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The Marlow Murder Club

The Marlow Murder Club, Book 1

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The Marlow Murder Club

By: Robert Thorogood
Narrated by: Nicolette McKenzie
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About this listen

NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES starring Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, and Cara Horgan. Season 3 coming in 2026!

‘I want to be Judith Potts when I grow up’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Comedy, thrilling, suspenseful. It was a brilliant read’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A deftly plotted, funny and unexpected murder mystery … Highly recommended!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* * *

To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero…

Seventy-seven-year-old Judith Potts is blissfully happy. She lives alone in a faded mansion in Marlow, sets crosswords for The Times, and there’s no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink.

One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. When the local police don’t believe her story, Judith and two unlikely friends decide to investigate for themselves. Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club.

But soon another body turns up, and it seems they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. Now the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape…

* * *

Praise for Robert Thorogood

'A plot so ingenious it kept me guessing until the very end’ Matt Dunn, author of Home

‘Cosy crime at its best’ Crime Monthly

‘This brilliantly crafted, hugely enjoyable and suitably goosebump-inducing novel is an utter delight from start to finish’ Heat

‘Thrilling and heartfelt, gripping and wonderfully humorous, The Marlow Murder Club is an absolute joy from first page to last' Chris Whitaker

Cosy Crime Crime Fiction Domestic Thrillers Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Murder Mystery Small Town & Rural Thriller & Suspense Fiction Comedy Scary Suspense

Critic reviews

‘A hugely enjoyable murder mystery written with wonderful verve, humour and compassion. Utterly delightful’ ROBERT WEBB

‘I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ PETER JAMES

‘A great read’ YOURS

‘Has the feel of an Agatha Christie with a modern twist’ SUN

‘An Agatha Christie-inspired puzzle of a novel … beautifully crafted … a criminal success’ MY WEEKLY

‘I really enjoyed it. A great escapist yarn from start to finish’ SIMON KERNICK

‘Murder and mayhem in the sleepy Home Counties, done with style, panache and just the right amount of humour’ PAUL FINCH

‘Light relief’ SAGA

‘Witty and charming, and filled with a cast of winning characters and fiendish puzzles. Guaranteed to entertain!’ CHRIS EWAN

‘An absolute joy to read. Funny, entertaining and beautifully written’ B. A. PARIS

‘Laugh-out-loud humour, superb plotting and a full-throttle finale … entertaining and enjoyable … the perfect read to fill the long, lockdown nights of winter’ LANCASHIRE POST

‘A delightful read – Judith is the hero that everyone needs’ LOUISE JENSEN

‘‘Thrilling and heartfelt, gripping and wonderfully humorous, The Marlow Murder Club is an absolute joy from first page to last’ CHRIS WHITAKER

‘This is just the kind of book I love to read – a proper whodunit with clues, suspects, and engaging characters. Great location too, and lots of charm and humour. I loved it’ FAITH MARTIN

‘'The perfect book for these troubled times – fiendishly clever and funny, with delightful and original characters. I loved it!' ROZ WATKINS

‘Assured cosy crime from an ingenious author … Damn right funny and heartwarming at times, this is great fun indeed’ CRIME TIME

‘Beautifully crafted, funny and thrilling, Thorogood has created a delightful read’ DEON MEYER

‘A hugely entertaining mystery,’ MARK EDWARDS

‘One of the most original and beguiling characters I have read about for a long time … a delight from start to finish. Robert Thorogood has brought the fun back into crime fiction’ SIMON BRETT

All stars
Most relevant
I enjoyed listening to this but didn’t feel it had much depth or range to it.

Enjoyable but quite a linear storyline

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The story was OK but the writing just irked me. Example - a statement is followed by a reverse question: ‘you did?’ ‘you do’ etc. It really got on my nerves! And often things happened but were not followed up e.g. the vicar’s wife drank multiple drinks but we are not told how she got home safely. I realise this is nit-picking but.....
I read the reviews of the author’s other books so had high hopes but was disappointed with this one.

So many loose ends ....

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The Marlow Murder club really is excellent and a very good listen. Judith, Suzy and Becks aren’t the likeliest of friends or heroines and yet they are each warm, well rounded, interesting and believable with each having the scope to develop as characters. Looking forward to the second instalment.

Excellent!

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I didn't dislike the book, but I also would never go back to listen again. There was very little tension and a lot of what happened was predictable. The narrator seems like she should have worked well but everyone other than the main character sounded alike, there was so little distinction.

I also never developed any kind of deep affection for the characters as I have in other similar books. Even the three main characters felt more one-dimensional than like fully fleshed out people. I don't have enough interest in these three to carry on with further books.

Enjoyable, but bland

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The concept is good and I listened to the end but there was no spark. I don’t think the narration helped; the diction was excellent but the voice conveyed very little sense of drama. Next time I’ll listen to the whole sample before ordering!

Just not for me.

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