I enjoyed this book and defo recommend it was a build up for the storyline

Linda Standish has been a friend to the friendless for the past thirty-three years, in her role at the council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit. And now she’s looking forward to the joys of an early retirement.

But before she hangs up her lanyard, Linda takes on one last case – that of Levi Norman – a Welshman who made his home on a remote Scottish island for the five years before he died. Linda must visit Storrich to track down Levi's remaining relatives . . .

What brought Levi here? And who did he leave behind? Obliged to travel (by hearse!) with her arch nemesis, and helped (and hindered...) by the local residents, Linda searches for clues to a life now lost. And in the process unexpectedly makes new friends, and discovers things about herself she never knew.

📚 By Your Side, by Ruth Jones
🗓️ Published 22nd May - Available to Pre-order NOW!

What a fabulous read, I loved it!

Linda is shortly due to retire from her job seeking heirs for deceased people in the Scottish Highlands, who have died alone with no obvious family in their lives. Whilst often sad, Linda loves solving the mysteries by respectfully looking for clues in the deceased’s possessions. As you might expect from Ruth Jones, there is a whole heap of heart and humour within the sadness, not least from Fergus, who Linda went to school with and is now an undertaker.

Linda’s final case is to solve the mystery of Levi Norman; who was he, who loved him and why was he alone at the end of his days? This leads Linda to a remote island where she throws herself wholeheartedly into island life, in part to hide from the grief that she has buried deep within herself.

The book is told by Linda, Levi, his wife and his daughter. There is so much depth to the characters, I found myself totally immersed in their lives and experienced every conceivable emotion, mostly all at once!

Funny, sad and hopeful, I adored every page.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Ruth Jones and Random House, Transworld for an ARC of this book.

This book - it torn me apart then put me back together again - I simply adored it! My first book by this author and it won't be the last. It's emotional, heart-wrenching and sad and happy, all of the emotions are felt! a definite 5 star read for me.

This is a lovely, heartwarming book.
Linda works at the unclaimed heirs department and has one last case before she finishes to take early retirement.
She loves her job and enjoys trying to track down family members, however, this last case is a challenge.
Levi Norman was clearly loved by his wife and daughter but Linda can't work out why he passed away so far from home, and alone.
The story is told from two alternating viewpoints - Lindas and Levis, and as Linda digs deeper into the background of Levi's life, it makes her question parts of her own life.
This is a heartwarming story that has an element of mystery to it as well, and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to Random House UK for the opportunity to read this book.

I’m writing this review with tears still on my face but just wanted to share how wonderful a writer Ruth Jones is. This, her fourth book, is a triumph with characters who are totally believable and with emotions that left me at times laughing and at others, sobbing. The story is revealed by different people with two different time frames. We encounter Linda whose job for the Council in Scotland takes her to homes of people who appear to have died with no heirs and she is entrusted to find any heirs if possible. Through her discoveries and the chapters of a previous time we get to know Levi Norman, the recently deceased. His story is brought to life while Linda’s personal life is revealed. This book is uplifting and life affirming in places but be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster.

Every new book Ruth Jones writes becomes my favourite, and By Your Side is no exception. I devoured it.
A story full of laughter, heartbreak and complex characters, I adored Linda; she kept me turning the pages till way past my bedtime.
Another absolute cracker from Ruth Jones.
Highly recommend.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this rollercoaster of emotions book

well where to start with this one... can this author write or what, this is family drama at its best

in this book we find the happy times sad times and even the emotional sides to family life and all the drama

there are multiple viewpoints but it doesnt distract from the storyline it enhances it so that you can follow the storyline as it unfolds and boy does it do that....

but mainly its linda and levi storylines that bind it together

you wont be disappointed with this book though at times and you may find a little tear will appear at times.... but then there are the times you laugh out loud...

i cant wait to read the next book by this author

Ruth Jones- such a great writer. This book is one of my favs this year.

Linda’s work to track down Heir’s leads her to her final case before retiring. What really happened in Levi’s life.

Happy and slightly tragic all at the same time. A well written well rounded double hander writing from both Levi and Linda’s perspective.

Poor Levi really pulled at my heart strings. Really good book.

Ruth Jones- this was another triumph

By Your Side

By Your Side by Ruth Jones

Firstly, my thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and the author Ruth Jones for the advanced reading copy of this book in return for an honest review!

This book is expected to be published on 22 May 2025.

The main character Linda Standish, is a humorous, feisty and delightful woman working in the Unclaimed Heirs Unit of her local council in Scotland. Linda helps find heirs for the dead who die alone and to tie up all loose ends - both family and financial. Her warm personality enables her to ensure the best outcomes for all involved.

Linda is a widow and her previously married son and her grandson live with her following the breakdown of his marriage. Her life is suddenly turned upside down when she’s offered voluntary retirement rather than redundancy when her role is changed. This book follows her last case and is written from her own point of view and that of Levi Norman, a Welshman found dead in his cottage in a remote Scottish island.

This book was an absolute joy to read! Linda’s emotional and physical journey throughout the case and coming to terms with her past and present is an experience not to be missed. Further, Levi’s life appears gradually as the book progresses with all the highs and lows.

All of the characters were lovingly wrought and felt real. I laughed and cried and laughed again.

I loved this book!

No spoilers from me but, whether you already know and love her works or if she is new to you as an author, Ruth Jones is a spellbinding storyteller. I raced through this book and had to force myself to slow down so I didn’t have to finish reading it.

A must read! Five stars!

This book will be reviewed on Goodreads, Facebook and Amazon UK!

I’ve enjoyed all of Ruth’s books and this one was no exception.
Linda enjoys her job, as unusual as it working with the estates of deceased people without any living relatives. She also loves her son and grandson so it’s not a bad life. Until a couple of changes mean her world is turned upside down….
Levi lives alone and likes it just that way. Until a young couple move in downstairs and his life is turned upside down….
But what connects Linda and Levi?
I really enjoyed this book. Would recommend,

A thoroughly enjoyable read. The main character Linda, is very relatable and deals with issues in her personal life and regarding her job. She has an unusual job working in the Unclaimed Heirs Unit, which allows for her to discover Levi's story. She travels to a remote Scottish island and there is a strong sense of place. At the same time her son is trying to make his marriage work which means he and Llinda's grandson moving away. The story deals with many serious issues but balances this with humour and positivity. It finished too soon and I would love to read the next part of Linda's adventure.

I loved this book. I could leave that as my entire review and feel content. Zero negatives, I loved everything about it. I read it in one sitting as once I'd started, I couldn't put it down and every moment was a delight.

Characters can make or break a story for me and when they're done right, there is something so lovely about sitting with fictional people for hours and feeling connected to them. I fell in love with this set of characters, each and every one of them. Linda was a gorgeous woman inside and out and I loved reading her. She was funny, kind, loving, witty and vulnerable whilst also being solid for the people she loved. Levi hit me in all the feels and I every time I read his perspective I wanted to give him a big massive cwtch. He was such a loving and gentle man who made a mistake that followed him until the moment he passed and I wanted to take his pain away so badly.

The plot and each character arc was beautiful and written with such warmth with love leaping from each page. A book that can make me feel sad but also make me laugh is such a winner for me and this struck the perfect balance between the two. I adored it so much and I expect nothing less from Ruth Jones. I'll be thinking about this story and its characters for some time I imagine; as well as how I get a job in the Unclaimed Heirs department of my local council.

Ruth Jones the queen of the emotional rollercoasters does it again!

This is a wonderfully told story with multiple points of view, with heart joy and sadness - as always Ruth Jones understands people and relationships and portrays them beautifully across generations and this new book is no different.

When Linda in her role at the council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit has one last case before retiring, takes her on a trip to an island off the coast of Scotland, where her adventures begin and she is absorbed into the life of dead Welsh Man Levi Norman. The story takes you on a journey through different times as well as perspectives.

It had me laughing out loud and crying my eyes out!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Wow. What a book. I did not expect the journey I would go on with these relatable and real characters. This is a story that is raw and real. Not full of 'perfect' characters, but honest and raw real life. I began reading this whilst on holiday in Galloway, it felt like perfect timing.
I will be recommending this book to all book lovers in my life, and purchasing for my Nanna's birthday.
My first Ruth Jones book and I am so impressed. Its a book that truly sticks with you and I was in tears at so many points. Incredible book which I highly recommend.

Interesting storyline with Linda’s job of searching out long lost heirs. The characters were interesting and the back story heart warming.

I guess the question most important here is: would I recommend this book? In as much as I read it all and found it gently funny, bittersweet and really liked the main characters, yes, I would recommend. But - I genuinely expected something more tightly written by this particular writer, who's so clever and who has created such 'whole people' in previous work. Here there were too many side characters who were too 2D; a bit shoehorned in to create funny scenes I think would be brilliant on TV, but tricky to make genuinely funny in a book.
The development of the lead characters-Levi and Linda - was great, but there was a lot going on elsewhere we just didn't need to know and didn't help move the story on.
It felt like Ruth Jones was visualising how this would work on TV and then writing it as a novel, rather than the other way round.

An immensely enjoyable book. Despite reading murder mysteries I really enjoyed this book. It flowed well keeping a good pace. Linda works for the local council department for missing heirs. When Levi's body is found, she is sent to the Hebridean island with the undertaker to retrieve his body and sort through his possessions in search of any relatives. Despite being light-hearted and humourous, there is also sadness and regret. Although very much a book, I could imagine it as a three parter on TV.

Ruth Jones is now one of my “must read” authors. She writes the most brilliant fully rounded characters who are totally human with the sort of flaws that are believable and honest.
I think Linda might be her best yet, a woman who is suddenly at the end of her career and with an empty home. She doesn’t wallow, she takes the last case of her career and fully commits to solving it. Along the way she embraces the chance to make new friends and take her life in a different direction.
By Your Side is charming, funny and very sad in places. I loved the other story of Levi, her last case, and how he came to his final resting place. Another flawed character, who made decisions with the best of intentions.
What a brilliant book, 5 stars from me.

This book was an absolutely wonderful read. Ruth Jones creates characters who are warm, well rounded, sometimes flawed but always completely human. This novel deals with some really difficult themes, but in such a way that you find yourself laughing and crying throughout. Beautifully written and a real must read. Thank you so much for this arc.

Another winner from Ruth Jones, she is able to write about people's lives ( and deaths) with empathy and clarity and I particularly like that Linda was a mature woman with good and bad life experiences that had shaped her personality.
At the story's core was the well worn message that life is short, make the most of all your relationships while you can, but Ms Jones managed a fresh retelling and made me laugh and cry along with her characters.
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book