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The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club #1
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club
In Book One of this cozy mystery series, a morose parrot with a reputation for biting sums up Brookside Retirement Community for reluctant resident, Josephine Bartlett. But when Brookside turns out to be a setting for art theft, dodgy dealings, and naked poker it becomes vastly more interesting. Josephine investigates the unusual goings on with friend and handwriting expert, Lill Fitzel. And the two befriend a young woman Josephine tries to prevent from making the same mistakes she has made.
296 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2016
3756 people are currently reading
1927 people want to read
About the author
Ann Warner
36 books95 followersA former Air Force brat turned clinical chemist, toxicologist, and university professor, Ann's life took another turn in 2001, when she began writing fiction. After completing a perfectly dreadful novel (she didn't know it was at the time) she talked her way into a graduate writing seminar and followed that up with several years of study as she continued to write. Along the way she made friends with other writers who have supported, critiqued, and eventually praised her novels. Her debut novel, Dreams for Stones, was a finalist for the Indie Next Generation Book Award.
Ann's novels take advantage of the many unusual settings she's traveled to or lived in including New Zealand, Australia, Peru, San Francisco, Wrangell Alaska, Colorado, Boston, and Puerto Rico. As well, her experiences as a toxicologist have added fillips of intrigue to many of her stories.
In Ann's novels, the consequence of choosing to love or not to love is an underlying theme, as characters face crises and complications that force them to dig deep within themselves to discover their own resilience.
Ann has a readers' group. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/dctGuf
Members of the group will receive a link to a short story along with insider information about Ann's writing process, the stories behind the stories, and recommendations of books Ann has enjoyed.
Contacts for Ann:
Website http://annwarner.net/
Readers' Group Sign-up http://eepurl.com/dctGuf
Email Contact http://annwarner.net/contact-ann/
Facebook Ann Warner Author of Emotionally Engaging Fiction
Ann's novels take advantage of the many unusual settings she's traveled to or lived in including New Zealand, Australia, Peru, San Francisco, Wrangell Alaska, Colorado, Boston, and Puerto Rico. As well, her experiences as a toxicologist have added fillips of intrigue to many of her stories.
In Ann's novels, the consequence of choosing to love or not to love is an underlying theme, as characters face crises and complications that force them to dig deep within themselves to discover their own resilience.
Ann has a readers' group. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/dctGuf
Members of the group will receive a link to a short story along with insider information about Ann's writing process, the stories behind the stories, and recommendations of books Ann has enjoyed.
Contacts for Ann:
Website http://annwarner.net/
Readers' Group Sign-up http://eepurl.com/dctGuf
Email Contact http://annwarner.net/contact-ann/
Facebook Ann Warner Author of Emotionally Engaging Fiction
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 455 reviews
July 13, 2016
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review, having read it originally before it was published.
I guess this is a 'cosy mystery' although actually there's a lot going on and someone gets shot and everything. I wouldn't necessarily have chosen to read it unless prompted, but I'm so glad I did - I really enjoyed it.
The retirement home setting works brilliantly; all those people essentially trapped together and forced to get on - or not. I really liked the style, which is completely straightforward, almost plain, but very funny in places.
Josephine, who is the main protagonist, is an understandably cold and sometimes unfriendly woman, having been pretty much incarcerated at Brookside by her son. She's determined to escape, and doesn't really plan to form any relationships - but her unexpected involvement in solving the mystery of who's stealing from the residents, as well as the bigger mystery of what Brookside empoyee Devi is hiding from, forces her to reconsider her isolated position. The characters are great and there's plenty of potential for further books in the series - I look forward to the next one.
I guess this is a 'cosy mystery' although actually there's a lot going on and someone gets shot and everything. I wouldn't necessarily have chosen to read it unless prompted, but I'm so glad I did - I really enjoyed it.
The retirement home setting works brilliantly; all those people essentially trapped together and forced to get on - or not. I really liked the style, which is completely straightforward, almost plain, but very funny in places.
Josephine, who is the main protagonist, is an understandably cold and sometimes unfriendly woman, having been pretty much incarcerated at Brookside by her son. She's determined to escape, and doesn't really plan to form any relationships - but her unexpected involvement in solving the mystery of who's stealing from the residents, as well as the bigger mystery of what Brookside empoyee Devi is hiding from, forces her to reconsider her isolated position. The characters are great and there's plenty of potential for further books in the series - I look forward to the next one.
May 31, 2017
When Josephine Bartlett’s husband was alive, he controlled every penny she spent—or, tried to—and, when he died, he left everything under the control of her son, Jeff, who was just as controlling as his father, going so far as to move her into Brookshire Retirement Community and selling her house. Josephine chafes at the environment, and has few friends, except for a crew that has roped her into a regular card game, which she, in a moment of madness, suggests be strip poker—with stories told rather than clothing removed.
When she and her friends discover that the community handyman, Eddie, is ripping people off, they investigate, and find that even bigger thefts are occurring. Unwillingly at first, Josephine befriends, Devi, a young woman who works there and who is being pursued by Eddie, and together they begin to piece together what’s really going on. The closer they get to the truth, the more danger they find themselves in, until the perps are finally all unmasked, to everyone’s surprise.
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club: Book One by Ann Warner is a hilarious cozy mystery featuring an unforgettable cast of characters. The author walks readers through the crime and its resolution quite smartly, taking little side trips along the way that fully explain each character’s motivation. I particularly liked the way she alternated character viewpoints to keep the mystery quotient high, while at the same time, providing information that would be impossible or forces if done from only one point of view.
I laughed all the way through this book.
When she and her friends discover that the community handyman, Eddie, is ripping people off, they investigate, and find that even bigger thefts are occurring. Unwillingly at first, Josephine befriends, Devi, a young woman who works there and who is being pursued by Eddie, and together they begin to piece together what’s really going on. The closer they get to the truth, the more danger they find themselves in, until the perps are finally all unmasked, to everyone’s surprise.
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club: Book One by Ann Warner is a hilarious cozy mystery featuring an unforgettable cast of characters. The author walks readers through the crime and its resolution quite smartly, taking little side trips along the way that fully explain each character’s motivation. I particularly liked the way she alternated character viewpoints to keep the mystery quotient high, while at the same time, providing information that would be impossible or forces if done from only one point of view.
I laughed all the way through this book.
February 1, 2017
First book by this author that I have read and I liked it very much: I liked the protagonists, I liked the mystery and I liked the writing. It is true that a story setting in a retirement community , whom MC are old ladies and where the mystery is about theft of varie things can seem a bit slow and sure not exciting , but not in this case, because there is much more in the story. Josephine is smart and brillant, as Lill and then there are Devi and Mac that are very fashinating characters. Their personal story, their past , the complexity of their characters is what makes the mystery story one very interesting. In the end I can tell that I have find the idea of Naked poker club very brillant.
July 15, 2016
A fun, entertaining read! Fast paced, funny, intriguing! My favorite quote made my laugh out loud ""Seems the more wrinkled the skin, the less color matters." And "Eddie is not nice, but he's very good looking, which I'm sure prevents many women from recognizing he's pond scum."
dnf
November 24, 2020This one is a DNF without a rating… mainly, because I read only like 2 or 3 pages before realizing that the writing style in this one is just not for me… I’ve been meaning to read more cozy mysteries for a while now, but this particular try was a total miss… it’s definitely one of those “it’s me not you” situations so definitely check other reviews out there before deciding if you want to give it a try ;) also, if you have some good recommendations for cozy mysteries send them my way :) moving on :)
XOXO
A
XOXO
A
July 11, 2016
A morose parrot with a reputation for biting sits in the lobby of the Brookside Retirement Community, and to Josephine, a reluctant resident, he just about sums the place up. Nick-named Babbling Brook by friend and handwriting expert Lill, the community is to be the setting for art theft, other dodgy dealings and…naked poker.
High drama and cosy conversations play out as Josephine and Lill play amateur sleuths and do their best to sort the good guys from the bad. But will they take their investigations too far?
I was thrilled when I discovered that Ann Warner was to launch this new series of books. What a treat! I can’t wait for the next one. As emotionally engaging as all her books are, this is book is also a highly absorbing and entertaining mystery. Loved it.
High drama and cosy conversations play out as Josephine and Lill play amateur sleuths and do their best to sort the good guys from the bad. But will they take their investigations too far?
I was thrilled when I discovered that Ann Warner was to launch this new series of books. What a treat! I can’t wait for the next one. As emotionally engaging as all her books are, this is book is also a highly absorbing and entertaining mystery. Loved it.
July 13, 2021
If a title like this one doesn't draw you in, nothing will :D
Brookside Retirement Community is where Josephine now lives and she's none to happy about it. It's boring. Same old thing every same old day.
And then...suddenly it wasn't quite so boring. What's up with that young man who works there that the old ladies are all swooning over (except Josephine - she has a feeling about him and it's not good).
Josephine keeps her room locked - no one just waltzes in, no way, not even to clean. The other residents find her snobbish and crabby. She might be crabby she admits, but she's not a snob, and she doesn't belong in this joint.
Playing poker with the very few ladies she is (sort of) friends with, things suddenly get very, very interesting.
I'll stop now because not much more can be said without spoilers.
Brookside Retirement Community is where Josephine now lives and she's none to happy about it. It's boring. Same old thing every same old day.
And then...suddenly it wasn't quite so boring. What's up with that young man who works there that the old ladies are all swooning over (except Josephine - she has a feeling about him and it's not good).
Josephine keeps her room locked - no one just waltzes in, no way, not even to clean. The other residents find her snobbish and crabby. She might be crabby she admits, but she's not a snob, and she doesn't belong in this joint.
Playing poker with the very few ladies she is (sort of) friends with, things suddenly get very, very interesting.
I'll stop now because not much more can be said without spoilers.
June 27, 2021
A cozy mystery at a Senior's Residence. This book wasn't quite what I expected. I thought it would be a funny and fun story about a group of seniors. Instead it covers a lot of serious issues that seniors face. I liked the characters but was often frustrated by some of the stereotypical situations and reactions. Regardless, it is well-written and the plot is well-crafted and executed.
June 2, 2020
"But the past can’t be picked up like a piece of knitting. And even if it could, I can’t ignore the stitches added in the past year."
Maybe 2 stars is too harsh. I mean, I was entertained. But in a cringeworthy, roll-my-eyes-as-I read-along kind of way.
Have you watched the Tommy Wiseau film The Room? It's a cult classic known for being the best worst film ever made. The plot is disjointed, characters make decisions that are nonsensical, things happen that are technically feasible but quite improbable, and the story wraps up with a lot of loose ends. TBBNPC reminded me of The Room because it too has ALL of those issues. I get that this is the first book in a series, hence why this book ends with story arcs that haven't wrapped up, but since you'd better believe I won't be reading any more of the books in the series I personally will need to be content without ever fully knowing what the what happens next.
TBBNPC is set in a nursing home and open with four ladies playing cards and gossiping about if the really, really, ridiculously good looking guy who also happens to be evil has been taking small amounts of money from residents (spoiler: he has). When two of them set out to prove Dr. Evil has been stealing, we also learn bigger ticket items have gone missing too... could these issues be related? (spoiler: no one cares). Throw in two grown-a$$ single adults in their 30s who like-like each other but won't admit it because they act like high schoolers, a stay-at-home mom who was able to amass a fortune from the allowance her not-rich husband gave her to run the household, someone skipping town after police tell said person not to skip town and have it all be totes cool anyway, an odd cancer scare (ooh, another tie to The Room), graphology (look it up, it's a thing), and some other random stuff and you've got this book.
Okay, so the last paragraph was spoiler-ish and I didn't hide it with the spoiler formatting... but come on, are you really going to read the book after reading this review? I didn't think so.
Maybe 2 stars is too harsh. I mean, I was entertained. But in a cringeworthy, roll-my-eyes-as-I read-along kind of way.
Have you watched the Tommy Wiseau film The Room? It's a cult classic known for being the best worst film ever made. The plot is disjointed, characters make decisions that are nonsensical, things happen that are technically feasible but quite improbable, and the story wraps up with a lot of loose ends. TBBNPC reminded me of The Room because it too has ALL of those issues. I get that this is the first book in a series, hence why this book ends with story arcs that haven't wrapped up, but since you'd better believe I won't be reading any more of the books in the series I personally will need to be content without ever fully knowing what the what happens next.
TBBNPC is set in a nursing home and open with four ladies playing cards and gossiping about if the really, really, ridiculously good looking guy who also happens to be evil has been taking small amounts of money from residents (spoiler: he has). When two of them set out to prove Dr. Evil has been stealing, we also learn bigger ticket items have gone missing too... could these issues be related? (spoiler: no one cares). Throw in two grown-a$$ single adults in their 30s who like-like each other but won't admit it because they act like high schoolers, a stay-at-home mom who was able to amass a fortune from the allowance her not-rich husband gave her to run the household, someone skipping town after police tell said person not to skip town and have it all be totes cool anyway, an odd cancer scare (ooh, another tie to The Room), graphology (look it up, it's a thing), and some other random stuff and you've got this book.
Okay, so the last paragraph was spoiler-ish and I didn't hide it with the spoiler formatting... but come on, are you really going to read the book after reading this review? I didn't think so.
June 30, 2021
This little gem broke some of the normal tropes of cozy mysteries. I loved all the main characters. I especially liked that one of the characters was East Indian. I was sad that she didn't take more decisive steps early on to deal with her problem. But I enjoyed the story throughout. I especially loved that this was a free ebook.
July 11, 2020
If compared to other books in the cozy mystery genre, this isn't too bad. It also isn't very good.
This book has great characters! They're interesting, multidimensional, and bust stereotypes. Josephine is my stand-out favorite narrator and someone I wish I could know in real life. She's ballsy and smart, sometimes cruel. I especially liked her cold demeanor with anyone she thought intellectually beneath her.
Everything else about this book is lacking. The story isn't really a mystery because everything plays out in real-time. At no point will the reader wonder who did what because the culprit will just tell you they did it. The writing reminded me of bad fanfic's written by 5th graders. The language is very PG. It's also the definition of tell rather than show in storytelling.
Overall, it's a great setting for an interesting story with great characters, I just wish someone else wrote it.
Story: 2 stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Writing: 2 stars
https://readingbetweenthestitches.wor...
This book has great characters! They're interesting, multidimensional, and bust stereotypes. Josephine is my stand-out favorite narrator and someone I wish I could know in real life. She's ballsy and smart, sometimes cruel. I especially liked her cold demeanor with anyone she thought intellectually beneath her.
Everything else about this book is lacking. The story isn't really a mystery because everything plays out in real-time. At no point will the reader wonder who did what because the culprit will just tell you they did it. The writing reminded me of bad fanfic's written by 5th graders. The language is very PG. It's also the definition of tell rather than show in storytelling.
Overall, it's a great setting for an interesting story with great characters, I just wish someone else wrote it.
Story: 2 stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Writing: 2 stars
https://readingbetweenthestitches.wor...
September 13, 2020
This was quite a pleasant surprise! I purchased it on a whim as a Book Bub Bargain and I am glad I did. I enjoy octogenarian sleuthing very much. The narration switches among several primary characters and I enjoyed seeing everyone through the eyes of others- each character had enough complexity to be interesting and the plot, while not TOTALLY realistic, held my attention to the very end. Everyone should have a Mac in their lives.
August 10, 2020
4.5 Stars
With her opening sentences, the author grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into her story. Right away, I loved the main protagonist, Josephine, despite her pricks and barbs. She's the antithesis of the type of person I normally gravitate to, both in real life and novels, but ultimately she won my heart and did so remarkably quickly. Moreover, the side characters were appealing and each one had a unique voice.
And, speaking to the uniqueness of this tale, it is a mystery, not a murder mystery which might disappoint the blood-thirsty among us. I was charmed. It's a refreshing change to be challenged to solve something other than someone's death.
I could not put this one down and enjoyed it so much that I was sorry to reach the end. There were so many plot twists yet not once did I have to flip back to remind myself who a character was. One intriguing fact (intriguing to me, at least) was the narrator switch between many of the characters. Quite often I'll find this technique so gimmicky that it ruins a book - not so in this one. The many points-of-view enrich the tale and add another layer of interest.
I recommend this book highly and will read further in the series once I've cleared a bit more of my TBR.
With her opening sentences, the author grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into her story. Right away, I loved the main protagonist, Josephine, despite her pricks and barbs. She's the antithesis of the type of person I normally gravitate to, both in real life and novels, but ultimately she won my heart and did so remarkably quickly. Moreover, the side characters were appealing and each one had a unique voice.
And, speaking to the uniqueness of this tale, it is a mystery, not a murder mystery which might disappoint the blood-thirsty among us. I was charmed. It's a refreshing change to be challenged to solve something other than someone's death.
I could not put this one down and enjoyed it so much that I was sorry to reach the end. There were so many plot twists yet not once did I have to flip back to remind myself who a character was. One intriguing fact (intriguing to me, at least) was the narrator switch between many of the characters. Quite often I'll find this technique so gimmicky that it ruins a book - not so in this one. The many points-of-view enrich the tale and add another layer of interest.
I recommend this book highly and will read further in the series once I've cleared a bit more of my TBR.
May 13, 2019
The description of this book includes the words "cozy mystery" and I have a well documented love-hate relationship with that sub-genre. I was actually forced to find the definition of a cozy mystery before I could decide whether or not the description is accurate. According to Wikipedia a cozy mysteries are " a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community". Technically this fits but the plot arc differs from most. It takes place not in a bakery, inn or flower shop, the locale of so many "cozies" but in a retirement community. The mystery itself was fair - the actual culprit was deduced by all concerned fairly early on but proving it took a little longer. The book is narrated by the main characters in alternating chapters. They were engaging and the community they built within the retirement home was entertaining but one or two were just this side of believable. I liked the book enough to read the next in the series.
Incidentally, naked poker is not strip poker. Their version is quite a bit more revealing.
Incidentally, naked poker is not strip poker. Their version is quite a bit more revealing.
July 13, 2020
This is such an intriguing title
It gets even more interesting when you realise the naked poker is being played by a group of old ladies in a retirement home...
This series is a cross between regular novel and cozy mystery so it will appeal to a wide variety of readers. After reading the 4 books in this series I wanted to learn more about Retirement Homes in Sri Lanka (are there any paid ones?), Graphology, and Art Heists
The action takes place at an upscale retirement home in Cincinnati. There is a diverse and varied cast of characters covering many ethnic backgrounds and ages. Each chapter is narrated from the POV of a different person so you see things through the eyes of many as the story progresses. I thought this was a great device to keep the pace going, and the story interesting.
3 of the 4 books deal with a small mystery. In book 1 someone is stealing valuables from those at the home. In book 3 a newcomer is suspected of having gained from a large con. In book 4 they deal with large scale art theft. Book 2 doesn't have a mystery but deals with character development.
I think it is the characters who carry this story. Each character has their own storyline and you realise at the end that they are all growing to be one large family.
Definitely a good read, and since it is on KU it is accessible to many.
It gets even more interesting when you realise the naked poker is being played by a group of old ladies in a retirement home...
This series is a cross between regular novel and cozy mystery so it will appeal to a wide variety of readers. After reading the 4 books in this series I wanted to learn more about Retirement Homes in Sri Lanka (are there any paid ones?), Graphology, and Art Heists
The action takes place at an upscale retirement home in Cincinnati. There is a diverse and varied cast of characters covering many ethnic backgrounds and ages. Each chapter is narrated from the POV of a different person so you see things through the eyes of many as the story progresses. I thought this was a great device to keep the pace going, and the story interesting.
3 of the 4 books deal with a small mystery. In book 1 someone is stealing valuables from those at the home. In book 3 a newcomer is suspected of having gained from a large con. In book 4 they deal with large scale art theft. Book 2 doesn't have a mystery but deals with character development.
I think it is the characters who carry this story. Each character has their own storyline and you realise at the end that they are all growing to be one large family.
Definitely a good read, and since it is on KU it is accessible to many.
September 16, 2024
Josephine is the old woman I hope to be one day.
This was seriously really cute. I honestly didn't think it was going to be was good was it was but I was extremely surprised. Good mystery good characters. I also love the pov of each chapter being a different person in the drama. I 100% think the world needs more books written about main characters of different ages and situations. I've recommended this book to my mother who worked in senior care for years. Can't wait to read the next one.
This was seriously really cute. I honestly didn't think it was going to be was good was it was but I was extremely surprised. Good mystery good characters. I also love the pov of each chapter being a different person in the drama. I 100% think the world needs more books written about main characters of different ages and situations. I've recommended this book to my mother who worked in senior care for years. Can't wait to read the next one.
March 16, 2017
Absolutely delightful! A resident of an old age home decides to investigate the misdeeds of the staff, to great effect. Roping in a few of her elderly friends, she sets off as fast as everyone's walking sticks will allow. Sweet, well written, humorous and original, this book definitely gets my vote for a great read.
March 3, 2022
Older women have so much fun in this lighthearted story of theft and intrigue and love. Troubles will follow us no matter where we go, and we just need to learn to handle them with spirit and energy as these women do.
October 3, 2019
Naked poker & a senior living community - I had to read it. Thankfully it wasn’t literal. I enjoyed the characters & I’d like to read book 2
April 18, 2020
3.5 stars
I think maybe a different audio narrator might have made it better. Perhaps a full cast recording? The main story was alright.
I think maybe a different audio narrator might have made it better. Perhaps a full cast recording? The main story was alright.
September 30, 2020
This was a fun, easy read. A good weekend read after a long week or after some heavier books.
December 3, 2020
A work of art
A very exciting book. I loved the book with its many heart tugging subplots. I found myself excited with the mysteries and tearful and laughing at other times. The characters were memorable and reminiscent of people who have come into my life.
A very exciting book. I loved the book with its many heart tugging subplots. I found myself excited with the mysteries and tearful and laughing at other times. The characters were memorable and reminiscent of people who have come into my life.
February 19, 2021
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club (book one) is where Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote meets the Golden Girls. When Josephine moves to a senior living community, she doesn't plan to make friends (she's not an old lady!) and definitely doesn't invite anyone into her apartment. When the activities director and a few of the residents learn Josephine's secret, mystery solving and hijinks ensure.
February 4, 2025
A very intriguing read ... I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found the character likeable and easy to relate to.
October 11, 2017
Read this one in two sittings and recommended it to friends.
I really enjoyed the style and the story of these older ladies who are still alive and kicking. And catching crooks.
If you are looking for a bodice ripper, this isn't it. Just some good, clean sleuthing.
I admit that it's the title that caught my eye, but the story is what kept me up until 2 am.
I really enjoyed the style and the story of these older ladies who are still alive and kicking. And catching crooks.
If you are looking for a bodice ripper, this isn't it. Just some good, clean sleuthing.
I admit that it's the title that caught my eye, but the story is what kept me up until 2 am.
September 28, 2018
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club by Ann Warner
A more eccentric and eclectic bunch of old ducks you would never hope to find in any one place. Put them all together in a nursing home environment with private apartments, add in a younger woman and a hunky detective and you have the elements for the perfect storm.
And we got it. This was exciting, interesting, innovative, funny and mysterious.
I read somewhere that a tutor on novel writing suggested the defining incident should be in the first page or so of a book.
In this one it seemed to develop throughout the story. It was extremely entertaining. You didn’t seem to be sure that you had discovered the whole crime or not, at any stage during the story. But you kept reading to find out.
Light reading, funny, and just the thing to go with a smooth red wine on a warm summer evening. Probably not the thing for those who want layers and layers of intricate plot, huge slabs of social or political commentary, or masses of strange interactions between weird characters, althought there was quite a bit of this last one. Very good. Loved it.
A more eccentric and eclectic bunch of old ducks you would never hope to find in any one place. Put them all together in a nursing home environment with private apartments, add in a younger woman and a hunky detective and you have the elements for the perfect storm.
And we got it. This was exciting, interesting, innovative, funny and mysterious.
I read somewhere that a tutor on novel writing suggested the defining incident should be in the first page or so of a book.
In this one it seemed to develop throughout the story. It was extremely entertaining. You didn’t seem to be sure that you had discovered the whole crime or not, at any stage during the story. But you kept reading to find out.
Light reading, funny, and just the thing to go with a smooth red wine on a warm summer evening. Probably not the thing for those who want layers and layers of intricate plot, huge slabs of social or political commentary, or masses of strange interactions between weird characters, althought there was quite a bit of this last one. Very good. Loved it.
August 19, 2016
I’m kind of a sucker for books that delve into the inner lives and dramas of residents at senior living homes. These stories have such potential for surprise and revelation because they can take advantage of readers’ assumptions about the elderly, flip them on their head, and pop out a plot line filled with characters of unexpected value.
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club, is not an exceptional book, but it does keep the reader turning the pages because the characters become more and more interesting as you go along. What begins as a simple mystery quickly evolves and becomes a life-or-death drama, and the relationships built between the characters are touching.
The writing is very straightforward, which fits with the style of the story. Personally, I would have enjoyed a bit more description because I think it would have added to the richness of the characters, but I did well enough with just my imagination to go on.
The thing that troubled me about this book, however, is that it was so…predictable. Although there were a number of “surprise” twists, I almost always knew exactly what was going to happen next, and was positive of the outcome of the story within only a few pages of starting the book. While it was still enjoyable to read and experience the journey from A to B, I wish that there had been a bit more creativity involved.
In addition, the characters’ constant inner monologues in which they explained everything that was going on made it feel as if the author couldn’t trust us to figure out the story, which isn’t so complicated that that should be a given.
Despite those issues, however, the book was entertaining, and the writing was pretty solid. It’s a good summer read if you’re just looking for something to pass the time or to use as a relaxing escape. I give it a solid three out of five stars.
Reviewed by Elise at www.whisperingstories.com
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club, is not an exceptional book, but it does keep the reader turning the pages because the characters become more and more interesting as you go along. What begins as a simple mystery quickly evolves and becomes a life-or-death drama, and the relationships built between the characters are touching.
The writing is very straightforward, which fits with the style of the story. Personally, I would have enjoyed a bit more description because I think it would have added to the richness of the characters, but I did well enough with just my imagination to go on.
The thing that troubled me about this book, however, is that it was so…predictable. Although there were a number of “surprise” twists, I almost always knew exactly what was going to happen next, and was positive of the outcome of the story within only a few pages of starting the book. While it was still enjoyable to read and experience the journey from A to B, I wish that there had been a bit more creativity involved.
In addition, the characters’ constant inner monologues in which they explained everything that was going on made it feel as if the author couldn’t trust us to figure out the story, which isn’t so complicated that that should be a given.
