The Postscript Murders: a gripping new mystery from the bestselling author of The Stranger Diaries

Product Information

THE AUTHOR: Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels take for their inspiration Elly's husband, who gave up a city job to train as an archaeologist, and her aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece's head with the myths and legends of that area. Elly has two children and lives near Brighton. But when Natalka reveals that Peggy lied about her heart condition and that she had been sure someone was following her... I hope Elly Griffiths is planning to write more books with at least a few of these characters appearing again. Well this was definitely a surprise of a book coming from this author! I read and loved “The Stranger Diaries” and some of her Ruth Galloway books. I think those books had a more “sinister”, heavier feel to them. This is a difficult review to write because I loved every part of the book except one. I’ll explain further but first the positives:

Who has ever heard of a “murder consultant”?? Well in this book you will hear all about Peggy, a lovely woman who was considered just that. She helped authors find unique ways of “killing off their characters” and she was well known among murder mystery writers. At first, Natalka believes that Peggy Smith died of natural causes. What makes her change her mind and go to the police? What does DS Harbinder Kaur think about Natalka’s suspicions? What kinds of “evidence” do Natalka, Edwin, and Kaur discover that suggest Peggy may have been murdered? Does all of this evidence ultimately help them to determine what happened to Peggy? Why do you think that Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin are so invested in helping to solve the crimes being investigated by Kaur? And that Peggy Smith had been a ‘murder consultant’ who plotted deaths for authors, and knew more about murder than anyone has any right to…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. 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. The Postscript Murders is a tautly written murder mystery centered around the death of a 90-year-old woman who happens to have been a murder consultant.

Griffiths assembles a vivid cast of characters, offering an enjoyably modern take on an old genre * The Sunday Times * I loved The Postscript Murders. I loved the characters. I loved the plot with its red herrings and twists. I loved the solution. It was something that I had not even considered! An altogether wonderful read. The heart beats around Mystery and Thriller authors and their writing process, book tours, interaction with other authors, publicists, etc. I found this fascinating. But while there are differences between the two Harbinder stories, there are some similarities. Most importantly - Harbinder is still not the main character. That belongs to Natalka, Peggy's caregiver, Benedict, who owns a local coffee shop, and Edwin - Peggy's elderly neighbor. We know they are main characters, because they actually tell us so at the end of the book! When Natalka learns that more than one author received a note saying "We are coming for you", the three amateur sleuths decide to help Harbinder out and go to a crime writing festival and start asking questions. Consider the form of the book. Why do you think the author chose to divide the chapters by character, with each chapter focusing on a single character’s point of view? How does this contribute to a sense of mystery and suspense? Did any one of the voices resonate with you more than the others? Consider the chapter headings—do these enhance your enjoyment of the chapters? Are any of them clues?The death of a ninety-year-old woman with a heart condition should not be suspicious. Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur certainly sees nothing out of the ordinary when Peggy's caretaker, Natalka, begins to recount Peggy Smith's passing. 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, a female detective in a male dominated work place. She is also gay; a Sikh and in her mid thirties is still lives with her mum and dad. I know it was a good book because I found myself reading bits out loud to anyone who was listening. I thought it was good fun, very well written and totally entertaining. Overall, this is a very enjoyable read with an intriguing and well thought out plot that keeps you guessing. Recommended.

What made it so entertaining was the eclectic cast of characters, the evolving mystery and the subtle but ever present humour. My favorite part of this book is the scenery – I so want to visit Shoreham and Edinburgh after reading this book. Maybe I could hire a driver though to take me on the route?

Summary

Griffiths’ sense of humor is still intact. When Natalka and Benedict, coffee shop owner and ex-monk, decide to investigate, they are confronted by a gun wielding masked man. “But he can’t deny it’s the most interesting thing to have happened to him since Brother Giles forgot the doxology in Matins.” 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:

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 from their POV but hers is the primary voice. And it’s one full of intelligence, determination & dryly observant humour. From the sleepy seaside town of Shoreham, to the granite streets of Aberdeen and the shores of Lake Baikal, The Postscript Murders is a literary mystery for fans of Antony Horowitz, Agatha Christie and anyone who’s ever wondered just how authors think up such realistic crimes… The death of a ninety-year-old woman with a heart condition should not be suspicious. Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur certainly sees nothing out of the ordinary when Peggy’s caretaker, Natalka, begins to recount Peggy Smith’s passing. The Postscript Murders is the 2nd in the DS Harbinder Kaur series by Elly Griffiths and it was fun, entertaining and filled with charm. All about books, authors, publishers and murder, it felt more like a cosy mystery with Natalka, Benedict and Edwin searching for answers, and Harbinder doing the “gruesome” parts. An excellent read which I recommend. 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.She seemed okay in The Stranger Diaries but there wasn’t so much of her. In Postscripts, she has much to say about her race and the prejudices against her but she’s racist herself and her many comments were off putting. She also subtly bullied her partner.