Our Marriage Is Murder: A Novel

by Carol Goodman

In the latest thrilling mystery from Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author Carol Goodman, a writers’ conference at an Italian castle turns deadly when a killer begins using a husband-and-wife writing team’s novel as a blueprint for murder.

Fred and Thea Morgan-Lane are the envy of the mystery community, the perfect partners in life and in writing. Together they coauthor the wildly successful Death Takes a Holiday series, and they’ve been invited to the Italian castle where it all began for a mystery conference celebrating their first novel, Death Takes the Castle.

But their story isn’t quite the fairytale it seems to outsiders. Twenty years and twenty books after they met, Thea wants out. Their marriage and partnership haven’t been working for some time, and what better place to announce the end of the series than where it started?

Except shortly after their arrival at the beautiful Castellarosa, a shocking death takes place when the wrong person drinks a cocktail meant for Thea. The stunned conference-goers put it down to an unknown allergy, but Thea isn’t so sure. Could someone be trying to kill her? Perhaps her loving husband isn’t as ok with their series ending as he pretends, or maybe Nadine, the upstart young author who is vying to take Thea’s place, wants her out of the way. Suddenly, it seems like everyone has a motive, and when a second death occurs, a disturbing pattern emerges—these deaths aren’t random, they’re following the murders in Death Takes a Castle exactly. Murders that Thea and Fred wrote.

In order to save the day—and maybe even their marriage—the unhappy couple will have to work together to figure out who is using their book as a blueprint for a killing spree. That is, if they can trust the person they’ve spent twenty years plotting murders with…

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Cozy, Fiction, Italy

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2026

About the author

Carol Goodman is the author of The Lake of Dead Languages, The Seduction of Water, which won the Hammett Prize, The Widow's House, which won the Mary Higgins Clark Award and The Night Visitors, which won the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also the co-author, with her husband Lee Slonimsky, of the Watchtower fantasy trilogy. Her work has appeared in such journals as The Greensboro Review, Literal Latte, The Midwest Quarterly, and Other Voices. After graduation from Vassar College, where she majored in Latin, she taught Latin for several years in Austin, Texas. She then received an M.F.A. in fiction from the New School University. Goodman currently teaches literature and writing at The New School and SUNY New Paltz and lives with her family in the Hudson Valley.

Reviews

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars ✨

[Erin McInnis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 stars. This book was just okay… I honestly had to put it down, read a couple other books and pick this one back up. It felt like somewhat a fantasy book mixed with a mystery when I only signed up for the mystery portion. The fantastical portions made my brain shut off and made me want to quit. The mystery portions were good though and what made me finish the book.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a highly entertaining story about an author couple, Thea and Fred, whose marriage and book series are coming to a close. They are attending a mystery conference taking place where they first met and wrote and set their first book, in an Italian castle. The perfect place for an event that will feature mystery authors from all genres - cozy mysteries to international espionage mysteries, to historical mysteries. It's fun to read from the insiders' points of view. Like how they come across (and put up with) the same types of attendees everywhere - the goth librarians, the middle American housewives, the fawning fan girls, etc. Those in the know have to keep the readers happy and fulfilled at every step, no matter how annoying they can be, because their fanbase keeps them in business, after all.

And the attendees at this conference are true fanatics. Thea is planning on announcing the end of their series and knows the news won't go down easy. She hasn't even told Fred yet, but figures he'll handle it fine since they've been separated for a while now, and it makes sense for their series to end just like their relationship. But of course, this being a mystery about mystery writers, someone inevitably ends up dead soon after the conference begins. And it's all downhill from there, because the deaths keep coming.

That doesn't stop the conference from continuing, though. And the main event is a treasure hunt that was designed by the first victim. Everyone believes that if they can solve the treasure hunt, they will discover who the murderer is, because it must be related. Thea and Fred aren't exactly willing participants, but since the crimes are mimicking the deaths in their book, they have the most knowledge about where the treasure hunt could lead. The attendees are hoping to be the ones to solve it, of course, so they can claim to be the ultimate armchair detectives. That is, if they don't end up becoming victims themselves.

The book is quite engaging, a total tongue-in-cheek representation of murder mystery authors and readers. There are red herrings everywhere and nods to various famous authors and their tales. And of course, the lure of hidden treasure! And a poison garden! I couldn't put it down, and neither will you.

[Gali · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Our Marriage Is Murder" by Carol Goodman is an engaging locked-room mystery about a husband-and-wife author team who find themselves entangled in a real-life murder case. After reading several fantasy books in a row, I was in the mood for a mystery, and this one fit the bill perfectly.

Fred and Thea Morgan-Lane are partners in both life and writing, coauthoring the successful Death Takes a Holiday mystery series. When their novel Death Takes the Castle is nominated —along with several others—for the prestigious Poirot Prize for Best Mystery Series, they are invited to the Italian castle Castellarosa to attend a mystery conference called Murdercon, where one book will ultimately be chosen. One of the highlights of the conference is a treasure hunt designed by the organizer and based on the Morgan-Lanes’ book. However, after twenty years of marriage and collaboration, Thea wants out—of both the marriage and the writing partnership.

Things take a darker turn when the conference organizer is poisoned in a manner that mirrors the Morgan-Lanes’ book. As deaths among the attendees continue, Thea quickly becomes the prime suspect. Yet the treasure hunt goes on, each clue drawn from their novel and supposedly leading to a buried treasure tied to a local legend. With a killer on the loose and the police breathing down their necks, the unhappy couple must solve the mystery—and perhaps save their marriage—before it's too late.

With mysterious deaths, intriguing clues, and plenty of red herrings, the book kept me turning the pages. The pacing is occasionally slow, but it didn’t significantly affect my enjoyment. The story is told from Thea’s first-person point of view, which helped me connect with her. I was less fond of Fred, though that may have been influenced by the narration.

I appreciated the many nods to Agatha Christie and other classic mystery authors. I enjoyed the literary references, the glamorous Italian setting, and, of course, the mystery itself. A particularly fun detail was that the cats mentioned in the tale were named Tommy and Tuppence, after Christie’s protagonists. That said, the slow start and the repetitive tidbits of local legend and backstory sometimes pulled me out of the story.

The plot could have benefited from some tightening, and because of that, I deducted a star, rating the book 4 out of 5 stars. Still, I enjoyed it and would recommend it. Our Marriage Is Murder is a standalone (as far as I know, it isn’t part of a series), though I would be happy to meet these characters again. This book should appeal to mystery and suspense fans, as well as to readers looking for an entertaining, light read with a classic mystery feel.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2026...

[Laura Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on July 21st, 2026.

A love story and a mystery, immersed in literary and classicist references with a touch of modern greed and drama. Master genre novelists Fred and Theda Morgan-Lane are both writing and life partners. At least they were. Now — on the cusp of attending a mystery convention at the gorgeous Italian castle where their very popular “Death Takes a Holiday” series was launched — they plan to announce the end of both. Or at least Theda does; Fred has a few other plans up his sleeve. Ignoring whatever plans they each may have, things start going horribly wrong as one by one the murders from their first novel seem to be repeating in real life.

The writing is (as always) good; the pacing deliberate and triggering just the right blend of edge of the seat and calm curiosity; and the characters are all interesting (to me) people. The people and their various relationships are intriguing because they capture multiple levels of overlapping and inconsistent emotional undercurrents. Especially once the murders start and everyone is forced to look at everyone else in a whole new, and highly suspicious, way. Goodman is both a classicist and a feminist, and both themes ran through the narrative in credible fashion. Most importantly, the resolution was surprising (to me), tenable, and completely satisfying — the perfect combination!

[Simone Ketchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚Book Review: Our Marriage is Murder
Author: Carol Goodman
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pages: 336
Coming July 21, 2026

📚My Book Review:


Our Marriage is Murder is a thrilling mystery that takes place at a writer’s convention in Italy. The main characters are a husband and wife writing team whose book is being used as a blueprint for murders.
This book had me on the edge of my seat with multiple twists and turns. I was unable to put this book down. The author has developed very likable characters, really making it hard to figure out who is the murderer. Red herrings are everywhere in the book. Being a fan of Agatha Christie, I enjoyed the references to her in the book.
I was left wanting more with the ending; I want a continuation of the main characters’ story. I hope that the author has it in mind!!
I rate this book a strong 5 stars!! It was enjoyable, thrilling and a must read for anyone who enjoys Agatha Christie. I highly recommend this book to lovers of mystery. This was my first Carol Goodman book and it will not be my last!!

[Jg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this mystery, it was entertaining and different. Married couple Thea and Fred, write the successful Rick and Dora mystery series. 13 books later Thea wants out of the writing partnership as well as the marriage but first they’re flying to a writers conference in Castellarosa, Italy where they first met, and wrote their book, Death Takes the Castle. Up for a prestigious award, their fans are there for a treasure hunt that will find the lost gold, and the legend they wrote about long ago. The characters were all wonderfully detailed and fun to read about. The two mysteries was interesting, and the entire book is perfection. I would love for this to be the start of a Thea and Fred series.

[Amber Nay🖤💫 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley & Harper Collins for the e-arc!

4 solid ⭐s

"If you play with death, death will play you for a fool."

This was great! This story follows Fred & Thea, an author couple famous for their murder mystery series. They are off to a convention called MurderCon where their story started 20 years ago, when all of a sudden, real murders start happening.

I haven't read a good whodunnit in awhile, and I can honestly say- I did not see this twist coming. The pacing was great, the characters had depth, and the atmosphere was phenomenal. I felt like I was at the Castellarosa with these characters (minus the cheese and wine).

I definitely can't wait for this to come out so others can enjoy it.

[Tamara Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for my ARC in exchange for my honest review of Our Marriage is Murder by Carol Goodman.

Plot-"It is a thriller about a killer who uses a mystery novel written by a husband-and-wife team as a blueprint for real-life murders at an Italian writers' conference. In order to save the day—and maybe even their marriage—the unhappy couple will have to work together to figure out who is using their book as a blueprint for a killing spree. That is, if they can trust the person they’ve spent twenty years plotting murders with…"

I really enjoyed this book. Great mystery mixed with a love story. The characters were relatable and the pacing was on point. Did not see the twists coming.

Mark your calendar for the expected publis date July 21 2026.

[Lauren Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is one of my absolute favorite authors. However this is honestly one of my least favorite books by her. It felt a bit more like a cozy mystery almost than the normal gothic type books she usually writes.
The setting was so so, it got interesting at the end with the underground vault but the rest just didn’t do it for me. I was excited to be approved and read this book but it just did not live up to what I usually get and love from this author.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 since I like the author.

[Liz D'Amore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story about a married mystery book writing couple who contend with real murders being committed while they are attending aMurderCon convention. A really fun and fast paced read with lots of interesting twists and turns. A solid 4 star mystery I would highly recommend. Thank you to Netgalley for this Advance Reader Copy of this forthcoming title.

[J R · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun and twisty thriller with fantastic storytelling and excellent plotting. our MC is wonderful and the killers are a hair predictable but work. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.