Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue

Mrs. Plansky #2

by Spencer Quinn

Mrs. Plansky is fresh off of winning a thrilling senior tennis championship with her doubles partner, Kev Dinardo, and is gearing up to celebrate with him on his yacht. That is, until the yacht is destroyed in a fire. Kev claims the fire was caused by a lightning strike, pure bad luck, but there's one small problem—Mrs. Plansky didn't see any lightning.

Already certain there's more going on than she's being told, Mrs. Plansky's curiosity turns to concern when Kev goes missing. Her suspicion gets the better of her and leads her to break into his house, only to find it ransacked.

But Kev isn't the only person Mrs. Plansky has to worry about. A conversation with her dad reveals that not long ago, he'd introduced Kev to Jack, Mrs. Plansky's wayward tennis pro son. And now, her dad—distracted by arrangements for his upcoming wedding—either can't remember or has no interest in divulging any details.

Worse? Now Jack has gone missing, too.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery, Humor, Adventure, Contemporary

304 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2025

About the author

Spencer Quinn lives on Cape Cod with his dog Audrey, and is hard at work on the next Chet and Bernie adventure.

Spencer Quinn is a pseudonym of author Peter Abrahams.

Series:
* A Chet and Bernie Mystery

Reviews

[Shelley's Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Book Review Crew Blog

A couple of summers ago, I read and loved Mrs. Plansky's Revenge and knew back then there was going to be a sequel, and I couldn't wait. Well, I am here to tell you it was worth the wait. Spencer Quinn has returned with another delightful book in his cozy mystery series. In her second adventure, 70-something widow and the most unlikely detective Loretta Plansky once again shows us that age is just a number and she is still as bold and as feisty as ever.

Quinn's writing is charming, and he easily blends cozy mystery tension with wit and humour. He writes Mrs. Plansky as a compelling character who is very human, flaws and all. She also has a mind of her own and keeps the cobwebs away by doing crossword puzzles. I love her attitude and lack of patience for nonsense. She is smart and caring, and I cheered for her every step of the way.

The best part of the book is the fast pace. There are plenty of red herrings, and I was never bored. Loretta is 100% the star of the show, and she brings a unique perspective to the story. This is a lighthearted mystery, as most cozies are, but it is also very intelligently written, and it goes to show that not all heroes wear capes or are young; they're just young at heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Terrie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever. Formidable. Resilient. Determined...

Mrs. Plansky wins a senior doubles tennis championship with her partner Kev Dinardo. They plan to celebrate on his yacht, but soon after arriving, it's ablaze from what Kev claims was a lightning strike. Mrs. Plansky heard a boom, possibly thunder, but didn't see the lightning that should have preceded it. Isn't that strange?

Mrs. Plansky's curiosity turns to concern when Kev disappears. She decides to take matters into her own hands to find some answers. Then Jack, her complicated tennis pro son, goes missing next...

Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue is our resourceful and capable main character, Loretta Plansky's second adventure, and she's fully back at it. Tennis doubles champ. Free-diver. Female-super-sleuth. Is there anything this woman can’t do? I listened to book #1 Mrs. Plansky's Revenge and despite a two-year gap, book #2 was worth the wait.

The audiobook is, once again, expertly narrated by Petrea Burchard. This author/actor's many voice-acting abilities bring each character an individual voice. It should also be noted that Ms. Burchard, like Mrs. Plansky, is a septuagenarian, emphasizing that age is only a number.

Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue focuses on themes of the advantages of age, commitment to family, leveraging relationships, and seeking justice. Be advised: Huge doses of humor and wit went into the making of this book, and if you haven't met Mrs. Plansky yet, you probably should!

4⭐

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Spencer Quinn for the gifted ALC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[CarolG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Plansky (Loretta) is fresh off of winning a thrilling senior tennis championship with her doubles partner, Kev Dinardo, and is gearing up to celebrate with him on his yacht. That is, until the yacht is destroyed in a fire before they even boarded. Kev claims the fire was caused by a lightning strike, pure bad luck, but there's one small problem—Mrs. Plansky didn't see any lightning. When Kev disappears, Mrs. Plansky's curiosity turns to concern and her suspicion gets the better of her leading to more trouble than a going-on-72-year-old needs.

This is the second audiobook featuring Mrs. Plansky that I've listened to and I loved Petrea Burchard's narration just as much as in the first book. She really seemed to be enjoying the story as much as I was and I felt like I was in Mrs. Plansky's head. She voiced all of the characters and did a fantastic job. Being an older female and having undergone a hip replacement recently, I could totally empathize with Mrs. Plansky. Not much fazes her and her mind works in wondrous ways. On top of her adventures trying to determine what happened to Kev, she has her 98-year-old father, a rather cantankerous fellow, living with her and also her son Jack seems to have gone missing. They are a great bunch of characters and I was doing some serious chuckling.

It's not necessary to have read the first book, Mrs. Plansky's Revenge, before reading this one but I recommend it highly. I enjoyed the story in the first book more than this one.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio, via Netgalley, for approving my request to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: July 15, 2025

[Laurie Conney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actually I didn’t finish the audiobook. Why? I couldn’t take one more second of Loretta doubting herself! I’m disappointed in this approach and found her portrayal as a physically capable yet mentally dodgy senior tedious.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the first Mrs Plansky book, but still quite enjoyable. Mrs Plansky’s inner musings, however, sounded quite a bit more like Chet the detective dog’s monologues than I had noticed before. 🤣

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, I am done with Mrs. Plansky and her totally improbable adventures! Between her obsession with her long deceased friend Tee-Tee and the rambling internal monologue, I started wondering if she was getting senile or something. She was starting to sound a lot like Chet from Mr. Quinn's other series, except it sounds much cuter coming from a dog who can't count higher than 3.

[Robin Hatcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook
Every time Mrs. Plansky’s thoughts wander down some random trail, I think of Chet in Quinn’s Chet and Bernie series. It’s cute in the dog. Less cute after a while in his almost-72-year-old Plansky. Still, I enjoyed the book enough to say I’m glad I read it, but suspension of disbelief is definitely required to make it to the end. (Note: I loved Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge.)

Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Loved it. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Glad I read it. Will probably read more by this author.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed others so much more.
1🌟 = I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 🌞
Pub date: 7.15.25
📖 Thank you NetGalley & Tor Publishing Group for an early copy of Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue!

🍊vibes: Mrs. Plansky fits perfectly into the “old people who solve murders” budding genre. Think Columbo, Only Murders in the Building, Thursday Murder Club, etc. If you liked Nita Prose’s The Maid, you’ll like this too!

📙plot: Mrs. Plansky must solve the case of an exploded boat, a missing tennis partner, & her elusive son.

🫖Following the plot and the actual location of the characters was difficult most of the time. I’m not sure if it was my own reading experience or the actual writing style, but the book felt as though it could’ve used more signals when we jumped from place to place. The ending also felt disconnected and rushed. I had so many questions as to the relevance of various plot points. Overall, the story fell flat for me even though I enjoyed the characters.

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S MRS PLANSKY GOES ROGUE ABOUT?
Mrs. Plansky and Kev Dinardo (who I think we met briefly toward the end of her first book), win an exciting mixed doubles tournament between a couple of retirement communities. Flush with victory and excitement, they head back to his home to celebrate on his yacht. Their mood is sobered considerably when his yacht explodes in front of them. Kev tells the fire department that it was lightning that hit the boat.

The next day, Mrs. Plansky returns to check on Kev and is told he's not available. The person who tells her this seems...off. But she accepts him for who he claims to be. Mostly. But when she can't find Kev and it looks like his home has been ransacked.

When she factors in the fact that she didn't see any lightning and that Kev seems to have been involved—at least a little bit—with her son and his probably criminal associates...all sorts of bells go off in Mrs. Plansky's head and she starts to do a little sleuthing.

Things get interesting—and perhaps a little dangerous—after that.

Also, I should mention that the alligator on the cover is not just there for decoration.

YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY, BUT...I JUST HAD NO PATIENCE
When I started writing this post, I was afraid I was going to have to walk back something I said last year when I wrote about Mrs. Plansky Gets Revenge. So I went back and read that post. Turns out, I agree with myself. Last year, I wrote:

I loved most of the characters (even the bad guys). And even...when I didn't like the characters, I appreciated the way Quinn wrote them. The one exception is her father, who lives in a nearby assisted living facility. I'm not sure that we needed Mrs. Plansky's father as a character—I think he was supposed to be both comic relief and just one more source of financial pressure for her. I don't think the comedy worked all that well—and Quinn could've given us another source for the pressure.

It turns out that I have an even dimmer view of her father as a character this time (as a person, I'm just as impressed). I didn't find him, his antics, or his behavior amusing at all. I found scenes that he was in tiresome at best—and I don't think Mrs. Plansky came across half as well in them as she does in the rest of the book.

I hope that I'm alone in this and that the rest of Quinn's readers don't get what I'm saying. I just don't see it, and hope that the events of this book take him off the board for most of the next book.

MRS. PLANSKY'S CHETTIFICATION
I write frequently about Quinn's other ongoing series, the Chet and Bernie mysteries. And Chet is one of my favorite characters in detective fiction—and one of my favorite dogs in fiction. That said, we don't need another Chet. And there are times in this book that I think Mrs. Plansky got too close to it.

She's under stress, she's dealing with injury and confusion (and possibly a concussion at one point). But there are times when the omniscient narrator gives us a look into her thought processes and she comes across as distractible and erratic as our beloved canine hero. That carries over at least once to a conversation she has with a human.

I'm not saying it's not realistic, nor am I suggesting that it's wrong to think that a woman in her seventies might not be as wholly lucid as she was a decade or two ago—or as lucid as she wants to be. It's just...when she reminds you of a non-human character...it's not good. Particularly when the book usually shows her as strong and capable—determinedly working through a world that's ready to dismiss her because of her age.

Quinn's capable of better.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT MRS PLANSKY GOES ROGUE?
This was not my favorite book by Quinn (nor was it my least favorite), and I wasn't as enchanted by Mrs. Plansky this time. But let's not for a moment think that means I didn't have a lot of fun with this book. Also, I'm more than ready to see what Quinn has in store for her. (There's no way that he leaves this here; at the very least, Kev needs to get some stability in his life)

I do like the...I don't want to say growth, that feels out of place—the development of Mrs. Plansky's character. She's gained some good confidence in herself after her Romanian adventures. This doesn't mean she's impervious to self-doubt or braver than she should be. But she knows—and can prove—that she's capable of more than what most people think she is. She can see this through—although she knows she needs help.

There were some good twists—some surprises that I don't know that I fully enjoyed, and a couple that I did. And I did enjoy this read—and most people who met Mrs. Plansky in the first book will, too. And I'm very glad to see that she isn't the victim of anything—this time she's just someone in the wrong place at the wrong time who decided to do something about it.

I do recommend this to the growing audience for senior citizen amateur sleuths out there (more than I would most others in the subgenre), it's fun, and Mrs. Plansky is a great character that you cannot help but root for—in her investigation and on the tennis court.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

[Julie Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Goodreads and Forge for the ARC. I really enjoyed this book, despite not having read the first book in the series. It's a fun, quick-to-read, cozy mystery á la Murder She Wrote and Father Brown. This book was really close to a 4-star for me. It was ultimately down to me not being able to handle another line of dialogue from Chandler Plansky. I wanted to slap that man every time he entered a chapter, and no one would fault Loretta for committing patricide. I said what I said. All in all, I'm looking forward to jumping back to read Mrs. Plansky's Revenge and future installments.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this book and thought the narration was fine. I wasn't a huge fan of the story itself. It is a mystery that I just never was able to get into. I kept starting over thinking that I was missing something. I didn't realize until I was done listening that this was the second book in a series. I think if I had read the first book I might have liked this one more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC.

