Customer Reviews

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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!

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.

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?

The first book in the beloved Mrs. Pollifax series gives the background as to how this elderly, yet irrepressible grandmother joins the CIA. Bored and disillusioned with her life, she decides to volunteer to be a spy with the CIA. She dresses herself up (hat and all), shows up on the doorstep of the CIA building, and waits to meet with the director. A mix-up occurs, and she finds herself on a whirlwind adventure that sends her around the globe and tests her patience, strength, and determination. Only Mrs. Pollifax could find her way out of prison in Albania, and helping other prisoners, she proves to herself and the CIA that she is an invaluable resource.

Having read the entire Mrs. Pollifax series, I was hooked by this charming debut. Mrs. Pollifax was vulnerable in the beginning (she contemplates suicide when she feels that she is not needed) but finds inner strength to overcome all of the ordeals she faces while on her mission for the CIA. The book was also an introduction to another wonderful character, Farrell, who plays a large part in this and future books in the series. If you are looking for something a bit unexpected and like adventure, try this series. Enjoy!

A Cozy Mystery Lover

When I picked up The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, I was expecting a story about another Miss Marple, with the difference being in that Miss Marple was a detective of sorts and Mrs. Pollifax was a spy. Was I ever wrong! From the first sentence, the story of the depressed widow turned secret agent had me spellbound. A light and airy style makes the book a joy to read. Mrs.Pollifax is a terribly amusing and resourceful character, although she seems at first to be a little eccentric. After all, who in their right mind would walk into CIA headquarters and volunteer as a spy? But when her first mission goes disastrously wrong, her wits are proven to be extroardinary. The story, which is full of action and adventure, reminded me of one of my favorite movies, The African Queen. There is the well-bred Mrs. Pollifax, alone in a foreign country,just like Katherine Hepburn as Rosie. Then we are introduced to Johnny Farrel, who is a lot like Bogart's character in The African Queen. At first Mrs. P dislikes Farrel, but soon she becomes very fond of the man, who calls her "Duchess" with great awe. If you like stories of epic proportions with violence that isn't graphic, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is your cup of tea. I can't wait to find the next book in the series!

Great series to listen to with teens. My 14 year old daughter and I travel together frequently, Mrs. Pollifax has helped us pass many a long road trip! We look forward to listening to them together.

(Book encounted in audio form, evidently no longer available.)

Mrs. Pollifax is an elderly widow who has come to find life dull and is almost ready to end it all out of sheer boredom. But she decides to apply for a job as a spy at the CIA.

Meanwhile, Carstairs at the CIA is looking for someone who can pass himself or herself off as a tourist in order to pick up some important microfilms in Mexico City. Due to a slight confusion, he thinks Mrs. Pollifax is one of the candidates and decides that she is ideal.

So with a minimum of explanation she is ushered off to Mexico City, there to do a "Mission Impossible" shtick with a bookstore owner, exchanging code phrases and going off with a book containing the microfilm.

Of course, it does not go as planned, and Mrs. Pollifax finds herself in a prison in Albania, facing harsh questioning and possible torture. But she proves to be unusually resourceful and - well, any more would be telling. Suffice it to say that there is both drama and humor along the way.

This isn't a great book, but it's an entertaining one, and Rosenblat does a marvelous job with the various voices, even though Mrs. Pollifax occasionally comes off sounding like Witch Hazel from the old Bugs Bunny cartoons.

This is the second Mrs. Pollifax book I have now finished and I adore them. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is a delight in her adventures and this one is full of thrilling adventures. I am now hooked and will be reading every Mrs. Pollifax book there is. They are thoroughly enjoyable...

If you are like me and crave a good mystery but one without a lot of gory violence, than the Mrs. Pollifax series is for you. We are introduced to the sweet widow in this first book as someone who is nieve, honest, a bit depressed, but by the end of the book becomes more openminded, guarded and purposeful. She tells her doctor she is depressed and bored and secretly longs to be a spy. He of course just laughs and prescribes and antidepressant. She however takes control and marches down to the CIA headquarters and volunteers her services. Through a mix up she does in fact become an agent and a darn good one at that. She travels to 3 countries within a week and even commits her first murder. (It was really just self defence.) Her escape is intense and yet humorous. When I first read this book as a teen, I didn't really see much humor in it, but I do now. One of the funniest parts to me is when Mrs. Pollifax learns to cuss( but then of course apologizes.) I think this book would interest males of females over 16 years old.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Definitely a 5 star ***** read!
~ * ~ This book is amusing, suspenseful, and totally absorbing! Mrs. Pollifax certainly is unexpected, and so is the greatness of the story.
~ * ~ Mrs. Pollifax, widowed, finds herself feeling her life is meaningless, and naively goes to the CIA to volunteer herself as a spy.

~ * ~ Unexpectedly, of course, they happen to be looking for a nice "little old lady" type for a simple courier mission. Mrs. Pollifax is mistaken for one of the "approved" and experienced spies, but she is given a chance anyway on this simple mission, as her "new" face will be critical in protecting the person she is to rendezvous with.
~ * ~ Not unexpectedly, all does NOT go as planned, and Mrs. Pollifax finds herself in a very awkward position on the completely wrong continent. The book is filled with loveable allies, and nasty villains, but Mrs. Pollifax remains the star. Through blunt force and determination she manages to pull and entirely unexpected victory from the jaws of defeat/
~ * ~ Reading this book that started the Mrs. Pollifax series, is definitely as much fun as any amusement park ride, and it won't make you queasy!
Enjoy an "Unexpectedly" delightful journey: Read this book~