An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good
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, 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?
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?
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Community Reviews
I picked this book up at a bookstore when traveling. I found it in the mystery section, but quickly realized after purchasing that there are no mysteries in this novel: the central character is a killer nearly everyone underestimates (and she counts on that). With dry dark humor, Tursten takes us into the mind of a 89 year old woman who is perfectly willing to put annoying circumstances at right, even when that requires murder. The short stories are tantalizing and entertaining.
Each book in this series gets me every time! I love that Maude is the woman she is (aside from the obvious lol) but that she sees what she wants and goes after it and doesn't let anyone stand her way.
This short book starts innocently enough with the musings of a sweet old lady about her life and observations. Don’t blame yourself if you didn’t see it coming. Maude makes being “up to no good” equivalent to shopping for groceries—scratch that, that’s a stretch. I’ve seen grocery shopping experiences to be much more challenging. I’m not condoning her methods, but Maude seems like she’s figured out how to get rid of her problems with minimal stress. Overall, the book is hilarious, enjoyable, and engaging.
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