Customer Reviews

Mrs. Pollifax Pursued

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had read a Mrs. Pollifax novel before and not enjoyed it at all. This is the first time i've tried one after reading two other Gilman novels, and i expected to like it. I do. It is a funny thing, however, that i do not enjoy it as much as her other, non-series novels. Somehow it is a little forced, a bit as thought she feels she really needs to write this to satisfy the readers who love Mrs. Pollifax. It is far less believable a story than "Thale's Folly" was, for instance, though the characters are, perhaps, less exotic than "Thale's". There is something about the set-up, some fashion in which Gilman is saying, "I know none of this is at all true to life, but here you are ~ you wanted it ~ hope you like it." Several of the characters ~ Kadi, Willie, Boozy Tim, Mrs. Pollifax herself ~ are nice, believable, real even; it must be the situation they find themselves in which displeases me. The plot relies on coincidence too much for its resolution, and does not carry the ring of truth a perect novel makes echo in my mind. Looking back onto it, i feel that all it is is some real charactes interacting on a cardboard plot; i was never drawnn in the way i want to be by any book i read. Nevertheless, a fun read; i will try another Mrs. Pollifax, to be sure ~ along with any non-Pollifax Gilmans i can find.

For a change, trouble finds Mrs. Pollifax instead of the other way around, when she finds a young woman hiding out in her closet. An extended chase ensues, ending up with Mrs. Pollifax and Kadi, the young woman, hiding out in a carnival subsidized by Mrs. P's CIA friends for just such a purpose. The threads are complex, and there are a few more coincidences than are comfortable, but it all boils down to a plot to take over the African country where Kadi grew up and where her friend Sammy has a politically prominent position.

It's another enjoyable Pollifax romp, weakened a bit by the coincidences, but again brilliantly read by Barbara Rosenblat, whose skill I admire ever more increasingly with each new voice she comes up with.

There is a great difficulty in finding all the works of this author and that is a shame. They would be a great series especially for those of us entering retirement and preferring to listen to books rather then reading them. They are well written and fun and thoroughly enjoyable.The author needs to have all of the series put on tape or cd!!

Mrs. Pollifax is an senior citizen who works for the CIA. When Mrs. Pollifax finds a college student hiding in her storage closet, she soon becomes the target of hitmen. Can Mrs. Pollifax elude her pursuers and protect Kadi (the college student) from harm?

I am a big fan of Mrs. Pollifax, but I found Mrs. Pollifax Pursued to be a bit disjointed, and cluttered with too many annoying minor characters. I liked the circus theme, but I found Kadi very irritating and too helpless for my taste. She acts like an infant, rather than a college age adult. I also wished the author had stuck with the Circus theme. I found the dynamics of the sideshow much more interesting than the farfetched African theme. Overall, while I enjoyed Mrs. Pollifax pursued, I wished it had been a tad more realistic. This novel was too farfetched for me to find it as enjoyable as the other adventures.

Mrs Pollifax finds a teenage girl hiding in her home, which starts a wonderful adventure involving a car chase, some time at a traveling carnival show, and a trip to a mythical African country. The carnival portion was most interesting, with a seemingly disconnected crime and Mrs Pollifax's snooping around strange carnival characters. But it all gets tied up in a bow by Carstairs in Africa, leaving the reader to wonder how in the world they were supposed to put all of this together. Fun adventure, but not a mystery you should expect yourself to solve.

I first found Mrs. Pollifax when I entered the library program of Wichita State University in the 80's. I needed something light and different from my daily life. Gilman's books fit my needs at that point in my life. Once I took a full time job in a school library and juggled school, a home, husband and 3 children, I only had time to read in the summer. So, every summer I reread the entire series. Now that I am a lady of advanced age, just turned 65, I am reading them again. I love Emily and admire her strength and courage. Wish I could be more like her. Call it escapism, I'm along for the ride!

Purchased this item Jan 4 and just rec'd it today Feb 4.
It was forwarded in a torn up brown paper from the Post Office recovery center. If the seller couldnt afford a Manilla Envelope to mail a book they should not be selling books.

Ms. Gilman draws you directly into the intrigue of mystery as she has Mrs Pollifax musing the disappearance of a local businessman. The mysterious events begin unfolding as she realizes she is not home alone, and being the brave former CIA agent, she searches her home. Finding someone hiding in a closet throws her into the midst of a mystery, involving royalty, government investigations and a mysterious carnvial. Your interest will be held by this book. I read it straight thru in a afternoon not putting it down. I truly enjoyed Ms. Gilman's writing, there was no confusion or garbled writing, it was a clearly written and enjoyable book. I recommend it to anyone loving a good mystery.

This time Mrs. Pollifax begins her adventure right in her own back yard when she discovers Kadi, a young woman who is fleeing her pursuers and is hiding in Mrs. P's house. She tries to help the girl get away, but the pursuers are right on her tail, so she appeals to Carstairs, her CIA contact, who sends her to a "safe house". Much to her surprise the safe house turns out to be a carnival and Mrs. Pollifax and Kadi learn some new skills to become part of their new environment. Someone who is also on the run and is hiding in the carnival is badly beaten and Mrs. Pollifax has a new angle to explore. This is all tied in with Kadi's friendship with a young man from a small African country and the disappearance of a wealthy American businessman. Before it's over, Mrs. P. and Kadi are whisked to Africa and new problems surface before a satisfactory ending is achieved. This is a delightful romp with the intrepid 60-something heroine and most of it is set in the United States, a nice change of pace from her other adventures.

The story starts in medias res and the action never lets up! Gilman tries a little too hard to inject youth through her new character of Kadi Hopkirk, but the arc of the story still works. "Pursued" is very, VERY exciting!