The Last Word by Elly Griffiths

 

First Lines: Monday, 4 April 2022. There are some advantages to being the oldest sleuth in the country, thinks Edwin.

 

Even though Natalka and Edwin's detective agency in Shoreham is kept busy with minor cases, Natalka longs for a big, juicy investigation. Then her wish comes true.

 

Melody Chambers, a local writer, is found dead, and her daughters are convinced it was murder. Edwin, a big fan of newspaper obituaries, thinks there's a link to the writer of Chambers' obituary, a man who predeceased his subject. 

Their investigation leads them to a rather strange writers' retreat, and when another writer is found dead, Edwin thinks that the solution lies in the stories written at the retreat. Realizing they need professional help, Natalka and Edwin turn to their friend, police detective Harbinder Kaur. What they find is a plot that's stranger than fiction.

~

The more Elly Griffiths writes, the more I admire her skill and artistry. When I learned that The Last Word would be a return to Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin-- characters last seen in The Postscript Murders-- I couldn't wait to read it, and it certainly did not disappoint.

Readers get to experience the story from the points of view of the three main characters: Natalka, an Eastern European caregiver who runs a detective agency on the side; her live-in boyfriend, Benedict, a former monk who runs a coffee shop at the beach; and Edwin, a former BBC employee who's on the far side of seventy. Natalka's life has been further complicated by her mother moving in and the news that her brother is in the army fighting in Ukraine. Is it any wonder that she wants a big, juicy investigation to take her mind off her worries?

The Last Word takes us into the worlds of writing retreats, book clubs, authors, and obituary writing. I love how Griffiths ties her story and characters into the here and now of our everyday world by mentioning things like the song "Jolene", a television series called "The Repair Shop", Goodreads ratings, and even tennis legends Federer and Nadal.

Harbinder Kaur is tangential to the story. She appears only a few times to give Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin advice even though she really doesn't want to become involved because "Authors, in Harbinder's experience, mean trouble."

I was enjoying myself immensely, but when all the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place, I actually crowed with delight at the unveiling of the mystery's complete construction. (And you'll rarely hear me crow.) What a wonderful story peopled with characters who seem actual flesh and blood! Do yourself a favor. Get your hands on a copy of this book, sit back, and savor.

The Last Word by Elly Griffiths

ISBN: ‎ 9781529433432

Quercus Books © 2024

Hardcover, 352 pages

 

Private Investigator

Rating: A+

Purchased from Amazon UK