The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo NicholsMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
I just finished writing a pithy review, and when I submitted it, Goodreads lost it! Harumph. I should have saved my review before hitting the post button! Live and learn!
In brief ---I did not love this book. There were too many tropes and a lot of cliches. The writing style of different characters being the 'star' of each chapter didn't flow well, in my opinion. I saw no humor in this book--about the only good part was that it took me a while to figure out what was happening.
This book speaks a little too strongly of political correctness; the author covers nearly all of the bases - the elderly yenta who owns the cottages, the divorced lesbian, a drunk/traumatized woman, a phobic, an ex-con, a bumbling detective, and more.
I don't think that I have ever rolled my eyes so much over any book I have read lately! Plenty of other reviews loved this book, so don't just go by me.
*ARC supplied by the publisher Minotaur Books, the author, and NetGalley.
View all my reviews
DESCRIPTION: "The perfect summer read, full of charm and heart, written in the vein of The Thursday Murder Club or Only Murders in the Building but with a southern California twist.
Mrs. B, the landlady of The Marigold Cottages is a stubborn idealist who only rents to people she cares Sophie, an anxious young playwright with a dark past; Hamilton, an agoraphobe who likes to overshare; Ocean, a queer sculptor raising two kids alone; the perfectionist Lily-Ann; and Nicholas, a finance bro who’s hiding secrets.
The tenants live contentedly in their doll-house bungalows in Santa Barbara, just minutes from the beach, until their peace is shattered when Anthony, a quiet, hulking, but potentially violent ex-con moves in. Three weeks later, a dead body is discovered on the streets of the peaceful neighborhood. Anthony is arrested, and the tenants heave sighs of relief. Until Mrs. B, convinced that he's innocent, marches down to the police station and confesses to the crime herself. The tenants band together and form “The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective” to save their beloved landlady. As clues are unearthed and secrets are revealed, the community of misfits only grows more tight-knit...until a second body is found. Full of eccentricity, humor, community, The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective will keep you hooked until the last page."
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