Customer Reviews

Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having a few hours at my disposal this morning, I picked up this, my first Mrs Pollifax, which I'd been given as a gift, but never read. Imagine my surprise when what I thought would be an insubstantial bit of fluff turned out to be a well-plotted, riveting introduction to a woman whose further acquaintance I shall certainly pursue.

Mrs Pollifax's adventures in Jordan have nothing of the implausible about them, a neat trick when one considers that the premise is so fantastic: a grandmotherly gardening enthusiast who just happens to be a well-trained CIA "asset." Her lively approach to what life brings her is utterly charming; beware, Mrs Pollifax will steal your heart away.

Mrs. Pollifax's friend Farrell asks her to accompany him on a mission to Jordan to retrieve the manuscript of a dissident author in Iraq. The author was a friend of Farrell's who was killed because he told uncomfortable truths about the reign of Saddam Hussein. On the flight to the Middle East, Mrs. Pollifax sits next to a man who turns out to be someone other than who he says he is. Farrell and Mrs. P. go through the requisite chases, shootings, and beatings until a happy conclusion is reached. I am curious about why Mrs. Pollifax married Cyrus in an earlier book in the series, because author Gilman manages to keep him well away from his wife's adventures. As always Mrs. Pollifax delights the reader and does not seem to need a leading man.

Mrs. Pollifax is at it again. This time, helping Farrell, she travels to Jordan to get a manuscript. Of course, her trip couldn't be that uneventful. She soon finds herself involved in not one, but two cases of international intrige. Can she find her way out of both of them?

This book really felt like coming back to an old friend. The relationship between Farrell and Mrs. P. is wonderful as always. I really do wish that we would see more of Cyrus, however. The new characters are interesting and entertaining. The plot was entertaining and kept me confused about several things until the very end. It was good escapist fun, exactly what it tries to be. If you aren't familiar with the antics of the CIA's secret weapon, buy a copy now. You won't regret it.

Through the streets of Amman, Emily Reed-Pollifax has escaped danger and put the world in curious suspicion of the gray-haired grandmother yet again, and will continue to do so.

Has Gilman ever written a bad or dull mystery? In all these years, I cannot recall one. The visits we take with Mrs. Pollifax remain interesting. This time it is the Middle East and Jordan and desert, and camels. And always the intrigue and the incredible stamina of this brilliant solver of international complexity.

"Mrs.Pollifax, Innocent Tourist" is a suspense/spy novel that doesn't take itself to seriously. Apparently, this book is the thirteenth in the series, but you can follow the story without having read the previous books, and this book didn't spoil details of the previous novels.

The characters were interesting and engaging. There wasn't a lot of detail to the action, but there was some nice setting detail. While this would qualify as a spy novel, they didn't have neat gadgets nor were they sneaky. They're extremely careful to do everything needed to look like innocent tourists, but then they talk about CIA connections and other suspicious details in front of their previously unsuspecting tour guide. It's also a suspense novel, but it was hard for me to take the physical danger to the main characters seriously. The suspense (for me) was more about would the guy with the manuscript make it, and would they manage to connect up with him?

There was a fair amount of explicit bad language. There was no sex. Overall, it's a fast, fun read.

I love all of the Mrs. Polifax books. I think we all have a bit of her desire for adventure in us all. This one is particularly clever and a fun read all the way through...Sheiks, dangerous villains, constant danger, new adventures...great stuff.

Mrs. Pollifax never ceases to amaze and entertain me. She's hard at work again. A great adventure as always.

This book takes you on an adventure in the deserts of Jordan, with castles, multiple bad guys, camel rides, and a quaint old lady who is also a part time CIA operative. Our hero meets up with an unusual character on her airplane ride across the Atlantic, and the simple job isn't so simple anymore. This book is Murder She Wrote meets Lawrence of Arabia.

This entry in the Pollifax canon shares many traits with many of Gilman's other books, but still manages to entertain and intrigue. Yes, Emily has had to wait around a monument to meet an opposite number she's never before met. Sure, she's already been befriended by families and found refuge in the desert. But, somehow, the formula continues to work without feeling stale. An entertaining read throughout.