Thriller set across NEVADA
Cozy crime set in SANTA BARBARA
10th October 2025
The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols, cozy crime set in Santa Barbara.
Jo Nichols is the pseudonym of husband and wife writing team Joel Ross and Lee Nichols.
The cottages are all owned by eighty-two year old Mrs Golda Bakofsky (otherwise known as Mrs B to her tenants), comprising a “fairy circle” of units that resemble dollhouses, built by her late husband, and all colourfully painted in a variety of bright hues and shades. She is certainly not one for uniformity. She even has a free library on the property. And of course, gathered together in this enclave is a motley group of eccentric folk, with quite a few back stories.
The applecart has been upset because Mrs B, on an apparent whim, has let out one of her houses to a man called Anthony, with HISTORY, he is an ex-convict and this ruffles the feathers of the community.
Then Sophie, from her unit, espies a man asleep but much to the consternation of community, he is quite dead. Vernon, the detective, is brought in to carry out investigations into his death, and through him we get a broad picture of the individuals and their personalities. Suspicion immediately lands on the doorstep of the newest arrival.
Young tenant Sophie has set up a group chat, which is now a vehicle for everyone to contribute thoughts and suspicions. Used wisely, it could be a reassurance…. There are frictions and tempers, but as the story progresses the tenants are motivated to find ways of exculpating their fellow resident.
The story is essentially a cozy mystery that envelops real life issues – Sophie, for example, has turned to alcohol following a traumatic encounter leaving her with a PTSD diagnosis; Piotr struggles with prejudice. But warmly overseeing everyone’s well-being is Mrs P. There is humour (sometimes a little forced, perhaps) coupled with wry observations and interesting developments.
There is a sense of California in the story – although the construct feels a little discombobulating, as the title and genre would lead a reader to believe that the story is set somewhere in bucolic England, much like The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman set in Kent.
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