R
Robert Thorogood
The Marlow Murder Club
Synopsis
The first in a stunning new series introducing the Marlow Murder Club! 'A hugely enjoyable murder mystery written with wonderful verve, humour and compassion. Utterly delightful' Robert Webb 'I love Robert Thorogood's writing' Peter James From the creator of the BBC One hit TV series, Death in Paradise To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero... Judith Potts is seventy-seven years old and blissfully happy. She lives on her own in a faded mansion just outside Marlow, there's no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink, and to keep herself busy she sets crosswords for The Times newspaper. One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. The local police don't believe her story, so she decides to investigate for herself, and is soon joined in her quest by Suzie, a salt-of-the-earth dog-walker, and Becks, the prim and proper wife of the local Vicar. Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club. When another body turns up, they realise they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. And the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape... READERS LOVE THE MARLOW MURDER CLUB series 'Wonderful escapism!' 5 Amazon Review 'A wonderful piece of escapism. Absolutely loved it!' 5 Amazon Review 'My favourite book of the year!' 5 Amazon Review 'I had an absolute blast reading this book' 5 Amazon Review 'So enjoyable, I laughed out loud !' 5* Amazon Review
Genres
Characters
Judith PottsProtagonist
A sharp, unconventional 77-year-old crossword setter for The Times who lives alone outside Marlow and refuses to let the police dismiss what she witnessed.
Suzie HarrisSupporting
A warm, no-nonsense professional dog-walker raising her children alone, who brings street smarts and local knowledge to the investigation.
Becks StarlingSupporting
A former music-industry executive now adjusting to life as the vicar's wife, whose prim exterior hides sharper instincts than anyone expects.
Tanika MalikSupporting
The Buckinghamshire police detective sergeant leading the murder inquiry, initially skeptical of the three women but gradually won over by what they find.
Stefan DunwoodySupporting
Judith's reclusive neighbour, whose apparent murder on the riverbank one evening is what sets the whole investigation in motion.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Marlow Murder Club part of a series?
Yes — it's the first book in The Marlow Murder Club Mysteries by Robert Thorogood, followed by Death Comes to Marlow (2023), The Queen of Poisons (2024), Murder on the Marlow Belle (2025), and The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts (2026).
Is The Marlow Murder Club a TV show or a book first?
The book came first. The Marlow Murder Club novel was published in January 2021; the PBS/U&Drama television adaptation, starring Samantha Bond as Judith Potts, premiered in 2024.
