What do you think?
Rate this book
The Murder Mystery Book Club
** PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS The Agatha Christie Book Club **
When Alicia Finlay walks out on her boring old book club and decides to start a new one—one totally devoted to her favourite genre, crime—she can not imagine the trouble she is about to unleash…
After gathering seven crime devotees together—including ditzy librarian Missy, fashionista Claire, paleontologist Perry, dashing Dr Anders, a poisons expert, and socialite Barbara Parlour—Alicia grows suspicious when one of them fails to show for the next club meet. Barbara has vanished and her husband, Arthur, is curiously unconcerned. The group suspects him of foul play until he meets his own foul fate.
With two baffling mysteries on their hands, the book club decide to do as their favourite fictional sleuths would do, and investigate!
So begins the first instalment of THE MURDER MYSTERY BOOK CLUB, a motley collection of amateur sleuths who must sort the real clues from the red herrings to solve the murder of Arthur Parlour and the mystery of his missing wife. They must also look closer to home because each of them is hiding a secret that could crack the case wide open.
A contemporary cozy mystery for those looking for fun and adventure at their next book club.
Can you solve the mystery before the crime buffs do?
THIS BOOK follows British English spelling and usage, and contains some Australian slang. Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
GENRE: humorous, cozy mystery series, amateur sleuths, international mystery, police procedural, romance. NB: This book and all books and other materials associated with it have not been endorsed, licensed or authorised by the estate of Agatha Christie or by Agatha Christie Limited.
When Alicia Finlay walks out on her boring old book club and decides to start a new one—one totally devoted to her favourite genre, crime—she can not imagine the trouble she is about to unleash…
After gathering seven crime devotees together—including ditzy librarian Missy, fashionista Claire, paleontologist Perry, dashing Dr Anders, a poisons expert, and socialite Barbara Parlour—Alicia grows suspicious when one of them fails to show for the next club meet. Barbara has vanished and her husband, Arthur, is curiously unconcerned. The group suspects him of foul play until he meets his own foul fate.
With two baffling mysteries on their hands, the book club decide to do as their favourite fictional sleuths would do, and investigate!
So begins the first instalment of THE MURDER MYSTERY BOOK CLUB, a motley collection of amateur sleuths who must sort the real clues from the red herrings to solve the murder of Arthur Parlour and the mystery of his missing wife. They must also look closer to home because each of them is hiding a secret that could crack the case wide open.
A contemporary cozy mystery for those looking for fun and adventure at their next book club.
Can you solve the mystery before the crime buffs do?
THIS BOOK follows British English spelling and usage, and contains some Australian slang. Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
GENRE: humorous, cozy mystery series, amateur sleuths, international mystery, police procedural, romance. NB: This book and all books and other materials associated with it have not been endorsed, licensed or authorised by the estate of Agatha Christie or by Agatha Christie Limited.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 28, 2021
About the author
C.A. Larmer
28 books246 followersAuthor Christina (C.A.) Larmer was born in remote Papua New Guinea where close encounters with witchdoctors and cannibal progeny (no, really), gave her a morbid taste for mystery that has culminated in more than a dozen crime novels, including four in the Amazon-bestselling Agatha Christie Book Club series, two Posthumous Mysteries, seven Ghostwriter Mysteries, a thriller/suspense, and a stand-alone novel called An Island Lost, which is set in deepest Papua—where else?
When she's not politely bumping people off (they are mostly 'cozies', folks), Christina can be found in the hinterland behind Byron Bay (Aus) where she runs an indie publishing biz, teaches, freelances, and hangs out with her muso hubby, two sons and one very cheeky Blue heeler. For news, views, calarmer.com // https://calarmer.com/blog/
When she's not politely bumping people off (they are mostly 'cozies', folks), Christina can be found in the hinterland behind Byron Bay (Aus) where she runs an indie publishing biz, teaches, freelances, and hangs out with her muso hubby, two sons and one very cheeky Blue heeler. For news, views, calarmer.com // https://calarmer.com/blog/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 19, 2022
I was tempted by The Murder Mystery Book Club because it's a cozy mystery written by an Australian author and set in Sydney, Australia. It seems that writers in other countries are testing the waters of the cozy genre, and I have to admit that I'm curious. In this instance, C.A. Larmer has written an enjoyable, light-hearted mystery that has readers roaming the beaches and various neighborhoods of Sydney in their search for a missing woman.
The book has a varied cast of characters: Alicia Finlay, magazine editor and book club founder; her sister, Lynette, who works in a restaurant and is a first-rate cook; the handsome Dr. Anders whose interest in Agatha Christie lies in her use of poisons; Missy, the chatterbox librarian; Claire, the fashionista who owns a vintage clothing shop; gay paleontologist Perry; and Barbara, the miserable socialite. I found the group to be a strong one, and their varied personalities and strengths should bode well for an entire series. An added bonus is their sharing of information with the police. None of that amateur "I know better than the trained professionals" in this book.
Other factors making this book an enjoyable read: its ties to Agatha Christie's life and writing and Larmer's descriptions of various Sydney neighborhoods. There's very little Australian slang in the book, so readers not familiar with the Land Down Under shouldn't find themselves confused. I did find Missy's tendency to call people "possum" amusing, probably because that was my grandfather's nickname among his cronies. My favorite phrase in the book that I'll be using in the future? "I feel like a third nostril sometimes..." Love it!
If you're in the mood for an Agatha Christie-tinged, light-hearted read, C.A. Larmer's The Murder Mystery Book Club should be a good choice. Get that pot of tea ready!
The book has a varied cast of characters: Alicia Finlay, magazine editor and book club founder; her sister, Lynette, who works in a restaurant and is a first-rate cook; the handsome Dr. Anders whose interest in Agatha Christie lies in her use of poisons; Missy, the chatterbox librarian; Claire, the fashionista who owns a vintage clothing shop; gay paleontologist Perry; and Barbara, the miserable socialite. I found the group to be a strong one, and their varied personalities and strengths should bode well for an entire series. An added bonus is their sharing of information with the police. None of that amateur "I know better than the trained professionals" in this book.
Other factors making this book an enjoyable read: its ties to Agatha Christie's life and writing and Larmer's descriptions of various Sydney neighborhoods. There's very little Australian slang in the book, so readers not familiar with the Land Down Under shouldn't find themselves confused. I did find Missy's tendency to call people "possum" amusing, probably because that was my grandfather's nickname among his cronies. My favorite phrase in the book that I'll be using in the future? "I feel like a third nostril sometimes..." Love it!
If you're in the mood for an Agatha Christie-tinged, light-hearted read, C.A. Larmer's The Murder Mystery Book Club should be a good choice. Get that pot of tea ready!
November 21, 2023
Entertaining cozy mystery. I enjoyed the connection to mystery books and Agatha Christie.
June 24, 2023
The Murder Mystery Book Club is book one in the Florida Keys Bed & Breakfast Cozy Mystery by C. A. Larmer. Alicia Finlay had enough of her dull books club and decided to start her book club. At the first club meeting at her place, seven crime devotees turn up. However, Alicia began to worry about the second meeting when one of the groups failed to turn up. The groups decided to investigate. The readers of The Murder Mystery Book Club will continue to follow Alicia and the team to discover what happens.
The Murder Mystery Book Club is a fantastic cozy book to read. I agree with Alicia about boring book clubs. I love C. A. Larmer's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. The Murder Mystery Club is well-written and researched by C. A. Larmer. I like C. A. Larmer's description of the settings of The Murder Mystery Book Club, which complemented the book's plot.
The readers of The Murder Mystery Book Club will learn the other side of domestic violence. Also, the readers of The Murder Mystery Book Club will learn about the procedure for setting up a face-to-face book club.
I recommend this book.
The Murder Mystery Book Club is a fantastic cozy book to read. I agree with Alicia about boring book clubs. I love C. A. Larmer's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. The Murder Mystery Club is well-written and researched by C. A. Larmer. I like C. A. Larmer's description of the settings of The Murder Mystery Book Club, which complemented the book's plot.
The readers of The Murder Mystery Book Club will learn the other side of domestic violence. Also, the readers of The Murder Mystery Book Club will learn about the procedure for setting up a face-to-face book club.
I recommend this book.
March 22, 2026
A book club featuring the classic books of Agatha Christie. A member of the club goes missing, and the club decides they want to find their missing member, using the deduction system of Hercule Poirot, a fictional sleuth that finds the criminal. Or in this case, the missing woman. A fun read.
August 26, 2025
This was a quick easy Key West read. Had all the book club Vibes and some popular spots mentioned. just a good read.
March 12, 2026
Great story about a book club and it's members working on a murder and a mystery of clues.
March 24, 2026
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
April 9, 2026
Book club
This is one book club I would love to join.It is full of hits that if you don't pay attention too you miss so much.
This is one book club I would love to join.It is full of hits that if you don't pay attention too you miss so much.
March 12, 2022
Another great start to a new cozy mystery series! "The Murder Mystery Book Club" by C.A. Larmer was a quick read at just over 200 pages, but don't let the number of pages fool you, this is a super fun book filled with great characters who just happen to be members of a book club. Sounds great, right?
After Alicia Finlay walks out on the book club she joined because they were just too much for her, with their rules, their boring reads and snooty members, she decides to start her very own book club. A huge Agatha Christie fan, Alicia decides her club will be all about mysteries and crime fiction. She puts a short ad in the paper for members and is soon screening the responses to get just the right folks to make her book club the very best.
Finally, after she's selected the other members and they meet for the first time everyone seems to be on board for a good read among friends, but one of the members is hiding a secret. When one of the members doesn't show for the next book club meeting, the other members begin to worry, and Alicia along with the other members decide to do what "Agatha" would do, solve the mystery of her disappearance. But nothing is what it seems, and the book club will have to dig deep to get to the bottom of what happened to their friend and why her husband is not concerned about her disappearance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it a great start to a new series for me. This series is also known as "The Agatha Christie Book Club," so don't be confused if you see the same title under a different series name. There's a lot of references to stories written by Christie, which was fun if you're like me a fan of Christie's work. The book even delves into the disappearance of Christie for those 11 days when no one knew where she was, which I didn't know much about. Love these characters and for me the characters are everything in a good cozy series. They're all big readers, but they're all very different personalities, which is like most book clubs I imagine. I've only belonged to a couple book clubs and never one with total strangers, but it does sound fun to just answer an ad and show up to meet others you have something like the love of reading mysteries, especially Agatha Christie mysteries in common.
With this being the first in the series I can't wait to see what they got themselves into next! From the titles I believe they're following similar cases to Christie novels, but I'll have to see, but doesn't it sound fun? It's always a win when I pick up a first book in a series and it's this good. I know I've got a readymade TBR list of books to read whenever I can't think of what to read! With this one all about a book club it's right up my alley and one I'm happy to continue, won't you join me? Happy Reading!
After Alicia Finlay walks out on the book club she joined because they were just too much for her, with their rules, their boring reads and snooty members, she decides to start her very own book club. A huge Agatha Christie fan, Alicia decides her club will be all about mysteries and crime fiction. She puts a short ad in the paper for members and is soon screening the responses to get just the right folks to make her book club the very best.
Finally, after she's selected the other members and they meet for the first time everyone seems to be on board for a good read among friends, but one of the members is hiding a secret. When one of the members doesn't show for the next book club meeting, the other members begin to worry, and Alicia along with the other members decide to do what "Agatha" would do, solve the mystery of her disappearance. But nothing is what it seems, and the book club will have to dig deep to get to the bottom of what happened to their friend and why her husband is not concerned about her disappearance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it a great start to a new series for me. This series is also known as "The Agatha Christie Book Club," so don't be confused if you see the same title under a different series name. There's a lot of references to stories written by Christie, which was fun if you're like me a fan of Christie's work. The book even delves into the disappearance of Christie for those 11 days when no one knew where she was, which I didn't know much about. Love these characters and for me the characters are everything in a good cozy series. They're all big readers, but they're all very different personalities, which is like most book clubs I imagine. I've only belonged to a couple book clubs and never one with total strangers, but it does sound fun to just answer an ad and show up to meet others you have something like the love of reading mysteries, especially Agatha Christie mysteries in common.
With this being the first in the series I can't wait to see what they got themselves into next! From the titles I believe they're following similar cases to Christie novels, but I'll have to see, but doesn't it sound fun? It's always a win when I pick up a first book in a series and it's this good. I know I've got a readymade TBR list of books to read whenever I can't think of what to read! With this one all about a book club it's right up my alley and one I'm happy to continue, won't you join me? Happy Reading!
April 6, 2025
It’s rare to find a novel where every single character is extremely unlikable, but somehow, this book managed it. This book was not for me, and the mystery was obvious for even a casual Agatha Christie fan. I just didn’t enjoy anything about this book.
January 5, 2024
Fed up with the pompous, rule bound book club she'd tried, Alicia started a new one based on Agatha Christie novels. Almost immediately odd looks, run downs by sinister cars, and a mystery disappearance occur. Of course, the club starts to look into whatever is going on - there seems to be clues everywhere but what is significant? And then there is a real murder .....
This book nearly finished before it started as far as I was concerned due to the early sniggering, anonymous appearance of the 'villain' - my pet hate. I persevered and really enjoyed this story. Clearly the author is a Christie fan as there are caricature characters (look out for the Patsy from Ab Fab clone), mansions and 'swanky' venues, clues everywhere, misunderstandings, quotes from various Christie books and movies, just to name a few.
I actually found some bits annoying such as when Alicia gets the name of a particular crime wrong but then realised that Christie was famouos for getting those kind of details wrong, so I'm not sure now if it's lazy or clever!!! Except for a comment at one point that stress caused a miscarriage. That is a 1920s comment but not ok in the 2020s.
On the whole, this was good fun and I'll look forward to the next book. Recommended.
This book nearly finished before it started as far as I was concerned due to the early sniggering, anonymous appearance of the 'villain' - my pet hate. I persevered and really enjoyed this story. Clearly the author is a Christie fan as there are caricature characters (look out for the Patsy from Ab Fab clone), mansions and 'swanky' venues, clues everywhere, misunderstandings, quotes from various Christie books and movies, just to name a few.
I actually found some bits annoying such as when Alicia gets the name of a particular crime wrong but then realised that Christie was famouos for getting those kind of details wrong, so I'm not sure now if it's lazy or clever!!! Except for a comment at one point that stress caused a miscarriage. That is a 1920s comment but not ok in the 2020s.
On the whole, this was good fun and I'll look forward to the next book. Recommended.
July 30, 2022
When Alicia Finlay determines that she is definitely in the wrong book club, she decides to start her own. Along with her sister, Lynette, she advertises for potential members for the mystery murder book club and finds seven candidates. They agree to start with Agatha Christie and meet every fortnight on Sunday afternoon. Sounds like a wonderful way to share her enjoyment of these books with friends who feel the same and the first meeting is happily successful. However, when one of the members suddenly disappears after the second meeting, the mystery aspect becomes real and all the book lovers are plunged into a puzzle which might have tantalized Agatha herself. Who is telling the truth? Who is playing a character quite different from their true self. Is the missing woman still alive? Will Alicia and her friends solve the case before someone is hurt or worse. This is quite a clever caper with fascinating characters and plot twists. I enjoyed the story completely and have already purchased the next in the series. If you are looking to get lost in a Christie style mystery, you should definitely give this one a try.
October 14, 2023
Work read. Not my genre, but I don't think it's that great an example of its genre either. The characters are pretty charming, which keeps it above being utterly forgettable, but a bit of a slog on the whole. Some gratuious racial slurs and stereotyping, too.
August 9, 2024
Strong start for this cozy mystery fan but slowed down halfway through even though there were added murders. Too much repetition. But it has enough potential that I will read the second book of this six book series and see where I go from there.
April 19, 2022
My first by this author and it was enjoyable.
July 10, 2023
FAST-PACED
Great book that keeps you guessing until the end.
Can’t wait to read the next on in the series.
Enjoy!
Great book that keeps you guessing until the end.
Can’t wait to read the next on in the series.
Enjoy!
January 26, 2024
Llevadero, ok
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews