This is the 4th book in the Marlowe Murder series featuring Judith and her friends Suzie and Becks who solve murders. in their home town of Marlowe.. In this story, the local drama group take a boat ride down the Thames and one of their number, their director, dies. In this adventure, Judith is warned by Tanika, the police officer she has collaborated with before, that she must not investigate the case as he has her boss has forbidden it but Judith persists until the case is solved. This is a light-hearted cozy murder mystery which owes a lot to the Thursday Murder Club but lacks the same sharp humour and creative plotting. I enjoyed reading it as a gentle, bedtime book but wasn't clown away by it.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

The 4th book in the Marlow Murder Club series and one I enjoyed just as much as the others. Judith, Suzie and Becks are back in action "helping" DI Malik with her investigations into a murder where all the suspects have alibis......

Oh what a pleasure to read another of these glorious books. And since the first book has been on tv you can visualise the characters and even ‘hear’ them speaking.
Oliver Beresford had hired the Marlow Belle for a cruise with the MADS (Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society) but he can’t be found and his wife turns up on Judith’s doorstep saying he hadn’t come home. Then his body is found floating in the Thames with two bullet holes.
Judith, Becks and Suzie get on the case but nothing is what it seems. Even the painter on the river bank is not what she seems.
I love these books. More please, more

Judith, Becks and Suze are back in the midst of the action . When there is a murder on a boat Judith inserts herself into the investigations and ends up joining MADS ( the amateur dramatic society) she also manages to get a part in The importance of being Earnest. Can Judith and friends solve the murder before someone catches up with them. Another great read always entertaining

What a delight to return to Marlowe and the exploits of Judith, Suzie and Becks as they attempt to solve another murder. As a group of amateur dramatics embark on a cruise does the river little do they know that one of them will not return. Once again these quirky characters get stuck into the action much to the dismay of the local police, and we learn more of their back stories which leave us on a cliffhanger at the end of the novel for one of them. Plenty of red herrings and misdirection makes this book once again a thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to the next in the series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for a honest review.

I think I might finally have had enough of the company of Judith, Suzie and Becks, fun though they can undoubtedly be. In Murder on the Marlow Belle, Robert Thorogood's fourth novel to feature the triumvirate, I became irritated by their inability to leave the police to get on with the investigation. That's not to say that the plot isn't engaging. It is. And the other characters are interesting too. So, if you can live with the the-police-are-too-inept-to-solve-crime and interfering-in-a-police-investigation-doesn't-lead-to-being-charged elements I think you'll enjoy this very much.

Ths is book four of the series and was fun and enjoyable.

I didn't enjoy it as much as the other series as it felt a bit obvious however I loved the gang being back together. And I'm excited to see what happens after the cliff hanger!

Thanks for the arc.

Judith, Suzie and Becks have a well-earned reputation as successful amateur sleuths, so it's no surprise that Verity seeks Judith out when her husband mysteriously goes missing. What follows is an increasingly complex mystery as the small number of suspects have alibis in what amounts to a closed-room mystery. This story has an added complication, which means the friends must investigate secretly. Despite the murder, this story has many humorous moments, and the dynamic between the three women is believable and relatable. I like the female protagonists, the complex and twisty mystery and the contrasting humour that ensures this is an engaging, cosy mystery.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A welcome return to the Marlowe Murder Club. A well plotted, locked room style murder mystery with a much disliked victim and a large cast of interesting suspects. The usual cooperation with the police is absent and the amateur detectives have less information to work with but the humour remains along with an unexpected solution. Recommended.

The wife of the founding member of Marlow Amateur Dramatics Society approaches Judith (crossword setter) to say she hasn’t seen her husband since last night. Together they discover his body has been found with two bullet holes in it. It’s time for Judith and her crime solving buddies Suzie (dog walker) and Becks (Vicars wife) to get their heads together and solve this, well after navigating lots of dead ends and being thrown off the scent by red herrings.

I adore this series, the characters, the humour and the pace are all perfectly pitched. As a big cosy crime fan I would even be happy if there was no crime to solve just spending time with the three friends would be more than enough. Long may the series continue.

#murderonthemarlowbelle #robertthorogood #marlowmurderclub

Murder on the Marlow Belle features the local amateur dramatic group, whose founder member is found dead the morning after a river cruise with the group's most famous former member. And it has the bonus of one of the characters being called Verity, which is always fun, although Veritys don't have a great record in murder mysteries - Verity is after all the victim whose murder Miss Marple is trying to solve in Nemesis. I've read and enjoyed the first three books in this series so it was great to be back with the gang as they solve another murder. I find these very easy to read and less obviously comic than the tv adaptation of book one was - or in fact the Death in Paradise tv series that Thorogood also developed. Among the multitudes of series that have popped up (seemingly) as comps for the Thursday Murder Club, this series is one of the better options.

Book 4 in the Marlow murder club series.
These books are best read as a series rather than standalones as the backstory gets smaller which each new book.
I love this series and the latest book is no exception, I love how Judith’s mind works and how much she does at her age! Her friendship with Suzie and Becks is hysterical aswell and the storylines always bring plenty of drama and humour.
There is always a background story going on with one of the main trio too which just brings so much realism to an otherwise unbelievable storyline.
Marlow seems like a lovely place to visit but there’s a lot of murder there so maybe be careful if you visit 🤣
🌟🌟🌟🌟

Release Date - 16th January 2025

Another great cosy murder mystery from this writer. The 3 amateur detectives do an excellent job of tracking down the killer while trying to stay out of the way of the official police investigation. The final scene is pure joy, a real farce, and would look great on TV. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, particularly as this one finishes with a right cliff hanger!

The extremely unlikeable and bombastic amateur dramatics director, Oliver has arranged a pleasure boat cruise along the river with selected members of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, his wife Verity and a surprise guest who turns out to be a famous film star. Everything appears to be going swimmingly on the Marlow Belle. Unfortunately, Verity calls Judith Potts the next day to inform her that Oliver has disappeared and is subsequently found murdered.
The book then follows the usual pattern of the other books with Judith, Suzie and Becks deciding to initiate their own investigation. You couldn’t blame any one of the list of suspects bumping Oliver off, but they all have alibis. We are led in one direction and then another and I thought I had the answers all wrapped up, but there was a surprise in store.
Overall, I found this book very entertaining and a good read, but something was missing compared with the other books in the series. It may be that the character of Judith is developing, but Suzie and Becks are not. Maybe a shake-up is needed of the slightly formulaic feel of the books, and this book in particular, was slightly slower. Of course, that may be on its way as this story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.
Sincere thanks to Netgalley, Robert Thorogood and especially HQ for the much appreciated ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

By now we should know what to expect from Death in Paradise creator Robert Thorogood – a well-crafted murder-mystery with a great plot and satisfying, often unexpected solution. Whether it’s set in the balmy Caribbean or soggy Buckinghamshire you know you are in for a real treat.

Judith, Suzie and Becks, the three chums we were introduced to back in the first novel of the series, The Marlow Murder Club, find themselves embroiled in a new case alongside their Police Detective friend Tanika when a local Amateur Dramatic Society reunites with a famous Hollywood star.

The chief driving force behind the MADS players is apparently shot to death onboard a glamorous river cruiser called The Marlow Belle and from that moment on the plot, as they say, thickens.

Oliver Beresford – the victim. Leader of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society. Bombastic and self absorbed, he isn’t a pleasant man and many have reason to wish him harm, but who actually pulled the trigger?

Lance – the grumpy owner of The Marlow Belle who has a connection with one of the three friends and doesn’t like her digging

Toby – a garage mechanic with dreams of stardom – and a drug habit

Verity – Oliver’s wife. Prim, proper and glad the victim has shuffled off this mortal coil

Lizzie – a Hollywood star with a traumatic upbringing

Duncan – an old friend who lives on a boat and has a hidden axe to grind

Mrs Eddingham – a force of nature who wasn’t invited to the party and clearly resents the omission.

Rebecca – who was at the party in an artistic capacity

Supposedly no-one saw what happened as they’d been told to return to their allotted cabins at a certain time. But someone must!

Clues abound – what was the significance of the white and green gravel found in the tyre-treads of Oliver’s sports-car? Was a certain failure to get into RADA just a red-herring or a reason for murder? How did the run-down Council building used as the society’s first theatre bring the suspects closer together?

The three friends pick up the threads that surround the crime and work their way along them, discovering a back-story that no-one had previously suspected. They brook no dissent as they dig and delve until they gradually discover, deduce and decide who the murderer must be. And at the end Judith reveals the killer in grand Agatha Christie fashion.

A marvellous journey that is full of humour, hidden clues, and well-defined characters in a charming setting.

And at the end, when the case has been solved and Marlow begins to return to normal, there is a knock on Judith’s front door. Her own personal mystery, one that has been simmering under the surface ever since we met her in that first novel – The Marlow Murder Club, comes back to haunt her. When will the secrets from her own past finally be revealed?

Highly recommended.

4.5*

Welcome back Judith, Suzie and Becks and this time our intrepid amateur sleuths (that make up The Marlow Murder Club) are called to help Verity Beresford find her husband Oliver who didn't return home after an evening soiree sailing up and down the Thames.

Unfortunately they quickly find Oliver - dead with 2 bullet holes in him on the banks of the river and as always they can't help but get involved. Reluctantly willing police ally, DI Malik, is under pressure at work and can't been seen to be willingly allowing the team to do what they do best but the team continue to be able to out detect the police and help bring a killer to justice.

As always with this series what we get is a fun and twisting mystery with humour, an inventive solution, plenty of red herrings (that I fell for multiple times) and a engaging cast of characters who are well characterised and just large enough to give us plenty of suspects but not so large that you get confused as to who is who.

I see a lot of comparisons made to the Thursday Murder Club and I can see them but I also feel that this series stands on its own feet and is one that I have loved from book one. It just gets better and better with solid cases and I love how our core characters are developing from book to book. Suzie takes a little bit of a back seat in this one and I think her storyline was the weakest but I love seeing Judith developing and and the cliffhanger at the end has me chomping at the bit for book 5!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for a digital review copy of "Murder on the Marlow Belle" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

A cosy mystery set in a small town in England's suburbia, an Am-Dram society and a Hollywood starlet - not things you'd usually lump together. Our trio of amateur sleuths are back in action and Judy has an actual reason to get in on the action this time - she's present when the body is found!

Whilst not a locked room mystery as such, none of our suspects has an alibi, red herrings abound and the person least likely should have been a suspect. Mrs Eddington is the epitome of a small town "big fish" who thinks the world revolves around her and thinks she's ever so important - I loved the way Judy basically gazumped her with the big reveal, lol.

The writing is snappy and witty and the perfect amount of tense. The final few pages have set up the next book well and it looks like Judy may be in trouble...again.

I really enjoy this series and I'm a big fan of Death in Paradise (and all its derivatives) too.

Time to head back to Marlow! When Verity approaches Judith, crossword setter and Marlow’s resident amateur sleuth, about her missing husband, the mystery takes a grim turn as his body is soon discovered on the banks of the Thames. With the help of her unlikely partners-in-crime – Suzie, the dog walker, and Becks, the vicar’s wife – Judith dives headfirst into a new investigation.

The cadaver is Oliver. An integral member of the Marlow amateur dramatics society. And it seems every cast member has something to hide… with a motive to match.

This cosy crime adventure is my favourite in the series so far! The plot is cleverly crafted, full of twists and plenty of possibilities to keep you guessing. Fans of the series will enjoy a particular moment which has been a concurrent point across all the novels. However don’t worry if you haven’t read any of the series previously, you can absolutely dive in here if you wanted to. Although if you are looking for a new cosy crime series then I would absolutely recommend checking out the first three entries into the series, which are expertly written by the creator of the BBC’s Death in Paradise Robert Thorogood.

Thank you HQ Stories for my gifted copy.

A mystifying whodunnit.

When Verity Beresford’s husband, Oliver, fails to return home after a party aboard a private cruiser, she turns to Judith Potts, the local amateur sleuth, for help. Oliver, the founder of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, is later found dead in the Thames with two bullet wounds. Judith and her friends Suzie and Becks, known as the Marlow Murder Club, begin investigating. They uncover secrets within the drama society, but with twists and hidden dangers, solving the case proves more complicated than expected. Will the club catch the killer before they escape?

I really enjoyed reading this instalment in the Marlow murder club series. This was a slow paced mystery which made you believe you knew who done it then twists you around in circles and not knowing left from right. The Trio of sleuths are tasked with solving the mysterious circumstances that of Olivers murder and the connections between all the theatre players.

As this was a slow paced mystery I found myself withdrawing from it a bit and having to reread parts.

I enjoyed the way the murder was solved and I wouldnt have guessed who it was at all!

Another Murder for Marlow..
The fourth outing for the Marlow Murder Club finds the local amateur sleuths with another murder on their hands and as keen as mustard to investigate. Between the local amateur dramatic society and the pleasure cruisers on the Thames, there are plenty of avenues for them to explore. A solid mystery at its heart with a wonderfully affectionate and likeable group of amateur sleuths in a gloriously well described setting and a frothy plot laced with plenty of humour and dry wit. A worthy and entertaining addition to the series.