I enjoyed this book. It wasn't quite what I expected. I was expecting a mystery or thriller, but this had lots of comedic elements to it as well that really made it unique. It was a bit heavy on the Buddhism, and it really felt like the Buddhism was only mentioned to try to clue us in that Rose was supposed to be a really good person. But overall, it was a great read. Light, fast paced, and with a very unique heroine. The plot itself was unique and interesting, though the "bad guy" was somewhat easily predicted.

I would definitely read more books by this author.

Definitely not a typical Nevada Barr novel or part of the Anna Pigeon, park ranger-turned-sleuth, series. Rose is an older woman who suddenly finds herself in a nursing home for those with dementia. It's not where's she meant to be, and with the help of her step-granddaughter, Rose makes an escape. While on the run, she must work out the puzzle of who put her in the home, and why someone wants her life to end. It's a near-murder case that comes across as a bit lighter than the Pigeon mysteries,

A crazy thrill ride with wild twists and turns. An excellent book club book and a librarian's recommendation dream.

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.

I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis of the book really draws you in and makes it sound like a suspenseful an page turner, but I did not find it this way at all.

Rose wakes up to find that she's been committed in a nursing home for Alzheimer's. After overhearing strange conversations and feeling like something is very wrong, she escapes, with the need to find out who committed her and the real reason why.

While this sounds like a great read, I couldn't finish it. It was very boring, and completely unbelievable. Parts of it were comical, which doesn't seem right for a "psychological thriller". I really wanted to know the ending, and I pushed myself through over half of it, I just couldn't do it. This seems to have been a good read for a lot of people, but it was not the one for me.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Granny with a gun! Rose Dennis wakes up in the Memory Care Unit (MCU) at Longwood, in a drug induced fog, not knowing how she got there or why. The only thing she knows for certain is that she doesn’t belong in the MCU. She plans a breakout and succeeds, only to realize that on the outside someone is trying to kill her. With the help of her 13 year old granddaughter, Mel and her shut-in but techno savvy sister, Marion, Rose navigates a sloppy investigation to find out who is after her and why. Can she solve it in time, without anyone else she loves dying?

This book was awesome. Rose is such a free spirited, lovable character and her relationships with Mel and Marion are warm, easy and enviable. I cheered her success throughout the book and was shocked at the various twists and turns the plot took to come to the unusual ending. Filled with drama and suspense, What Grace Forgot is one book I can highly recommend this fall!

What Rose Forgot is a new standalone thriller mystery by Nevada Barr. Released 17th Sept 2019 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and available in hardback, mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

I have read (and enjoyed) all of the Anna Pigeon books and I knew that the author was adept at her craft with a firm technical grasp of plotting, tension arc, characterization, dialogue.. her books are really enjoyable reads. Ms Barr stepped up her game for this one. It's a roller coaster ride from the first page. I can't think of many things more terrifying than literally almost waking up and realizing you've been drugged and committed to a memory care unit for Alzheimer's patients. Rose's escape and unraveling the mystery of who's trying to get her out of the way is twisty, entertaining, humorous, and exciting. I was really rooting for her to figure it all out and win in the end.

The denouement is satisfying and the epilogue made me grin.

An enjoyable read for fans of the genre. The language is somewhat rough (I would call it 'R' rated) and the book includes assault and murder of vulnerable elders, attempted murder, and some political philosophy. My personal beliefs align pretty well with Rose's commentary, so I didn't find it distasteful but some readers might. Also, the physical demands of some of the scenes as written would be beyond the capabilities of most seniors. Gigi Rose is a badass.

Four stars.

Rose Dennis wakes up in a field clad only in a hospital gown. This is not life as she remembers it, but then she remembers very little. Aided by two young teenage boys (who were probably scarred for life!) she is given water, picked up by the police, and returned to her Memory Care Unit in a fancy-schmancy care center. When she overhears someone in the hall say, "...she won't last a week...", Rose, who is only 68 , takes exception and stirs herself from her comatose state. Game On becomes World War III when Rose escapes and is joined by her granddaughter Melanie to find out what is going on, and more important, why. Then someone comes after her and the game gets deadly. Nevada Barr does an excellent job with this novel. It is action-packed, thrilling, and even hilarious in spots--although the predicament facing Rose is not funny. Let this book be a lesson to anyone who think women of a certain age don't have what it takes to be superheroes. I loved it! Thanks to Minotaur and Netgalley for an advanced review copy of the ebook.

I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

what a powerful, interesting read.

the book caught my interest immediately. you won't regret reading this.

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.

My Review: Honestly I was a bit confused through the entire book until the end and I’m still not 100% sure I understand the ending. I think that was probably the intent since the story is of an elderly lady put in a memory care unit against what she believes her will.

I love the Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr but I did not love this book. Personally, I won’t be jumping at the chance to recommend but if it sounds interesting to you please give it a read. It could be the next best book for you.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

This book took me completely by surprise. Rose may be what some would consider "old", but she still has a lot of fight left in her. With the help of her granddaughter, she's going to get to the bottom of her "condition". What ensues is a fast-paced adventure complete with an assassin and underhanded "care-givers". One thing you can count on- whatever it takes, Rose will see this through to the end.

This is a new topic for me and Nevada Barr and I loved it.! Rose with the help of her friends create a modern twist on a basic murder mystery and it works. Ms. Barr combines the wisdom of the elderly with the freshness , and sophistication ,of toady's youth. Guess what , it works ! This is a fast paced read that will have you guessing ti the end. It will also make you laugh out loud ! It's a refreshing change from her Anna Pigeon Series. I hope Ms. Barr keeps Rose, and her sidekicks, around for more adventures !

It lends itself to discussion that many book clubs will enjnoy.

I've been a long time follower of Barr's Anna Pigeon series and was both excited and hesitant to dive into a new lead and non-park setting. I shouldn't have held back. The setting didn't have quite the draw for me as the mysteries set in the national parks. I was unfamiliar with Charlotte and didn't feel like I knew it any better when I completed reading. (I actually had to go back and see where it was set. All I could think of was generic South.) I'd grown accustomed to the location being a supporting character, and I felt a little let down in that area. Charlotte just seemed like any generic town. That being said, the rest of the tale didn't disappoint in any way. Rose is a kick. Perhaps it's because her age is not all that far from my own, but I found an older protagonist refreshing and engaging, particularly one that is mentally, physically, and spiritually vital. Go, Rose! I hope that I'm like her in ten years. The plot was well paced and full of action. Most of the characters were well drawn and believable and I enjoyed the relationships that developed especially between Rose and the young people, and surprisingly, between Rose and her would-be assassin turned accomplice.

Author Nevada Barr is extremely well-known for her award-winning mystery series featuring National Park Ranger Anna Pigeon. This new book highlights a brand-new leading character, Rose Dennis, who awakens one day in a hospital gown in an Alzheimers unit in a local nursing home. She has no idea why she’s there – she’s only in her mid 60s and has always been a bit eccentric (like many artists) – but when she overhears an administrator saying that she probably won’t make it through the week, she decides to escape. But, how can she convince anyone she’s sane and competent when she’s unsure what actually happened to her? Her suspicions about danger are verified when a would-be killer shows up in the middle of the night looking for her, and she seeks help from her reclusive sister (a computer expert) and her beloved teen granddaughter. This thrilling book will be in hot demand, so be sure to reserve your copy soon!

What Rose Forgot by Nevada Barr is about a grandmother in her sixties who emerges from a mental fog to find she’s trapped in her worse nightmare. She has been committed to an Alzheimer’s unit in a nursing home. She has no memory and overhears an administrator hear she is not making it through the week. So she stops taking meds and plans her escape. She eventually realizes someone is trying to kill her and with help from her friends she’ll escape and expose their scheme. I have read many of Nevada Barr’s books and loved them. This was very different from her game warden books. Some scenes were unbelievable, unrealistic and some humorous. It had a great ending though.

Never having read a Nevada Barr book before, I really had no idea what to expect. What I found within that pages of this book was a well-written mystery with a “detective” who is accused of dementia and who has been placed in a nursing home. Escaping from her confinement, Rose Dennis is determined to find out who is trying to get rid of her and grab her inheritance. Told with wit and a dry sense of humor about aging, this story appealed to me because I am about Rose’s age. I enjoyed her reference to the things of the 60’s and 70’s since those were my years to mature into the adult I am today. Rose is everybody’s dream of a grandmother, smart and intuitive. The twist in the plot is that the reader has no idea if Rose is really “in her right mind” until close to the end of the novel. I recommend this book to fans of Nevada Barr and mystery fans everywhere.

This was my first novel by Nevada Barr. I struggled in the first half of the book trying to figure out Rose. I enjoyed her relationship with her granddaughter and while a lot of what Rose did seemed far fetched for someone her age, she would make a good detective in future stories. A surprise ending for sure.

I must be missing something, because unlike other reviewers, I found this book to be overbearing with some of the most unrealistic dialogue I've ever read. The premise started off well, with senior citizen Rose escaping from a nursing home and searching for how/why she was sent there in the first place. From the first few pages, I was gritting my teeth both at the spoken dialogue and the inner musings. I stumbled through until about 30%, hoping the action would make up for the issues I was having, but unfortunately that never happened. I do commend the author for placing an older woman at the center of a mystery and am sure my mother would enjoy this book, but it was not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy. This did not impact my review.

I have loved everything Nevada Barr has written and this is no exception. While I enjoyed the main character being an older woman who is fighting to get her life back (without a man), I really liked the relationship between the main character and her grand-daughter. Discusses elder abuse. Quick read, fast paced.