Preview
  • The Last Word

  • A Novel
  • By: Elly Griffiths
  • Narrated by: Nina Wadia
  • Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (117 ratings)

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The Last Word

By: Elly Griffiths
Narrated by: Nina Wadia
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Publisher's summary

Words turn deadly with an unlikely detective duo on the case of a murdered obituary writer in this literary mystery from the internationally bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway series. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman and the Thursday Murder Club.

Natalka and Edwin are perfect if improbable partners in a detective agency. At eighty-four, Edwin regularly claims that he’s the oldest detective in England. He is a master at surveillance, deploying his age as a cloak of invisibility. Natalka, Ukrainian-born and more than fifty years his junior, is a math whizz, who takes any cases concerning fraud or deception. Despite a steady stream of minor cases, Natalka is frustrated. She loves a murder, as she’s fond of saying, and none have come the agency’s way. That is until local writer Melody Chambers dies.

Melody’s daughters are convinced that their mother was murdered. Edwin thinks that Melody’s death is linked to that of an obituary writer who predeceased many of his subjects. Edwin and Benedict go undercover to investigate and are on a creative writing weekend at isolated Battle House when another murder occurs. Are the cases linked and what is the role of a distinctly sinister book group attended by many of writers involved? By the time Edwin has infiltrated the group, he is in serious danger…

Seeking professional help, the investigators turn to their friend, detective Harbinder Kaur, and find that they have stumbled on a plot that is stranger than fiction.

©2024 Elly Griffiths (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
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What listeners say about The Last Word

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Another great installment by Elly Griffiths

Great narration, love the characters. A little slow to start, but I love the thoughtfulness and different perspectives of the characters.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Ruth Galloway this is not.

I dearly loved all of the Dr. Ruth Galloway mysteries. This one is simply not my kind a mystery. Very clever story line and characters however. This should appeal to many, just not me.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Decent story but

Far far too long. Where did the editor go? So much that was more negative than positive. Took a while to get into story, but it felt like quicksand trying to find the end and get out!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A new road for Elly Griffiths

A bit long and meandering. Lots of characters to keep track of. If you’re hoping for Ruth Galloway, she’s not here.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

First Introduction

Wow this was the first book I’ve read for this author but it won’t be the last! Great characters and a very interesting story as well. Superb narrator too-unfortunately this fact far too often influences my decision, but again everything gelled together fantastically.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Too slow to start

I didn’t enjoy the readers voice for this book. Made it too quaint. Also, too monotone which made parts of it uninteresting.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not my favorite installment in this series

I really enjoyed the first three books in this series. The characters, the stories, the unraveling of the mysteries — all great. Harbinger is one of my favorite characters. The story in book 4 had so many characters it was difficult to track them, and—I don’t know if it was the pacing or the storytelling — but I did not enjoy this book as much as the first three. Moreover, Harbinger’s involvement in the story is minimal
which was disappointing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I love these characters!

Funny, suspenseful, who done it! As always when reading about Edwin, Benedict, and Natalka I laughed out loud, smiled from ear to ear, and cried a little too. I couldn't guess the murderer which made it a wonderful ride. The narrator is perfect and her accents make it so real. I will read every book about these beautiful characters.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

love the characters and the narrator

wonderful way to spend the day while quilting. the performance is excellent. very attached to Harbinder, hopefully there will be more stories

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Slow and disappointing

I couldn’t connect with these characters as I did with the Ruth Galloway series. I also felt like it was a scatter-gun approach to the “who done it” aspect of the story, with too many people being suspects. Overall, it was a bland story and I’m sad about feeling this way.

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