The Grandmother Plot

A Novel

By: Caroline B. Cooney

Narrated by: Jon Orsini

International bestselling author Caroline B. Cooney, author of The Face on the Milk Carton, returns with a thrilling mystery filled with devastating secrets

Freddy leads a life of little responsibility. His mother is dead, his sisters are far-flung across the globe, and he can't quite work up enough motivation to find himself a girlfriend. But his memory-challenged grandmother lives in a nursing home nearby, and Freddy visits her often, simultaneously cherishing and hating the time he spends with the grandmother he always adored, who is now a ghost of her former self.

When another elderly woman is murdered in the nursing home, Freddy panics. His grandmother needs too much care for him to bring her home. His sisters are calling and texting him constantly, pressuring him to find a new nursing home to transfer her to. And a slight wrinkle in a side business he has been working on, which may not be legal in the strictest sense of the word, is causing extra complications—complications that could turn out to be deadly.

From international bestselling author of The Face on the Milk Carton Caroline B. Cooney, The Grandmother Plot is the story of a young man who can't seem to straighten out his life, his beloved grandmother, who can't seem to remembers hers, and the shadowy threat that hangs over them both.

Refreshingly absurd

Never read anything with a glass blower as the central character. Points for novelty! Very much enjoyed the cast of oddball characters and the flawed hero aspect. Narration was solid, expressing the “stoner” vibe nicely. An easy listen with a handful of serious chuckles and a sprinkle of “awww” sweetness. Extra points for spot on description of the institutional smell of memory care. I encourage this one as a pallet cleanser.

I had high hopes for this...

...but it fell short. The narration is stilted and the story is rather boring. The whole thing was a bit odd, not fully developed, and pointless. I wouldn't recommend it.