An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten Translator: Marlaine Delargy
Narrator: Suzanne Toren
Published by HighBridge on June 11, 2019
Source: Purchased
Genres: Short Stories, Crime Fiction
Length: 3 hrs 12 mins
Pages: 178
Format: Audiobook
Purchase at Bookshop.org or Purchase at Amazon
Add on Goodreads
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 by Helene Tursten, author of the Irene Huss investigations, features two-never-before translated stories that 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, but 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 murder in her apartment complex, will Maud be able to avoid suspicion, or will Detective Inspector Irene Huss see through her charade?
Contents:
- An elderly lady has accommodation problems
- An elderly lady on her travels
- An elderly lady seeks peace at Christmas time
- The antique dealer's death
- An elderly lady is faced with a difficult dilemma
An Elderly Woman Is Up to No Good is charming and funny and a reminder not to underestimate elderly women.
Maude is an 88-year-old Swedish woman with no family or friends, and she’s quite happy that way. Maude enjoys doing things on her own, including traveling and solving problems.
Maude kills people, annoying neighbors, an antiques dealer, people who present potential disturbances to her peace. She’s cunning and intelligent and not vain. She’s perfectly willing to use the disguises and tools old age provides; pretending to be confused at times or hard of hearing, neither of which she is; using a cane or walker, neither of which she needs. They make her appear less capable – and dangerous – than she is. Maude is quite a likable character though, in spite of it all. Just don’t become one of the “problems.”
About Helene Tursten
Helene Tursten (born in Gothenburg on February 17, 1954) is a Swedish writer of crime fiction. The main character in her stories is Detective Inspector Irene Huss. Before becoming an author, Tursten worked as a nurse and then a dentist.
I loved this book of short stories. I would have loved to read more stories with Maude. This is a very good review, lets people know what to expect.
I would love to read more stories about Maude too. I may look at the author’s detective series.
I have read two books in the Inspecter Huss series and liked them and have two more on my TBR. One part I liked was that she has a husband and children and normal family life and issues played a part. There is a newer series that I have not tried. And I just saw that there is another Elderly Lady book coming out later this year maybe.
This sounds brilliant!
Honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I listened to the audio, which worked well for me.
Sounds fun
I think you might enjoy it.
Sounds delightful, thanks for sharing your thoughts
It’s such a fun collection. It’s not often that you’re hoping the murderer gets away.
This sounds such a lot of fun! It reminds me of The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman, on which they made a silly-but-LOL spy movie too. Thanks, will look this up
I haven’t read The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. Maybe I should, it sounds fun.