Book Review: An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten (translated by Marlaine Delargy)

My Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aptly titled, An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten (translated by Marlaine Delargy) is the follow up to An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good by the same author, featuring Maud, the smart, independent, no nonsense octogenarian who you would definitely never want to go up against.

We catch up with Maud a few months after the events in the previous book. She’s on a plane traveling to South Africa where she will be a part of a tour group .This is a trip she has been looking forward to for a long time. She's also glad to be going so as to avoid local law enforcement who are not quite convinced of her account of the events surrounding the death of the local antiques dealer whose body was discovered in her apartment. Though they do not have any concrete evidence implicating Maud, it seems they are no longer fooled by the helpless, frail and unassuming old lady act Maud puts on for their benefit. Through six interconnected stories some of which are based on her real time travels and some told as memories that are triggered by her adventures, we get to know more of Maud’s past , her life as a child, as a young woman embarking on a career in teaching , the people in her life and of course her unique methods of ‘solving’ problems, both her own as well as those she deems to be in need of her ‘help’. We see shades of Maud that project her in a newer light and though her antics will still have you gasping in disbelief, you can’t help admiring her spunk, wit and wisdom. It was so much fun spending time with Maud again!

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first in the series. With no frills storytelling and one of the most interesting (that’s an understatement!!!) protagonists I’ve come across in a long time, this funny , heartwarming (yes ,read it to believe it!) collection of stories is a perfect read for anyone in who is in need of a good laugh or a break in between more serious reading. This is a light read meant to be taken lightly. So, as long as you don’t overthink it, you should be able to enjoy it.

I sincerely hope this isn't the author’s final instalment in her series of stories about this sharp and crafty elderly (only in age, I might add!) lady. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more stories featuring Maud in the future.