The Last Word by Elly Griffiths is an engaging and cleverly crafted literary mystery featuring an unlikely but charming detective duo. Edwin, an 84-year-old master of surveillance, and Natalka, a sharp, math-savvy woman from Ukraine, run a detective agency. Despite their age and experience differences, they make a great team, tackling everything from fraud to deception. Natalka, however, has a particular thirst for murder cases, which she has yet to encounter until local obituary writer Dan Haynes turns up dead.

Edwin, an obituary aficionado, takes it upon himself to investigate Haynes' death and uncovers a troubling pattern of other unexpected deaths. The clues, he believes, are hidden within the obituaries themselves, leading him down a dark and twisting path. As Edwin goes missing during his investigation, Natalka must navigate the complexities of the case, teaming up with local police officer Neil Winstone and DI Harbinder Kaur to find him and solve the mystery.

Griffiths does a fantastic job blending literary elements with a traditional whodunit, crafting a story that keeps readers hooked. The characters are endearing, and their dynamic adds a touch of humor and warmth amidst the tension. The setting, with its intriguing mix of small-town charm and big-city twists, creates an atmospheric backdrop for the mystery. The solution to the case is both surprising and satisfying, revealing a chillingly sinister and bookish culprit.

Fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club and Anthony Horowitz’s work will find The Last Word to be a delightful and intelligent read, full of quirky characters, sharp wit, and a compelling mystery at its core.

THE LAST WORD is the latest in the Harbinder Kaur series, but I feel like it should be the start of a Natalka, Edwin, and Benedict series. In signature Griffiths style, this crime novel showcases an investigation with twists, turns, and carefully placed reveals.

What I loved about this novel was how the main sleuths were more amateur than hardboiled detectives. Though Harbinder Kaur is directly involved in the examination of the murder and aspects of the case, the other three truly shine in this one. There is a fabulous dynamic of smart and witty characters with diverse and intriguing personalities. This above all makes the murders and various criminal activities even richer.

I have read a few of Griffiths’s books over the past couple of years and each time I finish one, I am ready for the next. This to me is a testament to her brilliant ability to weave together the best and the worst of what people can do while still making it entertaining for those of us who like the more macabre in our literature.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Last Word by Elly Griffiths!

I really enjoy Elly Griffith's Harbinder series and while this is part of the series, it focuses more on the characters first introduced in The Postscript Murder, Edwin, Natalka, and Benedict. The pacing was good and while I did guess a few of the plot/mystery points, it was still enjoyable. I liked getting to learn more about Natalka's mother and can't wait to read more about the gang.

Looking for an cozy mystery? Well The Last Word may fit the bill, or maybe not. It is the fourth book in the Harbinder series. While Harbinder appears in every book, she is not always the main character. This title stars Natalka, Edwin, and Benedict trying to figure out if a couple of authors had been murdered. Their investigations took them to an author's retreat that just adds names to their murder list. But their visit also coincided with a suspicious death which brought in the local police which lead to Harbinder becoming involved. In the end the murders are solved and the culprits tossed in jail, but not before the Edwin and Natalka face loaded guns twice! A nice addition to the series. It will be interesting to see what Elly Griffiths does next with these characters!

I was a little disappointed in this book. Harbinder Kaur is such an interesting character and I would have enjoyed the book more if the author delved into developments in her personal life. Not my favorite series.

I am a fan of British mysteries. This book reminded me of some of my favorite series - The Thursday Murder Club and Anthony Horowitz' series - both of which are being made into television series! I can imagine the characters vividly and hope to revisit them again in a future title!

THE LAST WORD by Elly Griffiths is the fourth in a series involving detective Harbinder Kaur (start with the first, Stranger Diaries for a great read). Once again, Kaur suggests involving private detectives Natalka (energetic and Ukrainian-born) and Edwin (in his eighties, but still a great contributor) with help from Natalka's boyfriend, Benedict who runs a coffee stand. Readers will come to know the personalities and motives of each of these three as they look into the death of a local romance writer. Turns out that there seem to be several writers who died recently and they are linked to Battle House where Edwin and Benedict register for a writers' retreat seminar as they continue sleuthing. THE LAST WORD is a fun read with plenty of twists. And some of the best comments are cultural references like, "It's the same with Duolingo, which he started during lockdown. ... he's not going to lose his streak." THE LAST WORD received starred reviews from Booklist ("Griffiths is one of the most engaging writers in the business.") and Library Journal ("satisfyingly twisty cozy"). Enjoy!

This is a great one to recommend to your readers who have been enjoying Richard Osman's series of mysteries featuring older amateur sleuth characters. Although this is part of a series, it does stand alone for readers who are not familiar with the first three books. And, bonus -- Detective Harbinder Kaur is featured as well.

THE LAST WORD reprises some of my favorite characters from Elly Griffiths' earlier books--Edwin and Natalka, (now running a detective agency) and Benedict (lover of literature and obit reader). The three characters are all fully developed with wonderful personalities. A key element of all Griffiths’ books, is her creating characters that feel so real I’d like to be friends with them. The chapters swing between the various POVs, which keeps the book moving at a steady pace. Once again Griffiths has written a story filled with small elements of humor and the perfectly crafted phrase.

