Mrs. Plansky's Revenge by Spencer Quinn

Mrs. Plansky's Revenge

by Spencer Quinn

Mrs. Loretta Plansky, a recent widow in her seventies, is settling into retirement in Florida while dealing with her 98-year-old father and fielding requests for money from her beloved children and grandchildren. Thankfully, her new hip hasn't changed her killer tennis game one bit.

One night Mrs. Plansky is startled awake by a phone call from a voice claiming to be her grandson Will, who desperately needs ten thousand dollars to get out of a jam. Of course, Loretta obliges-after all, what are grandmothers for, even grandmothers who still haven't gotten a simple "thank you" for a gift sent weeks ago. Not that she's counting.

By morning, Mrs. Plansky has lost everything. Law enforcement announces that Loretta's life savings have vanished, and that it's hopeless to find the scammers behind the heist. First humiliated, then furious, Loretta Plansky refuses to be just another victim.

In a courageous bid for justice, Mrs. Plansky follows her only clue on a whirlwind adventure to a small village in Romania to get her money and her dignity back-and perhaps find a new lease on life, too.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Mrs. Plansky's Revenge is the first book of a new cozy series by Spencer Quinn. Released 25th July 2023 by Macmillan on their Tor Forge imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in July 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

This is a quirky, humorous, and well written mystery romp with a 71 year old widowed protagonist who is fed up and not taking any more of anyone's crap. After being scammed and learning that her chances of getting her money back are vanishingly slim, she decides to follow the clues herself and see if she can turn the tables on the scammers and get her dignity (and maybe her money) back.

Mrs. Plansky is just about equal parts Pargeter and Pollifax with a little bit of Helen Mirren in "Red" thrown in for good measure. It's a chaotic caper from start to finish and thoroughly tongue in cheek throughout.

Recommended for fans of the author's oeuvre, although this one is not written in first person stream of consciousness from the dog's viewpoint... it does have that same sort of oddball slapstick humor. 

Four stars. 

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

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Reading updates

  • 23 November, 2023: Started reading
  • 23 November, 2023: Finished reading
  • 23 November, 2023: Reviewed