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What Rose Forgot
In New York Times bestselling author Nevada Barr's gripping standalone, a grandmother in her 60s emerges from a mental fog to find she's trapped in an Alzheimer's Unit in a nursing home. How does she convince anyone that she's not actually demented? Her relatives were the ones to commit her, all the legal papers were drawn up, the authorities are on the side of the nursing home, and even she isn't sure she sounds completely sane.
291 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2019
988 people are currently reading
8055 people want to read
About the author
Nevada Barr
66 books2,293 followersNevada Barr is a mystery fiction author, known for her "Anna Pigeon" series of mysteries, set in National Parks in the United States. Barr has won an Agatha Award for best first novel for Track of the Cat.
Barr was named after the state of her birth. She grew up in Johnstonville, California. She finished college at the University of California, Irvine. Originally, Barr started to pursue a career in theatre, but decided to be a park ranger. In 1984 she published her first novel, Bittersweet, a bleak lesbian historical novel set in the days of the Western frontier.
While working in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Barr created the Anna Pigeon series. Pigeon is a law enforcement officer with the United States National Park Service. Each book in the series takes place in a different National Park, where Pigeon solves a murder mystery, often related to natural resource issues. She is a satirical, witty woman whose icy exterior is broken down in each book by a hunky male to whom she is attracted (such as Rogelio).
Currently, Ms. Barr lives in New Orleans, LA.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/nevada...
Barr was named after the state of her birth. She grew up in Johnstonville, California. She finished college at the University of California, Irvine. Originally, Barr started to pursue a career in theatre, but decided to be a park ranger. In 1984 she published her first novel, Bittersweet, a bleak lesbian historical novel set in the days of the Western frontier.
While working in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Barr created the Anna Pigeon series. Pigeon is a law enforcement officer with the United States National Park Service. Each book in the series takes place in a different National Park, where Pigeon solves a murder mystery, often related to natural resource issues. She is a satirical, witty woman whose icy exterior is broken down in each book by a hunky male to whom she is attracted (such as Rogelio).
Currently, Ms. Barr lives in New Orleans, LA.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/nevada...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,601 reviews
October 17, 2019
What Rose Forgot by Nevada Barr is a 2019 Minotaur Books publication.
Wildly entertaining, darkly humorous, with best unreliable narrator ever!
Rose Dennis, a widow in her sixties, awakens in a hospital gown unsure of what has happened to her. Her memory is murky, to say the least. Yet, she soon discovers she has been admitted to a nursing home and is being housed in the Alzheimer’s ward. Overhearing an ominous conversation suggesting she might not make it through the week, Rose realizes her life is in danger and not because she has dementia! She begins planning her escape, although she has a few lingering doubts about the sharpness of her mind. However, her suspicions that someone is out to get her are confirmed when she catches someone breaking into her home.
With the help of her reclusive sister and her granddaughter, Mel, Rose sets out to discover who wants her dead and why…
I have been meaning to check out Nevada Barr's long running Anna Pigeon mystery series for a long time. I still intend to do that, but when I saw this was a stand-alone novel, my interest was instantly piqued.
I had no idea what to expect, but the story grabbed me right away- and Rose!! OMG! She’s a real hoot! The plot is a unique one because the reader has no idea how stable Rose really is. Her memory may not be reliable, but it does begin to return in fits and starts as the story progresses. The reader has no more of a clue than Rose what is going on, but her investigative methods are unconventional to say the least, and her inner dialogue is hysterical. She has the uncanny ability to think fast and lie hard, which also really funny, and adds another quirky element to the story. The secondary characters complement the atmosphere and play off of Rose’s antics perfectly.
This story is, at the end of the day, a standard whodunit, but the presentation is certainly outside of the box, which sets it apart from the standard traditional mystery. The author’s execution is pitch perfect, making this one of the most entertaining mysteries I’ve read in a long time. I loved the dark humor, the witty dialogue, and the occasion moment of poignancy in the midst of the screwball action and suspense.
Overall, it’s nice to have stumbled across a pure mystery that is fresh and inventive, and keeps the reader off guard, and thoroughly entertained, at the same time!
Wildly entertaining, darkly humorous, with best unreliable narrator ever!
Rose Dennis, a widow in her sixties, awakens in a hospital gown unsure of what has happened to her. Her memory is murky, to say the least. Yet, she soon discovers she has been admitted to a nursing home and is being housed in the Alzheimer’s ward. Overhearing an ominous conversation suggesting she might not make it through the week, Rose realizes her life is in danger and not because she has dementia! She begins planning her escape, although she has a few lingering doubts about the sharpness of her mind. However, her suspicions that someone is out to get her are confirmed when she catches someone breaking into her home.
With the help of her reclusive sister and her granddaughter, Mel, Rose sets out to discover who wants her dead and why…
I have been meaning to check out Nevada Barr's long running Anna Pigeon mystery series for a long time. I still intend to do that, but when I saw this was a stand-alone novel, my interest was instantly piqued.
I had no idea what to expect, but the story grabbed me right away- and Rose!! OMG! She’s a real hoot! The plot is a unique one because the reader has no idea how stable Rose really is. Her memory may not be reliable, but it does begin to return in fits and starts as the story progresses. The reader has no more of a clue than Rose what is going on, but her investigative methods are unconventional to say the least, and her inner dialogue is hysterical. She has the uncanny ability to think fast and lie hard, which also really funny, and adds another quirky element to the story. The secondary characters complement the atmosphere and play off of Rose’s antics perfectly.
This story is, at the end of the day, a standard whodunit, but the presentation is certainly outside of the box, which sets it apart from the standard traditional mystery. The author’s execution is pitch perfect, making this one of the most entertaining mysteries I’ve read in a long time. I loved the dark humor, the witty dialogue, and the occasion moment of poignancy in the midst of the screwball action and suspense.
Overall, it’s nice to have stumbled across a pure mystery that is fresh and inventive, and keeps the reader off guard, and thoroughly entertained, at the same time!
September 17, 2019
Inheritance
What Rose Forgot is an entertaining novel packed with action and suspense, and with splashes of humour it makes this a wonderful read. What struck me was just how quickly this novel had hold of me and totally consumed the hours until I finished reading. The writing is very perceptive and paints wonderful scenes, a mysterious plot and clever witty dialogue, while the story moves with great momentum.
Rose Dennis awakens in a wood, confused, disorientated and wearing just a hospital gown. Her first thoughts are, is this a dream? Then very slowly she regains some perspective although her memories are scrambled and missing. Two young boys find her and assume she has wandered from the nearby Nursing Home. They inform the facility, who have been searching for Rose and manage to help her return. During this period Rose is gradually regaining memories and trying desperately to piece together, when, why and how she was committed to the Memory Care Unit at Longwood and who was responsible.
I loved the careful development with the situation Rose finds herself in. Does she suffer from dementia, as the facility suggests, is this just a brief moment of lucidity, or is she actually rational and somehow a mistake has been made? Her questioning of her state of mind and quizzical searching for how and why she has arrived at this place surely isn’t the thinking from someone living with dementia.
Rose makes a decision that she will not ingest the drugs offered to her anymore and covertly hides the tablets and continues to act out her assumed mental state while she gathers information and plans her escape. Regardless of plot plausibility, the believability of Rose’s mental turmoil is very well delivered and the reality as it comes into focus is really heartening.
The story is gripping and the adventure Rose goes on with Mel, is enthralling and builds with us eagerly straining to find out who is behind the conspiracy. The plot credibility issues and convenience, are masked by the entertaining scenarios and witty moments that are maintained at a relentless pace.
I would recommend reading this book and I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.
What Rose Forgot is an entertaining novel packed with action and suspense, and with splashes of humour it makes this a wonderful read. What struck me was just how quickly this novel had hold of me and totally consumed the hours until I finished reading. The writing is very perceptive and paints wonderful scenes, a mysterious plot and clever witty dialogue, while the story moves with great momentum.
Rose Dennis awakens in a wood, confused, disorientated and wearing just a hospital gown. Her first thoughts are, is this a dream? Then very slowly she regains some perspective although her memories are scrambled and missing. Two young boys find her and assume she has wandered from the nearby Nursing Home. They inform the facility, who have been searching for Rose and manage to help her return. During this period Rose is gradually regaining memories and trying desperately to piece together, when, why and how she was committed to the Memory Care Unit at Longwood and who was responsible.
I loved the careful development with the situation Rose finds herself in. Does she suffer from dementia, as the facility suggests, is this just a brief moment of lucidity, or is she actually rational and somehow a mistake has been made? Her questioning of her state of mind and quizzical searching for how and why she has arrived at this place surely isn’t the thinking from someone living with dementia.
Rose makes a decision that she will not ingest the drugs offered to her anymore and covertly hides the tablets and continues to act out her assumed mental state while she gathers information and plans her escape. Regardless of plot plausibility, the believability of Rose’s mental turmoil is very well delivered and the reality as it comes into focus is really heartening.
‘ “Here’s the thing, since I’ve stopped taking the red capsules, my mind has gotten much clearer. I think I’m being intentionally drugged.”Rose escapes again but this time with a clearer mind and a plan which involves her granddaughter Mel, and her sister Marion. There are some other strange relationships developed as Rose navigates the sinister machinations that seem intent on causing her death. Who would want her dead, and of course following the money leads obviously to the family? Although it’s not just as obvious as that.
“For how long?”
“Yesterday, of course. Before that . . .”
There is no before that. Not yet.’
The story is gripping and the adventure Rose goes on with Mel, is enthralling and builds with us eagerly straining to find out who is behind the conspiracy. The plot credibility issues and convenience, are masked by the entertaining scenarios and witty moments that are maintained at a relentless pace.
I would recommend reading this book and I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.
August 22, 2019
4 stars for an entertaining mystery. This is a stand alone mystery and not part of the Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr. Rose wakes up in a state of confusion. She is in a hospital gown and near a road. She sees 2 boys on bicycles and asks for water. One gives her water and the other goes to the nursing home to tell them that one of their patients is nearby. Rose is taken back to the nursing home. But she realizes that she is being drugged and pretends to continue taking the drugs and escape. She does escape and unravels a conspiracy behind the drugs. Rose is a feisty 69 year old woman who ends up saving her life. To say more would be a spoiler, but if you liked the Anna Pigeon series, then you will like this book also. I read it in 2 days.
One quote on Rose philosophizing: "Of course, Rose knows there are people who live and die in the shadow of lies, betrayals, violence and crime.
It has to be exhausting.
People should love one another right now.
Buy the world a Coke and keep it company.
The Age of Aquarius was way too short as far as Rose is concerned."
Thank You St Martin's Press and Nevada Barr for sending me this book through NetGalley.
One quote on Rose philosophizing: "Of course, Rose knows there are people who live and die in the shadow of lies, betrayals, violence and crime.
It has to be exhausting.
People should love one another right now.
Buy the world a Coke and keep it company.
The Age of Aquarius was way too short as far as Rose is concerned."
Thank You St Martin's Press and Nevada Barr for sending me this book through NetGalley.
August 21, 2019
I read each and every one of Barr’s Anna Pigeon books and have missed the series. So, I was thrilled to see she’d written a stand alone. As the story begins, 68 year old Rose has escaped from a memory unit in a nursing home. She’s quickly re-captured and returned. But it’s obvious to the reader that she’s not a typical early Alzheimer’s victim, so what brought her there?
Barr’s writing mesmerized me. “Memories downloaded into Rose’s skull with all the nuance of a dump truck pouring rocks into a hole. Not collated, alphabetized, or arranged by date, a heap of images, sounds and emotions hit so hard she sits down with a bone-jarring thud.”
This is a fast paced, edge of your seat, suspense filled mystery. I felt just as much in the dark about what was happening as Rose. And it’s a great group of characters, not just Rose, but also Mel and Marion. Even Eddie. There’s a little bit of dry humor thrown in.
Well done Ms. Barr!
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
Barr’s writing mesmerized me. “Memories downloaded into Rose’s skull with all the nuance of a dump truck pouring rocks into a hole. Not collated, alphabetized, or arranged by date, a heap of images, sounds and emotions hit so hard she sits down with a bone-jarring thud.”
This is a fast paced, edge of your seat, suspense filled mystery. I felt just as much in the dark about what was happening as Rose. And it’s a great group of characters, not just Rose, but also Mel and Marion. Even Eddie. There’s a little bit of dry humor thrown in.
Well done Ms. Barr!
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
October 31, 2019
The book starts with Rose, dressed in only a hard to keep on hospital gown, outside the Memory Care Unit of a nursing home, trying to escape her captors, while she fights off a drug induced (or is it dementia induced) haze covering her thinking. Caught, drugged once again, and strapped down, outside her room she hears threatening words saying that she won't last the week. Rose knows she has to prevent being drugged into oblivion again, so she can escape this place and allow her body to shed the effect of the drugs she has been given.
Sixty eight year old Rose is a hoot and so is her granddaughter, Mel. Their conversations are witty, funny, and sarcastic and these two are my favorite things about the book. Rose's fears are real and someone may want her dead sooner rather than later. Rose has a reclusive older sister who likes to poke and prod the internet (heaven forbid, do not call it hacking!) and her thirteen year old granddaughter who are willing to help Rose figure out the whats and whys of what is happening to her. Her granddaughter does remind her that she was a crazy person before she entered the nursing home, because she was into yoga, mediation, Buddhism, and to top it all off, she is an artist. Rose has a lot of misconceptions to fight and her late husband's family seems to be one of her biggest enemies.
There are several long, detailed, confusing actions sequences that I could not follow well at all and that is my only reservation about the book. I loved the characters, their dialogue and Rose's inner running dialogue and even a newbie want-to-be assassin had me laughing once he faced up to his failures in life. I plan to give this author another read since I see she has a lot of books to offer.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
Sixty eight year old Rose is a hoot and so is her granddaughter, Mel. Their conversations are witty, funny, and sarcastic and these two are my favorite things about the book. Rose's fears are real and someone may want her dead sooner rather than later. Rose has a reclusive older sister who likes to poke and prod the internet (heaven forbid, do not call it hacking!) and her thirteen year old granddaughter who are willing to help Rose figure out the whats and whys of what is happening to her. Her granddaughter does remind her that she was a crazy person before she entered the nursing home, because she was into yoga, mediation, Buddhism, and to top it all off, she is an artist. Rose has a lot of misconceptions to fight and her late husband's family seems to be one of her biggest enemies.
There are several long, detailed, confusing actions sequences that I could not follow well at all and that is my only reservation about the book. I loved the characters, their dialogue and Rose's inner running dialogue and even a newbie want-to-be assassin had me laughing once he faced up to his failures in life. I plan to give this author another read since I see she has a lot of books to offer.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
September 28, 2019
3.5 i wasn't sure while reading this stand alone by Barr, whether I needed to suspend belief or to wish that in my mid sixties I would be as fit and while as Rose. I decided to just go with the flow, the story as it was presented, because it was a fun read. Plus, I adored the character of Rose, loved her relationship with her granddaughter and her friend Royce.
The plight of the elderly is often not a smooth one, as it shows here. Beyond the storyline there is a seriousness of how vulnerable many are, often no longer masters of their own fate. Easy to take advantage of, sometimes no longer believes. Greed, one of the seven deadly sins is at the heart of this book. This is when we could definitely use a Rose, a woman who refuses to be a victim.
Their is plenty of action, the plot zips along, with plenty of both amusement and disbelief along the way. The ending, alas, I though was somewhat of an over kill. Still, it was a fun journey, with a gutsy heroine.
ARC from Netgalley.
The plight of the elderly is often not a smooth one, as it shows here. Beyond the storyline there is a seriousness of how vulnerable many are, often no longer masters of their own fate. Easy to take advantage of, sometimes no longer believes. Greed, one of the seven deadly sins is at the heart of this book. This is when we could definitely use a Rose, a woman who refuses to be a victim.
Their is plenty of action, the plot zips along, with plenty of both amusement and disbelief along the way. The ending, alas, I though was somewhat of an over kill. Still, it was a fun journey, with a gutsy heroine.
ARC from Netgalley.
September 15, 2019
The plot synopsis provided for this novel is extremely accurate, so I will just be reviewing my likes, dislikes, and other thoughts.
I enjoyed the character of Rose: a yoga doing, meditating, mantra chanting, spunky step-grandmother. Her character was interesting, unique, and easy to relate to. Rose was simply awesome, and I love her! I also fell in love with her sister, Marion, and loved Marion’s character. On the other hand, most of the events that unfold are far-fetched, so you must read with an open mind. Too add to that statement, sometimes the action occurring in the scenes was hard to follow. I had to go back and re-read the page or paragraph and still didn’t comprehend the directional imagery occurring, meaning that some scenes I had a difficult time picturing in my mind because of enigmatic descriptions.
This book is filled with humor, but also serious topics. The humor lies within Rose herself; her take on things not as a senile old lady, but as person with a flamboyant and tickled personality. Though Rose’s humor will cause you to giggle, the sensitive situation that can occur in care units and nursing homes creates an atmosphere of unease and mystery for the reader.
The central theme focuses on ageism and the labyrinth of navigating the waters extended family. While at times I was concerned with Rose and her circumstances, other times I felt detached. It was entertaining, but not a spellbinding page turner. For me, the unique characters are what made this so enjoyable. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Neverra Barr for a copy. Opinions are my own.
Quotes to help you get to know Rose:
“The city of Charlotte must have and ordinance requiring homeowners to plant twenty percent of their land in Azaleas, Rose thinks."
“…I cannot tell you home much I have been craving a pair of good old cotton underpants.”
““We’ve all got it coming,” clint Eastwood says from some neglected corner of her cerebral cortex."
I enjoyed the character of Rose: a yoga doing, meditating, mantra chanting, spunky step-grandmother. Her character was interesting, unique, and easy to relate to. Rose was simply awesome, and I love her! I also fell in love with her sister, Marion, and loved Marion’s character. On the other hand, most of the events that unfold are far-fetched, so you must read with an open mind. Too add to that statement, sometimes the action occurring in the scenes was hard to follow. I had to go back and re-read the page or paragraph and still didn’t comprehend the directional imagery occurring, meaning that some scenes I had a difficult time picturing in my mind because of enigmatic descriptions.
This book is filled with humor, but also serious topics. The humor lies within Rose herself; her take on things not as a senile old lady, but as person with a flamboyant and tickled personality. Though Rose’s humor will cause you to giggle, the sensitive situation that can occur in care units and nursing homes creates an atmosphere of unease and mystery for the reader.
The central theme focuses on ageism and the labyrinth of navigating the waters extended family. While at times I was concerned with Rose and her circumstances, other times I felt detached. It was entertaining, but not a spellbinding page turner. For me, the unique characters are what made this so enjoyable. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Neverra Barr for a copy. Opinions are my own.
Quotes to help you get to know Rose:
“The city of Charlotte must have and ordinance requiring homeowners to plant twenty percent of their land in Azaleas, Rose thinks."
“…I cannot tell you home much I have been craving a pair of good old cotton underpants.”
““We’ve all got it coming,” clint Eastwood says from some neglected corner of her cerebral cortex."
August 17, 2019
What Rose Forgot by Nevada Barr is a well-written standalone mystery that I was excited to read since I thoroughly enjoy her Anna Pigeon series.
This story is set in Charlotte, North Carolina and the main protagonist is 68 year old Rose Dennis who wakes up outside in a hospital gown and her mind is foggy. She has been committed to a Memory Care Unit of a nursing home, but Rose becomes convinced that her life is in danger. With this information, Rose enlists the help of her sister in New Orleans, her granddaughter Mel, and Mel’s friend Royal. The clever plot progresses rapidly. To avoid spoilers, I will withhold the rest of the story line.
The plot is thought-provoking, intense, insightful and captivating. While many have considered this book to be humorous, I did not. Yes, there was a chuckle here and there, but I was so upset with the situation that Rose found herself in that I did not find the time to laugh.
The story showed great depth in the main character. Additionally, there was never a dull moment. To me, it was fascinating, gripping, heartbreaking, insightful, courageous and very memorable.
I highly recommend this novel to both mystery fans and those that are fans of Nevada Bar.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Nevada Barr and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
This story is set in Charlotte, North Carolina and the main protagonist is 68 year old Rose Dennis who wakes up outside in a hospital gown and her mind is foggy. She has been committed to a Memory Care Unit of a nursing home, but Rose becomes convinced that her life is in danger. With this information, Rose enlists the help of her sister in New Orleans, her granddaughter Mel, and Mel’s friend Royal. The clever plot progresses rapidly. To avoid spoilers, I will withhold the rest of the story line.
The plot is thought-provoking, intense, insightful and captivating. While many have considered this book to be humorous, I did not. Yes, there was a chuckle here and there, but I was so upset with the situation that Rose found herself in that I did not find the time to laugh.
The story showed great depth in the main character. Additionally, there was never a dull moment. To me, it was fascinating, gripping, heartbreaking, insightful, courageous and very memorable.
I highly recommend this novel to both mystery fans and those that are fans of Nevada Bar.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Nevada Barr and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
October 9, 2019
"Of course, Rose knows there are people who live and die in the shadow of lies, betrayals, violence, and crime. People should love one another right now. Buy the world a Coke and keep it company. The Age of Aquarius was way too short as far as Rose is concerned."
And Nevada Barr just about touches on all of that in What Rose Forgot. Her main character of Rose Dennis is a way-out-there-somewhere kind of ol' gal of sixty-eight. She wakes up in a special nursing home unit for Alzheimer's without a clue as to how she got there. But what Rose does realize is the bits and pieces of a hallway conversation that says she's not going to make it to the end of the week. A flashing image appears before her eyes: Escape or die.
Barr lights the match on a wild and crazy road trip in which Rose must use every means possible to stay hidden. With the help of her teenage granddaughter and her computer saavy sister, Rose must find out who is behind her drugged state and who wants her dead.
What Rose Forgot is not heavy lifting by any means. It's simply an entertaining romp into the resourcefulness of an older woman who still has quite a few tricks up her sleeve. Outlandish in some parts and stretching the imagination in other parts, What Rose Forgot is meant to get a grin going here and there. Sometimes we just need a break from the weight of some of those tomes that we read. What Rose Forgot is light-hearted fun. A 3.5 shifted to 4 stars for the chuckles.
And Nevada Barr just about touches on all of that in What Rose Forgot. Her main character of Rose Dennis is a way-out-there-somewhere kind of ol' gal of sixty-eight. She wakes up in a special nursing home unit for Alzheimer's without a clue as to how she got there. But what Rose does realize is the bits and pieces of a hallway conversation that says she's not going to make it to the end of the week. A flashing image appears before her eyes: Escape or die.
Barr lights the match on a wild and crazy road trip in which Rose must use every means possible to stay hidden. With the help of her teenage granddaughter and her computer saavy sister, Rose must find out who is behind her drugged state and who wants her dead.
What Rose Forgot is not heavy lifting by any means. It's simply an entertaining romp into the resourcefulness of an older woman who still has quite a few tricks up her sleeve. Outlandish in some parts and stretching the imagination in other parts, What Rose Forgot is meant to get a grin going here and there. Sometimes we just need a break from the weight of some of those tomes that we read. What Rose Forgot is light-hearted fun. A 3.5 shifted to 4 stars for the chuckles.
October 27, 2019
Heart-pounding and unique! The pace of this book moved quickly. I imagine this would be a great vacation thriller because you will want to be able to read it through without stopping!
Rose wakes up in a Memory Care Unit with no idea how she got there or how long she has been in. When it becomes clear that the staff at the hospital are intentionally making her sick, Rose cleverly avoids swallowing her medication and plots her escape. Soon after making a run for it, an attacker breaks in and tries to incapacitate Rose for good, and then she knows. It wasn't just the hospital that was the problem. Someone wants Rose dead and it may be someone closer to her than she realizes.
I want to talk about something that never occurred to me about psychological thrillers until I read this book—they aren’t very diverse in age or gender of the main character! I was marveling at this amazing 68 years-young protagonist, and the more she commented on ageism and how she sometimes feels younger than her biological age, I realized that the majority of psychological thrillers feature female protagonists typically between the ages of about 25-45. Well, this book turns that on its head because Rose is an amazing leading character!
Here’s the other thing I found interesting and fun—this is not a slow-burn psychological thriller where the lead character succumbs to the gaslighting around her and spirals into self-destruction and doubt. This book is action-packed. Fights, rough-and-tumble drag outs, and battle scars. These characters will not escape the same way they went in! And I found this not only unexpected, but delightful.
Rose is amazing. She has this healthy balance of “Well, I really might be suffering from dementia” to “I’m pretty confident that I’m healthy which means someone is out to get me.” It would have been disingenuous if Rose didn’t question her diagnosis at all, but it also was amazing to see her so grounded and sure of herself and how she feels. Rose is a boss, don’t let her hippie-ish clothes and marijuana fool you! Rose is razor-sharp and fearless. We should all learn to be a bit more like Rose!
I also loved Rose’s granddaughter Mel and their relationship. In addition to Rose’s reclusive sister who happens to have a knack for “exploring” the internet (aka Hacking), Mel is her closest resource. Mel is wise beyond her years and brave. I love how much she respects Rose, both checking on her health but hearing Rose out when she presents some pretty wild sounding conspiracy theories. Lovely!
I highly recommend this book. Nevada Barr is a delightful writer and I’ll be looking into more of her books!
Thank you to St Martins Press and Minotaur for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Rose wakes up in a Memory Care Unit with no idea how she got there or how long she has been in. When it becomes clear that the staff at the hospital are intentionally making her sick, Rose cleverly avoids swallowing her medication and plots her escape. Soon after making a run for it, an attacker breaks in and tries to incapacitate Rose for good, and then she knows. It wasn't just the hospital that was the problem. Someone wants Rose dead and it may be someone closer to her than she realizes.
I want to talk about something that never occurred to me about psychological thrillers until I read this book—they aren’t very diverse in age or gender of the main character! I was marveling at this amazing 68 years-young protagonist, and the more she commented on ageism and how she sometimes feels younger than her biological age, I realized that the majority of psychological thrillers feature female protagonists typically between the ages of about 25-45. Well, this book turns that on its head because Rose is an amazing leading character!
Here’s the other thing I found interesting and fun—this is not a slow-burn psychological thriller where the lead character succumbs to the gaslighting around her and spirals into self-destruction and doubt. This book is action-packed. Fights, rough-and-tumble drag outs, and battle scars. These characters will not escape the same way they went in! And I found this not only unexpected, but delightful.
Rose is amazing. She has this healthy balance of “Well, I really might be suffering from dementia” to “I’m pretty confident that I’m healthy which means someone is out to get me.” It would have been disingenuous if Rose didn’t question her diagnosis at all, but it also was amazing to see her so grounded and sure of herself and how she feels. Rose is a boss, don’t let her hippie-ish clothes and marijuana fool you! Rose is razor-sharp and fearless. We should all learn to be a bit more like Rose!
I also loved Rose’s granddaughter Mel and their relationship. In addition to Rose’s reclusive sister who happens to have a knack for “exploring” the internet (aka Hacking), Mel is her closest resource. Mel is wise beyond her years and brave. I love how much she respects Rose, both checking on her health but hearing Rose out when she presents some pretty wild sounding conspiracy theories. Lovely!
I highly recommend this book. Nevada Barr is a delightful writer and I’ll be looking into more of her books!
Thank you to St Martins Press and Minotaur for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Read
September 27, 2019The Hook - Nevada Barr was one of my adopted authors at my public library. I haven't read anything by her in years. Decided a standalone novel was just the right one to add her back to my life.
The Line -
There is the suffering of suffering.
The suffering of change.
The suffering of self.
The Sinker - If you've read Nevada Barr before and are expecting Anna Pigeon, forget it, she flew the coop.
If you like unreliable narrators Rose can lie with the best of them.
If an unrealistic plot bothers you, get over it, as really who cares? Rose is heck of a character, one feisty oldster who will take you for the trip of your life. Come on, it's fiction after all.
The Line -
There is the suffering of suffering.
The suffering of change.
The suffering of self.
The Sinker - If you've read Nevada Barr before and are expecting Anna Pigeon, forget it, she flew the coop.
If you like unreliable narrators Rose can lie with the best of them.
If an unrealistic plot bothers you, get over it, as really who cares? Rose is heck of a character, one feisty oldster who will take you for the trip of your life. Come on, it's fiction after all.
September 20, 2019
What Rose Forgot is an extremely entertaining action-packed mystery. I fell in love with Rose's dry self-deprecating sense of humour from the very first scene. Rose wakes up in a wood and has no idea how she ended up in the place. has there been an accident? Then why is she wearing a hospital gown,and most importantly, why is she struggling to clear her mind from its foggy state. Two teenage boys find and report Rose to a nursing home nearby and we quickly understand that not everything is as innocent as it seems to be. The orderlies drag the poor lady, the relatives (whose names escape Rose) seem to be really angry, to say nothing of the home managers. Rose cannot remember being committed to this secure unit and she doesn't believe herself demented. Could she have been drugged? Rose pretends to take her medication and then hides her daily dose stash in a drawer of her cabinet. Slowly and painfully, the fog begins to clear away, while she is continuing to behave as if nothing has changed. When she hears two voices saying that she won't last this week, Rose knows her life is in imminent danger and hatches an escape plan. Once out, Rose can count on very few people, partly because she still doesn't know who exactly wishes her harm to the extent of hiring a hitman, and partly because the kind soul she is, she doesn't want to risk the lives or freedom of people she loves.
The character of Rose is absolutely adorable. I might forget the exact details of this intricate plot, but I definitely won't forget its feisty protagonist, an eccentric artist, a Buddhist and a doting grandmother. Rose and her sidekicks- her recluse sister/ hacker Marion, wonderfully practical and elusive, and Mel, Rose's thirteen year old granddaughter, made an excellent team.
I believe the charm of this book lies in Rose's attitude to the events . The comments and opinions she voices in her head are hilarious. She is both humble and resilient, and won't go down without a good fight.
The pace is really fast and the author makes sure there is never a dull moment. The events are, of course, far-fetched, but the book is well-written and the protagonist is so endearing in all her kookiness, that you will readily suspend your belief and keep turning pages.
The big issues touched in the book- ageism and extended family relationships- are serious and need to be discussed more often. This light and funny read is quite insightful, without losing its entertainment value.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Minotaur/ St.Martin's Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
The character of Rose is absolutely adorable. I might forget the exact details of this intricate plot, but I definitely won't forget its feisty protagonist, an eccentric artist, a Buddhist and a doting grandmother. Rose and her sidekicks- her recluse sister/ hacker Marion, wonderfully practical and elusive, and Mel, Rose's thirteen year old granddaughter, made an excellent team.
I believe the charm of this book lies in Rose's attitude to the events . The comments and opinions she voices in her head are hilarious. She is both humble and resilient, and won't go down without a good fight.
The pace is really fast and the author makes sure there is never a dull moment. The events are, of course, far-fetched, but the book is well-written and the protagonist is so endearing in all her kookiness, that you will readily suspend your belief and keep turning pages.
The big issues touched in the book- ageism and extended family relationships- are serious and need to be discussed more often. This light and funny read is quite insightful, without losing its entertainment value.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Minotaur/ St.Martin's Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
September 8, 2019
Absolutely delightful! I truly couldn't put this one down. At the start of the book Rose has excaped from a Memory Care Unit but feels she shouldn't have been there. She is found and taken back. She plans her escape. The events that follow and the situations she finds herself in are both scary and funny. Rose is a charming character who is very artistic and it seems she has always done yoga so, even after her incarceration in the MCU seems to be strong and resilient for a woman in her sixties. Her granddaughter Mel is adorable.
This was such a fun read! I will be looking at more of Nevada Barr's books because I really loved the character and the way she was portrayed. This story was set in Charlotte, North Carolina - I always enjoy books set in the state where I live because I enjoy recognizing some of the places and landmarks in the book.
Many thanks to Nevada Barr and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a fun read! I will be looking at more of Nevada Barr's books because I really loved the character and the way she was portrayed. This story was set in Charlotte, North Carolina - I always enjoy books set in the state where I live because I enjoy recognizing some of the places and landmarks in the book.
Many thanks to Nevada Barr and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2019
I’m trying out more mystery authors this year, and what reeled me in for this book was the premise and the senior character, something that we don’t see enough of. And the cover is definitely dreamy!
The narrative grabbed me easily and I identified with Rose’s troubles right away. However, as the clues and action came out, I really found they weren’t adding up, and that pulled me out of the story. One month generally doesn’t turn for individuals in their sixties into a wasted skeleton, and two days away doesn’t restore their powers so entirely. Once she gets to her home, all attempt at reality seems to go out the window in a very literal sense and the roof chase becomes straight comedy. But really, really unlikely after the condition she was in only days before. There were other really unrealistic scenes, also laughably a “try not to breathe at all” followed by two pages of quick dialogue.
I felt like the emotions of the scenarios were really well-written and I absolutely loved the scenes with her and her granddaughter and young Royal. These were the best parts of the book. I also really appreciated that there were zero sex scenes and no innuendo.
Two other things really bugged me. I wasn’t aware I was picking up Buddhist fiction. From the 30% point on, the mentions of Rose’s Buddhist beliefs grow and grow until they are even applied as needful to the society around her, which takes it well beyond mere characterization. Second, having my entertainment become political is a huge pet peeve, and in this case it was all sorts of politics I dislike, which only made it worse. The politics did not change the plot in any way. They were jibes thrown in for free that only annoyed. Cheap shots at the President, never tasteful no matter who’s in office; immigration; Planned Parenthood (I could not make sense, if I tried, of “values” that worry about karma, then donate 1/3 of a fortune to saving dogs and 2/3 to killing babies to get rid of global overpopulation....seriously....that’s not a religion of peace). The final thing that irked me was how Rose broke the law repeatedly and had no consequences (even evidently getting away with perjury).
There is some profanity and a couple s* before the halfway mark, which at least was infrequent, but then the bad guys had to show how bad they were by cursing up a blue storm, and first I dislike the swearing and second, that’s a lazy way to characterize bad guys.
While I did finish the book, I won’t be picking up another Barr mystery.
Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.
The narrative grabbed me easily and I identified with Rose’s troubles right away. However, as the clues and action came out, I really found they weren’t adding up, and that pulled me out of the story. One month generally doesn’t turn for individuals in their sixties into a wasted skeleton, and two days away doesn’t restore their powers so entirely. Once she gets to her home, all attempt at reality seems to go out the window in a very literal sense and the roof chase becomes straight comedy. But really, really unlikely after the condition she was in only days before. There were other really unrealistic scenes, also laughably a “try not to breathe at all” followed by two pages of quick dialogue.
I felt like the emotions of the scenarios were really well-written and I absolutely loved the scenes with her and her granddaughter and young Royal. These were the best parts of the book. I also really appreciated that there were zero sex scenes and no innuendo.