[Beppie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went rogue, as well! Review to follow... 🐊

Spencer Quinn has added Book 2 to the Mrs. Plansky: Investigative Retiree Series! And I must say, it has all of the delightfully madcap, larger than life qualities that defined Book 1, "Mrs. Plansky's Revenge. "

This new sleuthing go-around has our intrepid Loretta staying closer to home in the lovely but dangerous state of Florida. Apparently, there is mystery aplenty in paradise, and sooner than you can say, "I think I'll take a nap," mayhem explodes (literally!) and our Mrs. Plansky is not one to ignore a little noisy mayhem!

Quite soon, missing tennis partners, exploding yachts, sunken treasure, and dealing with various nefarious people (as well as the police!) fill Loretta's days (and sleepless nights) with enough adventure and danger to last a lifetime! But knowing Mrs. Plansky, it will only last her until the weekend! Lol!🕵‍♀️

[R J Mckay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.

Mrs. Plansky is clever, resourceful and determined. She is also a ‘woman of a certain age’. She is relatable (coming from another woman of a certain age). You’ll match wits with this woman and her crime solving skills as she puzzles through the clues and finds the answer.

So entertaining. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

[Scott Gatzke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in this series much more than this one. Mrs. Plansky's complete befuddlement in the simplest conversations or by simple questions became very annoying. Her lack of concentration and her confusion were very reminiscent of another of Quinn's main characters, Chet, from the Chet and Bernie series. Chet's confusion and lack of understanding are much cuter and more understandable in that Chet is a dog. (A great series, by the way) Anyone with Mrs. Plansky's issues shouldn't be allowed to drive a car. She's only 71 years old but must be well into some kind of dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carl Hiaasen meets the Thursday Murder Club. Fun and breezy!

Thank you Libro.fm for the advance listener copy.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny. Refreshing. Enjoyable. And… outrageous!!

This is the second book I’ve read regarding Mrs. Plansky! She is an elderly woman, who doesn’t seem to retain that fact, as she acts like she’s 25, but has the aches and pains to prove that she in fact is NOT 25! And, it’s hysterical!
So, in this edition, Mrs. Plansky has just won a doubles (tennis) match with her partner, Kev Dinardo. They’re going to celebrate on his yacht when it literally blows up in front of them!

And then, Kev goes missing. So, of course, Mrs. Plansky begins an investigation to find him…involving many others in her scheme too!

During all of this, we find that her Dad has moved in with her (and out of the assisted living facility). At times he seems forgetful, at other times, totally lucid. And she discovers that her Dad somehow introduced Kev and her son Jack to each other…some type of business association… but the details are murky…

And then, the other shoe drops… as no one has heard from Jack in a few days… and he can’t be found either!

And, the more investigating she does, the more frightened she’s feeling… as bad people seem to be showing up everywhere… 😮

If you are looking for something light, funny, scary, insane… and sometimes totally unrealistic (but still hysterical!), please don’t pass this one by! It’s definitely a keeper!!

4 big, bright, scary yet totally mesmerizing 🌟🌟🌟🌟 for me!

#MrsPlanskyGoesRogue by @SpencerQuinn and narrated beautifully by @PetreaBurchard.

*** THIS ONE HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!! PLEASE LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON JULY 15, 2025!!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

[The Reading Raccoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue is the second novel in the Mrs. Plansky series, featuring a sharp and spirited septuagenarian who once again finds herself caught up in a criminal scheme.

Fresh off her “Romanian adventure” from the first book, Mrs. Plansky is back in Florida, playing tennis and dealing with her new roommate, her ninety-eight-year-old father who was asked to leave his assisted living facility. But one night, after a particularly competitive mixed doubles championship between the New and Old Sunshine Tennis Clubs, Mrs. Plansky witnesses her tennis partner Ken’s yacht explode. The official story is that it was a lightning strike, but Mrs. Plansky has her doubts. Her suspicions only deepen when Ken goes missing. Before long, she’s neck-deep in shady financiers, sunken treasures, and, somehow, her adult son Jack is involved as well.

This is a fun, fast-paced mystery that proves life’s twists and turns don’t stop just because you’re a senior citizen. I love Mrs. Plansky’s curiosity, humor, and modesty, and I look forward to her future adventures!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disclosure: An advance copy of Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue was provided by Forge Books for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Donna Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being of a certain age, I enjoy reading about an intelligent woman, also of a certain age, and how she analyzes any situation.

Lucrecia, the home healthcare worker for Mrs Plansky’s 98-year-old father, “looked something like Carmen Miranda, minus the glamour part.” She reported on his health and that of his new, much younger, girlfriend.

Well, Loretta Plansky appears to be older than she is, because, although she is highly intelligent, she gets easily distracted. She meanders in her thinking and her actions. However, she remains a great athlete in both swimming and tennis.

In addition to her athletic pursuits, Loretta solves cases, such as kidnappings. Yet, to me, she was more interesting in the first book.

[Rosemond Cates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it! Mrs. Plansky stole my heart in Quinn's first book, Mrs. Plansky's Revenge. She is so witty, spunky, and at the same time believable. An excellent, lovable character! And it is this same character that makes Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue work. The plot is good, though not quite as intoxicating as the first book. I felt like I might have a lot of questions if I had not already read the first book in the series. The name changes/aliases of some of the characters gets a little confusing here and there and there are a few chaotic points here and there that make those scenes a bit difficult to follow (especially in the audio format), but overall I still loved it. I will absolutely read any future Mrs. Plansky books!

[Paulette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed “Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue” by Spencer Quinn, another clever mystery featuring Loretta Plansky, an intrepid septuagenarian Florida retiree who gets herself wrapped up in solving a fishy scheme involving buried treasure, explosions, alligators, and general mayhem. I liked the plot, and the characters, including Mrs. Plansky and her squirrelly 90ish dad, are fun and appealing. An engaging, quick read.

[Mary Tonks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, an enjoyable read. Mrs. Plansky seemed to be super-human at times, but that's author's license.

[Katie]

Libby audio. 45%

[Ashley Urquhart]

DNF 25% - I just couldn’t get into this one. Loretta’s inner monologue wasn’t all that fun to read and I’m not sure why she’s going around investigating this. I get that something feels off, but I wouldn’t personally take a discarded beer can as a clue to pursue.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the first 'Mrs. Plansky' book, Mrs. Plansky's Revenge, the intrepid retiree pursues swindlers who scammed her out of $9,000. In this second novel in the series, Mrs. Plansky searches for a missing friend.

The book works fine as a standalone.

*****

Background: Seventy-one year old Loretta Plansky is having a pleasant retirement in Punta D'Oro, Florida.



Years ago, Loretta and her husband Norm made millions of dollars with their patented 'Plansky Toaster Knife', which slices and toasts bread simultaneously. After Norm passed, Loretta moved into a pretty little condo, and though Loretta misses Norm terribly, she's enjoying her life - shopping, seeing her friends, playing tennis, etc.



At the moment, Mrs. Plansky's 98-year-old father Chandler Wills Banning - a crotchety old coot who got thrown out of his assisted living home - is residing with Mrs Plansky.



Chandler is flat broke, so Mrs. Plansky was paying for his pricey retirement facility. Now Mrs. Plansky is supporting Chandler in her home, where he has an aide named Lucrecia.



Chandler is also 'romancing' Lucrecia's mother, Clara Dominguez de Soto y Camondo, who frequently stays over.



*****

As the story opens, Mrs. Plansky and her tennis partner, Kev Dinardo. win a mixed doubles match at the New Sunshine Golf and Tennis Club.



After the match, it begins to storm, so Loretta drives Kev and his bicycle home in her SUV, with their tennis trophies clinking in the back.



From Kev's driveway, Mrs. Plansky observes a nice house, the ocean, a strip of white beach, and Kev's white, crimson-trimmed yacht named Lizette. Loretta is admiring the sleek yacht when it bursts into flames, explodes, and is replaced by a ball of fire.



When firefighters arrive, Kev says his insurance will cover the debacle because it was an 'Act of God' - a lightning strike. But Mrs. Plansky didn't see any lightning.

The tennis trophies are forgotten in the mêlée, so Mrs. Plansky drives to Kev's house the next day, to give him his prize. Kev's door is answered by a big man who says he's Mitch from the insurance company.....and that Kev is away.



This is followed by some shady occurrences, and Kev doesn't call or show up. Mrs. Plansky comes to suspect Kev's boat was blown up on purpose, and that Kev is missing. Mrs. Plansky goes to the police, but the detective treats her like a confused old lady with dementia, so Loretta decides to search for Kev herself.



This results in threats to Loretta AND her son Jack, who Loretta now learns was involved in some kind of business with Kev.



Mrs. Plansky isn't your average retiree, and her exploits include breaking into Kev's house (twice); freediving; kayaking; swimming; sneaking around a beer brewery; flying to the Bahamas in a private plane; saving people's lives; and more.



As all this is going on, Mrs. Plansky has to deal with her father's antics, which involve frequent complaints; doing things behind Loretta's back; helping himself to Loretta's things; getting engaged; making himself an engagement party with a band; and more.



Some of the fun parts of the novel are Mrs. Plansky's inner thoughts - like the time she tries to figure out the code for a digital lock; or when she's not sure if the insurance man is called Mitch or Mr. Mitch. Despite Loretta's occasional confusion, she gets to the bottom of things in the end, and her spunk is admirable.



The story has a variety of interesting characters, such as Chandler's lady friends at his old retirement home; a journalist who pilots her own plane; Kev Dinardo's ex-wife; a helpful barefoot fisherman; Loretta's daughter Nina; Nina's new beau Hamish; an alligator named Fairbanks; and more.



This book doesn't have quite the verve of the first Mrs. Plansky novel. Still, it's fun to go on an adventure with Loretta, and I suspect Loretta will have more exploits in the future.



I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Petrea Burchard, who does a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Spencer Quinn, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Melinda Worfolk]

Abandoned at about the 40% mark. I didn’t like it as much as the first one. The plot wasn’t as tight, the events weren’t as interesting, and Mrs. Plansky’s inner monologue wasn’t as endearing as in the first book.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging. Unrealistic. Wonderful.

[Midge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts slow and there is much speculation by Mrs Plansky. Then picks up and gets really good.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm...not for me. The narrator did a great job bringing these characters to life...however that life is so boring! I couldn't get into to this.
Tha nk you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[C.R. Comacchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy of this audiobook.

Mrs. Plansky (Loretta, though something about her just makes Mrs. Plansky better suited) is a smart and spry 70-something widow ‘of means’ happily retired to an upscale Florida community. This is Quinn’s second cozy mystery featuring her, though it stands effectively alone.

Loretta Plansky is the latest in a growing number of inadvertent ‘senior’ sleuths, many of whom are women. Interestingly, most are widowed, divorced or never-married, which helps immeasurably with the kind of sneaking around involved in solving mysteries. She is widowed after a happy marriage, but though she misses her late husband and thinks about him often, she is admirably focussed on moving forward.

As is often the case with senior main characters (as in real life), she is independent but not unencumbered. Her 98 year old father lives with her, and is clearly in the early stages of dementia. He was kicked out of his retirement home for bad behaviour, especially involving women. He thinks the condo is his and she’s dependant on him. As also typical, he rejects any notion that he has dementia and gaslights her (and everyone else). Considering that he’s practically a centenarian, he’s very ‘amorous’ and she now has to contend with his fiancée, his caregiver’s mother, who has basically moved in too. They are preparing a lavish wedding.

Really the book is more about Mrs. Plansky and her relationship issues than the core mystery. She worries about her 30-something son, Jack, a former college tennis star who is having trouble getting a foothold in a sustainable career. Is he missing too, since she can’t seem to get hold of him? She worries that her father, a master of shady deals, might have gotten him involved in one.

Then there is the matter of Kev Dinardo, a condo neighbour and her tennis partner. They have just won a doubles tournament when the story begins. Their tennis partnership is slowly becoming something more romantic, or so she thinks. But their post-tournament first kiss literally becomes a lightning strike, which then becomes a potential insurance fraud in which she might be implicated. And he too seems to have disappeared.

The first half is essentially about Mrs. Plansky’s growing suspicion that all is not as it seems with the handsome and charming Kevin. There are hints that he is involved in less-than-legitimate deals. As the story unfolds, she starts to think that all three of the men in her life are basically up to no good. And, oddly enough, that they might have become entwined in the same scheme. Of course, she has to unravel the details, ‘save’ them from real trouble, and protect herself, all at once. This makes for some tense, and comical, situations.

The book’s major strength is in its characterization and humour. Even the frequently disgusting Joe is ultimately a funny old guy, though there are times when I felt uneasy about the possible line-crossing over Alzheimer’s as a source of amusement. Mrs. Plansky is admirable in her resourcefulness and determination to save her men, who are far weaker people than she is. But I kept wishing that she would just save herself and let them sink or swim. That wouldn’t make for much of a story, though, and this one is lively and fun. Kudos to narrator Petrea Burchard, who very effectively did all the voices.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Main characters who are senior citizens make novels attractive to, shall we say, readers of a certain age. Like me. With Loretta Plansky, Spencer Quinn has created a protagonist who not only is a senior citizen (she qualified for Medicare six years ago), but has some of the same aches and pains and elder problems that we face. However, unlike some other older characters in recent novels, Mrs. Plansky had not been an assassin or a CIA agent.

Mrs. Plansky and her late husband, Norm, made their modest fortune (she says she's merely very comfortable) creating a knife that also toasted bread. She's now living in Florida, playing tennis, getting used to her new hip, and dealing with her irascible father, who moved in with her after he was kicked out of a residential facility.

In the first novel, MRS. PLANSKY’S REVENGE, Mrs. Plansky’s pluck and determination are evident. We also see her intelligence, as well as her sometimes-failing memory and her soft side. Now she's back in Florida, and at the start of MRS. PLANSKY GOES ROGUE, she has just won a doubles tournament with her handsome partner, Kev Dinardo. It's raining, and since Kev had ridden his bike to the club, Mrs. Plansky drives him home. In the driveway of his beautiful house, she sees his large yacht momentarily before she hears the sound of a huge explosion. The yacht is destroyed in a raging fire, and not even the rain can dampen the flames. But Mrs. Plansky is confused. While Kev says it was hit by lightning, she didn't see any lightning strike. She just heard the loud boom when things exploded.

The next day, Kev is gone, and his house is empty. When her father happens to mention that he connected Kev with her son, Jack, Mrs. Plansky is concerned that she can't reach Jack. Like Kev, his calls go straight to voicemail. So she starts to investigate. And she does a darn good job.

Some deep diving (literally into the ocean off Kev's house), a little B&E (breaking and entering), a lot of phone calls, and two airplane flights are part of Mrs. Plansky's rogue adventures. One flight is definitely more exciting --- dare I say deadlier --- than the other. Spanish sunken ships, crooks, craft beer and a monstrous alligator named Fairbanks all inhabit this clever, delightful novel.

Mrs. Plansky never fails to entertain, and her admirable personality, intrepid nature and ability to persevere are inspiring. Spencer Quinn's narrative, with a narrator who shares Mrs. Plansky's thoughts and emotions as beautifully as any first-person narrative might, will be a tad familiar to fans of his Chet and Bernie series. We can only hope that Mrs. Plansky's adventures continue.

Reviewed by Pamela Kramer