The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax [Mass Market Paperback]

Dorothy Gilman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 1985

"Mrs. Pollifax is an enchantress."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Mrs. Virgil (Emily) Pollifax of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was a widow with grown children. She was tired of attending her Garden Club meetings. She wanted to do something good for her country. So, naturally, she became a CIA agent. This time, the assignment sounds as tasty as a taco. A quick trip to Mexico City is on her agenda. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and our dear Mrs. Pollifax finds herself embroilied in quite a hot Cold War--and her country's enemies find themsleves entangled with one unbelievably feisty lady.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

My grandmother is a big fan of the MRS. POLLIFAX mysteries by Dorothy Gilman. I was at first hesitant
to try the books, because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to relate to mysteries featuring a suburban grandmother
working for the CIA. But because my grandmother's taste in literature has always been impeccable,
I decided to delve into Mrs. Pollifax's adventures. I began with THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX, the first
in the series, and immediately found them delightful. Mrs. Pollifax is just the kind of grandmother I'd
love to have: resourceful, intelligent, somewhat sly, and, of course, a secret CIA operative. Her
adventures take her to all corners of the globe: from an authentically described communist China
(MRS. POLLIFAX ON THE CHINA STATION) to an exhilarating safari across Africa (MRS. POLLIFAX ON
SAFARI). I've thoroughly enjoyed joining her on her adventures, and intend to read them all. I recommend them
to everyone who's interested in learning about different countries and cultures--and, obviously, espionage!

--Malinda Lo, Editorial Assistant

From the Inside Flap

"Mrs. Pollifax is an enchantress."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Mrs. Virgil (Emily) Pollifax of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was a widow with grown children. She was tired of attending her Garden Club meetings. She wanted to do something good for her country. So, naturally, she became a CIA agent. This time, the assignment sounds as tasty as a taco. A quick trip to Mexico City is on her agenda. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and our dear Mrs. Pollifax finds herself embroilied in quite a hot Cold War--and her country's enemies find themsleves entangled with one unbelievably feisty lady.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett; later printing edition (January 12, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449208281
• ISBN-13: 978-0449208281
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.6 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery > Women Sleuths

More About the Author

Dorothy Gilman is the author of thirteen Mrs. Pollifax novels, beginning with The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax and continuing through Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist. She lives in Westport, Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unexpected first adventure, January 31, 1997

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mass Market Paperback)

The first book in this great series is suspensful. A bored Mrs. Pollifax decides to take up spying to enliven her life. Her first assignment sends her to Mexico, but it isn't long before she's in Albania as a prisoner. Her escape is truly amazing. The book dragged a little in the middle while she is a prisoner, but I read the last third in one sitting; there was no place to put it down and not have Mrs. Pollifax in trouble!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The First Mrs. Pollifax Novel of the Series - Very Enjoyable, August 5, 2006

By 

That Chatty Gal - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mass Market Paperback)

If you're new to the Mrs. Pollifax series of mystery books - this is the very first. As such, it's a great place to begin. You'll be completely entertained learning how this grandmother goes to work - undercover - for the United States government. She really is unexpected, as the title declares. She's everything you would wish a grandmother to be - but she's extraordinarily clever, notices details on the fly and incredibly resourceful. If you enjoy Miss Marple from Agatha Christie - you'll also love Mrs. Pollifax. (Although I'd never say the two are interchangeable - they seem to go at detection in entirely different ways). We get into the characters thoughts often - rather than just being pulled through a story's actions blindly. It makes her escapades all the more harrowing when you develop such a feeling for what each side is thinking. Very entertaining. A great bed time read.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected but totally Unsurpassed, January 18, 2006

By 

Trystan Skeigh "A Pollifax Wanna-Be" (Massachusetts USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mass Market Paperback)

Meet the most delightful and utterly lovable spy ever, who displays all the best and brightest aspects of being human.

An unlikely spy-type, Mrs. Pollifax is the ideal grandma: funny, empathetic, adventuresome, and delightfully and gently nonconformist. And, best of all, she is completely and unexpectedly effective at stopping evil.


A retired widow facing monotony, does she take up crosswords and subscribe to cable? Nope, Mrs. Pollifax decides to become a spy and spend her golden years saving the nation from evil.

Of course. And why not?