The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective

By: Jo Nichols

Narrated by: Jim Meskimen, Meg Price

The perfect summer listen, full of charm and heart, in the vein of The Thursday Murder Club or Only Murders in the Building—but with a Southern California twist.

Mrs. B, the landlady of The Marigold Cottages is a stubborn idealist who only rents to people she cares about: Sophie, an anxious young playwright with a dark past; Hamilton, an agoraphobe who likes to overshare; Ocean, a queer sculptor raising two kids alone; the perfectionist Lily-Ann; and Nicholas, a finance bro who’s hiding secrets.

The tenants live contentedly in their doll-house bungalows in Santa Barbara, just minutes from the beach, until their peace is shattered when Anthony, a quiet, hulking, but potentially violent ex-con moves in. Three weeks later, a dead body is discovered on the streets of the peaceful neighborhood. Anthony is arrested, and the tenants heave sighs of relief. Until Mrs. B, convinced that he's innocent, marches down to the police station and confesses to the crime herself. The tenants band together and form “The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective” to save their beloved landlady. As clues are unearthed and secrets are revealed, the community of misfits only grows more tight-knit...until a second body is found. Full of eccentricity, humor, community, The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective will keep you hooked until the last moment.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books

©2025 Jo Nichols (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Crisp dialogue, well-clued twists, and robustly drawn characters conspire to make this a memorable new entry in the cozy field. Readers will hope a sequel is on the way."—Publisher's Weekly

"The residents of Marigold Court have one, small problem—a dead body was found in a hedge and one of the residents is accused of killing him. Nothing brings a disparate group of people together like a murder! They decide to unite to solve the case and hopefully save the property from the shady land developer who wants to tear down their community. Not in their backyard! By turns funny, smart, and cozy, fans of Agatha Christie and Kat Ailes will whip through this one."—Catherine Mack, USA Today bestselling author of Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies

"Superlatives can’t do this delightful novel justice. Simply put, it’s the most charming, heartfelt, and funniest mystery I’ve ever read. Readers of Richard Osman rejoice—your new obsession has arrived! If I could live in the witty, just, and sundrenched world Jo Nichols has created, I wouldn’t hesitate to call the movers tomorrow."—Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters

Quirky Characters and Excellent Plotting in a Really FUN READ

I read cosy mysteries in between Daniel Siva, Anthony Horowitz, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Dan Brown novels as a sort of relief from grittier stories. This one often had me laughing with delight at the hijinks of the misfit tenants of the Marigold Cottages and their quirky landlady, busybody and mother hen Mrs. B. The best part was the reveal, which presents two possibilities of what actually happened and whodunit! I loved that angle, as well as the unresolved question the book left circling my mind: Do cops really go for the sure win against their own better judgment of what they suspect truly happened? I also loved the character development and glimpses inside the hearts and minds of almost every character in the book. This masterful blending of backgrounds and previous experiences with exposition is ably assisted by the wonderfully expressive and varied performances by Jim Meskimen and Meg Price. A romp that will leave you laughing and cheering! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Absolutely Fantastic A++

If you want a fun book this is it! The characters are absolutely delightfully quirky and charming. The mystery is fun and the found family connections are heartwarming. I want to move into the marigold cottages and have this people as my neighbors!

Kudos the narrator. Such crisp distinction to each character’s voice.