28 - A Book with a Main Character Who's 42 Years Old

[Aquaria]

Lord Peter Wimsey is 42 in Have His Carcase, by Dorothy Sayers. I highly doubt that Ms Sayers will mention that very often. From what I remember of the old Beeb TV series, too much was going on in that storyline to fret over his age.

[Doni]

I think I might stretch this a bit and count The Comfort Book by Matt Haig. He says he is 45 when writing it.

[Danny]

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell will work for this.
The male main character is 42 years old for parts of the story which reflect back in time.

[Brandon]

I was reading the Goodreads mystery/thriller article today, and one of the books, Bad Tourists, mentions that one of the leads is 42. The book comes out this summer, so it will be in time for the challenge's end.

[Doni]

Guys! In Yes, Please by Amy Poehler, she is 42! That's what I'm loving about this year's prompts... they seem so hard and then I end up finding several books that fulfill them.

[Jennifer W]

Today I picked back up Hanging Mary, which I had put down for months. Mary Surratt just mentioned that she is 42!

Now if I can finish it before it's due back at the library...

[Jaimi]

I absolutely stumbled into this one by accident -- The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay. The first sentence is "It's my forty-second birthday." The final essay is written on his 43rd birthday.

[Jennifer W]

While reading Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama: The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution, the author mentioned that Rosa Parks was 42 when she refused to give up her seat on a bus starting the bus boycotts.

[Trish]

Woohoo. Found one by accident.

For anyone who likes cozy mysteries, Murder Uncorked is a first full book in a series (although there's apparently a Christmas novella prequel), and fairly early on it helpfully says: "I might be moderately attractive at forty-two, but a babe I was not."

[Julia]

[Cathern]

Would the book The Ball at Versailles work for this prompt? I'm pretty sure the mother of one of the girls, who has a pov, is 42 for some part of the book.

[Theresa]

Loving Rose by Stephanie Laurens - MC and narrator Thomas is 42 years old. I have read and reread this and while skimming a few favorite chapters in midst of insomnia last night (an effort to calm a too busy mind), spotted where his age is mentioned. Though technically part of a series or two, it really can stand alone.

In meantime, thanks to whoever found Murder Uncorked. I whipped that off in no time and knocked this prompt off.

Also, I just read The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie for an Agatha Christie challenge, and it does NOT have a 42 year old in it. The info here is incorrect.

[Irene]

In case this helps anyone, I just realized that the narrator/main character of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is 42! I gave it 4 stars when I read it in 2020. I recommend it as a quick and easy read for those of you who enjoy psychological thrillers.

Here's a link to the quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9686...
It's from the beginning of Chapter 3.

[Fannie]

I am rereading The Caves of Steel and on the first page, we learn that Elijah Bailey (the MC) is 42 years old.

[Paula]

Small Mercies

[Britany]

Finished The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[LeahS]

That looks a good choice, Britany. Out of interest, who is 42?

[Sherri]

I read You Are Here

[Britany]

LeahS wrote: "That looks a good choice, Britany. Out of interest, who is 42?"

I am shocked that this didn't make any lists Leah. It's the psychotherapist Theo Faber that is 42, and it's the first sentence of chapter 3. He's the MC that's trying to get Alicia to speak.

[LeahS]

Thank you very much, Britany.

[Irene]

LeahS wrote: "Thank you very much, Britany."

Leah, I shared a link to the quote above (message #63)!

[The Pampered Librarian]

Britany wrote: "LeahS wrote: "That looks a good choice, Britany. Out of interest, who is 42?"

I am shocked that this didn't make any lists Leah. It's the psychotherapist Theo Faber that is 42, and it's the first ..."

Thanks, Britany! The Silent Patient was already on my shelf and I didn't realize it fit anywhere. Thanks to your post, I started reading it yesterday :-)

[Britany]

wooo hooooo

[LeahS]

Thanks to Britany (and I now realise Irene also mentioned it), I read The Silent Patient, an entertaining thriller with several twists - I did almost see the ending, but not quite as it worked out. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, this is a good, fast read.

[Britany]

glad you enjoyed it Leah!

[The Pampered Librarian]

LeahS wrote: "Thanks to Britany (and I now realise Irene also mentioned it), I read The Silent Patient, an entertaining thriller with several twists - I did almost see the ending, but not quite a..."

So there is more of us :D I finished the The Silent Patient yesterday, also thanks to Britany's post above.
It kept my interest quite a bit at first. But then the closer it was getting to the end, the less interested I was in how it was going to wrap up. The ending was so unclimatic to me, I was not so much dissapointed as ... it was just a big "Ugh!" to me. Quite a few things towards the end didn't make sense to me. And I do agree with another reviewer of that book on how the female characters were represented in the novel -- seemed rather problematic. Not sure if I will give Michaelides another try. Three stars from me.

[Theresa]

The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen - MC is 42. Nordic funny thriller

[LeahS]

Theresa wrote: "The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen - MC is 42. Nordic funny thriller"

I did enjoy that book.

[K.L.]

If you enjoy the Garfield comics, he turns 42 in Garfield Road Pizza: His 73rd Book.

[Theresa]

LeahS wrote: "Theresa wrote: "The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen - MC is 42. Nordic funny thriller"

I did enjoy that book."


I stayed up late reading it last night - so enjoyed it! Definitely reading more of this author.

[K.L.]

The main character of Til Death Do Us Bard is 42.

[Theresa]

The Man Who Died Twice - MI5 agent, a primary character, is 42 years old.

[Theresa]

Dead Man's Leap by Tina deBellegarde - MC Bianca is 42. Was she getting creaky at forty-two? - p. 175

This is a cozy mystery, 2nd in series. Since events in it take place the year after the 1st in series, no idea if age would be same. I am reading it for leap in title prompt without having readfirst and it is very enjoyable though there are spoilers for first. It's such a small town mystery with many secondary characters, events, some serious themes like bullying, theft, mourning one's spouse and more that it doesn't feel as if when I finally read the first, the mystery will be spoiled.

Series has fabulous covers.

[Lauredhel]

For romance readers, Teach Me by Olivia Dade works. Teach Me

[Joanna G]

So I'm reading A Fine Balance for one of my book clubs. It does span some time - there's a group of characters that comes together, but each gets an extended backstory. However, in the period where they're all working together, another character comments that one of them is still attractive at 42. So, woohoo, that'll work for this prompt!

[Allegra]

Doni wrote: "Guys! In Yes, Please by Amy Poehler, she is 42! That's what I'm loving about this year's prompts... they seem so hard and then I end up finding several books that fulfill them."

Huzzah! I read this earlier this year, so I owe you for this solution

[Laura Ruth]

Finished Presidential Mission, from Upton Sinclair's Lanny Budd series:

http://www.lauraruthloomis.com/whats-...

[JessicaMHR]

Ok, so I did a little digging and it turns out in 2023, when his memoir came out Andrew Leland is 42!. His memoir The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight, talks about his past experiences but also a lot about how he manages and deals today, in his daily life. So I think it still counts.

This was a good read and a bit eye opening as well.

[Anna]

Someone added Funny Story to the listopia for this prompt. I don't remember a specific age for wither of the MCs, can someone remind me? (Book went back to the library ages ago)

Would be great if it works, since I've already read it and can just fill this prompt in.

[Nadine in NY]

Anna wrote: "Someone added Funny Story to the listopia for this prompt. I don't remember a specific age for wither of the MCs, can someone remind me? (Book went back to the library ages ago)

W..."



I don't think so, I think Daphne and Miles are in their mid 30s. Maybe a side character was 42?

[Kendra]

Lauredhel wrote: "For romance readers, Teach Me by Olivia Dade works. Teach Me"

Thankyou for suggesting this. I read and enjoyed it.

[Dedra ~ A Book Wanderer]

Nadine in NY wrote: "Anna wrote: "Someone added Funny Story to the listopia for this prompt. I don't remember a specific age for wither of the MCs, can someone remind me? (Book went back to the library..."

I just spent way too much time flipping through the book to figure out if anyone is 42, and it's Ashleigh, Daphne's friend at the library. She says it's about to be her birthday, and she'll be turning forty-three. I guess technically she's not a main character, but she's on-page a lot. I'd count it!

[laurel!]

Turns out the main detective protagonist of Everything You Have Is Mine is 42, if anyone's still looking for something sort of like Poirot!

[Michele]

Just finished The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies, and its sequel is already on my TBR list, even though it doesn't come out until April of next year.