The Last Stretch – Paperback

A beloved old man. A clock that tells the wrong time. And a Christmas mystery that could change everything.

Christmas is approaching in Breckensford, and the town is racing to save its historic Corn Exchange concert hall. With just three weeks to raise the final 69,000, every donation counts.

For blind piano tuner Octavia Bird, the campaign is deeply personal. So is a promise she’s made to visit Cyril Ambrose, the elderly former manager who devoted thirty years of his life to the hall.

Cyril has a remarkable collection of memories, a cherished old piano, and a peculiar clock that has struck nine at eight for twenty years.

He also has a secret about the Corn Exchange that he’s never told anyone.

When Octavia visits, she tunes his grandmother’s piano while her father finally repairs the troublesome clock. Cyril is in wonderful spirits and promises to reveal his long-kept story on Friday.

But Friday never comes for Cyril.

He’s found dead, apparently after making a tragic mistake with his heart medication.

The town mourns a beloved old friend. The police see no reason for suspicion.

But Octavia remembers something about the clock that simply doesn’t add up.

With the fundraising deadline approaching and the Christmas gala just days away, Octavia begins questioning the circumstances of Cyril’s death.

Her investigation draws her into the Corn Exchange’s past, where forgotten recordings, old loyalties, and secrets kept for decades may hold the answers.

With her faithful guide dog Crotchet beside her, and her father helping her piece together the puzzle, Octavia faces one final mystery that could change the future of the town she loves.

Someone is counting on Cyril’s death being dismissed as a simple mistake. But they haven’t reckoned with Octavia Bird.

The Last Stretch is the ninth and final book in The Piano Tuner’s Ear Mysteries, bringing Octavia’s journey to a heartwarming and satisfying conclusion.

Set against the charm of a Somerset Christmas, this atmospheric British cozy mystery features a resourceful blind amateur sleuth, her loyal guide dog, an ingenious puzzle involving an unusual clock, and a town fighting to preserve its musical heritage.

Perfect for readers who love traditional British murder mysteries, intelligent female sleuths, classical music mysteries, English small-town settings, and cleverly constructed whodunits with heart.

A clean cozy mystery with no graphic violence or profanity, a satisfying, fairly clued solution, and plenty of festive atmosphere, enduring friendships, gentle humor, and unexpected twists.

The clock has finally been put right. But before Christmas, Octavia must uncover one last truth.