What do you think?
Rate this book
Barrett & Palmer #1
Murder at the Book Club
Imagine nine women meeting. Tea and cake are on the coffee table. They’ve come together to share their love of books. They are friends. They trust each other. It’s a happy gathering. What could be more harmless?
Then scratch the surface and look closer.
One is lonely. One is desperate and one of them is a killer.
When the body of a woman is discovered on a Cambridge common, DCI Barrett and DI Palmer are called in to investigate. But the motive behind the crime isn’t clear… And it all leads back to a book club.
As the lies, volatile friendships and tension among the group rise to the surface, DCI Barrett and DI Palmer must work out the motive and track down a cold-blooded killer. But just when they think they are on the right track, a twist in the case throws them off course…
Then scratch the surface and look closer.
One is lonely. One is desperate and one of them is a killer.
When the body of a woman is discovered on a Cambridge common, DCI Barrett and DI Palmer are called in to investigate. But the motive behind the crime isn’t clear… And it all leads back to a book club.
As the lies, volatile friendships and tension among the group rise to the surface, DCI Barrett and DI Palmer must work out the motive and track down a cold-blooded killer. But just when they think they are on the right track, a twist in the case throws them off course…
216 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2018
1670 people are currently reading
6293 people want to read
About the author
Betsy Reavley
24 books270 followersBetsy Freeman Reavley is the author of Beneath the Watery Moon and A Worm in the Bottle. Carrion, her latest psychological thriller will be released in November 2014.
She was born in Hammersmith, London.
As a child she moved around frequently with her family, spending time in London, Provence, Tuscany, Gloucestershire and Cambridgeshire.
She showed a flair for literature and writing from a young age and had a particular interest in poetry, of which she was a prolific consumer and producer.
In her early twenties she moved to Oxford, where she would eventually meet her husband. During her time in Oxford her interests turned from poetry to novels and she began to develop her own unique style of psychological thriller.
Beneath the Watery Moon is Betsy Reavley’s beautifully written first release and tells the macabre story of a young woman battling against mental illness.
Beneath the Watery Moon is published by Not So Noble Books and is available as an eBook from Amazon.
Betsy Reavley's second novel Carrion is a psychological chiller that address the link between grief and mental illness.
Reavley says "I think people are at their most fascinating when they are faced with life's real horrors." This is what I love to write about.
Betsy Reavley currently lives in North London, with her husband 2 children, dog, cat and chickens. You can follow her on Twitter @BetsyReavley
She was born in Hammersmith, London.
As a child she moved around frequently with her family, spending time in London, Provence, Tuscany, Gloucestershire and Cambridgeshire.
She showed a flair for literature and writing from a young age and had a particular interest in poetry, of which she was a prolific consumer and producer.
In her early twenties she moved to Oxford, where she would eventually meet her husband. During her time in Oxford her interests turned from poetry to novels and she began to develop her own unique style of psychological thriller.
Beneath the Watery Moon is Betsy Reavley’s beautifully written first release and tells the macabre story of a young woman battling against mental illness.
Beneath the Watery Moon is published by Not So Noble Books and is available as an eBook from Amazon.
Betsy Reavley's second novel Carrion is a psychological chiller that address the link between grief and mental illness.
Reavley says "I think people are at their most fascinating when they are faced with life's real horrors." This is what I love to write about.
Betsy Reavley currently lives in North London, with her husband 2 children, dog, cat and chickens. You can follow her on Twitter @BetsyReavley
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,215 reviews
September 2, 2018
Please do not compare this book to anything by Agatha Christie. There wasn’t a likable character in the bunch. They were all back stabbed and really disliked each other. Ugh what a waste of my time
August 9, 2018
Oh man - I wanted to like this. But unfortunately the dearth of likable characters and niggling incorrect facts/continuity and unanswered questions drove me crazy. And continuity - on one page Janet's catholic mother and father throw her out because of her teenage pregnancy, on another she left home herself because her awful single mother was a drug addict and then got pregnant. Shirley was a terrible care worker but I think it was author error not her disinterest that she was using bedpans for bed baths instead of for toileting needs (or she works in the worst care home ever.)
The repeated thoughts about women who had to get jobs because they couldn't manage on their husband's salary or because they didn't get maintenance due to lack of kids was very out of place for a story where everyone is using Facebook and smart phones.
Did Shirley just hate Amy that much she sent the threatening notes when she at least had reasons for the other murder(s)? It's not explained and as there is not much plot other than the crime and no actual insight into the book club having this hanging seems odd.
It was a quick and easy read but the book club disintegrates before you get a chance to get invested in these women's friendship (or lack there of seeing as its already splintering before the book starts.)
Also even as a fast reader - a book club that meets weekly seems excessive.
The repeated thoughts about women who had to get jobs because they couldn't manage on their husband's salary or because they didn't get maintenance due to lack of kids was very out of place for a story where everyone is using Facebook and smart phones.
Did Shirley just hate Amy that much she sent the threatening notes when she at least had reasons for the other murder(s)? It's not explained and as there is not much plot other than the crime and no actual insight into the book club having this hanging seems odd.
It was a quick and easy read but the book club disintegrates before you get a chance to get invested in these women's friendship (or lack there of seeing as its already splintering before the book starts.)
Also even as a fast reader - a book club that meets weekly seems excessive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2021
'He was used to having Barrett shut down his ideas, but he still hadn't got used to it.'
That should give you an indication of the quality of this book. Can't even maintain consistency across a sentence, let alone the plot developments. Writing was appalling (one of the worst cases of 'tell, don't show' I've come across in a long time), characters were insufferable, the big 'reveal' only possible because all characters were so, so dim and kept saying 'why, officer! I don't see why you'd ask me about [super obvious thing]!'
On the plus side, I'm looking forward to discussing this with my book club, which is filled with people I actually like.
That should give you an indication of the quality of this book. Can't even maintain consistency across a sentence, let alone the plot developments. Writing was appalling (one of the worst cases of 'tell, don't show' I've come across in a long time), characters were insufferable, the big 'reveal' only possible because all characters were so, so dim and kept saying 'why, officer! I don't see why you'd ask me about [super obvious thing]!'
On the plus side, I'm looking forward to discussing this with my book club, which is filled with people I actually like.
August 6, 2018
Murder At The Book Club is a highly entertaining and enthralling read.
I loved the whole idea behind the story line with it being to do with a book club. To spend time with a mix of people who love books as much as I do. I mean what could possibly go wrong?
There is a great cast of characters in this story. I love how each one stands out in their own right. Some stand out more than others due to their strong personalities of which some I could easily see me being friends with, others, well not so much.
The story reminded me slightly of Midsomer Murders. I easily could see this being run as one of the episodes as they usually have quite a big cast and the author certainly keeps you on edge as to who the killer is up until she is ready for all to be revealed. Even though there are quite a few characters, the story line is really easy to keep up with as well as the characters. It actually felt like being with my friends and having a good gossip as all the secrets and lies start to come to light.
Whilst not as dark as my usual crime books, Murder at The Book Club was such an enjoyable read. It is very much a ‘whodunnit’ and it certainly doesn’t disappoint when all is revealed. As usual, I never guessed so was as surprising to me as it was for some of the other characters. I bet this would make a brilliant book to discuss at book club!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
I loved the whole idea behind the story line with it being to do with a book club. To spend time with a mix of people who love books as much as I do. I mean what could possibly go wrong?
There is a great cast of characters in this story. I love how each one stands out in their own right. Some stand out more than others due to their strong personalities of which some I could easily see me being friends with, others, well not so much.
The story reminded me slightly of Midsomer Murders. I easily could see this being run as one of the episodes as they usually have quite a big cast and the author certainly keeps you on edge as to who the killer is up until she is ready for all to be revealed. Even though there are quite a few characters, the story line is really easy to keep up with as well as the characters. It actually felt like being with my friends and having a good gossip as all the secrets and lies start to come to light.
Whilst not as dark as my usual crime books, Murder at The Book Club was such an enjoyable read. It is very much a ‘whodunnit’ and it certainly doesn’t disappoint when all is revealed. As usual, I never guessed so was as surprising to me as it was for some of the other characters. I bet this would make a brilliant book to discuss at book club!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
January 28, 2020
Oh lord. Let me preface this review with the statement that I would never have read this book had it not been next month’s book club pick.
Whomever compared this to an Agatha Christie mystery is seriously deluded. It contains none of the nuance, plot twists, or developed characters typical of AC’s novels. I didn’t find the plot to be at all believable. Without giving away the ‘twist’ (if you can call it that), I just didn’t find the motive and murders to be particularly plausible or compelling. When it all came together at the end, I was left shaking my head at the strangeness of it all. I feel as though Reavley was attempting to throw some red herrings in here and there, and none were strong enough to really place any doubt/suspicion in the reader’s mind as to what happened.
Most irritating is that the vast majority of the characters are all horrid. And not horrid in a realistic you’re-supposed-to-hate-them kind of way. Just plain horrid. The women are catty and constantly snipe at one another. The entire plot was drowned out by the women’s pettiness. I found I couldn’t care about the murders. Why should I? Everyone was insufferable. Even the detectives seemed to have negative opinions of the female characters. The whole thing reads like Reavley hates women. There’s not one strong or compelling character among the bunch. I also don’t understand why Reavley resorted to peppering her writing with descriptions that portray the women’s bodies negatively. This didn’t contribute to or advance/enhance the plot in any way whatsoever. I am truly baffled as to why Reavley felt the need to constantly bring up large feet, large nostrils, large waistlines, nose hair. Her writing sounds just as catty as her characters.
Reavley’s writing and character treatment really left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I’d never read another novel of hers again. Thank goodness this book was free on KindleUnlimited because I would have been so mad at myself if I’d even spent a dime on it.
Whomever compared this to an Agatha Christie mystery is seriously deluded. It contains none of the nuance, plot twists, or developed characters typical of AC’s novels. I didn’t find the plot to be at all believable. Without giving away the ‘twist’ (if you can call it that), I just didn’t find the motive and murders to be particularly plausible or compelling. When it all came together at the end, I was left shaking my head at the strangeness of it all. I feel as though Reavley was attempting to throw some red herrings in here and there, and none were strong enough to really place any doubt/suspicion in the reader’s mind as to what happened.
Most irritating is that the vast majority of the characters are all horrid. And not horrid in a realistic you’re-supposed-to-hate-them kind of way. Just plain horrid. The women are catty and constantly snipe at one another. The entire plot was drowned out by the women’s pettiness. I found I couldn’t care about the murders. Why should I? Everyone was insufferable. Even the detectives seemed to have negative opinions of the female characters. The whole thing reads like Reavley hates women. There’s not one strong or compelling character among the bunch. I also don’t understand why Reavley resorted to peppering her writing with descriptions that portray the women’s bodies negatively. This didn’t contribute to or advance/enhance the plot in any way whatsoever. I am truly baffled as to why Reavley felt the need to constantly bring up large feet, large nostrils, large waistlines, nose hair. Her writing sounds just as catty as her characters.
Reavley’s writing and character treatment really left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I’d never read another novel of hers again. Thank goodness this book was free on KindleUnlimited because I would have been so mad at myself if I’d even spent a dime on it.
April 22, 2023
“He was used to having Barrett shut down his ideas, but he still hadn’t got used to it”
September 17, 2018
Really poorly written and I struggle to believe there was any editing done on it at all; there were incontinuities and mistakes and sloppy sentences and poorly chosen words all over the place.
It was a quick read, but mostly because there I was racing to finish it to be able to stop reading.
I also thought the murderer was predictable and there was a weird almost-cliffhanger at the end and I couldn’t tell if it was on purpose or not?
It was a quick read, but mostly because there I was racing to finish it to be able to stop reading.
I also thought the murderer was predictable and there was a weird almost-cliffhanger at the end and I couldn’t tell if it was on purpose or not?
October 6, 2018
Inconsistencies, hateful people
When Toni, a disliked member of a book club, turns up murdered, it's up to the police to solve the crime. When a second book club member turns up dead, however, the police are as baffled as the rest of the frightened remaining book club members.
Unfortunately, this book failed to do it for me. I struggled remembering the characters or even determining who the main characters were half the time. Maggie seemed minor, but suddenly became the focus at the end, while Barbara was given a brief scene that ultimately went nowhere. Others were virtually indistinguishable from one another and their personalities seemed to shift. At one point, Amy is saying vicious things to the other women, then suddenly becomes an almost pleasant person.
There were also some parts that - despite being written by a woman - felt really sexist. At one point, this is coded into the detective's character, which is fine; characters can, and should be, flawed. But other times it was embedded within the narrative.
All in all, a miss for me.
When Toni, a disliked member of a book club, turns up murdered, it's up to the police to solve the crime. When a second book club member turns up dead, however, the police are as baffled as the rest of the frightened remaining book club members.
Unfortunately, this book failed to do it for me. I struggled remembering the characters or even determining who the main characters were half the time. Maggie seemed minor, but suddenly became the focus at the end, while Barbara was given a brief scene that ultimately went nowhere. Others were virtually indistinguishable from one another and their personalities seemed to shift. At one point, Amy is saying vicious things to the other women, then suddenly becomes an almost pleasant person.
There were also some parts that - despite being written by a woman - felt really sexist. At one point, this is coded into the detective's character, which is fine; characters can, and should be, flawed. But other times it was embedded within the narrative.
All in all, a miss for me.
October 14, 2018
Oh my goodness, this was utterly, hilariously atrocious. A desperate over-dependence on adjectives; frequent and multiple POV shifts (often several within a single paragraph); factual and continuity errors, and a clunky, overwrought writing style of which a 13-yo would be proud.
The characters were all deeply unpleasant (as well as being under-developed enough to be interchangeable) and the plot was ludicrous: how this appalling piece of writing has received so many glowing reviews is beyond me. Really, it doesn’t deserve any stars at all, but I’m awarding it one for being so entertainingly risible.
The characters were all deeply unpleasant (as well as being under-developed enough to be interchangeable) and the plot was ludicrous: how this appalling piece of writing has received so many glowing reviews is beyond me. Really, it doesn’t deserve any stars at all, but I’m awarding it one for being so entertainingly risible.
August 11, 2018
I have read all of Betsy’s books and have to start by saying that this is now my favourite so far! I mean, murder, book clubs and cake….WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE!? This is very different to Betsy’s previous dark and disturbing novels and is much more of a cosy crime/Agatha Christie homage, although sometimes it felt a little “tongue in cheek” as well!
Take one group of friends who aren’t really friends at all, but a group of likeminded women who just love books! And I think we can all relate to that, especially as most of us who love books are now part of a book club whether it be in our home towns or online. But this book group are about to find out that beneath the friendly surface simmers secrets, lies and jealousies that will eventually lead to murder but which of these women is a cold blooded murderer and why?
I do love a good old fashioned whodunnit with lots of suspects jostling for attention from the armchair detective and this is definitely an intriguing whodunnit! There were plenty of red herrings swimming around to confuse the investigation even further even though I did twig who was responsible but not until nearer the reveal. All the characters were deftly drawn and they were all very different too which gave added depth to the mystery. My favourite character was actually Toni, even though she was portrayed as a bitter, jealous and vindictive woman, followed closely by Kim, who is now my new life guru (“what would Kim do?”) Both women came across as realistic and relatable protagonists even if they were both rather over the top at times!
This was an addictive, easy to read Murder Mystery that I galloped through in no time at all. It’s thoroughly entertaining and fans of both the genre and of Betsy Reavley will lap it up.
An intriguing change of direction for this author but well worth a look!
Take one group of friends who aren’t really friends at all, but a group of likeminded women who just love books! And I think we can all relate to that, especially as most of us who love books are now part of a book club whether it be in our home towns or online. But this book group are about to find out that beneath the friendly surface simmers secrets, lies and jealousies that will eventually lead to murder but which of these women is a cold blooded murderer and why?
