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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? There is something almost Christiesque about The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths. It has that feel of a Christie murder-mystery. The slow buildup, rather like a steam train pulling out of the station, the multiple suspects, the red herrings. But Griffiths murders and characters perhaps have a few more teeth than Christie's, and she is not above a bit of sarcasm, which I enjoy. I really enjoyed this book, it was a very different side of Ms.Griffiths that I have not read before. I would recommend this book, it was a good mystery, well plotted and had great characters that made me care about them. Author Griffiths told NPR that she was inspired by her own Aunt Marge, who provides Griffiths ideas and plots for murders. Griffiths wondered if there was such a thing as a murder consultant; if so, her aunt would be the perfect murder consultant.
Elly Griffiths's sequel to The Stranger Diaries featuring the gay, Sikh DS Harbinder Kaur, in her thirties, yet still living with her parents, is a rather different affair, but a winner nevertheless with murder and mayhem set in the world of a crime writers community, literary agents, murder consultants and publishers. In Shoreham by the Sea, a West Sussex coastal town, 90 year old Peggy Smith sits by her window, observing the world outside, making notes in her investigation book, such as the appearance of two suspicious men in a car outside. When Ukrainian care worker, Natalka Kolsnyk finds Peggy dead in her chair by the window, it seems a straightforward natural death of an elderly woman. However, a number of strange oddities make Natalka wonder if it could be murder.
Summary
There’s a fun trio that is investigating the “crimes” – Natalka, a coffee shop owner Benedict, and Peggy’s neighbor, friend, and snappy dresser Edwin. Though the trio was surrounded by murders, I felt that they were safe from harm in this cozy mystery. I found this one to be reminiscent of Agatha Christie. 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? 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.
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. When Natalka finds one of her clients, Peggy Smith, sitting in her favourite chair in front of her favourite window all seems normal but for one thing Peggy is dead. The police are called, enter DS Kaur, but given the fact that Peggy was in her nineties the verdict is death by natural causes.This, I imagine, is what is referred to as a cosy mystery and not a genre that I would normally gravitate towards. But much to my surprise, and pleasure, I found it to be a highly entertaining and enjoyable read. Peggy Smith, a 90-year-old, has died and her home aide/carer Natalka is concerned that it might be suspicious, especially when she finds an interesting business card stating “Murder Consultant.” Soon we are immersed in the world of mystery book writers, including a book festival in Edinburgh. MY THOUGHTS: 'No one knows the hour,not even the angels in heaven, or the Son himself...' - Matthew 24 The characters were amazing, here are some of them; the first 4 make up our murder solving investigators! I love how their relationships changed and how well these four worked together :
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