ISBN: 1-55690-537-8 Order from: Recorded Books
A lighthearted but tense cold-war thriller featuring an unusual heroine, traditional foreign villains and free of moral ambiguity.
Reviewed by David on August 08, 1999
Genre: Mystery (Cloak and Dagger)
Synopsis: With her children grown, her husband dead, and her single and healthy existance providing little but boredom and depression, Mrs. Emily Pollifax of New Brunswick, NJ decides on a whim to apply to the CIA. By a sequence of unlikely events, they actually accept the the unlikely spy stumbles into a dangerous international operation. As Mrs. Pollifax uses fortitude and good manners against guns and drugs of the ruthless opponents, it becomes increasingly apparent that courage and resourcefulness can be found in the least likely places.
Full Review: This is an unabridged recording of The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax.
The book is a humorous spy novel, although not without darkness that accompany the clandestine struggle of great powers. There are considerable passages full of fear and distress, although leavened by the heroine's sense of proportion and unshakable politeness.
The characters, except for Mrs. Pollifax herself, are mostly 2-dimensional, although not without some humor in their description.
This book is a pleasant, humorous diversion without any extraordinary qualities.
Overall: 5.5; Plot: 5; Characters: 5.5; Style: 5.5; World-building: 5.5; Originality: 6;
Copyright date 1970, Recorded Books, 1989, Audio Cassette, 6 cassettes
ISBN: 1-55690-537-8 Order from: Recorded Books