Reviewed by annieb123 on
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.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- Finished reading
- 30 October, 2019: Reviewed