This is the second book in the series. I loved the friendship elements in the book. The characters are interesting. The pacing is spot on. Perfect for Agatha Christie fans

With thanks to the author, publishers Michael Joseph and Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

An enjoyable retelling of the classic locked room mystery, this is a more than worthy follow up to the first instalment in the series.

This book contains all the thrills and spills of the first but again with plenty of humour thrown in, so that the murderous storyline never gets too heavy while it develops at pace. That being said, the storyline has no real connection to that of the first, and so easily stands on its own as a novel, with its abundance of plot twists that keep the reader guessing right to the end.

In my review of the first instalment I favourably compared it to the Thursday Murder Club series, and this comparison equally applies here. As in that other series, this author’s ability to write warm and likeable, but equally layered and interesting characters for the reader to become attached to is beyond question, and I for one cannot wait for the third instalment!

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I was unsure I’d enjoy this as much as I remembered enjoying the first book as I wondered if I’d over inflated it in my mind. But no, this world of wonderful, flawed, brilliant women solving murders was exactly what I needed from a cosy mystery.

Judith is not always likeable but she is fantastic 😂 there are a few things that are mildly implausible at best (not least the level of police cooperation from Tanika), but other than that I had a great time throughout. The characters seem more realistic and less outlandish than others I’ve read in cosy crime, and the mystery (and the ladies sticking their noses in) ticked along nicely. I do think the solution was a little convoluted but I had a lot of fun getting there.

That all said it did lose marks for that dig at chocolate oranges, I was outraged ;)

3.75 stars

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good cosy mystery and this is a great example of one!

Death Comes to Marlow is the second book in the Marlow Mystery Club series, a vaguely crossword-themed cosy mystery series focused around an elderly woman named Judith and her two friends. On the day before Sir Peter's wedding, Judith is asked to come investigate and things soon take a dark turn when he is crushed by a wardrobe. The police are convinced it was an accident but Judith isn't so sure, and she's determined to find out the truth.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. I'm not a huge fan of cosy mysteries as a rule, but occasionally I do like to read one as they do a better job of capturing the tone of older murder mysteries than the modern thriller. This book is a great example of how to do the formula right. The characters are likeable and intriguing, the set pieces are lovely and picturesque and the plot is engaging enough. I particularly liked the heart this book has. The ending is very strong and it was lovely to get those periodic moments of seeing the characters just unwind or do 'cosy' things.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book if you're a fan of the genre. It was a lot of fun and I am excited for the next one!

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

While I did not enjoy this book as much as the first in the series, it is still a classic cosy crime with hints of Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage. Occasionally, I felt as though the characters had changed their personalities from when we saw them in the first book and wonder if this has anything to do with the forthcoming adaptation. Pleasant, but nothing special.

Yet again a great book by this author!! I loved The Marlow murder club and this second book was just what I expected, fun, interesting with a great set of characters that we got to know in the first book and learn to like and appreciate.
Judith is obviously at her best and with her two friends, steps up to the challenge and helps to solve again a murder mystery with her observation skills and intelligence.
Loved it, can't wait for the next book.

I love the way Robert Thorogood writes his characters, I build such a vivid picture of them in my mind. This second book in The Marlow Murder Club series is just as good as the first one. Great plot that’s easy to follow and lots of humour throughout. I also enjoy the thorough explanation of how the murder is committed. I would love to find out more about our main protagonist Judith Potts. She is quite a mysterious lady and I hope we continue to get little snippets of information about her past as the series progresses. I will certainly be continuing with it.

An engrossing closed room mystery! A year after their last adventure as The Marlow Murder Club, life has returned to normal for Judith, Suzie, and Becks. The trio are invited for drinks to celebrate the eve of the wedding of Judith's friend Sir Peter to his fiancé/ former nurse Jenny Page. During the course of the evening, a large bang brings everyone running to Sir Peter's study. The room is locked. Sir Peter has been crushed to death by a large wardrobe, with the only key residing in his pocket. The police are not treating it as suspicious, with the exception of Tanika, who has been moved to filing the evidence now that her superior has returned. She turns to the trusted ladies of The Marlow Murder Club to help follow the clues and uncover the truth. I listened and read along on ebook and thoroughly enjoyed following the clues. The audiobook is expertly narrated by Nicolette McKenzie and makes you feel like one of club joining in with the search for clues. There was one vital clue inserted early on that I missed, so I was guessing throughout! I absolutely love the humour and banter between Judith, Suzie and Becks and their interactions with others. Some of the witty retorts had me laughing out loud. A thoroughly enjoyable read and one of my favourite mystery series of all time, I cannot wait for Book 3: The Queen of Poisons, due for publication in January 2024. With thanks to Poosoned Pen Press, Robert Thorogood, and Netgalley #deathcomestomarlow #robertthorogood #netgalley

I was looking forward to entering this series again having enjoyed the first book. It’s a well written book with fun characters who have great relationships and the mystery was just as fun as before. Unfortunately I think I am more into heavy, bleaker crime novels compared to when I read the first one, so it wasn’t completely for me but would definitely recommend for those into cosy crime.

A fun read! The story follows on well from the first book, which I really enjoyed. It was great to be back with Judith, Becks, and Suzie, although I feel like in this book we got a bit more of Judith rather than the group which I didn’t prefer. The story was intriguing and even though I thought the killer was predictable, the mystery surrounding the method kept me guessing until the reveal! Overall a great read and I would definitely reccomend this series, especially if you like Richard Osman’s books. Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the arc :)

Thank you to the team at @harpercollinsuk for sending me a digital copy of the second book in this series. I loved the first - The Marlow Murder Club - so I had high hopes for this one… it didn’t disappoint 😍 I finished this book in a few days, I lapped it up! The chapters were fast paced, the dialogue was seamless, the plot had twists and turns and I couldn’t get enough. I love the fact that the three ladies are so very different from each other, and yet they work so well together, each playing to their strengths. It’s pure team work, but the power of Judith is amazing - I just love her!

i love death in paradise so i could not wait to get my teeth into this!
i loved the characters and how the friendships are between them. the plot is so well put together and the twists keep you reading.
i was only planning to read a couple of chapters before i went to bed but i ended up reading it all.
this book is for agatha christie and richard osman fans.

I've long been a fan of Robert Thorogood, since his name first graced my screens via Death in Paradise and, more recently, Beyond Paradise. But this book, second in the Marlow Murder Club series, takes his signature combination of crime and comedy to the next level. You cannot fail to love the somewhat cavalier yet charming characters, the idyllic setting, and the convincing plot. I'm aware that this series is often compared to another series, but this is far superior - no doubt driven by Thorogood's extensive experience in plotting for screen, which pays dividends in this delightfully pitched tale. Highly recommended for all who enjoy cosy crime.

One of my favourite new cosy series about a disparate group of women living in a town beside the Thames and investigating murders. Judith, Becks and Susy came together in the first series when an art dealer was murdered, and are join together again this time to investigate the death of Sir Peter, one of the local gentry, who, on the day of his pre-wedding drinks party, dies under a cabinet full of scientific curiosities in a locked room. Did he suspect something untoward was going to happen when he called Judith and personally invited her?

While the police don’t believe it was murder - at least, not all of them - until they do, the ladies put on their sleuthing hats and set out to solve the puzzle. Among the clues and red herrings, is a puzzle that Judith set out to solve - who is sending messages in the weekly newspaper crossword puzzle?

Although the mystery got a little bit lost in this one, the series is definitely one that keeps my attention for the most part and keeps me reading. Definitely one I will continue to follow, especially as the reveals are very cleverly done and the mystery well-plotted and paced. Recommended!

This was an enjoyable sequel in The Marlow Murder Club series and as ever was an excellent whodunnit that kept me guessing. I look forward to seeing where the series goes next.

Loved this second instalment of the Marlow Murder Club! As the gang solves yet another mystery, you cannot help but be gripped and dragged into the story. Funny, quirky and unputdownable!

I really enjoyed being back with these characters and seeing how they have changed since the first book.

Following the three amateur sleuths as they investigate a locked door mystery was fun and interesting. I love the cozy feel of this series and can't wait to read the next book.

This is the second book in the Marlow Murder Club series. If you love cosy “who done it” mysteries you will really enjoy this series. I couldn’t wait to read about Judith, Suzie and Becks‘ next murder investigation and it didn’t disappoint, they are all great, individual characters. I did guess early on but I then kept changing my mind as there were lots of red herrings, but the ‘how’ really surprised me. I hope there will be another book in this series as I can’t wait to meet up with the girls again. Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for letting me read and review this book.

Becks, Judith and Suzie just make me laugh. Brilliant, funny, clever and just a little bit silly. I live very close to Marlow and these ladies feel like old Marlovians, although I couldn't imagine swimming in the river. A light hearted bit of escapism for all.

Judith, Suzie and Becks are a formidable trio, now with the confidence of a previously solved murder case. Set in a rural village and Georgian mansion, it has all the necessary components of an English country novel. I highly recommend this book, and can’t wait for the next in the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️