What Rose Forgot

by Nevada Barr

• ISBN10: 1250208025
• ISBN13: 9781250208026
• Publish Date: 28 July 2020 (first published 17 September 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Minotaur Books
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[alisoninbookland]

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I read a lot of fantasy so I'm willing to suspend some disbelief. This story really pushes how much I'm willing to believe. I couldn't buy into much of it. Too many old lady shenanigans for my taste.

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

What Rose Forgot is a new standalone thriller mystery by Nevada Barr. Released 17th Sept 2019 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and available in hardback, mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

I have read (and enjoyed) all of the Anna Pigeon books and I knew that the author was adept at her craft with a firm technical grasp of plotting, tension arc, characterization, dialogue.. her books are really enjoyable reads. Ms Barr stepped up her game for this one. It's a roller coaster ride from the first page. I can't think of many things more terrifying than literally almost waking up and realizing you've been drugged and committed to a memory care unit for Alzheimer's patients. Rose's escape and unraveling the mystery of who's trying to get her out of the way is twisty, entertaining, humorous, and exciting. I was really rooting for her to figure it all out and win in the end.

The denouement is satisfying and the epilogue made me grin.

An enjoyable read for fans of the genre. The language is somewhat rough (I would call it 'R' rated) and the book includes assault and murder of vulnerable elders, attempted murder, and some political philosophy. My personal beliefs align pretty well with Rose's commentary, so I didn't find it distasteful but some readers might. Also, the physical demands of some of the scenes as written would be beyond the capabilities of most seniors. Gigi Rose is a badass.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[chymerra]

I was on the fence if I wanted to read What Rose Forgot. The blurb didn’t give me any insight into the book. What made up my mind was reading other reviews. Either people loved it, or they didn’t. I am glad that I read What Rose Forgot. It was an exciting, action-packed book.

What Rose Forgot plotline was fast. There were a couple of times where the book did lag. The author was able to get the book back on track after the first time it lagged. The second time, though, it didn’t. Weirdly enough, the lag came at almost the very end of the book.

I loved Rose!! I did wonder, for the first half of the book, if she was having issues with her memory. I did think to myself, “Does she have Alzheimer’s?” My question was answered in the second half of the book. I will say that Rose is a tough cookie, too. She took several beatings during the book that would have broken a lesser woman.

I loved Rose’s relationship with Mel. Their exchanges made me smile and added some much-needed humor into the book. I liked that Rose treated Mel with respect. She listened to what she had to say and, most importantly, she didn’t treat her like a kid. She treated her like an equal, and I loved it!!

I was saddened by how her stepsons treated Rose. Unfortunately, it is an accurate reflection of how our elderly get treated today. Put in nursing homes and forgotten about by their family.

The mystery angle of the book was wonderfully written. I thought I had everything worked out, only to have my theory thrown out the window. I wasn’t shocked at who was behind everything, though. There were some significant clues dropped throughout the book. It was the other half of what happened that surprised me.

I wasn’t a fan of the ending of What Rose Forgot. It seemed rushed to me. I can’t get into much without spoiling the ending. So, I will leave it at that.

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of What Rose Forgot through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What Rose Forgot is the newest thriller from Nevada Barr – so you just know that this novel is full of action and chilling events. This novel is a standalone piece, so even if you’ve read nothing else by Nevada Barr, you’re safe to pick this one up and start reading.
Rose is not your ordinary grandmother. For one thing, the last few years have been…different for her. Until one day she woke up in a hospital gown, with no idea of where she was or how long she had been held there. She just knew that she had been drugged – and that she needed to get out. And fast.
What follows is a whirlwind of an adventure, as Rose uncovers who did this to her, along with the how’s and why’s. She makes friends and enemies along the way, and in general, has to be the most quirky little old lady you’ll ever read about.

“Here’s the thing, since I’ve stopped taking the red capsules, my mind has gotten much clearer. I think I’m being intentionally drugged.”


Warnings: What Rose Forgot touches upon some heavy subjects. But most of this you can guess from the description alone. There’s elder abuse, drugging and holding people against their will, and other elements that fit this general theme.

What Rose Forgot was a fun and thrilling read – the perfect escape when you’re looking for something completely new and different. I hadn’t read anything by Nevada Barr before now – but I’ve heard plenty of her work before. And thus knew that this unique read was worth checking out.
I originally picked up this novel because I loved the idea of Rose – an atypical protagonist with a lot to tell us. And frankly, Rose was hilarious, though the trials she went through were significantly less so. Rose went through so much during this novel – more than the average person could hope to deal with and come out on top. Yet she persevered.
I want to emphasize that this was a fun read; there are several occasions in this novel that require you to suspend your disbelief. So it won’t be a good fit if you’re looking for a highly detailed thriller novel. But it is charming, in its own way. I think Rose gets most of the credit there.
The whole plot ended up being something much larger than I expected – which is saying something, given the premise. There was a lot of meat hiding behind the darker tones, and it allowed for some freedom and experimentation on the writer’s part. And it certainly gave Rose more to deal with!
I’m glad that I picked up What Rose Forgot. I won’t say that it was my favorite novel of this year, but it was an enjoyable and quick read. And I’m still utterly charmed by the main character. I almost wish she’d get her own mystery series…

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks