Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

Nothing brings a family together like a murder next door. A lighthearted whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio of amateur sleuths. Gilmore Girls , but with murder.

High-powered businesswoman Lana Rubicon has a lot to be proud her keen intelligence, impeccable taste, and the L.A. real estate empire she’s built. But when she finds herself trapped 300 miles north of the city, convalescing in a sleepy coastal town with her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack, Lana is stuck counting otters instead of square footage—and hoping that boredom won’t kill her before the cancer does.

Then Jack—tiny in stature but fiercely independent—happens upon a dead body while kayaking. She quickly becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation, and the Rubicon women are thrown into chaos. Beth thinks Lana should focus on recovery, but Lana has a better idea. She’ll pull on her wig, find the true murderer, protect her family, and prove she still has power. With Jack and Beth’s help, Lana uncovers a web of lies, family vendettas, and land disputes lurking beneath the surface of a community populated by folksy conservationists and wealthy ranchers. But as their amateur snooping advances into ever-more dangerous territory, the headstrong Rubicon women must learn to do the one thing they’ve always depend on each other.

Published by William Morrow
on September 5, 2023

Review:

For whatever reason, when this book was announced as Reese’s book club pick in September, I wasn’t super excited about it. But, I had told myself I was going to read each of her picks this year, so I bought the book and then tucked it away for a few weeks so I could read all of my horror and thriller books. When I came back to it, I still wasn’t super excited about it (I like my mysteries gritty and shocking rather than cutesy and cozy), but I dug in anyway. I didn’t hate it, but to me, it was just okay.

The book focuses on three generations of women: Lana, her daughter Beth, and Beth’s daughter Jack. When Lana collapses in her LA home and later learns she has cancer, she heads North to a small coastal town to stay with Beth and Jack for a few months while she recovers.

One evening, Lana is awake – unable to sleep – when she sees what appears to be a man down the coast. He seems to be dumping something from a wheelbarrow into the water. The next day, Jack stumbles upon a lifeless body during one of her kayaking expeditions. It’s not long before the police are questioning Jack about the mysterious death, and because she’s a bit of a pitbull and very protective of her granddaughter, Lana is soon stepping in. It’s not long before Lana is putting her detective hat on, determined to figure out who killed the man. With the support and assistance of Jack and Beth, she delves into the dark underbelly of a community entangled with deceitful agendas, simmering family feuds, and contentious land disputes. As their amateur investigation progresses, the Rubicon women are forced to rely on one another, but in order to do that, they’ll need to put their past differences aside before they can solve the murder.

While I didn’t find the story especially deep or compelling, I did appreciate the characters. Lana is a hoot. She’s someone who is so used to having control over everything, and to suddenly find herself cooped up in the house all day, forcing her way into a murder investigation is very exciting for her – of course, she’s going to take the chance to get involved. The author does a great job conveying Lana’s frustration at being trapped in a place that does not align with her ambitious personality, juxtaposing it with the tranquility and simplicity that the coastal town offers.

The other characters are also well-developed, and I liked the connection between the three Rubicon women. While their interactions were enjoyable enough, their growth and development were somewhat predictable. The supporting characters, while serving a purpose to the overall story, weren’t overly memorable.

The writing was tight, the setting descriptive, and the pacing felt steady. While I didn’t find the mystery overly complex, it was still a decent read. Fans of family dramas and light/cozy mysteries will likely really enjoy this one. In the end, I thought it was just okay.