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.

A standalone detective novel for 3 characters appearing in earlier books. A private detective agency run by the 3 tracks down the murderer thus aiding and abetting the local police. The sleuths go to no end of bother and the clever thinking of octogenarian Edwin leads them to their conclusion
Likeable characters in a modern setting

A cosy murder mystery with a nod to the Ukrainian War. This was my first Elly Griffith’s novel and it willing be my last!
Further review to follow.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in return for an honest review.

I seem to be in a flurry of ‘new to me’ authors, this being my first Elly Griffiths book. The Last Word follows the adventures of an unlikely trio, Natalka, Edwin (who runs a detective agency) and Benedict, Natalka’s partner and owner of The Shack, coffee shop.

I enjoyed reading their adventures, particularly the play on words from the title, with the story involving a group of writers. There are also some delightful words used, which I enjoyed discovering.

The plot itself, quite challenging in its complexity, nevertheless felt more like a cosy mystery and I found myself suspending reality whilst reading.

With a wide variety of characters throughout the book, alongside the quirky three, who I did enjoy reading about, I didn’t find myself emotionally invested in the book or the solving of the mystery.

This was written as a standalone book and if you enjoy cosy crime, then this could well be a book for you.

Ahhh, it is so lovely to be back in Shoreham in Sussex with Natalka, Edwin and Benedict! I first met them in Elly Griffiths' 'The Postscript Murders' and this is another mystery all twisted up with books and writing and authors. Perfect for a bookworm and crime-fiction fan like me!

This is (I think) the fourth mystery in the detective Harbinder Kaur series, but some of the books are set in London and don't feature the rest of the gang. They're all brilliant and all can be read as standalones, but it is great to be back by the sea in Edwin's retirement flat and ex-monk Benedict's coffee shack. This story does pick up some of the themes from 'The Postscript Murders' but everything is explained so you don't need to have read it.

In this book, Edwin and Natalka (Benedict's partner) have set up a private detective agency and are awaiting a big case. When they get asked to investigate the death of a local writer, Melody Chambers, they immediately find the links with Battle House, a writers' retreat, and head off undercover to try to find out whether Melody was murdered. Another mysterious death follows and Edwin and Benedict find themselves in danger.

For anyone who has read other Elly Griffiths books, this is definitely at the cosy crime end of her writing scale. Although this isn't my usual genre, I absolutely loved the clever plotting and the warm characterisation - these are excellent characters with interesting back stories and they're written with humour and affection.

The main characters make an unlikely investigative team - octogenarian Edwin, ex-monk Benedict, Ukranian care worker Natalka and gay Sikh Harbinder Kaur. Natalka is my absolute favourite as she's tough and resourceful, plus managing to live with reasonable good humour with her interfering mother who has fled Ukraine due to the war. She's clever and an excellent investigator. The others are also lovely - and I really enjoyed Harbinder's mentoring of Brennan. There's some great commentary on the challenges facing women of colour in the police force, but Griffiths weaves it into the narrative cleverly.

In fact, I think Griffiths manages to cover a lot in this book, while still making it a cracking mystery. There's stuff about war, loss, grief, love, relationships, ageing, racism, sexism, refugees...but all packaged into a warm, humorous, enjoyable book. I honestly could just read about these unlikely friends interacting forever! Add in Valentyna (Natalka's mum), Mette (Harbinder's girlfriend) and a host of writers 'enjoying' the retreat and you really see Griffiths' gift for characterisation.

I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys crime fiction with humour and heart. All of Elly Griffiths' books are fabulous, but this little series is my favourite.

Book 4 in the DI Harbinder Kaur series. This is a stand alone but could be read without the having read the first three. For those Elly fans who are familiar with the Ruth Galloway books, this story is a gentler tale set in Shoreham in Sussex. Harbinder has a secondary role giving prom8nence to the PI detective agency run by Natalka, and Edwin with help from Benedict. They are asked to look into the death of Melody and Harmony's mother. The women suspect her younger husband, Alan, of foul play.
As with all Elly's books, meticulous plot lines along with well rounded characters shine out of the story.