I do love a good old fashioned whodunnit with lots of suspects jostling for attention from the armchair detective and this is definitely an intriguing whodunnit! There were plenty of red herrings swimming around to confuse the investigation even further even though I did twig who was responsible but not until nearer the reveal. All the characters were deftly drawn and they were all very different too which gave added depth to the mystery. My favourite character was actually Toni, even though she was portrayed as a bitter, jealous and vindictive woman, followed closely by Kim, who is now my new life guru (“what would Kim do?”) Both women came across as realistic and relatable protagonists even if they were both rather over the top at times!
This was an addictive, easy to read Murder Mystery that I galloped through in no time at all. It’s thoroughly entertaining and fans of both the genre and of Betsy Reavley will lap it up.
An intriguing change of direction for this author but well worth a look!
January 3, 2019
urder At The Book Club by Betsy Reavley
Nine women find each other on internet page about books. When they find out that they live close to each other they decide to meet each week and discuss a book. They always have some sweets, tea and wine - sounds like a lovely book club. But one day they have terrible fight and one of them is found dead the second day. Could the killer be one of them? What they really know about each other?
The Book was my first read by Betsy Reavley and definitely not the last one! I enjoyed the book very much especially because it's about book club and that's something what I do as a hobby 😊 #thrillerbookclub 📚 the book is written in more perspective which I loved and enjoyed the background stories. The only thing is that 9 people is a lot to remember, so I was often confused who is who. 4.5⭐ for this great read!
Nine women find each other on internet page about books. When they find out that they live close to each other they decide to meet each week and discuss a book. They always have some sweets, tea and wine - sounds like a lovely book club. But one day they have terrible fight and one of them is found dead the second day. Could the killer be one of them? What they really know about each other?
The Book was my first read by Betsy Reavley and definitely not the last one! I enjoyed the book very much especially because it's about book club and that's something what I do as a hobby 😊 #thrillerbookclub 📚 the book is written in more perspective which I loved and enjoyed the background stories. The only thing is that 9 people is a lot to remember, so I was often confused who is who. 4.5⭐ for this great read!
August 9, 2018
Torn
This was an interesting and unusual setting, although not as unusual as her last excellent book "Pressure ". However I felt that it was too padded out with a lot of extraneous words. Seems to be why use 3 words when you can use 15! It was a quick read, and overall an enjoyable one.
I gave this 3.5 stars, and was torn between rounding to 3 or 4. Opted for 4 based on previous books and I am sure that I will look forward to reading her next book.
This was an interesting and unusual setting, although not as unusual as her last excellent book "Pressure ". However I felt that it was too padded out with a lot of extraneous words. Seems to be why use 3 words when you can use 15! It was a quick read, and overall an enjoyable one.
I gave this 3.5 stars, and was torn between rounding to 3 or 4. Opted for 4 based on previous books and I am sure that I will look forward to reading her next book.
August 28, 2018
This was marketed as an Agatha Christie type novel which is very flattering for the author but sadly the book does not live up to that. Two dimensional characters, none of whom were particularly likeable, police who were positively dim as well as sexist and a paper thin plot. Not sure why it had so many positive reviews.
November 29, 2018
Amateurishly written, poor plot-lines, undeveloped two dimensional characters.....need I say more.
January 29, 2023
Agath Christie style. Nine ladies meet to share their love of books. First one body is found. Then another.
While a light beach read: I was compelled to keep reading. Fascinated by the characters, their connections and their individual inner drives that form their characters.
Did not guess the ending.
While a light beach read: I was compelled to keep reading. Fascinated by the characters, their connections and their individual inner drives that form their characters.
Did not guess the ending.
December 27, 2021
What drew me to this was the cover, the blurb that referred to this as "A deliciously Agatha Christie-style mystery," and the fact that it's about a book club murder. It was okay. I wanted to like more than I do. I didn't think it compared to Agatha Christie's works. and there were no real likable characters in this entire book. They all ended up being super judgmental, back stabby and horrible friends to each other. They were genuinely terrible to each other. The plot felt like it was drowning in pettiness and I didn't care about either person who was murdered. I also didn't love the constant negative physical descriptions of women in this. It didn’t contribute to or enhance the plot in any way whatsoever. Adding on top of that, the over the top horrendous personalities and it felt like the author was trying to write women in the worst light possible. There was also the repeated comments about how the female characters had to go get jobs because they couldn't manage only on their husband's salary, which felt out of place in the modern age.
The book felt convoluted and inconsistent. It became a little confusing as to who all the characters were and how they were related because of the sheer number of names being thrown about. There also were moments when I questioned whether the author was even keeping up with her own characters. Shirley was over there using bedpans for giving bed baths, instead of for the intended purpose. And on one page Janet's Catholic parents threw her out because of her teenage pregnancy, and then later on she's stating that she left home herself because her awful single mother was a drug addict and then got pregnant. It's also never explained why Shirley sent the threatening note to Amy. There was a reason for the other two murders and it felt weird to leave that hanging at the end. As a side note, the audiobook narrator was annoying at times, trying to do all these overblown voices. Especially for Janet's character...
All this being said, I did enjoy that actual whodunnit portion of this novel. It was an interesting read, though I'm not sure I'd pick up more from this author.
The book felt convoluted and inconsistent. It became a little confusing as to who all the characters were and how they were related because of the sheer number of names being thrown about. There also were moments when I questioned whether the author was even keeping up with her own characters. Shirley was over there using bedpans for giving bed baths, instead of for the intended purpose. And on one page Janet's Catholic parents threw her out because of her teenage pregnancy, and then later on she's stating that she left home herself because her awful single mother was a drug addict and then got pregnant. It's also never explained why Shirley sent the threatening note to Amy. There was a reason for the other two murders and it felt weird to leave that hanging at the end. As a side note, the audiobook narrator was annoying at times, trying to do all these overblown voices. Especially for Janet's character...
All this being said, I did enjoy that actual whodunnit portion of this novel. It was an interesting read, though I'm not sure I'd pick up more from this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2018
I feel torn as to how I should rate this book. There were parts of it that I liked and parts of it that I disliked so I couldn't decide. I decided I should just write down my thoughts about it and try to figure it out in the end.
---NONSPOILER SECTION---
The story initially seemed promising and I feel that it had the potential to be way more intriguing and develop even better than it eventually did. I found the "book club" idea interesting and the idea that the killer was one of these seemingly innocent women was engaging as well. By the time the murder happened, I started trying to guess who might have done it. So, it was fine up until that point. I found the beginning of the book compelling, but the middle - and biggest - part of it seemed to me slow and repetitious. Too many conversations that were similar with previous ones and which added nothing new. Too many meetings and conversations about how they could not believe what had happened and about how the book club stopped being fun and started having problems... Too many unnecessary descriptions of clothes, shoes, bags, and nails, which in most cases - even though they painted a clear picture - didn't make sense or fit the situation, or help the story... The pace picks back up at the last 15-10% of the book and it caught my curiosity again. The ending was predictable and a little disappointing for me, not only because the killer was expected, but also it left some questions unanswered and unexplained. About the characters now... Some of them were better developed, while others were seriously underdeveloped and even felt irrelevant to the plot. Most of the characters were unlikable and I couldn't bond with them, or care for most of them. Also, as I was reading it, I was able to spot some mistakes - both typing or misspelling errors and problems with the story/continuity of it - that must have escaped the editing and which confused me.
---SPOILER SECTION---
Toni's death was the first shock and the suspicion that there might have been a different secret meaning behind her murder (petals found on her) was very intriguing, so when it was eventually disproved I was disappointed. Janet's death shocked me even more and I was not expecting it at all. I felt sorry for her and her murder gave the situation a whole other feeling. I started trying to guess who might have done it all over again. Johnny's car crash was the most unexpected for me. I didn't expect it and felt very sad and scared that he may not make it. I thought it was a nice plot twist overall and I was satisfied with its happy outcome. Johnny and Amy were the only two characters out of all that I kind of liked and felt I bonded with the most. I also liked Marion a little, even though at times I hoped that she would prove to be the murderer. Maggie was a character that initially seemed minor but ended up being more important for the story. I wish we'd seen more of her, to get a better idea for her character. Toni was the most unlikable character for me even from the first pages of the book. The rest of the characters were either too unlikable, or indifferent and at times even felt like they didn't belong in the story. Some characters only showed up for a moment, so that we'd get to know their life story and then they were never mentioned again. Their stories never went anywhere and felt irrelevant to the plot. I started suspecting that Shirley might be the killer from early on in the story, but really hoped that I'd be proven wrong, or that there would be a big plot twist and something else would happen. I didn't really like the ending, how she was caught and how she confessed. I didn't like at all that the truth behind Amy's threatening note was never revealed. The other thing that also made me feel very angry was that we never learned if Grant really raped Toni. We were never given answers about two major questions and I do not think that this was done to add mystery, but rather because it was convenient. I particularly disliked the last chapter, but I do appreciate that it all had some kind of happy ending and that it left me a happy feeling.
So, after having laid my thoughts down, I think I've decided to give this book 2 out of 5 stars. I thought it was good enough for me to enjoy it, but I didn't love it so I cannot give it a higher rating. I feel though, that with some editing it could possibly score higher than that.
---NONSPOILER SECTION---
The story initially seemed promising and I feel that it had the potential to be way more intriguing and develop even better than it eventually did. I found the "book club" idea interesting and the idea that the killer was one of these seemingly innocent women was engaging as well. By the time the murder happened, I started trying to guess who might have done it. So, it was fine up until that point. I found the beginning of the book compelling, but the middle - and biggest - part of it seemed to me slow and repetitious. Too many conversations that were similar with previous ones and which added nothing new. Too many meetings and conversations about how they could not believe what had happened and about how the book club stopped being fun and started having problems... Too many unnecessary descriptions of clothes, shoes, bags, and nails, which in most cases - even though they painted a clear picture - didn't make sense or fit the situation, or help the story... The pace picks back up at the last 15-10% of the book and it caught my curiosity again. The ending was predictable and a little disappointing for me, not only because the killer was expected, but also it left some questions unanswered and unexplained. About the characters now... Some of them were better developed, while others were seriously underdeveloped and even felt irrelevant to the plot. Most of the characters were unlikable and I couldn't bond with them, or care for most of them. Also, as I was reading it, I was able to spot some mistakes - both typing or misspelling errors and problems with the story/continuity of it - that must have escaped the editing and which confused me.
---SPOILER SECTION---
Toni's death was the first shock and the suspicion that there might have been a different secret meaning behind her murder (petals found on her) was very intriguing, so when it was eventually disproved I was disappointed. Janet's death shocked me even more and I was not expecting it at all. I felt sorry for her and her murder gave the situation a whole other feeling. I started trying to guess who might have done it all over again. Johnny's car crash was the most unexpected for me. I didn't expect it and felt very sad and scared that he may not make it. I thought it was a nice plot twist overall and I was satisfied with its happy outcome. Johnny and Amy were the only two characters out of all that I kind of liked and felt I bonded with the most. I also liked Marion a little, even though at times I hoped that she would prove to be the murderer. Maggie was a character that initially seemed minor but ended up being more important for the story. I wish we'd seen more of her, to get a better idea for her character. Toni was the most unlikable character for me even from the first pages of the book. The rest of the characters were either too unlikable, or indifferent and at times even felt like they didn't belong in the story. Some characters only showed up for a moment, so that we'd get to know their life story and then they were never mentioned again. Their stories never went anywhere and felt irrelevant to the plot. I started suspecting that Shirley might be the killer from early on in the story, but really hoped that I'd be proven wrong, or that there would be a big plot twist and something else would happen. I didn't really like the ending, how she was caught and how she confessed. I didn't like at all that the truth behind Amy's threatening note was never revealed. The other thing that also made me feel very angry was that we never learned if Grant really raped Toni. We were never given answers about two major questions and I do not think that this was done to add mystery, but rather because it was convenient. I particularly disliked the last chapter, but I do appreciate that it all had some kind of happy ending and that it left me a happy feeling.
So, after having laid my thoughts down, I think I've decided to give this book 2 out of 5 stars. I thought it was good enough for me to enjoy it, but I didn't love it so I cannot give it a higher rating. I feel though, that with some editing it could possibly score higher than that.
November 3, 2019
Work book club choice for November. And although the genre meant it should have been right up my street. The story was fine, it was let down by some mediocre writing. On the plus side, a very easy read and I whipped through it in 2 days.
August 13, 2024
I read the synopsis, after pulling Murder at the Book Club from the book store shelf, and thought it sounded like a fun episode of Midsummer Murders. The cover and book club premise made me think it would be a book filled with quaint British villiage descriptions with beautiful gardens and tea time gossip. Boy, was I mistaken.
If it weren't for the light page count, I wouldn't have bothered to finish this book. I rarely DNF books, but this one was definitely deserving. The characters were mean, cruel, angry, bitter, narcissistic, alcoholic, and no more than a few even being likeable. This book gave me anxiety with all of the mean cat fights between the book club members. I mean legit anxiety. This was just such an unpleasant read, which is a shame because I bought it sincerely looking for a light Saturday read. I'll be donating this book as I wouldn't feel right giving it to a friend to read. I wish I could get my $5 and afternoon back.
Also, this book is riddled with errors - both grammatical and in facts. She actually writes an age home carer to use a bed pan as a sponge bath pan. FYI: In the same scene there's an instance of elderly neglect/abuse, which I found terribly jarring and disgusting.
If it weren't for the light page count, I wouldn't have bothered to finish this book. I rarely DNF books, but this one was definitely deserving. The characters were mean, cruel, angry, bitter, narcissistic, alcoholic, and no more than a few even being likeable. This book gave me anxiety with all of the mean cat fights between the book club members. I mean legit anxiety. This was just such an unpleasant read, which is a shame because I bought it sincerely looking for a light Saturday read. I'll be donating this book as I wouldn't feel right giving it to a friend to read. I wish I could get my $5 and afternoon back.
Also, this book is riddled with errors - both grammatical and in facts. She actually writes an age home carer to use a bed pan as a sponge bath pan. FYI: In the same scene there's an instance of elderly neglect/abuse, which I found terribly jarring and disgusting.
October 4, 2020
Review in English | Reseña en Español
This was an entertaining book, though by no means mind-blowing or memorable. It was ok, and I did not see that twist coming but overall, I felt it lack a bit more mystery and drama. Murder at the book club is a story about a group of women who get together to discuss books and spill some tea about one another. There is gossip, there is envy and there is bad faith among some of the club members, all of them adult women with very common lives, until one night, after leaving the book club meeting one of them –Toni– is found dead. She was perhaps the most hated member as she felt herself to be of too much importance among her friends. The story then revolves about finding out who killed her and if any of the members was involved in the crime.
Though the premise was interesting, I found the characters a bit too flat, too black and white and there was really no deep exploration of their feelings and motives. Likewise, I felt that the book club aspect of it could have been way more explored than it was –after all, the title of the book is ‘murder at the book club’ and this discussion among women who actually read was completely ignored. There were no more than two paragraphs on books, so this was a bit disappointing for me and I feel that if this had been more explored, some interesting things would have come up.
An ok read, but quite forgettable.
___
Asesinato en el club del lectura como sería la traducción literal de este libro, fue una lectura entretenida pero bastante olvidable. Me pareció regular y le doy dos estrellas de puntuación porque en realidad no vi venir el final y me pareció interesante la resolución del misterio pero creo que sí le faltó más suspenso y drama. Esta historia trata de un grupo de mujeres que se reúnen cada semana en un club de lectura, obviamente para discutir sobre libros y literatura y también para chismear un poco. Hay muchos rumores, mucha envidia e incluso mala fe entre algunas de las participantes, todas mujeres adultas con vidas relativamente comunes hasta que una noche, después de dejar la reunión, una de ellas es asesinada –Toni. Ella era posiblemente la integrante que más recelo generaba entre el resto del grupo porque se daba ínfulas y en realidad se sentía demasiado para el grupo. La historia va sobre la resolución y el descubrimiento de quién la asesinó y en este camino, se develan secretos bastante obscuros del resto de las mujeres del club.
