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The Merry Widow Murders
It’s the latter half of the Roaring Twenties and Lady Lucy Revelstoke, the unconventional widow of a young British lord, is once more crossing the Atlantic on a state-of-the-art ocean liner. Rubbing elbows with the era’s elite, Lucy has come a long way from her roots as the daughter of a Canadian mobster.
But when a dead man turns up in her stateroom on the first night of the voyage, Lucy wonders if her past has come back to haunt her. Who is this dead man? Is someone from her past trying to send her a message? Lucy doesn’t wait to find out. With her chivalrous friend Lord Tony, and Elf, her pickpocket-turned-maid, she endeavours to throw the body overboard. It does not go as planned.
When the body is discovered by authorities on the ship, Lucy must do everything in her power to find the murderer before they look too deeply into her past.
But when a dead man turns up in her stateroom on the first night of the voyage, Lucy wonders if her past has come back to haunt her. Who is this dead man? Is someone from her past trying to send her a message? Lucy doesn’t wait to find out. With her chivalrous friend Lord Tony, and Elf, her pickpocket-turned-maid, she endeavours to throw the body overboard. It does not go as planned.
When the body is discovered by authorities on the ship, Lucy must do everything in her power to find the murderer before they look too deeply into her past.
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 16, 2023
About the author
Melodie Campbell
52 books109 followers"the Canadian literary heir to Donald Westlake"
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
NEWS: THE GODDAUGHTER DOES VEGAS is on the Ontario Library Association 2020 Forest of Reading GREAT STORIES list!
THE B-TEAM has been shortlisted for the 2019 Arthur Ellis Award for Excellence in Crime Writing! Melodie Campbell is a double finalist this year, with A SHIP CALLED PANDORA (Mystery Weekly Magazine) being a finalist in the short story category.
THE GODDAUGHTER'S REVENGE has won the DERRINGER AWARD and the ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD for Crime Writing!
The Toronto Sun called her Canada's "Queen of Comedy." Library Journal compared her to Janet Evanovich.
Melodie got her start writing comedy so it's no surprise that reviewers and editors have called her fiction "hilarious" and "laugh-out-loud funny". She has over 200 publications, including 40 short stories, 15 novels, and has won 10 awards for fiction.
"The Goddaughter" a comic mob caper, has been called "Just right for Janet Evanovich fans...impossible not to laugh" by Library Journal.
"The Goddaughter's Revenge" from Orca books, was dubbed 'Real Gold' by the Hamilton Spectator. It won the Derringer Award in the States, and the Arthur Ellis Award in Canada.
Book 5 in the series, "The Bootlegger's Goddaughter" was a finalist for the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak Award. Book 6 in the series, "The Goddaughter Does Vegas" is now available.
Top 100 Bestseller "Rowena Through the Wall," was the first novel in the Land's End comic time travel fantasy series. The entire Land's End trilogy is a Top 50 Amazon Bestseller (all books).
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
NEWS: THE GODDAUGHTER DOES VEGAS is on the Ontario Library Association 2020 Forest of Reading GREAT STORIES list!
THE B-TEAM has been shortlisted for the 2019 Arthur Ellis Award for Excellence in Crime Writing! Melodie Campbell is a double finalist this year, with A SHIP CALLED PANDORA (Mystery Weekly Magazine) being a finalist in the short story category.
THE GODDAUGHTER'S REVENGE has won the DERRINGER AWARD and the ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD for Crime Writing!
The Toronto Sun called her Canada's "Queen of Comedy." Library Journal compared her to Janet Evanovich.
Melodie got her start writing comedy so it's no surprise that reviewers and editors have called her fiction "hilarious" and "laugh-out-loud funny". She has over 200 publications, including 40 short stories, 15 novels, and has won 10 awards for fiction.
"The Goddaughter" a comic mob caper, has been called "Just right for Janet Evanovich fans...impossible not to laugh" by Library Journal.
"The Goddaughter's Revenge" from Orca books, was dubbed 'Real Gold' by the Hamilton Spectator. It won the Derringer Award in the States, and the Arthur Ellis Award in Canada.
Book 5 in the series, "The Bootlegger's Goddaughter" was a finalist for the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak Award. Book 6 in the series, "The Goddaughter Does Vegas" is now available.
Top 100 Bestseller "Rowena Through the Wall," was the first novel in the Land's End comic time travel fantasy series. The entire Land's End trilogy is a Top 50 Amazon Bestseller (all books).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 8, 2023
The Merry Widow Murders in one word: fun. Melodie Campbell leads the reader on a romp through a twisty murder mystery set on a deliciously described roaring twenties ocean liner. The costume, etiquette and class differences of the era are exquisitely and faithfully rendered. If you love the Murdoch Mysteries, you’ll love The Merry Widow Murders. The protagonist, Lady Lucy Revelstoke, is a cheeky, streetwise mobster’s daughter with a detective’s mind, a woman with a sparkling wit and wicked sense of humor. I challenge anyone to read this book without chuckling. With The Merry Widow Murders, Melodie Campbell has once again secured her crown as Canada’s queen of comedy.
July 8, 2023
This book was so much fun! I was looking for a fun mystery and this absolutely delivered. It was a pretty quick read and I enjoyed every page. It was the perfect thing to read in the evenings after work and would be an amazing vacation or travel read.
The references to the period were fun Easter eggs for anyone familiar, and the mystery at the heart of it all was winding as Lucy, the main character, solved it. I won't call the book particularly nuanced or deep, but it's not meant to be. The ending was such a delight (I'm attempting to use words other than fun) and had me chuckling.
The references to the period were fun Easter eggs for anyone familiar, and the mystery at the heart of it all was winding as Lucy, the main character, solved it. I won't call the book particularly nuanced or deep, but it's not meant to be. The ending was such a delight (I'm attempting to use words other than fun) and had me chuckling.
February 14, 2026
4.5 STARS History, murder, a strong female main character with a dark past and a snarky sidekick - what more could you want out of a historical murder mystery?
What I initially noticed about this first book in the series was how immediately I was pulled into the story, getting introduced to the 1920's era, the unique setting and intrigued by the main character, Lady Lucy Revelstoke.
This is a locked room murder mystery aboard a large cruise liner going from the USA to England and the nautical setting provides enough room for murder and mayhem while keeping the potential culprits in close proximity (and luxury). With great atmosphere, readers are treated to wonderful descriptions of the Roaring 20's, from the clothing and decor, to the 1920's colloquialisms and historical references.
I love a main character with a different backstory and widow Lady Lucy Revelstoke gives that to the reader in spades!! You see, Lucy is Canadian and learned a few 'skills' as the daughter of a Hamilton, Ontario mobster. She's since left the family, met her lady's maid, Elf, been married, become a mother and widowed, but those skills she learned from 'the family business' come in handy when a dead body is found in her suite on the cruise liner heading to Europe and she and Elf need to dispose of it and learn the identity of the murderer in their midst.
The story balances mystery and history with Elf, Lucy's 'lady's maid' (in very loose quotes) bringing humour and I loved the unconventional bond between the two women. But it's not all murder and humorous snark. With the book set in the 1920's, we see the toll the war and its ensuing trauma on the men who have returned from battle. Readers also witness Lucy's continued grief over her husband who passed away four years prior, leaving her with a teenage son who is at boarding school in England.
The only wee beef I have is the cover. It gives off an old school vibe and doesn't encapsulate the awesomeness within its cover and honestly wouldn't grab my attention on a bookstore shelf.
With humour and a solid mystery, this nautical whodunnit was a very strong start to a new-to-me series. I'm in the middle of book two currently so stay tuned for my review of it as well as book three that the publisher has recently gifted me.
Recommended for: fans of Iona Whishaw's Lane Winslow series, Maureen Jenning's Detective Murdoch series and Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series
What I initially noticed about this first book in the series was how immediately I was pulled into the story, getting introduced to the 1920's era, the unique setting and intrigued by the main character, Lady Lucy Revelstoke.