I have only read one of this authors books before but I found myself getting straight into this story and recalling the characters. I felt a real affinity for Benedict and his inferiority complex during the writers weekend. There was a subtle humour that came across throughout the book and it made me smile frequently.. The characters are strong and you really feel you get to know them but they still continue to offer surprises and you learn new things about them. Personally I appreciated the religious references relating to Benedicts character from when he was a monk. This adds another level to the story. I also found myself learning a lot about the process involved in writing and being an author. This again added another layer to make the story even more interesting. The other element that was intriguing was the references to the war in Ukraine and how it must feel to be a refugee felt through the eyes of Natalka and her mother Valentyna.. Also the references to the carer situation in society. I really like Elly Griffiths style as it is easy to read. I also took much longer than normal to realise who the murderer was, that has got to be good!

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion

I have read the Ruth Galloway books by Elly Griffiths and one of this series before but found The Last Word very slow and very confusing,
The way the chapters jumped from character to character was very discombobulating.
Sorry to to say this really wasn't for me

I really love all of Elly;s books, especially the Ruth Galloway ones, so I knew this wouldn't disappoint. I really enjoyed the new cast of characters and of course some old faces - A brilliant story with some amateur sleuthing that helped me unravel things as I read.

Brilliant stuff! We're back in Shoreham with the old gang from The Postscript Murders and shenanigans are afoot!

Natalka and Edwin are now running a private investigations agency and have been engaged to look into the death of a local author. They rope in ex-monk coffee-shop owner Benedict into the investigation, then more suspicious circumstances arise at a writing retreat and they are all in the thick of a mystery.

It was lovely to spend time with the old characters and I especially enjoyed the ending. A recommended read for lovers of The Postscript Murders.

A great addition to the series. And lovely to have a publishing / authorial bent at well. Am a superfan of Ellie's so will be recommending far and wide and ordering as a gift for relatives (if they haven't already pre-ordered themselves which is quite likely.

Hopefully there will be more books to come featuring the same characters.

This is billed book 4 in the series and, as always, to get the very best, start from book one and read in order. At least read book 2 as this is where the main characters - Natalka, Edwin and Benedict - were first featured. It's also a bit strange to be book 4 in Kaur's series as she appears only as a minor character. But who am I to criticise...
Anyway... if you recall Natalka and Edwin run a detective agency in Shoreham. The only really concentrate on minor crimes, the usual stuff. Although Natalka really wants to land the big fish case. She can dream... Actually, a big case would help her take her mind off the visit of her mother from Ukraine, and the shenanigans of her brother who has upped sticks to help the war effort. Meanwhile Benedict keeps the peace as he continues to run his coffee shop.
But Natalka should be careful what she wishes for. As that wish comes in the form of the death of Melody Chambers, a local writer, found dead. Not ruled suspicious but her family are convinced it is murder. Probably by their step-father. And they come to her and Edwin to get them to investigate.
And so begins a strange case for our duo as the leads take them to another few odd deaths in the writing community, and all fingers start to point to a writers' retreat. Edwin and Benedict duly attend. And then there's another death and they are caught up right in the middle of it...
As always this book is tightly plotted and that plot ably executed. With many plates up spinning all the way through, the characters sure have a lot to keep in mind. And then when the "live crime" committed, they eventually fess up their relationship with Harbinder and she sneaks in to assist the local cops investigating.
Ok so maybe it occasionally skates the line of credibility, and some of the deaths are a bit fantastical, but that just adds to the "fun". I especially love the quirky relationships between our main trio and they, as with all this author's characters, are extremely likeable and easy to connect to. And all give a little something extra to the mix.
I'm still not sure it counts as a main Harbinder Kaur book as she doesn't really feature much. But, that said, it's also not a stand alone. Either way, it's a fine read, and I'm looking forward to more of the same.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book

I love Elly Griffiths and this cosy standalone mystery was just what I needed! Shoreham based private investigators Ukranian-born Natalka and 84 year old Edwin, are called in to investigate the death of music-loving Melody Chambers. Their investigations take them to a writing retreat in the East Sussex countryside, Edwin and Natalka's partner Ben posing as wannabe authors.

The characters are such a joy to read about, I hope that Edwin is based on a real person, I would love to meet him! And Natalka is a wonderful inspirational character dealing with so many issues in her personal and work life.

Another great read from the Sussex queen of crime writing.

Excellent - I can't wait for the next. I love a cosy mystery, and here we have characters who genuinely appeal and you want to get to know. Twisty and turny enough to satisfy, with plenty going on on the periphery of the case too, it's a good, absorbing read.