Mayor Geoffrey was beloved by everyone in the English small town of Marlow. Well, by everyone but his killer. It seems that The Queen of Poisons, aconite, had somehow made it into his coffee at a local town council planning committee meeting, of which he was a member. Luckily, Suzie, a member of the amateur detective Marlow Murder Club, was in attendance. She and the other Club members, Judith and Becks, are asked to officially help the investigation as consultants. As they investigate the other planning committee members, secrets are exposed that give everyone a motive. But who actually killed poor Geoffrey?
The antics of go-for-it Suzie, nude Thames swimmer and puzzle maker Judith, and vicar’s wife Becks, are as fun as usual. Becks gets a larger part than usual as she battles with her mother-in-law, who has moved in and is working through Becks recent crypto trading windfall. I did think the middle of the book was a bit of a muddle compared to previous books in the series. If the gals didn’t have people confessing their sins, I’m not sure how their detecting would have worked out. However, the conclusion of The Queen of Poisons was great as always. 4 stars!
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.