The premise is a little flimsy, because I don’t think anyone would have thought it worth investigating Peggy’s death, especially after she was cremated and no post mortem could be performed. But I didn’t care a whit about believability with this story. It’s a mystery novel about mystery novels, a love letter giving a big meta wink to the writing and plotting side of the genre. (If you can call a book that kills off more than one mystery writer a love letter … hmmm.) I loved every word of it. We get to see things from the viewpoints of Natalka, Benedict, Edwin, Harbinder and others. Eventually Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin take off to an Aberdeen literary festival to do their snooping, and things get more dangerous and perplexing. Both Benedict and Harbinger are the most entertaining to me, with their inner thoughts on everything that was going on. Natalka brings to mind a beautiful spy (I'm not saying she is a spy), Edwin, at 80, is as suave as he was in his younger days, and Harbinder gets so irked by her partner Neil that she imagines he's a small woodland creature, although I don't think this helped her relationship with him, one bit. I loved how Harbinder didn’t dismiss the trio of amateur detectives, and while she didn’t encourage them to investigate, she listened and respected their findings. The friendship they created was so wonderful! (for all her pretended coldness she sure gets friendly with her suspects! See “The stranger diaries”)

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. Harbinder agrees that 'murder consultant' has a sinister ring to it, but isn't especially alarmed by (what seems to be) the death of an elderly woman from natural causes. The Postscript Murders is a book for mystery lovers, especially those who are fans of jazz-age mysteries, as well for those who love to play the role of armchair detective. Clues are found in books, and I love the idea of a 90-year-old woman being credited with thinking up original murders for novelists to use in their books. My only gripe was that I wanted to know more about Peggy. 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… While Harbinder makes inquiries in Shoreham with her partner DS Neil Winston, Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin engage in a parallel investigation - one that takes them to a literary festival in Aberdeen.

Harbinger Kaur is a very interesting character, she seems to have a rough exterior but she shows another side of herself in this novel

The death of a ninety-year-old woman with a heart condition should absolutely not be suspicious. DS Harbinder Kaur certainly sees nothing to concern her in carer Natalka’s account of Peggy Smith’s death.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. Why would you say that?’ asks Neil. ‘I’d love to live somewhere like this. It’s like a Christmas card.’ MY THOUGHTS: 'No one knows the hour,not even the angels in heaven, or the Son himself...' - Matthew 24 How does the book also create a conversation about sexuality and LGBTQ culture in contemporary society? What does Edwin reveal about his experience living as a homosexual man during the height of AIDS? How does he say that things have changed since his youth? What secret does Harbinger keep from her parents and how does this affect her life? What does Natalka reveal about her own sexuality? To whom does she reveal it, and how do they respond to this?