MURDER ON CHARITY LANE

The stalwart members of the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective strike again.

The six Marigold Cottages in Santa Barbara, California, are owned by the good-hearted yenta Golda Bakofsky—fondly known as Mrs. B—who’ll do anything for the people she loves. That includes confessing to murder, as she did six months ago, bringing the diverse but equally eccentric residents together to find the real killer. Now that Sophie, the traumatized playwright, has written a play based on the crime, she’s moving in with Nicholas, who used to be totally closed off. Lily-Ann, a brilliant perfectionist, is falling for Anthony, who was arrested for the murder because he was a felon. Ocean, the lesbian divorced mother of two, is dating CJ, whom she and Mrs. B met at swim class. Hamilton is still agoraphobic. Sophie’s landed a job fundraising for the New Vic, and CJ, who works for a wealthy man, Frank, has gotten her and Nicholas an invitation to a party where she can meet rich donors. The elderly Frank’s habit of treating CJ like a daughter doesn’t sit well with his wife, Karina, who loves him but is frustrated by his refusal to do a major update on their home or buy a yacht or follow his best friend Sunny’s search for eternal youth. Sophie enjoys Frank’s party until the host falls down the steps and dies, and Karina accuses CJ of pushing him. Sunny comes forward to say that he too saw CJ push Frank, and DS Vernon Enible arrests CJ despite his certainty that the Marigold sleuths are hiding something. Even though they’re not entirely sure that CJ is innocent, the Marigold group still works to help her.

Fans of the Thursday Murder Club will adore this eclectic group of sleuths who find justice more important than truth.