I love the debut of a new mystery series, with new characters and new possibilities. An obituary writer as the amateur sleuth is new, at least for me. I sighed while reading about Winter Snow in Gerri Lewis’ The Last Word. However, her Too Stupid To Live moments, endangering herself while hiding things from the police, would drive my sister nuts. As much as I like Winter and her supporting cast, I’m not sure I’ll recommend it to people who have the same peeve.

Winter’s in a small coffee shop in her hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut when Mrs. Roth Arlington calls. Leocadia Arlington, a local philanthropist, has an unusual request. It’s not unusual for someone in her eighties to want to plan her obituary. It is odd that Leocadia wants it written by Friday that week. Although Tropical Storm Holden is bearing down, Winter heads to Mrs. Arlington’s home that afternoon to discuss her obituary. It’s a memorable visit. An oak tree comes down across the driveway after Winter passes. The young woman, Brittany, who answers the door, seems a little ditzy. And, Diva, the Great Pyrenees pup, is the center of attention. Mrs. Arlington does give Winter enough information to start the obituary.

Electricity isn’t yet restored everywhere in town when Winter’s curiosity sends her back to Mrs. Arlington’s house. When Diva leads her from window to window, Winter finally breaks in. She finds blood on Diva’s nose, and her fragile client fallen on the stairs, still breathing. When Winter is able to reach 911, she impulsively hides Mrs. Arlington’s iPad in the cushion of a chair. Did someone cause Mrs. Arlington to fall, or was it an accident? The police aren’t even sure it’s a crime scene. But, Winter knows better when she keeps a key to the house.

She is impulsive enough to return to the house when she receives a phone call from a man telling her meet him there, and don’t bring anyone. Although she’s trapped in the house when it goes up in flames, there are reasons the police suspect Winter. What was she doing back in the house, a house that’s now an arson scene? If Winter Snow’s insatiable curiosity doesn’t get her killed, it might send her to jail.

I actually liked Winter. I loved her friend, Scoop, a reporter, and her Uncle Richard and their elderly neighbor, Horace. I like the voice in The Last Word. But, I hope Winter tones down her impulsive behavior in the next book.

Gerri Lewis’ website is gerrilewis.com

The Last Word by Gerri Lewis. Crooked Lane Books, 2024. ISBN 9781639106318 (hardcover), 304p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley through NetGalley to review for a journal.