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WASTE OF A LIFE a gripping English cozy mystery
Ellen Curtis is about to have her own life thrown into chaos in this third light-hearted decluttering mystery!
"Brett layers the old-fashioned puzzle with deep psychological insights . . . Not to be missed" Booklist Starred Review
Declutterer Ellen Curtis has been working to bring order into the life of Cedric Waites, a recluse in his eighties who hasn’t left his house or let anyone inside it since his wife died. On one of her regular visits, Ellen finds the old man dead.
Sad but, given his age, perhaps not unexpected. Nothing to get worked up about . . . until the police raise the suspicion that Cedric might have been poisoned! The cause seems be something he ate, and as Ellen cleared away the old man’s food containers, she is under suspicion. As is Dodge, who works for Ellen and has unhelpfully done a runner . . .
Meanwhile, a rival declutterer is out to sabotage Ellen’s reputable business, her two grown-up children are back home and in crisis, and she has a potential love interest. Ellen’s life has taken on a chaotic turn of its own! Can she uncover the killer and bring order back to her own life?
"Brett layers the old-fashioned puzzle with deep psychological insights . . . Not to be missed" Booklist Starred Review
Declutterer Ellen Curtis has been working to bring order into the life of Cedric Waites, a recluse in his eighties who hasn’t left his house or let anyone inside it since his wife died. On one of her regular visits, Ellen finds the old man dead.
Sad but, given his age, perhaps not unexpected. Nothing to get worked up about . . . until the police raise the suspicion that Cedric might have been poisoned! The cause seems be something he ate, and as Ellen cleared away the old man’s food containers, she is under suspicion. As is Dodge, who works for Ellen and has unhelpfully done a runner . . .
Meanwhile, a rival declutterer is out to sabotage Ellen’s reputable business, her two grown-up children are back home and in crisis, and she has a potential love interest. Ellen’s life has taken on a chaotic turn of its own! Can she uncover the killer and bring order back to her own life?
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 12, 2026
About the author
Simon Brett
400 books577 followersSimon Brett, OBE, FRSL is a prolific British writer of whodunnits.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 25, 2026
Pleasantly surprised!
I've been trying to get back into reading on and off for 9+ years. A copy of this book jumped out at me whilst at the library with my daughter and I was gripped by page 5. This is the first book I've completed since I graduated uni in 2017. Absolutely amazing. Easy to follow and a great storyline .
I've been trying to get back into reading on and off for 9+ years. A copy of this book jumped out at me whilst at the library with my daughter and I was gripped by page 5. This is the first book I've completed since I graduated uni in 2017. Absolutely amazing. Easy to follow and a great storyline .
May 30, 2026
Touching read
i like this book best of the 1-2-3 of this series, so far. Less about decluttering and mystery, more about the lives people lead, and how they can go so badly wrong. (PS: I did figure the solution to both mysteries well before the Reveal.)
i like this book best of the 1-2-3 of this series, so far. Less about decluttering and mystery, more about the lives people lead, and how they can go so badly wrong. (PS: I did figure the solution to both mysteries well before the Reveal.)
September 12, 2026
Better
Better than the previous book . This one moves along at a better pace . Still more about nthe main characters children but an enjoyable read.n
Better than the previous book . This one moves along at a better pace . Still more about nthe main characters children but an enjoyable read.n
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews