Mr. Flood's Last Resort

A Novel

By: Jess Kidd

Narrated by: Aoife McMahon

Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

From the award-winning author of the "supernaturally skillful debut" (Vanity Fair), Himself, a spellbinding romp about a caretaker and a cranky hoarder with a secret - complete with skulking saints, unresolved disappearances, greedy heirs, and a firecracker neighbor determined to get to the bottom of it all.

Maud Drennan is a dedicated caretaker, but her sunny, capable disposition and snappy quips mask a deep sadness. A tragic childhood event left her in the company of a cast of patron saints who pop in and out of her life like unwelcome tourists. She tries to find solace in her hard work in London...but then she meets the inimitable Mr. Flood.

A menace by all accounts, Cathal Flood is a widower living alone in a Gothic Dorset mansion crawling with collector's items and feral cats. Stubborn as anything and an extreme hoarder, he has been battling his son's attempts to move him into an old age home, and rumor has it he sent his last caretaker to the madhouse.

But Maud is this insolent old man’s last chance: If she can help him get the house in order, he might be able to fend off the deportation. So the unlikely pair begin to cooperate, connecting over their shared love of folk tales and their suspicion of Gabriel, Cathal’s overbearing son. Still, shadows are growing in the cluttered corners of the mansion, hinting at buried family secrets, and reminding Maud that she doesn’t really know this man at all. When she starts poking around, the forgotten case of a missing local schoolgirl comes to light, and a full-steam search for answers begins.

Full of charming eccentricities, twisted comedy, a whole lot of heart, and Jess Kidd’s "lyrical, lush, and hugely imaginative" (Sunday Express Magazine) prose, Mr. Flood's Last Resort is a mesmerizing tale that will make you re-examine the space between sin and sainthood, reminding you that when all is said and done, the most important forgiveness that we can offer is to ourselves.

©2018 Jess Kidd (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

BROUGHT ME JOY

This author really knows how to write. I was laughing, sad at times and I had to really listen and concentrate to be sure of what was going on - I love that. The Narrator was spectacular with her Irish accent and overall storytelling abilities. I'm off to search for more books by Jess Kidd and titles narrated by Aoife McMahon.

Endlessly fascinating

Lovely (and understandable) Irish reading of a funny and compelling book. There are memorable characters, a mystery full of plot twists, and a satisfying ending. Even a puppy makes a happy appearance! This book bridges the gap between the popular and the literary. Dickens would love it.

Enjoyable.

A little weird, but that is how I like my books. I do love a cranky old man, his was a book that I think back on fondly, remembering the prose. It was well written.

Masterful

Quirky and eccentric, this was absolutely delightful.
This is what happens when a talented writer teams up with an equally talented narrator.
Magic.

Not Quite What I Had Hoped It Would Be

I had really high expectations for this book, maybe that is why I am giving it a slightly lower rating than it maybe deserves, though it is a fitting rating for the way I feel about it. The concept really intrigued me and the characters of Maud is so likable, but the pace is so, so slow and by the time the real mystery started to push into the foreground, I was kind of checking out. I am not saying this puts me off Jess Kidd's other books, because she can write and I am a character-driven reader, so she has that going for her, but I am on holiday and wanted to be entertained, and sadly, this just wasn't delivering what I wanted it to, which isn't necessarily the fault of the book. Maybe in other circumstances, I would have enjoyed it more, but as it stands, it was just an okay read for me.

Laugh out loud funny

Not much of a mystery (it was fairly easy to guess who dunnit), but still thoroughly enjoyable. Loved the narrator; she was perfect. Funny and sad at the same time; wonderfully human characters.

Wonderful!

Delightful characters, entertaining prose. Like listening to my Irish auntie share the neighborhood legends...well done Mr. Kidd.

Delightfully weird and enjoyably dark

Sad and strange, joyous and hopeful, the story swallowed me whole and spit me out at the end. I fell in love with each and every character, even the baddies.

Not for me

This book is dismal. The characters repulsive and fiercely overwritten. Every sentence is weighed down by 5-7 adjectives per noun.

Really wanted to like it

There are some great moments and great ideas, and Renata as a character is one of my favorites ever. However, I never felt any sort of similar connection to the protagonist. She feels oddly flat. Likewise, a lot of ideas seem half baked and a lot of character motivations are not properly explored nor believable. Things that are built up to matter don’t and things that are presented as difficult are easily overcome. Also, Mild Spoiler - the insanely straightforward nature of the “unearthly” forms of help they receive feels like scooby doo. I’ve never heard of a ghost so capable of easy communication and so boring.