Tuesday, April 18, 2023

A pair of mysteries ~ "a juicy dose of senior justice"

An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good (Book 1 of 2) ~ by Helene Tursten, translated by Marlaine Delargy, 2018, mystery stories, 184 pages

Maud is an irascible 88-year-old Swedish woman with no family, no friends, and no qualms about a little murder.  This funny, irreverent story collection will keep you laughing all the way to the retirement home.

Ever since her darling father's untimely death when she was only eighteen, Maud has lived in the family's spacious apartment in downtown Gothenburg rent-free, thanks to a minor clause in a hastily negotiated contract.  That was how Maud learned that good things can come from tragedy.  Now in her late eighties, Maud contents herself with traveling the world and surfing the net from the comfort of her father's ancient armchair.  It's a solitary existence, and she likes it that way.

Over the course of her adventures — or misadventures — this little bold lady will handle a crisis with a local celebrity who has her eyes on Maud's apartment, foil the engagement of her long-ago lover, and dispose of some pesky neighbors.  But when the local authorities are called to investigate a dead body found in Maud's apartment, will Maud finally become a suspect?

An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed (Book 2 of 2) ~ by Helene Tursten, translated by Marlaine Delargy, 2020, mystery stories, 272 pages

Don’t let her age fool you.  Maud may be nearly ninety, but if you cross her, this elderly lady is more sinister than sweet.

Just when things have finally cooled down for 88-year-old Maud after the disturbing discovery of a dead body in her apartment in Gothenburg, a couple of detectives return to her doorstep.  Though Maud dodges their questions with the skill of an Olympic gymnast a fifth of her age, she wonders if suspicion has fallen on her, little old lady that she is.  The truth is, ever since Maud was a girl, death has seemed to follow her.

In these six interlocking stories, memories of unfortunate incidents from Maud’s past keep bubbling to the surface.  Meanwhile, certain problems in the present require immediate attention.  Luckily, Maud is no stranger to taking matters into her own hands, even if it means she has to get a little blood on them in the process.  (Kirkus Reviews calls this a "juicy dose of senior justice.")

1 comment:

Helen's Book Blog said...

I am woefully behind in visiting blogs! Both of these books sound like fun reads. I am enjoying reading mysteries that are a little bit lighter.