Sally Spencer gives us Paniatowski's Last Case in the Final Beat of the Drum. Monika Poniatowski has retired but her former sergeant Kate Meadows makes a fatal mistake and asks for her help. Was the wife of a murdered man really abused? How are all the sleazy side stories going to affect solving the murder? The last in a distinguished crime series.

This is an absolute gem!!! I’ve been so excited about this book and it hasn’t disappointed.absolutely will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen to me.

I really enjoyed this book and would classify it as a procedural with an edge. It has the details of the murder investigation like a  police procedural but the content elevates it past the typical procedural. This is the last book in a long-running series, but the first I've read. It actually works well as a standalone since the premise is that DCI Monika Paniatowski has come out of retirement to help prove that her friend and former colleague Kate Meadows isn't guilty of murder. I'm sure the book will be especially meaningful to those who have been following the series. 

The book is fast-paced and kept my interest throughout the book and I wasn't able to guess the identity of the murderer. I really liked the character of Monika and her interesting backstory, as well as the members of her former team. I have to admit that I couldn't connect with Kate and she was my least favorite of the group. Overall, I really liked the book and the author's style of writing. There was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. Even though this is the last book in this series, I am interested in reading more by this author. 

I received an advance copy of this book at no charge from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Severn House Imprint. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

It’s always a bit weird when you start a crime series from the final story. Even if I enjoyed I spposed I missed some nuances.
It’ a solid police procedural that kep me guessing .
I liked the storytelling and the fleshed out characters
Recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Whilst I agree with other reviewers this book is a stand alone I did feel that I was missing the nuances along the way.
I enjoyed some of the story but then other bits not so much. It made me think of the to series Killing Eve but I don’t know why because it is actually a well written police procedural plot with lots and lots of other things going on.
I will score it a solid three stars but probably if it was a series I had been reading it would have deserved more.

This is the final book in the DCI Monica Paniatowski series and what a fantastic finale it is! I really recommend reading all this series if you like crime fiction as it's one of the best in the genre. Here we find Monica retired from the police and her team all off doing other things. Her friend Kate Meadows is running a home for women fleeing domestic violence and becomes embroiled in a murder. This is a brilliant and well written ending to the series. It can be read as a stand alone but why miss the opportunity to read an excellent series of books. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Monika retired after a long and colorful career as a DCI. Now, though, she's back in the game because Kate, her DS, has asked for her assistance in both clearing her of. murder and finding the real villain. This has a large cast of characters who I'm sure fans of the series will be happy to see but know that if this is a standalone (or almost one as in my case) Spencer has wisely included enough info to get you up to speed and doesn't do inside jokes. It's hard to review without spoilers because there are twists that will keep you, like Monika guessing, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good end for a long running series.

I didn’t realize when I started this delightful mystery that it is the final in a beloved series. The traditional characters have another chance to work through another murder challenge while bringing a new generation onboard. This is a fun standalone book or obviously can be read as the end of a respected police career. The various settings in their hometown also become nostalgic characters complementing the story as Sally Spencer’s descriptions are very vivid and evocative.

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to read this classic mystery ARC.

A cast of characters that come alive on the pages…a talented author…a story that is unforgettable…friendship..love…family…secrets…red herrings…this is a book that is a quick read with mystery and intrigue…this book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Follow along and discover what the protagonist does…how she helps…what she knows…what she discovers…

What an astonishing novel and ending to Monika Paniatowski’s mystery series!
It was quite unbelevable how the author managed to incorporate the past and present into the plot. Monika and her team’s lives were interposed into the storyline with minimal intrusion. By importing the characters’ thoughts along with the dialog was a real asset to the understanding of the character.

Even though a little fantasy and some humor was added into the book, it did have a very appeasing ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
DCI Monika Paniatowski has retired in this, the 15th and final book in the series. However, she gets involved in the murder of a prominent member of the City Council because her good friend Kate, who runs a home for battered wives six for her help in proving she was not the killer. Monika gets together her old team to help prove Kate's innocence. But is she innocent?
This was an excellent read, albeit sad because it's the last of a beloved series. I love Monika and her old team and so it was a bittersweet farewell. The story is a great police procedural/mystery and readers should enjoy this book even if they haven't read any of the previous books. But they'd be missing out on a wonderful series!