Excellent installment in this series. I hope she keeps writing them. Liked the changing points of view.

I have read many of Elly Griffiths book, including her Ruth Galloway Series as well as the Harbinder Kaur series of which this purports to be #4. Unfortunately there was less of Harbinder Kaur, with her dry humor and sarcasm, and more of a load of other characters which were similarly and confusingly named to the point of distraction. There wasn’t much of a mystery, there were too many characters and too many distractions which did not add to the story. Doubly disappointing as I really enjoyed “The Postscript Murders.” This was a miss for me but I am hopeful that future installments will contain more Harbinder Kaur and her crime solving escapades.

Thanks to Mariner Books - HarperCollins and NetGalley for a copy.

Elly Griffiths continues the sleuthing of Natalka and Edwin in The Last Word. Their detective agency is engaged by the daughters of a deceased women to find out if she was murdered by her husband, their step father, who inherited the family home. They quickly find a link to other authors' deaths and to a writers' retreat they all visited. But something more sinister is behind a writer's book group. The sleuths start finding bodies and are entangled with the police, including Harinder, the police inspector, in a former murder. Well plotted with interesting characters.

I have been thinking about reading an Elly Griffiths mystery for several years but for no good reason had not around to it. So I was excited that NetGalley gave me the chance to sample early her new work entitled “The Last Word. “ So I am disappointed to write that Griffith’s story just did not capture me as I expected it would. I have been ruminating on why I kept reading a chapter then putting it down for a few days, then kickstarting again for a few pages and then…well, you get the idea. The writing is excellent, the characters interest me, but the mystery itself just did not grab me.
So many others have outlined the plot in their reviews. Invariably these reviews speak to how the reviewer has read the entire Ruth Galloway series: so I shan’t be reading another in the Harbinder Kaur series ( The Last Word is the 4th installment in this series) but I intend to begin reading her more famous Ruth Galloway series. Elly Griffiths is just way too popular for me not to take another opportunity to read her work.

I didn't think I had read the other books in this series but didn't feel the need to (in going back, I had read book #2 but didn't realize it). Oddly, though there are a few deaths in this book, I would call it a quiet mystery. I'm not sure why but it was just an enjoyable read and mostly reminds me of how Mary Balogh might write a mystery.
Natalka, a younger woman, and Edwin, who is in his eighties, run a detective agency. Natalka does this in addition to running a care agency. They finally get a bigger case when a woman's daughters come in convinced that their mother was killed by her husband.
The woman who died was a writer and their investigations lead them to a writer's retreat which Benedict (Natalka's significant other) and Edwin attend. And that's where the first person dies. Is this death connected to the other writer? That's what they are going to work to find out.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out April 23, 2024
Harbinder Kaur #4
Follows Bleeding Heart Yard
ARC kindly provided by Mariner Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Eighty-four-year-old Edwin Fitzgerald and his much younger associate, Natalka Kolisnyk, are private investigators. They join forces to solve a series of murders in "The Last Word," by Elly Griffiths. Natalka, who is Ukranian, and her boyfriend, Benedict Cole (a former monk turned coffee shop proprietor), live with Natalka's mother, Valentyna, in Shoreham-by-Sea. Although Benedict is not a professional sleuth, he has a keen mind and useful insights that he shares with Edwin and Natalka.

After author Melody Chambers dies, her daughters hire Natalka and Edwin to prove that Melody's greedy second husband killed his spouse for the property that he stood to inherit. Other individuals in addition to Melody die under questionable circumstances, and Edwin and Benedict go undercover to a writer's weekend, where some of the key figures they are investigating are gathering. At first, Edwin, Natalka, and Benedict are stymied, and they seek help from their friend, DI Harbinder Kaur, with whom they have worked before. In addition, they make the acquaintance of other officers who are looking into the case.

Elly Griffiths has a long and impressive résumé, but this is one of her least impressive works of fiction. She presents us with an overly large cast of characters, and the muddled plot moves along at a sluggish pace. There is far more dialogue than action, and the solution to the mystery comes out of left field. That being said, there are some delightfully humorous passages and poignant scenes that add much-needed spice to the novel. It is too bad that Ms. Griffiths' latest effort lacks enough excitement, clarity, and suspense to earn an enthusiastic recommendation.

How I hated to not love this. She is one of my favorites but I just had such a hard time finishing it- which says a lot. I am sure she will bounce back with her next though. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

I'm traditionally not a huge fan of Elly Griffiths - my mother loves her work, and has pressured me to "try" again many times. Unfortunately, something about her style just doesn't jive with me. Still, her work is popular and we will get a copy for our collection.

Wonderful writing and terrific cast of characters! The trio of sleuths from Bleeding Heart Yard and The Postscript Murders return to solve another case in this multi-POV mystery. Harbinder Kaur plays a smaller part in this one, but Griffiths introduces some new characters and some new complications. Great tension throughout (for the central plot and subplots as well) and a very satisfying ending. Highly recommend this one!

What is it about writers killing off writers that’s so engaging? Griffiths plays into this theme with abandon which makes for an engaging novel with twists and turns that will keep you turning pages to the end.
3 Stars