This is a locked room murder mystery aboard a large cruise liner going from the USA to England and the nautical setting provides enough room for murder and mayhem while keeping the potential culprits in close proximity (and luxury). With great atmosphere, readers are treated to wonderful descriptions of the Roaring 20's, from the clothing and decor, to the 1920's colloquialisms and historical references.
I love a main character with a different backstory and widow Lady Lucy Revelstoke gives that to the reader in spades!! You see, Lucy is Canadian and learned a few 'skills' as the daughter of a Hamilton, Ontario mobster. She's since left the family, met her lady's maid, Elf, been married, become a mother and widowed, but those skills she learned from 'the family business' come in handy when a dead body is found in her suite on the cruise liner heading to Europe and she and Elf need to dispose of it and learn the identity of the murderer in their midst.
The story balances mystery and history with Elf, Lucy's 'lady's maid' (in very loose quotes) bringing humour and I loved the unconventional bond between the two women. But it's not all murder and humorous snark. With the book set in the 1920's, we see the toll the war and its ensuing trauma on the men who have returned from battle. Readers also witness Lucy's continued grief over her husband who passed away four years prior, leaving her with a teenage son who is at boarding school in England.
The only wee beef I have is the cover. It gives off an old school vibe and doesn't encapsulate the awesomeness within its cover and honestly wouldn't grab my attention on a bookstore shelf.
With humour and a solid mystery, this nautical whodunnit was a very strong start to a new-to-me series. I'm in the middle of book two currently so stay tuned for my review of it as well as book three that the publisher has recently gifted me.
Recommended for: fans of Iona Whishaw's Lane Winslow series, Maureen Jenning's Detective Murdoch series and Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series
June 3, 2023
Please write a series with Lucy and Elf! Had me guessing till the end. Hope there is a book 2 coming .....
July 13, 2023
I’m not sure what it says about me when I proclaim cozy mysteries as one of my favourite genres to read. Apparently I love murder, but only when it happens to the bad guys. And I love it even more when a kind, unlikely community member is the one who investigates and solves these murders. The Merry Widow Murders by Melodie Campbell is yet another example of a cozy mystery that engages and delights in all in the ways I listed above. Campbell is a new-to-me author, but based on her bio, it looks as though she’s been writing for quite awhile now. I’m hoping this new series will elevate her status as an author even further.
Plot Summary
It’s 1928, and Lucy is making a transatlantic crossing on a new, grand ship, with only her maid Elf and a male friend named Tony as traveling companions. Lucy is a widow, but has inherited quite a bit of money from her deceased husband. Prior to meeting him, she was escaping a dangerous life in Canada, as her family are well-known mobsters who had also amassed quite a bit of wealth. Lucy is still fairly young, attractive, and incredibly rich, so there are no shortage of suitors who approach her throughout the sailing, including Tony. But the pleasant seascape is interrupted by the discovery of a body in Lucy’s suite the first evening they set sail from New York. Always fearful of her mobster connections coming back to haunt her, she decides to dispose of the body through the porthole, with Elf’s help. Unfortunately, it’s a foggy night and she doesn’t realize the body will land right in a lifeboat, ready to be discovered the next morning. To complicate things even further, she discovers a man on the ship who has knowledge of her hidden family secrets, and because of the proximity of her porthole to the lifeboat, she immediately becomes a suspect in this anonymous man’s murder. Eager to clear her own name and bring the true murderer to justice, Lucy uses her killer instincts from her childhood to track down the criminal on board.
My Thoughts
For the first in a series this novel is incredibly efficient in introducing us to a group of characters that we are sure to see more of in the future. Many first installments in a series spend a great deal of time laying out the protagonist and their background. Lucy has a complicated past, but nothing is dragged out in great detail, in fact, a few secrets are left to the very last page of the book, which is something you don’t often see, but I appreciated it nonetheless. The murder comes fast and furious at the beginning, so through Lucy’s investigations we gradually learn about the time period and her social circle – none of this ‘waiting to get to the good stuff’ here, it’s revealed within a perfect tempo.
The ship as a setting works well; when a murder is committed while out at sea, it immediately narrows down the list of suspects to everyone currently on board, while simultaneously adding the perfect amount of suspense. Despite these dangers, the tone is considerably light. Lucy’s ‘maid’ Elf was one a pick-pocket, and doesn’t fit the current job description well, but her devilish attitude and saucy comebacks make for humorous dialogue, which complements the adventurous but subdued attitude of Lucy nicely.
Grief is a major theme; Lucy’s husband died four years ago, but she struggles with the memories they had together. The lasting negative influences of WWI are also evident in many of the men Lucy meets, and I appreciated the insight this book offered into how people discussed the war and its lingering impact on their psyche. The historical elements of the story are well-researched and bring the characters and setting alive on the page; from the décor of the ship to the fashions and dialogue, it’s clear Campbell took care and attention to ensure as much accuracy as possible. Lucy enjoys a certain amount of freedom as a widow and she is well-aware of how lucky she is compared to many other women in her social circles; there are many comparisons between the American way, and the British way, which I also found fascinating to read about.
In addition to the believable mystery and entertaining assortment of suspects, there is a minor romantic storyline that runs throughout. These massive ships will often seem like a world unto themselves and this book does a wonderful job of keeping readers immersed in a world they won’t want to leave.
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
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Plot Summary
It’s 1928, and Lucy is making a transatlantic crossing on a new, grand ship, with only her maid Elf and a male friend named Tony as traveling companions. Lucy is a widow, but has inherited quite a bit of money from her deceased husband. Prior to meeting him, she was escaping a dangerous life in Canada, as her family are well-known mobsters who had also amassed quite a bit of wealth. Lucy is still fairly young, attractive, and incredibly rich, so there are no shortage of suitors who approach her throughout the sailing, including Tony. But the pleasant seascape is interrupted by the discovery of a body in Lucy’s suite the first evening they set sail from New York. Always fearful of her mobster connections coming back to haunt her, she decides to dispose of the body through the porthole, with Elf’s help. Unfortunately, it’s a foggy night and she doesn’t realize the body will land right in a lifeboat, ready to be discovered the next morning. To complicate things even further, she discovers a man on the ship who has knowledge of her hidden family secrets, and because of the proximity of her porthole to the lifeboat, she immediately becomes a suspect in this anonymous man’s murder. Eager to clear her own name and bring the true murderer to justice, Lucy uses her killer instincts from her childhood to track down the criminal on board.
My Thoughts
For the first in a series this novel is incredibly efficient in introducing us to a group of characters that we are sure to see more of in the future. Many first installments in a series spend a great deal of time laying out the protagonist and their background. Lucy has a complicated past, but nothing is dragged out in great detail, in fact, a few secrets are left to the very last page of the book, which is something you don’t often see, but I appreciated it nonetheless. The murder comes fast and furious at the beginning, so through Lucy’s investigations we gradually learn about the time period and her social circle – none of this ‘waiting to get to the good stuff’ here, it’s revealed within a perfect tempo.
The ship as a setting works well; when a murder is committed while out at sea, it immediately narrows down the list of suspects to everyone currently on board, while simultaneously adding the perfect amount of suspense. Despite these dangers, the tone is considerably light. Lucy’s ‘maid’ Elf was one a pick-pocket, and doesn’t fit the current job description well, but her devilish attitude and saucy comebacks make for humorous dialogue, which complements the adventurous but subdued attitude of Lucy nicely.
Grief is a major theme; Lucy’s husband died four years ago, but she struggles with the memories they had together. The lasting negative influences of WWI are also evident in many of the men Lucy meets, and I appreciated the insight this book offered into how people discussed the war and its lingering impact on their psyche. The historical elements of the story are well-researched and bring the characters and setting alive on the page; from the décor of the ship to the fashions and dialogue, it’s clear Campbell took care and attention to ensure as much accuracy as possible. Lucy enjoys a certain amount of freedom as a widow and she is well-aware of how lucky she is compared to many other women in her social circles; there are many comparisons between the American way, and the British way, which I also found fascinating to read about.
In addition to the believable mystery and entertaining assortment of suspects, there is a minor romantic storyline that runs throughout. These massive ships will often seem like a world unto themselves and this book does a wonderful job of keeping readers immersed in a world they won’t want to leave.
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
https://ivereadthis.com/
Sign up for my newsletter here: https://ivereadthis.com/subscribe/
Or follow me on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ivereadthis/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD6E...
November 30, 2023
A nice light "who dunnit" read laced with a little humour.
July 10, 2025
On a 1920s ship, Lucy and her maid find a dead body in their unlocked cabin. The daughter of a Canadian mob boss, Lucy has questions, theories, and concerns but first, they need to get rid of the body. Campbell is a local author whom I heard speak at a library event; this is her newest book. Like her other series, this one has twists, mob stories, and lots of humour.
June 8, 2023
A terrific read with a unique setting, colorful cast, original storyline and strong female protagonist to boot!
August 14, 2023
A fun filled read, what a comedy PBS series it would make! Roaring 20’s, jewels, titles, cocktails and snappy dialogue. Brave!👏🥰
July 31, 2023
I hope this is a start of a new series! This was fabulous! If you enjoyed this book, you would also enjoy Bert and Mamie Take a Cruise by John Keyse-Walker and Danger on the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Jane Wunderly #3 - the other books in this series are wonderful, too)
July 24, 2023
Decent read. I enjoyed the dynamic of Lucy and Elf together.
July 17, 2023
I confess I was looking for something a little different from Melodie Campbell's Gina Gallo "Goddaughter" series. Less "Mafia princess" and more posh and tosh "Lady Revelstoke" [There was a John Baring, 2nd Baron Revelstoke (7 September 1863 – 19 April 1929), and I thought perhaps Lucy was his fictional widow since her late husband was "Johnny". But John Baring never married, and Lucy's Johnny was a much younger man who died of tuberculosis as a result, I assume, of his time in the trenches in World War One.
Or if Lucy had a fictionalized connection with a real-life society scandal murder in British Columbia, and the "Lady Revelstoke" was inspired by that.
Anyway, Lucy is not the same woman at all. Just a fictional niece of the real-life Hamilton mob bosses Rocco and Bessie Perri.
Well, Melodie Campbell gave me my "historical connection" thrill. I read about Rocco and Bessie Perri and they were quite something to read about. [book:Rocco Perri: The Story of Canada's Most Notorious Bootlegger|63570] by Antonio Nicaso and King Of The Mob. Rocco Perri And The Women Who Ran His Rackets by James Dubro
And Lucy, like Gina Gallo doesn't disappoint. She is believable as a widow. It's just that Lucy is so much like Gina, and her sidekick, Elf [for Elfrida] seems to be an American former street kid part of the time, and a stereotypical English street urchin grown up the other part of the time. Elf was a "fun" character, but not convincing.
Lucy has been a widow for four years. She still misses her husband terribly. [I know widows. Campbell is spot on about her grief.] He was a race car driver. "A true sportsman" as at least one character said. They were more than companionable. She has learned to cope with life for the sake of her son Charlie. Charlie is now thirteen and at Eton, so Lucy is gradually getting back into the world. She and Elf have enjoyed a visit to New York or catch up on American society and fashions. She has met an old friend of Johnny, Tony Anderson, the third son of an Earl, and she's interested in a shipboard romance - or more. He is much like Johnny and she had met Johnny on board an ocean liner.
It's Day One. Lucy and Tony part company to dress for dinner. Lucy enters her cabin and - you guessed it - the room is in disarray and there is a man's body on the floor. Stabbed. Elf, coming in a moment later, is just as surprised as she is. They notice that the man looks like a "torpedo" [a gangster] and though killed in the approved fashion of fictional murder victims, he did not bleed heavily into the carpet or leave a spray of blood on the walls. So he was brought into their cabin dead. Is it a message from Lucy's family or a rival mob that someone on board knows their past? Or did the murderers check the doors of nearby cabins and find theirs unlocked? And what were they going to do with the corpse? Should they report it, or will that lead to uncomfortable questions?
They search the body. No wallet. The clothes are New York cut and the labels on the shirt and jacket are from a top of the line menswear store. The shoes are also American made. The heels are larger than the usual. Of course the ladies recognize a hiding place when they see it. They pry off the heels and discover uncut diamonds - something Bessie Perri's niece is quite familiar seeing.
So Lucy and Elf have to dispose of the body, find out who the victim is, find out who the murderers are, if there is a close connection with Lucy's crime family or a coincidence that he is in their cabin, keep their past from Tony and others in their First-Class shipboard set ... unless one of them ... but which of them? There are two fussy senior English ladies, two garrulous Americans couples, one American giggolo type pretending to be English, the stewards, the handsome purser [who is an old friend of the 'family'] and another English couple, whose son is Charlie Revelstoke's friend at Eton. And Tony seems to be too fond of gambling to be an entirely straight-shooter.
It's not too predictable. I did not catch the murderer before Lucy did. But it felt like a standard 1920s English country house murder tale. The captain was the typical avuncular "salt-of-the-sea" British captain. The handsome purser who grew up with Lucy in the east end of Hamilton was a little too much of a good-guy and Tony was a little too much of manly English outside, weak gambler inside. I like Agatha Christies and this is like hers. A nice summer read.
Or if Lucy had a fictionalized connection with a real-life society scandal murder in British Columbia, and the "Lady Revelstoke" was inspired by that.
Anyway, Lucy is not the same woman at all. Just a fictional niece of the real-life Hamilton mob bosses Rocco and Bessie Perri.
Well, Melodie Campbell gave me my "historical connection" thrill. I read about Rocco and Bessie Perri and they were quite something to read about. [book:Rocco Perri: The Story of Canada's Most Notorious Bootlegger|63570] by Antonio Nicaso and King Of The Mob. Rocco Perri And The Women Who Ran His Rackets by James Dubro
And Lucy, like Gina Gallo doesn't disappoint. She is believable as a widow. It's just that Lucy is so much like Gina, and her sidekick, Elf [for Elfrida] seems to be an American former street kid part of the time, and a stereotypical English street urchin grown up the other part of the time. Elf was a "fun" character, but not convincing.
Lucy has been a widow for four years. She still misses her husband terribly. [I know widows. Campbell is spot on about her grief.] He was a race car driver. "A true sportsman" as at least one character said. They were more than companionable. She has learned to cope with life for the sake of her son Charlie. Charlie is now thirteen and at Eton, so Lucy is gradually getting back into the world. She and Elf have enjoyed a visit to New York or catch up on American society and fashions. She has met an old friend of Johnny, Tony Anderson, the third son of an Earl, and she's interested in a shipboard romance - or more. He is much like Johnny and she had met Johnny on board an ocean liner.
It's Day One. Lucy and Tony part company to dress for dinner. Lucy enters her cabin and - you guessed it - the room is in disarray and there is a man's body on the floor. Stabbed. Elf, coming in a moment later, is just as surprised as she is. They notice that the man looks like a "torpedo" [a gangster] and though killed in the approved fashion of fictional murder victims, he did not bleed heavily into the carpet or leave a spray of blood on the walls. So he was brought into their cabin dead. Is it a message from Lucy's family or a rival mob that someone on board knows their past? Or did the murderers check the doors of nearby cabins and find theirs unlocked? And what were they going to do with the corpse? Should they report it, or will that lead to uncomfortable questions?
They search the body. No wallet. The clothes are New York cut and the labels on the shirt and jacket are from a top of the line menswear store. The shoes are also American made. The heels are larger than the usual. Of course the ladies recognize a hiding place when they see it. They pry off the heels and discover uncut diamonds - something Bessie Perri's niece is quite familiar seeing.
So Lucy and Elf have to dispose of the body, find out who the victim is, find out who the murderers are, if there is a close connection with Lucy's crime family or a coincidence that he is in their cabin, keep their past from Tony and others in their First-Class shipboard set ... unless one of them ... but which of them? There are two fussy senior English ladies, two garrulous Americans couples, one American giggolo type pretending to be English, the stewards, the handsome purser [who is an old friend of the 'family'] and another English couple, whose son is Charlie Revelstoke's friend at Eton. And Tony seems to be too fond of gambling to be an entirely straight-shooter.
It's not too predictable. I did not catch the murderer before Lucy did. But it felt like a standard 1920s English country house murder tale. The captain was the typical avuncular "salt-of-the-sea" British captain. The handsome purser who grew up with Lucy in the east end of Hamilton was a little too much of a good-guy and Tony was a little too much of manly English outside, weak gambler inside. I like Agatha Christies and this is like hers. A nice summer read.
April 12, 2026
THE MERRY WIDOW MURDERS by Melodie Campbell
The First Merry Widow Murders Mystery
A voyage back to England aboard the Victoriana should be a relaxing time for Lady Lucy Revelstoke. A dead body dumped in her stateroom the first evening aboard quite dampened that notion. Was this a personal message, something related to her past, or was her room just a handy location. With her maid and sidekick, Elf, Lucy intends to use the knowledge instilled in her as a youth to track down a cunning killer.
I absolutely adored THE MERRY WIDOW MURDERS. With quick wit, impeccable plotting, and intriguing characters I was completely immersed in this novel. Vivid descriptions made it easy for me to picture myself aboard this luxury ocean liner in 1928.
My favorite part of the first Merry Widow Murders Mystery was the characters, each with an interesting backstory that really fleshed them out. I particularly like the fact that all of the women were strong, intelligent people. No wall flowers here, from minor characters to Lucy and Elf. They can handle themselves and, though it's nice to have a decent chap, it's certainly not necessary. It also goes to show you should never underestimate a woman. The final line found a broad grin on my face!
Embark on a delightful transatlantic voyage in THE MERRY WIDOW MURDERS where mystery, murder, and humor combine to create a captivating start to a wonderful series!
The First Merry Widow Murders Mystery
A voyage back to England aboard the Victoriana should be a relaxing time for Lady Lucy Revelstoke. A dead body dumped in her stateroom the first evening aboard quite dampened that notion. Was this a personal message, something related to her past, or was her room just a handy location. With her maid and sidekick, Elf, Lucy intends to use the knowledge instilled in her as a youth to track down a cunning killer.
I absolutely adored THE MERRY WIDOW MURDERS. With quick wit, impeccable plotting, and intriguing characters I was completely immersed in this novel. Vivid descriptions made it easy for me to picture myself aboard this luxury ocean liner in 1928.
My favorite part of the first Merry Widow Murders Mystery was the characters, each with an interesting backstory that really fleshed them out. I particularly like the fact that all of the women were strong, intelligent people. No wall flowers here, from minor characters to Lucy and Elf. They can handle themselves and, though it's nice to have a decent chap, it's certainly not necessary. It also goes to show you should never underestimate a woman. The final line found a broad grin on my face!
Embark on a delightful transatlantic voyage in THE MERRY WIDOW MURDERS where mystery, murder, and humor combine to create a captivating start to a wonderful series!
February 22, 2024
I enjoyed this well-crafted whodunnit murder mystery. It's set on an ocean-liner crossing the Atlantic from New York to England in 1928. A passenger, Lady Lucy Revelstoke, discovers a stranger's body in her cabin when she returns from dinner on the first evening. She and her maid, Elf, have a checkered background and therefore they take extraordinary steps to dispose of the body in order to avoid unwanted attention to themselves. Lady Lucy turns amateur detective to identify the killer. Along the way to a solution she encounters several interesting characters and potential killers. The story has an exciting ending with a satisfying conclusion.
There's a good sense of place, the characters are well-drawn and there's plenty of historical detail to add authenticity to the story.
It's a good read and recommended.
There's a good sense of place, the characters are well-drawn and there's plenty of historical detail to add authenticity to the story.
It's a good read and recommended.
June 9, 2026
3.5 stars. The characters in this book were interesting and I found the writing style flowed nicely and was easy to read. The mystery was not really well fleshed out, using lots of action in place of substance. There were not many clues for the reader to piece together, even though it was somewhat clear who the guilty party would be. I also felt there was a missed opportunity for character development at the end. Romantic tension was built throughout, but the culmination fell flat. Still, the writing itself was good enough that I would read another in the hopes Campbell will settle into the characters.
July 21, 2026
The Merry Widow Murders is a delightfully stylish romp across the Atlantic, wrapped in equal parts wit, danger, and 1920s glamour. Melodie Campbell gives us Lady Lucy Revelstoke — sharp, charming, and far more capable than polite society suspects — whose stateroom surprise sets off a chain of mischief that’s as entertaining as it is suspenseful.
The shipboard setting feels richly textured, the banter sparkles, and the mystery unfolds with the kind of confident pacing that keeps you leaning in. Campbell balances humour and tension beautifully, delivering a story that’s both clever and irresistibly fun. A buoyant whodunit with a heroine you can’t help but root for.
The shipboard setting feels richly textured, the banter sparkles, and the mystery unfolds with the kind of confident pacing that keeps you leaning in. Campbell balances humour and tension beautifully, delivering a story that’s both clever and irresistibly fun. A buoyant whodunit with a heroine you can’t help but root for.
September 15, 2023
Before she became Lady Revelstoke, Lucy was the daughter of a Canadian mobster. Now she's a young, rich widow on a transatlantic cruise. When she finds a dead body in her stateroom she and her maid (an acquaintance from her mob days) know exactly what to do. A hilarious tale of murder and chaos on the high seas.
September 21, 2023
What a fun read! A lively and likeable Canadian heroine, Lucy Revelstoke won me over by the second page—and I can be kinda hard on my heroines, tbh. This book is basically Downton Abbey on a cruise ship wrapped up in a whodunit. Easy read, fun read, great attention to historical detail. Can't wait for another one!
December 28, 2023
This review contains spoilers.
The plot twist at the end contains a fatal flaw. I was prepared to give this 4 stars but unfortunately, because of this final unexpected turn, she would have immediately recognized him, known who he was, and what he was doing there. Still, a light hearted romp but with a disappointing ending.
The plot twist at the end contains a fatal flaw. I was prepared to give this 4 stars but unfortunately, because of this final unexpected turn, she would have immediately recognized him, known who he was, and what he was doing there. Still, a light hearted romp but with a disappointing ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2025
Great fun! A rich widow, with a title (from her husband) and surprising skills learned from growing up in a crime family, is on a luxury transatlantic cruise when a dead man shows up in her cabin. She and her maid get rid of the body, and pursue an investigation. The beginning of a new series by “Canada’s Queen of Comedy.”
October 13, 2025
3.5- I was prepared to give this 5 stars at the half way point however the ending fell a little flat and there were some plot points that I do not think were wrapped up well. I enjoyed the Canadian historical connections to the mob and the 1920s setting, but just wished things were pulled together a little better.
June 22, 2023
4.5 stars. A nice surprise to find this local, cozy author. I was attracted to the cruise ship cover as a poolside read but was happily surprised by the good mystery and characterization. Will definitely be looking for more by this author. Well done!
August 14, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ This was a cute mystery read. I wasn’t blown away or on the edge of my seat in suspense - but I loved the characters in this story (especially Elf) and how you’re working through the case with the narrator.
Enjoyed it overall, but wouldn’t necessarily rave about it!
Enjoyed it overall, but wouldn’t necessarily rave about it!
August 7, 2023
I really liked this book. There was a nice amount of intrigue and humor.
August 18, 2023
3.75! Quick & easy whodunit ◡̈ cozy mystery!
August 30, 2023
Light pulpy entertainment. The writer seemed more focused on affecting a 1920s vibe (which she pulled off) than she was on developing the story, but it wasn’t terrible.
November 13, 2024
2.5. Too much exposition and coddling of the reader. Easy to solve the whodunnit before the main character figured it out.
April 16, 2025
A very enjoyable classic mystery. Likable characters, two murders and a tightly woven plot that moved quickly from beginning to end. I'm already looking forward to the next one in this series.
June 10, 2026
A fun first mystery set on a ship crossing the Atlantic in the 1920’s.
Melanie Campbell is a Canadian writer.
Melanie Campbell is a Canadian writer.
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