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rebelkiss's review against another edition
3.0
It drug on and hurt my heart when dealing with death and old age. Part of the ending took my by surprise.
judithdcollins's review
3.0
THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN by Hallie Ephron is a realistic reminder, of how it is “heck” growing old and aging. An intriguing suspense mystery surrounding the lengths some will go for greed, as they prey on the aging.
The story starts out a little slow with the background; however, gains speed the second half when elements start falling into place for a mystery thriller.
The book opens with Mina (90, independent and feisty), as she is reading obituaries, as another one “bites the dust”, and is added to her list. The neighbor tells Mina to call her daughter, Ginger with an encrypted message. Mina calls Ginger, who informs her sister Evie, it is her turn to care for their elderly, alcoholic mother (Sandra). Evie is in the middle of a project but agrees to look after her mom. After leaving the hospital she returns to her mother’s house to find a mess of a hoarder among other strange things.
A series of events occur and some man keeps hanging around wanting to fix things. Evie does not have a good feeling about this man. She learns several of the homes in the neighborhood have been burned, sold, or torn down, as a developer is trying to buy all the properties.
In the meantime, Mina’s nephew wants to move her into an assisted living so he can get his hands on her home. In addition, Mina starts losing papers, leaves stove on, and gets knocked down by a car. Is some trying to setup these elderly, in order to make them think they are losing it?
Evie becomes convinced that Mina’s forgetfulness is not simply due to her age, and Mina’s nephew, who insists that Mina move into a nursing home, may be hiding something. Evie and Mina team up to get to the bottom on this mystery in the neighborhood, triggering the elderly. The two women share more than a neighborhood, but also a past one wants to preserve and the other hopes to forget.
Readers will connect with Mina, and as one of the reviewers mentioned, we all love Grandma Mazur (from Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series), and Mina comes in at a close second!
There are some nice tie in’s—Evie is a fireman's daughter who witnessed a tragic blaze at a young age, she is curating a show for a historical society about the day in 1945 a lost B-25 bomber slammed into the Empire State Building—a crash, as it happens, Mina survived. Told from both Evie's and Mina's perspectives offering a bit of an historical fiction and a light mystery combo.
Listened to the audiobook with narrator, Nan McNamara who has a pleasing voice. Would recommend to readers who enjoy light mysteries, not die hard-heart pounding suspense crime thrillers, as may not be exciting enough to please this audience.
http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/post/917506/there-was-an-old-woman
The story starts out a little slow with the background; however, gains speed the second half when elements start falling into place for a mystery thriller.
The book opens with Mina (90, independent and feisty), as she is reading obituaries, as another one “bites the dust”, and is added to her list. The neighbor tells Mina to call her daughter, Ginger with an encrypted message. Mina calls Ginger, who informs her sister Evie, it is her turn to care for their elderly, alcoholic mother (Sandra). Evie is in the middle of a project but agrees to look after her mom. After leaving the hospital she returns to her mother’s house to find a mess of a hoarder among other strange things.
A series of events occur and some man keeps hanging around wanting to fix things. Evie does not have a good feeling about this man. She learns several of the homes in the neighborhood have been burned, sold, or torn down, as a developer is trying to buy all the properties.
In the meantime, Mina’s nephew wants to move her into an assisted living so he can get his hands on her home. In addition, Mina starts losing papers, leaves stove on, and gets knocked down by a car. Is some trying to setup these elderly, in order to make them think they are losing it?
Evie becomes convinced that Mina’s forgetfulness is not simply due to her age, and Mina’s nephew, who insists that Mina move into a nursing home, may be hiding something. Evie and Mina team up to get to the bottom on this mystery in the neighborhood, triggering the elderly. The two women share more than a neighborhood, but also a past one wants to preserve and the other hopes to forget.
Readers will connect with Mina, and as one of the reviewers mentioned, we all love Grandma Mazur (from Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series), and Mina comes in at a close second!
There are some nice tie in’s—Evie is a fireman's daughter who witnessed a tragic blaze at a young age, she is curating a show for a historical society about the day in 1945 a lost B-25 bomber slammed into the Empire State Building—a crash, as it happens, Mina survived. Told from both Evie's and Mina's perspectives offering a bit of an historical fiction and a light mystery combo.
Listened to the audiobook with narrator, Nan McNamara who has a pleasing voice. Would recommend to readers who enjoy light mysteries, not die hard-heart pounding suspense crime thrillers, as may not be exciting enough to please this audience.
http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/post/917506/there-was-an-old-woman
kdurham2's review against another edition
3.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
A slow start, but a great finish to this thriller. A young woman who has spent her professional life preserving moments from the past for others to enjoy for years to come, when she is ripped out of her normal routine to her hometown to take care of her suddenly ailing mother. Along with an elderly neighbor who is quite a feisty one they uncover a plot that is ripping through their neighborhood and the real question is who is behind the plot.
A slow start, but a great finish to this thriller. A young woman who has spent her professional life preserving moments from the past for others to enjoy for years to come, when she is ripped out of her normal routine to her hometown to take care of her suddenly ailing mother. Along with an elderly neighbor who is quite a feisty one they uncover a plot that is ripping through their neighborhood and the real question is who is behind the plot.
carolpk's review against another edition
3.0
I heard Hallie Ephron speak at The Big Book Club Getaway at Mohegan Sun as part of a mystery panel a few weeks ago. I knew the name Ephron from having read Hallie's sister Nora's books. Hallie mentions this too, almost like she's the other Ephron. Actually there are more Ephron women but that's another story. This Ephron immediately hooked me with her synopsis of her soon (April 2nd) to be published book. I had to get my hands on it quick. Thank you William Morrow for providing an e-galley.
[b:There Was an Old Woman: A Novel of Suspense|15818191|There Was an Old Woman A Novel of Suspense|Hallie Ephron|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350314468s/15818191.jpg|21545799]is a mystery but not of the usual sort. It is more a look at aging and how we care-take our elders, be it relations or neighbors. It's a glimpse of mental illness, memory loss, bilking of the aged, topics that are far more serious than the light mystery presented.
Evie Ferrente is busy with the final touches on an exhibit of a historical fire in which a plane hits the Empire State Building in the 40's. Not the time to have to take care of her mother, an alcoholic, hospitalized yet again. It's Evie's turn according to her sister and Evie down right resents the responsibility. After all, it's her mother's fault she's in this predicament To make matters worse, when Evie arrives at her mother's home it is a disaster, a dirty, stinking, hard to be believed, hoarders mess. How did it get this way in a just a few months? As Evie starts to clean out the house readying it to bring her mom home, she finds some strange, completely out of place items, like a big screen tv, top shelf liquor, money, things her mother couldn't afford. Then there's the neighbor, Mina, who Evie forms a strong bond. She's a delightful older woman who is having periods of forgetfulness. Mina's nephew suggests she move to an assisted living center. Mina and we, the reader, immediately wonder at his good intentions. These are the mysteries but as originally stated there is much more going on here.
Ephron describes her setting of The Bronx neighborhood, Higgs Point as "a few facts fueling a lot of fiction". For anyone growing up in this area the book would be a winner.
I liked the background history in this novel and the characters. I'm definitely going to try another Hallie Ephron book.
[b:There Was an Old Woman: A Novel of Suspense|15818191|There Was an Old Woman A Novel of Suspense|Hallie Ephron|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350314468s/15818191.jpg|21545799]is a mystery but not of the usual sort. It is more a look at aging and how we care-take our elders, be it relations or neighbors. It's a glimpse of mental illness, memory loss, bilking of the aged, topics that are far more serious than the light mystery presented.
Evie Ferrente is busy with the final touches on an exhibit of a historical fire in which a plane hits the Empire State Building in the 40's. Not the time to have to take care of her mother, an alcoholic, hospitalized yet again. It's Evie's turn according to her sister and Evie down right resents the responsibility. After all, it's her mother's fault she's in this predicament To make matters worse, when Evie arrives at her mother's home it is a disaster, a dirty, stinking, hard to be believed, hoarders mess. How did it get this way in a just a few months? As Evie starts to clean out the house readying it to bring her mom home, she finds some strange, completely out of place items, like a big screen tv, top shelf liquor, money, things her mother couldn't afford. Then there's the neighbor, Mina, who Evie forms a strong bond. She's a delightful older woman who is having periods of forgetfulness. Mina's nephew suggests she move to an assisted living center. Mina and we, the reader, immediately wonder at his good intentions. These are the mysteries but as originally stated there is much more going on here.
Ephron describes her setting of The Bronx neighborhood, Higgs Point as "a few facts fueling a lot of fiction". For anyone growing up in this area the book would be a winner.
I liked the background history in this novel and the characters. I'm definitely going to try another Hallie Ephron book.
mwgerard's review against another edition
4.0
A smart mystery. My review here: http://mwgerard.com/review-there-was-an-old-woman-by-hallie-ephron/
labtracks's review against another edition
3.0
Somewhat predictable, but still a decent read. I liked the characters and the plot was actually something I could see happening.
jtferdon's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 Stars. I think the biggest issue I had with this book is that I was expecting a fast paced suspenseful book. I enjoyed the setting and premise but I knew very early what was happening and I really don’t like when it is so obvious. The characters were under developed as well. It was a fast read and ok.
marinapalacio's review against another edition
5.0
Sorprendente y muy original. Simplemente me encanto.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
A 2013 staff fiction favorite. Recommended by Jane.
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sthere%20was%20an%20old%20woman%20ephron__Orightresult__U1?lang=eng&suite=pearl
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sthere%20was%20an%20old%20woman%20ephron__Orightresult__U1?lang=eng&suite=pearl