Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Seventy-Seven-year-old Judith Potts is swimming naked in the Thames River one evening when she hears her neighbor, Stefan Dunwoody, shout and then a gunshot. Scrambling back home, she calls the police, and they are quickly dispatched. A young officer does a cursory search of the grounds but finds no evidence of a break-in, but Judith isn’t convinced. If Stefan is okay, then why isn’t he opening the door. Why is his car still in the driveway if he’s gone out?

Judith Potts begins her investigation, stumping around Stefan’s property and gardens until she finds him lying in the river behind his house with a bullet hole in his head and a bronze medallion tied to his coat that reads “faith.” Like that, Judith Potts’ well-ordered life of crossword puzzle setting, whiskey drinking, and naked swimming is rearranged. She can’t resist the puzzle, and now she’s looking for clues to find out who killed Stefan Dunwoody.

Her, frankly, amateur investigative methods lead her to suspect Elliot Howard, owner of the Marlow auction house, who had fought with Stefan two weeks before his death. Stefan and Elliot’s bad blood goes way back to 1988 when Stefan allegedly cheated Elliot in a business deal about a Rothko pointing.

Judith is convinced that Elliot killed Stefan, except he has an iron-clad alibi; he was at church choir practice during the murder. Judith goes to the vicarage to break Elliot’s explanation and soon befriends the vicar’s wife, Becks (or Becky, or Rebecca, she isn’t quite sure how to introduce herself!).

Becks Starling, the prim and proper Vicar’s wife, is yearning for something besides serving her husband Colin’s flock and being the picture-perfect housewife- when Judith Potts asks for her help investigating the death of Stefan Dunwoody. Becks is initially unwilling but soon gives in; she craves excitement.

The investigation is stymied until a second murder occurs in Marlow. Iqbal Kassam, a taxi driver and boat lover, is murdered on the other side of Marlow in the exact same manner as Stefan Dunwoody. Judith and Becks believe that the two deaths are connected. Iqbal’s only friend, Suzie Harris, the local dog walker, who walks Iqbal’s dog, Emma, soon joins Judith and Becks in trying to unravel the connection between the two deaths. Before a third death occurs and the sequence is complete.

The Review

Wow, this was a fun ride. I loved the modern-day update to the Miss Marple trope, with the hard-drinking, reclusive free-spirit of Judith Potts, who fumbles the investigation initially but soon gathers her wits and courage and learns how to conduct good research. Despite Judith’s solitary nature, she quickly makes friends (and enemies) with her brash manner and a tin of travel sweets. Most of the hijinks in the book are due to Judith’s out-of-the-box thinking on her feet and kooky plans. Her drive and ingenuity really keep the plot moving at a brisk pace.

The writing was easy and straightforward, with each woman having distinct voices. Judith, well read, precise, and always ready for wordplay, Becks Harris, easily scandalized but more sure of herself over time, and blunt Suzie, whose main companion, dog, doesn’t mind if she puts her foot in her mouth on more than one occasion. Writing such distinct characters who are all going through a journey of self-discovery without anyone getting short shrift was nice to see. I am also glad that most of the personal stuff paid off by the end of the book.

Judith is a really well-crafted character with a forthright manner, a quick thinker, and a somewhat slap-dash investigative style. While Judith is disconnected from almost everyone in Marlow- most people are fascinated by her strange ways and beautiful house, which has been a gilded cage for Judith for many years. She’s haunted by her painful past, which has kept her from moving on for nearly 50 years.

Becks Harris is a great friend for Judith; she’s been hiding behind a shiny smile and a perfect Laura Ashley Home for most of her life. The mask is, however, starting to slip, with each passing day, as Becks realizes she isn’t happy and has lost sight of herself. When Judith quite literally makes Becks step out of the closet she’s been hiding in to help her investigate supposed murderer, Elliot Howard, Becks is reminded that she is a clever, beautiful woman… who likes whiskey and might even be capable of getting dirty (in a life or death situation)

When ruddy Suzie Harris, who lives in an empty half built house with a ramshackle of dogs joins their investigation, she gets enough strength to start making amends with her broken family.

The golden trio is joined by newly minted Detective Sergeant Tanika Malik, who loves rules, and regulations and wants to prove she has what it takes to succeed in her new rank. Detective Sergeant Malik’s first case as a DS isn’t going well; she’s unsupported at work (and arguably overworked at home) and is drowning, so she teams up with Judith, Becks, and Suzie. Together the Marlow Murder Club is going to catch some killers.

I loved how we got to know each of the women; they are so distinct from each other but are all lost in their own ways. I found it interesting that this light-hearted romp was often tempered with genuine pathos about women’s struggles in marriage and at work and how men can use or abuse them. The slow erasure of self was a prominent theme, and watching these four women come into their own was beautiful.

The Marlow Murder Club was funny, sad, and above all a good mystery with some really grounded motivations. I can’t wait to read the sequel, Death Comes to Marlow.

The Marlow Murder Club Reviews

Bookfrolic

Criminal Element

Ramblings of a Supposed Writer