It’s murder ahoy as the Marlow Murder Club take to the Thames and pit wits against another nefarious killer in Murder on the Marlow Belle. Robert Thorogood’s cosy mysteries – which have inspired a television series starring Samantha Bond – continue to go from strength to strength, drawing on staples of bucolic British life as the inspiration for ingenious, yet relatively bloodless, crimes.

This time round, acerbic crossword setter Judith Potts, dogwalker and local radio personality Suzie Harris, and long-suffering vicar’s wife Becks Starling are engaged by Verity Beresford to investigate the disappearance of her husband, Oliver. The couple had attended a Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society (MADS) soiree aboard the Marlow Belle the night before, but Oliver failed to return home after the boat docked.

The trio of sleuths don’t have a chance to make much progress before Oliver’s body is discovered, washed up on the banks of the Thames, complete with two bullet wounds that hadn’t been there before. It seems he was killed aboard the boat before being dumped overboard, meaning that the only viable suspects are the four people who accompanied him on the jaunt and the boat’s captain.

Determined to identify the murderer and discover how the crime could have been committed without anyone aboard noticing, Judith agrees to take on a supporting role in the upcoming MADS production of The Importance of Being Earnest. With access to the suspects secured – aided by Suzie’s prior relationship with the captain of the Marlow Belle– all that’s left is to actually crack the case before the curtain rises on opening night.

The greatest strength of Robert Thorogood’s Marlow Murder Club series is his central characters. While Judith may at first seem like the kind of solitary sleuth typically seen among private detectives – where the likes of Holmes and Poirot solve crimes largely on their lonesome, only letting their hangers-on in on the details at the denouement – she actually relies heavily on Suzie and Becks to get to the a-ha! moment.

The three women form a redoubtable team, with occasional input from DS Tanika Malik, and their friendship adds welcome warmth and humour to the story. Their respective knowledge, skills, quirks and foibles complement each other, providing multiple avenues for pursuing clues and revealing red herrings, and their firm basis in reality makes their tendency to become embroiled in murder cases in one of England’s least crime-riddled locales strangely plausible.

The dialogue in Murder on the Marlow Belle is particularly strong, both among the trio of sleuths and when they are interviewing suspects, with their conversations flowing naturally while conveying subtle quips regarding people and situations they encounter. Thorogood plays on the fact that side characters frequently both underestimate the women and struggle to know how to deal with them, particularly when Judith is at her prickly, accusatory best.

Thorogood’s Marlow is also a scene-setting triumph, proving every bit as important to the story as the characters who inhabit it. Indeed, rather than serving as a mere backdrop, the Buckinghamshire town and its river are woven into the fabric of the mystery. Each book in the series has expanded the scope of Judith, Suzie and Beck’s world, and Murder on the Marlow Belle continues this by introducing the town’s theatre and life along the Thames.

The decision to have the Marlow Belle serve as the crime scene is inspired. Not only does the boat provide a closed circle of suspects reminiscent of a classic whodunit but it also captures the nostalgic, almost timeless atmosphere that characterises the best of both cosy and classic crime. This timelessness is further reflected in Thorogood’s descriptions of Marlow, with the town simultaneously being recognisably contemporary and somehow otherworldly in the quintessential Midsomer Murders way.

Moreover, the mystery at the heart of Murder on the Marlow Belle is genuinely intriguing. As the murder occurred while the Marlow Belle was cruising the Thames, with only one crew member and five passengers in its confined and rather rickety space, it seems impossible for the killing to have gone unnoticed – by those aboard and those on the shore – and then for the murderer to have disposed of both the victim and the weapon without being spotted.

The cases tackled by the Marlow Murder Club never proceed in a strictly linear fashion, but the killing of Oliver Beresford is a particularly thorny knot to unpick. Plus, once all the suspects have disembarked, their interlinking relations, secrets and motives spill over into their actions on land, meaning that not even the genteel world of the theatre is free from peril. Judith is left to dodge deadly danger while learning her lines and unmasking the guilty party.

Cosy mystery featuring middle aged/elderly lady sleuths who somehow manage to do so much better than the police at solving crimes. It was okay, I didn't really find the mystery that compelling. The ending was a surprise.

Book 4 of The Marlow Murder Club mysteries series
A fun cozy crime mystery - as you can tell by the cover, the plot centred around a crime on a boat and our murder victim is found dead in the river with gunshot wounds.
Loved the ladies friendship, as always excellent teamwork to the solve the mystery and always on top of their game.
Thanks @robertthoroughgoodwriter, @hqstories & @netgalley for the perfectly pitched, humorous cozy crime caper

‘Under the polished exteriors of so many people, there lay black hearts capable of committing murder’.

Review: This is the 4th book in The Marlow Murder Club series and Judith, Suzie and Beck once again find themselves at the centre of the latest murder to hit Marlow. Verity Beresford comes to Judith as her husband, Oliver, is missing. Soon after, his body washes up in the local river and Judith must put the pieces together to solve this mystery.

The Judith that we have learned to admire made an appearance in the last 25-30% of the book. Judith had her lightbulb moment and the reader could see that the climax was building and the story was leading to a conclusion. The last third of the book was thought out, developed and interesting. It felt like the other books in the series.

The Marlow Murder Club books have quickly become one of my favourite cozy crime series and I can’t quite believe that I have caught up with book 4 already. When the founder of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society fails to come home after a party his wife calls on Judith Potts to see if she can help find out what happened to him, after all she has quite the reputation for solving crimes. When his body is found it is quite clear that he has been murdered and its not long before Judith, Suzie and Becks are once again smack bang in the middle of the investigation whether DS Tanika Malik likes it or not.
You have to wonder why the police even bother trying to stop the group from getting involved in the investigations as it’s clear that they are going to do what they want anyway, especially Judith who seems to have removed the word no from her vocabulary when it suits her. They have a way of getting people to open up to them in a way that the police can’t, but this can also cause problems as it invariably gives them more questions than answers and more suspects to consider. With most people seemingly having an alibi for the time of the murder it looks like this time even the tenacious trio could be well and truly stumped. It was fun to see Judith out of her comfort zone, joining the latest MADS production to follow all possible leads but with Suzie sure that something is going to happen to Judith they all seem a little on edge.
I love all the twists and turns in this book, and I think that this is my favourite of the series so far probably because they were basically acting unchecked most of the time and that’s when the fun really happens. Judith, Suzie and Becks may be a bit of an odd group of friends on the surface, but they work well together, Judith is the daring one, Suzie is more acts first think later and then Becks is the voice of reason. They really are like the crazy relatives you secretly love to be around as you just never know what is going to happen next. As for what the group will get involved in next I guess I will have to wait until the next book but if the ending of this one was anything to go by, life will get interesting for at least one of them.

I'm quite late to the the party but not because I didn't love the novel, the best in the series so far ihmo. There's twists, mysteries, quirky characters, Tanika who could be at risk in the professional side.
There's a closed circile/impossible crime and an impeccable whodunnit that kept me hooked, guessing, and having a lot of fun.
Loved it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A thrilling page-turner! This latest Marlow Murder Club adventure had me hooked with its clever twists and turns. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end—totally outsmarted me! Those murder suspects had me pointing fingers in all directions. And that ending? Talk about leaving us hanging! Can't wait to see what's next for this crime-solving crew!

As a fan of Death in Paradise I was already predisposed to like Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood, the creator of said TV series!
The story’s got amateur detective trio Judith, Suzie, and Becks (all faimilar to fans of the series but new to mw) hot on the trail of a killer who murdered Oliver Beresford, the big-shot founder of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society. When his wife Verity comes knocking on Judith’s door flustered because Oliver didn’t come home after a fancy boat party on the Marlow Belle, you just know he isn’t going to turn up safe and well – well to be afir the books title is a hint in that direction!
As mentioned I wasn’t familiar with these amateur sleuths, Judith’s a crossword-crunching older lady with a wild idea and a unique perspective, Suzie nis more down to earth walking her dogs and sniffing out clues like a bloodhound in a leather jacket, and Becks juggles vicar’s wife duties with sleuthing and being the heart of her family. Together, they’re unstoppable, as is usual for this type of cozy crime book they go through alibis and red herrings like they’re in a three-legged race.
A book in the world of amateur dramatics beings its own unique set of characters There’s a diva who thinks she’s Meryl Streep, a mechanic with a chip on his shoulder, and a Hollywood star who’s slumming it back in Marlow. Everyone has something to hide, and it soon becomes clear many people had something against the victim. The book has a lot of twists and turns and when I thought I had an idea the rug was pulled from under me, but this added to the fun. The pacing’s zippy, the dialogue’s snappy, and by the end, I was ready to go back and seek out the previous books in the Marlow Murder Club series. Also no spoilers but it ended the book on a cliffhanger that now means the next book is on the tbr pile!
If you’re into cozy mysteries with heart, laughs, and a boatload of quirky charm, Murder on the Marlow Belle should maybe be your next read. As a fan of the MC Beaton books if you like those you’ll enjoy this and I didn’t feel I missed too much by not having read the previous books, though I undoubtedly will now!

When the founder of the local Am Dram Society turns up dead, it is going to be something of a drama for three friends Judith, Becks and Suzie to solve this crime in the fourth of this instalments.

Oliver had plenty of people who wanted him dead and many secrets are tumbling out about the theatre group. Of course the three ladies stumble and bumble around much to the annoyance of the police and especially DI Tania Malik who appreciates their work but not their methods.

But despite their methods, they do solve the case and reinforce that their mismatched skills are very much needed in Marlow.

Well plotted, fun and quick witted, the perfect antidote to some of the more darker crime books out there.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for review!

Its suffice to say that I love this series and characters. Each instalment has me gripped and reading it non stop! The mystery in this one kept me on my toes and had some really good plot twists that had me gasping. I love Judith, Suzie and Becks. They are a great cast of characters who each complement each other so much. I could read loads more of these books and wouldn't get bored. I'm excited for the next instalment.

This was a great read and I can quite see why the series has already been adapted for TV. A great cast of characters and an interesting plot, read it before TV spoils it for you!

The fourth offering in the highly enjoyable Marlow Murder Club series where our intrepid gaggle of amateur sleuths find themselves at the heart of another murder mystery this time involving the local am dram society. I love this easy reading whodunnit series.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.

In the fourth book of The Marlow Murder Club, the trio of amateur detectives – Judith, Suzie, and Becks are back, and this time they are trying to solve the murder of Oliver Beresford, founder of the local Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society (MADS).

Oliver’s wife raised the alarm about her missing husband to Judith and asks for her help in finding him. Not long after, the call comes in that a body has been found in the river. Oliver had been shot and killed, and it looks like it happened whilst members of MADS were enjoying a pleasure cruise together.

However, the three women have to do their sleuthing in secret, as DS Tanika Malik, who they usually help out, is under scrutiny and can’t have the women involved this time.

Murder on the Marlow Belle is another tremendous book in an already fabulous series, which has now been turned into a TV drama. Judith, Suzie, and Becks are all at their best, and even though they have been told not to get involved, they just can’t help themselves, as solving murders is what they are good at.

The list of suspects is long and a good amount of red herrings have weaved into the story. Fingers are pointed aplenty, and nearly everyone had a motive for wanting Oliver dead, as he wasn’t a well-liked man.

The book is certainly a page-turner, and I didn’t want to put it down once I had begun. Judith’s sharp tongue and stubbornness were ever-present, which makes for entertaining reading. The plot thrilled me and had me eager to discover who the murderer was and why. I now can’t wait for book five in the series.

I love the Marlow Murder Club, and these books just keep getting better and better, this time the drama unfolds in the amateur dramatics society which culminates in death on the high seas, or in this case on the Thames River aboard the newly refurbished Marlow Belle. Fast and furious reading awaits all who climb aboard.

In "Murder on the Marlow Belle," the author, Robert Thorogood, does an excellent job of creating a classic mystery with a fun twist that makes the story even more exciting. The group of suspects in this tale is especially intriguing; each character has their own unique quirks, hidden secrets, and motives. This diverse cast of characters keeps readers guessing, as their true natures are revealed bit by bit, leading to a thrilling conclusion.

The plot is cleverly crafted, filled with misleading clues and surprising turns that keep you engaged throughout. What may seem simple at first often becomes much more complicated as the story unfolds. Thorogood's skillful pacing builds suspense, making it hard to put the book down.

What really makes this novel stand out is not only its complicated plot but also the colorful characters and the charming setting of Marlow. The three main characters—Judith, Suzie, and Becks—are relatable and endearing, each bringing their own experiences and charm to the investigation. Their friendship adds depth to the story, as they tackle the mystery together, mixing in humor and light moments that balance out the darker themes.

Marlow itself is depicted as a beautiful and quaint town, with its lovely streets and cozy spots creating a perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama. The town's inviting atmosphere contrasts nicely with the seriousness of the murder, making readers feel as if they're right there, wandering along the riverbanks and picking up on the neighborhood gossip that might uncover the truth.

"Murder on the Marlow Belle" is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries. It has a great mix of suspense, humor, and heartwarming interactions that create a delightful reading experience. With its smartly crafted story, engaging characters who feel like old friends, and the charming atmosphere of Marlow, this book is sure to resonate with readers and leave them excited for more adventures from the Marlow Murder Club.

Another solid episode in this series and with a cliffhanger ending! I love the ladies, they are all very believable characters. Judith didn’t rely quite so much on her past skills. The final chapters were a triumph - exactly what Judith would do. Looking forward to the next episode.

Fourth in the series and the fourth I’ve read. Like the previous three, this is an excellent whodunnit in the classic mould, albeit with a distinctly dramatic denouement! Our three musketeeresses (I’m sure at least two of them would approve of traditional feminine endings) battle through to the final solution via veritable creels of red herrings. Thoroughly entertaining as always. I’ll enjoy looking out for the likely TV version - there are lots of mouth-watering visual possibilities in the locations. And talk about a cliff-hanging ending…

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ books for a proof copy. Much appreciated and enjoyed.

This is the fourth book in the series, but worked well as a standalone book. I would have preferred to read the previous books as I would have had a better understanding of the main characters, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
I am one of the few people who couldn’t even finish the first Richard Osman book as I thought it was so dire, and I was concerned this would be in the same vein but thankfully that was not the case.

A quick but entertaining read 4*

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy and return for an honest review.

Another great read in this wonderful series and such a cliff hanger at the end so, we know there's another one to come. Soon I hope. I love these women their friendship and ability to work out the clues before the police. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A wonderful read! Another fabulous instalment in the Marlow Murder Club series. This one really gets the brain going with the ins and outs and topping and going around who did it. I have to say, it beat me, I didn’t guess who the murderer was. I can’t wait for the next book, quite a cliff hanger at the end.

Thank you Netgalley