La premisa me pareció interesante pero los personajes me parecieron demasiado planos, demasiado caricaturescos. Creo que también la historia adoleció de algo más de misterio que le diera más “sabor” al conflicto. Asimismo, creo que el aspecto del club de lectura pudo haberse explorado más de lo que la autora nos presentó –después de todo, el libro tiene como título asesinato y club de lectura, pero realmente si se le dedican dos párrafos a los libros, es mucho. De haberse explotado más este aspecto, creo que algunas cosas interesantes pudieron haber surgido.
Si bien no una lectura terrible, resulta muy poco memorable.
This was an entertaining book, though by no means mind-blowing or memorable. It was ok, and I did not see that twist coming but overall, I felt it lack a bit more mystery and drama. Murder at the book club is a story about a group of women who get together to discuss books and spill some tea about one another. There is gossip, there is envy and there is bad faith among some of the club members, all of them adult women with very common lives, until one night, after leaving the book club meeting one of them –Toni– is found dead. She was perhaps the most hated member as she felt herself to be of too much importance among her friends. The story then revolves about finding out who killed her and if any of the members was involved in the crime.
Though the premise was interesting, I found the characters a bit too flat, too black and white and there was really no deep exploration of their feelings and motives. Likewise, I felt that the book club aspect of it could have been way more explored than it was –after all, the title of the book is ‘murder at the book club’ and this discussion among women who actually read was completely ignored. There were no more than two paragraphs on books, so this was a bit disappointing for me and I feel that if this had been more explored, some interesting things would have come up.
An ok read, but quite forgettable.
___
Asesinato en el club del lectura como sería la traducción literal de este libro, fue una lectura entretenida pero bastante olvidable. Me pareció regular y le doy dos estrellas de puntuación porque en realidad no vi venir el final y me pareció interesante la resolución del misterio pero creo que sí le faltó más suspenso y drama. Esta historia trata de un grupo de mujeres que se reúnen cada semana en un club de lectura, obviamente para discutir sobre libros y literatura y también para chismear un poco. Hay muchos rumores, mucha envidia e incluso mala fe entre algunas de las participantes, todas mujeres adultas con vidas relativamente comunes hasta que una noche, después de dejar la reunión, una de ellas es asesinada –Toni. Ella era posiblemente la integrante que más recelo generaba entre el resto del grupo porque se daba ínfulas y en realidad se sentía demasiado para el grupo. La historia va sobre la resolución y el descubrimiento de quién la asesinó y en este camino, se develan secretos bastante obscuros del resto de las mujeres del club.
La premisa me pareció interesante pero los personajes me parecieron demasiado planos, demasiado caricaturescos. Creo que también la historia adoleció de algo más de misterio que le diera más “sabor” al conflicto. Asimismo, creo que el aspecto del club de lectura pudo haberse explorado más de lo que la autora nos presentó –después de todo, el libro tiene como título asesinato y club de lectura, pero realmente si se le dedican dos párrafos a los libros, es mucho. De haberse explotado más este aspecto, creo que algunas cosas interesantes pudieron haber surgido.
Si bien no una lectura terrible, resulta muy poco memorable.
August 7, 2018
Those of you that follow my reviews will know that I am a massive fan of Betsy. She is very well known for writing dark and twisted stories. One of the many reasons I love her books....But crikey I wasn't expecting that!! If you think that this is going to be a normal Betsy story then think again, Not that Betsy ever does normal....but she has done it this time....
Once again this is another book that I never read the blurb to but The Murder at the Book Club sounded very fitting. All of us book fans love a good book club don't we?!
After being totally blown away by the author changing her writing style. I settled into this really quickly with the story oozing with mystery right from the start.
Set in Cambridge a body is found on Stourbridge common everything comes back to a book club which nine ladies are members of. Has the story unfolds we learnt that one of them is a killer...But which one, is the question?!
With characters that you don't know who to trust Betsy weaves a story that will have you guessing until the end. I love the fact that this is oh so different to her other books. She has totally jumped out of her comfort zone and brings us a fabulous murder mystery.Which tells me that this lady can write anything. If your a fan of a whodunit story then this is the book for you.
Murder at the Book Club is one hell of an addictive read which I highly recommend for fans old and new
Once again this is another book that I never read the blurb to but The Murder at the Book Club sounded very fitting. All of us book fans love a good book club don't we?!
After being totally blown away by the author changing her writing style. I settled into this really quickly with the story oozing with mystery right from the start.
Set in Cambridge a body is found on Stourbridge common everything comes back to a book club which nine ladies are members of. Has the story unfolds we learnt that one of them is a killer...But which one, is the question?!
With characters that you don't know who to trust Betsy weaves a story that will have you guessing until the end. I love the fact that this is oh so different to her other books. She has totally jumped out of her comfort zone and brings us a fabulous murder mystery.Which tells me that this lady can write anything. If your a fan of a whodunit story then this is the book for you.
Murder at the Book Club is one hell of an addictive read which I highly recommend for fans old and new
August 12, 2018
I’ll hold my hand up now, I’ve never read any of Betsy Reavley’s books before. Nope, not one. I’ve heard some excellent reviews of her psychological thrillers but I’ve yet to get one to the top of my reading pile.
Now then, after that wee admission, Murder At The Book Club. I’ve got to say I adore this cover. The simplicity of the Victoria sponge cake just sat there is very eye catching. It’s just gorgeous (well I think it is).
