Name: Lara Engle's review of An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten
Item: An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good
Rating: 4
Author: Lara Engle

Helene Tursten

Maud is an irascible 88-year-old Swedish woman with no family, no friends, and... no qualms about a little murder. This funny, irreverent story collection by Helene Tursten, author of the Irene Huss investigations, features two-never-before translated stories that will keep you laughing all the way to the retirement home. Ever since her darling father's untimely death when she was only eighteen, Maud has lived in the family's spacious apartment in downtown Gothenburg rent-free, thanks to a minor clause in a hastily negotiated contract. That was how Maud learned that good things can come from tragedy. Now in her late eighties, Maud contents herself with traveling the world and surfing the net from the comfort of her father's ancient armchair. It's a solitary existence, and she likes it that way. Over the course of her adventures--or misadventures--this little bold lady will handle a crisis with a local celebrity who has her eyes on Maud's apartment, foil the engagement of her long-ago lover, and dispose of some pesky neighbors. But when the local authorities are called to investigate a dead body found in Maud's apartment, will Maud finally become a suspect?

An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good

Maud is an irascible 88-year-old Swedish woman with no family, no friends, and... no qualms about a little murder. This funny, irreverent story collection by Helene Tursten, author of the Irene Huss investigations, features two-never-before translated stories that will keep you laughing all the way to the retirement home. Ever since her darling father's untimely death when she was only eighteen, Maud has lived in the family's spacious apartment in downtown Gothenburg rent-free, thanks to a minor clause in a hastily negotiated contract. That was how Maud learned that good things can come from tragedy. Now in her late eighties, Maud contents herself with traveling the world and surfing the net from the comfort of her father's ancient armchair. It's a solitary existence, and she likes it that way. Over the course of her adventures—or misadventures—this little bold lady will handle a crisis with a local celebrity who has her eyes on Maud's apartment, foil the engagement of her long-ago lover, and dispose of some pesky neighbors. But when the local authorities are called to investigate a dead body found in Maud's apartment, will Maud finally become a suspect?

“It was smart not to reveal that all her senses were in full working order

; instead, she allowed people to act in accordance with their own preconceptions.”

Lara Engle

big ab

this was a really quick read (178 pages) that was just meant to be a palette cleanser. it was a fun one! an old grandma serial killer who would just impulsively murder people who pissed her off. but that was about it. fun? yes. life changing? no. but a great quick palette cleanser.

You’re never too old to get away with murder…in fact it’s quite helpful to be elderly.

Jordan

Who knew that I needed a book about an old lady who kills people for petty reasons? Yes, I know killing people is bad, and Maud (the old lady) is probably some kind of sociopath, but this book was still fun. It contains several short stories that are chronologically jumbled. Maud is undeniably a bad person, between the murders and the occasional petty theft. That doesn't mean we can't like her anyway.

So very excellent! Maud you unassuming little cold blooded killer!!!

Sabrina D. 

Matthew Royal

** spoiler alert **
           "No good" is an understatement! I love that she was detected twice, but like us readers, they were rooting for her.

Shreya Punj

Maud is my new personal hero. When people ask me what do you want to be when you grow up or whom do you look up to—my answer from this day forth shall forever be Maud. 

She’s lethal. She’s clever. She’s got a taste for the finer things in life, and in death too. 

I loved this deliciously dark book and can not recommend it enough! Think of a less chattier Mrs Marple, but instead of solving murders, she’s committing them. 

What’s not to love?

Cindy Lieberman

The perils of underestimating older adults, one elderly woman in particular, are the subject of these amusing tales by the author of the Detective Huss series.

Erika suhin

3.5 stars
I did like the Idea of the book but the outcome wasn't so impressing. I guess I had a different picture of what the book would be and got disappointed because of my mistake. 
Maybe I didn't love it because it was short and I didn't get enough time to really get into it but honestly there is a limit of how many people an 88 year old woman can kill in such a short period of time
But
 the perfect disguise for a serial killer== an old lady

Fraser Simons

Short, sweet, exactly what it says on the tin. I didn’t find too much to find beyond the execution of the premise. It’s neat seeing an elderly character characterized in a different way, but I am not super into comedy either. Not particularly tickled, still more than enough to propel me to the end. Is good.

Sarahi Flores

Omg what a badass granny. I was very much absorbed with this book. Love it!

✨Tyler ✨

Kimberly

I adore Maud, she's the grandma I never had. Thank goodness! I admire her mind, it is on point.

This was a weirdly cute collection of short stories. You start rooting for Maude, even though she's the baddie. Who wouldn't want an 80+ year old woman to be conniving enough to get away with it.

My biggest problem is how cutesy everything is. She just walks away without remorse, which I guess fits a cozy but is hard to believe.

Lara Engle &
An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

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Lara Engle &
An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten