Book Review: The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols

Rating: 4 Stars

I went into The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective expecting a breezy cozy, and Jo Nichols delivered exactly that—warm, funny, and just sharp enough to keep me guessing. I’m giving it four stars because while it didn’t completely blow my mind, it charmed me consistently and kept me turning pages with a smile.

The book is very much in that comforting mystery vein—think The Thursday Murder Club or Only Murders in the Building, but transplanted to sunny Santa Barbara, where tiny pastel bungalows and ocean breezes contrast nicely with murder and mischief. At the center is Mrs. B, the stubborn, fiercely protective landlady who only rents to people she feels a kinship with: an anxious playwright carrying baggage, an oversharing agoraphobe, a single queer sculptor raising two kids, a perfectionist, and a secretive finance guy. They’re a mismatched, lovable lot, and Nichols does a great job making each of them distinctive without ever slowing the story down.

Everything is cozy and stable—until Anthony, a hulking ex-con, moves into the neighborhood. Predictably, things go sideways when a body turns up and Anthony is arrested. Relief is short-lived when Mrs. B storms into the station and confesses, certain he’s innocent. Cue the formation of the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective: the tenants band together to prove their landlady’s innocence. As they dig, old secrets and new clues surface, the sense of community deepens, and just when you think you’ve got it sorted, another body complicates everything.

What I loved: the setting and tone. The story feels like a perfect summer read—sunny, quirky, and heartfelt. The cottages and their neighborhood create an instantly appealing backdrop, and Nichols balances humor and heart well. The cast is delightfully eccentric; they’re funny and flawed in ways that make you root for them. The writing is crisp and easy to read, and the mystery is engaging enough to keep you hooked through several satisfying twists.

Minor quibbles: some plot beats are a tad familiar if you read a lot of cozies, and a couple of secondary threads could have used a little more development. But these are small gripes in an otherwise enjoyable book.

All in all, The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective is a charming, likable cozy with great characters, a scenic setting, and enough intrigue to keep you invested. I’d absolutely be onboard for more books set in this world—this feels like it could easily become a series I’d look forward to.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

I'll start by saying I'm not sure this fits my idea of a cozy mystery. Some aspects were similar, but the overall work just wasn't for me. It was, however, a mystery, and it came at me from various angles. To be honest, there were enough voices that it could be overwhelming for many. That said, I found the characters quite interesting to come to know and I connected with them on more than just a surface level. And a bunch of quirky characters can be something to enjoy.

What I didn't like were the cop who decided right away that Anthony was guilty just because he had a criminal history. Also, his friend's inclusion in the meat of the story really wasn't necessary, in my opinion. Most importantly, I really didn't live the reveal at the end. I won't say anything more about it due to risk of spoilers, but it left me feeling uncomfortable and unsatisfied, which really wasn't good when I finished it late at night and was trying to get to sleep.

Overall, I give this 2.5 stars. Thank you to Alison and Busby and Netgalley for providing the free advanced reader copy. My review is entirely voluntary.

Let’s clarify one thing: Jo Nichols’ The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective is about a set of cottages in the US. I know, I know… you and I both assumed that this was another cosy mystery set in a lovely quiet English village. Ha – we were both wrong, then!

Despite my initial confusion, I carried on reading the book and I’m very glad I did. It took a lot of pages before the pace picked up. Some of that was to colour in the characters, but I think it could have been tightened. There is no danger of confusing them as they all have completely different characteristics. The one trait that the inhabitants of Marigold Cottages have in common, though, is that their landlady, Mrs B sees them all as unfitted to live elsewhere – they are oddballs, if you like. She keeps an eye on all her tenants, helping or advising them – and often charging rents well below market rates. When a dead body is found outside Sophie’s cottage, obviously a murder victim, and the newest tenant, Anthony, is scooped up by the police, Mrs B and the tenants decide to prove his innocence. Mrs B even confesses to the crime herself.

I enjoyed reading a novel where the main characters include:
- Ocean: a single lesbian mother of two, deserted by her ex-wife.
- Lily Ann: a large woman who seems to be on the autistic spectrum.
- Hamilton: an agoraphobic computer-whizz who has little sense of what is an appropriate comment and what is a downright unhelpful one in the circumstances.
- Sophie: a young woman who drinks way beyond excess, “I walked home from buying a bottle of tequila and takeaway bao for lunch…”
- Nicholas: a mysterious figure who shuns the other tenants and Mrs B, but who can be charming, even when shutting the door in their faces.
Sophie, unfortunately, can be tedious, referring to What Happened Before far too often. It turns out she was stalked by a weirdo, which is awful for her, but the oblique references become irritating for the reader, diminishing our sympathy.

There are some great plot turns; a few red herrings; and a great ending. Yes, although I wish the first 50% or so had been pruned, I’m glad I persevered with the novel, because the second 50% really makes up for it.

#TheMarigoldCottagesMurderCollective #NetGalley

The landlady of the Marigold Cottages only rents out to favoured tenants and that includes Anthony, who is just out of prison. Then a body is found and when Anthony is arrested, Mrs B admits to the crime herself. It is now down to the tenants to solve the mystery.
This was an enjoyable read with a wonderful cast of characters. Comedy balanced with intrigue ensured the reader was engaged and this resulted in a satisfying cozy read.

This book offers a fun read with delightfully eccentric characters, a well described setting and an interesting plot. It is a perfect book for a bit of escape.

I love the idea of renting out homes only to people that one likes and then REALLY standing by them, even including a (false) confession.

Watching this group of folks solve a case was very enjoyable.

I do hope that this novel is just the first in a series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for this title. All thoughts are my own.

An enjoyable read!

The Marigold Cottages are a group of bijou residences owned by Mrs B. She doesn't have a waiting list, only renting to those she favours, generally who some would consider oddballs in society. Her latest tenant is straight out of prison, and a hulking presence. Soon after, a dead body turns up and all eyes turn to him, but Mrs B. is absolutely positive it was not him. When Anthony is arrested, she marches off to the police station and states that she committed the murder. The remaining tenants know that isn't the case, and so join together to prove her innocence and, hopefully, force the officers to investigate further . . .

The author has put together a great cast of characters and a terrific reason for them to come together and pool their resources. The result is a very readable and enjoyable novel and I was eager to find out what the outcome was. A definite read for lovers of this genre and, for me, 4*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective is a charming and quirky cosy mystery that delights in its eccentric cast and tightly woven plot. At the heart of the story is Mrs B, the determined landlady who only rents to people she believes in. Her tenants form an unlikely but loveable community, each carrying secrets and struggles, from Sophie the troubled playwright to Hamilton the agoraphobe, Ocean the single parent sculptor, Lily-Ann the perfectionist and Nicholas the finance man with a hidden life. Their quiet routines are disrupted when a new tenant, Anthony, moves in, followed by a shocking murder that upends everything.

What follows is a blend of intrigue, humour and heartfelt connection. When Mrs B confesses to the crime to protect Anthony, her tenants unite to clear her name, forming the Murder Collective. The mystery is well-paced, with clues and twists that keep the reader invested. The relationships between the tenants are as compelling as the mystery itself, showing how community and trust can be forged in the most unusual circumstances.

Jo Nichols balances light comedy with genuine emotion, making this both entertaining and heartwarming. The reveal is satisfying, tying the threads together without feeling forced, and the resolution highlights the strength of the found family at the centre of the story.
This is cosy crime done exactly right: warm, witty and clever, with a cast of characters readers will be eager to spend more time with.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

3.5 stars

This is a fun murder mystery along the lines of The Thursday Murder Club.
I liked the idea of the community at Marigold Cottages - it was a melting pot of different cultures, attitudes and secrets - all brought together by the intriguing Mrs B.

Mrs B owns the Marigold Cottages and has a mixed bunch of tenants. They all have their own quirks and the latest one, Anthony, is an ex-con.
When a body is discovered on the premises shortly after he moves in, the police immediately arrest him. The rest of the tenants know that he is innocent and Mrs B is determined that he is released.
The tenants form the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective to try and prove his innocence, and in doing so they find out a lot about each other and who the real murderer is.
An easy to read cosy crime.

Mrs B, landlady of the Marigold Cottages, only rents to favoured tenants, and they’re an eccentric (read: odd, slightly broken) bunch. There’s anxious playwright Sophie, agoraphobe over-sharer Hamilton, single mum and sculptor Ocean, perfectionist Lily-Ann, and the ever-mysterious Nicholas. Life in the cottages is peaceful though, until hulking, fresh-out-of-prison Anthony moves in and a dead body turns up.

Anthony is arrested and Mrs B, convinced of his innocence, promptly confesses to the crime herself. Horrified, her tenants band together to clear her name, forming the somewhat haphazard ‘Marigold Cottages Murder Collective’. But as they dig deeper and a second body is discovered, further secrets are unearthed.

Can this motley collection of amateur sleuths solve the case before one of them becomes the next victim?

A wonderful cosy murder mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to many more.

Not my normal style of reading but I enjoyed this book . It seemed to drag a little at the start but got better and more enjoyable towards the middle

I like cozy mysteries and this book sounded like one I would like. It was difficult to get into it at the beginning, there were too many characters at once I couldn’t really tell apart and I didn’t really like the style of writing. Mostly the „drama“ part was very difficult to read for me. After some time the problems vanished a bit and the book started to feel like fun. Unfortunately somehow it didn’t help the overall impression, so it’s not about I would highly recommend.

I guess I was about 60% through before this really started to grab me. It’s worth persevering if you are struggling a bit perhaps it’s the fact that the victim has no presence that made me uninterested in finding out who the murderer is. The characters, once you’ve got over the stereotypes, are the real drivers of this story though. You will find yourself caring about them.

Although I found the premise interesting, and am a fan of cosy crime books, I really struggled to get into this one. I found it very slow paced, to the point I was getting bored reading it, and the different POV wrecked the flow for me. I wasn’t mad keen on the eclectic mix of characters as it felt more like the author was ticking off a bingo sheet of unique characters to have, rather than it being authentic. I’m sure some people would enjoy this book, thus why I’ve left it at 3 stars, but for me it wasn’t enjoyable

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective sits comfortably in the cosy mystery genre, blending the offbeat charm of The Thursday Murder Club with the emotional warmth of a Fredrik Backman novel. It’s a quirky, character-driven story with a cast of older sleuths and a gentle sense of humour.

While some parts of the narrative felt familiar, and it didn’t quite push beyond expectations, the book maintained a pleasant pace and tone throughout. The real strength lies in its splendid ending—clever, satisfying, and surprisingly touching. It tied things together beautifully and left a lasting impression.

A solid read for fans of heartwarming mysteries with a slightly eccentric edge. It didn’t blow me away, but it certainly delivered what it promised.

When I started this book I wasn't sure if I would like it or where it was heading. Mrs B owns a variety of cottages that are let to a very mixed selection of people, most of whom keep themselves to themselves. Soon after Mrs B takes in another tenant who looks very large and tatood and has a prison record things start to go wrong. A body is found in the grounds and of course the newcomer is the suspect and is arrested. The other residents soon get together and demand his release, this happens when Mrs B then confesses to the murder. Can they support each other and find the real culprit? it isn't long before long kept secrets emerge. An interesting read mainly for the characters but does keep you guessing until the end.

"The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective" by Jo Nichols is just a fab read. Imagine if Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" had a reboot and were reimagined in a cosy crime setting, then you'd have this bunch of characters. Easy to dip into as each chapter is only a couple of pages long. Clever ending too!

This book moves along at a fast pace and the clever use of narration keeps up attention and the speed. Each one of the residents of the Marigold cottages has a couple of paragraphs to lay out their day or their thinking or their reflection before the plot bounces on to the next character. This keeps the tension high as a body is found and secrets are kept or slowly revealed sometimes deliberately sometimes under duress. Woven into the main plot is the start of a novel written by one of the characters. They adds an extra dimension to what is going on. The idea for this book is great and it is well written. My small issue is that in my opinion none of the characters were particularly likeable and so I struggled to connect with them and to will them on.

A cosy crime novel set in south California. Mrs B - landlady of the Marigold Cottages - only lets to individuals she cares about. She surrounds herself with an eclectic mix of characters. All is calm until the arrival of Anthony. His arrival is closely followed by a murder. The police immediately suspect Anthony and he is arrested. However Mrs B is convinced of his innocence and following the establishment of a residents’ collective to find the real culprit, she admits to the murder.

This leads the residents to double their efforts to find the real murderer.

Secrets are discovered and friendships formed as a second murder takes place.

A fun read - entertaining and full of twists.

This one gave me "The Appeal" vibes where a group chat takes centre stage and you see the dynamic between the local residents. Some colourful characters and a book with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes.

A tad slow paced at times, but a memorable ending and an entertaining read along the way.