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Marlow may be a small town, but it’s on its fourth murder, and its amateur sleuths have gotten noticed for the parts they’ve played in solving the previous killings. Judith is an elderly lady who lives in a very nice older house right on the Thames and punts to get around quickly. Suzie is a middle-aged dog walker who hosts a weekly radio show about dogs. And Becks is the wife of the town’s vicar; their two children are just grown. As these things go, they’re an unlikely trio, but all have useful skills they bring to their sleuthing.
In this fourth book, an acquaintance of Judith’s seeks her out, worried about her husband. Oliver didn’t come home the night before, and of course the police won’t take it seriously. Soon, his body is found washed up next to the river. And it wasn’t an accident: two bullet holes are proof of that.
The night before, Oliver, Judith and a few other people, including a Hollywood actress who got her start 30 years before in Marlow, were on a boat. All the guests, except the celebrity, were on the committee leading the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society. Oliver was, admittedly, not well-liked, so pretty much everyone had a motive to kill him. Our sleuths have their work cut out for them.
I am a fan of cozy mysteries, particularly ones with older folks and ones that make me chuckle. So I love The Thursday Murder Club. When I read the first book, TMC had set the standard for me, so I wasn’t as impressed with Marlow, though I liked it well enough. Now I feel the series has hit its stride and is a bit better. I’m enjoying the characters and their exploits.
All in all, Murder on the Marlow Belle is a decent mystery and solid entertainment. I look forward to reading more and finding out, especially, more about Judith’s background, which keeps being hinted at.
Rated: Mild. Profanity includes one instance of moderate profanity, about 10 uses of mild language, and 18 instances of the name of Deity in vain, as well as 15 uses of British profanity not considered offensive in the US. Violence is mild, with brief descriptions of how murder occurred. Sexual content is limited to references to an extramarital affair.
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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
