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

This was tough. I really really like Elly Griffiths writing, have been a big fan of the Ruth Galloway series, have started the Brighton Mysteries, and was thrilled with The Stranger Diaries.
Reading The Last Word was more of a character study than a mystery plot, which made it really different. Not bad, just not what I was expecting (wanting?) and so I'm unsure how I feel about it.
I *like* Edwin, Benedict and Natalka. (Advice: Read The Postscript Murders before you read The Last Word or it will just be weird.) Edwin and his habits remind me of my uncle. I'm sure he'd go sleuthing with a gorgeous Ukrainian and an ex-priest, too. I wish Benedict wasn't *so* down on himself but perhaps that's a product of leaving the church or why he left the church, or...?
The writers retreat people were very Midsomer Murders, I actually laughed over it!
Why did we see so little of our hero Harbinder Kaur? Why was there so much repetition (I didn't write it down, should have) it seems very amateurish for an author of Griffiths' chops (does it mean more than I realize? It was still quite annoying.)

This will not stop me from recommending the author's work to library patrons but I had to be honest.

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

I found this piece to be exceptionally well-crafted, and I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity to delve into more works by this author. Given its potential popularity among our library patrons, we're certainly looking forward to adding it to our collection

3.75 stars

Although Last Word is technically the fourth in a series, it reads perfectly well as a standalone. This mystery features an interesting trio of characters. Benedict is an ex-monk, now proprietor of a coffee shop and boyfriend to Natalka. Natalka is Ukrainian, gorgeous, and runs both a business providing home care services and a private investigation firm. Her detecting partner is octogenarian Edwin, an erudite and cultured man who is almost like family to his two younger friends.

The firm is asked to investigate a couple deaths which were officially ruled natural causes but are suspicious. One of the cases involves a woman who was a writer and attended workshops at an old estate outside the City. Not only does a dead body turn up, but it appears there are links between several suspicious deaths and the workshop attendees.

The mystery is certainly interesting but the meat here is the well-drawn portrayals of the trio and their relationships. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Last Word returns to Elly Griffiths' delightful characters Natalka, Benedict and Edwin, as they work together to solve a string of seemingly unconnected deaths that no one else believes are actually murders. Each character brings their best game to the problem, each contributing insights that only their experience can provide. This book is a delightful puzzle, made more so by these friends. But the real joy is seeing them in their real lives. Natalka struggling with the war in Ukraine, and her brother fighting it--as well as learning how to live with her mother. Benedict unable to divulge to his friends that he really wants to be a writer--while pretending to be one. Edwin facing challenging changes in his world and meeting them head-on. Plus, writers being just as quirky and conflicted and potentially menacing as only writers can be. Delightful.

This is clearly part of a series, and as a personal preference I hate coming in late on a series so I will absolutely have to go back and read the others. That is especially true because I adore everything Elly Griffiths touches. I was captivated by her Ruth Galloway novels, and thia is equally outstanding, but unique in its own right.

The characters are distinct and loveable in their own ways. Just when I thought I had a favorite between Benny and Edwin the other would outshine his friend. Though I think the elder Edwin wins by just an adorable hair. There are so many strong, independent women to choose from it's hard to even fathom picking a favorite. Though I do really enjoy the cop Harbinder. There have been a lot more lady cops in writing lately and I'm here for it. The LGBTQA rep here is awesome too! Especially the older rep, making it clear that this isn't some newfangled thing - we've been here.

The setting is not as atmospheric as the Galloway books, but it has its special charm. The cloying, claustrophobic apartment that Benny is trapped in with Natalka and her mother is palpable. And I could feel myself sitting on the courtyard with the gang in the cafe on multiple occasions. Griffiths is a star at pulling you into the worlds she envisions right alongside her characters.

Obviously in this type of storyline there will be a great deal of uncomfortable subjects including war, death, suicide, pregnancy, and many more touched upon. But overall it is a rather cozy read and if you enjoy a good mystery to curl up with you will love it!

It took me forever to get into this one and I’m not sure why. I love the characters and their sleuthing relationship. There’s just something charming about this series. And I did not guess outcome, which is always a plus.


Thanks to the publisher and Nergalley for the ARC.

Edwin, Natalka, Benedict, and of course Harbinder Kaur of The Postscript Murders return here for a fun, intriguing, and satisfying mystery surrounding a writers retreat. The main characters are multi-dimensional and engaging, and this unlikely group of sleuths of widely different backgrounds, occupations, and ages once again use their different strengths to investigate a string of suspicious deaths. Another winner from Elly Griffiths - it definitely kept me guessing till the end!

If you haven’t read any of the novels in Elly Griffiths’ Harbinder Kaur collection, you’ve been missing out. These standalone mysteries have two things in common: detective Harbinder Kaur and a mystery that only a bibliophile can truly appreciate. Each of her books have surrounded some sort of literary element to the mystery. In the case of The Last Word, that element is the murder of a local writer and ties to another dead writer.

What is The Last Word about?

Edwin Fitzgerald and his business partner (and caregiver) Natalka Kolisnyk have their own detective agency. Along with the help of their colleague DI Harbinder Kaur, the team has been able to solve several murders. Natalka’s partner Benedict Cole owns the Coffee Shack in the seaside town of Shoreham and the two live together along with her mother Valentyna. Three is a crowd, as they say, and Natalka is looking to Edwin to help find a new case and get her some time away from the flat.

It's not long before two sisters approach Edwin and Natalka for help. Their mother Melody Chambers was a local romance writer and she’s been found dead. The sisters insist it was murder and they point the finger at their mother’s second husband. They’ve barely taken the case when Benedict’s friend stops by with news that his longtime friend Father Don was writing romance novels under the pseudonym Donna Parsons. It appears that Father Don may have been murdered as well. Is someone set on murdering writers?

Natalka and Edwin have their suspicions, and when Harbinger runs their list of names through the police database, they discover another writer recently died. All three deaths were attributed to natural causes, but the pattern must be more than a coincidence. When Edwin discovers that all three dead writers attended a writer’s workshop together, he becomes more convinced that the deaths are connected. Benedict and Edwin sign up to attend the writer’s retreat, but it’s not long before another writer dies at the very property where the retreat is hosted. Someone is targeting writers, and they seem to be using the retreat to do it…

What did I think?

This wasn’t the first time I was introduced to Edwin, Natalka, and Benedict—the three also appeared in The Postscript Murders two books prior to this. I was excited to revisit them and especially the seafront town where they live. It’s a lovely setting for a good mystery! Don’t worry if you haven’t read that prior book, it’s a separate story and only relates through the shared characters.

Edwin was so glad to be leaving the cheating spouse cases behind when Natalka comes in with a murder case. The alleged murder of Melody Chambers was only intriguing at best though. The writer had a heart attack in her kitchen—at least that was what the police thought. Her daughters are convinced their step father murdered her and it sounded flimsy to me. But then Edwin’s handy habit of reading the obituary pages comes in handy, because he thinks he has found a link between Melody Chambers and another writer who died before her.

I was as curious as Natalka and Edwin about why exactly someone would be murdering writers, but it did sound like too many deaths to be a coincidence. Especially since they were all linked through the writers’ retreat. Of course that leads to Edwin and Benedict going undercover, which kept me locked in to this mystery.

This was the lightest of the books I’ve read by Elly Griffiths. She seemed to have fun writing this, and it was more cozy than it was gothic the way the other books were. I will never prefer anything over her gothic style (especially in The Stranger Diaries), but I thought this was fun to see something different in tone. It still had the same sharp writing and expert-plotting I’m used to from Griffiths.

The characters were well-developed and engaging, and I thought the mystery was full of intricately wound threads. Griffiths’ tends to have some social commentary in her books, and this was no exception. She does this in a subtle but still impactful way. Her characters are enjoyable and they are going through relatable challenges that many readers can connect with. The setting at the writing retreat was expertly-developed. Those scenes had a vibrance to them that made me wonder if it were inspired by Griffiths own experiences at a writers’ retreat.

Another wonderful mystery from Griffiths!

Thank you to Mariner Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.

There is really nothing better than a great cast of characters, and Elly Griffiths always delivers one. In the fourth instalment of her Harbinder Kaur series, The Last Word, Griffiths revisits one of my all time favorite casts in Benedict, Natalka, and Edwin. The trio has been living happily in Shoreham since we last saw them, and Natalka and Edwin have even started their own PI business, while Benedict continues to run his coffee shop, the Shack. Their PI firm generally deals with cheating spouses, but both are excited when a murder accusation falls into their lap.

The clients, a pair of sisters named Harmony and Minnie, are convinced their recently deceased mother was actually murdered by their stepfather, Alan. Of course, said stepfather also inherited his wife’s house, and the sisters are less than pleased about it. Though neither investigator believes that Alan is a murderer, and they aren’t even sure that Melody was killed at all, they’re excited for a new case. It isn’t too long before Benedict is pulled in, too, as he and Edwin go undercover.

Delightfully, they go undercover as writers to a retreat in the beautiful countryside. Not only did Melody attend in the past, but so did their second client, Benedict’s friend Richard. Richard knew someone who died recently, too: Don Parsons, who wrote for years as Donna Parsons. Naturally, he also attended the writer’s retreat. As things unfold, there are more and more paths that lead back to the writer’s group. Edwin and Benedict find themselves having a good time on the retreat and getting to know their fellow writers. However, the case quickly turns out to be more than they’d planned. Things turn south at their peaceful getaway, and it seems like, maybe, someone has been murdered after all.

The Last Word is simply a lot of fun from start to finish. Ukrainian Natalka adds some somber notes, as current events do make an appearance, and her brother is overseas fighting. However, her mother is now living with her and Benedict, providing support to both as they investigate what may have happened to Melody. Long time fans of Griffiths will not be disappointed, and new readers can absolutely start here and get a good mystery with a blast of a cast.

Elly Griffiths' Harbinder Kaur series has truly evolved. In this most recent novel, Harbinder herself is one in a cast of characters-- and I really enjoy this model. The Last Word pulls together police procedure, private detective work, and authorship. The novel is truly enjoyable for those of us who enjoy any or all of those fields.

I've always loved this series by Elly Griffiths and its British vibes, but I wasn't as a huge fan of this one. In this entry, we're back with the characters from Postscript Murders, Natalka, Edwin, and Benedict who now run a detective agency on the side. They're investigating murders of writers, leading them to a writing retreat with many suspects. To me, I found the plot a little winding and slow, making it harder to stay invested in it. I did find the conclusion a bit confusing as well. Perhaps it just wasn't for me at this time, but I look forward to her next book!

I didn't realize that this was (I think) part of a series, but it read just fine as a standalone. Two amateur detectives in a small British town start to get suspicious when the participants in a writers' workshop suddenly start turning up dead. Who is responsible ? What is their motive?

The Last Word had a "Thursday Murder Club" vibe that I loved and I definitely want to check out the rest of this series!

While not a Ruth book, it was a good standalone in the series. Harder to connect with the characters but a quick read with the same style and pacing one comes to enjoy in a Griffiths mystery.