Book Talk: Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle

 So I've been into more cozy videos, cozy YouTube, TikTtok, you name it if it's cozy, I want to be there. What I have found is that people have varying definitions of what they consider to be cozy, the same with cozy books. A lot of people find chill science fiction books to hit the spot, while other find cute tomance novels. Both are valid and great reads. However, I think what I find cozy is mystery, especially when the mystery book makes you feel like you're reading an episode off the classic show, Murder, She Wrote. 

About the Author

Dorothy Gilman started writing when she was 9 and knew early on she was to be a writer. At 11, she competed against 10 to 16-year-olds in a story contest and won first place. She attended Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and briefly the University of Pennsylvania. She planned to write and illustrate children's books. She married Edgar A. Butters Jr, in 1945, this ended in divorce in 1965. Dorothy worked as an art teacher & telephone operator before becoming an author. She wrote children’s stories for more than ten years until she stated her adult mystery series on Mrs. Pollifax, which brought her to acclaimed fame.

Many of Dorothy’s books, feature strong women having adventures around the world. In 2010 Gilman was awarded the annual Grand Master Award by the Mystery Writers of America. Dorothy spent much of her life in Connecticut, New Mexico, and Maine. She died at age 88 of complications of Alzheimer's disease. 

 

About the Book 

Although Mrs. Pollifax is determined to give up spying for good, she can't help but agree to carry a small object to an agent in Thailand, and get one in return. The moment she lands, however, Mrs. Pollifax is horrified to find her contact dead and her husband kidnapped. The next thing she knows, she's tramping through the ominous Thai countryside, led by a curious fellow who may be trying to help her find her husband. Or he may have other, more sinister plans.

 

My Thoughts 

Cozy. That is truly what I felt when reading this. Cozy and naturally placed into 1985 without all these indications of the 80's being thrown in my face. Both our characters and the setting was easy to imagine and see in my mind. And the whole time, I pictured the story as an 70's - 80's cop show, which I don't think is too far off.

I also really loved the fact that our author chose to make an older woman the premise of the story and this series as a whole. I feel that old age is looked at as the end of your life and old people can't do anything because they're frail. But watching things like The Golden Girls and Murder, She Wrote and reading stories like Mrs. Pollifax, give us the sense that life doesn't have to be over once you turn a certain age. Of course, this is a work of fiction, but still, sometimes the most unreal people, can give us the most motivation. 

I would also describe this 184-paged book as wild. Utterly and completely wild. Our main character loses her husband, meets a strange man with a false identity, walks miles on miles through the jungles on Vietnam in the 80's, all while having no phone to find her GPS location and on vacation. It's a wild ride, but a fun one nonetheless.

The last point I want to talk about it that even though this was the 8th installment of the Mrs. Pollifax series, I didn't feel like I had missed too much when I started reading. The story picks off where the last book ends and our author does a great job of giving us insight into what we need to know for this book without going into a whole synopsis of the previous books. 

Overall, I enjoyed my short time reading Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle. It's a cozy, murder-mystery throwback that knows exactly what it is and what it wants you to feel. It's a great story if you want to read something not too long, but also can keep your attention throughout the entire read. I recommend this book and I'll be sure to pick up some more Mrs. Pollifax books next time I'm browsing my local bookstores. Until then, happy reading!

 Side note: The entire time I was reading, I thought of Murder, She Wrote and found out that the late Angela Lansbury actually starred in the only Mrs. Pollifax movie that was made in 1999.

Watch my full review and other videos on my booktube!