MURDER on the MARLOW BELLE by Robert Thorogood

Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood is a thoroughly enjoyable continuation of the Marlow Murder Club series, delivering exactly the kind of witty, character-driven cozy mystery fans have come to expect.

This fourth installment centers on the murder of Oliver Beresford, a man who was never exactly the most popular figure in town and had more than a touch of the bully about him. As a result, the list of people who might have wanted him gone feels almost endless, giving Judith Potts, Suzie Harris, and Becks Starling plenty of tangled motives and local secrets to untangle.

Thorogood keeps the tone light and engaging throughout, balancing sharp observations about small-town life and amateur dramatics with the steady pleasure of watching three very different women work together. The riverside setting and the closed circle of suspects provide a classic locked-room (or locked-boat) flavor without ever feeling overly familiar. The dialogue sparkles, the friendships among the central trio remain one of the series’ greatest strengths, and the mystery itself is paced with just the right mix of clues, red herrings, and quiet revelations.

If you’ve enjoyed the earlier books, this one will feel like a welcome return to Marlow—comforting, clever, and consistently entertaining. New readers can jump in without much difficulty, though longtime fans will appreciate the continued development of Judith, Suzie, and Becks. A solid, satisfying entry that leaves you looking forward to the next case. 4 / 5 stars.

TRACK of the CAT by Nevada Barr

Nevada Barr’s Track of the Cat, the first novel in the Anna Pigeon series, introduces readers to a National Park Service law-enforcement ranger working in the remote backcountry of Guadalupe Mountains National Park in West Texas. 

The story centers on Anna Pigeon, a woman who has left city life behind for the isolation and demands of the wilderness, only to find that the natural world she seeks is not free of human complication and danger. Barr, drawing on her own experience as a park ranger, grounds the mystery in the harsh beauty and physical realities of the desert landscape.

When I first read this book around the time of its original publication, I genuinely enjoyed it. The strong sense of place, the grounded portrayal of park work, and the introduction of Anna as a capable yet solitary protagonist made a lasting impression. I liked it enough to continue immediately with the next three books in the series.

Revisiting it years later via the audiobook proved less satisfying. What had been a solid 4-star experience in print settled at about 3.5 stars in audio form. The atmospheric writing and internal perspective that worked so well on the page felt slightly diminished when filtered through narration. For readers drawn to the series by its wilderness settings and character-driven storytelling, the print version remains the clearer and more rewarding choice.

Track of the Cat still holds up as an effective series starter for those who prefer reading over listening. If you want to enter Anna Pigeon’s world, stick with the book and leave the audiobook on the shelf.

PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry

I’m not usually a romance-novel reader, but People We Meet on Vacation won me over by being more comedy than pure romance.

Poppy Wright, the outgoing travel writer for R&R Magazine lives in New York and has a love-hate relationship with her Midwestern hometown and family, and Alex Nilsen, the quietly handsome, almost pathologically introverted high-school teacher who is perfectly at home there, have been best friends for about twelve years. Their annual summer trips—part research for her articles, part just an excuse to spend time together—are the heart of the book and the source of most of its biggest laughs. They date other people, Poppy sometimes more impulsively than Alex, yet the real tension is the slow recognition that their friendship already contains something deeper.

Emily Henry’s strength here is the banter and the specific, lived-in quality of the friendship. The book is funny, warm, and low-pressure in the best way—a genuine change of pace that I enjoyed a lot.

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐

AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins is a book that leaves you torn. One part of me found it gripping and hard to put down; the other part felt disturbed, sad, and deeply upset by it. That mixed reaction seems pretty common, and it makes the novel especially rich for discussion.

What the Story Does Well American Dirt follows Lydia, a bookstore owner in Acapulco, and her young son Luca after a cartel attack destroys their family. Forced to flee north, they join the dangerous stream of migrants heading toward the U.S. border. The pacing is propulsive—thriller-like in its urgency—while the mother-son bond gives the story real emotional weight. The journey itself feels relentless and visceral, and Cummins keeps the stakes high even as the material gets heavier.

The title works on several levels at once. “American dirt” points to the physical soil migrants risk everything to reach, the arbitrary line of the border (the dirt is the same on both sides), the gritty realities of the journey, and the complicated, imperfect America waiting on the other side. It’s deliberately ambiguous and rewards conversation about what the phrase comes to mean by the end.

The Parts That Hit Hardest The violence is graphic and unrelenting from the opening pages. The emotional toll—grief, constant fear, the particular dangers faced by women and girls—builds until the book can feel punishing as well as compelling. A lot of readers finish it (or set it aside) feeling drained.

One of the most unsettling threads is Lydia’s relationship with Javier, the cartel leader who becomes her friend before she learns who he really is. Even after she discovers his identity, she struggles to fully reject the cultured, literary man she thought she knew. That cognitive dissonance—holding onto the charming version of him while knowing he’s capable of extreme violence—feels protective and, in retrospect, almost unbearable. When the full consequences of his actions arrive, the earlier attachment makes the betrayal and loss even more devastating. It raises hard questions about denial, charm, shared interests, and how ordinary people can misread danger when it comes wrapped in personal connection.

American Dirt isn’t a comfortable read, and it isn’t meant to be. It’s emotionally charged and frequently upsetting, yet it tends to stick with people long after they finish.

Rating: 3.5 / 5 ⭐ Mixed feelings — gripping but heavy. Worth talking about with friends who don’t mind heavy books—especially if you want to dig into migration, moral gray areas, how people rationalize danger, and stories that linger.

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING by Lisa Scottoline

Lisa Scottoline has done it again with This Changes Everything—the sequel to last year’s psychological thriller The Unraveling of Julia. Five years after the murder of her first husband, Mike, the discovery of her biological parents, and the inheritance of a crumbling villa in Tuscany, Julia is living a new life: married to Gianluca and mother to three-year-old Leni. That hard-won peace shatters when her psychic abilities flare during a phone call with her lifelong friend Courtney back in the States. In that moment, Courtney discovers her grandmother has been murdered.

Julia flies home to support Courtney, testing the new life she has built in Italy. Torn between loyalty to her best friend and devotion to her family, she faces difficult choices. Skeptical of the local police’s ability—or willingness—to solve the crime, she and Courtney launch their own investigation, aided by several of the victim’s friends.

I’m not usually a fan of supernatural thrillers, so I was glad Scottoline kept Julia’s psychic powers to a minimum. They serve the story without taking it over. The friendship between Julia and Courtney feels genuine and lived-in, and the tension between Julia’s Italian life and her loyalty to Courtney gives the book real emotional weight.

The pacing is tight, the small-town secrets are well-handled, and the ending was a complete surprise—I didn’t see it coming.

Rating:  4.5/5 stars ⭐

Highly recommended if you enjoyed The Unraveling of Julia or just want a smart, twisty thriller with heart.

KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE by Deanna Raybourn

 I just finished Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn, and it’s a fun, fast-paced thriller with dark humor that fits perfectly with the mysteries and thrillers that are so popular lately.

The story follows four women in their early sixties who’ve spent forty years as elite assassins for a secretive organization. Their retirement cruise turns into a hit job from their own employer, forcing them to rely on their experience, wits, and the way people constantly underestimate them to survive. 

The narrative alternates between the present-day chase and flashbacks to their earlier missions, which nicely builds the characters and their deep friendships.

What stood out most for me were the sharp banter, strong sisterhood, and how they weaponize their “invisibility” at this age. It feels empowering without being preachy, and the action stays entertaining rather than overly grim. It gave me similar vibes to The Thursday Murder Club—clever older characters who are far sharper than anyone expects—but with more edge and professional assassins.

I flew through it and am already starting the sequel. If you enjoy lighthearted thrillers (yes, it’s possible!), I’d recommend this for your next pick. An excellent book-club choice that should spark great discussion about loyalty, aging, and friendship under pressure.

Rating: 3.5 / 5 ⭐

The MARLOW MURDER CLUB by Robert Thorogood

The Marlow Murder Club is a charming British cozy mystery that I initially picked up after mixing it up with another popular "Murder Club" series. Both feature elderly amateur detectives and a lighthearted tone, but Thorogood’s book stands out with its own delightful flavor.

Set in the picturesque riverside town of Marlow, the story follows three very different women who band together to solve a series of murders. At the heart is Judith Potts—a sharp-witted, independent 77-year-old crossword setter (and former archaeologist) who lives alone in a faded riverside mansion. After witnessing a brutal killing while swimming in the Thames one evening, Judith finds the police skeptical of her account. Undeterred, she teams up with Suzie, a no-nonsense dog walker, and Becks, the prim and proper wife of the local vicar. Together, they form the Marlow Murder Club.

What begins as one suspicious death quickly escalates into multiple murders, complete with red herrings, small-town secrets, and a clever (if twisty) resolution involving a "murder pact." Thorogood keeps the violence mostly off-page, focusing instead on the women’s budding friendship, witty banter, and resourceful sleuthing.

I found it a genuinely fun, witty page-turner—cozy in the best sense, with strong female friendships, gentle humor, and plenty of Marlow’s small-town charm. The characters complement each other beautifully: Judith’s intellect and eccentricity drive the investigation, while Suzie and Becks add warmth, practicality, and unexpected depth. It’s lighter on procedural detail than some mysteries, which makes it an easy, escapist read.

If you enjoy The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, you’ll likely love this (and its sequels). It has that same comforting blend of humor, heart, and clever plotting, though The Marlow Murder Club leans even more into feel-good sisterhood and riverside English village vibes. There’s also a TV adaptation worth checking out if you enjoy the book.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐

Perfect for fans of gentle crime-solving without heavy violence or grimness. Highly recommended as a light, satisfying mystery—ideal for a weekend read or cozy armchair escape.