
We are back with Suzie, Becks and Judith. Who are now been given the title as of civilian Police advisors, helping their friend Detective Tanika Malik in investigations.
When Suzie goes to the local planning meeting in the hopes to get her planning application approved to build a pod hotel in her garden. The meeting is chaired by the local mayor Geoffery Lushington. A lovely man that gets on with everyone. But the meeting doesn’t go to plan when Geoffery ends up dead after being poisoned. The trio are helping with the investigation. Which turns out to be a complex case. Who would want to kill a man who has no enemies and tries to the right thing and gets on well with everyone? Is there more to George Lushington to what he makes us believe? Only time will tell as they further investigate.
This is another brilliant read from the author, not for just the well-crafted plot, with its twists and turns but like the sense of humour in the story too. This is a must for any cozy mystery fans. 4 stars from me.

I was so excited to receive this, the 3rd in the marlow Murder club reads, and it did not disappoint.
Suzie, Becks and Judith are back fighting crime in the town of Marlow and this time the local council are the target of the groups investigation.
Suzie with a vision of pods in her garden joins the planning meeting at the local council and a murder happens, cue the start of the investigation that takes the reader on a journey of secrets and lies from the characters within the town.
I loved this book as I did the other 2 and will be keenly awaiting further instalments
Thanks to #NetGalley and #HQstories for a chance to read this book

The third novel in the Marlow mystery series sees amateur sleuths Becks, Judith and Suzie investigate the death of a local councillor. Slow in places, a little repetitive, I enjoyed the story and being reunited with the trio of friends and Tanika the detective. Looking forward to the televised version.Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

I love this series and am thrilled that it’s going to be televised. I have a clear picture of the three ladies in my head, so I’m hoping the chosen actors match my vision. I really enjoy Mr Thorgood’s writing. The plots of Death in Paradise are the cleverest on TV and he has brought more of the same to this book. All three of these books are fabulous in their own way, but this one is my favourite because of the character growth and the unusual step of the amateur detectives being seconded as police advisors. Very, very good read.

The Marlow three are back and in fine form - Crossword compiler Judith, Suzi with her scattergun approach to detecting and Becks, vicars wife with a knack for putting people at their ease. If you’re looking for a police procedural then this isn’t the book for you. If you want a really enjoyable read, with twists, turns and red herrings galore, then this is. It’s easy to read, can make you laugh out loud and also keeps you guessing right to the end. Can’t wait for the next in the series, and also to be able to see it on the small screen soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Marlowe gang is back and from the first page I was reminded why I’d missed them and I was fully immersed in their newest mystery. The characters remain true to the characteristics that endeared them to anyone who read the first two books in the series, but they continue to grow and evolve in this book, which kept me invested in them individually and not just in whether they’d crack the newest case. The author has also once again crafted a creative and entirely different mystery than those in the previous books, avoiding the trap of a formulaic series in favor of three unique and thoroughly enjoyable books which all happen to have the same three witty, charming, shrewd main characters whose unexpected initial friendship deepens throughout the series, without shying away from their individual and shared flaws. Read this book and if you haven’t read the first two, read all three!!

A cosy murder mystery. Once again three friends, vicar’s wife Becks, crossword compiler Judith and radio presenter Suzie (who has the mother-in-law from hell staying with her) help solve a murder in Marlow. This time, the local Mayor is the victim.The crime is committed at a planning meeting. The friends think this could be relevant. But is it? Lots of twists and turns and fun to read.

The Queen of Poisons is the attention grabbing title of the third novel in The Marlow Murder Club series by Robert Thorogood.
With a series, there is always a fear that the latest addition may not live upto expectations but thankfully, within the opening pages, it is clear that the same dry witty exists and is as humorous as ever.
Becks, Suzie and Judith have become local celebrities since solving two murders in recent months.
This time around, Suzie is attending a local council meeting when a murder occurs and and of course, our intrepid amateur investigators are in the perfect place to launch their own investigation. It does help that their police contact, Tanika, has clearly decided that the only way to "manage" the trio is to work with them and she makes them civilian investigators.
And despite my best efforts, while I did guess the culprit or (culprits? ;)), I do not even come close to working out how the crime was committed. Very Agatha Christie in how all of the elements come together and there is great precision required for the elements to work.
I'm looking forward to the next outing for the trio.

It is perhaps unfair to compare the Marlow Murder Club series to Richard Osman's superlative Thursday Murder Club books, but given I read The Queen of Poisons hot on the heels of The Last Devil To Die, and that Thorogood's books are marketed in such a way to make comparisons inevitable, I can't help it. So, first, the Marlow series is not a patch on Osman's, but what could be?

However, if you are looking for well plotted books which rattle along at a fair pace, they are a fun and undemanding read (although the Murder Club's habit of investigating by simply accusing each suspect in turn and seeing what happens is getting a little tedious after three books...). That said, the actual solution to the crime, and the manner in which the Club secure a confession, is ingenious.

The latest instalment of the Marlow Murder Club has one of the trio witness a murder in the council debating chamber!

Robert Thorogood proves himself, yet again, as an expert in writing a well-clued whodunnit which is both fiendishly clever and a satisfying puzzle to try and solve.

Now the third entry in the series, we’re really getting to know the characters well. I can’t wait to see them brought to life when the TV adaptation arrives on our screens.

Oh I do love these books. Absolute joy to read. Very well written and the plot is well crafted. I love the characters- Suzie, Judith and Becks. They are a total joy to read. As is true of a lot of so called "cosy" murders, cosy being an odd word to use with murder, these books are really adept at showing humanity and people's foibles, weaknesses and strengths in all their glory.
A complete delight

Another excellent book in this great series. Light hearted and humorous in places it is such an easy read I read it in 2 sittings. Can't wait for the next instalment. I highly recommend this book and author

The mayor of Marlow, Geoffrey Lushington, dies suddenly during a town council planning meeting witnessed by Suzie - one of the three civilian advisers brought in by the police. The trio are set to investigate who could have killed him and why. Everyone agrees that he was a lovely man with no enemies. As they investigate each of the individuals at the meeting, each is found to have secrets but not necessarily a motive or means to kill.

This is the usual mixture of mystery and inspiring lucky breaks as well as lighter moments.

The characters are likeable and becoming more rounded as the series develops.

A cosy crime story with an unpredictable ending.

An enjoyable read - I look forward to number four!

This second volume in the Marlow series is highly entertaining. The 3 women are now officially helping the police with a murder investigation. The story moves along at a steady pace and the dialogue between them is pleasingly witty. Having struggled to get along with my own mother-in-law, I particularly enjoyed reading how Becks was dealing with hers! I definitely recommend this book, and am looking forward to their next investigation.

I found this a bit slow to start off with, but in the end it was a really good whodunit. There were lots of suspects and it was fun finding out their secrets.

I did find the writing a bit twee, but it's my fault for choosing a 'cosy crime' book when that's not really my cup of tea. For what it is, this was an enjoyable story.

Thank to HQ Stories and NetGalley for the ARC of The Queen of Poisons.

This is the third entry into Robert Thorogood’s Marlow murder club series featuring the wonderful Judith, Suzie and Becks. This time Tanika invites the trio to be official civilian advisors as they investigate the poisoning of Marlow’s lovable mayor, Geoffrey.

A brilliant whodunnit mystery that keeps you guessing. I think this might have been my favourite in the series to date. Well recommended for fans of the series, cosy crime and mystery readers

Book three of the Marlow Murder Club finds Judith, Suzie and Becks investigating the death of Marlow’s mayor. Geoffrey Lushington died during a council meeting and when aconite (the queen of poisons) is found in his coffee cup, it’s quickly announced as murder. The trio of civilian advisors – their previous exploits are every bit as entertaining – have free rein to interview suspects and go about police business. But it’s a case that the three are finding difficult. After all, Geoffrey was ana amenable man, unlikely to be the target of a murderer. So who is responsible? If this is dubbed cosy crime, it certainly has a jagged edge, which makes it thoroughly enjoyable.

How wonderful to be back in Marlow in the company of Judith, Suzie and Becks as they become involved in another murder. Geoffrey Lushington , the mayor , dies in suspicious circumstances while sipping his coffee at a town council planning meeting but why has the beloved mayor been murdered and which of his fellow colleagues is to blame? Acting as police advisors along side the marvellous Detective Inspector Tanika Judith, Suzie and Becks are soon discovering dark secrets and local rivalries as they work out who the guilty party is. With lots of clues and red herrings this book is a joy especially with the problems Becks is having with her mother in law who has turned up like a bad penny. I can’t wait for book four in the series and would thoroughly recommend this series to all who enjoy a ‘cosy’ murder mystery. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

The third in this developing series is just as good as the previous two instalments. The three main characters are really well developed and very believable.

As with the other books in the series, there is a clever murder to figure out. I did find the main premise of how it was committed slightly tricky to buy into, but overall it came to a satisfying conclusion.

I look forward to the next Marlow Murders book!

We are back with the Marlow Murder Club members, Judith, Becks and Suzie, and once again they are on the search for justice. It helps that they have a good friend in Detective Tanika Malik, even more so now she has a new promotion!

Suzie, with high hopes of getting some rather dubious planning approval passed, attends the local town planning meeting, of which Geoffrey Lushington is the Chair. Geoffrey is also Mayor of Marlow, a wonderful chap, no one has a bad word to say about him. In fact, he is redeemed as saintly. The other members are a mixed bag. Apart from the Chair, Suzie is at a loss to see who she can get on side to help speed up her plans. Suddenly, planning permissions and approvals are the last thing on anyone’s mind, as events take a very unexpected turn.

Another lovely book from Thorogood, he really does know how to spoil his readers. As always, there are lots of plots and red herrings, and I really didn’t see the twist coming. Written with a cheeky sense of humour and a very devious mind. Yes, there are some very convenient events, and at times it is totally mad, but so good with it.

I dislike the term “cosy read”, and often bypass books that include that description in the blurb, and though I suspect this will be billed as such, I prefer warmhearted, as it’s brilliantly written with great characters, more please!

Thank you NetGalley.