An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed

July 19, 2021
The six linked stories in Swedish author Tursten’s delightful sequel to 2018’s An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good showcase the ingenious murder methods that Maud, an idiosyncratic octogenarian with questionable motives, has devised over the years. In “An Elderly Lady Begins to Remember Her Past,” set during a flight to South Africa, Maud reflects on a recent visit by Tursten’s two series detectives, Irene Huss and Embla Nyström, who want to question her about the murder of an antique dealer found dead in her home in Gothenburg. This memory prompts Maud to recall an incident, the subject of “Little Maud Sets a Trap,” in which as a child Maud took revenge on two boys who bullied her mentally challenged older sister. The highlight is the concluding novella, “An Elderly Lady Takes a Trip to Africa,” about a safari that proceeds without incident until Maud decides to correct the criminal behavior of a travel guide. Assured prose matches an irresistible heroine. Readers are sure to welcome a third entry in this beguiling series. Agent: Anneli Høier, Copenhagen Literary (Denmark).