This was moderately ok. Whilst not entirely abysmal, the mystery was lacklustre and I felt the characters weren’t all that well written. There was something missing that I can’t put my finger on but I wanted more. More from the plot, more from the characters, more suspense/mystery. It just wasn’t enough for me to keep interested fully

I am a huge fan of Elly Griffiths and I was delighted to get the opportunity to read her newest book The Last Word. This was one of the most gripping and thrilling books I have read in a long time. I read it over the course of a day as I simply couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future.

This was something that did not capture my interest or imagination. It actually stalled my reading for a month! I don’t start another book until I have finished the current one and I kept putting this down for days/weeks and picking it up again. When I finally finished it was with relief that it was over. I can’t think it was a fault of the story as other reviewers have given it great reviews…it must be me.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

As always, Elly Griffiths does an excellent job with the return of familiar characters from The Postscript Murders. Ostensibly part of the Harbinder Kaur series, she is slightly removed from the action and Edwin, Natalia and Benedict completely own this story. Very much character driven, this is a charming mystery which I loved. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this great book.

I’m a big fan of Ellie Griffiths and now we got her into cosy crime I couldn’t be happier. Hot on the heels of The Postscript Murders our mature would be detective, Edwin, is a partner in an agency set up by his Ukrainian friend Natalka. Her life partner is Benedict, ex-monk, who still runs the coffee shop but is used for field work.
The team are taken on by the daughters of Melody Chambers who has died unexpectedly. They believe she has been murdered. There’s a link with the death of an obituary writer whose work has posthumously been used a lot. This is when Benedict is roped in to attend a creative writing centre with Edwin. Benedict’s biggest fear is that he will have to admit he has already started writing a novel rather than the physical danger to all of them from an unstoppable murderer.
It’s a great combination and this is a very enjoyable mystery with just the right amount of ‘mild danger’ and humour for me to cope with. The likeable friends who become detectives have their foibles and they are joined by the real police in the form of Detective Harbinder Kaur (Bleeding heart Yard) who suffers their interference.
In this ever growing and popular genre I think Ellie Griffiths has pitched the team just right to get us on board and I look forward to future adventures.

I am delighted for the return of the dynamic trio of amateur detectives, Benedict, Edwin, and Natalka. You may remember them from The Postscript Murders where Benedict, a monk-turned-coffee-shop-owner, Natalka, a carer with high math and economic skills, and Edwin, a retired TV and radio host, got together to help the police solve the murder of their friend Peggy. Now, a few years later, Edwin and Natalka have opened their own investigative company, mostly working on divorce cases, while Benedict helps them on the side, while still working at his coffee shop. Their new case, however, could be much more interesting as they are asked to investigate the death of a local writer. The police thinks she died of natural causes, but her daughter is convinced she was murdered. They discover that other writers have seemingly died of natural causes in the last few months and they all have in common having attended the same writing retreat. And when another writer turns up dead at that same writing retreat where Edwin and Benedict are undercover, they ask detective Harbinder, now working in London, for help.

I loved the characters of Edwin, Natalka, and Benedict in The Postscript Murders and I was excited to see them solving yet another murder, using their skills and their deep knowledge of crime novels. Edwin and Natalka own a successful investigative company, while Natalka still works as a carer, managing the business side of it. Benedict is still struggling with his life choices, but he and Natalka are living together, although their relationship is sometimes strained by the presence of her mother sleeping on their couch. Detective Harbinder Kaur takes a more secondary role in this book as she lives and works in London, but she is always there to help her friends.

The suspense, the twists, and the cast of incredible characters make The Last Word a superb and gripping read and I enjoyed every single page of it!

I really quite enjoyed this novel, although it is not even nearly what I was expecting. Based purely on the cover (I know you shouldn’t) as I have not read any Elly Griffiths previously, I was expecting a serious, contemporary, gritty crime novel. However, what I got was much closer to Richard Osman than ‘contemporary’ crime fiction. Actually, maybe Osman owes more to Griffiths than the other way round… "The Last Word" is light and funny, with the odd murder of course, and a good plot and importantly (although verging on archetype or the fabulous) still believable, rounded characters.

