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Mrs. Virgil (Emily) Pollifax of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was a widow with grown children. She was tired of attending her Garden Club meetings. She wanted to do something good for her country. This first in the series sends Emily on her first case after she successfully persuades a skeptical CIA recruitment officer that she is the best person for the job.
Andrew Thale is not exactly thrilled when his overbearing father sends him on an errand to assess the property inherited from an eccentric aunt. Andrew is intrigued though, when he finds the house fully occupied. Its odd and interesting residents have a calming effect on him, especially the beautiful young woman named Tarragon. But his arrival seems to have set a series of mysterious events into motion. Narrator John McDonough’s engaging performance lets you share in the excitement and camaraderie.
From the author of the classic mysteries starring the irrepressible CIA spy, Mrs. Pollifax, comes a delightfully different mystery with a most unholy twist. Filled with all the hilarious surprises and good old-fashioned suspense that her fans have come to love, A Nun in the Closet is the story of two high-spirited nuns who accidentally stumble into a dangerous plot involving ghosts, gangsters, and Protestants.
“They’re going to kill me soon,” begins the note Amelia discovers in an antique hurdy-gurdy. From that moment on, the shy young woman finds herself doing all kinds of things she never thought possible. Between newfound intimacies and a risky journey into the past, Amelia comes to see herself in a whole new light. 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. 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. Like the Mrs. 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. Ruth Ann Phimister’s skillful narration adds a personal dimension, making you care about Amelia and the fascinating and dangerous people she meets.
From the best-selling author of the famous Mrs. Pollifax series comes another delightfully eccentric and sage female sleuth - the exotic Madame Karitska. Although she is a genuine countess, Marina Elena Provovnitchek Gaylord Von Domm Karitska is foremost a psychic. When one of her clients turns up dead, Madame Karitska makes the acquaintance of Detective-Lieutenant Pruden, and an uncanny partnership is born. Madame Karitska forms images with the psychic vibrations she picks up from personal objects.
Caressa Horvath, raised in the corrupting atmosphere of a traveling carnival, marries an anthropologist named Jacob Bowman, who takes her on a journey to North Africa. Jacob gets himself killed by a band of Bedouin who spare Caressa’s life. The only one of her party left alive, Caressa is forced to join the caravan on a harrowing journey across the African desert.
Mrs. Virgil (Emily) Pollifax of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was a widow with grown children. She was tired of attending her Garden Club meetings. She wanted to do something good for her country. This first in the series sends Emily on her first case after she successfully persuades a skeptical CIA recruitment officer that she is the best person for the job.
Andrew Thale is not exactly thrilled when his overbearing father sends him on an errand to assess the property inherited from an eccentric aunt. Andrew is intrigued though, when he finds the house fully occupied. Its odd and interesting residents have a calming effect on him, especially the beautiful young woman named Tarragon. But his arrival seems to have set a series of mysterious events into motion. Narrator John McDonough’s engaging performance lets you share in the excitement and camaraderie.
From the author of the classic mysteries starring the irrepressible CIA spy, Mrs. Pollifax, comes a delightfully different mystery with a most unholy twist. Filled with all the hilarious surprises and good old-fashioned suspense that her fans have come to love, A Nun in the Closet is the story of two high-spirited nuns who accidentally stumble into a dangerous plot involving ghosts, gangsters, and Protestants.
“They’re going to kill me soon,” begins the note Amelia discovers in an antique hurdy-gurdy. From that moment on, the shy young woman finds herself doing all kinds of things she never thought possible. Between newfound intimacies and a risky journey into the past, Amelia comes to see herself in a whole new light. 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. 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. Like the Mrs. 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. Ruth Ann Phimister’s skillful narration adds a personal dimension, making you care about Amelia and the fascinating and dangerous people she meets.
From the best-selling author of the famous Mrs. Pollifax series comes another delightfully eccentric and sage female sleuth - the exotic Madame Karitska. Although she is a genuine countess, Marina Elena Provovnitchek Gaylord Von Domm Karitska is foremost a psychic. When one of her clients turns up dead, Madame Karitska makes the acquaintance of Detective-Lieutenant Pruden, and an uncanny partnership is born. Madame Karitska forms images with the psychic vibrations she picks up from personal objects.
Caressa Horvath, raised in the corrupting atmosphere of a traveling carnival, marries an anthropologist named Jacob Bowman, who takes her on a journey to North Africa. Jacob gets himself killed by a band of Bedouin who spare Caressa’s life. The only one of her party left alive, Caressa is forced to join the caravan on a harrowing journey across the African desert.
The year is 1920: Flying in the face of convention, legendary American adventuress Beryl Helliwell never fails to surprise and shock. The last thing her adoring public would expect is that she craves some peace and quiet. The humdrum hamlet of Walmsley Parva in the English countryside seems just the ticket. And, honestly, until America comes to its senses and repeals Prohibition, Beryl has no intention of returning stateside and subjecting herself to bathtub gin.
It's Christmas 1909, and for once Lady Hardcastle - respectable gentlewoman, amateur spy - and her lady's maid, Florence Armstrong, are setting sleuthing aside. They are invited to the festivities up at The Grange, as guests of Sir Hector and Lady Farley-Stroud. But barely have corks been popped and parlour games played when a mysterious crime comes to light.
Bill Vokes has played Santa at the children's Christmas show for years. But with the show just hours away, he vanishes with no explanation. The whole village is baffled. Did something bad happen to loveable Bill, upstanding citizen, churchgoer, life and soul of the party and the holiday season? Jack and Sarah are on the case - and soon discover there are secrets about this Santa that no one could have imagined.
After the recent death of her mother and the dissolution of her marriage, 30-something Eden Elliott is seriously in need of a fresh start. At the urging of her best friend, best-selling author Ami Pederson, Eden decides to embark on an open-ended trip to the picturesque village of Glenkillen in the Scottish Highlands, to do some hands-on research for a book of her own. But almost as soon as Eden arrives in the quaint town, she gets caught up in a very real drama....
Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they've just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life. But it is not long before Lady Hardcastle is forced out of her self-imposed retirement. There's a dead body in the woods, and the police are on the wrong scent. Lady Hardcastle makes some enquiries of her own, and it seems she knows a surprising amount about crime investigation...
At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man - until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.
Amelia Peabody embarks on her first Egyptian adventure armed with unshakable self-confidence, a journal for her thoughts, and, of course, a sturdy umbrella. On her way, she rescues Evelyn Barton-Forbes, who has been "ruined" and abandoned on the streets of Rome by her lover. With a typical disregard for convention, Amelia promptly hires her fellow countrywoman as a companion and takes her to Cairo, where strange visitations and a botched kidnapping convince Amelia that there is a plot afoot to harm Evelyn.
When amiable old village eccentric Quentin Andrews dies, the good folk of Cherringham are astonished at the crowd that turns up to his funeral. But even more astonished are the beneficiaries of his will: Quentin has left a veritable fortune to whomever is the first to solve an intricate "Cherringham crossword". That puzzle is only the first of many that Jack and Sarah will uncover as they follow the treasure hunt for clues and learn the truth about who Quentin Andrews really was... and the biggest mystery of them al... was he - in fact - murdered?
Business is going well at Gemma Rose’s quaint English teashop, and she's delighted about her first big catering job at a local village funeral...until the day ends with a second body and one of the Old Biddies accused of murder! Now, the resourceful tearoom sleuth must find out which delicious pudding contained the deadly arsenic - and who might have wanted the wealthy widow dead....
Jack's a retired ex-cop from New York, seeking the simple life in Cherringham. Sarah's a Web designer who's moved back to the village find herself. But their lives are anything but quiet as the two team up to solve Cherringham's criminal mysteries. This compilation contains episodes 1 - 3: MURDER ON THAMES, MYSTERY AT THE MANOR and MURDER BY MOONLIGHT.
When Miss Seeton walks out after a performance of Carmen and witnesses a real-life stabbing, all she can recall is a shadowy figure. But how could she have guessed that her latest artistic endeavor is a picture-perfect portrait of the killer? Her sketch puts her in a perilous position, for back at her recently inherited cottage in Plummergen village, she's fated to be a sitting duck...for murder most foul!
While viewing the harbor's Gaslights and Galleons Parade from the widow's walk of Timothy Neville's Charleston mansion, local banker Carson Lanier seemingly tumbles over a narrow railing, then plunges three stories to his death. But a tragic accident becomes something much more sinister when it's discovered that the victim was first shot with a bolt from a crossbow.
A safari expedition in Zambia is the disguise Emily employs in order to locate a professional assassin among her fellow explorers. Along the way, she meets an extraordinary man named Cyrus.
I have been waiting for the Mrs. Pollifax books narrated by Barbara Rosenblat since I became an Audible member. I am crossing my fingers and hoping they get the rest of them.
I really enjoy the way Ms. Rosenblat handles all the different accents these books require. Having heard her versions first, I just can't get into those read by different narrators.
If you aren't familiar with Mrs. P, she is a grandmother who ends up working for the CIA and traveling the world making friends while confronting the bad guys with wit and aplomb. These books are sort of "cozy" espionage tales with plenty of excitement & adventure but definitely character based.
This one is #5, but you don't really have to have read the previous ones to be able to get into this one. It is one of my favorites.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
"Mrs. Pollifax on Safari" is an exciting story. It's about international terrorism, kidnapping, assassins, romance and spies.
Bored with retirement life Mrs. Pollifax became a courier for the CIA. Needing an agent in a hurry to join a safari to find an elusive assassin and the party who wants to hire him/her they call on Mrs. Pollifax who is the only one in their files available to be sent to Africa on short notice. She is sent on safari by the CIA to take a lot of pictures of everyone on safari; nothing else. They need the pictures to try to identify their man, but in true Mrs. Pollifax style she becomes embroiled in the country's political intrigue and loses her pictures.
The story is brought to life by the extraordinary talent of Barbara Rosenblat, and the length of the story is just right for an evening of listening pleasure.
Most people Mrs. Pollifax meets are not who they claim to be (including herself) which makes for an interesting story.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Once again, Mrs P sets off on what seems a fairly simple mission, only to be drawn into a very dangerous situation. In this case, she goes on a safari in Zambia with instructions to take photos of all her fellow tourists, which will be used to identify a hired assassin. She ends up being kidnapped by "freedom fighters " and then rescued by a band of loyalist guerrillas. (You must remember that the book was written in 1977, so that apartheid played a large role in the politics of that part of Africa at that time.)
And along the way through the wilds of jungle and plain, Mrs. Pollifax finds time to fall in love with a lovely, gentle man named Cyrus.
This book is the fifth in the Mrs. P series. The plot is as entertaining as ever, but is slightly more serious. While there are still lovely amusing moments, the situations depicted are less fanciful and more plausible than in the previous books.
As with the previous books, I cannot adequately describe the magnificence of Barbara Rosenblat's performance as narrator. If you know her from the Amelia Peabody books, you know that she is masterful with accents and voices. But I am amazed that she provides Mrs. Pollifax with a voice that is totally unlike any of the voices I have heard from her before: the perfect voice for a 60-ish widow lady from New Brunswick, NJ. She must be able to produce hundreds of distinct voices. I am in awe.
A totally wonderful experience.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I had quite a few laughs. Hubby thought I had gone over the edge. go for it you will be glad you did!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
this entry into the polifax series is timeless. its hard to realize this was pre-cell phone and internet -- google maps! what a relief! worth the time!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Mrs. Pollifax and her hats are so much fun! And her hat plays an important role in this story. She is off to Africa on another mission for Carstairs; she simply has to photograph everyone in her safari group. But nothing is that easy when it comes to Emily Pollifax! There are kidnappings, forced marches, and attempted assassinations. And Mrs. Pollifax is in the middle of it all. And meeting a very attractive man while she's at it!
Once again Barbara Rosenblat does a fine job of narrating. I couldn't help but laugh at the way she voiced Amy - perfect! These books can stand alone, but if you read one, you'll want to read the whole series....
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This book is fun to listen to. Written with vivid descriptions of the characters and the country, the listening can easily visualize Mrs. Pollifax's adventure.
I'm ready to read more to find out if Emily Pollifax gets married.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Narration is great and the story is upbeat and fun. Old style romance and suspense. We love to listen on road trips, it's always fun to guess who will turn out to be the bad guy.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Mrs pollifax is once again called to duty this time to Africa. Twists, turns suspense, even some romance and kept me guessing to the very end.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Dorothy Gilman does it again . She takes us on a wild safari, entertains us with a host of characters and we watch Mrs Pollifax use her brain and nerves of steel. Glad I used another credit on this series.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful