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Rushton Roulette: An upbeat and heartening novel about living life in the face of increasing age
Unique, moving, and wickedly funny! “We’re not committing suicide here. Trust me, we’re coming back.”
Four women resist the thought of sliding into old age and decide to meet the challenge head on.
“It’s a bit like Russian Roulette,” says Heather.
“The chances are better in that,” replies Merryn, “there it’s only one in six that you get the bullet.”
Will they, won’t they, see it through?
If stories of women acting contrary to expectations are your choice, this novel is for you.
Reviewers say –
“Rushton Roulette is a cleverly crafted little novel that expertly combines humor, realism, and poignancy to produce a thoroughly entertaining and, ultimately inspiring story. Highly recommended.”
“Elsmore’s skill in showing each of these characters as a unique individual, when they have so much in common on the surface, is stunning.”
Four women resist the thought of sliding into old age and decide to meet the challenge head on.
“It’s a bit like Russian Roulette,” says Heather.
“The chances are better in that,” replies Merryn, “there it’s only one in six that you get the bullet.”
Will they, won’t they, see it through?
If stories of women acting contrary to expectations are your choice, this novel is for you.
Reviewers say –
“Rushton Roulette is a cleverly crafted little novel that expertly combines humor, realism, and poignancy to produce a thoroughly entertaining and, ultimately inspiring story. Highly recommended.”
“Elsmore’s skill in showing each of these characters as a unique individual, when they have so much in common on the surface, is stunning.”
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2022
2 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Bronwyn Elsmore
14 books59 followersWhen Bronwyn was about ten, she wrote to Author Enid Blyton telling her she was going to be a writer too. She kept to her plan and that’s been her occupation since – she admits it’s a fair while now.
Over that time she has been an advertising copywriter, freelancer, contract writer, editor, education writer, playwright, writing mentor and tutor, and an academic writer during the years she was also an academic. She has won awards for several forms of writing - particularly short stories and plays.
Of the genres she has written – fiction, non-fiction, radio stories, articles, humour, books, short stories, plays, novels – she now most enjoys writing fiction. Short stories have always been a favourite, but currently she is having a renewed love affair with the form of the novel.
If Bronwyn is not at her keyboard in Auckland, the stunning New Zealand ‘City of Sails’, she’s likely to be feeding stray cats. When seen gazing in an abstract way she’ll either be plotting the next script or trying to calculate how many million words she has produced over her career.
You can also meet Bronwyn at her website at www.flaxroots.com
Over that time she has been an advertising copywriter, freelancer, contract writer, editor, education writer, playwright, writing mentor and tutor, and an academic writer during the years she was also an academic. She has won awards for several forms of writing - particularly short stories and plays.
Of the genres she has written – fiction, non-fiction, radio stories, articles, humour, books, short stories, plays, novels – she now most enjoys writing fiction. Short stories have always been a favourite, but currently she is having a renewed love affair with the form of the novel.
If Bronwyn is not at her keyboard in Auckland, the stunning New Zealand ‘City of Sails’, she’s likely to be feeding stray cats. When seen gazing in an abstract way she’ll either be plotting the next script or trying to calculate how many million words she has produced over her career.
You can also meet Bronwyn at her website at www.flaxroots.com
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 5, 2023
Four women are all faced with (and are all wishing they could avoid thinking about) the transition from middle to old age. They get together once a month to play cards. It’s a comfortable arrangement until one of them decides to move to a different town to be nearer her children. Then one of the remaining women, somewhat more impulsive than her friends, decides on the spur of the moment to invite a stranger, someone she’s only just met, to step in as a fourth. Here's where the book begins...
I’ve now read several books by Bronwyn Elsmore, and I must say none of them is like any of the others – except that they are all extremely well written and extremely moving. “Rushton Roulette” is no exception. It is also subtly and wickedly funny. And Elsmore’s skill in showing each of these characters as a unique individual, when they have so much in common on the surface, is stunning. This is a book that I sort of moved into, as into a large, comfortable room. It was a comfortable read, in fact: nothing too demanding, nothing too sensational, nothing to make me hurry through so I’d get to the end quickly…
Until the last several pages, and then I found out where the story had been heading all along. Brava, Ms. Elsmore! And thanks!
I’ve now read several books by Bronwyn Elsmore, and I must say none of them is like any of the others – except that they are all extremely well written and extremely moving. “Rushton Roulette” is no exception. It is also subtly and wickedly funny. And Elsmore’s skill in showing each of these characters as a unique individual, when they have so much in common on the surface, is stunning. This is a book that I sort of moved into, as into a large, comfortable room. It was a comfortable read, in fact: nothing too demanding, nothing too sensational, nothing to make me hurry through so I’d get to the end quickly…
Until the last several pages, and then I found out where the story had been heading all along. Brava, Ms. Elsmore! And thanks!
January 11, 2023
New to the town of Rushton, Heather is keen to make friends and get involved. When she is asked to join three women to make up the numbers at their monthly card morning, she jumps at the chance.
However, it soon becomes clear that the relationship between the three; Joan, Merryn, and Cecily, stretches back a long way. Can Heather inject new life into the group or was it a mistake to think she could?...
I thought I was in for a curl-up cozy read with Rushton Roulette and nothing wrong with that. However, the novel is far more nuanced and complex, certainly in the first half, than expected and I struggled to put it down.
Elsmore is careful to build a steady, individual picture of all the women, especially the three originals whilst deftly avoiding tiresome age-related tropes.
The nucleus of the story centers around a fairly simple premise, the card morning between three very close friends (two are cousins) of late middle age and the slightly younger newcomer, Heather.
When Heather attends her first card morning at Merryn’s, the narrative simmers with tension. Her internal monologue as she blunders through embarrassment, self-doubt, and several faux-pas was brilliantly deconstructed and toe-curlingly realistic to read.
Elsmore’s prose is gently witty yet almost forensically incisive with detail, especially in relation to Merryn and her house. I actually found the card morning held at hers to have a strangely sinister undercurrent which was intriguing. The three women exuded a Stepford Wives vibe as they subtly assessed and judged Heather and there are some humorous asides and exchanges.
When the card morning rotates to Heather’s, the dynamic changes. This is aided by the third-person perspective shifting to all the women, but little by little the personal vulnerabilities of Joan, Merryn, and Cecily flicker through and Heather takes a stronger, almost maternal role in the conversation despite being the younger woman.
Throughout, the story is well-paced, jaunty, and immensely readable. There is a clear insight and straightforward quality to the plot. This is no hand-wringing paean to lost youth, necessarily, but more an awareness of who these women are, and whom they could still become.
Sub-textually, there are some heavy issues, but Elsmore ensures that first and foremost, Rushton Roulette is an absolute page-turner of a novel and one that has considerable appeal not just to women of ‘a certain age’ like Joan, Merryn, and Cecily.
When the main thrust of the plot presents itself, Elsmore spends some time twisting and turning along with the women’s contrasting bravado and fear ensuring the reader is fairly gripped by what might happen, when, and to whom, especially as the narrative is entirely credible.
The last quarter of the novel is a little frothy compared to previously. Heather, who although a touch flighty, clearly possesses a thread of steel, slightly fell away at the end and Cecily’s rather surprising outcome seemed a touch forced. Notwithstanding, Merryn and Joan’s journeys perfectly befitted their characters and I wanted to read more, not only of them but all the women.
Rushton Roulette is a cleverly crafted little novel that expertly combines humor, realism, and poignancy to produce a thoroughly entertaining and, ultimately inspiring story. Highly recommended.
However, it soon becomes clear that the relationship between the three; Joan, Merryn, and Cecily, stretches back a long way. Can Heather inject new life into the group or was it a mistake to think she could?...
I thought I was in for a curl-up cozy read with Rushton Roulette and nothing wrong with that. However, the novel is far more nuanced and complex, certainly in the first half, than expected and I struggled to put it down.
Elsmore is careful to build a steady, individual picture of all the women, especially the three originals whilst deftly avoiding tiresome age-related tropes.
The nucleus of the story centers around a fairly simple premise, the card morning between three very close friends (two are cousins) of late middle age and the slightly younger newcomer, Heather.
When Heather attends her first card morning at Merryn’s, the narrative simmers with tension. Her internal monologue as she blunders through embarrassment, self-doubt, and several faux-pas was brilliantly deconstructed and toe-curlingly realistic to read.
Elsmore’s prose is gently witty yet almost forensically incisive with detail, especially in relation to Merryn and her house. I actually found the card morning held at hers to have a strangely sinister undercurrent which was intriguing. The three women exuded a Stepford Wives vibe as they subtly assessed and judged Heather and there are some humorous asides and exchanges.
When the card morning rotates to Heather’s, the dynamic changes. This is aided by the third-person perspective shifting to all the women, but little by little the personal vulnerabilities of Joan, Merryn, and Cecily flicker through and Heather takes a stronger, almost maternal role in the conversation despite being the younger woman.
Throughout, the story is well-paced, jaunty, and immensely readable. There is a clear insight and straightforward quality to the plot. This is no hand-wringing paean to lost youth, necessarily, but more an awareness of who these women are, and whom they could still become.
Sub-textually, there are some heavy issues, but Elsmore ensures that first and foremost, Rushton Roulette is an absolute page-turner of a novel and one that has considerable appeal not just to women of ‘a certain age’ like Joan, Merryn, and Cecily.
When the main thrust of the plot presents itself, Elsmore spends some time twisting and turning along with the women’s contrasting bravado and fear ensuring the reader is fairly gripped by what might happen, when, and to whom, especially as the narrative is entirely credible.
The last quarter of the novel is a little frothy compared to previously. Heather, who although a touch flighty, clearly possesses a thread of steel, slightly fell away at the end and Cecily’s rather surprising outcome seemed a touch forced. Notwithstanding, Merryn and Joan’s journeys perfectly befitted their characters and I wanted to read more, not only of them but all the women.
Rushton Roulette is a cleverly crafted little novel that expertly combines humor, realism, and poignancy to produce a thoroughly entertaining and, ultimately inspiring story. Highly recommended.
October 28, 2022
Moving to a new town isn’t easy. So when new Rushton resident Heather is asked to join a local card game she jumps at the chance to make new friends. The only problem is that the friendship between the three ladies she will be playing with goes back decades.
We’ve all felt that tension of trying to fit in with a well established group. This is well portrayed here as Heather makes attempt after attempt to ingratiate herself into the group, putting her foot in it several times along the way!
After her initial faux pas, the four women soon settle into their meetings and friendship. Over regular games of cards, the women discuss the everyday concerns of growing older such as downsizing, retirement and the loss of parents and friends.
Looking at the limitations older age can bring Heather suggests they take the plunge and do something daring, something that will shake them up and challenge them, Something that no one would expect women of their age to do….dare they?
The dialogue between the women felt very authentic but for me there was too much of it and I felt it slowed the pace of the story down. I also felt I didn’t really connect with any of the characters.
Peppered with words of wisdom about life and ageing, some from the women themselves, some quoted from more famous sources, this is a fun, easy read showing that it’s never too late to have fun.
We’ve all felt that tension of trying to fit in with a well established group. This is well portrayed here as Heather makes attempt after attempt to ingratiate herself into the group, putting her foot in it several times along the way!
After her initial faux pas, the four women soon settle into their meetings and friendship. Over regular games of cards, the women discuss the everyday concerns of growing older such as downsizing, retirement and the loss of parents and friends.
Looking at the limitations older age can bring Heather suggests they take the plunge and do something daring, something that will shake them up and challenge them, Something that no one would expect women of their age to do….dare they?
The dialogue between the women felt very authentic but for me there was too much of it and I felt it slowed the pace of the story down. I also felt I didn’t really connect with any of the characters.
Peppered with words of wisdom about life and ageing, some from the women themselves, some quoted from more famous sources, this is a fun, easy read showing that it’s never too late to have fun.
November 15, 2022
Rushton Roulette is about four normal women of a certain age, who don't want to slip into their dotage. Rather, they have a few surprises for their families - and themselves - as they challenge each other to do something unexpected. Coming from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences, they grow in friendship, understanding and acceptance of each other in the process. This is an entertaining book showing that life doesn't need to get smaller as you get older, and it is always fun to surprise people!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews