Reviews with content warning for Death - An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good

I would classify this book as a cozy thriller. There aren’t high stakes but there is murder.

This book is a compilation of short stories about 89 year old Maud and her no good deeds. I am still not sure if I want her to succeed or get caught.

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shelbyl's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It’s in the title and the description, but it’s still a bit morbid! Short stories about an old lady getting away with murder. Kind of funny and clever, but grim all the same.

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lmagie's review

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dark funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

At first it seems funny, but it ends up being kinda creepy.

Narration could have been more enjoyable if it had been set in the “present”, without so many flashbacks and explanations

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awaterswadesthrough's review

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dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

nebraskanwriter's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

This book was not for me. I did not realize going into it what I was getting myself into and that is on me, I acknowledge that.

I thought this book was going to be taking a more A Man Called Ove approach but instead it took a total Dexter approach.

This is an 88 year old serial killer who will kill anyone who wrongs her or thinks is going to wrong her. And I know many people in other reviews have said this was “hilarious” and I’m glad that they enjoyed it but how calculating she was, how she did not have any remorse and how she did it all for selfish reasons (even the abuse situation, she killed the husband so she could go back to having a peaceful Christmas day. She did not do it for the abused wife).

I thought this would be giving Carl from UP, where yes he goes against the people trying to take his home but it is kind of loveable and endearing, his grumpy outer exterior because you discover that inside, he is actually a really nice person. Or in A Man Called Ove, same thing he is rebelling against the system that is taking advantage of his wife’s horrible accident, but he does not go and kill the people that wrong him! And as the book goes on, we see that Ove does have a heart, like Carl.

There was nothing redeemable in Maude. She killed anyone that so much stepped a toe out of line or did her wrong in any way, even stabbing one of the men at the grocery store when he couldn’t get her the ham that she wanted.

I know many people loved this and thought this book was hilarious. It is definitely me, not you. I thought this was going to be a light hearted book but it was just a book about an old woman brutally murdering anyone who wronged her, that was it.

Spoiler

She even kills her sister.

Nope, not for me!

Content Warnings

copiani's review against another edition

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dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

binreads's review

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dark funny slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was an okay read, it did make me laugh at some moments. The overall concept of a little old lady just murdering people whenever she feels like it on the surface is funny. Honestly though, it's quite dark. But, it's interesting how it's under 200 pages, it felt super slow to me. I may pick up the sequel.

Spoiler

I wish we would've gotten more insight on what happened to the victims after they were murdered. </spolier>

Content Warnings

parasolcrafter's review

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dark funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

this was a vvv strange book. im still not sure if i liked it...? i mean...it was interesting, thats for sure!

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