The Last Word, by Gerri Lewis

 Publication Feb. 20, 2024

Winter Snow, yes, that's her real name, is a professional obituary writer. She's asked to write one for Leocadia Arlington. She's surprised as Arlington is very much alive. Nevertheless, it's not only a job but she's curious. Let's face it, it wouldn't be the first time an obituary was written prior to death. She just can't quite shake the need for the rush, though. It needs to be done by Friday or not at all. She visits Mrs. Arlington, during a raging storm, no less, gathers information, only to return with the obit and find her client dead at the bottom on the stairs. A well-known philanthropist, Arlington was writing a book, it seems, too. If she's a writer herself, why hire someone else to create her own obituary? Was it an accident or was she murdered? 

I liked the premise of the mystery but didn't quite find myself warming to up Winter, pun intended. It wasn't even that I found her particularly unlikable. It was more the flaunting of investigative protocol. By that I mean that, while I'm hardly connected to the police, I read enough mysteries to understand the importance things like chain of evidence and not breaking and entering and tampering with evidence. For instance, I winced reading her share she'd sent info off to her own phone from an iPad that was an important piece of evidence. Even more amazing, the investigator in charge didn't seem to blink an eye. He seems to have some issues following procedure, too, but I'll leave that for the reader to discover. Don't get me wrong. I don't expect amateur sleuths to always exactly toe the legal line but, well, I expect them to at least show some knowledge of it. Will this get her into trouble? Maybe not legally but, well, there's always the killer out there who may be watching. Trust me, they were paying attention. Winter does have a good heart, however, taking in the victim's dog, Diva. 

Despite my qualms, I liked the story and most of the supporting characters. Although the story seemed to get off to a slow start, the overall pace picked up after the death and largely kept my attention. Richard and his friend Horace were probably my favorite characters, injecting some humor and showing smarts. There's  an ending that shows Winter's ability to think on her feet, too. Thus, while I frequently found myself rolling my eyes, there was enough promise here to make me stick with it and think I'd maybe read the next in the series. Thanks #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for introducing me to Winter. I'm sure she'll do better next time she finds herself involved in a murder investigation. 3.5 rounded to 4 stars.