I've loved and devoured all of Ruth's previous novels, so I was super excited to get my hands on this one. Now, whilst I did really enjoy it, I will admit it wasn't my favourite, not for any real particular reason, but for some very small reason, it felt like something was missing.

Levi was a recluse, living on a remote Scottish island, alone and apart from the local community.

On his death, with no family to arrange a funeral and pass on his assests, it's left to Linda Standish from the Unclaimed Heirs Unit at her local council to try and work her magic.

For the past 33 years, Linda has devoted her working life to the council. A divorced Mum and Gran, when her role is no longer needed and early retirement is pretty much forced upon her, she decides to make sure her last case, that of Levi, is wrapped up with a big bow.

Told over dual timelines and POVs. This is a tale of two lives, two peoples stories, but both have love as the focus.

The characters are extremely well executed, well rounded, relatable, and likeable in equal measure. I must confess i had a little soft spot for Fergus. His relationship with Linda really made me smile.

Full of humour and empathy, it's a tale that anyone could relate to, even in some small way.

A book that is a stark reminder of just how precious and short life really is. Love deeply and with no regrets!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the ARC.

Linda Standish can't understand why her son can't see the faults in his ex wife, they are going through a divorce but he still is trying to please her; their son is the light of her life and she loves that they are living with her. She is approaching retirement with her job at the council and has one last case, she needs to shine some light on the life of solitary Levi Norman who kept to himself on the remote Scottish island of Storrich. She must travel there to search for clues and talk to the locals about him. We follow Linda's travels intertwined with Levi's story. Interesting.

Ruth Jones does it again. Empathy, understanding, forgiveness and humour all in one. What else can one ask for?

A job for Linda that I did not know personally knew existed, heirs estate. So sad really for people dying when they have no one family to mourn them. Who does all the background work in closing their estates, Also the isolation of a lot of the small Scottish Islands and how people pull together on a day to day basis?

Excellent emotive writing.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

A wonderful story, well told.
This book runs on two timelines.One starts in late 2024. It concerns the death by natural causes of Levi Norman on the Scottish Hebridean Isle of Storich.. It is Jon Linda Standish to conduct an investigation to help settle the affairs of people with no family in evidence to help this task. She works in the Unclaimed Heirs department of the council, and this is to be her last case before retiring. She travels to Storich with an undertaker who will be taking charge of the body. The other timeline concerns Levi's earlier life and goes forward until his death. I'm not a fan of split timelines, but this one works really well.
This is fundamentally a sad story for the most part, but the book is filled with humour, some of which had me laughing out loud.
I'm familiar with and a fan of author Ruth Jones' television work, but this is the first of her books I've read and an excellent and beautifully written one it is.
Thank you, Ruth Jones and Penguin Books.

Another wonderful book by Ruth Jones. Levi has passed away, with no obvious next of kin. Linda works for the council, and is tasked with trying to find out if any exist, and to give Levi a funeral of sorts. What follows is a beautiful story of love, loss and discovery. I find Ruth Jones' books very emotive, and this one was no different. She is a must read author for me, this is a beautifully told story. I loved Brodie, and Levi's story was sensitively explored. Told from multiple points of view, in different times.

In ‘by your side’, we meet Linda who works for the local council searching for a next of kin when someone dies seemingly with no heir. Linda is a ‘heir hunter’, about to retire with one last case to solve. Not only do we follow Linda, we also discover more about Levi’s life, the dead man that has become Linda’s final case.

I absolutely adored this book! What a great plot, well written and as you would expect, Jones brings all the characters to life. It flows well between the two main stories and it’s a book full of warmth and laughter! I was laughing out loud at times, especially Linda’s replies to Lauren 😂

It was the perfect holiday read! This is my third Ruth Jones novel that I’ve read and it was by far my favourite so far. I was lucky to receive an early copy of this beauty, it’s out 22 May ❤️📚

Just lovely! Linda is is about to retire but before she does her last case takes her to a remote island where she finds herself involved in solving a mystery left behind by the death of her last client. Spanning decades the story cleverly reveals itself and for Linda sends her on a personal journey too. Poignant and sad but heartwarming and funny at the same time, The story is so entertaining that it’s definitely one of those that you won’t want to put down.

When Linda Standish finds out that she is being pushed towards retirement she takes it well. She decided that this could be a new lease of life for her and more time spent with her beloved grandson. But before she goes she has one more job. She has to find the beneficiary to the estate of the late Levi Norman. This opens up the tragic love story that he had been involved in.
I absolutely loved this book, It is the first that I have read by Ruth Jones and I will certainly be looking out for more. It made me laugh but also brought tears to my eyes. Heart warming and tragic I would challenge anyone not to be moved by this story. Ruth has an amazing talent of bringing her characters to life. Highly recommended.

Ruth Jones has real skill when it comes to writing about people and human nature; she creates characters that are so real and believable, you could be fairly sure you knew them. This story is no different; it's poignant, entertaining, witty, clever and completely enveloping. You quickly get swept up into Linda's moods and life, and how her story is so cleverly interwoven with that of Levi Norman.

As with her other novels, there's a simplicity to the characters and their stories but with twists that work so effectively.

A really enjoyable read.

Just wonderful! It comes as no surprise that Ruth Jones has done it again. Perfectly written characters hook you into this story. I was engrossed within just a few pages both at the start of the book and at the moment when the narrative switched. Warm humour combined with relatable human frailty. I loved it!

Absolutely loved this book - couldn’t stop reading it! Great characters, really good storyline - I really wasn’t sure how everything was going to tie up! - and it’s set in one of my favourite places; Scotland! So pleased with the ending - right decision made by Linda (unless she’d gone the whole hog!).

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review which is what I have given.

This is the first of Ruth Jones' books that I have read and I absolutely loved it.

Great story with very relatable characters, who had me both laughing and crying.

Ruth Jones has done it again, what an enjoyable book this is. Following Linda Standish, an ‘heir hunter’ for the local council, at the beginning I had no idea where the story was going, and wasn’t immediately taken with it.
However as soon as Linda began her journey - in a hearse, with the local undertaker, we discover that the story and Linda are going to a remote Scottish island to attend the funeral, and search for possible heirs of the late Levi Norman.
Levi’s story is fascinating and heartbreaking in equal measure.
Linda is a real character, and larger-than-life. Levi is an enigma to Linda, but she is determined to do her best for him, despite never having met him in life. The story of Linda’s efforts to uncover the details of Levi’s life, are by turn intriguing, hilarious and utterly sad. There is so much love and warmth in this story, it’s a joy to read. A very unusual theme, and so different from so many books, it had me hooked right to the last page. A thoroughly immersive book that I did not want to put down. Highly recommended.
My thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this novel.

I've just spent about three days with Linda Standish. Linda works for the council, and investigates those who have passed away and, apparently, have no-one. No heirs. Before early retirement, Linda decides to take on one more case which takes her to a remote Scottish Island. Levi Norman, a Welsh man, has passed away there. A man who kept himself to himself, who the locals knew little about, and who seemed to have no family....With the help of the local islanders, Linda pieces together Levi's life, while trying to ignore what is going off in her own...a very sad and funny story about family, and doing the right thing, and knowing when to let go, and food addiction, and body shaming, and not being ashamed about enjoying sex!...Read it! (and weep, and laugh out loud)

I’ve never read any of Ruth Jones’ books before but know her from the TV. and that’s why I wanted to read this book. I thought it was delightful- a lovely mix of humour, relationships and pathos. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it.

I really enjoyed this story, I loved the narrative of Levi Norman's younger life. I loved Linda, she is kind and funny and warm, her job of tracing other people's lives sounds fascinating, and also sad as her job is to do it when they are no longer with us. Such an enjoyable, relaxing, warm hearted read.

I have read all the authors books and I really enjoyed this book and the story it tells and the author has a really good way of describing places I felt like I was in the cottage in this book and living the life of the characters especially in the pub

I would recommend this book and make sure u have s9me tissues

Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for this review

I loved every minute of this joyous journey alongside Linda, the larger than life ‘heir hunter’ working for the council, tracing the families of people who have died alone and apparently friendless. Every character is so beautifully drawn and the Scottish island where she is undertaking her final search, before retiring, so evocatively portrayed. Linda is funny, she is kind and she is sexy and so very relatable. This novel is filled with humanity, fun and caring people and beautiful locations. An absolute delight.

A sweet book, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters are (unsurprisingly given the author) appealing, and entirely believable, and the storyline is entertaining without being schmalzy. A great holiday book.

A really interesting read that will have you experiencing a full range of emotions. It is a closely-observed book that, whilst having at times an air of farce, also demonstrates what it is to be human with all of the frailties that entails. It is funny and beautiful but also absolutely heart breaking.
The characterisation is just superb and it really felt like you knew Linda, Fergus and the people that they meet on Storrich. We also have a story of the past gradually revealed throughout the book which is raw and intensely moving; you ache for a happy ending that you know from the start isn't there.