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THE AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO MURDER by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White William Morrow, November 2024 416 pages $30.00 ISBN: 0063259869

In the afterword of THE AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO MURDER, the authors offer a somewhat tongue-in-cheek apology to the publishing industry, back-in-the-day historical romance writers, and the Scottish people with, to some extent, good reason, because they take on all three with satire, silliness, and an underlying layer of dark reality. But in spite of addressing a number of dark themes (in addition to murder), the satire and silliness carry the day, offering a fast read with plenty of adventure and romance. And while, in its satirizing the old-time (and sometimes current) historical romances, the novel notably includes huge amounts of coincidence and over-the-top events that stretch the reader's suspension of disbelief to the breaking point, it is also a fun read—as it is meant to be.

Set in a Gothic-style (of course) castle on a secluded (of course) island in Scotland, THE AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO MURDER alternates among the points of view of Emma, Cassie, and Kat, three American authors who travel to a writers' retreat at the home of the literary superstar Brett Saffron Presley to research a collaborative novel. When Pressley winds up dead, the three become the main suspects in the investigation and, much to the dismay of the locals (who were already dismayed by the Americans' presence and plaids), begin their own investigation in order to clear their names. Because of the alternating viewpoints, and because the characters are, ultimately, more interesting than the plot (although the plot has plenty of action and some nice twists), the reader gets to know the characters well, and they're all entertaining. Emma is a New England blueblood who writes historical fiction; Cassie is a southern mom who writes cozies that tend to include poisoned baked goods; and Kat writes erotica. As the novel unfolds, each plays to her strengths in the investigation, each confronts things she'd rather not face, and all three surprise themselves by becoming fast friends. In the end, everything is nicely tied up (of course), and while the reader may guess some of the outcomes, there are sure to be some surprises.

Overall, the emphasis is on sheer entertainment, with a setting complete with secret passages and rooms; characters with distinct personalities and quirks; and a plot with plenty of romance and adventure. If you're looking for a lighthearted escape with a satisfying bit of comeuppance tossed in, THE AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO MURDER offers it in spades.

§ Meredith Frazier, a writer with a background in English literature, lives in Dallas, Texas

Reviewed by Meredith Frazier, November 2024

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