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Mrs. Pollifax #9
Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish
All Mrs. Pollifax has to do is to masquerade as the aunt of an inept CIA representative while he confirms the identities of seven undercover agents in Morocco—and keep him from making an unpleasant ass of himself. Immediately, things go horribly wrong. The first informant is murdered minutes after Mrs. Pollifax and her companion identify him in his brassware stall in Fez. Worse, she senses that her colleague is not who—or what—he says he is.
With no one to bail her out, Mrs. Pollifax determines to outfox the enemy and check out the remaining informants on her own. Only Mrs. Pollifax would expose herself to the dangers of being an American and a woman alone in Morocco. And only she would forge ahead, knowing as she does that one of the original informants has been replaced by a deadly imposter...
With no one to bail her out, Mrs. Pollifax determines to outfox the enemy and check out the remaining informants on her own. Only Mrs. Pollifax would expose herself to the dangers of being an American and a woman alone in Morocco. And only she would forge ahead, knowing as she does that one of the original informants has been replaced by a deadly imposter...
211 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
251 people are currently reading
1275 people want to read
About the author
Dorothy Gilman
121 books763 followersDorothy Edith 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 under the name
Dorothy Gilman Butters
and then began writing adult novels about Mrs. Pollifax–a retired grandmother who becomes a CIA agent. The Mrs. Pollifax series made Dorothy famous. While her stories nourish people’s thirst for adventure and mystery, Dorothy knew about nourishing the body as well. On her farm in Nova Scotia, she grew medicinal herbs and used this knowledge of herbs in many of her stories, including A Nun in the Closet. She travelled extensively, and used these experiences in her novels as well. 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. She is survived by two sons, Christopher Butters and Jonathan Butters; and two grandchildren.
Series:
* Mrs. Pollifax
Series:
* Mrs. Pollifax
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 353 reviews
May 11, 2025
Every book in this series is a winner as far as I am concerned.
In this outing Mrs Pollifax is sent on a relatively simple mission to Morocco where she is to accompany an agent acting as his Aunt to make them look more like tourists. Of course everything goes totally wrong and Mrs. P saves the day in her inimitable fashion.
There are few tense moments when she thinks she is never going to see Cyril again but the reader can be comfortable knowing there are still a number more books in the series still to go. Light, humorous, intelligent and well written. The best kind of book.
In this outing Mrs Pollifax is sent on a relatively simple mission to Morocco where she is to accompany an agent acting as his Aunt to make them look more like tourists. Of course everything goes totally wrong and Mrs. P saves the day in her inimitable fashion.
There are few tense moments when she thinks she is never going to see Cyril again but the reader can be comfortable knowing there are still a number more books in the series still to go. Light, humorous, intelligent and well written. The best kind of book.
March 21, 2018
I have an audible version of this book, and I love to listen to books like this, as I'm going to sleep. When I first started reading the Mrs. Pollifax books, I was in my 20's, and the thought of an older woman joining the CIA, and getting into so much danger, was intriguing and funny. Now I'm in my 70's, and I am still thoroughly enjoying the Mrs. Pollifax books, and better understanding what it would take to go on these adventurous assignments. I think these books are just delightful, and I love the narration of the books.
February 19, 2016
Mrs. Pollifax heads to Morocco and the Western Sahara, to help a very secret offshoot of the CIA, whose sympathies lie not with Morocco but with the Polisarios of the Western Sahara. She has a list of informants, with photographs, and needs to make sure that all of the men match their names and faces, as it's rumored that there's an impostor somewhere among the chain. She isn't alone in this mission, but is paired with another agent who is quite a bit different from most of the colorful, unforgettable people she meets on her missions. This guy, to put it simply, is an insufferable jerk.
As they head south into the Moroccan desert, though, things start happening quickly, and from there, it is another roller-coaster ride, fraught with danger, excitement, and wonder. Mrs. Pollifax shines, and despite her own misgivings at the beginning of the story (worrying that Carstairs may have finally thought her too old for adventuring) she definitely proves that that isn't the case!
Yet again, I am stunned by Dorothy Gilman's attention to detail. I really wish I could've met her, because she seems to have shared my passion for the world, for exploring different places. I was intrigued by her descriptions of Morocco because it's a place I haven't studied very much. And although the book is 22 years old, I was absolutely amazed when I Googled some details and looked at some maps, just how right-on she was. For those of you who like travel, as I do, this book makes you feel almost like you're really there.
Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish reminds me a lot of the first book, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax...maybe because of the military police presence, and the constant flight from the authorities, moving onward because to stay in one place would be to be captured. Among the action, there are those little gems, those moments that provide a perfect, pensive counterpoint to all the action. Namely, Mrs. Pollifax's conversations with Sidi Tahar, as well as the part where they camped in the desert, under the stars, on their way to Rouida.
It was also very satisfying to close the loop on Mornajay - a character from the previous book, and awesome that he finally deduced Mrs. P's identity as a fellow agent. Nice bit of continuity, there!
This is another rousing Mrs. Pollifax adventure which delivers wonderfully, and Mrs. P herself is the feather in the cap, of course.
As they head south into the Moroccan desert, though, things start happening quickly, and from there, it is another roller-coaster ride, fraught with danger, excitement, and wonder. Mrs. Pollifax shines, and despite her own misgivings at the beginning of the story (worrying that Carstairs may have finally thought her too old for adventuring) she definitely proves that that isn't the case!
Yet again, I am stunned by Dorothy Gilman's attention to detail. I really wish I could've met her, because she seems to have shared my passion for the world, for exploring different places. I was intrigued by her descriptions of Morocco because it's a place I haven't studied very much. And although the book is 22 years old, I was absolutely amazed when I Googled some details and looked at some maps, just how right-on she was. For those of you who like travel, as I do, this book makes you feel almost like you're really there.
Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish reminds me a lot of the first book, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax...maybe because of the military police presence, and the constant flight from the authorities, moving onward because to stay in one place would be to be captured. Among the action, there are those little gems, those moments that provide a perfect, pensive counterpoint to all the action. Namely, Mrs. Pollifax's conversations with Sidi Tahar, as well as the part where they camped in the desert, under the stars, on their way to Rouida.
It was also very satisfying to close the loop on Mornajay - a character from the previous book, and awesome that he finally deduced Mrs. P's identity as a fellow agent. Nice bit of continuity, there!
This is another rousing Mrs. Pollifax adventure which delivers wonderfully, and Mrs. P herself is the feather in the cap, of course.
April 9, 2024
Yet another very enjoyable Pollifax adventure! With her husband conveniently on holiday in Kenya, Emily Pollifax accepts a mission in Morocco. She has to help find 7 undercover agents to identify which one has been replaced with an impostor. Our history lesson this time centres on the dispute over the Western Sahara and our geography lesson is full of evocative descriptions of the landscape and rural life in Morocco as she and her various companions head south. These ingredients mixed with an exciting storyline provide us with one of the best in the series so far.
January 12, 2026
This one is almost one of my favorites. I do love the premise, the way she went about it--everything. Her pluck, her grit. This gal... I want to be her when I grow up!
Read it this time through Barbara Rosenblat's narration of it on audio.
Read it this time through Barbara Rosenblat's narration of it on audio.
July 18, 2022
A lot of fun and faster paced than I was expecting. This was for the most part a straight up chase story.
March 4, 2009
MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE WHIRLING DERVISH (Spy Novel-Mrs. Emily Pollifax-Morroco-Cont) – G+
Gilman, Dorothy – 9th in series
Fawcett Books, 1990, US Paperback – ISBN: 0449147606
First Sentence: They had been waiting among the low dunes for two days, a few goats feeding nearby on an impoverished growth of desert grass.
Emily Pollifax’s husband is away and she’s feeling bored. That soon ends when she is sent by the CIA to Morocco. She is to connect with another agent to locate and identify seven undercover agents. She finds she doesn’t trust her contact; particularly as the agents they are to identify are either killed or disappear after their visits.
I had not read Mrs. Pollifax before and was very pleasantly surprised. I expected the book to be fluffy and annoying. Instead, it was much more serious than expected.
To compare Mrs. Pollifax to Ms. Marple would be doing both an injustice as they are very different. Mrs. Pollifax has the same intuitiveness, but also knows how to take care of herself. I loved the quote from “archie and mehitable”: “There’s a dance in the old dame yet, toujours gai, tourjours gai.”
In addition to a very good story with an excellent sense o f place and plenty of suspense, Gilman provided a good history lesson and some basic philosophical reminders about what is important. I may just have to read more books in this series.
Gilman, Dorothy – 9th in series
Fawcett Books, 1990, US Paperback – ISBN: 0449147606
First Sentence: They had been waiting among the low dunes for two days, a few goats feeding nearby on an impoverished growth of desert grass.
