The Queen of Poisons

It’s the perfect time to catch up with the Girls of Summer from the Marlow Murder Club. In the third and latest book in this delightful series, The Queen of Poisons, Judith, Suzie, and Becks return to solve the puzzling sudden death of Marlow’s mayor during a town council meeting. I say “catch up” with these sassy sleuths because they aren’t letting the trail go cold. The second book in the series, Death Comes to Marlow, has been adapted into a TV film and airs on Aug. 24 on PBS Masterpiece. A third season is already planned. The fourth book, Murder on the Marlow Belle, drops September 16, and No. 5, The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts, will be published in January 2026!

Once traces of aconite—also known as the queen of poisons—are found in Mayor Geoffrey Lushington’s coffee cup, the women, now civilian police advisors, realize the death was no accident. But who did it? And why? And how—especially since the mysterious murder happened right before Suzie’s unsuspecting eyes.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a nice emphasis on “mystery,” then join me as a card-carrying member of

the Marlow Murder Club.

Judith, Suzie, and Becks are immediately brought in to help with the investigation and are given free rein to interview suspects and follow the evidence wherever it leads them. The “free rein” part is the most appealing to Judith, who has little use for or interest in rules or procedures.

The trio from the Marlow Murder Club faces several frustrating challenges. First, no one seems to have a motive for killing the kind mayor of Marlow, known for helping those in need and keeping that help discreet and private. One of their biggest problems is figuring out how the deadly poison ended up in his coffee cup in the first place—and no one else’s? Was the poison meant for the affable mayor, or is someone else in danger? 

It doesn’t take long for the women to realize the mayor’s fellow councilmembers aren’t as amiable as their late leader, and whispers of blackmail lead the sleuths to question even the most unlikely of potential suspects in the community.

I’ve been a big fan of this series since the first book, The Marlow Murder Club, and its PBS adaptation. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a nice emphasis on “mystery,” then join me as a card-carrying member of the Marlow Murder Club. Through the series, the friends, led by Judith, the spirited, skinny-dipping senior, learn to trust one another and their own instincts—all while restoring order to their charming village.

Author Robert Thorogood is also the creator of the hit BBC One TV series “Death in Paradise” and its spinoff, “Beyond Paradise.” In 2024, another debuted, “Return to Paradise.” Find out more about the author on Instagram: robertthorogoodwriter and on Bluesky: @robthor.bsky.social