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Jane Stuart and Winky #1
Missing Marlene: Library Edition
Jane Stuart is a widowed young mother and literary agent with a knack for solving mysteries. Winky, her tortoiseshell cat, has a nose for trouble. In Missing Marlene , they team up to solve the mystery of a missing nanny who may have met with foul play.
The last thing a working mom like Jane needs is a call from her young son's school saying his nanny never arrived to pick him up. Now Jane's wondering wheat happened to pretty, blonde Marlene, the daughter of an old friend she recently hired on a trial basis. It looks as if the nineteen-year-old has left without giving notice, and no one seems to know where she's gone. Her mother can't track her down. The police figure she's run away. Jane thinks she'd better start snooping around.
Juggling book deals, rival agents, and a rocky romance with a handsome author, Jane begins to uncover Marlene's shocking secret life. Her amateur sleuthing reveals a boyfriend with violent tendencies—and a police record—and a flirtation with a mystery man. As Jane discovers that Marlene's innocence ended long ago, Winky has a critical clue that could reveal if the killer came in on little cat feet . . . and if that same killer is getting ready to strike again.
The last thing a working mom like Jane needs is a call from her young son's school saying his nanny never arrived to pick him up. Now Jane's wondering wheat happened to pretty, blonde Marlene, the daughter of an old friend she recently hired on a trial basis. It looks as if the nineteen-year-old has left without giving notice, and no one seems to know where she's gone. Her mother can't track her down. The police figure she's run away. Jane thinks she'd better start snooping around.
Juggling book deals, rival agents, and a rocky romance with a handsome author, Jane begins to uncover Marlene's shocking secret life. Her amateur sleuthing reveals a boyfriend with violent tendencies—and a police record—and a flirtation with a mystery man. As Jane discovers that Marlene's innocence ended long ago, Winky has a critical clue that could reveal if the killer came in on little cat feet . . . and if that same killer is getting ready to strike again.
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Published November 29, 2022
4 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Evan Marshall
32 books44 followersEvan Marshall is president of The Evan Marshall Agency and author of The Marshall Plan For Novel Writing (Writer’s Digest, 1998), an international bestseller on novel writing now in its 20th anniversary edition. He is the author of 10 commercially published mysteries, Manhattan Mysteries Series and Jane & Winky Series which was named “Miss Marple Lite” by Kirkus Reviews. His books appeal to fans of Janet Evanovich, Lilian Jackson Braun, Agatha Christie and Alexander McCall Smith. You can reach him at evan@evanmarshallagency.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 6, 2018
Excellent, I honestly wasn't expecting much, but this was excellent.
March 5, 2019
Very light, very enjoyable read. I liked the protagonist Jane Stuart, and the success of the author in maintaining interest of the reader. The twist at the end was for me unexpected, so it was overall a satisfying read.
August 18, 2022
Unlikeable main character, unbelievable ending.
May 18, 2022
Jane Stuart is a struggling literary agent -- ever since her husband Kenneth died, most of his clients have gone elsewhere. Still, it's what she knows, and she has a nine-year-old son to support. With the help of her assistant Daniel Willoughby, she plans to keep her agency running. She also has a nanny for her son Nick, but when she receives a call from his school that Marlene hasn't picked him up, she's at first angry.
When she gets Nick and goes home, she finds that all Marlene's belongings are gone. Now she wants to know why Marlene just left without notice, and calls Ivy, Marlene's mother. The two of them have no idea where she went, and Jane feels it's her duty to locate the young woman. But it isn't going to be easy, since Marlene is nineteen and a legal adult, and no one is giving her definite answers.
Still, Jane keeps on digging, and what she finds greatly disturbs her. Was Marlene ever what she claimed to be? And how far does Jane have to go to find out what happened to her?...
This is an older book, and the first in the series. I believe I read this years ago, but sometimes it's nice to go back to the past and give these books a second go-round. This time I am glad that I did. The book was written well, and even though I thought that Jane had gone above and beyond looking for Marlene and answers, I understand that she has an innate curiosity about her and wanted to know the truth.
I did feel that Ivy blaming Jane for her daughter's disappearance was over the top. Ivy should have kept track of her own child and not expected Jane to be a babysitter. After all, wasn't that what Jane hired Marlene for? You'd think a nanny would be responsible, but oh, well.
I didn't care for some of the secondary characters, not even Laura, whom I felt should have allowed Daniel to find his own path and be supportive of his choices; I didn't care for Roger (who would?); but I did sort of like Detective Greenberg, and of course Jane, Nick, and Florence. These are characters I won't mind revisiting in future books.
When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, it is more complicated than anyone could have imagined, and well worth waiting for. It comes together nicely in a believable package, and leaves us wanting to read the next in the series. Recommended.
When she gets Nick and goes home, she finds that all Marlene's belongings are gone. Now she wants to know why Marlene just left without notice, and calls Ivy, Marlene's mother. The two of them have no idea where she went, and Jane feels it's her duty to locate the young woman. But it isn't going to be easy, since Marlene is nineteen and a legal adult, and no one is giving her definite answers.
Still, Jane keeps on digging, and what she finds greatly disturbs her. Was Marlene ever what she claimed to be? And how far does Jane have to go to find out what happened to her?...
This is an older book, and the first in the series. I believe I read this years ago, but sometimes it's nice to go back to the past and give these books a second go-round. This time I am glad that I did. The book was written well, and even though I thought that Jane had gone above and beyond looking for Marlene and answers, I understand that she has an innate curiosity about her and wanted to know the truth.
I did feel that Ivy blaming Jane for her daughter's disappearance was over the top. Ivy should have kept track of her own child and not expected Jane to be a babysitter. After all, wasn't that what Jane hired Marlene for? You'd think a nanny would be responsible, but oh, well.
I didn't care for some of the secondary characters, not even Laura, whom I felt should have allowed Daniel to find his own path and be supportive of his choices; I didn't care for Roger (who would?); but I did sort of like Detective Greenberg, and of course Jane, Nick, and Florence. These are characters I won't mind revisiting in future books.
When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, it is more complicated than anyone could have imagined, and well worth waiting for. It comes together nicely in a believable package, and leaves us wanting to read the next in the series. Recommended.
September 24, 2018
This book was good when it could have been great. It was a bit predictable, it barely has anything to do with the cat--the reason I bought the book--(although to be fair, the cat does provide a key moment in figuring out the mystery), and it is obviously a first try.
However, I still really enjoyed the book. It had enough twists to keep me interested, characters that were relatable and quirky, and a very odd but satisfying ending. I was not too thrilled with the publishing world part of things--sometimes it made me so angry I would put the book down for a while and then come back later--but I understand that this is the world the author comes from so it is dear to his heart. I loved the assistant and how he tamed our main protagonist when she got a little too-too and was so versatile and good at his job. I also loved the description of the quaint little town and could envision things so well, growing up in a similar small-town.
However, I still really enjoyed the book. It had enough twists to keep me interested, characters that were relatable and quirky, and a very odd but satisfying ending. I was not too thrilled with the publishing world part of things--sometimes it made me so angry I would put the book down for a while and then come back later--but I understand that this is the world the author comes from so it is dear to his heart. I loved the assistant and how he tamed our main protagonist when she got a little too-too and was so versatile and good at his job. I also loved the description of the quaint little town and could envision things so well, growing up in a similar small-town.
March 3, 2021
This was my fourth book by Marshall and the best so far. Jane should have asked Florence if it was okay to search her room for anything that Marlene may have left. Didn't like her snooping through Florence's things. A real twist of an ending. Didn't see it coming.
May 23, 2024
The main character is so unlikable, irresponsible, immature. Her empathy & thought process is also questionable. Not a single thing about her is likable. Otherwise, the main plot is ok. The mystery is good. I wish the MC was a worthy character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2019
Wit and charm and dark
March 26, 2023
Great book
July 25, 2025
A decent read though why Jane was so determined to find Marlene, who she disliked, was puzzling.
October 18, 2012
BOTTOM LINE: #1 Jane Stuart, literary agent, Shady Hill, NJ; cosy amateur sleuth. When her sullen-but-beautiful nanny goes missing, a busy single mom feels responsible for finding out what happened to the girl. This first mystery by a famous literary agent didn’t make me want to read another. Not bad over all, but far too bland, and only recommended to die-hard cosy fans who need a “Moms-in-peril” fix.
Specious premise, adequate setting, decent (but easy to guess) plot, and the character of Jane is likable. Cliches abound though (i.e., walking into the woods at night all alone after having nearly been strangled...), practically everything that could ever show up in a traditional cosy is here, all done very “by-the-numbers”. The pacing was good, but his Jane is only a dull reflection of Churchill’s “Jane Jeffrey”, and without her sort of humor and zest the story simply wilts. Some of the “inside-the-book-business” bits are wryly funny, but there’s too few of them.
[NOTE: I can’t shake the feeling that he sat down one day, thought “cosies are really popular now and, heck, ANYbody can write a cosy, all you need is....”, proceeded to make a list of expected bits, and...]
May 2007
Specious premise, adequate setting, decent (but easy to guess) plot, and the character of Jane is likable. Cliches abound though (i.e., walking into the woods at night all alone after having nearly been strangled...), practically everything that could ever show up in a traditional cosy is here, all done very “by-the-numbers”. The pacing was good, but his Jane is only a dull reflection of Churchill’s “Jane Jeffrey”, and without her sort of humor and zest the story simply wilts. Some of the “inside-the-book-business” bits are wryly funny, but there’s too few of them.
[NOTE: I can’t shake the feeling that he sat down one day, thought “cosies are really popular now and, heck, ANYbody can write a cosy, all you need is....”, proceeded to make a list of expected bits, and...]
May 2007
March 21, 2008
This is the first in the series so it was nice to see the early development. I think the author has gotten better since this first one. I'm not sure I would have continued the series if this was the first book I'd read.
April 1, 2011
fast,easy read.1st in the series.fun book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews