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No Oil Painting
Bored septuagenarian Maureen enlivens a pub lunch by asking her shocked fellow National Trust volunteers what item they’d steal from Ham House. This daft game plants a dangerous seed in her head.
With no children of her own, Maureen has become very close to her niece and great-niece, after her sister died over ten years earlier. So she’s distraught to hear that they’re relocating to New York. At the volunteers’ Christmas party, she also learns that her favourite painting will move to a Scottish castle. Gripped by an apparent eve-of-life crisis, Maureen plans to steal the painting during onsite filming of a Poirot drama. After a series of narrow escapes, Maureen makes off with the swag.
The novice fine art thief is rumbled by some fellow room guides, but snitches get stitches and instead of grassing her up, camaraderie wins out and they decide to help. Often written off as an insipid old fart, Maureen’s new set of friends make her feel alive again. No longer quite so invisible, can this unlikely pensioner gang return the now infamous painting without being caught by the Feds?
For fans of upmarket cosy crime, No Oil Painting will have you rooting for Maureen and wishing you were part of her crew.
‘Genevieve Marenghi’s utterly charming, life-affirming heist novel had me laughing out loud’ – Kirsten Miller, New York Times bestselling author
‘Sharply observed and witty, with real warmth. I loved this deftly plotted, sparkling debut.’ - Emma van Straaten, author of This Immaculate Body
‘A warm bath of Britishness. Funny, sunny and beautifully observed’ – Nick Watt, CNN National Correspondent
‘A micro-heist, major intrigue and an army of quirky National Trust volunteers – No Oil Painting is funny, warm and packed with historical detail.’ - Elizabeth Palmer, Senior Foreign Correspondent CBS News
‘Genevieve vividly captures Ham House and life as a guide… Her writing fizzes with mischievous fun, I adored the characters and the story.’ - Katie Wignall, London Badge Tourist Guide/Creator of Look Up London
With no children of her own, Maureen has become very close to her niece and great-niece, after her sister died over ten years earlier. So she’s distraught to hear that they’re relocating to New York. At the volunteers’ Christmas party, she also learns that her favourite painting will move to a Scottish castle. Gripped by an apparent eve-of-life crisis, Maureen plans to steal the painting during onsite filming of a Poirot drama. After a series of narrow escapes, Maureen makes off with the swag.
The novice fine art thief is rumbled by some fellow room guides, but snitches get stitches and instead of grassing her up, camaraderie wins out and they decide to help. Often written off as an insipid old fart, Maureen’s new set of friends make her feel alive again. No longer quite so invisible, can this unlikely pensioner gang return the now infamous painting without being caught by the Feds?
For fans of upmarket cosy crime, No Oil Painting will have you rooting for Maureen and wishing you were part of her crew.
‘Genevieve Marenghi’s utterly charming, life-affirming heist novel had me laughing out loud’ – Kirsten Miller, New York Times bestselling author
‘Sharply observed and witty, with real warmth. I loved this deftly plotted, sparkling debut.’ - Emma van Straaten, author of This Immaculate Body
‘A warm bath of Britishness. Funny, sunny and beautifully observed’ – Nick Watt, CNN National Correspondent
‘A micro-heist, major intrigue and an army of quirky National Trust volunteers – No Oil Painting is funny, warm and packed with historical detail.’ - Elizabeth Palmer, Senior Foreign Correspondent CBS News
‘Genevieve vividly captures Ham House and life as a guide… Her writing fizzes with mischievous fun, I adored the characters and the story.’ - Katie Wignall, London Badge Tourist Guide/Creator of Look Up London
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2025
6 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Genevieve Marenghi
1 book4 followersGenevieve worked for eleven years at the Weekend FT, where she helped create and launch How To Spend It magazine.
She volunteered for years as a National Trust guide at Ham House. This became the setting for her debut art heist novel, No Oil Painting, which was listed for the inaugural Women’s Prize Trust and Curtis Brown Discoveries.
Genevieve’s writing has also been listed for the Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition 2024 and her flash fiction has featured on the acclaimed Failing Writers podcast.
Genevieve lives in London’s burbs with her husband. Fuelled mainly by chocolate, crisps and Prosecco, she values live music and laughing with friends. Recently, she has developed an alarming fondness for museum shops and fridge magnets.
She volunteered for years as a National Trust guide at Ham House. This became the setting for her debut art heist novel, No Oil Painting, which was listed for the inaugural Women’s Prize Trust and Curtis Brown Discoveries.
Genevieve’s writing has also been listed for the Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition 2024 and her flash fiction has featured on the acclaimed Failing Writers podcast.
Genevieve lives in London’s burbs with her husband. Fuelled mainly by chocolate, crisps and Prosecco, she values live music and laughing with friends. Recently, she has developed an alarming fondness for museum shops and fridge magnets.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 1, 2025
3* No Oil Painting - Genevieve Marenghi. A septuagenarian art thief. What’s not to love!
Maureen is a volunteer at Ham House. Bored of the hum-drum of her life, she has limited time for her fellow volunteers, not realising that they all have so much in common. A flippant discussion in the pub about which priceless piece of Ham House art you’d save in a fire, gets Maureen thinking about the paintings she loves but which don’t get fully appreciated.
Having flirted with stealing a small portrait, Maureen’s world is thrown when her niece and her daughter announce they are moving to New York. Realising how small her life has become, Maureen obsesses about stealing her daughter’s favourite picture.
A lovely take on the invisible presence of many older women, particularly those who have little or no family to support. However, as Maureen finds it is often those immediately around you who care more than you could think with their generosity and willingness to help. With neat historical detail, the pace of No Oil Painting would have benefited from a shot of caffeine as the story often ambled down unnecessary detail.
A hugely enjoyable read. Thanks to Burton Mayers and Netgalley for an ARC.
Maureen is a volunteer at Ham House. Bored of the hum-drum of her life, she has limited time for her fellow volunteers, not realising that they all have so much in common. A flippant discussion in the pub about which priceless piece of Ham House art you’d save in a fire, gets Maureen thinking about the paintings she loves but which don’t get fully appreciated.
Having flirted with stealing a small portrait, Maureen’s world is thrown when her niece and her daughter announce they are moving to New York. Realising how small her life has become, Maureen obsesses about stealing her daughter’s favourite picture.
A lovely take on the invisible presence of many older women, particularly those who have little or no family to support. However, as Maureen finds it is often those immediately around you who care more than you could think with their generosity and willingness to help. With neat historical detail, the pace of No Oil Painting would have benefited from a shot of caffeine as the story often ambled down unnecessary detail.
A hugely enjoyable read. Thanks to Burton Mayers and Netgalley for an ARC.
December 11, 2025
I do enjoy a cosy crime, particularity if it involves an older protagonist. No Oil Painting by Genevieve Marenghi fits the bill perfectly.
Maureen is in her seventies and is a trusted volunteer at Ham House, a National Trust property. The other volunteers, along with the paid staff, are a very mixed bunch of characters. I was shocked at the amount of pettiness and jealousy that existed amongst the genteel volunteers. You can probably spot people who have similar character traits to individuals you may have worked with.
A hypothetical conversation is the trigger for what follows. Maureen asks which item everyone would save should a fire break out. Shortly after this conversation, Maureen decides to see if she can actually steal her favorite work of art. Not only is Maureen extremely resourceful, but she also plans to make use of one important skill she possesses - the art of invisibility! Maureen knows that the elderly are frequently overlooked and ignored, and she plans to take full advantage of this. There's no maliciousness in Maureen's actions, it's more a case of trying to see what is possible. She certainly doesn't think through the consequences if she's caught.
There are some funny scenes, as Maureen's plan doesn't always go as she'd hoped, and added to this is the question about what to actually do with the picture once she has it. Alongside the humour, there is some vividly descriptive writing which really brings Ham House to life. The details of the ghost walk left me feeling terrified. There are also some poignant moments, reflecting the nature of growing old, with family and friends no longer around.
I certainly don't feel as if we've seen the last of Maureen; she strikes me as one of those characters who can set her mind to anything and cause trouble while doing so.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on:-
Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
Instagram; @reading_for_leisure_blog
Maureen is in her seventies and is a trusted volunteer at Ham House, a National Trust property. The other volunteers, along with the paid staff, are a very mixed bunch of characters. I was shocked at the amount of pettiness and jealousy that existed amongst the genteel volunteers. You can probably spot people who have similar character traits to individuals you may have worked with.
A hypothetical conversation is the trigger for what follows. Maureen asks which item everyone would save should a fire break out. Shortly after this conversation, Maureen decides to see if she can actually steal her favorite work of art. Not only is Maureen extremely resourceful, but she also plans to make use of one important skill she possesses - the art of invisibility! Maureen knows that the elderly are frequently overlooked and ignored, and she plans to take full advantage of this. There's no maliciousness in Maureen's actions, it's more a case of trying to see what is possible. She certainly doesn't think through the consequences if she's caught.
There are some funny scenes, as Maureen's plan doesn't always go as she'd hoped, and added to this is the question about what to actually do with the picture once she has it. Alongside the humour, there is some vividly descriptive writing which really brings Ham House to life. The details of the ghost walk left me feeling terrified. There are also some poignant moments, reflecting the nature of growing old, with family and friends no longer around.
I certainly don't feel as if we've seen the last of Maureen; she strikes me as one of those characters who can set her mind to anything and cause trouble while doing so.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on:-
Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
Instagram; @reading_for_leisure_blog
December 10, 2025
Maureen is bored so she starts a made up game with her fellow volunteers at Ham House. It ends up planting an idea in her head.
This was a quick story with some funny spots.
This was a quick story with some funny spots.
October 12, 2025
Who would have thought volunteering for the National Trust could be so much fun! Genevieve Marenghi's 'No Oil Painting' is warm-hearted and life-affirming.
I found her septuagenarian protagonist, Maureen's daring art theft and subsequent return of the painting to it rightful home (with a little help from her friends), both funny and moving. It explores loneliness and friendship in old age whilst entertaining with an audacious plot.
I will never visit a National Trust property again without looking out of a 'Maureen' - unassuming on the outside, full of mischief with so much life to live, and so much to give, on the inside.
I found her septuagenarian protagonist, Maureen's daring art theft and subsequent return of the painting to it rightful home (with a little help from her friends), both funny and moving. It explores loneliness and friendship in old age whilst entertaining with an audacious plot.
I will never visit a National Trust property again without looking out of a 'Maureen' - unassuming on the outside, full of mischief with so much life to live, and so much to give, on the inside.
October 12, 2025
Maureen is a volunteer at Ham House. It's the thing that gives her life structure, but recently she has noticed a creeping dissatisfaction with the way things are, and when her beloved niece announces that she is emigrating, Maureen wonders where her life is actually going. She becomes obsessed with the idea of pulling off an art heist. Just how invisible are women of a certain age? Lots of wonderful historical detail give this caper real texture and feeling
October 3, 2025
When I 'grow up', I hope to have as much fun as Maureen and her gang of Ham House volunteers.
No Oil Painting begins when a group of volunteers for a local historical home are gathered together for Christmas luncheon. Maureen, a single woman in her 70s, idly asks her tablemates, if there was a fire at Ham House, what would you steal in the chaos that would ensue? Some of the others are aghast at the thought of stealing, some get bogged down in the fact that the old paintings would be impossible to resell but one or two gamely name a favorite item or painting.
Maureen doesn't know how her life got so small, and dull. Never married, she was the favorite aunt to her late sister's daughter and stand in grand mother to her great niece, something that gave her great joy, but now she has learned that they will be moving to America, as Laura has a new job there. Home alone, she thinks again about the game she proposed at lunch, what would she take from Ham House? Her favorite painting in the entire manor features a Blackbird eating ripe cherries, that is displayed in the Green Room on the first floor. It then occurs to her that in the Green Room are also a series of miniatures that could actually be fairly easy to remove from the premises. This wild speculation entertains her throughout her otherwise lonely weekend, moving her to go so far as to purchase a small ornate frame with a terrible photo of a dog in it for comparison's sake.
When Mauren is next on shift at Ham House, she contrives to be stationed in the Green Room, and looking at the miniatures displayed on the wall, she laughs at the thought of swapping in her dog photo for a tiny painting of a woman. Suddenly before she can stop herself, she is holding the painting in one hand and the framed dog photo in the other, when she hears a voice ask what she is doing.
Maureen's colleague buys her excuse, and the tiny painting goes back to its proper place, but Maureen feels alive.
When Maureen is later emboldened to take what she really wants, she quickly learns that her colleagues at Ham House, have actually become her friends and they willingly show up for her over and over, even when the police become involved.
It is a fun reminder that while we ignore older people, that they may be using our easy dismissal of them, to their own advantage. Maureen also learns that she doesn't have to stop living just because she's reached a certain age. Really enjoyed this book.
No Oil Painting begins when a group of volunteers for a local historical home are gathered together for Christmas luncheon. Maureen, a single woman in her 70s, idly asks her tablemates, if there was a fire at Ham House, what would you steal in the chaos that would ensue? Some of the others are aghast at the thought of stealing, some get bogged down in the fact that the old paintings would be impossible to resell but one or two gamely name a favorite item or painting.
Maureen doesn't know how her life got so small, and dull. Never married, she was the favorite aunt to her late sister's daughter and stand in grand mother to her great niece, something that gave her great joy, but now she has learned that they will be moving to America, as Laura has a new job there. Home alone, she thinks again about the game she proposed at lunch, what would she take from Ham House? Her favorite painting in the entire manor features a Blackbird eating ripe cherries, that is displayed in the Green Room on the first floor. It then occurs to her that in the Green Room are also a series of miniatures that could actually be fairly easy to remove from the premises. This wild speculation entertains her throughout her otherwise lonely weekend, moving her to go so far as to purchase a small ornate frame with a terrible photo of a dog in it for comparison's sake.
When Mauren is next on shift at Ham House, she contrives to be stationed in the Green Room, and looking at the miniatures displayed on the wall, she laughs at the thought of swapping in her dog photo for a tiny painting of a woman. Suddenly before she can stop herself, she is holding the painting in one hand and the framed dog photo in the other, when she hears a voice ask what she is doing.
Maureen's colleague buys her excuse, and the tiny painting goes back to its proper place, but Maureen feels alive.
When Maureen is later emboldened to take what she really wants, she quickly learns that her colleagues at Ham House, have actually become her friends and they willingly show up for her over and over, even when the police become involved.
It is a fun reminder that while we ignore older people, that they may be using our easy dismissal of them, to their own advantage. Maureen also learns that she doesn't have to stop living just because she's reached a certain age. Really enjoyed this book.
December 10, 2025
There is something irresistibly delicious about a crime novel that hands the spotlight to someone the world tends to overlook. Genevieve Marenghi’s No Oil Painting introduces Maureen, a septuagenarian National Trust volunteer who has spent a lifetime playing by the rules… right up until she decides not to. A cheeky lunch-table game — the sort of hypothetical mischief people joke about but never act on — becomes the spark that sets her audacious adventure in motion. Before long she is scheming, sweating, and slip-sliding her way through an ill-advised art heist that is equal parts chaos and charm.
What makes the novel shine is not the theft itself, although the caper is delightful. It is Maureen’s emotional landscape that lingers. Her great-niece is leaving for New York, her favorite painting is slated for relocation, and the soft, creeping loneliness of late life presses in on her. Rather than succumb, she lunges headfirst into trouble. The heist becomes her rallying cry, a way to shake off invisibility and rediscover purpose. The friends who join her — instead of reporting her — supply the heart of the story, proving that chosen community is sometimes the most life-saving kind.
Maureen is funny without being caricatured, vulnerable without being fragile. Her escapade becomes a gentle reminder that senior citizens contain multitudes, that adventure does not expire, and that sometimes the wildest thing you can do is insist on mattering. I found her journey both hilarious and unexpectedly moving, especially as a reader eyeing that demographic from not-too-far away. The whole book reads quickly, but it leaves a warm afterglow long after the final page.
It helps that Marenghi’s timing feels almost prescient. With its October 2025 publication date aligning with the very real October 2025 Crown Jewels caper at the Louvre, the novel gains an unintended relevancy. Art theft is having a moment, apparently, and Maureen’s pint-sized rebellion slots right into the cultural conversation.
No Oil Painting entertains, uplifts, and subtly encourages the reader to imagine their own cheeky museum caper. Hypothetically, of course. Mostly.
Goes well with: a steaming cup of builder’s tea, a shortbread biscuit, and the quiet thrill of plotting an imaginary art heist with your favorite partner in crime.
What makes the novel shine is not the theft itself, although the caper is delightful. It is Maureen’s emotional landscape that lingers. Her great-niece is leaving for New York, her favorite painting is slated for relocation, and the soft, creeping loneliness of late life presses in on her. Rather than succumb, she lunges headfirst into trouble. The heist becomes her rallying cry, a way to shake off invisibility and rediscover purpose. The friends who join her — instead of reporting her — supply the heart of the story, proving that chosen community is sometimes the most life-saving kind.
Maureen is funny without being caricatured, vulnerable without being fragile. Her escapade becomes a gentle reminder that senior citizens contain multitudes, that adventure does not expire, and that sometimes the wildest thing you can do is insist on mattering. I found her journey both hilarious and unexpectedly moving, especially as a reader eyeing that demographic from not-too-far away. The whole book reads quickly, but it leaves a warm afterglow long after the final page.
It helps that Marenghi’s timing feels almost prescient. With its October 2025 publication date aligning with the very real October 2025 Crown Jewels caper at the Louvre, the novel gains an unintended relevancy. Art theft is having a moment, apparently, and Maureen’s pint-sized rebellion slots right into the cultural conversation.
No Oil Painting entertains, uplifts, and subtly encourages the reader to imagine their own cheeky museum caper. Hypothetically, of course. Mostly.
Goes well with: a steaming cup of builder’s tea, a shortbread biscuit, and the quiet thrill of plotting an imaginary art heist with your favorite partner in crime.
September 24, 2025
Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for sharing an eARC of No Oil Painting with me in exchange for an honest review.
There was much to like in this novel about a septuagenarian who enacts a plan to steal an oil painting from the National Trust’s Ham House. It all starts at the volunteers’ Christmas lunch, when Maureen poses a question – in the event of a fire alarm going off in the house, with only minutes to steal something, what would you take?
Told from the point of view of the volunteers, I particularly enjoyed the commentary on how they managed tourists, disseminated interesting historical information about the house and ran ghost tours. The importance of the house in the lives of the volunteers and the extent to which they cared for the building and its collections was brought to life on the page. Descriptions of the treasures in Ham House added to my enjoyment of this novel and inspired me to view pictures of them online and plan a future trip to the house. The main drawback for me was that I felt that Maureen’s motivations for stealing the painting could have been written more convincingly and I questioned how realistic her relationships with the other volunteers were in the wake of her theft. Whilst this didn’t detract from the heart, hope and strong sense of community in this novel, it does mean that it’s three stars from me.
There was much to like in this novel about a septuagenarian who enacts a plan to steal an oil painting from the National Trust’s Ham House. It all starts at the volunteers’ Christmas lunch, when Maureen poses a question – in the event of a fire alarm going off in the house, with only minutes to steal something, what would you take?
Told from the point of view of the volunteers, I particularly enjoyed the commentary on how they managed tourists, disseminated interesting historical information about the house and ran ghost tours. The importance of the house in the lives of the volunteers and the extent to which they cared for the building and its collections was brought to life on the page. Descriptions of the treasures in Ham House added to my enjoyment of this novel and inspired me to view pictures of them online and plan a future trip to the house. The main drawback for me was that I felt that Maureen’s motivations for stealing the painting could have been written more convincingly and I questioned how realistic her relationships with the other volunteers were in the wake of her theft. Whilst this didn’t detract from the heart, hope and strong sense of community in this novel, it does mean that it’s three stars from me.
November 18, 2025
No Oil Painting by Genevieve Marenghi is a contemporary cosy crime novel that will grab your attention from the start.
The novel is set in the National Trust property of Ham House, where the author volunteers her time. As such, her knowledge is vast. Comprehensive descriptions enable the reader to ‘walk’ through the house and gardens.
The volunteers are mainly women and elderly. The lead character is in her seventies and feels passed over and unseen. This is a distinct advantage when it comes to committing the perfect crime. There is forward planning but the heist does not run smoothly.
The whole novel is light-hearted. There is a friendly banter between the characters which makes them easily relatable and likable. There is much tongue-in-cheek humour, and I loved the reference to old television programmes such as Porridge.
No Oil Painting is a perfect read for a grey autumnal day. It would make a marvellous early evening television series and is highly entertaining.
I received a free copy from the author for a blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The novel is set in the National Trust property of Ham House, where the author volunteers her time. As such, her knowledge is vast. Comprehensive descriptions enable the reader to ‘walk’ through the house and gardens.
The volunteers are mainly women and elderly. The lead character is in her seventies and feels passed over and unseen. This is a distinct advantage when it comes to committing the perfect crime. There is forward planning but the heist does not run smoothly.
The whole novel is light-hearted. There is a friendly banter between the characters which makes them easily relatable and likable. There is much tongue-in-cheek humour, and I loved the reference to old television programmes such as Porridge.
No Oil Painting is a perfect read for a grey autumnal day. It would make a marvellous early evening television series and is highly entertaining.
I received a free copy from the author for a blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
December 7, 2025
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it’s an entertaining and light-hearted read. Set in the real 17th-century National Trust property of Ham House, we meet a team of mature volunteers who, in some cases, feel somewhat invisible to the public in general. However, it occurs to some of the team that such invisibility could prove useful if they had a yearning to pull of a daring art theft. The whole novel has a happy-go-lucky feel to it with lots of chit-chat amid the everyday goings-on within the house. There’s also an underlying layer of properly British humour that keeps things rolling along as the story unfolds.
The author herself is a volunteer at Ham House, and her detailed knowledge proves fascinating in relation to the technicalities of the artworks on show at the house, and the techniques utilised by the artists. Having said that, I felt the plot took a while to get going and found if difficult not to skim forwards to find out what happened next.
A well-researched and entertaining book that will please art-lovers everywhere.
The author herself is a volunteer at Ham House, and her detailed knowledge proves fascinating in relation to the technicalities of the artworks on show at the house, and the techniques utilised by the artists. Having said that, I felt the plot took a while to get going and found if difficult not to skim forwards to find out what happened next.
A well-researched and entertaining book that will please art-lovers everywhere.
January 10, 2026
First of all you need to read this tongue in cheek in the entertaining genre it was written in. If you are a fan of groups of OAPs cocking a snook at the world then this is for you. You will laugh heartily at the situations that they find themselves in courtesy of Maureen and you will never look at National Trust volunteers of a certain age again without wondering if they have thought of doing this , or maybe have done this themselves. It certainly makes you realise that being an OAP could be the start of a whole new adventure, though perhaps, more realistically, keep yourself occupied and don’t let yourself get bored.
No Oil Painting also shows the closeness and solidarity of friendship whilst having you laugh your socks off at the antics they get up to whilst trying to return the painting . It also makes you realise that just because you get beyond the age of 50 you do not have to become invisible and it you feel that you are, then go for it and do something to get yourself noticed, not that I am advocating stealing, and trying to return, a painting !!!!!
No Oil Painting also shows the closeness and solidarity of friendship whilst having you laugh your socks off at the antics they get up to whilst trying to return the painting . It also makes you realise that just because you get beyond the age of 50 you do not have to become invisible and it you feel that you are, then go for it and do something to get yourself noticed, not that I am advocating stealing, and trying to return, a painting !!!!!
November 28, 2025
A beautiful, funny, life affirming book, that is really more character piece than heist novel, gradually winding tighter as it goes… and pulling increasingly on your heartstrings. By the end, you’ll suddenly and inexplicably want to spend a lot more of the short amount of time we have on this planet with your friends and loved ones.
The author has an enjoyably sardonic voice that perfectly captures Maureen’s state of mind and the absurd situations she finds herself in.
It all adds up to a heartfelt paean to the millions of incredible ‘women of a certain age’ who feel invisible.
I have to admit, there’s a lot more historical detail in here than I was expecting, but Genevieve’s obvious enthusiasm for Ham House & its treasures made me way more interested in all that than I realised I was! Plastic rain hats off to you, Genevieve!
Bloody marvellous stuff.
The author has an enjoyably sardonic voice that perfectly captures Maureen’s state of mind and the absurd situations she finds herself in.
It all adds up to a heartfelt paean to the millions of incredible ‘women of a certain age’ who feel invisible.
I have to admit, there’s a lot more historical detail in here than I was expecting, but Genevieve’s obvious enthusiasm for Ham House & its treasures made me way more interested in all that than I realised I was! Plastic rain hats off to you, Genevieve!
Bloody marvellous stuff.
October 17, 2025
I simply adored reading this warmly hilarious book; I was smiling and grinning throughout (and I have a reputation for not getting humour). The free and easy, yet precise writing style worked well for me, with the tongue-in-cheek irony winning me over every time.
The characters are endearing, the pace of the action brisk, the backdrops enticing and realistic. What’s not to like.
For those of us familiar with the world of National Trust volunteers, indeed anyone curious to find out, the setting is inspired.
I thoroughly recommend No Oil Painting; a feel-good yet wry account of an unlikely and determined hero.
The characters are endearing, the pace of the action brisk, the backdrops enticing and realistic. What’s not to like.
For those of us familiar with the world of National Trust volunteers, indeed anyone curious to find out, the setting is inspired.
I thoroughly recommend No Oil Painting; a feel-good yet wry account of an unlikely and determined hero.
December 13, 2025
An excellent mix of women's fiction and cozy mystery, a senior lady who discover the pleasure of having new friends and the pleasure of being seen and heard againg.
Well plotted, heartbreaking and very funny at the same time, a woman who find a way to steal an ancient picture and her friend who support her.
Well plotted, I would be delighted to read other stories featuring these characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks for this digital copy, all opinions are mine
Well plotted, heartbreaking and very funny at the same time, a woman who find a way to steal an ancient picture and her friend who support her.
Well plotted, I would be delighted to read other stories featuring these characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks for this digital copy, all opinions are mine
December 22, 2025
This book was simply brilliant, a 70+ year old Maureen is a joy and I loved reading her antics as she stole a painting from a National trust property. I found myself laughing throughout this book and the pretense of how women of a certain age become invisible to society and how they used that to their advantage. This was the perfect cozy crime book, I simply loved it amd really didnt want it to end
December 8, 2025
Brilliantly written book, laugh out loud reading. Wants me to go to Ham house as felt I was actually there with th descriptions. Highly recommend
December 13, 2025
💚 Blurb-
Bored septuagenarian Maureen enlivens a pub lunch by asking her shocked fellow National Trust volunteers what item they’d steal from Ham House. This daft game plants a dangerous seed in her head.
With no children of her own, Maureen has become very close to her niece and great-niece, after her sister died over ten years earlier. So she’s distraught to hear that they’re relocating to New York. At the volunteers’ Christmas party, she also learns that her favourite painting will move to a Scottish castle. Gripped by an apparent eve-of-life crisis, Maureen plans to steal the painting during onsite filming of a Poirot drama. After a series of narrow escapes, Maureen makes off with the swag.
The novice fine art thief is rumbled by some fellow room guides, but snitches get stitches and instead of grassing her up, camaraderie wins out and they decide to help. Often written off as an insipid old fart, Maureen’s new set of friends make her feel alive again. No longer quite so invisible, can this unlikely pensioner gang return the now infamous painting without being caught by the Feds?
💜 Review - This was such a fun and entertaining read. I found myself laughing and smiling all the way through. I loved following Maureen and her friends adventures through the story. I found the story fun and entertaining with enough content to keep me interested and reading until the end. I loved the author's writing style and the pacing was just right. I also loved the place settings in the story. Overall, a brilliant novel that I highly recommend to other readers. I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, the publisher and the author Genevieve Marenghi for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Bored septuagenarian Maureen enlivens a pub lunch by asking her shocked fellow National Trust volunteers what item they’d steal from Ham House. This daft game plants a dangerous seed in her head.
With no children of her own, Maureen has become very close to her niece and great-niece, after her sister died over ten years earlier. So she’s distraught to hear that they’re relocating to New York. At the volunteers’ Christmas party, she also learns that her favourite painting will move to a Scottish castle. Gripped by an apparent eve-of-life crisis, Maureen plans to steal the painting during onsite filming of a Poirot drama. After a series of narrow escapes, Maureen makes off with the swag.
The novice fine art thief is rumbled by some fellow room guides, but snitches get stitches and instead of grassing her up, camaraderie wins out and they decide to help. Often written off as an insipid old fart, Maureen’s new set of friends make her feel alive again. No longer quite so invisible, can this unlikely pensioner gang return the now infamous painting without being caught by the Feds?
💜 Review - This was such a fun and entertaining read. I found myself laughing and smiling all the way through. I loved following Maureen and her friends adventures through the story. I found the story fun and entertaining with enough content to keep me interested and reading until the end. I loved the author's writing style and the pacing was just right. I also loved the place settings in the story. Overall, a brilliant novel that I highly recommend to other readers. I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, the publisher and the author Genevieve Marenghi for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2025
Come for the lush, exquisite prose, stay for the wit and unputdownable story. Maureen is a character who will stay with me for the rest of my life. What a fantastic character—relatable for her biting humour and caustic observations and her frustration at how her life has narrowed in her 70s. I loved living in her head as I journeyed through this novel, even during her more painful experiences and memories. And how wonderful was it to see her come alive and rebel against older women’s invisibility? A lot. I want to be Maureen. This book is entertaining, thought provoking, and deeply moving. Genevieve Marenghi is an incredibly talented writer.
“Remember that you have to live.”
Yes. ❤️ What a beautiful message.
“Remember that you have to live.”
Yes. ❤️ What a beautiful message.
December 5, 2025
Shenanigans at the National Trust!
Wryly funny, with an utterly believable inner voice and sometimes madcap cast of characters: I loved every page. Ham House must be a special place to have such a lovely book set there. I hope they are selling it in their shop along with the tea towels, jam and whatnot!
Wryly funny, with an utterly believable inner voice and sometimes madcap cast of characters: I loved every page. Ham House must be a special place to have such a lovely book set there. I hope they are selling it in their shop along with the tea towels, jam and whatnot!
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