Robert Thorogood has a specific type of magic he weaves into his writing. If you’ve ever watched Death in Paradise, you already know the vibe. It’s that sunny, deceptive simplicity where a brutal crime happens in a beautiful place, and somehow, it feels cozy. When he pivoted to novels, he brought that same energy to a small riverside town in Buckinghamshire. Finding the Marlow Murder Club books in order isn’t exactly a Herculean task—there aren't fifty of them yet—but the way the characters evolve makes reading them in sequence absolutely non-negotiable.
Most people come for the puzzles. They stay for Judith Potts.
Honestly, Judith is a bit of a legend. She’s seventy-seven, she lives in a slightly decaying mansion, and she likes to swim naked in the Thames. She’s also a crossword setter. That detail is vital because it defines how she sees the world: as a series of interconnected clues that just need to be filled in. When she hears a gunshot from her neighbor’s garden and the police dismiss it, she doesn’t just shrug and go back to her whiskey. She starts investigating. That’s the spark that ignites the whole series.
The Correct Reading Order for Robert Thorogood’s Series
You’ve basically got a linear timeline here. Thorogood isn't playing around with prequels or jumping through time, so you can just follow the publication dates.
1. The Marlow Murder Club (2021)
This is the one that started the obsession. It introduces us to the "club" before they even call themselves that. You have Judith, the eccentric leader. Then there’s Becks Starling, the vicar’s wife who is drowning in the mundanity of choir practice and domestic expectations. Finally, there’s Suzie Harris, a dog walker with a spine of steel and a surprisingly chaotic life.
The plot kicks off when Judith witnesses a murder. Well, she hears it. And then she finds the body. The local police, led by Tanika Malik, are a bit overwhelmed, so Judith decides to "help." The dynamic between these three women is the heart of the book. They shouldn't be friends. In any other world, they’d walk past each other on the High Street without a second glance. But murder is a great equalizer.
2. Death Comes to Marlow (2023)
By the second book, the trio is established. They’ve got a bit of a reputation now. This story centers on a locked-room mystery—a classic trope that Thorogood handles with a wink to Agatha Christie. Sir Peter Bailey is hosting a party at his estate the day before his wedding, and he ends up crushed under a heavy cabinet in a room locked from the inside.
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What makes this entry work isn't just the "how-dunnit." It’s the "who-is-doing-it." We see Becks starting to find her voice outside of her husband's shadow, and Suzie’s backstory gets a bit more flavor. If you’re looking for the Marlow Murder Club books in order, don’t skip this to get to the newer ones. The character growth here pays off later.
3. The Queen of Poisons (2024)
This is where things get a bit more personal for the town. The Mayor of Marlow drops dead during a council meeting. It’s public. It’s dramatic. And it involves a very nasty poison. Judith and the gang are back on the case, but this time the stakes feel higher because the victim is a pillar of the community (well, ostensibly).
The pacing in this third installment is noticeably faster. Thorogood seems to have found a groove where he doesn’t need to explain the women’s friendship anymore; he just lets them loose. It’s also the book that really leans into the "English village" tropes—the petty rivalries, the secrets behind the manicured hedges, and the realization that everyone in a small town has a motive for something.
Why the Order Actually Matters for Character Arcs
You might think, "It’s a mystery, the crime is solved at the end, so why does the sequence matter?"
Because of Tanika Malik.
Tanika is the professional foil to our amateur sleuths. In the first book, she’s understandably annoyed by a seventy-something woman poking around crime scenes. By the third book, there’s a begrudging, almost familial respect there. If you read them out of order, that transition feels jarring. You miss the slow-burn development of the police actually realizing that Judith Potts might be the smartest person in the room.
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Then there's the emotional weight. Becks Starling’s journey from a repressed "perfect" wife to a woman who realizes she’s actually quite good at criminal profiling is a joy to watch. If you jump straight into The Queen of Poisons, you see a confident woman. You miss the struggle it took for her to get there.
The TV Adaptation Influence
It’s worth mentioning that the series has been adapted for television by PBS Masterpiece and UKTV. Samantha Bond plays Judith, and she’s basically perfect. Seeing the faces of the characters on screen has definitely driven more people back to the books.
However, a word of advice: the books have much more internal monologue. You get into Judith’s head. You understand the specific logic of a crossword setter. While the show is a visual treat, the prose is where the real clues hide. Thorogood writes with a rhythmic quality—long, descriptive sentences about the mist on the Thames followed by sharp, punchy dialogue.
What Makes Marlow Different from Other "Cozy" Mysteries?
The term "cozy mystery" often gets a bad rap. People think it means "light and fluffy." While the Marlow Murder Club books in order are definitely fun, they aren't toothless. There is a real sense of darkness lurking under the surface of the town.
Thorogood doesn't shy away from the fact that people kill for ugly reasons: greed, revenge, and deep-seated resentment. He just chooses to frame that darkness through the lens of three women who refuse to be invisible. In a lot of fiction, women of a certain age are relegated to the background. Not here. Judith Potts is the protagonist of her own life, and she doesn't care if she's being "appropriate."
The setting is a character too. Marlow is a real place. You can go there. You can see the bridge. You can walk by the river. That grounding in reality makes the outlandish murders feel more "possible," which is the secret sauce of any good mystery.
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Spotting the Patterns
If you’re a seasoned mystery reader, you’ll start to see Thorogood’s fingerprints across the series. He loves:
- Misdirection through minor characters.
- Physical evidence that seems impossible (like the locked room in book two).
- The use of specialized knowledge (crosswords, botany, local history).
He also tends to structure his reveals around a gathering of suspects. It’s very traditional, very Golden Age of Detection, but updated for a modern sensibility. You won't find many "fair play" mysteries better than these in the current market. Every clue is there on the page; you just have to be as observant as Judith to see them.
Actionable Steps for New Readers
If you are ready to dive into the world of Marlow, here is how to get the most out of the experience.
Start with a physical copy. There is something about the tactile nature of these books—the maps of Marlow often included in the front matter—that helps with the immersion.
Keep a notebook. No, seriously. If you want to play along, Thorogood plays fair. Write down the suspects. Note the times. See if you can beat Judith to the punch. Most people can't, but it's fun to try.
Check for the fourth book. As of now, the series is expanding. Keep an eye out for news on the next installment, as Thorogood has indicated he isn't done with the trio yet. The momentum from the TV show means we are likely to see several more entries in the coming years.
Visit the locations (virtually or literally). If you’re in the UK, a day trip to Marlow while reading the first book is a top-tier experience. If not, Google Maps is your friend. Following the path Judith takes along the river while reading the descriptions adds a layer of 4D realism to the prose.
The Marlow Murder Club books in order represent some of the best modern British mystery writing. They don't try to be "gritty" or "edgy" just for the sake of it. They rely on sharp wit, clever plotting, and the simple truth that three determined women can solve just about anything. Read them in the right sequence to fully appreciate how these characters grow from neighbors into a formidable investigative team.