Two other things really bugged me. I wasn’t aware I was picking up Buddhist fiction. From the 30% point on, the mentions of Rose’s Buddhist beliefs grow and grow until they are even applied as needful to the society around her, which takes it well beyond mere characterization. Second, having my entertainment become political is a huge pet peeve, and in this case it was all sorts of politics I dislike, which only made it worse. The politics did not change the plot in any way. They were jibes thrown in for free that only annoyed. Cheap shots at the President, never tasteful no matter who’s in office; immigration; Planned Parenthood (I could not make sense, if I tried, of “values” that worry about karma, then donate 1/3 of a fortune to saving dogs and 2/3 to killing babies to get rid of global overpopulation....seriously....that’s not a religion of peace). The final thing that irked me was how Rose broke the law repeatedly and had no consequences (even evidently getting away with perjury).
There is some profanity and a couple s* before the halfway mark, which at least was infrequent, but then the bad guys had to show how bad they were by cursing up a blue storm, and first I dislike the swearing and second, that’s a lazy way to characterize bad guys.
While I did finish the book, I won’t be picking up another Barr mystery.
Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.
September 5, 2019
What a hoot! What Rose Forgot is an outrageous, rip-roaring good time! I expected a dark, scary thriller and while there're certainly some spooky scenes, there are many more that are over-the-top, laugh out loud hilarious. Rose awakens in a foggy, dream-like haze, surprised to find herself confined in the lock down section of a Alzheimer's elderly care facility. As she struggles to clear her muddy mind and figure out what's going on, she overhears a conversation saying she won't last out the week. She would know if she was "dying", wouldn't she? Why can't she remember how she ended up committed to a place for people who have lost their memories - as well as most of their marbles? Rose isn't crazy . . . or is she?
The story that unfolds follows the antics of Rose as she escapes and begins a stint on the lam as an amateur sleuth, hiding out from unknown villains and participating in hand-to-hand combat with professional killers. She's aided in her investigation by a great support team - her granddaughter Mel and her long distance sister Marion. Rose is lovable, preposterous, flamboyant, and on-the-run from the law, nursing home, and most of her family as she follows the clues to solve the mystery of who wants her dead. What follows is a comedy of errors - a story that borders on slapstick comedy while exploring some serious issues faced by aging seniors. It touched my heart even as it tickled my funny bone. I laughed loud and often as I read this book mostly in one sitting. The story is paced to flow quickly from one hilarious scene to the next and while I figured out the bad "guy" before the big reveal near the end, it was an absolute hoot getting there. A little old lady super-heroine wreaking havoc on the bad guys! You've got to love it! Well-written and delivered, I consider What Rose Forgot more of a funny, cozy mystery than a thriller, but no matter how you shelf it, it's a fantastic read!
*A special thank you to the publisher for an arc of this book!
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
The story that unfolds follows the antics of Rose as she escapes and begins a stint on the lam as an amateur sleuth, hiding out from unknown villains and participating in hand-to-hand combat with professional killers. She's aided in her investigation by a great support team - her granddaughter Mel and her long distance sister Marion. Rose is lovable, preposterous, flamboyant, and on-the-run from the law, nursing home, and most of her family as she follows the clues to solve the mystery of who wants her dead. What follows is a comedy of errors - a story that borders on slapstick comedy while exploring some serious issues faced by aging seniors. It touched my heart even as it tickled my funny bone. I laughed loud and often as I read this book mostly in one sitting. The story is paced to flow quickly from one hilarious scene to the next and while I figured out the bad "guy" before the big reveal near the end, it was an absolute hoot getting there. A little old lady super-heroine wreaking havoc on the bad guys! You've got to love it! Well-written and delivered, I consider What Rose Forgot more of a funny, cozy mystery than a thriller, but no matter how you shelf it, it's a fantastic read!
*A special thank you to the publisher for an arc of this book!
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
August 10, 2019
A well plotted mystery told from intended victim Rose’s point of view. The reader is immediately plunged into Rose’s world as she comes out of a meditative trance to find herself not in her meditation room, as expected, but outside surrounded by trees and other shrubs. How did she get her? Where is here? And Why is she so thirsty and confused?
Moments after becoming aware of her surroundings, Rose is found by two young boys, one of whom gives her the little water he has and then hurries off to the local nursing home/Alheimer’s Care Center for help. Before she understands what is happening, two orderlies descend on her with orange juice and pills. Just as the thought that the juice contains poison enters her mind, Rose is drug back to the facility and returned to the Memory Care Unit from which she escaped, although no one knows how.
Through a curtain of confusion brought on by drugs that are pushed on her by the staff, Rose maintains enough lucidity to suspect she is being poisoned. She has no clue as to who is trying to harm her, but she has reason to suspect they want her dead within the next week. Armed with this belief, Rose hatches a plan to escape the unit and figure out who is trying to murder her.
As the book unfolds the picture of Rose comes into focus. She is 68 years old, wealthy, a widow who practices Yoga, pursues Buddhism, and has an artist’s temperament. Add in a quirky sense of humor and you have the makings of a truly enjoyable mystery. The writing is off center just enough to add to the unique nature of the narrative with descriptions like: feeling like she’s been trampled by a herd of gnus. Rose is that older woman we always see depicted with a highly individualized sense of style, bordering on bohemian, an accomplished artist, and devoted grandmother.
As the story progresses, Rose becomes increasingly convinced that she is the only one who can solve the mystery of who is trying to do her harm. After all, who is going to believe an older woman who is recently widowed and then diagnosed with early rapid onset dementia? She sets out to solve the mystery herself, getting help along the way from her young teenage granddaughter and her sister Marion, a computer expert, whose aide she enlists by relating facts that demonstrate how her life is in danger.
The book is well paced, pulling the reader through at a speed that allows for continued interest and makes room for appreciation of the humor when and where it appears. The suspense of the culprit’s identity builds to an excellent climax at the point of denouement and then gently returns to earth with an insightful epilogue. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.
Moments after becoming aware of her surroundings, Rose is found by two young boys, one of whom gives her the little water he has and then hurries off to the local nursing home/Alheimer’s Care Center for help. Before she understands what is happening, two orderlies descend on her with orange juice and pills. Just as the thought that the juice contains poison enters her mind, Rose is drug back to the facility and returned to the Memory Care Unit from which she escaped, although no one knows how.
Through a curtain of confusion brought on by drugs that are pushed on her by the staff, Rose maintains enough lucidity to suspect she is being poisoned. She has no clue as to who is trying to harm her, but she has reason to suspect they want her dead within the next week. Armed with this belief, Rose hatches a plan to escape the unit and figure out who is trying to murder her.
As the book unfolds the picture of Rose comes into focus. She is 68 years old, wealthy, a widow who practices Yoga, pursues Buddhism, and has an artist’s temperament. Add in a quirky sense of humor and you have the makings of a truly enjoyable mystery. The writing is off center just enough to add to the unique nature of the narrative with descriptions like: feeling like she’s been trampled by a herd of gnus. Rose is that older woman we always see depicted with a highly individualized sense of style, bordering on bohemian, an accomplished artist, and devoted grandmother.
As the story progresses, Rose becomes increasingly convinced that she is the only one who can solve the mystery of who is trying to do her harm. After all, who is going to believe an older woman who is recently widowed and then diagnosed with early rapid onset dementia? She sets out to solve the mystery herself, getting help along the way from her young teenage granddaughter and her sister Marion, a computer expert, whose aide she enlists by relating facts that demonstrate how her life is in danger.
The book is well paced, pulling the reader through at a speed that allows for continued interest and makes room for appreciation of the humor when and where it appears. The suspense of the culprit’s identity builds to an excellent climax at the point of denouement and then gently returns to earth with an insightful epilogue. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.
August 24, 2019
3.5 Fun-Filled Stars!
Yep, I like ole Rosie....Rose Dennis, that is. She's a fit and spry 68 year old stuck in the Longwood Memory Care Unit and doesn't remember how she got there. With a sense of hopelessness at being bound to her bed with the nasty stench of urine in the air and overhearing nurses not follow doctors orders, Rose has one goal in mind: GET OUT!
WHAT ROSE FORGOT is not at all the serious storyline I thought it would be, but a humorous, very entertaining mystery with Rose and a few trustworthy cohorts helping her slueth her way in and out of constant trouble to find out who in the world would want her incapacitated....or dead.
Nothing heavy here, but lots of laughs and eye rolls as Rose fights and claws, drugs and chops her way to discover the truth. Rose truly is a character!
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for review!
February 18, 2020
This book was a hoot, although it certainly did not start out that way!
Rose is drugged and in a memory care unit, but escapes. She is having a hard time sorting out any details. She is caught and brought back into the facility and realizes she’s got to keep her wits about herself, follow the rules and not take the medications and get a grip on what is going on here, otherwise there is no hope for her being alive beyond a week!
Oh, she is a feisty senior citizen though and as her brain clears, she’s able to make her plan. Moments of confusion still mark her brain. Amnesia blocks out periods of time.
But she gets out! Yes, they were overdosing her to keep her cloudy and complacent. But there was more to that, you’ll see.
Once she’s out, she’s in touch with her granddaughter, Mel. They are partners in crime here and know someone has set up Mel’s beloved grandmother, Gigi/Rose. The love between the two of them as they try to crack this case, lying low under the radar and using technology and Gigi strong arming one of the thugs is cute and hilarious. It does not undermine the seriousness of the perpetrator behind having put Rose away in a facility and continuously drugged to effect a quick death. The purpose - as usually comes up for crime - greed. Pure and simple - Money.
I loved reading the cat and mouse games. Rose hiding out, going incognito, blatantly following the hit man who broke into her home and threatening him, going back in to the facility disguised to get files and rescue another patient, to name just a few things this Spritely senior citizen is doing to get to the bottom of this and clear her name. The funny thing is, she just keeps getting into trouble deeper and deeper. Her behavior is so unlike the beginning of the book, it’s refreshing and rewarding to see her come back to herself and not only pick up pieces of her life, but unravel The Who, what and why of what happened to her that caused her incarceration into the Longwood facility.
Obviously, Rose always was different and eccentric but that did not make her a candidate for the Longwood facility by any means. The recent surprise death of her loving husband was bad and the crooks took it upon themselves to use that incident to render her as depressed, despondent and a threat to herself and others. Rose was not the only victim in this case.
The finale was perfect and I so enjoyed this book that I read it in one sitting!
Rose is drugged and in a memory care unit, but escapes. She is having a hard time sorting out any details. She is caught and brought back into the facility and realizes she’s got to keep her wits about herself, follow the rules and not take the medications and get a grip on what is going on here, otherwise there is no hope for her being alive beyond a week!
Oh, she is a feisty senior citizen though and as her brain clears, she’s able to make her plan. Moments of confusion still mark her brain. Amnesia blocks out periods of time.
But she gets out! Yes, they were overdosing her to keep her cloudy and complacent. But there was more to that, you’ll see.
Once she’s out, she’s in touch with her granddaughter, Mel. They are partners in crime here and know someone has set up Mel’s beloved grandmother, Gigi/Rose. The love between the two of them as they try to crack this case, lying low under the radar and using technology and Gigi strong arming one of the thugs is cute and hilarious. It does not undermine the seriousness of the perpetrator behind having put Rose away in a facility and continuously drugged to effect a quick death. The purpose - as usually comes up for crime - greed. Pure and simple - Money.
I loved reading the cat and mouse games. Rose hiding out, going incognito, blatantly following the hit man who broke into her home and threatening him, going back in to the facility disguised to get files and rescue another patient, to name just a few things this Spritely senior citizen is doing to get to the bottom of this and clear her name. The funny thing is, she just keeps getting into trouble deeper and deeper. Her behavior is so unlike the beginning of the book, it’s refreshing and rewarding to see her come back to herself and not only pick up pieces of her life, but unravel The Who, what and why of what happened to her that caused her incarceration into the Longwood facility.
Obviously, Rose always was different and eccentric but that did not make her a candidate for the Longwood facility by any means. The recent surprise death of her loving husband was bad and the crooks took it upon themselves to use that incident to render her as depressed, despondent and a threat to herself and others. Rose was not the only victim in this case.
The finale was perfect and I so enjoyed this book that I read it in one sitting!
October 17, 2019
I’ve read the first 17 (of 19 now; I’d thought it was more!) of the Anna Pigeon mystery books by this author. I still have extremely fond feelings for book 1: Track of the Cat, but as with most mystery series I read, I eventually stop reading. They get to be too much, old, etc. but I might go back and read more from this series at some point. I love the National Parks settings. I thought this standalone book would be a good change and it was. It’s very different. Characters, story, everything.
I think it hit a bit too close to home. The main character isn’t that much older than I am.
This is a thriller. I’d read something that said it was more of a humor book but except for the Epilogue which was funny (more humorous than the rest of the book) and provided information I wanted about what happened to all the characters, for me this was not a humor book, even though it had humor in it. Luckily it was not extremely nightmare style scary.
I like meditation but I like secular meditation. The main character Rose seems to have a long history of Buddhist style meditation and uses a lot of the language from Buddhism & Buddhist style meditation. I know somebody who talks like that and I find it slightly annoying sometimes. Readers who have a practicing Buddhist meditation might like this large part of the book even more than I did. Other than this personal quibble I’m 100% on board with Rose. I love having a main character who’s just a bit older than me and full of personality and strength. She’s a wonderful, memorable character.
I also really liked Mel and Chuck, Marion, and some others, and I got a kick out of some very interesting villains.
Even so most of the characters don’t seem all that realistic, nor does the plot. It’s a fun ride, though not as much fun as I would have liked, mostly because I guessed much of what could be guessed as early as a reader could have. Even if that was the author’s intention, knowing too much made it a bit less fun and for some reason no less scary. It was a complex enough plot that some other things came as fun surprises.
I appreciated the woman power & girl power displayed too.
This one is hard for me to review and even to rate. This is one time when half stars feel crucial. It’s exactly 3-1/2 stars for me and I had to think about which star rating to use. I decided to bump it up, mostly because of the uniqueness and the entertaining shenanigans of the main character.
I had great fun reading it but it wasn’t as much of a page-turner and I’d expected it to be.
I think it hit a bit too close to home. The main character isn’t that much older than I am.
This is a thriller. I’d read something that said it was more of a humor book but except for the Epilogue which was funny (more humorous than the rest of the book) and provided information I wanted about what happened to all the characters, for me this was not a humor book, even though it had humor in it. Luckily it was not extremely nightmare style scary.
I like meditation but I like secular meditation. The main character Rose seems to have a long history of Buddhist style meditation and uses a lot of the language from Buddhism & Buddhist style meditation. I know somebody who talks like that and I find it slightly annoying sometimes. Readers who have a practicing Buddhist meditation might like this large part of the book even more than I did. Other than this personal quibble I’m 100% on board with Rose. I love having a main character who’s just a bit older than me and full of personality and strength. She’s a wonderful, memorable character.
I also really liked Mel and Chuck, Marion, and some others, and I got a kick out of some very interesting villains.
Even so most of the characters don’t seem all that realistic, nor does the plot. It’s a fun ride, though not as much fun as I would have liked, mostly because I guessed much of what could be guessed as early as a reader could have. Even if that was the author’s intention, knowing too much made it a bit less fun and for some reason no less scary. It was a complex enough plot that some other things came as fun surprises.
I appreciated the woman power & girl power displayed too.
This one is hard for me to review and even to rate. This is one time when half stars feel crucial. It’s exactly 3-1/2 stars for me and I had to think about which star rating to use. I decided to bump it up, mostly because of the uniqueness and the entertaining shenanigans of the main character.
I had great fun reading it but it wasn’t as much of a page-turner and I’d expected it to be.
November 10, 2019
2.5 stars
I had never read a book by Nevada Barr, but I saw a few enthusiastic reviews of her standalone What Rose Forgot, and I thought I would give it a try. It started off really strong, but had one feature that led me to lose interest. Rose is in the locked unit of a nursing home seemingly suffering from some kind of dementia. But all her instincts tell her to get out, so she escapes, and keeps escaping. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. In the beginning, Barr did a great job portraying Rose’s state of confusion, and the claustrophobic feeling of being confused while having an instinct to flee. I also really liked Rose’s feisty 13 year old granddaughter. But what drove me nuts is that the novel had way too many lengthy action scenes. Rather than making the best of a great premise and strong characters, Barr had one scene after another of Rose physically struggling to get out of various tricky situations. The scenes were lengthy, unrealistic and not particularly interesting. This tells me that Barr is probably not for me. I suspect many other readers would enjoy this one far more than I did. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
I had never read a book by Nevada Barr, but I saw a few enthusiastic reviews of her standalone What Rose Forgot, and I thought I would give it a try. It started off really strong, but had one feature that led me to lose interest. Rose is in the locked unit of a nursing home seemingly suffering from some kind of dementia. But all her instincts tell her to get out, so she escapes, and keeps escaping. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. In the beginning, Barr did a great job portraying Rose’s state of confusion, and the claustrophobic feeling of being confused while having an instinct to flee. I also really liked Rose’s feisty 13 year old granddaughter. But what drove me nuts is that the novel had way too many lengthy action scenes. Rather than making the best of a great premise and strong characters, Barr had one scene after another of Rose physically struggling to get out of various tricky situations. The scenes were lengthy, unrealistic and not particularly interesting. This tells me that Barr is probably not for me. I suspect many other readers would enjoy this one far more than I did. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
February 2, 2020
DNF at 40%.
This was the first book by Nevada Barr that I have read, but I read quite a few glowing reviews about this standalone, so I thought I would give it a try. Maybe it is just me, but after sticking with it until about the 40% mark, I ended up putting it in my DNF pile.
The premise was intriguing - an elderly woman escapes from a locked dementia unit of a nursing home, and she has no idea why she was there in the first place. It went downhill quickly from there though. Awkward, stilted dialogue, with over-the-top, unrealistic storylines that just didn’t work, not to mention, one too many references to soiled adult diapers and other unpleasant bodily functions. It was all just a turn-off for me.
Sometimes I put DNF books aside in a pile and try them again later, but unless I develop dementia myself in the next few months, I don’t see me ever picking up this book again.
This was the first book by Nevada Barr that I have read, but I read quite a few glowing reviews about this standalone, so I thought I would give it a try. Maybe it is just me, but after sticking with it until about the 40% mark, I ended up putting it in my DNF pile.
The premise was intriguing - an elderly woman escapes from a locked dementia unit of a nursing home, and she has no idea why she was there in the first place. It went downhill quickly from there though. Awkward, stilted dialogue, with over-the-top, unrealistic storylines that just didn’t work, not to mention, one too many references to soiled adult diapers and other unpleasant bodily functions. It was all just a turn-off for me.
Sometimes I put DNF books aside in a pile and try them again later, but unless I develop dementia myself in the next few months, I don’t see me ever picking up this book again.
July 27, 2019
Oh, boy! I got so excited when I saw this standalone,
What Rose Forgot
, by Nevada Barr. I am a big fan of her Anna Pigeon mystery series, and the blurb for this clever little novel really grabbed me: “...a grandmother in her sixties emerges from a mental fog to find she’s trapped in her worst nightmare.”
Rose Dennis awakens to find herself outdoors dressed only in a hospital gown. She is disoriented and very thirsty. After she is hastened inside, she slowly puts two and two together and calculates that she has been committed to a memory care unit. How did this happen? We get a picture of residents shuffling about, being plunked down in front of the TV, which is set for them to mindlessly watch cartoons, and sadly, we see Rose submitting to being disrobed and bathed. My mother, a grandmother, an aunt, and an uncle all dealt with dementia. I wasn’t sure I could handle this, but then something curious happens. Rose “knows” she is being poisoned and begins to plan her escape! To be sure, we do get a picture of some of the terrifying aspects of both the Alzheimers and of institutional life at its worst, but for the most part, Ms Barr’s intent in What Rose Forgot is to entertain and amuse us with this lighthearted mystery.
Rose Dennis is a recently widowed artistic wanna-be-Buddhist. She practices yoga. She adores her 13-year-old granddaughter, Mel, who becomes her ally and co-conspirator when she is bound and determined to learn who is responsible for trying to kill her. Yes, kill her, as she believes that someone had her committed and was trying to make sure that she died rather quickly of a “natural” death. Rose also relies on her older sister Marion, who is an internet fanatic and also something of a crazy cat lady (writes the crazy cat lady). Marion does research online, stating more than once that she is “not a hacker,” sends credit cards, and information to her sister, and lends plenty of moral support, all the while hoping to talk Rose out of her wild schemes.
Is this story believable? Oh, heck no! Is it far-fetched? Absolutely! I found myself laughing out loud many times at the one-liners spouted by Rose, and by the conversations between Rose, her granddaughter, and her sidekick Royal. In one discussion, Rose tells the teens that people make older folks feel like sheep because they are trying to fleece them. When Mel says it’s because they are so fluffy, Rose defiantly states that she will not be fluffy. There were times when I forgot who the author was, although there were a couple dangerous, death-defying Anna Pigeon-like moments that were not the least bit funny. Sixty-eight is not exactly ancient, but some of the antics Rose accomplishes would put a 30-year-old to shame.
Be forewarned: If you are expecting a somber, nitty-gritty mystery, you might want to skip this one. But if, like me, you’d love to sit back and simply enjoy a wild, exciting, fun-filled ride, I recommend Nevada Barr’s newest venture, What Rose Forgot .
The opinions stated are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
4 stars
Rose Dennis awakens to find herself outdoors dressed only in a hospital gown. She is disoriented and very thirsty. After she is hastened inside, she slowly puts two and two together and calculates that she has been committed to a memory care unit. How did this happen? We get a picture of residents shuffling about, being plunked down in front of the TV, which is set for them to mindlessly watch cartoons, and sadly, we see Rose submitting to being disrobed and bathed. My mother, a grandmother, an aunt, and an uncle all dealt with dementia. I wasn’t sure I could handle this, but then something curious happens. Rose “knows” she is being poisoned and begins to plan her escape! To be sure, we do get a picture of some of the terrifying aspects of both the Alzheimers and of institutional life at its worst, but for the most part, Ms Barr’s intent in What Rose Forgot is to entertain and amuse us with this lighthearted mystery.
Rose Dennis is a recently widowed artistic wanna-be-Buddhist. She practices yoga. She adores her 13-year-old granddaughter, Mel, who becomes her ally and co-conspirator when she is bound and determined to learn who is responsible for trying to kill her. Yes, kill her, as she believes that someone had her committed and was trying to make sure that she died rather quickly of a “natural” death. Rose also relies on her older sister Marion, who is an internet fanatic and also something of a crazy cat lady (writes the crazy cat lady). Marion does research online, stating more than once that she is “not a hacker,” sends credit cards, and information to her sister, and lends plenty of moral support, all the while hoping to talk Rose out of her wild schemes.
Is this story believable? Oh, heck no! Is it far-fetched? Absolutely! I found myself laughing out loud many times at the one-liners spouted by Rose, and by the conversations between Rose, her granddaughter, and her sidekick Royal. In one discussion, Rose tells the teens that people make older folks feel like sheep because they are trying to fleece them. When Mel says it’s because they are so fluffy, Rose defiantly states that she will not be fluffy. There were times when I forgot who the author was, although there were a couple dangerous, death-defying Anna Pigeon-like moments that were not the least bit funny. Sixty-eight is not exactly ancient, but some of the antics Rose accomplishes would put a 30-year-old to shame.
Be forewarned: If you are expecting a somber, nitty-gritty mystery, you might want to skip this one. But if, like me, you’d love to sit back and simply enjoy a wild, exciting, fun-filled ride, I recommend Nevada Barr’s newest venture, What Rose Forgot .
The opinions stated are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
4 stars
September 11, 2019
This hilarious standalone mystery from the author of the Anna Pigeon National Park Service ranger mystery series is quite a change of pace for her. A fun romp! Rose Dennis, a 68-year-old Buddhist artist, emerges from her meditation feeling foggy and confused. Wait! She's under a shrub barely covered in a hospital gown! Where the heck is she?
Turns out that Rose has tried to escape from the Mental Care Unit at the Longwood facility in Charlotte, NC, where she's been held for the past month. Because she's recently had the stomach flu, she hasn't kept down the medications they've been giving her and she's beginning to be able to think again. And she thinks she's in big trouble...
Now when they try to medicate her again, she only pretends to take the pills and plots her next escape. Her success this time turns into quite an adventure.
Rose is a delightfully eccentric character, always worried about karma as she pulls some outrageous stunts with the help of her granddaughter and a friend or two. You just might feel differently about aging and seniors after reading this!
I received an arc of this mystery from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks! I hope we'll see more of Rose Dennis and her sidekicks!
Turns out that Rose has tried to escape from the Mental Care Unit at the Longwood facility in Charlotte, NC, where she's been held for the past month. Because she's recently had the stomach flu, she hasn't kept down the medications they've been giving her and she's beginning to be able to think again. And she thinks she's in big trouble...
Now when they try to medicate her again, she only pretends to take the pills and plots her next escape. Her success this time turns into quite an adventure.
Rose is a delightfully eccentric character, always worried about karma as she pulls some outrageous stunts with the help of her granddaughter and a friend or two. You just might feel differently about aging and seniors after reading this!
I received an arc of this mystery from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks! I hope we'll see more of Rose Dennis and her sidekicks!
January 7, 2020
I really, really enjoyed this book! Much more then I expected! I think the book description, while accurate, leaves out the most important “flavor” of the book. Rose is INCREDIBLE! Her relationship with her granddaughter is awesome too. This is a thriller.. Action packed! (Honestly at times even far fetched..) But, I found myself laughing out loud several times. Then I was shocked during the ending when I- gasp! Almost shed a tear?!😂 & the epilogue? 1 of the best ever! Seriously.. I’m eager to see what else this author has written. Soo I’d recommend this book to all my friends who enjoy this genre.. Don’t let that Alzheimer’s bit in the description fool you. This was an upbeat, at times zany mystery.. So glad I finally picked it up!
Read
October 3, 2020DNF at 20%. Not connecting to the writing or storyline.
March 30, 2022
"Don't you remember" ... the three scariest words in the english language.
Rose wakes up on the wrong side of the rabbit hole. She has been wrongly committed to a lock down memory unit and has to fight not only to escape, but also to unravel the increasingly complex web of conspiracy!
Rose wakes up on the wrong side of the rabbit hole. She has been wrongly committed to a lock down memory unit and has to fight not only to escape, but also to unravel the increasingly complex web of conspiracy!
October 15, 2023
Review coming soon.
September 25, 2019
4.5 rounded up. Nevada Barr’s newest stand-alone mystery is a humdinger. My thanks go to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the review copy; this book is for sale now, and you should read it.
Rose Dennis wakes up ragged and half naked in the bushes. Sturdy staff members close in on her and drag her back to the secure wing of the Alzheimer’s unit. She overhears an administrator in the hallway opine that she’s unlikely to last a week, and she knows she has to get out of there. But proving she’s not suffering from dementia is a tall order, and saving herself calls for desperate measures.
Barr’s wit and sass are at their best here, and the pacing picks up at ten percent and never flags. Rose and her thirteen year old granddaughter Mel are well crafted characters. Although I appreciate Rose’s moxie and self reliance, Mel is the character that impresses me most. I spent decades teaching children of about this age, and so I am overjoyed to find a writer that can craft a believable seventh grader. For Mel to do the things she does, she has to be gifted—as Barr depicts her—and again, this character is right on the money, clever without losing the developmental hallmarks of adolescence. The dialogue is resonant and I love the moment when Rose borrows Mel’s cell phone for most of a day. The suffering Mel tolerates for her beloved grandmother is priceless.
But now let’s go back to Rose, and to her situation. A lot of Barr’s readers are Boomers; I am perched on the margin, retired but not yet drawing Social Security. Looking through Rose’s eyes at the way senior citizens are treated gives me the heebie-jeebies. As a younger woman I had regarded assisted living facilities as a sensible approach to aging; my mother lived the last few years of her life in one, and I have often joked to my children, whenever I have done them a favor, to “remember this moment when you choose my nursing home.” But after reading this novel, I am not going into one. Not ever.
Now of course most places aren’t complicit in murder for profit schemes, but there is so much here that is completely believable. Nursing assistants talk to the patients as if they are toddlers. “Diapers are our friend.” Rose is planted in a day room in front of a picture of Sponge Bob and a handful of crayons. Do we really believe such patronizing behaviors aren’t present in real-life nursing homes? It makes my skin crawl. And the pills that render senior citizens passive and helpless: “Her brain floats in a chemical soup concocted by evil toddlers in a devil’s pharmacy.” And this place has a two year waiting list!
Rose isn’t going gently, and before we know it, she’s on the loose. Now and then the things that she does in her own self-defense make me arch an eyebrow, but the fact is that people age very differently from one another. Some are still kicking butt and taking names when they’re eighty; others pick up the knitting needles and head for the rocker at sixty. And more to the point, what Rose does makes me want to cheer, and so I choose to believe.
My only quibble here is with the way Barr depicts large women. She’s done it for decades; I wrote to her about it once, and her response was that these negative notions weren’t her own thoughts but those of Anna Pigeon. Well folks, here we are with Rose Dennis, and the Nurse Ratchet character here is—oh of course—huge. I would love to see Barr feature a plus size character, oh just once, that is a good person. Please let’s lose the stereotype; other authors have managed it, and Barr should too.
Should that hold you back from buying and reading this book? It should not. I laughed out loud more than once, and the subtext is powerful. I recommend it for Barr’s many readers, and for all feminists at or near Boomer-age.
Rose Dennis wakes up ragged and half naked in the bushes. Sturdy staff members close in on her and drag her back to the secure wing of the Alzheimer’s unit. She overhears an administrator in the hallway opine that she’s unlikely to last a week, and she knows she has to get out of there. But proving she’s not suffering from dementia is a tall order, and saving herself calls for desperate measures.
Barr’s wit and sass are at their best here, and the pacing picks up at ten percent and never flags. Rose and her thirteen year old granddaughter Mel are well crafted characters. Although I appreciate Rose’s moxie and self reliance, Mel is the character that impresses me most. I spent decades teaching children of about this age, and so I am overjoyed to find a writer that can craft a believable seventh grader. For Mel to do the things she does, she has to be gifted—as Barr depicts her—and again, this character is right on the money, clever without losing the developmental hallmarks of adolescence. The dialogue is resonant and I love the moment when Rose borrows Mel’s cell phone for most of a day. The suffering Mel tolerates for her beloved grandmother is priceless.
But now let’s go back to Rose, and to her situation. A lot of Barr’s readers are Boomers; I am perched on the margin, retired but not yet drawing Social Security. Looking through Rose’s eyes at the way senior citizens are treated gives me the heebie-jeebies. As a younger woman I had regarded assisted living facilities as a sensible approach to aging; my mother lived the last few years of her life in one, and I have often joked to my children, whenever I have done them a favor, to “remember this moment when you choose my nursing home.” But after reading this novel, I am not going into one. Not ever.
Now of course most places aren’t complicit in murder for profit schemes, but there is so much here that is completely believable. Nursing assistants talk to the patients as if they are toddlers. “Diapers are our friend.” Rose is planted in a day room in front of a picture of Sponge Bob and a handful of crayons. Do we really believe such patronizing behaviors aren’t present in real-life nursing homes? It makes my skin crawl. And the pills that render senior citizens passive and helpless: “Her brain floats in a chemical soup concocted by evil toddlers in a devil’s pharmacy.” And this place has a two year waiting list!
Rose isn’t going gently, and before we know it, she’s on the loose. Now and then the things that she does in her own self-defense make me arch an eyebrow, but the fact is that people age very differently from one another. Some are still kicking butt and taking names when they’re eighty; others pick up the knitting needles and head for the rocker at sixty. And more to the point, what Rose does makes me want to cheer, and so I choose to believe.
My only quibble here is with the way Barr depicts large women. She’s done it for decades; I wrote to her about it once, and her response was that these negative notions weren’t her own thoughts but those of Anna Pigeon. Well folks, here we are with Rose Dennis, and the Nurse Ratchet character here is—oh of course—huge. I would love to see Barr feature a plus size character, oh just once, that is a good person. Please let’s lose the stereotype; other authors have managed it, and Barr should too.
Should that hold you back from buying and reading this book? It should not. I laughed out loud more than once, and the subtext is powerful. I recommend it for Barr’s many readers, and for all feminists at or near Boomer-age.
September 30, 2019
I really loved this well-written mystery and I'm so glad I got a copy on netgalley. I am new to Nevada Barr's work, and since this was a stand-alone, it was a good place to start. I'll certainly be checking out her other books.
This book starts out with a confused Rose having run away from her care facility. Since we are seeing things from her point of view - it is a jumble, and everything is frightening. As Rose attempts to determine what is happening, an interesting mystery unfolds. I'm always worried about revealing too much - so I won't comment much on the mystery. I do want to say as a side comment, that I really liked some of Rose's wry comments. And I really loved her fiesty nature, and her relationship with her granddaughter.
This book starts out with a confused Rose having run away from her care facility. Since we are seeing things from her point of view - it is a jumble, and everything is frightening. As Rose attempts to determine what is happening, an interesting mystery unfolds. I'm always worried about revealing too much - so I won't comment much on the mystery. I do want to say as a side comment, that I really liked some of Rose's wry comments. And I really loved her fiesty nature, and her relationship with her granddaughter.
June 30, 2019
This is the story of Rose Dennis, a grandmother in her sixties, who wakes up in an Alzheimer unit at a nursing home. But Rose’s mind is fine, who has committed her is the question?… She does not linger with whom, what and the how, and soon a plan emerge: avoid all medication and stage an escape…. Rose on the lam is at the heart of this story and following one crazy lady trying to find who put her away is sometime funny and sometime unbelievable…...
This sounded like an interesting read and it did for the first few chapters then it got weird and ridiculous. Elderly woman climbing on a roof, sliding down the tiles, jumping out windows, kung-fu Jane at her best was not what I thought this book was all about. Some may think her action was hilarious I did not. I was hoping to see through the voice and eyes of Rose the issues of aging and dementia and how we react and treat them. I also wanted to know what a person of sound mind may do when they are wrongly housed in a nursing home. “What Rose Forgot” turned out to be a comedy at its worst…maybe it was the serious subject taken lightly that didn’t work for me. The characterization was cartoonish and I never connected with any of them. This story wasn’t my cup of tea and by far. I wanted to abandon this story many times but I stuck with it till the end…definitely not for me but it may be for you….a lot of readers have enjoyed it….
Thanks to the publisher St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this complimentary book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This sounded like an interesting read and it did for the first few chapters then it got weird and ridiculous. Elderly woman climbing on a roof, sliding down the tiles, jumping out windows, kung-fu Jane at her best was not what I thought this book was all about. Some may think her action was hilarious I did not. I was hoping to see through the voice and eyes of Rose the issues of aging and dementia and how we react and treat them. I also wanted to know what a person of sound mind may do when they are wrongly housed in a nursing home. “What Rose Forgot” turned out to be a comedy at its worst…maybe it was the serious subject taken lightly that didn’t work for me. The characterization was cartoonish and I never connected with any of them. This story wasn’t my cup of tea and by far. I wanted to abandon this story many times but I stuck with it till the end…definitely not for me but it may be for you….a lot of readers have enjoyed it….
Thanks to the publisher St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this complimentary book. All opinions expressed are my own.
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