This novel appears to be quite far into the series but other than a few remarks relating to older cases, I would have been none the wiser; the story is fresh and presented in a way that immediately welcomes the new reader rather than excluding them and making them feel they are trespassing on a members’ club, as can be the case for many similar writers. This is a great fun, modern crime novel. But really need to do something about those covers…

I love every mystery Elly Griffith wrote and will love the future ones. This is an excellent one that I loved and was happy to catch up with Edwin and Natalka
Well plotted, compelling, solid. It kept me guessing and turning pages
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Part of the Brighton Mysteries series of standalone novels this reintroduces Edwin (84), Natalka (Ukranian) and Benedict ( ex-monk and Natalka's parnter) a group of amateur detectives who featured in The Postscript Murders (which I am now retrospectively investigating).
This group come to the fore when asked to investigate the death of a romance novelist Melody Chambers, whose daughters feel her much younger husband has had a hand in her demise. After sterling investigative work by Edwin, who loves an obituary, links to other authors who have died suddenly and the obituary writer himself, become apparent. One of these links is a writer's retreat in local Battle House which Edwin and Benedict both attend as proto-authors (Benedict really is one) which introduces us to a whole new set of suspects and ends in tragedy.
The investigation tangentially brings in a previous character Harbinder Kaur who helped the trio in their previous investigation but now lives in London.
The story rattles along and having lived in West Sussex for ten years and working for the library service there, I loved the descriptions of the local area and the libraries I once knew. Would recommend and good for a holiday read.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to the ARC, all views are my own.

What a lovely book! My shorthand way of describing it would be to say that, if you enjoy Richard Osman's books then this is in a very similar vein. But to be honest, I think that would be selling this short because, as much as I do like Osman's mysteries, I feel that somehow Elly Griffiths' are slightly better.

The Last Word sees Natalka and Edwin, two private detectives, sucked into what seems to be a number of deaths linked to authors. These are fantastic characters. They appeared in Griffiths' novel The Postscript Murders, and while the series is officially the "Harbinder Kaur" series, it's these characters, plus Natalka's boyfriend Benedict, who I love the most.

The PIs are approached by the daughter of Melody Chambers, Minnie, who is convinced that her mother was killed by her stepdad Alan. Edwin notes that Melody's obituary was written by someone who is also, in fact, dead. They uncover links between the two, and others, and the eventual reveal is a surprise.

Like many 'crime' novels I've read recently, the main attraction isn't so much the plot but the characters and the more 'minor' plots going on in their own lives. This is not to say that the plot isn't good, it's just that the characters are so well written.

Natalka and Benedict are now sharing their one-bedroom flat with Natalka's mother, Valentyna, who has fled Ukraine. It's a somewhat fraught situation, not helped by constant anxiety over the whereabouts and safety of her brother, who is fighting in Ukraine.

The book makes well-observed comments on the attitudes of others towards refugees, with Natalka typically refusing to stand for any hypocrisy from others. There's also a lot of humour in the dialogue.

It's great to read about Benedict who, now running a coffee shack, feels his life has been pretty much a failure with the exception of his relationship with Natalka. The echoes of his judgemental family that run through his mind will probably be very relatable for lots of people.

Edwin is also a great character - an 84 year old who is still full of life. Detective Harbinder Kaur obviously appears, but for me the other three are more engaging.

This is quite a heartfelt, uplifting novel in lots of ways, with a lovely ending that had me in a few tears. I am very much looking forward to the next installment!

Edwin and Natalka have set up a detective agency following their previous success at solving crime and are approached to look into the suspicious death of a wealthy writer. At the same time Benedict is approached by a former colleague regarding the death of vicar with a sideline in romantic fiction. As they investigate the friends find that there is a link to these deaths, and several others, around a writers' retreat so Edwin and Benedict pose as aspiring authors and go along for a weekend.
Elly Griffiths is a favourite author of mine. I find her books both stimulating and also very easy to read. this is the second featuring a disparate group of characters based in Shoreham and it really showcases what cosy crime should be about. Gently humorous but with that edge of having a really great plot. It doesn't patronise, it educates and it entertains. Just a wonderful read.

While prolific British author Elly Griffiths has been delighting readers all over the world with her bestselling Ruth Galloway mysteries over the past fifteen years, she hasn’t been afraid to stray from the coastal Norwich setting or her beloved forensic archaeologist heroine. It was a then-standalone tale, The Stranger Diaries, which scooped the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2020.

That book introduced DS Harbinder Kaur as a supporting character. Then in between further Ruth Galloway Mysteries, and some of Griffiths other series of Brighton Mysteries, Kaur returned in The Postscript Murders, a novel that was shortlisted for the Gold Dagger and saw the introduction of an unusual investigative trio: octogenarian Edwin, former monk Benedict, and carer Natalka, who is originally from the Ukraine. The amateurs help and hinder Kaur as she tries to uncover the truth behind the death of Natalka’s neighbour, and a potential spate of dying writers.

Now, The Last Word sees a welcome encore for the crew. After the events of the previous book, Benedict, now Natalka’s live-in beau, runs his coffee shop on the southern coast of England, while Natalka and elderly Edwin have opened an agency and dabble in minor investigations day-to-day. But with Natalka’s mother Valentyna having moved into their tiny flat from war-torn Ukraine, while her brother fights the Russians, tensions are high. What they need is a good murder to solve!

When local writer Melody Chambers is found dead and her family suspect foul play, the game is afoot. Especially after Edwin notices strange connections in the obituary pages. When Edwin and Benedict go undercover at a rural writers’ retreat, the body count rises. Are the clues on the page as well as off? Griffiths expertly reels us in, delivering a fabulous tale full of wit, intrigue, and wonderful characters. A thoroughly enjoyable read in a growing series, from a masterful storyteller.

The sleuthing trio of Natalka , Edwin and Benedict are back .
Edwin and Natalka are running a detective agency and they have an ally in the police force Harbinder Kaur , the only problem is there is seems to be a lack of interesting cases leading to Natalka becoming frustrated.
Her prayers seem to be answered when author Melody Chambers dies and her family believe it’s murder .
Benedict is still running his coffee shack but doesn’t hesitate to get involved in detective work.
The characters are likeable and the writing is excellent as you would expect from Elly Griffiths.
The story has humour and poignancy.
An enjoyable read and looking forward to the next case for the trio .
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books.

The Last Word is the fourth novel by award-winning British author, Elly Griffiths to feature Harbinder Kaur. At the K and F agency, Natalka Kolisnyk is excited to be hired to investigate a possible murder. Romance author, Melody Chambers had a heart attack, but her daughters believe her second husband murdered her. Coincidentally, her partner in K&F, Edwin Fitzgerald, who proclaims himself the oldest sleuth in the country, is engaging in his daily perusal of the obituaries, and notes that Melody’s was written by Malcolm Collins, himself deceased.

While Natalka’s investigations initially yield little of use, her life partner, Benedict Cole is asked by a friend from the seminary to look into the death of a country vicar who had a secret life as a romance novelist. Don(na) Parsons apparently also died of a heart attack. Meanwhile, one of DI Harbinder Kaur’s team mentions that the death of an elderly journalist turned true-crime writer was also in question. Each of these authors was fit and healthy, not a candidate for sudden cardiac problems.

Their investigation takes numerous paths, but Edwin happens on a common feature: all had attended, at some time, a writer’s retreat in the town of Battle. He also checks out more Malcolm Collins obits and discovers another potential death that might be unexplained.

Posing as aspiring writers, which Benedict secretly is, anyway, he and Edwin attend a weekend retreat at Battle House, intent on discovering something to help their cases along. The death of one of the attendees is quite a shock, but it does bring to their attention another similar death. But what is it about attending a writers’ retreat or a book club that turns out to be fatal?

Edwin finds himself carrying much of the latter stages of the investigation as Natalka is distracted by the presence of her mother in their tiny one-bedroom flat, and worries about her brother, returned to Ukraine to fight. Edwin may not be expecting to deal with an attempt on his own life, but he handles it admirably.

Readers of an earlier book in this series will be familiar with this quirky trio and their talent for solving murders, but this can easily be read as a stand-alone. Griffiths gives her readers a cleverly-plotted cosy mystery with plenty of twists and turns, a hefty body count, and a delightful ending. More of this cast is most definitely welcome.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Quercus.

Elderly gent Edwin and Natalka (Ukranian born) run a detective agency in Sussex; their Sussex Constabulary ally being Detective Harbinder Kaur.

They get a new investigation into the death of a local writer Melody Chambers; the 2 daughters suspect that their mother did not die as explained but was murdered and they suspect her new husband (their step-father) as he has inherited everything.

The investigation is aided by Natalka's boyfriend Benedict, who runs the local coffee shack. The trail leads then to attend a local writer's retreat, where along with budding authors they try to foster ideas for books and creative writing. Whilst at this weekend workshop, an author attendee is found drowned in the lake and throw more questions to be answered and investigated by the trio!

They trade information with Detective Kaur and set about uncovering what now appears to be more than one unexplained death.

A likeable trio in addition to Detective Kaur, this 4th in the series is a welcome new addition. I look forward to the next instalment, (I am missing Ruth Galloway!),

I usually have a look when Elly Griffiths has a new book out. I grew tired of Ruth Galloway but this new trio of very unlikely private detectives are a joy to get to know. Flawed( of course) hilarious at times all paired with a good mystery.
Highly recommended

This was ok. Likeable characters. Well written. I just wasn't that gripped though. Could well be right book, wrong time too though.

Elly Griffiths is one of my favourite authors and I must admit I was devastated when she drew a lime under the Ruth Galloway series. It was like saying goodbye to old friends. However this new series about a trio of unlikely investigators certainly makes up for it and the characters are really growing on me- Edwin, the dapper octogenarian, Natalka, the feisty care worker and Benedict, a former monk who are part of a newly formed Detective Agency. It is possible to read this as a stand alone but I suggest reading the earlier books too in order to get up to speed with the background of the characters.
In this outing they are asked to investigate the suspicious death of a local author. Hired by her daughters Natalka and Edwin hatch a plan to infiltrate a writer’s weekend when they discover several authors have died in strange circumstances. The daughters suspect her second husband but he makes a good impression on Natalka and she reserves her judgment.
The story becomes progressively more complicated but the detectives find it difficult to work out what is going on.
I loved all the literary and musical references which helped to solve the murder, so clever! I also thoroughly enjoyed reading about Natalka and Benedict’s relationship.
Natalka’s Ukranian mother, Valentyna, is now sharing their one bedroom flat which is difficult for all, particularly Natalka. There is also a certain poignancy when Natalka and Valentyna worry about the War in the Ukraine and Natalka’s brother who is fighting there. This was beautifully described and very moving. Bravo to the author for tackling this current issue in what is essentially a crime novel.
I thoroughly recommend “The Last Word” and most certainly hope it is not as I am heartily looking forward to reading more about these wonderful characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

This is a sort of stand alone tale with a guest appearance by Harbinder Kaur. It is a gentle cozy mystery but with quite a number of dead bodies to solve. I like these new characters and will read more of their mystery adventures.

Natalka and Edwin run a small detective agency doing everything you would expect them to be doing. It’s good honest work, but sometimes it can become monotonous. So when they get asked to investigate the murder of a famous author, they jump at the opportunity.
Their sleuthing leads them to a writer’s retreat in rural Sussex, where Edwin and his best friend Benedict go undercover as aspiring writers.
It turns out the retreat has had a couple of people linked to the murder, and when another body is discovered on the grounds, everyone’s a suspect. The pool of people to investigate has become so large they ask friend DI Harbinder Kaur for help.
The more they investigate the more the written word seems to be the key to all their answers, can they unlock the mystery of these deaths and keep themselves safe at the same time?
I love a good murder mystery, and this had it all.
It keeps the reader guessing throughout the story and you never see the twists coming.
With a trio of adorable characters and a beautiful setting, this book has it all.
For me it’s safe to say that Elly Griffiths is as good as it gets. I’ve read every book she’s written and loved them all. The Last Word really is a lovely piece of writing and one I highly recommend.