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A review by saareman
An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten
5.0
The Elder of the Species is Deadlier than...
Review of the Highbridge audiobook (June 11, 2019) based on the Soho Crime hardcover (November 6, 2018), translated by [a:Marlaine Delargy|917421|Marlaine Delargy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] from 3 short stories originally published in [b:Mina mindre mord och andra mysterier|22636051|Mina mindre mord och andra mysterier|Helene Tursten|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1404407483l/22636051._SY75_.jpg|43904806] (My Minor Murders and Other Mysteries)(2013) and 2 others, all later collected in the Swedish language original [b:Äldre dam med onda avsikter|48579004|Äldre dam med onda avsikter|Helene Tursten|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572034005l/48579004._SX50_.jpg|62169561] (An Elderly Lady with Evil Intentions) (October 21, 2019).
Somehow I had totally missed the Elderly Lady series by Swedish writer Helene Tursten, until I read GR Friend inciminci's recent April 2024 review. Fictional dangerous elders have been a favourite of mine for several years, especially since I've joined that generation.
The somewhat more diabolical front cover of the German language edition [b:Morden mit Maud: Sie geht auf die Neunzig zu, und niemand ist vor ihr sicher ...|125159554|Morden mit Maud Sie geht auf die Neunzig zu, und niemand ist vor ihr sicher ... (German Edition)|Helene Tursten|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1680698844l/125159554._SY75_.jpg|62169561] (Murders with Maud). Image sourced from Goodreads.
Tursten's elderly lady is Maud, an 88 year-old who lives in a rent-free apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden, due to a fortuitous clause in her family's contract with the owners. Those owners and many of the other building tenants would like to get her out and raise the rent and/or claim the luxury size apartment for themselves. Maud won't have it though and defends her realm against all comers, with fatal results for the interlopers. She will also (like Hannibal Lector) sometimes take out the "rude" or an otherwise unsavoury character.
All the stories here were a diabolical delight and I can't give them separate ratings. The titles alone are enough to give an idea of their plots.
1. An elderly lady has accommodation problems
2. An elderly lady on her travels
3. An elderly lady seeks peace at Christmas time
4. The antique dealer's death
5. An elderly lady is faced with a difficult dilemma
Stories 4 & 5 are tied together and also allow Tursten to bring in her regular police procedural series character Inspector Irene Huss in a crossover. Huss senses there is something shifty about Maud, but just can't seem to prove it...
Other Books
Other books that I've enjoyed in the "dangerous elders" category have been:
[b:The Old Woman with the Knife|57938998|The Old Woman with the Knife|Gu Byeong-mo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1637604354l/57938998._SX50_.jpg|45334059] (2013) by Gu Byeong-mo.
[b:The Old Man|30316148|The Old Man|Thomas Perry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470284811l/30316148._SY75_.jpg|50804776] (2017) by Thomas Perry.
[b:Before She Was Helen|49811806|Before She Was Helen (Clemmie, #1)|Caroline B. Cooney|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575999982l/49811806._SX50_SY75_.jpg|71921780] (Clemmie #1) (2020) by Caroline B. Cooney.
[b:Killers of a Certain Age|60149532|Killers of a Certain Age|Deanna Raybourn|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1649796916l/60149532._SY75_.jpg|94212626] (2022) by Deanna Raybourn [still have to read this one].
[b:The Spy Coast|131068071|The Spy Coast (The Martini Club, #1)|Tess Gerritsen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1681586779l/131068071._SY75_.jpg|150092522] (The Martini Club #1) (2023) by Tess Gerritsen.
I didn't really enjoy them (too convoluted), but I know the series is popular, so I should also mention:
[b:The Thursday Murder Club|46000520|The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1)|Richard Osman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582287822l/46000520._SY75_.jpg|70861405] (2020) & its sequels by Richard Osman.
Review of the Highbridge audiobook (June 11, 2019) based on the Soho Crime hardcover (November 6, 2018), translated by [a:Marlaine Delargy|917421|Marlaine Delargy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] from 3 short stories originally published in [b:Mina mindre mord och andra mysterier|22636051|Mina mindre mord och andra mysterier|Helene Tursten|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1404407483l/22636051._SY75_.jpg|43904806] (My Minor Murders and Other Mysteries)(2013) and 2 others, all later collected in the Swedish language original [b:Äldre dam med onda avsikter|48579004|Äldre dam med onda avsikter|Helene Tursten|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572034005l/48579004._SX50_.jpg|62169561] (An Elderly Lady with Evil Intentions) (October 21, 2019).
Somehow I had totally missed the Elderly Lady series by Swedish writer Helene Tursten, until I read GR Friend inciminci's recent April 2024 review. Fictional dangerous elders have been a favourite of mine for several years, especially since I've joined that generation.
The somewhat more diabolical front cover of the German language edition [b:Morden mit Maud: Sie geht auf die Neunzig zu, und niemand ist vor ihr sicher ...|125159554|Morden mit Maud Sie geht auf die Neunzig zu, und niemand ist vor ihr sicher ... (German Edition)|Helene Tursten|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1680698844l/125159554._SY75_.jpg|62169561] (Murders with Maud). Image sourced from Goodreads.
Tursten's elderly lady is Maud, an 88 year-old who lives in a rent-free apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden, due to a fortuitous clause in her family's contract with the owners. Those owners and many of the other building tenants would like to get her out and raise the rent and/or claim the luxury size apartment for themselves. Maud won't have it though and defends her realm against all comers, with fatal results for the interlopers. She will also (like Hannibal Lector) sometimes take out the "rude" or an otherwise unsavoury character.
All the stories here were a diabolical delight and I can't give them separate ratings. The titles alone are enough to give an idea of their plots.
1. An elderly lady has accommodation problems
2. An elderly lady on her travels
3. An elderly lady seeks peace at Christmas time
4. The antique dealer's death
5. An elderly lady is faced with a difficult dilemma
Stories 4 & 5 are tied together and also allow Tursten to bring in her regular police procedural series character Inspector Irene Huss in a crossover. Huss senses there is something shifty about Maud, but just can't seem to prove it...
Other Books
Other books that I've enjoyed in the "dangerous elders" category have been:
[b:The Old Woman with the Knife|57938998|The Old Woman with the Knife|Gu Byeong-mo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1637604354l/57938998._SX50_.jpg|45334059] (2013) by Gu Byeong-mo.
[b:The Old Man|30316148|The Old Man|Thomas Perry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470284811l/30316148._SY75_.jpg|50804776] (2017) by Thomas Perry.
[b:Before She Was Helen|49811806|Before She Was Helen (Clemmie, #1)|Caroline B. Cooney|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575999982l/49811806._SX50_SY75_.jpg|71921780] (Clemmie #1) (2020) by Caroline B. Cooney.
[b:Killers of a Certain Age|60149532|Killers of a Certain Age|Deanna Raybourn|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1649796916l/60149532._SY75_.jpg|94212626] (2022) by Deanna Raybourn [still have to read this one].
[b:The Spy Coast|131068071|The Spy Coast (The Martini Club, #1)|Tess Gerritsen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1681586779l/131068071._SY75_.jpg|150092522] (The Martini Club #1) (2023) by Tess Gerritsen.
I didn't really enjoy them (too convoluted), but I know the series is popular, so I should also mention:
[b:The Thursday Murder Club|46000520|The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1)|Richard Osman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582287822l/46000520._SY75_.jpg|70861405] (2020) & its sequels by Richard Osman.