Despite those issues, however, the book was entertaining, and the writing was pretty solid. It’s a good summer read if you’re just looking for something to pass the time or to use as a relaxing escape. I give it a solid three out of five stars.
Reviewed by Elise at www.whisperingstories.com
July 25, 2017
The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club - I was first drawn to the book by the title of the book. I've always been a little twisted that way.
The story is about various residents in a senior retirement center. It starts with a foursome of card players and they each take turns deciding which game they will play. One day, one of the ladies suggested Strip Poker. The suggestion was met with giggles and then eventually they concluded that no one would want to see the other naked. But one lady suggested there was a way around this - instead of Strip Poker, they would play Naked Poker. The premise of the game is that the loser has to tell a story about themselves - and it has to be good and juicy!
A series of events take place at the senior center, some petty thefts, some larger thefts, as well as an employee that is harassed by another employee. There are situations where the ladies living there are having some difficulties with their grown children as well.
This story goes into each of their stories. There are mysteries, love, and guns involved. A really great read overall. I would have read this book from start to finish in one sitting had I not needed to sleep and tend to my daily activities. I highly recommend this book to others, and I look forward to the next books in the series.
The story is about various residents in a senior retirement center. It starts with a foursome of card players and they each take turns deciding which game they will play. One day, one of the ladies suggested Strip Poker. The suggestion was met with giggles and then eventually they concluded that no one would want to see the other naked. But one lady suggested there was a way around this - instead of Strip Poker, they would play Naked Poker. The premise of the game is that the loser has to tell a story about themselves - and it has to be good and juicy!
A series of events take place at the senior center, some petty thefts, some larger thefts, as well as an employee that is harassed by another employee. There are situations where the ladies living there are having some difficulties with their grown children as well.
This story goes into each of their stories. There are mysteries, love, and guns involved. A really great read overall. I would have read this book from start to finish in one sitting had I not needed to sleep and tend to my daily activities. I highly recommend this book to others, and I look forward to the next books in the series.
January 21, 2017
This is my first Ann Warner book, but it won't be my last. This book made me angry (for Josephine) when her son decided to take over his father's methods to do what he thought best for her. Josephine knew what was best for her and it wasn't being dumped into a senior home. Before she can get all her ducks in a row, she and her friend Lill become involved in solving a mystery and playing matchmaker. Filled with emotions, the story is so well written the reader feels what the characters feel. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked switching POVs every chapter. Then I realized how this brought more depth to the story. I loved the budding romance between Mac and Devi. Like Josephine, I wanted to knock their heads together. LOL Ms. Warner writes a light mystery with a satisfying ending. I need to read more from this wonderful author.
July 14, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. I'm not sure I want to read others in the series, I'm afraid they would be anti-climactic. Or at least wait a long in between.
I really liked the premise of the story, that is a humorous look into the lives of "little old ladies" living out their years in a retirement center. The poker club is how they spend some of their idle time and how they forge friendships. But through in some missing possessions, unwanted advances of an orderly, and later, a shooting, and you've got a mystery on your hands.
I loved how real all of the characters seemed. The garrulous but naive lady that believes everyone is good. The curmudgeonly lady that keeps to herself. The two best friends. Their nurses aid who has some secrets of her own. And the police officer that helps them all.
This is exactly how I would want to spend my last days!
Good read!
I really liked the premise of the story, that is a humorous look into the lives of "little old ladies" living out their years in a retirement center. The poker club is how they spend some of their idle time and how they forge friendships. But through in some missing possessions, unwanted advances of an orderly, and later, a shooting, and you've got a mystery on your hands.
I loved how real all of the characters seemed. The garrulous but naive lady that believes everyone is good. The curmudgeonly lady that keeps to herself. The two best friends. Their nurses aid who has some secrets of her own. And the police officer that helps them all.
This is exactly how I would want to spend my last days!
Good read!
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