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jennitarheelreader's review against another edition
5.0
Elly Griffiths is becoming a favorite author of mine. She has a well-loved series, but she also wrote The Stranger Diaries (which I adored), and The Postscript Murders is its follow-up.
These books have a modern Christie feel, and I can definitely see the comparison to the clever Anthony Horowitz as well. The Postscript Murders is about a 90 year old female murder consultant. Yes, my friends. She’s an expert on how to kill people, and authors hire her when writing their books. Peggy ends up dead under suspicious circumstances, and an investigation ensues. The best part of all, the book often takes place during a literary festival, so it’s full of bookish content.
Lots of layers to analyze, witty dialogue, great tension; it has it everything you are looking for in a solid literary mystery. I hope there’s a book three on the horizon!
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
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These books have a modern Christie feel, and I can definitely see the comparison to the clever Anthony Horowitz as well. The Postscript Murders is about a 90 year old female murder consultant. Yes, my friends. She’s an expert on how to kill people, and authors hire her when writing their books. Peggy ends up dead under suspicious circumstances, and an investigation ensues. The best part of all, the book often takes place during a literary festival, so it’s full of bookish content.
Lots of layers to analyze, witty dialogue, great tension; it has it everything you are looking for in a solid literary mystery. I hope there’s a book three on the horizon!
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
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deliamiller's review against another edition
4.0
Another great book by Elly Griffiths. I really like this new series.
carolsnotebook's review against another edition
4.0
When Peggy Smith, a 90-year-old woman, is found dead, no one believes foul play had a role in her death….that is no one but her Ukrainian carer, Natalka. Peggy was a murder consultant, thinking up unique ways for characters to die for popular authors, I do wish we had gotten to know Peggy a bit more, she sounded like an amazing character. Natalka teams up with Edwin, an 80-year-old former TV producer, and Benedict a former monk now coffee shop owner to investigate Peggy’s death. And she takes her story to the police, bringing Detective Harbinder Kaur into the group.
This is a character-driven mystery. Natalka, Edwin, and Benedict are fully developed and each truly likable, and they work together so well. The investigation and friendships change all their lives, in good ways. It’s an eccentric group of characters, and each has their own viewpoint and reasons for joining the inquiry. I love Harbinder and how she both befriends and accepts the trio’s help and is exasperated by their actions. Harbinder is unique. She’s intelligtent and hard-working. She is a gay Sikh, in her thirties, who lives with her parents. All those aspects come into play, both in how she views the world and how this particular mystery plays out.
The Postscript Murders is a book for mystery lovers. The plot revolves around books, authors, and the publishing industry. It’s also a neat mix between cozy and police procedural. The amateurs get to meet people and ask questions, but they don’t have a badge to make people talk to them. Harbinder has authority behind her when she interviews people, which is good and bad, but she can’t follow whims as easily.
It’s a smart book and the mystery itself was well done. There were just enough suspects and clues. There were also a few twists that I didn’t see coming. Even though it’s the second in the series, it can definitely be read as a stand alone. You might get more of a feel for Harbinder by reading the first, but I don’t think you’ll miss all that much.
This is a character-driven mystery. Natalka, Edwin, and Benedict are fully developed and each truly likable, and they work together so well. The investigation and friendships change all their lives, in good ways. It’s an eccentric group of characters, and each has their own viewpoint and reasons for joining the inquiry. I love Harbinder and how she both befriends and accepts the trio’s help and is exasperated by their actions. Harbinder is unique. She’s intelligtent and hard-working. She is a gay Sikh, in her thirties, who lives with her parents. All those aspects come into play, both in how she views the world and how this particular mystery plays out.
The Postscript Murders is a book for mystery lovers. The plot revolves around books, authors, and the publishing industry. It’s also a neat mix between cozy and police procedural. The amateurs get to meet people and ask questions, but they don’t have a badge to make people talk to them. Harbinder has authority behind her when she interviews people, which is good and bad, but she can’t follow whims as easily.
It’s a smart book and the mystery itself was well done. There were just enough suspects and clues. There were also a few twists that I didn’t see coming. Even though it’s the second in the series, it can definitely be read as a stand alone. You might get more of a feel for Harbinder by reading the first, but I don’t think you’ll miss all that much.
common1's review against another edition
4.0
Well, what a nice surprise. Interesting, unusual characters, plenty of twists and turns, and some gentle social commentary. The word "cozy" is used a few times in the novel and that's a fairly good description of the way it feels to read through these pages... comfortable, satisfying, cozy.
therealkateclysm's review against another edition
4.0
A lot less women-judging-women in this one! Hurray! And a very good mystery, lots of fun anyway... i feel like she works these out so there's no way for the reader to puzzle-out the solution, but with all the twists and turns I don't think I had a chance anyway ;)
haunted_librarian's review against another edition
5.0
Listened to the audiobook. Incredibly narrated. Fully developed story with a diverse cast of characters.
Griffiths' writing style in this series is more literary, refined. The Ruth G. series is more cozy; however, love all her books.
Griffiths' writing style in this series is more literary, refined. The Ruth G. series is more cozy; however, love all her books.
juliebean1020's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the first entry in this series so much, I fully expected to love this one as well. I enjoyed the first 75% of this even though it's cozier than I normally care for. The book is pretty evenly split between the police procedural part with Harbinder, and the cozy half with an eclectic and charming trio of amateur detectives, trying to find out if their mystery reading friend really did die of natural causes, or, as they suspect, was murdered.
But 3\4 of the way in, it all starts to falls apart. Everyone gets stupid. Plot lines start multiplying like the latest virus. Way too much happens to a small group of people in too short a period of time. And there are enough bad guys to populate a half dozen books. Probably would have been better had the plot lines and bodies been spread out.
But 3\4 of the way in, it all starts to falls apart. Everyone gets stupid. Plot lines start multiplying like the latest virus. Way too much happens to a small group of people in too short a period of time. And there are enough bad guys to populate a half dozen books. Probably would have been better had the plot lines and bodies been spread out.
jenpitts's review against another edition
5.0
I was glad to see Harbinder was back in another book, but know I hope some of the other characters in The Postscript Murders appear again. Such a quirky story and quirky characters!
w_h4rris's review against another edition
5.0
Elly Griffiths creates amazingly real characters, I loved Edwin
maryleong's review against another edition
3.0
I'm reading the Harbinder Kaur series in reverse order, having started with Bleeding Heart Yard and now working my way back. This series really leans on the strength of its protagonist, the talented and tenacious DS Kaur who's fighting both crime and stereotypes, one case at a time.
When the elderly Peggy Smith is found dead in her chair, there couldn't be a less suspicious death – a woman in her nineties with a heart condition. However, her care aide Natalka soon discovers that the mystery novels which line Peggy's shelves – which her son is desperate to get rid of, asap – are all dedicated to Peggy. Suddenly, the death of this "murder consultant" is looking a lot less natural. When several crime authors soon receive threatening postcards – and one turns up dead – they might have a serial killer on their hands.
Alongside a delightful cast of characters, DS Kaur must determine who could possibly want these authors dead. This was a fun, fast-paced read with plenty of twists and turns, and several sub-plots which kept me intrigued to the end. Some of them were a little thin, but overall still an enjoyable and entertaining read.
When the elderly Peggy Smith is found dead in her chair, there couldn't be a less suspicious death – a woman in her nineties with a heart condition. However, her care aide Natalka soon discovers that the mystery novels which line Peggy's shelves – which her son is desperate to get rid of, asap – are all dedicated to Peggy. Suddenly, the death of this "murder consultant" is looking a lot less natural. When several crime authors soon receive threatening postcards – and one turns up dead – they might have a serial killer on their hands.
Alongside a delightful cast of characters, DS Kaur must determine who could possibly want these authors dead. This was a fun, fast-paced read with plenty of twists and turns, and several sub-plots which kept me intrigued to the end. Some of them were a little thin, but overall still an enjoyable and entertaining read.