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.

THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB BY Richard Osman

Is it possible for a murder mystery to also be a delightful read without coming across as resoundingly ghoulish? It sure is, if it's The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.

Picture this: a group of overly zealous octogenarians living in a retirement community in the English countryside. These folks would rather not knit, play board games, or sit around mindlessly watching bad daytime TV all day. Instead, they prefer solving crimes during their weekly club meetings. While digging into a cold case, these four savvy seniors suddenly find themselves embroiled in a murder happening right in their own backyard—so to speak. The big question? Are they savvy enough to solve the case before it’s too late?

Spoiler: they absolutely are, and it’s a total joy to watch.

Richard Osman nails that perfect balance of mystery and warmth. The core crew—Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron—feel like people you’d actually want to hang out with. They’ve got sharp minds, big personalities, and enough life experience to see things the police miss. One’s a former spy type, another’s a psychiatrist, and they all bring something fun and surprising to the table.

What I loved most is how the book never gets dark or grim. Yes, there’s a murder (or a few), but the story stays focused on the characters, their banter, and those quiet moments about getting older and still having adventures. The humor is dry and very British, and the retirement village setting makes everything feel cozy and charming.

If you’re looking for a mystery that’s clever but not pretentious, funny without being mean, and genuinely heartwarming, this is it. I smiled the whole way through and closed the book wanting more. It’s the kind of story that makes you root for the characters and maybe even rethink what “retirement” really means.

Bottom line: The Thursday Murder Club is a fantastic read. If you haven’t picked it up yet, do yourself a favor and start here. The whole series is addictive—I’m already hooked.

Rating: 4.5 / 5 ⭐

MURDER on the ÎLE SORDOU by M.L. Longworth

Murder on the Île Sordou by M. L. Longworth was published in 2014 by Penguin Books and is the 4th book of the Verlaque & Bonnet Provençal Mysteries series.

A recently renovated luxury hotel on the secluded island of Sordou off the coast of Marseille is the setting for travelers seeking a week's long rest, relaxation, and solitude. Two hotel guests are the story's main protagonists, Antoine Verlaque, a wealthy magistrate from the Aix-en-Provence, and his love interest, Marine Bonnet, a law professor. Both want to keep their professions to themselves while on this much-needed vacation. But fortunes being what they are, their secret is soon revealed. 

As the guests settle in for their week of R&R, a shot rings out during the night, which no one seems to pay much attention to until the dead body of one of the hotel guests, the well-known actor Alain Denis, is found the following day. A police investigation ensues, which includes a collaboration between Judge Verlaque, Professor Bonnet, and their police inspector friend Bruno Paulik, along with a stormy sea that prevents anyone from leaving the island; it becomes evident that the murderer is among them. 

This story is not filled with many twists and turns, although there are one or two. Yes, there is a murder, but it's not graphic or bloody, making me think of this story as more of a cozy mystery, which I enjoy. 

The many characters are vividly described, though one or two can easily be pegged as stereotypical. Although fictional, the locale's atmosphere, cultural references, and culinary delights are beautifully depicted in this story, which reminds me more of a travelogue at times than a mystery, and that's okay.  

The main characters are opposites attracted to each other. Antoine Verlaque comes from money and is stuffy but likable. Marine Bonnet is more grounded and makes a good foil for him. Their back-and-forth banter, along with that of Marine's friend Sylvie, is entertaining. Unfortunately, I have not yet read any other Verlaque & Bonnet Provençal Mysteries, of which there are 9, but I will. Regardless, Murder on the Île Sordou is a good read, especially if you are a Francophile or enjoy the Mediterranean lifestyle.  

My Personal Rating is ⭐⭐⭐¾

MASTERING the ART of FRENCH MURDER: An American in Paris Mystery by Colleen Cambridge

Mastering the Art of French Murder: An American in Paris Mystery by Colleen Cambridge, published in 2023 by Kensington Books, is a work of fiction. The novel centers around Tabitha Knight, an expatriate that moves from Detroit, Michigan, to Paris, France, shortly after WWII. She lives with her Grand-père and Oncle Rafe across the street from her new best friend and confidante, Julia Child, before her future career as a world-renowned French chef.

Julia's sister Dorothy or Dort, as she is known, lives upstairs from her and often invites the members of an American theater troupe she works with over for drinks after an evening's performance. While attending one of these gatherings, Tabitha meets a young woman named Thérèse, who works in the coat check room at the theater. By the end of the evening, the woman turns up dead, and except for the murderer, Tabitha is the last person to see her alive. 

When the murder weapon turns out to be one of Julia's best chef's knives, and Tabitha's address...written on a piece of paper by Tabitha herself... somehow finds its way into the victim's pocket, it doesn't look good for this new American in Paris. Tabitha soon finds her life in danger when she puts her amateur detective skills to work, much to the chagrin of the local police...Inspecteur Merveille, to be exact. 

Cambridge's Mastering the Art of French Murder has all the elements needed for a good solid mystery. Murder, mayhem, and international intrigue abound. However, some characters needed to be fleshed out more...two prime examples are Inspecteur Merveille and Oncle Rafe. Is there a possible relationship brewing beneath the surface between Tabitha and Merveille? Exactly, who is Oncle Rafe, and what is in his past that is often hinted at but never spoken of? 

Too much time and attention were also devoted to Julia's disastrous attempts at making mayonnaise. When Julia makes an excited phone call to Tabitha to come over to her apartment to sample the frothy concoction, as it turns out, it seems overplayed. It leaves the reader with the impression that the Julia Child character is a highly-strung, somewhat silly woman, which the real Julia Child was not. It also adds nothing to the plot or the solution to what could be an excellent story, minus some of the minutiae that gets in the way at times.

My Personal Rating is ⭐⭐½

The QUICHE of DEATH by M.C. Beaton...

The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton was published in 2006 by St. Martin's Paperbacks. It is a cozy mystery and the first in the Agatha Raisin series of books. The story follows Agatha Raisin, a successful London public relation firm's owner, who decides to chuck it all in and retire from the business for a simpler life in the small village of Carsley in Cotswold. However, Agatha needs help fitting into her new community. Of course, it doesn't help that she steals her neighbor's housekeeper away within the first week of residence. 

When Agatha hears there is to be a baking competition in Carsley, her competitive nature kicks in. She decides to wine and dine the lecherous contest judge and his wife to get the inside scoop on the competitors and enter the competition herself. One problem...Agatha can't cook, so she buys a spinach quiche from a London quiche shop and submits it to the contest as her creation. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse as Agatha loses the contest, and as it turns out, someone adds an extra ingredient to her quiche, killing the judge. The only way to get out of this pickle is for Agatha to investigate independently of the local police. Along the way, Agatha enlists the aid of her former assistant Roy from her days at the PR firm, her newly acquired housekeeper Gemma, and P.I. Bill Wong, who has a not-so-secret crush on her. 

If you like detective fiction, particularly of the British variety, that is not too heavy on the gore, along with some light comedy and romance, you might enjoy this series as much as I do.  

My Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE for MURDERERS by Jesse Q Sutanto

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto is a cozy mystery. The story takes place in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It centers around Vera Wong, the owner of a local teashop called ‘Vera Wang’s World-Famous Teahouse’ (named after the famous fashion designer with the hopes of drumming up more business). Vera is a lonely woman in her sixties who misses her late husband and feels neglected by her successful lawyer son. Vera lives upstairs from the teahouse that she owns and operates, which has seen better days, and she seems to be having a one-sided rivalry with the owner of the bakery shop next door.

One morning as Vera prepares to start her day, she discovers a dead man lying on the floor of her run-down shop. The police are called to the scene but are less than enthusiastic to include Vera in their investigation, no matter how many delicious delicacies and specially blended teas she tries to serve them. Not one to give up, Vera turns amateur detective. Finally, she decides to investigate independently when her teahouse suddenly attracts the attention of several individuals who seem interested in the dead man. The story continues as secrets are uncovered, suspects come and go, friendships are formed, and finally, the murderer is discovered. 

If you are looking for a mystery that does not include all the explicit gory details of the crime, has endearing characters, and will make you laugh out loud along the way, you should read this book.

My Personal Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

NONNA MARIA and the CASE of the MISSING BRIDE by Lorenzo Carcaterra

'Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride' by Lorenzo Carcaterra, published in 2022 by Bantam, is a cozy mystery set on the island of Ischia off the coast of the Italian mainland. The main character is Nonna Maria, an elderly widow and Italy's answer to Miss Jane Marple. Like Jane, Nonna Maria is a friend to many of the residents on the island and someone they all turn to when there is trouble brewing, and the local police can't seem to help. 

When one of her close friends is murdered, Maria steps in to help the local carabinieri (police), Captain Murino, solve the murder and, hopefully, prevent the possible murder of Anna, a lifelong islander and the daughter of another friend. Anna is newly engaged to Andrea, a less-than-savory character with a previous marriage and a past that raises more questions than he's willing to answer. Maria steps in to help when Anna confides that she's afraid of her fiance.

Nonna Maria is one cagey grandma, as she brings a cast of characters she counts as friends to help her resolve one murder and hopefully prevent another. The story moves quickly and is one I thoroughly enjoyed. This is it if anyone is looking for a good mystery that isn't grizzly. This is the first book by Mr. Carcaterra to introduce this excellent character, and I hope she will reappear in future books by this author.

My Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