The group is a right mishmash of people from a cross section of society but all with a love for books but that’s what books do! Brings together people from different backgrounds all with a love for reading. And I can imagine that a real life book club would be similar.
The story has a cozy murder mystery feel to it. I felt I was in an episode of Midsomer Murders and half expected Barnaby or Troy to appear in the next chapter. But instead I had Barrett and Palmer running round trying to find the truth!
This is very different from what I expected having read reviews of Ms Reavley’s other works. But I was pleasantly surprised by the change in direction and really enjoyed reading this murder mystery! If you like a bit of cozy crime, murder mystery, I would get yourself a copy of Murder at the Book Club.
Now then, after that wee admission, Murder At The Book Club. I’ve got to say I adore this cover. The simplicity of the Victoria sponge cake just sat there is very eye catching. It’s just gorgeous (well I think it is).
The group is a right mishmash of people from a cross section of society but all with a love for books but that’s what books do! Brings together people from different backgrounds all with a love for reading. And I can imagine that a real life book club would be similar.
The story has a cozy murder mystery feel to it. I felt I was in an episode of Midsomer Murders and half expected Barnaby or Troy to appear in the next chapter. But instead I had Barrett and Palmer running round trying to find the truth!
This is very different from what I expected having read reviews of Ms Reavley’s other works. But I was pleasantly surprised by the change in direction and really enjoyed reading this murder mystery! If you like a bit of cozy crime, murder mystery, I would get yourself a copy of Murder at the Book Club.
April 15, 2022
I listened to this w my scribd membership. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would after seeing the ratings. The story isn't all that unique, but that was ok with me. If you're a person that has to like at least one or more characters then you might want to pass. There's a lot of cattiness involved. I didn't know who did it until 3/4 of the way through so that was nice. one thing that usually just gives it an automatic star is a decent British narrator which I'm a sucker for,no matter how mediocre the story may be. I think to sum this book up I should just say' 😑 meh' and leave it at that- 2.5 stars rounded up
January 4, 2024
.5 for getting this in print!
Sorry but just no, and rather than go into further detail I refer my future self (and anyone else) to the large number of one star reviews on this site which point out the problems, with evidential quotes, all of which stood out to me in the same way.
Sorry but just no, and rather than go into further detail I refer my future self (and anyone else) to the large number of one star reviews on this site which point out the problems, with evidential quotes, all of which stood out to me in the same way.
Read
August 21, 2021Dnf 43%. I started like twelve books last night and they all suck.
December 19, 2024
I’m quite surprised that the ratings for this are so low. I found it to be a quick cozy mystery where I didn’t really guess the whodunnit. I mean, it’s not the
finest piece of work ever, but it was a fun between books, book.
I really enjoyed the various accents delivered by the narrator.
Currently included with audible 🎧
finest piece of work ever, but it was a fun between books, book.
I really enjoyed the various accents delivered by the narrator.
Currently included with audible 🎧
April 13, 2024
3.5⭐️= Quite Good.
Paperback.
This was an easy to read book. In the first half of the, the characters were not particularly inspiring and I wasn’t particularly engaged with the storyline. After this, the characters developed and I could see many potential suspects. Saying this, I did not guess the murderer!
This might be for you if you want an easy to read book , written in a whodunnit style.
Paperback.
This was an easy to read book. In the first half of the, the characters were not particularly inspiring and I wasn’t particularly engaged with the storyline. After this, the characters developed and I could see many potential suspects. Saying this, I did not guess the murderer!
This might be for you if you want an easy to read book , written in a whodunnit style.
January 27, 2019
I can’t believe someone had the audacity to compare this author to Agatha Christie. No comparison at all. Christie’s books had really good plots and mysteries unlike this book. Not a likable character in this book including the police who were pretty darn snarky and a bit incompetent. These characters were so one dimensional that nothing could have saved them!! Also was tired of all the complaining of the heat. Apparently not a single building in Cambridge had air-conditioning which is hard to believe when they had mobile phones that could take videos. Wasn’t the dark ages for Pete’s sake. Can not recommend this book to anyone and will not waste MY time reading this author again. Trivial.
April 19, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
ssooooo manyyyy thoughts saving for Bookish Cats!!
ssooooo manyyyy thoughts saving for Bookish Cats!!
August 16, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I have read a few books by this author now and really enjoyed them so I was delighted when I saw that she had a new book being released!
I thought that this book was great, a completely addictive read that I flew through as I needed to see how it would end!
The characters are great and I loved the interaction between them - like a normal day in the office (if you read it you'll get what I mean). Would be a great book to discuss at a book club but I would hope you get a different ending!
I really enjoyed it, it is a great cosy murder mystery!
The flow was great and I loved the change to the author's normal writing style. Five stars from me for this one, very different to her other books but still an additive and enjoyable story!!
I have read a few books by this author now and really enjoyed them so I was delighted when I saw that she had a new book being released!
I thought that this book was great, a completely addictive read that I flew through as I needed to see how it would end!
The characters are great and I loved the interaction between them - like a normal day in the office (if you read it you'll get what I mean). Would be a great book to discuss at a book club but I would hope you get a different ending!
I really enjoyed it, it is a great cosy murder mystery!
The flow was great and I loved the change to the author's normal writing style. Five stars from me for this one, very different to her other books but still an additive and enjoyable story!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,215 reviews