Peggy Smith, murder consultant is dead at 90. Having died in her sleep. But carer Natalka is concerned and approaches the police. D.S. Harbinder Kaur with the aid of three of Peggy's friends, Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin investigate. But what secrets will they reveal. Will there be more deaths.
An enjoyable cozy mystery with some likeable characters but unfortunately written in the present tense.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Second in this series, The Postscript Murders is a perfectly fine part-cozy part-procedural mystery. Its varying points of view and the twisting and twisted plot raise it above average. Yet, it lacks that extra ingredient, urgency, that would elevate it to a higher rating. Despite the multiple murders and multiple suspects, there's only one half-unlikable character and the various spy-related plots and characters lack any real sense of danger, even when danger lurks. Although I liked the book, I rue that it didn't keep me up at night.,

Peggy Smith is 90 years old. She sits at her window and writes notes about the people she observes walking by. When her carer Natalka arrives and finds Peggy dead in her chair it is listed as a death from natural causes. Peggy had a large collection of mystery books and many of them listed her in the acknowledgments. When Natalia also finds a business card calling Peggy a murder consultant, she suspects that Peggy was murdered and goes to the police. DS Harbinder Kauer agrees to look into Peggy’s death but Natalka also enlists some of Peggy’s friends to investigate. Edwin lived across the street and shared Peggy’s love of mysteries and puzzles and Benedict is a former monk who owns the local coffee shop. When a gunman breaks into Peggy’s home and steals a specific book it confirms their belief in her murder. Three of the authors who were in touch with Peggy have received threatening postcards. When one of them is murdered the police finally open a full investigation.

Peggy was rather secretive about her past, but as Harbinder interviews publishers and editors they were all aware of her contributions to authors and her familiarity with ways to commit murder. While Harbinder conducts her interviews, the friends trace a copy of the stolen book to determine its’ relevance and travel to an Aberdeen book festival to meet the other authors who were threatened in hopes of learning more. Harbinder often considers their help as interfering in her investigation but they do provide insights into the murder as they also form a strong bond with each other. Then another murder occurs in Aberdeen and their investigation may now have them in danger.

Ella Griffiths is the author of the Ruth Galloway series and the Brighton mysteries. In this stand-alone her characters are well developed and the reader will want to ride along with the friends as they travel to Aberdeen. Each time the solution becomes evident, Griffiths throws in a twist that changes the direction of the investigation and will delight mystery fans. If you love Agatha Christie you will find much to love in The Postscript Murders. I would like to thank NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing this book for my review.

I enjoyed the author's previous standalone, The Stranger Diaries, so I was excited to get a chance to preview her latest. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity. And what a lovely book it is!

The Postscript Murders is a cozy murder mystery told from the perspectives of the main characters. Each one is unique, reasonably well developed, and trustworthy. No unreliable narrators here. Everything is nicely tied up in a bow at the end. Elly Griffiths has written a charming, sweet story about friendships in the guise of a murder mystery. Despite the crimes that drive the plot, the tone stays light throughout. I enjoyed every minute!

Excellent stand alone by Elly Griffiths. Loved this book! Interesting, quirky characters and a cracker of a mystery. It’s told from several character’s perspective, every chapter switches between the main characters. It’s great having insight to their inner thoughts and what and how the reveal themselves to one another! It takes a true wordsmith to be able to pull this type of writing off, and Griffiths proves to be a master! Excellent read! Highly recommend this engaging read!

The death of an elderly woman known as a “murder consultant” to many crime writers brings together a quirky team who set out to determine if she was murdered and if she was, who did it. A real joy to read. Griffiths has the talent to create interesting, colorful characters that the reader can’t help but adore.

I loved this book. Some of the same characters returned from Strangers Diaries. A 90 year old murder consult for authors is found murdered. Then authors start to die. A fun read about relationships and the intricacies of book writing. I loved it.

In 2018 this author gave us The Stranger Diaries, a creepy & entertaining story that introduced DS Harbinder Kaur. She was more of a secondary character but with the arrival of this book, she steps into the shoes of MC. Not only is she up to the task, her unique voice is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this literary murder mystery.

It all kicks off with the death of Peggy Smith, a 90 year old woman living in quaint-sounding Shoreham-by-Sea. She’s found by her care giver Natalka, sitting in her chair by the window & surrounded by her beloved mystery books. It’s sad but hardly a shock, right? Well….

It’s just that she was absolutely fine that morning when Natalka popped in. And there’s the small matter of the business card on the table that refers to Peggy as a “Murder Consultant”. Maybe Natalka better talk to someone.

Luckily, her visit to the police station gets her a meeting with DS Harbinder Kaur. Neither one can know it yet but it’s the beginning of a strange, deadly & entertaining adventure, Because sudden death doesn’t stop with Peggy. Pretty soon, mystery authors who were acquainted with the little old ‘murder consultant” by the sea begin keeling over at an alarming rate.

In short order, Kaur has several investigations on the go & whether she wants it or not, she’s also got outside help. Three of Peggy’s friends decide to act as Kaur’s eyes & ears. It’s not exactly an illustrious crew….a mysterious/gorgeous care giver (Natalka), an ex-monk turned coffee guy (Benny) & an OAP (Edwin). It’s like belonging to a really weird book club. But oddly enough, Harbinder is kind of enjoying it.

So you’ve probably figured out this is not another gritty thriller. It’s more than that. As events lead police, Kaur & her team of misfits on a dash across the UK, many references are made to well known mystery/crime writers & their work. There’s definitely a golden age vibe to the story, albeit with a decidedly modern edge & more humour. Intricate plotting, compelling characters, smart dialogue & plenty of dry wit makes this an engaging read.

At the centre of it all is Harbinder Kaur, a 30-something gay Asian cop who lives with her parents. I really like this character. She’s such an intriguing mix with one foot in the traditional Asian community of her parents while the other is firmly planted in her modern reality of being a cop. Several characters take turns narrating chapters but she provides the primary voice. And it’s one full of intelligence, determination & dryly observant humour.

Plenty of red herrings keep you guessing as to who is behind it all while a variety of secondary characters add colour & depth to the story. I really enjoyed this & look forward to watching Kaur & her colleagues develop in the next one. Highly recommend for fans of Agatha Christie & Anthony Horowitz’ Atticus Pünd series.

Elly Griffiths’ second Harbinder Kaur mystery is a perfect blend of police procedural and cozy wrapped up in a terrific fair-play package. The much put upon Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur of the Shoreham police is trying to balance her home life looking after the aging parents she lives with, with her police work, which has taken an unexpected turn. A Ukrainian-born carer named Natalka has come to the precinct, claiming something suspicious about the death of one of her recent charges, a nonagenarian named Peggy Smith. Peggy’s death was deemed a heart attack, and while Harbinder doesn’t think there’s enough evidence to open an official investigation, she’s interested enough to attend Peggy’s funeral and gather more information. When a gunman interrupts Natalka while the latter is snooping around Peggy’s flat later, Harbinder becomes convinced that something villainous is indeed afoot.

Natalka, being unrestrained by Harbinder’s professional standards and ethics, is dead certain that someone killed Peggy and might be coming for her next. With the aid of two more of Peggy’s friends, elderly neighbor Edwin and former monk turned cafe owner Benedict, she hatches a series of plans to uncover the truth, culminating in a road trip to Aberdeen to interview several authors whose books Peggy had apparently acted as Murder Consultant for. But as the body count ticks upwards, Natalka begins to worry that her own secrets might have some bearing on what’s going on, and that her amateur sleuthing, despite Harbinder’s intervention, could lead her into trouble she has no way of escaping.

I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with this quirky, diverse cast of characters as they took their individual approaches to mystery-solving, resulting in an extremely satisfying ending where all plot threads were neatly tied up. Clues were seeded so carefully through the proceedings that I was absolutely chagrined that I hadn’t come up with the solution before our intrepid investigators did. I blame it partly on being so charmed by grumpy Harbinder, headstrong Natalka, awkward Benedict and perhaps most of all by Edwin, who uses this adventure to keep at bay his fears of decrepitude:

QUOTE
That’s how I know I’m old, he thinks. Because sometimes it does take him by surprise. He sees a wizened old man in the mirror and wonders whether a geriatric burglar has broken in. His hands, with their veins and liver spots, appal him. He thought that his voice was still the same but, the other day, in the chemist, he heard a querulous bleat asking for Gaviscon tablets. Could that really be Edwin Fitzgerald, who was once described by the <i>Radio Times</i> as ‘mellifluous’? Get a grip, Edwin, he tells himself. You’re on a road trip with two young friends. You’re spending the night in a B&B and then you’re going to Scotland, one of your favourite places on earth. What’s more, you’re on the track of a dangerous criminal. You’re a detective, almost a <i>crime fighter</i>.
END QUOTE

The Postscript Murders often feels like a classic whodunnit, referencing World War II spies and golden age mystery novels as the investigation winds on. But it’s also keenly cognizant of contemporary issues, whether it be sardonic insights into the world of modern publishing, the shadowy frontier of cryptocurrency or, more personally to our lead protagonist, Harbinder’s identity as a gay Sikh woman with perhaps limited career mobility. She’s often only too aware of things that her white, straight counterparts hardly even notice, and while that’s sometimes beneficial in her line of work, it can also feel discouraging, as here where she and her partner Neil are driving out of town to interview a person of interest:

QUOTE
‘It’s a perfect English village.’

‘Probably full of racists and fascists,’ says Harbinder, who is trying to track their progress on her phone.

‘Why would you say that?’ asks Neil. ‘I’d love to live somewhere like this. It’s like a Christmas card.’

‘Exactly,’ mutters Harbinder. She’s being unfair, she knows. Neil isn’t a bad sort, it’s just he’s in thrall to a certain idea of Englishness, one that still isn’t available to people whose skin isn’t as white as Bing Crosby’s Christmas.
END QUOTE

The Postscript Murders is a terrific modern police procedural-cozy hybrid that had me rooting for our heroes through danger and heartbreak. I haven’t yet read the first in the series but am planning on remedying that soon, and can’t wait to read the future adventures of Harbinder (and hopefully co!)

Really enjoyed this story and loved that it was a little meta, even. We're looking forward to sharing it with our newsletter subscribers!

3.5 stars.
I had loved the first book in the series The Stranger Diaries.

The postscript murders is also based on "bookish killings" and I love this concept. This is kind of a soft thriller which gives a lot to think about.

Peggy Smith, a 90-year-old woman is found dead by her carer. No one suspects any foul play except Peggy Smith's carer, Natalka who is from Ukraine. Natalka finds a note which says, Peggy Smith as a Murder Consultant and Peggy who has an extensive crime books collection, has herself mentioned/credited in most of the books.

Natalka, even though approached DS Kaur regarding her suspicion, she teams with Edwin (Peggy's neighbour , 80 year old man) and Benedict (coffee shack owner, ex-monk) and tries to solve the murder. This amateur detectives start brainstorming different clues and meet many other people related to Peggy and also come ace to face with murders and danger.

There are multiple POV's like Natalka, Benedict, Edwin and DS Kaur. Though it is DS Kaur murder mystery book, we see her less and main characters that hold it together is Natalka & co. Plot held my attention even though there was nothing much happening except a lot of clues and running around. It was not as good as the first but I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was an entertaining read and a lazy holiday kind of a book.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC in return of honest review.
Happy Reading!!!

The Postscript Murders is the second in Elly Griffiths’ new series with Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur as the protagonist - although in this enjoyable read, the focus is actually just as much on an unlikely trio of amateur sleuths as it is on DS Kaur. As the story opens, “murder consultant” Peggy Smith dies, and frankly, no one gets too excited when an elderly lady dies of what seem to be natural causes. No one, that is, except her Ukrainian caregiver, Natalka, who thinks the death seems suspicious. And although Natalka tries to get the police interested in Peggy’s death, at first the only people she can convince are her friend Benedict, an ex-monk who is now running a coffee shop; and Edwin, an elderly friend of Peggy’s. Soon however, a mysterious gunman makes an appearance, another death (this one definitely murder) occurs, and all of the sudden DS Kaur is interested after all.

The rest of the story is a nice blend of a cozy for the trio, complete with a trip to a book festival in Aberdeen; and a police procedural for DS Kaur, who gets a trip to Aberdeen too. Author Griffiths has set The Postscript Murders in the world of mystery writing/publishing, which provides some fun shout-outs about real authors and books, but includes a made-up author too. (I had to google the made-up author, just to verify that she was, in fact, made-up…) After some nice twists and turns, and a couple of moments of suspense, all the murders are wrapped up, and some progress has been made on a couple of personal fronts as well.

Griffiths’ writing is crisp and bits of sly humor peek through to lighten things up. I had more than a couple out-loud chuckles that prompted quizzical looks from my husband. My biggest regret about The Postscript Murders is that I would have liked to see more of Peggy Smith, who was quite an engaging character, even in death. Perhaps someday Griffiths can write a prequel… My only other small issue with The Postscript Murders is that it is written in the present tense, which is not my favorite style for a murder mystery. But Griffiths does it well, and after a while, I quit noticing.

Please note that I don’t give many 5-star ratings (maybe one in thirty or forty books that I read), so a 4-star rating from me is a solid “read” recommendation. I haven’t read the first book in the series, but enjoyed this one enough to now go back and do so. I’ll be looking out for the next one too. And my thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advance review copy.

Let me start at the ending, I loved this book! I have read Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway series which I enjoy, and I read "The Stranger Diaries" and very much enjoyed it, although I didn't realize that it was the beginning of a new series. But something very interesting happened with "The Postscript Murders". Ms Griffiths totally changes the tone of her writing, from slightly dark and sinister to something altogether lighter and more witty. After the first chapter I had to stop and double check if the detective, Harbinder, was the same character in the previous book, so different was the style. In the Goodreads blurb they compare it to Anthony Horowitz and Agatha Christie, and I would agree with that assessment. The story was more character driven, and there were several times I laughed out loud. I loved this about face, but I've seen a couple of people grousing about it on book blogs, as I guess they preferred the more dark and serious style.

The book opens with a very Agatha Christie "Miss Marple" type character. Peggy is watching the world go by from the bay window of her retirement apartment. By the end of the first chapter Peggy is dead, and that was my only disappointment in the book, because in this short space of time I fell in love with her character. Peggy had a sideline as a "murder consultant" for famous writers, helping them come up with unusual ways for their characters to die. Lovers of book-based mysteries will enjoy this book, as it features mystery authors and readers conventions.

Three very different characters team up to solve this mystery. First there is Natalka, a Ukrainian immigrant with a shady past, but who genuinely cares about the elderly who she helps care for. She is the one to find Peggy and the first to suspect that there is more to this death than meets the eye. Benedict, a former monk who runs the local coffee shop and is trying to assimilate back into the world, is enlisted to help solve the mystery as he also knew Peggy. And Edwin, who was Peggy's friend and neighbor, completes the trio. Why aren't the elderly included more in fiction? I found Edwin's character both endearing and delightful. Together this threesome are up to constant hijinks in sleuthing, and it is all Harbinder can do to control them.

I almost want to go back to "The Stranger Diaries" are reread and see if I missed some nuances, but my memory is that it was more in style .like the Ruth Galloway books....life is a little bleak. Here we have well drawn out characters who make me laugh, and there is some redemption for everyone by the end of the book. I guess you could say this change of tone is what upset a couple of fans of her previous book. For me, I love Agatha Christie and Anthony Horowitz books, and this had so many of the elements that made me enjoy their works.

Now I'm left with the question, will we see more of this delightful trio or is this the end of them? I would love to read an interview with the author as to what brought about the change of direction in this series, but for me--I enjoyed "The Stranger Diaries" but I loved "The Postscript Murders"!

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and author Elly Griffiths for this great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin for an egalley of The Postscript Murders.

This book series encapsulates British procedurals from the start. I loved following Harbinder on her sleuthing, but also enjoyed the rotating perspective from the other cast of characters. All in all, a wonderfully written "who done it?" from start to finish.

Harbinder is 35 and still living with her parents. And work isn't going that great either. However, when a string of deaths seem perplexingly linked, Harbinder knows she has to find the killer before more innocent people die. With the help of Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin, this motley cast of characters sets out to solve the mystery before it is too late.

When the elderly Peggy Smith passes away, her carer, Natalka, is convinced the death was suspicious. While helping clean out Peggy's flat, she finds a variety of books--all crime novels--dedicated to Peggy. Then a gunman breaks into Peggy's flat to steal only a book. DS Harbinder Kaur is not convinced at first about Peggy's death, but she cannot deny everything that begins to happen after Peggy's death. After another death occurs, DS Kaur is convinced writers are being targeted.

This is such a fun book. Not only is it an engaging mystery, it's truly a wonderfully bookish book for people who love reading, especially mysteries. This is Griffiths' second book featuring Harbinder Kaur, the Best Gay Sikh Detective in West Sussex--the "first out of a field of one," as she puts it. It's wonderful to have a crime series with a lesbian lead, especially one as intelligent and witty as Harbinder. She notices everything and offers some humorous insights into her life living with her parents and working with her rodent-like partner, Neil.

POSTSCRIPT is written in truly Elly Griffiths fashion. It's incredibly easy to read and everyone just embodies their characters so effortlessly. The supporting cast here is excellent: a former monk; Peggy's elderly neighbor; Natalka; and a host of folks spread across the writing community. The wonderful inside jokes and asides about writing, publishing, and books are so much fun.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. The mystery of what happened to Peggy and the subsequent sequence of events is interesting while the story and characters are witty and diverse. Elly Griffiths remains my go-to author. I highly recommend you read both Harbinder books, but this one does stand-alone.

This book is much different in pace to The Stranger Diaries which I absolutely loved. It is a bit uneven at times and I think it is trying to do a lot in a short period of time. But the idea of the murder and the clues are really remarkable. I also love DS Kaur she is so vivid and so well drawn. I do hope Elly continues with DS Kaur.

I first met DS Harbinder Kaur in Griffiths’ 2019 book, The Stranger Diaries. I liked this cynical but caring copper who still lives with her family, which is ignorant of her homosexuality.

In The Postscript Murders, Harbinder is contacted by Natalka, a Ukrainian caregiver, who suspects that her client, Peggy Smith, has not died naturally. Harbinder soon comes to share Natalka’s suspicion and next thing you know, Harbinder is investigating, with the amateur assistance of Natalka and two of Peggy’s friends, Edwin and Benedict. More and more incidents pile up, and it becomes urgent to solve these crimes.

Does this sound a little reminiscent of Richard Osman’s wonderful The Thursday Murder Club? Well, though I dislike publisher’s blurbs that say if you liked Book X, you’ll love Book Y, I have to confess that there are some similarities in the the two books and that I enjoyed them both very much.

What surprised me is how different in style The Postscript Murders is from The Stranger Diaries. The Stranger Diaries is set at a private school and its environs, and has a sort of gothic suspense feel to it. The Postscript Murders has a lighter tone, and is more similar to a Golden Age mystery in style. Like a mystery by, say, Georgette Heyer or Patricia Wentworth, the reader is treated to a likable detective and cast of characters, except for a sprinkling of people you love to hate.

It was also great fun to read a mystery set in the publishing world, especially the crime fiction publishing world. An amusing part of that is the way Harbinder Kaur and her police colleagues are completely unfamiliar with so many reading and publishing terms, like TBR, beta reader, and cozy, and almost flabbergasted to learn about crime fiction conventions.

This book was just the ticket for me as winter drags on. I’ve become a big fan of Harbinder Kaur and I hope Elly Griffiths continues this series.

I've read only one other book by this prolific author, and more's the pity. With this one - an advance review copy courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley - I've become a fan. This is the second installment of her series that centers around Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur, an interesting character who is 36, gay, and still lives with her parents (who don't know she's gay). She's contacted by Natalka, a caregiver for elderly Peggy Smith, who found the woman dead. But there are no signs that anything is amiss, and since Peggy was 90 years old, Harbinder doesn't see a problem. The only thing remotely strange is that Peggy has business cards indicating that she's a "murder consultant" and is listed in the acknowledgements of books by several authors of crime books that apparently are favorites of the much-read Peggy.

That soon changes when Natalka and her friend, barista and former monk Benedict, return to Peggy's flat to start clearing out some things left by Peggy's son - who seemed in a hurry to sell his mother's flat - and encounter a gun-wielding masked person who grabs a book - one that's out of print - and runs. When Harbinder still seems reluctant to pursue the case seriously, Natalka, Benedict and Peggy's elderly neighbor of several years, Edwin, set off to investigate on their own. They begin by visiting a crime writers' conference in a not-too-distant town, where they run into several of the writers who have credited Peggy for suggestions they've incorporated in their books.

Then comes another murder; at that point, Harbinder begins to suspect that Peggy may have been murdered after all. From different locations, she and Natalka's competent team start sharing their findings, all of which lead up to a mostly surprising conclusion. Overall, well-written with intriguing characters whose interactions held my interest throughout. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

A cosy literary mystery. Life in the quiet seaside town of Shoreham is disrupted when elderly Peggy is found dead by her carer, Natalka. Murder is surmised. Just as in Agatha Christie, there's a wide range of suspects from her eighty year old friend Edwin to ex-priest Benedict and the wonderfully-named author Dex Challoner. Reminded me of Richard Osman's 'The Thursday Murder Club'. Will read more by Elly Griffiths. A great read.

3.5 stars

In this 2nd book in the Harbinder Kaur series, the police detective investigates several suspicious deaths. The book works fine as a standalone.

*****

Ninety-year-old Peggy Smith lives in Seaview Court, a seaside block of retirement flats in Shoreham, England. Peggy's a nosy-parker who likes to sit in her bay window and make notes about the people she sees outside. Shortly after Peggy observes two suspicious men sitting in a car she's found dead in her apartment, a death that's ascribed to a heart attack.

Peggy's carer, a beautiful Ukranian woman called Natalka, doesn't buy the natural death scenario. While packing Peggy's books, Natalka notes that many mystery novels are either dedicated to Peggy or mention Peggy in the acknowledgements, and Peggy has a business card that reads 'Mrs. M. Smith, Murder Consultant.'

Natalka hastens to the police station and reports her suspicions about Peggy's death to Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur. Harbinder agrees that 'murder consultant' has a sinister ring to it, but isn't especially alarmed by (what seems to be) the death of an elderly woman from natural causes.

Natalka then shares her concerns with two friends who knew Peggy: Benedict - a thirtysomething former monk who now runs a coffee shop; and Edwin - an elderly gent who lives in Peggy's apartment building. With Natalka's urging, the odd threesome decide to launch their own investigation into Peggy's death, a seriocomic exercise that's both fun and dangerous.

The amateur sleuths attend Peggy's funeral, because the 'murderer always goes to the funeral', after which Natalka and Benedict search Peggy's apartment for clues. While the duo are looking through Peggy's things, a masked figure enters the residence, points a gun at them, grabs a book, and runs out.

This incident DOES make DS Harbinder Kaur suspicious, and the subsequent murder of a mystery author who mentioned Peggy in all his books clinches the deal. Harbinder accepts that the deaths of Peggy and the writer might be linked.

While Harbinder makes inquiries in Shoreham with her partner DS Neil Winston, Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin engage in a parallel investigation - one that takes them to a literary festival in Aberdeen. Another death follows, and it looks like Natalka and her cohorts might be in danger as well.

The book's plot is engaging, but the best parts of the story are the characters.

♦ Natalka is an ex-pat who can't return to Ukraine because of the conflict with Russia. Natalka has a degree in maths, a facility for trading in cryptocurrencies, and a dangerous history with the Ukranian mafia. Natalka works as a carer to have a flexible job that provides a little money.

♦ Benedict is an amiable man who loved the spiritual life of a monk but came to yearn for 'a normal life.' Benedict is shy about meeting women, but hopes a special lady will miraculously walk into his life. The café owner loves to read mysteries, and turns out to be a clever detective.

♦ Edwin is an elegant gentleman who once worked for the BBC, and still has connections in the entertainment industry. Edwin is bored with his retirement life, and longs for interesting things to do. The chance to look into a crime is pure fun for him.

♦ DS Harbinder Kaur is a gay Sikh woman who still lives with her folks. Harbinder's parents run the family store, and her mom is a wonderful cook who serves delicious Indian cuisine.

Harbinder thinks of her police partner Neil Winston, who doesn't 'get' a lot of things, as a woodland creature - sly, slightly stupid, but ultimately lovable. Harbinder's inner thoughts about Neil's animal persona (nibble nibble nibble; twitching nose and ruffled whiskers; a squirrel deprived of its nut) provide amusing mental images.

♦ DS Neil Winston is awed by wealthy people, loves pretty English villages, and thinks the rich and beautiful are above criminal activity. Despite these limitations, Neil is a decent detective....and he loves Mrs. Kaur's cooking.

♦ Other characters in the tale include home care workers, writers, editors, agents, publicists, family members, police officers, elderly ladies, Russians, and more - so there are plenty of suspects for the murders.

The story has clever twists, and armchair sleuths will be challenged to solve the crimes.

Thanks to Netgalley, Elly Griffiths, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a copy of the book.