The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

Pollifax, joining her on her adventures, and asking her in for tea afterward. The reader is meant to curl up with this book and fantasize about being friends with Mrs. The stakes never feel very high, but that’s not the point of this. The fact that she gets sent on a mission at all is hilarious and ridiculous and I sincerely hope that the real-life CIA is far better organized than this fictional version. Pollifax, an absolutely endearing character who is indeed unexpectedly full of surprises. So naturally, she decides to live out her childhood dream: to become a spy for the CIA. She participates in various volunteer projects, but nothing seems to satisfy her. Barbara Rosenblat is a very talented narrator.I enjoyed her performance very much.Emily Pollifax is a retired woman in New Jersey whose children live out of state. I suggest reading the first book 'The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax books if you are in the mood for a little intrigue and humor. Polifax would hold a room of people at bay with a wooden gun, as she and her new friend rescue the 'Agent' from the kidnappers. The bodyguard sent with her for protection is killed, and she does not return to the Hotel, so no-one knows where she is, as she sets out to accomplish the job she was hired to do. Polifax believes they have escaped, they are caught again. The ruthless kidnappers are relentless in their pursuit, and just when Mrs. Polifax keeps losing the agent she came to help and finding her again. She can get into and out of situations that have you laughing out loud. Pollifax books you know nothing is that simple, nothing ever goes as planned. Pollifax' she is sent to Istanbul to meet with a defecting Russian double agent, carrying a passport and money to give her so she can fly to the the US for sanction. Pollifax, bored with retirement, becomes a courier for the FBI. Ruth Ann Phimister’s skillful narration adds a personal dimension, making you care about Amelia and the fascinating and dangerous people she meets. Pollifax mysteries for which Dorothy Gilman is famous, The Tightrope Walker features a spirited and unpretentious heroine and an intriguing mystery, enhanced by colorful settings and characters. Like a tightrope walker, she must not look down-especially when she finds herself in situations uncannily similar to those Hannah faced just before her murder. The scrawled note drives Amelia to find out what happened to the person who wrote it, identified only as “Hannah.” Who was Hannah? Was she really murdered? Amelia’s investigation leads her to dizzying new heights of romance and danger. Between newfound intimacies and a risky journey into the past, Amelia comes to see herself in a whole new light. From that moment on, the shy young woman finds herself doing all kinds of things she never thought possible. “They’re going to kill me soon,” begins the note Amelia discovers in an antique hurdy-gurdy.

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman