A wonderful addition to the series, and surprisingly probably my favorite "Thursday Murder Club" entry so far!

This series has continued to impress me with its blend of intrigue, humor, and heart, and I have grown really fond of the small circle of pensioners at its center. The mysteries are well-drawn and satisfyingly complex, and this one (while maybe a bit simpler than we're used to) was plenty captivating. But it also took a bit of a backseat to—or maybe shared the front seat with—the gut-wrenching emotional plot, which made this book my favorite.

Though we've become quite familiar with Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim over the course of four books, I felt closest to them here in their different reactions to grief and loss. Given the retirement-home setting of this series I might've expected a plot of this nature—and yes I'm intentionally dancing around the spoiler, so you'll have to read it to find out!—but I think it came at an appropriate time in the series, when we're comfortable enough with our main characters to understand and empathize with them.

Don't be fooled by the cozy-mystery vibe you might get from the back cover; in addition to its ever-clever plots, this series really tugs at the heartstrings. And it'll make you want to call your grandma. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