Murder at the Book Club is a sharply drawn British mystery that blends cosy‑crime charm with the tension of a modern police procedural. When a book‑club member is poisoned, DCI Chloe Taylor is pulled into an investigation where every member has a motive — and one woman, Rosemary Channing‑Brearley, has enough social influence to make the case politically messy.Colin Wade builds the story around character dynamics: petty rivalries, literary snobbery, and the kind of simmering resentment that makes a book club the perfect breeding ground for secrets. The pacing is steady, the stakes escalate with each new twist, and Chloe Taylor’s personal life adds emotional depth without overshadowing the mystery.
especially enjoyed the humor woven into the club’s interactions — it gives the narrative a lightness that balances the darker turns. Fans of village‑set whodunit, character‑driven mysteries, and British procedurals will find plenty to enjoy here.
A clever, engaging mystery with memorable characters and a satisfying blend of humor, tension, and book‑club chaos. A great pick for readers who love cosy‑crime with a sharper edge.

Having read the author’s last book featuring DCI Chloe Taylor, I was anxious to continue with this latest offering. I was not disappointed.
The opening captures your attention and the pace continues. A village book club is slowly losing its members by murder, and DCI Taylor is under a lot of pressure from the Chief Constable, as the head of the bookclub, wealthy and influential Rosemary Channing-Brearly, does a lot to support the local police . Rosemary is breathing down Chloe’s neck and insisting the murders be solved quickly. The murders vary in methods, so it appears there could be more than one killer. Red herrings abound with a twist at the end I didn’t foresee.
A typical cosy, safe to recommend for all ages.
My thanks to NetGalley, The Book Guild, and the author for the advance copy..

This is a complex plot with lots of twists and turns. Characters are well written and likeable. I like how the plot evolved and changed direction

Excellent! An incredibly difficult series of murder cases for Chloe and her team to solve. Three women from the same book club all murdered in a short period of time, all with different MO's. A serial killer, an organised series of hits, or 3 different murderers? With excellent police work, lots of digging, and an anonymous tip, the cases are slowly sorted out. But at the same time, there's a fourth element, a cold case. Is that also linked? Just when it looks like Chloe has her suspect/s, something new comes to light that changes everything all over again. And there's the politics from above that puts pressure on Chloe to close the cases quickly. A well written police procedural, with great characters. I couldn't put it down!
Thanks to Netgalley, The Book Guild, and Colin Wade for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised with this one and I was not disappointed! I couldn't wait to see where it was going and how it was going to end! I'd love to read more by Colin Wade in the future!

Murder at the Book Club is a riveting British police procedural that had me hooked from the very first page! DCI Chloe Taylor and her team are investigating the murder of a member of a local book club. Two more members are murdered shortly afterwards. What is going on in this book club? All three victims were well liked and respected, with seemingly no known enemies. No spoilers here, but all the suspense had me on pins and needles until the very satisfying conclusion.
5/5. An excellent read!!

Murder at the Book Club by Colin Wade had a premise that immediately caught my attention: a book club, multiple murders, and a group of members with plenty of secrets to hide. As a mystery reader, I loved the idea of literary discussions turning into a murder investigation, and the village setting added to the cosy crime atmosphere.

I enjoyed the book club dynamics, particularly the tensions surrounding Rosemary Channing-Brearley and her influence over the investigation. DCI Chloe Taylor was also an interesting lead, and the pressure she faces both professionally and personally added another layer to the story. There were some intriguing twists and plenty of suspects to keep the mystery moving.

However, the pacing felt uneven at times. Some sections dragged, while the final reveal seemed to come together a little too quickly after the buildup. I would have liked a more balanced payoff that allowed the mystery to fully breathe.

Overall, this was an entertaining mystery with an appealing premise and some enjoyable character dynamics, even if it didn't completely deliver on its potential for me. Fans of British cosy crime, village mysteries, and police procedurals will likely find plenty to enjoy, especially if they appreciate an ensemble cast full of secrets.

Thank you to NetGalley, The Book Guild, and the author for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Murder at the Book Club has a premise that's hard for any reader to resist: a book club, a body, and a circle of members who all had reasons to keep secrets. I went in expecting a fun, twisty mystery, and it delivered on some of that promise, though not all of it.

What worked for me was [the setting / the book club dynamics / the short, fast chapters / a particular character]. [One sentence on why, or a moment that stood out, without spoilers.]

Where it fell short was [the pacing in the middle / too many characters to keep straight / a reveal I saw coming / detectives who felt underdeveloped]. [One sentence on how that affected your reading.]

Overall, this was an easy, entertaining read that I enjoyed in the moment but that didn't fully stick with me. Readers who like [cozy mysteries / police procedurals / ensemble casts] and don't mind [the weakness you named] will likely enjoy it more than I did.

DCI Taylor is called to a suspicious murder and then another two. Investigations begin with a group of characters from the local book club, and Taylor wrestles with her senior officers and a local community member to allow her to conduct a full investigation.

The plot is well written, and the office-based scenarios reflect how police investigations work. Each step is carefully planned to give the reader plenty to think about, with several slick scenes that reset the reader's thoughts.

Overall, the concept of a close-knit community with secrets drives a good plot with ample opportunity to misread a situation, which is carefully planted in the story.

This is the second book in the series I have read, and I can't wait for the next one.