The Impossible Fortune, Richard Osman

The last thing this series needs is another review, and besides I've left this way too long and I'm relying on the notes I made at the time of reading. Well I say reading, but I listen to this series via audio books mostly because as much as I loved Leslie Manville's narration, I've come to really enjoy Fiona Shaw's work as well. THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTUNE is the fifth book in the series now, and unless you've been in a coma or doing some determined avoidance, most readers of crime fiction these days will have heard of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim. 

Whilst there is a murder, and a wedding (Joanna / Joyce is thrilled), there are family troubles for Ron and Ibrahim persists with therapy for his favourite criminal whilst Elizabeth deals with overwhelming grief. In many ways this outing is an exploration of grief and it's impacts, and in that, it's done beautifully, with a gentle, loving touch which simultaneously did not pull punches on just how devastated Elizabeth really is. The case in the background - and an uncrackable code, for a storage facility, in an old mine, is twisty and fun - watching the group try to code break was quite the thing, and no matter how daft some aspects get, the whole thing falls into line beautifully. Always with that personal touch, that this time was moving and touching.

Very much on the cosy side, I do love the gentle distraction of this series, nearly as much as I love the unfolding treatise on aging, changing and resilience.