ARC Review: The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig & Kate White

The Author's Guide to Murder
Author: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Kate White
Publication: William Morrow (November 5, 2024)

Description: Agatha Christie meets Murder, She Wrote in this witty locked room mystery and literary satire by New York Times bestselling team of novelists: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White.

There’s been a sensational murder at historic Castle Kinloch, a gothic fantasy of grey granite on a remote island in the Highlands of Scotland. Literary superstar Brett Saffron Presley has been found dead—under bizarre circumstances—in the castle tower’s book-lined study. Years ago, Presley purchased the castle as a showpiece for his brand and to lure paying guests with a taste for writerly glamour. Now it seems, the castle has done him in…or, possibly, one of the castle’s guests has. Detective Chief Inspector Euan McIntosh, a local with no love for literary Americans, finds himself with the unenviable task of extracting statements from three American lady novelists.

The prime suspects are Kat de Noir, a slinky erotica writer; Cassie Pringle, a Southern mom of six juggling multiple cozy mystery series; and Emma Endicott, a New England blue blood and author of critically acclaimed historical fiction. The women claim to be best friends writing a book together, but the authors’ stories about how they know Brett Saffron Presley don’t quite line up, and the detective is getting increasingly suspicious.

Why did the authors really come to Castle Kinloch? And what really happened the night of the great Kinloch ceilidh, when Brett Saffron Presley skipped the folk dancing for a rendezvous with death?

A crafty locked-room mystery, a pointed satire about the literary world, and a tale of unexpected friendship and romance—this novel has it all, as only three bestselling authors can tell it!

My Thoughts: THE AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO MURDER is the latest collaboration by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. The story takes place in Scotland and doesn't seem to miss any opportunity to explore Scottish themes - from plaid to whisky to accents. 

Three authors are at Castle Kinloch for a writing workshop. They have convinced their editor to send them so that they can write a story about the death of the notorious Naughty Ned who died at a house party in 1900. 

The three women are claiming to be best friends, but that assertion falls apart quite quickly since they are so different from one another and so prone to bickering. Kat de Noir writes paranormal erotica; Cassie Pringle writes a number of cozy series; and Emma Endicott writes detailed and annotated historical biographies of obscure women. But they do have one thing in common. Each was victimized by best-selling author Brett Saffron Presley who is renting the Castle and is the host (though an unseen one) of the writing workshop. 

When Brett Saffron Paisley is found dead, it is not leap for the police to center their suspicions on the three women. In fact, they briefly even doubt each other but then decided to work together to find out what happened to BSP and, incidentally, clear their own names. 

The story was filled with romance tropes. It also had interesting and well-developed characters in the three authors. The story was also filled with humor both in the characters of the authors and the estate manager with the pet sheep. 

This was a fun reading experience. Readers of romance and mystery will enjoy this one. 

Favorite Quote:

Kat has a theory that it was mutual incomprehension that fueled attraction; once you figured out who the other person was -- well, it didn't last long. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.