An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good

By: Helene Tursten, Marlaine Delargy - Translator

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

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 Investigation series, 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 18, 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 80s, 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?

©2013 Helene Tursten ("An Elderly Lady Has Accommodation Problems" and "An Elderly Lady on Her Travels"); English translation copyright 2017 by Marlaine Delargy; copyright 2013 by Helene Tursten ("An Elderly Lady Seeks Peace at Christmastime"); English translation copyright 2018 by Marlaine Delargy; copyright 2018 by Helene Tursten ("The Antique Dealer’s Death" and "An Elderly Lady Is Faced with a Difficult Dilemma"); English translation copyright 2018 by Marlaine Delargy (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Unexpected but fun

I really enjoyed the explanation of the crime. Maude was a likeable curmudgeon. The performance was good and made the book go by fast.

Wonderful.

Made me laugh as the character reminds me of folks I have met. I was not expecting the ending at all.

Awkward funny

Moments of lol, between a good amount of “oh damn” and “wtf”. I liked the short stories that all tie together.

methodical

love how invisible old people are to others and she uses it to her advantage. she thinks everything through and plays the little old lady card.

Clever

Was skeptical at first due to the short length of book. However, the book kept my interest and I was intrigued. The narrator conveys the story with conviction.