I expected this to be a more die hard type mystery, but it actually was a bit lighthearted with some humor and adventure. The first couple chapters were disorientating and confusing, but then it cleared up and I realized that the main character probably felt that way too as she came out of a drugged haze. This ended up being quite a fun book with trying to figure out the bad guys. I enjoyed it.

Terrifying and touching and hilarious and so much more. This story grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go. From near death experiences to her teenage co-conspirators it's a roller coaster ride that keeps you guessing.

I know Nevada Barr's work from her Anna Pigeon series and I really liked that writing. It's been a couple of years since I've read one, though. This book shows another, more intense side of Barr's writing!
Written as almost a stream of consciousness, this book had me wondering whether to laugh or cry! And I'm not sure I can visit a nursing home any time soon without giving everyone a second or third perusal! In the end, it left me wishing I knew someone like Rose.
My final word is that if you chose this book because Nevada Barr wrote it, you MIGHT be in for a surprise!

If you have someone who is dealing with memory issues this book may play a little too close to home, especially its first few chapters. Rose's journey from being placed in a nursing home against her will is told from her point of view and gradually the reader begins to see that her memory isn't her only problem, and that her family has other and more questionable motives. Along her journey she enlists the aid of her teenaged granddaughter and you begin to see more clearly her issues. I think this book treats memory loss sensitively and with a great deal of insight that I haven't seen in many novels, or even in self-help non-fiction books, and for that reason, recommend it highly.

This free ARC from NetGalley was my first Nevada Barr and probably my last.  I thought this author was sort of a female Patterson but this book was much more first book free in a cozy mystery series, not what I would expect from a Bestseller.  The only difference from the cozy mystery series genre was the annoying meditation references and the more-interesting-than-the-protagonist supporting characters.  Until the last 15% and it went full bad-ass!
Slight spoilers and serious wet blankets to suspension of disbelief...losing a finger, stabbing oneself in the thigh, and getting heavily drugged multiple times/long periods would probably require a little more recovery than the action allows.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy. I was really excited about getting this one. A woman wakes up in the woods in a hospital gown with no idea what’s going on. Sounds great right? Then finds out she’s in an Alzheimer’s unit at a nursing home but she’s not ill. Still great. Then it gets stupid and outlandish. It was a struggle to finish. I’m not sure if it was a serious book or not. More of a comedy than thriller.

Absolutely fantastic!! I haven't read a Nevada Barr novel in a while, although I loved the Anna Pigeon series. What Rose Forgot, however, was something unexpected, and I loved every word, page, and chapter. The stars of the novel are Rose, her granddaughter Mel (aided by her friend Royal), and Rose's sister Marion. All are fabulous characters, fully and beautifully developed by Barr.

As the novel begins, we meet Rose as she stumbles around outdoors in a hospital gown, completely disoriented and incredibly thirsty. A couple of boys find her and call the nearby health care facility. Apparently Rose has wandered away from the facility's Memory Care Unit. She's quickly hustled back, but before she is sedated again, she realizes that she is fine and has been committed to this unit even though she is not demented, just a little confused at the moment. She realizes that she has been being drugged but doesn't know why it's happening. What follows is a wild ride as Rose, Mel, and Marion get to the bottom the mystery.

What Rose Forgot is a whimsical mystery with exceedingly loveable characters. They each spark joy in the reader. I really hope that Ms. Barr is planning to make this a series. I flew through this novel because I was having so much fun, and I was really disappointed when I ran out of pages. I give this five very bright stars and will recommend it to all my friends.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book because I've read other books by Nevada Barr and liked them, but this one just didn't work for me. From reading other reviews, it seems I am in the minority, but sometimes that's just how it goes. The storyline never grabbed me and the main character did some really stupid things. I kept reading, though, because I wanted to find out WHY it all happened.

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

What Rose Forgot – Nevada Barr

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

As a big fan of The Anna Pigeon series, I was excited to receive a copy of this new novel for review, but fearful that I would not care for the book as I do her others. I needn’t have worried. While very different, this new character Rose Dennis, had me giggling, if not laughing out loud through her escapades and sheer will – she is the kind of Gram I hope to be one day!!

Rose Dennis greets us in this novel as she comes to consciousness while crawling through the autumn woods. She takes stock of the world around her, the track marks on her arms and the hospital gown she’s clothed in, and comes to realize that wherever she is, she has not been here before. She approaches a couple of boys playing, and they offer her water, and call for help. Rose is then returned to the Memory Care Center from which she escaped but has regained enough of her senses to overhear snippets of conversation that lead her to believe she is being drugged against her will. She begins pocketing her pills and saves enough to add them to the night nurse’s soda – and then escapes again.

Once again free she makes her way to her granddaughter’s home and hides in her fort. Eccentric on a good day, Rose is slowly regaining her strength and is determined to hide from family and the authorities until she, with the aid of her granddaughter ‘Grasshopper’, and her ‘not a hacker’ computer whiz sister, can discover how she came to be locked up and sedated in a nursing home. She returns to the home she once shared with her late husband, and soon, someone breaks in with the intent to kill her. Now on the run once more, she is moved to a friend’s home with a giant teepee in the back yard.

As Rose and Grasshopper investigate and follow each lead, they find themselves in perilous (and hilarious) situations and hiding from the law as they attempt to gain answers as to who is behind Rose’s captivity. Rose also takes the opportunity to attempt the rescue of another elderly gentleman whom she fears has undergone the same fate, breaking several more laws in the process. She makes one last stop to revise her will before she turns herself into the police with the information she’s found – and tips off a killer in the process…

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting! Ms. Barr has created a unique and quirky character in Rose, and I really hope to see her and Grasshopper again in an encore novel, and I await the return of Anna Pigeon as well!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced read in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

One word sums up my reaction to this book: WOW.

Rose wakes up from what she believes is a meditation to find that all is not what she remembers things as. She has escaped from a Memory Care Home and has no recollection of how she got there or why. She is recaptured, and returned to the home, where she overhears a nurse state that Rose won't last the week. Rose knows somehow that to survive means escape.

This psychological thriller is vastly different from the Anna Pigeon series that Nevada Barr writes; a series that I've enjoyed for many years. Different, but in a good way. This book is edgier; as Rose figures out what is going on she gets stronger, and that strength is reflected in how the book is written. As Rose gets stronger, so does the prose in the book.

But it isn't all edge of your seat (although there is a lot of that). Rose's granddaughter Mel brings some light and humor to the book (as does her friend Royal).

Everything was revealed at the end of the book; I had not figured out who the protagonist was, but it all came together well in the end. The Epilogue at the end was a nice touch.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Interesting premise for a book and one that will keep you reading. Some of the scenes are a little far fetched, but still enjoyable to read and kept my attention. Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

What Rose Forgot is a story that pulls you in from the first page. The characters are unforgettable and some are even funny. The subject is serious but you'll also find some humor in Gigi's ability to get into tricky situations. Very enjoyable read.

I have posted this review at New York Journal of Books where it will be published on the night prior to the release date.



"What Rose Forgot" by Nevada Barr
Minotaur Books
September 17, 2019
10-1250207134
Suspense/Thriller
304 pages

Sixty-eight-year-old Rose Dennis awakens in the woods. Disoriented and confused, she glances around wondering, have I been meditating and lost track of time and place? Then she observes her emaciated body covered only in a hospital gown. Overwhelmed by fear, she stumbles her way toward civilization where she discovers two young boys on bikes. In one of the lad's pockets, Rose spots a red water bottle and all she can think is I need a drink!

The kids realize she must have wandered off from the nearby nursing home and as one goes for help the other offers Rose the little bit of the water that is left. Before long, two burly men in white coats appear at her side.

"'White coats,' she [Rose] murmurs. 'Where are the butterfly nets?' Terror slams into her, snatching the breath from her lungs. 'No! No,' she begs and clutches the boy's hand. 'There's been a mistake. Don't let them take me.'"

Rose conjures her abductors as Tweedledee and Tweedledum while she is being unceremoniously ushered back to the facility. There she finds others waiting for her—one she recognizes as her granddaughter, Melanie—whom she calls "Grasshopper."

Offered a cup of orange juice with ice, Rose greedily drinks, then slaps it away. "'Poison!' she screams, juice running down her chin. 'They are poisoning me!'"

As they settle her in her room, another foggy haze overtakes her. She tries to remember where she is and why, but crazy thoughts whirl through her mind.
"Fear is all around her, fear that this place, these people, are keeping her against her will. Perhaps for her own good. Perhaps not. Rose does not like people imposing unpleasant things on her 'for her own good.' Until she has a plan, one that will carry her farther than a couple of football fields from this place, she will play possum. She will watch. She will be mindful."

Her strength gone, Rose is restrained to the bed and wearing a diaper, when she overhears two women talking in the hall, one them, Wanda Lopez, the manager.

"'I think we've gotten her stabilized,' Wanda says reassuringly.

"'Good. Her family is afraid she may not last much longer.'

"'Are they?' Wanda asks.

"'Yes, very afraid. Absolutely terrified that she may not even make it through the week."

Horrified by their conversation, tears start to flow. Am I paranoid? Delusional? What is happening? She decides she will stop taking the little red pills they have been forcing on her. Deep in her heart, she knows she is not demented, looney, or whatever, so she will take her time and flee.

Rose dupes the nurses into believing she ingests the medication they give her, but she secretes the red pills in a tissue. Her mind soon becomes clearer allowing her to focus. Who is drugging her and why? Bits and pieces come back forcing her to realize she is truly in danger. As her cognition and strength return, her plan to escape works and she sneaks out during the night unnoticed. Making her way to the home of her stepson and granddaughter, she safely hides in the playhouse her deceased husband, Harley built for Mel.

Mel later discovers her hiding out and wants to inform others of her whereabouts. When Rose explains her circumstances, begging her not to tell anyone, Mel, AKA Grasshopper, 13-years-old, going on 30 and always up for an adventure, decides to help her.

She suggests Rose go back to her new home—a place where she did not want to move to, rather wanting to stay in New Orleans—but Harley insisted they return to his hometown of Charlotte. Without having a key, Rose breaks the kitchen window for entrance and is dismayed upon seeing unpacked boxes everywhere. Recognizing familiar items, especially her clothes, she feels safe for a while though knowing this is a short reprieve. Someone is hunting her. She finds her cell phone and calls her sister Marion. Explaining her situation, Marion, a computer whiz, offers to do some sleuthing and find out who is after Rose and why.

That night, asleep in her bed, a noise sounds from downstairs. Someone has gained entry. Is she being burglarized or is the person coming after her? Senses now sharpened, she climbs out the bedroom window and clings to the porch roofline. It is soon apparent the man is after her. In the darkness, a heavyweight, dark-clothed man stares up at her with a dagger in his mouth. He pounces, trying to stab her, but she is quick. She grabs the knife, thrusting it at him, making him fall to the ground. Hanging onto the gutter for dear life, she breathes a sigh of relief when he runs off to his truck parked across the street.

When Mel arrives the next morning, Rose has painted several pictures depicting her would-be killer. Mel pleads with Rose to call the police, but they would only send her back to the home, labeled criminally insane. No one would believe she is lucid so she must clear herself on her own terms.

The intruder had worn a black glove, which he dropped when he fell. Upon inspection, Rose finds a finger she unknowingly amputated. After she painstakingly washes the digit, dips it in ink for fingerprints, she wraps, and secures it in the freezer. This is her evidence. Now she can proceed with getting answers.

The unnerving opening of this novel makes one shudder. Sixty-eight is not terribly old, yet Rose is depicted as incontinent and incapacitated. Deeper into the tale, is the mindboggling fact the drugs forced upon her rendered her powerless. Luckily, with the foresight to know she is being wronged, she regains her mental acuity and strength as she finds ways to take back her power and life.

Gripping and spine-tingling, "What Rose Forgot" is sure to raise the hackles of lovers of psychological thrillers.

I loved the intrigue, the unanswered questions posed by a tantalizing plot , and Rose's determination and quick thinking, at age 68. This was an entertaining read, which I did in just over a day.

(see the link to my full blog review) : https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/2019/07/book-review-what-rose-forgot-by-nevada.html

Elements I love in stories... hospital/care facilities, unreliable narrators, some sort of health issue (amnesia, Alzheimer’s, etc), and a good thrill ride.

This story has all the elements! What happened to Rose and why is she here? Read this great summer thriller with your book club so you have someone to discuss the twists and turns with!

Rose wakes up to find herself in an Alzheimer’s unit. She manages to escape once but is recaptured. She knows something is not right and she needs to get out of the facility so she stops taking her medicine.

I enjoyed this book, although I had to suspend reality. Some of the events were a little far fetched. On the whole I enjoyed the book. There is a good cast of characters and suspense. I would give this book 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4*. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I'm a big fan of Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series-they're so complex and thoughtful, and she is a master at creating fabulous settings that totally come to life. Her newest book is a standalone, and one that changes things up. Instead of the loner Anna, we've got Rose, who finds herself prematurely in a memory care facility and suspects that something nefarious is afoot. Of course, because it is Nevada Barr, there is. Without giving too much away, Rose is surrounded by a delightful cast of characters that help her uncover the plot and figure out what to do about it. Hopefully this book brings Barr some new and well deserved fans.

Nevada Barr has written a wonderfully delightful book in, What Rose Forgot.
When Rose woke’s up in a memory care unit with only bits and pieces of her memory the fun begins.
Written in a funny, thrilling tone when most stories of memory care units are sad, this one leaves me wanting more!

Rose, born in 1952, wakes up from what she thought was meditating. Nope. She had "escaped" from the Memory Care Unit at Longwood Nursing Home. Rose had been drugged since at least her admission a few weeks ago. When she is returned to the Home,. Rose slowly stops taking her meds in the hopes that her mind will clear and she will start to remember. Eventually, (with a much clearer head) Rose does "escape" and searches for her granddaughter's home which is close by...

And that is where the excitement begins. I could not put the book down!

A superbly written book with great character portrayals. Highly recommend!

Many Thanks to Minotaur / St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a truly wonderful read.