Book Review: The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann ( translated by Amy Bojang)

Rating: 3.5⭐️

 

A group of eccentric seniors embark on a “mission” to solve the murder of an invalid senior in their neighborhood while trying to hide the death (by gunshot) of one of their own friends. Agnes Sharp and her fellow residents of Sunset Hall have hidden their deceased friend’s body from the police but when another murder is committed in their neighborhood, Agnes and her gang are happy to mislead the police is believing that the murders were committed by the same person. How did Lilith die and why do the residents of Sunset Hall want to hide the cause of death? Who killed Agnes’ neighbor and former friend Mildred? How and why does the murder weapon suddenly appear in their home?

Agnes’ house share arrangement had raised more than a few eyebrows in her village and investigating the murder isn’t going to be easy. But neither the disdain of the village nor their own age-related ailments and challenges will prevent Agnes and her gang from pursuing the truth. In fact, Agnes and her friends have plenty of experience in the field!

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann (translated by Amy Bojang) is a fun read. I enjoyed getting to know the residents of Sunset Hall (including Hettie the tortoise and Brexit the dog)! I liked how the author chose to portray a group of seniors who choose to live on their own terms, the challenges of aging, loneliness and the need for community and kindness in one’s senior years. The core mystery was quite well crafted. However, the narrative was a tad slow and long-winded. I also thought that the plot got became convoluted with so many subplots in the mix, which distracted me from the central plot and thus detracted from the overall reading experience.

Many thanks to Soho Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.