Customer Reviews

Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mrs. Pollifax is trying to recover from her last adventure in Hong Kong and is planning a trip to Thailand with her new husband, Cyrus. Just as they are about to leave, CIA emissary Bishop arrives and asks them to go on a "simple mission" in which they would divert their travels only slightly and would deliver something to an agent and retrieve something in return.
She and Cyrus agree and soon they are off on their latest misadventure. As always, in Mrs. Pollifax tales, things do not go according to plan and there are unfortunate incidents of murder, kidnapping, and opium dealing before Mrs. Pollifax finally triumphs and ties up these untidy details in a nice, neat package. This is a typical book in the series.

Mrs. Pollifax is in Thailand being pursued while trying to find her kidnapped husband and ends up helping the CIA on accident.I really like the ending. I recomend this book and the rest of the series to anyone who likes mysteries with a sense humor.

The Pollifax series is a great series that I highly recommend. In this contribution, the location is Thailand, which with its local color and interesting characters, has the possible of being one of the best of the series. But somehow it does not quite live up to this potential. Mrs Pollifax is too passive, relaying on her Thai guide to solve all the problems and constantly complaining that he is not doing it fast enough. I prefer a more assertive Pollifax, who because of her empathy for other people, depite stumbling around, always manages to be in the right place at the right time. This book has some of those elements, but not enough. Still for fans of the series, it is a nice contribution. If it is your first visit to the series, I would recommend you start with another. But by all means, start.

I am a fan of the entire Pollifax series of books, but "Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle" is by far my least favorite. For some reason, this book just doesn't grab me. It has its share of exotic locales, interesting characters and fascinating plot twists, but it just doesn't hold the attention. Still, I believe it is worth reading for the true Pollifax fan.

Another great adventure of Mrs Pollifax. One of the best mystery series I've read in a long time. Just so sorry the author isn't writing any more after the 14th one.

I've enjoyed all 14 Pollifax books in Gilman's series. As someone approaching 60 myself, it's fun to imagine a woman of a certain age who pursues such an unlikely "second act'' in her life. But some of the books have had, unfortunately, weak cliche-ridden endings that hurt otherwise enjoyable, humorous and spell-binding adventures.

However, the Golden Triangle is something different, and on a plane by itself. Author Gilman is at the top of her form. Best character development of any in the series, outside of the first (The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax.)
This book offers the best rendition of Mrs. Pollifax's meandering thoughts and meditations (one of my favorite aspects of all the books), and the best observations of a world and challenges beyond anything that our heroine has ever known. Also, for some reason, I'm enamored with the author's portrayal of the CIA official presumably run amuck -- Lance Mornejay -- who exemplifies the personal conflicts that face most of us (although his family troubles are, thankfully, far more extreme than most of us will ever confront.)

I never tire of listening to Rosenblat read this book; she inhabits the characters like a glove.

More of the Delightful Mrs. Pollifax!, December 1, 2007


Sometimes when I read of the doings of Mrs. Pollifax, I just get exhausted thinking that an over 60 woman could possibly have all the stamina and determination of Gillman's Emily Pollifax. And sometimes, while reading the Pollifax series titles, I have had to set the books aside and shake off my irritation at this super-hero woman.
But this one grabbed me from the start, with Emily and her spouse, Cyrus Reed, vacationing together in Thailand on a "sure-thing" little assignment for Carstairs and Bishop of the CIA, back home in Virginia.

Gillman has a way of making Emily Pollifax an endearing protagonist who empathizes with her adversaries to the point of befriending them, and who survives miles of walking in the wrong shoes, eating the minimum of food, enduring the most hazardous of jungle trails and the dangers thereof.

There are always surprises in store for the reader. The double identities are things one can guess at if you have read very many mysteries, but the touching revelations just add to the delight.

It would be nice to think that there is someone out there like Emily, who at the waning time of life is still up and after it and never too tired to try another adventure. For me, the reader's position is the best place, with the comforts of home as I enjoy another quite dramatic journey that all winds up kosher, thanks to the skillful touch of a fine mystery writer, Dorothy Gillman. Brava, Emily! Brava, Dorothy!

As usual, this is a page turner. Amazon is the only place I can get this series and I love all of the books in the series.

Sometimes when I read of the doings of Mrs. Pollifax, I just get exhausted thinking that an over 60 woman could possibly have all the stamina and determination of Gillman's Emily Pollifax. And sometimes, while reading the Pollifax series titles, I have had to set the books aside and shake off my irritation at this super-hero woman.

But this one grabbed me from the start, with Emily and her spouse, Cyrus Reed, vacationing together in Thailand on a "sure-thing" little assignment for Carstairs and Bishop of the CIA, back home in Virginia.

Gillman has a way of making Emily Pollifax an endearing protagonist who empathizes with her adversaries to the point of befriending them, and who survives miles of walking in the wrong shoes, eating the minimum of food, enduring the most hazardous of jungle trails and the dangers thereof.

There are always surprises in store for the reader. The double identities are things one can guess at if you have read very many mysteries, but the touching revelations just add to the delight.

It would be nice to think that there is someone out there like Emily, who at the waning time of life is still up and after it and never too tired to try another adventure. For me, the reader's position is the best place, with the comforts of home as I enjoy another quite dramatic journey that all winds up kosher, thanks to the skillful touch of a fine mystery writer, Dorothy Gillman Butters. Brava, Emily! Brava, Dorothy!

Mrs. Pollifax takes us to yet another location in the world for a fun mystery. I enjoyed it very much.