Emily Pollifax’s husband is away and she’s feeling bored. That soon ends when she is sent by the CIA to Morocco. She is to connect with another agent to locate and identify seven undercover agents. She finds she doesn’t trust her contact; particularly as the agents they are to identify are either killed or disappear after their visits.
I had not read Mrs. Pollifax before and was very pleasantly surprised. I expected the book to be fluffy and annoying. Instead, it was much more serious than expected.
To compare Mrs. Pollifax to Ms. Marple would be doing both an injustice as they are very different. Mrs. Pollifax has the same intuitiveness, but also knows how to take care of herself. I loved the quote from “archie and mehitable”: “There’s a dance in the old dame yet, toujours gai, tourjours gai.”
In addition to a very good story with an excellent sense o f place and plenty of suspense, Gilman provided a good history lesson and some basic philosophical reminders about what is important. I may just have to read more books in this series.
January 24, 2022
Many years ago, a friend was telling me about a documentary or something that she'd seen in which someone had interviewed a whirling dervish. The interviewer asked the other man about his theology, and the reply was, "We don't have a theology. We dance." My friend thought this was Very Deep. My sixteen-year-old self, though no font of wisdom, thought it was the dumbest thing she'd ever heard. My fifty-four-year-old self has probably heard a few things marginally dumber (she has, after all, lived through the past two years), but still thinks it's pretty near the top...or perhaps the bottom.
This was one of the duller books in the series, even aside from the dervish. I didn't feel like she did a very good job of letting us get to know the two Moroccan sidekicks. It was just OK.
This was one of the duller books in the series, even aside from the dervish. I didn't feel like she did a very good job of letting us get to know the two Moroccan sidekicks. It was just OK.
Read
August 9, 2018Another fun outing. Mrs Pollifax is neither a quailer nor kickass (for all she's picked up some martial arts skills) and gets by on caution and good luck.
December 10, 2025
Ode to Mrs. Pollifax: you are a balm to my troubled soul. She is truly delightful, the narration is spot on, and just the right distraction I need right now. Extra enjoyable as I was just in Morocco last month.
September 13, 2024
Emily Pollifax is pondering the idea that she may finally be too old. It's been ages since she's heard from the CIA and she suspects that they no longer think her capable. Just as she starts to feel terribly sorry for herself the phone rings, and the next day she is off to Morocco. Her job is to accompany another member of the CIA on a simple journey across the country to locate and identify seven men who are working as informants. False information has been leaking out of Morocco and there is concern at headquarters that one of their operatives may have been compromised. Mrs. Pollifax, traveling as the aunt of Max Jenko, is simply to identify the informants from pictures she has been given, and if she finds a fake, they are to wire Carstairs immediately.
However, right from the start things seem wrong. Janko is as arrogant as Carstairs thought he would be. He insists that Mrs. Pollifax turn over the pictures to him at once and leave the country. She decides the best way to handle the situation is to only give him one picture and address at a time. That way he will be dependent upon her. However, when she learns that the first informant they identify is killed within hours of their finding him she becomes suspicious, and things rapidly begin to spiral out of control.
A very enjoyable trip through Morocco with Mrs. Pollifax and some returning characters. Both suspenseful and mysterious. Mrs. Pollifax maintains her positive outlook and resourcefulness even when things look bleak. I only wish there had been an epilogue like there so often is to tell us how Bishop and Carstairs respond to her adventures. Oh well, perhaps in the next book.
However, right from the start things seem wrong. Janko is as arrogant as Carstairs thought he would be. He insists that Mrs. Pollifax turn over the pictures to him at once and leave the country. She decides the best way to handle the situation is to only give him one picture and address at a time. That way he will be dependent upon her. However, when she learns that the first informant they identify is killed within hours of their finding him she becomes suspicious, and things rapidly begin to spiral out of control.
A very enjoyable trip through Morocco with Mrs. Pollifax and some returning characters. Both suspenseful and mysterious. Mrs. Pollifax maintains her positive outlook and resourcefulness even when things look bleak. I only wish there had been an epilogue like there so often is to tell us how Bishop and Carstairs respond to her adventures. Oh well, perhaps in the next book.
May 30, 2021
2018: Better than the last few, and interesting (temporary) reverse of the usual Mrs. P setup where she immediately finds a tribe to like.
2020: I still like this one, but I was much more troubled by the attitudes towards Islam and the exoticization of some of the characters this time. There is quite a bit of the geography/history lesson here, which is always fun. Barbara Rosenblatt excellent as usual.
2020: I still like this one, but I was much more troubled by the attitudes towards Islam and the exoticization of some of the characters this time. There is quite a bit of the geography/history lesson here, which is always fun. Barbara Rosenblatt excellent as usual.
July 30, 2018
Another adventure for Mrs. Pollifax- this time in Morocco. I just love this series. Each book has a different country to learn about, with touches of the history and the culture, and a wonderful protagonist I've come to adore!
September 23, 2021
Re-read as audiobook.
March 29, 2023
The setup in this one was great!
October 18, 2023
Love how Moarnajay saves the day and the mutual realization of their shared connections...
I particularly appreciate Mrs. P's ability to befriend children in this series!
I particularly appreciate Mrs. P's ability to befriend children in this series!
March 5, 2025
I missed my Mrs. Pollifax books so enjoyed listening again. In this one she heads to Morocco, so a different country that before. So interesting.
April 17, 2023
Maybe not the quite full 4, but still entertaining. Notably, there is no epilogue this time. It just ends! Lots of historical bits about the region, and some religious instruction to boot!
July 29, 2024
I've read this before, but this time I'm listening to it. I actually think I'm enjoying it more, as the narrator is very good. I usually think the later Mrs. Pollifax books aren't as good as the earlier ones, but this story is moving well and I'm enjoying feeling as if I'd visited Morocco. I wouldn't recommend starting here if you've never read any of these books, but it's still a good story.
In general I'm a huge fan of Mrs. Pollifax, an older woman with an open mind, big heart and sense of adventure she didn't know she had until the day she walked into the CIA to volunteer as a spy. I've read and reread these books multiple times since I first discovered her in the '70s and they never disappoint.
In general I'm a huge fan of Mrs. Pollifax, an older woman with an open mind, big heart and sense of adventure she didn't know she had until the day she walked into the CIA to volunteer as a spy. I've read and reread these books multiple times since I first discovered her in the '70s and they never disappoint.
November 4, 2025
2024: Repeat listen. 4.5 Stars
2021: Repeat late-night listen. I always appreciate the sage wisdom Gilman gifts to Sidi Tahar to onshare.
2020: Repeat listen.
I read through this some years ago with my, then, teenage daughter as part of a world views/geography study.
That was a fun way to go through the series but I did enjoy just being able to listen to it entirely as an enjoyment-factor-only audiobook this time through. Barbara Rosenblat is the perfect voice for Mrs. Pollifax.
Take away sayings from the book:
Trust in Allah, but tether your camel.
Sometimes you carry the saddle, sometimes the saddle carries you.
2021: Repeat late-night listen. I always appreciate the sage wisdom Gilman gifts to Sidi Tahar to onshare.
2020: Repeat listen.
I read through this some years ago with my, then, teenage daughter as part of a world views/geography study.
That was a fun way to go through the series but I did enjoy just being able to listen to it entirely as an enjoyment-factor-only audiobook this time through. Barbara Rosenblat is the perfect voice for Mrs. Pollifax.
Take away sayings from the book:
Trust in Allah, but tether your camel.
Sometimes you carry the saddle, sometimes the saddle carries you.
January 20, 2018
it was written, alright
is it prudent to expect another lance(aka ambrose)-emily reunion?
p56: but the fury object didn't move, it didn't scurry away at her approach and when she cautiously knelt beside it she found that it was not a small animal at all.
is it prudent to expect another lance(aka ambrose)-emily reunion?
p56: but the fury object didn't move, it didn't scurry away at her approach and when she cautiously knelt beside it she found that it was not a small animal at all.
May 7, 2021
Fun read. Interesting to see the stereotyping since Im a Muslim. Also the mysticness of sufis lol.
Otherwise a fun ride. Oh btw I'm starting to hate her endings.. its fun to wee the characters connect in the next series though.
Otherwise a fun ride. Oh btw I'm starting to hate her endings.. its fun to wee the characters connect in the next series though.
January 10, 2010
My dad introduced me to the Mrs. Pollifax series awhile back. It's an old series - about a Grandma who becomes a spy - SOO fun and full of interesting info! I got them all and loved them! (=
June 3, 2023
Nine books in, the Mrs. Pollifax series has become more travelogue than mystery or thriller. The formula is so locked in for author Dorothy Gilman that the reader's attention is not drawn to the predictable crosses or double-crosses, or to who is about to attack or kidnap our heroine now, but rather on the uniqueness of the terrain she traverses, and the people she meets. In the case of Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish, the setting is Morocco.
Pollifax gets asked to travel to the northern African country to connect with Max Janko, an acerbic, arrogant, Arabic-speaking agent. She must accompany Janko as he visits seven agents throughout the country, softening his cruel demeanor. Carstairs has reason to believe that one of the seven informers has been replaced with a double agent, but he does not know which one. Emily and Max identify the first agent from his picture, but shortly thereafter the man winds up dead. And not long after that, Emily begins to suspect that Max may not be who he says he is. So, the game of cat and mouse between the supposed partners begins.
The book features moments of action and suspense, but they are just that - moments. The tension doesn't stay ratcheted up for long. Instead, there is tension and release, tension and release, time after time. I was remembering how in the very first novel, Mrs. Pollifax finds herself kidnapped and imprisoned for the greater part of the book - and during the times when she is not imprisoned, she is running for her life. Not so here. Instead, she finds herself interacting with waiters, local business owners, children, and others. She asks questions, learns about the country, and makes friends. Her fascination with Moroccan culture and locales seems to drive the action, rather than being an adjunct to the action.
Nonetheless, Mrs. Pollifax remains an entertaining companion. If I had to take a guided tour of another country, I think she would be a great person with whom to travel. The predictability of her missions, and the lack of suspense makes the series a mite less thrilling than it used to be. But the company is still good, like having a long visit with an old friend.
Pollifax gets asked to travel to the northern African country to connect with Max Janko, an acerbic, arrogant, Arabic-speaking agent. She must accompany Janko as he visits seven agents throughout the country, softening his cruel demeanor. Carstairs has reason to believe that one of the seven informers has been replaced with a double agent, but he does not know which one. Emily and Max identify the first agent from his picture, but shortly thereafter the man winds up dead. And not long after that, Emily begins to suspect that Max may not be who he says he is. So, the game of cat and mouse between the supposed partners begins.
The book features moments of action and suspense, but they are just that - moments. The tension doesn't stay ratcheted up for long. Instead, there is tension and release, tension and release, time after time. I was remembering how in the very first novel, Mrs. Pollifax finds herself kidnapped and imprisoned for the greater part of the book - and during the times when she is not imprisoned, she is running for her life. Not so here. Instead, she finds herself interacting with waiters, local business owners, children, and others. She asks questions, learns about the country, and makes friends. Her fascination with Moroccan culture and locales seems to drive the action, rather than being an adjunct to the action.
Nonetheless, Mrs. Pollifax remains an entertaining companion. If I had to take a guided tour of another country, I think she would be a great person with whom to travel. The predictability of her missions, and the lack of suspense makes the series a mite less thrilling than it used to be. But the company is still good, like having a long visit with an old friend.
May 24, 2025
After three adventures all in the Far East, Carstairs and Bishop now send Mrs. Pollifax to the Middle East, specifically to Morocco and the conflict between the Moroccan government and what is now known as the Sahwari Arab Democratic Republic. While the official US position was in support of Morocco, a secret unit at the CiA has several pro-Saharan informants (the book was published in 1990).
Carstairs has become suspicious that at least one informant has been supplanted or compromised, so he is sending an Arabic-speaking agent to check out each individual without making contact. He decides to send Emily as the agent’s “Aunt”; the agent is known to be abrasive and arrogant and his hope is that Emily can smooth over any situations.
Further, Carstairs sends the photograph of each informant with their name and location with Emily. When she meets up with Janko, the agent, he is even worse than she could have imagined. He makes it clear he intends to collect the photos and leave Emily behind. Emily had placed the photos in a money-belt and has kept them on her person. After Janko breaks into Emily’s hotel room and searches all her belongings for the photos, Emily suspects Janko is a double agent.
As usual, Emily is much more than she appears and the karate lessons and yoga exercises come in handy, even when it appears she will have to flee Morocco across the Sahara Desert.
One thing I haven’t mentioned about the timeline of this series. Ms. Gilman wrote the books across three decades. She never discloses how old Mrs. Pollifax is, but while the stories are roughly contemporary with the publication date, Emily, Carstairs and Bishop don’t age.
Carstairs has become suspicious that at least one informant has been supplanted or compromised, so he is sending an Arabic-speaking agent to check out each individual without making contact. He decides to send Emily as the agent’s “Aunt”; the agent is known to be abrasive and arrogant and his hope is that Emily can smooth over any situations.
Further, Carstairs sends the photograph of each informant with their name and location with Emily. When she meets up with Janko, the agent, he is even worse than she could have imagined. He makes it clear he intends to collect the photos and leave Emily behind. Emily had placed the photos in a money-belt and has kept them on her person. After Janko breaks into Emily’s hotel room and searches all her belongings for the photos, Emily suspects Janko is a double agent.
As usual, Emily is much more than she appears and the karate lessons and yoga exercises come in handy, even when it appears she will have to flee Morocco across the Sahara Desert.
One thing I haven’t mentioned about the timeline of this series. Ms. Gilman wrote the books across three decades. She never discloses how old Mrs. Pollifax is, but while the stories are roughly contemporary with the publication date, Emily, Carstairs and Bishop don’t age.
July 16, 2021
Mrs. Pollifax is bored and depressed. Cyrus has gone to see his new granddaughter and Mrs. Pollifax is trying to keep the builder in line. She's worried that Carstairs thinks she's over the hill when who should pull into the driveway but Bishop. Carstairs needs her. He doesn't like the arrogant look of the agent who has been assigned - Jacko - to confirm which of the 7 undercover agents in Morocco has been removed and wants Mrs. Pollifax to act as his aunt and keep Jacko from screwing the mission up. She is also to provide Jacko with the photos of the agents and the addresses to find them.
Mrs. Pollifax finds Jacko to be even more arrogant than Carstairs thought he would be. He insists she give him the photos/addresses and then forget about the traveling aunt thing. Of course, Mrs. Pollifax doesn't. She tells him she will give him the photos and addresses one at a time. And she soon has even more reason to wonder about him when immediately after they confirm the first agent is the man in the photo, he is killed.
Soon Mrs. Pollifax is on the run with the real Janko. The police are after them as they race to the border and escape. Quite a good tale, but ends rather abruptly and without the usual after mission discussion.
Once again, Jesse's review is excellent -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mrs. Pollifax finds Jacko to be even more arrogant than Carstairs thought he would be. He insists she give him the photos/addresses and then forget about the traveling aunt thing. Of course, Mrs. Pollifax doesn't. She tells him she will give him the photos and addresses one at a time. And she soon has even more reason to wonder about him when immediately after they confirm the first agent is the man in the photo, he is killed.
Soon Mrs. Pollifax is on the run with the real Janko. The police are after them as they race to the border and escape. Quite a good tale, but ends rather abruptly and without the usual after mission discussion.
Once again, Jesse's review is excellent -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 20, 2023
I love the Mrs Polifax series--they are surprisingly informative and always positive about the good that humans can do if they do not give in to fear and if they respect their fellow humans of all cultures and social classes. They are also relaxing to read, with Mrs Polifax--how refreshing to see a 60 year old woman succeed against villains from all sides through clear headed thinking and lack of panic.
This volume--set in Morocco -- was a little unexpectedly political, in favor of the Polisario in SW Sahara, and against Morocco. While Gilman makes her point, I thought she risked being a little polemical in a few places here in painting a stark picture of Morocco being bad and the Polisario being good only. As a result, the characters come across a little two dimensional.
Further, while fans of the series will be fully happy with the first 3/4 of the book, after Gilman made her points on the polisario--including its public manifesto--the book comes to a pretty rapid ending, a little as if Gilman was tired of it and wanted to move on.
This was still a fun read, but against the other 4 in the series I have read, I would say this is not the strongest one.
This volume--set in Morocco -- was a little unexpectedly political, in favor of the Polisario in SW Sahara, and against Morocco. While Gilman makes her point, I thought she risked being a little polemical in a few places here in painting a stark picture of Morocco being bad and the Polisario being good only. As a result, the characters come across a little two dimensional.
Further, while fans of the series will be fully happy with the first 3/4 of the book, after Gilman made her points on the polisario--including its public manifesto--the book comes to a pretty rapid ending, a little as if Gilman was tired of it and wanted to move on.
This was still a fun read, but against the other 4 in the series I have read, I would say this is not the strongest one.
January 20, 2025
This might be my favorite Mrs. Pollifax book. Having returned recently myself from a trip to Morocco, it was so satisfying to see Dorothy Gilman bring the country to life: from the souks to the dessert to the caravans. I especially appreciated the respect she showed to Islam, not a terrorist in sight. Written in 1990, the book pre-dates the tragedies that have since scarred the political landscape. The book not only brought back a beloved character who I hadn't visited with in a long time, but also a reminder of a more open and curious world. A very fun read for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries with spies. Highly recommended.
August 26, 2014
Series hooks from start with real memorable people. 'Hero' is human in despair, boredom. We share excitement of travel, feel spirit of new country, are befriended by strangers. Quirky personal details, like yens for cheery cherry import and home baking, draw us into a warm circle of honor, loyalty, courage. Re-reading, surprisingly #1 had nothing happens trivia to skip, by #9 we start in the desert waiting with two rebels, plunge into mortal danger.
Emily is "horribly, depletingly and dispiritingly bored .. whole year .. too old?" since last CIA assignment "a January thaw had turned into mud" p 7 without new husband Cyrus. He represents the whole series to me "could never be dull, his comments were always pithy and frequently humorous, and being captive with him in a car was pure delight" p 41.
Bishop zips up in red Jaguar rental "when one begins losing the vestiges of youth one turns to this sort of toy .. forty in two months .. blueberry muffins .. very tempting .. devoured all six" p 10 brings seven photos "each with an address on the back" p 12 undercover in Morocco, supporting Polisario rebels. Confirm identities, no contact. Senior officer Carstairs, brilliant with faces, distrusted arrogance in face of Cairo agent Max Janko, glowering under fierce black brows and mustache, wants Emily to pose as aunt.
Janko does not meet her at airport, tries to steal photos and leave alone. Trouble mounts, "number one: Hamid ou Azu" is stabbed dead in broad daylight at his Fez souk stand of "Fine brassware" p 27, second arrested, suspicions mount. Emily memorizes and burns photos, warns third away.
Feelings "lush green fields under a great pale sky" p 41 convey sense of foreign place without boring statistics. Rouida "true desert .. stretched without interruption as far as the eye could see, a seemingly unending flow of sand and pebble that met with nothing at all until it reached the distant horizon and a cerulean blue sky. He'd forgotten what such space could be like, and how it rested a man" p 182. Native djellabah and veil disguise Emily to Aisha, darkens eyes and brows with kohl, and Max to Bashir, walk like peasants with downcast eyes and mien.
Optimistic outlook holds back panic. "Max smiled.
'Perhaps my greatest charm is that I've no interest in killing you.'
'That is important in a friendship' " p 92.
"There are always chances" p 95.
"Bismallah. May Allah go with you .. Sometimes the saddle is on the man, sometimes the man is on the saddle" p 108.
Although easier to read in order, not always possible, background recaps swiftly, never belabored or boring. Help comes from unlikely corners. Having read this before, small Ahmad who wants to grow up truck driver will get a chance to show the right stuff, reach pedals.
Back from Thailand #8 Mrs Pollifax and the Golden Triangle, Mornajay recognizes last year she was "looking for a lost husband" p 139, now he "saved our necks .. pompous bore" p 209, same side revealed. Here he is focus for "one of those unexpected moments that engraved itself upon a person's soul .. adult .. obsessed .. against emotion .. begun to understand how impoverished and empty he'd become" p 169.
Does Max tell future in "strange story"? Isabella Eberhardt "flouted every rule of Victorian society" p 133, enamors strict 1800s General Lyautey, dies during nomadic wanderings in mudslide at age 28. Does her daughter appear elsewhere, or with similar Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody?
Sidi Tahar is "Sufi teacher .. Muslim mystic" demonstrates "dance .. 'the turning'.. prayer .. whirl .. center" p 159 to distract captives from threatening deaths. Sidi rescued Carstairs "fluent French" OSS in WW2 from exploding "Tripoli ammunition dump" p 92 "owes his Moroccan friend all the years of his life since then" p 93. Perhaps "lives he must have changed or saved .. destiny being played out, of unseen forces intervening" p 93 is the theme suggested by title?
"There's a dance in the old dame yet, toujours gai" p 196 is 1927 poem http://donmarquis.com/the-song-of-meh... about alley cat Mehitabel by cockroach Archy. http://photahsiamirabel.squidoo.com/k... finds "wotthehell" for Sandor from #2 Amazing Mrs P https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Eartha Kitt sings as Mehitabel cum Cleopatra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCHha....
Emily's fights do not depend on modern high-tech equipment, fancy Bond toys left behind or out-dated, on unusually strong skilled warrior body. This 'Everyman' starts old, untrained, learns some karate, always gets even older. Thankfully, helicopter pursuit here has no thermal detectors. Heroic qualites to honor, idealize -- courage, determination, friendship, loyalty, hope, confidence -- last forever. "It is all in the hands of Allah .. it is written" p 199, but Emily has two helping hands.
Emily is "horribly, depletingly and dispiritingly bored .. whole year .. too old?" since last CIA assignment "a January thaw had turned into mud" p 7 without new husband Cyrus. He represents the whole series to me "could never be dull, his comments were always pithy and frequently humorous, and being captive with him in a car was pure delight" p 41.
Bishop zips up in red Jaguar rental "when one begins losing the vestiges of youth one turns to this sort of toy .. forty in two months .. blueberry muffins .. very tempting .. devoured all six" p 10 brings seven photos "each with an address on the back" p 12 undercover in Morocco, supporting Polisario rebels. Confirm identities, no contact. Senior officer Carstairs, brilliant with faces, distrusted arrogance in face of Cairo agent Max Janko, glowering under fierce black brows and mustache, wants Emily to pose as aunt.
Janko does not meet her at airport, tries to steal photos and leave alone. Trouble mounts, "number one: Hamid ou Azu" is stabbed dead in broad daylight at his Fez souk stand of "Fine brassware" p 27, second arrested, suspicions mount. Emily memorizes and burns photos, warns third away.
Feelings "lush green fields under a great pale sky" p 41 convey sense of foreign place without boring statistics. Rouida "true desert .. stretched without interruption as far as the eye could see, a seemingly unending flow of sand and pebble that met with nothing at all until it reached the distant horizon and a cerulean blue sky. He'd forgotten what such space could be like, and how it rested a man" p 182. Native djellabah and veil disguise Emily to Aisha, darkens eyes and brows with kohl, and Max to Bashir, walk like peasants with downcast eyes and mien.
Optimistic outlook holds back panic. "Max smiled.
'Perhaps my greatest charm is that I've no interest in killing you.'
'That is important in a friendship' " p 92.
"There are always chances" p 95.
"Bismallah. May Allah go with you .. Sometimes the saddle is on the man, sometimes the man is on the saddle" p 108.
Although easier to read in order, not always possible, background recaps swiftly, never belabored or boring. Help comes from unlikely corners. Having read this before, small Ahmad who wants to grow up truck driver will get a chance to show the right stuff, reach pedals.
Back from Thailand #8 Mrs Pollifax and the Golden Triangle, Mornajay recognizes last year she was "looking for a lost husband" p 139, now he "saved our necks .. pompous bore" p 209, same side revealed. Here he is focus for "one of those unexpected moments that engraved itself upon a person's soul .. adult .. obsessed .. against emotion .. begun to understand how impoverished and empty he'd become" p 169.
Does Max tell future in "strange story"? Isabella Eberhardt "flouted every rule of Victorian society" p 133, enamors strict 1800s General Lyautey, dies during nomadic wanderings in mudslide at age 28. Does her daughter appear elsewhere, or with similar Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody?
Sidi Tahar is "Sufi teacher .. Muslim mystic" demonstrates "dance .. 'the turning'.. prayer .. whirl .. center" p 159 to distract captives from threatening deaths. Sidi rescued Carstairs "fluent French" OSS in WW2 from exploding "Tripoli ammunition dump" p 92 "owes his Moroccan friend all the years of his life since then" p 93. Perhaps "lives he must have changed or saved .. destiny being played out, of unseen forces intervening" p 93 is the theme suggested by title?
"There's a dance in the old dame yet, toujours gai" p 196 is 1927 poem http://donmarquis.com/the-song-of-meh... about alley cat Mehitabel by cockroach Archy. http://photahsiamirabel.squidoo.com/k... finds "wotthehell" for Sandor from #2 Amazing Mrs P https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Eartha Kitt sings as Mehitabel cum Cleopatra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCHha....
Emily's fights do not depend on modern high-tech equipment, fancy Bond toys left behind or out-dated, on unusually strong skilled warrior body. This 'Everyman' starts old, untrained, learns some karate, always gets even older. Thankfully, helicopter pursuit here has no thermal detectors. Heroic qualites to honor, idealize -- courage, determination, friendship, loyalty, hope, confidence -- last forever. "It is all in the hands of Allah .. it is written" p 199, but Emily has two helping hands.
July 9, 2024
Enjoyed another in the Mrs. Pollifax series.
Always nice to re-encounter Bishop and Carstairs. And another youngster falls under Mrs. Pollifax's charms.
Next up: Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief. The quilt I'm sewing while listening should be named after Mrs. Pollifax; after all she has accompanied me for the entirety of the project :)
Always nice to re-encounter Bishop and Carstairs. And another youngster falls under Mrs. Pollifax's charms.
Next up: Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief. The quilt I'm sewing while listening should be named after Mrs. Pollifax; after all she has accompanied me for the entirety of the project :)
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