I’m not sure how to categorize this very cute book. It has been listed as mystery and thriller, but there was no mystery and maybe only a tiny thrill toward the end (blink and you might miss it). This is another humorous book about an “old lady” (I resent that) who solves a mystery of sorts and takes on the underworld in small town Romania. There are so many stereotypes involved that it almost feels like a satire. The Romanians are portrayed as sleazy, greasy, mafioso buffoons – including the local police, the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest is portrayed as not really interested to helping out a USC who has been fleeced in Romania and wants justice, the FBI doesn’t seem interested in actually solving cybercrimes, a little old lady who has memory issues, hip replacement issues and talks to herself and her dead husband, exacts her justice/revenge on the perpetrators who fleeced her – after she succeeds where everyone else failed her, and two teenage juvenile delinquents not only get off scot-free for their felonies but also get rewarded financially for returning what they stole AND get permanent visas to the U.S., to boot! So, yeah! I guess this must be a satire.

I will never again get annoyed with the bank or government offices who make me jump through hoops in order to move my own money or get information. Without that added protection, we could all be Loretta Planskys, being duped into giving account numbers, personal information and account passcodes over the telephone. This plague has been around for too many years and if you have parents of an age, who are not technologically savvy and rely on their savings to live on in their golden years, you better hide their credit cards, change their passwords, unlist their phone numbers, and replace their contact details with your own for their banks, credit card companies, etc.

72 year-old Loretta Plansky is recently widowed and living in a retirement community in Florida. She and her husband made a small fortune thanks to one of the latter’s inventions, a bread knife that toasts as it slices – now there’s something that ranks up there with Thneeds (forgive me Dr. Seuss). Now Loretta is living a quiet life playing tennis at the club, recovering from a hip replacement, and trying to hang on to her wits. Her two kids are hitting her up for money and she has it to give, so she is not surprised when a grandson calls her in the middle of the night telling her that he’s been arrested for a DUI, ‘please don’t tell my mother but can you bail me out, I need $9,XXX.xx - No, granny I don’t need a check please give me your bank details and bank code and the money will transfer to where it needs to go…’ The next day Loretta finds that all of her accounts have been emptied, as she used the same passcode for everything. (I’m feeling a little sheepish right now).

The FBI gets involved and after driving her nuts with their questions, eventually admits that there is absolutely nothing that they can do. One of the agents lets it slip that the call appeared to have come from a small town in Romania. Loretta now has no money to pay the nursing home where her obstreperous 98-year-old father is living and is forced to move him in to her home (now there’s an incentive for going after the bad guy, if ever there was one). She is also determined to get that money back and since no one else is going to bat for her, she sells an expensive piece of jewelry and takes off for Romania….All the world is a village, and Loretta manages to end up in the right place with all the right people around her. It is convenient that no one seems to exist outside of the half dozen characters driving the plot, and they are ripe for the plucking.

Loretta’s adventures, and conversations with herself are very cute…and it should come as no surprise (since the title tells all) that she gets her man (there is a double entendre in that somewhere, for those of you who have read the novel).

I enjoyed and listened to the book in two days (thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ARC and for keeping me walking when I didn’t want to stop listening).

3.75 stars rounded up to 4 — Mrs. Plansky's Revenge treats us to an unusual heroine: a woman in her 70s who falls victim to a foreign financial scam but refuses to accept her fate.

Answering her phone in the middle of the night, Mrs. Plansky believes she's hearing her grandson calling her in distress; he's been arrested for a DUI and needs bail money. Mrs. Plansky, who is both wealthy and accustomed to her family seeking financial support regularly, accepts this call on face value — and wakes up to find her entire fortune gone.

While this is an all-to-common reality many people face, when her effort to get her money back via the police fails, Mrs. Plansky chooses to follow the slim lead she has to Romania, where they suspect the thieves live. From here, she gets mixed up with a variety of local characters, as she works to solve the mystery and reclaim her fortune.

Where this book wins: quirky characters, heart-felt human connections, and just overall entertainment. Never was I bored!

Where it may have misstepped: 1) I can't say I ever understood why the author chose to refer to Loretta as Mrs. Plansky on every reference. This may have made sense if it wasa side effect of her personality, but she was not overly formal and never introduced herself as anything but Loretta. Whatever the reason, I found this technique kept me at arm's length on fully connecting to the character. 2) I also felt that Mrs. Plansky connected with Romeo and Dinu a bit too quickly. I loved the redemption story here, but given where it led, I wanted more development on how their connection was so deeply formed.

Overall, this was a fun read and the audio narration was well done.

This was a fun romp to read. Mrs. Plansky falls prey to a scam and loses all her money. What is results is her revenge tour, in which we get her slightly confused, but still witty shenanigans as she tries to get to the answers of who stole her money. She's the classic retirement age boomer with a lack of tech knowledge and an overinflated sense of importance. Along the way, we get to meet some funny characters, career criminals, and bumbling idiots.

For me, the problem was that she was so smart in some ways that the amount of fumbling with technology didn't quite feel believable. The pacing was also inconsistent - slow at the beginning then rushing through the finale. She's always called Mrs. Plansky (even by herself), which was annoying, and felt like a contrived way to keep reminding us that she's elderly in a tell instead of show kind of way. I read this one audio and it was a fun accompaniment for a road trip.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I thought this one was fun - especially as an audiobook! Great narrator.
It drew me in from the very beginning- no slow start, which is a downfall of some audiobooks.
I thought Mrs. Plansky was very likeable and a dynamic, funny character. The plot was interesting. I'd listen to this one again just for fun!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for this book in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed the book and the lighthearted whit of Mrs. Plansky! She was fun and I enjoyed the reader's way the characters were portrayed.

It got a little boring in the middle, but the ending made up for it.

I’ll be honest - I only got 10% of the way into this audiobook before I decided it wasn’t for me. The writing, characters, and developing story didn’t catch my attention. It didn’t feel fresh.

Loretta is a more than comfortably retired widow enjoying a quiet life in Florida. She enjoys her role as a giver to her family members, including a late night call to send money to bail her grandson out of jail… or so she thinks. She turns the tables when she decides to travel to Romania to get her money back in person. A charming and heart warming story for fans multi-generational stories like The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, and The One-in-a-Million Boy. I was provided with an advance audio copy by NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook!

I liked this little trip into organized crime. Scammers Tick Me OFF!

I loved the characters in this revenge story after a recent widow in her 70s has her life savings stolen in a scam call. This was a great audiobook listen and it made for a very fun read!

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn
Narrator, Patrea Burchard
I love Mrs. Plansky! I would like this to be a series because I found it to be so entertaining. This reminded me somewhat of the Mrs. Pollifax series from a few decades ago. Since I am about the age of the of the main character I thought she was a hoot and an excellent heroine. Maybe It was a little slow starting and maybe not completely believable but I don’t care. Suspend disbelief and just enjoy the story.
The narrator was not someone I was familiar with but she was very good too.

Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn was a relatable cozy mystery that took place in both Punta D’Oro, Florida and in various locations in Romania. At seventy-one years old, Loretta Plansky, found herself as a widow, financially secure, a recipient of a hip replacement, responsible for her 98 year old father’s care in an upscale assisted living facility and able to play a mean game of tennis. Loretta had two grown children and two grandchildren who relied on Loretta to help their business and life adventures become a reality. More than not, Loretta helped them finance their endeavors. That was why when Loretta received a phone call in the middle of the night from her grandson, Will, pleading with her to help him get out of a DUI conviction, she gladly gave him the nearly $10,000 he required. Of course she was going to help her young grandson. How was she supposed to get the money to him, though? Will explained that they could use something called Safemo to transfer the money to him so he could get out of jail. The only thing he needed was her password for her account and he could do it for her. Without any hesitation, Loretta gave Will the password to her bank account which was also the same password for all her other investments and accounts. When Loretta woke up the next morning, she learned very quickly that all her accounts had been emptied. She had been a victim of a scam. The FBI was called in but they didn’t give Loretta much hope of recovering her money. Loretta had been told that the scam originated in Romania. She decided to take matters into her own hands. Without a word to her family or anyone else, Loretta boarded a plane to Romania. Loretta was intent on getting her money back and exposing the people who were responsible for the scam. Will she be able to succeed?

Many years ago, I remember listening to my mother relate a similar story to me that had happened to one of her elderly friends. We had a whole conversation about it and wondered what she would have done if she received that phone call or one similar to it. Thank goodness, her friend’s experience taught her and me a very valuable lesson. There are so many people out there that prey on the elderly and their vulnerability. It is a terrible thing but something that elderly people must be aware of.

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn. It was well narrated by Petrea Burchard. I enjoyed the character of Loretta Plansky the best. The part when she decided to go to Romania on her own to get her money back felt a little far fetched for me and not something that would really happen but it did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. I felt myself rooting for Mrs. Plansky to succeed. Overall, I enjoyed this cozy mystery and would recommend it.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I thought this book was lovely and fun - such an entertaining read. A cozy adventure story that sees widowed 71 year old Mrs. Plansky getting scammed out of all her life savings by the grandson jailed for a DUI prank call and her following the investigation and her money to Romania - after being told by the bank and the FBI that the hope of recovery in this kind of cybercrime is slim to none. It was fun following her from a retirement community in Florida to Bucharest and then to a mountain city in Romania tracking down the bad guys while relying not unlike Ms Marple on her harmless old lady appearance. Since this is a cozy she has no problem finding her bad guys right when she enters the town and receiving help along the way but I can’t emphasize enough how this was fun - fun to listen to, an extremely enjoyable experience while making me remember to remind my parents to change passwords on a regular basis. It was a fresh story and something that I hadn’t seen before. The characters were complex and likable- even the “bad guys” - a redemptive story. Overall a wonderful read that will have you on your toes with a smile on your face !

The idea behind this story really pulled me in. I like stories about older people. The audio narrators did a good job differentiating between the characters. There was a disconnect for me somewhere along the way though. I couldn’t seem to get attached to any of the characters.

I love the author's Chet and Bernie books so I jumped at the chance to listen to this one. He once again creates memorable and mostly realistic characters. I loved Mrs. Plansky, who refers to herself as Mrs. Plansky throughout the book. This bothered many readers but I really didn't notice until it was pointed out in reviews. For many senior women, their identity has always been tied to their husbands even after death. Mrs. Plansky had been a smart business woman who remains active after her husband's death despite a recent hip replacement. She is still sharp except, like many of us old folks, in cyber matters. This is a cautionary tale of a very real cyber crime in which she is bilked out of her entire fortune. Lesson to be learned-don't reuse the same password and never give out info on the phone.She goes to the authorities but gets not much help so she decides to take matters in her own hands. The crime against her is unfortunately all too real and occurs frequently. The revenge, however, requires some suspension of belief.
I wish I would have the guts to travel to Romania alone to take on a group of thugs like she did. Even if this is not realistic it is still engaging and makes for many comedic moments. The characters are wonderful! Mrs. Plansky's 98 year old father is a hoot. It's easy to see where she gets her pluck. I loved listening to Dinu try to learn English.
I listened to a copy of the audiobook gifted to me by NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. Petrea Burchard did a good job bringing Mrs. Plansky to life. She sounded very realistic as a plucky 71 year old. She also did well on all the foreign characters. Her pace and moderation were excellent and easy to listen to.
As with all of Spencer Quinn's books, this isn't high literature but it sure is a fun book. The pace was a little slow, but that just meant I wasn't as likely to stay up until 4am listening but instead found a stopping point and picked it back up easily. I hope we will see more of Mrs. Plansky in the future. Maybe she could get a dog.
Even though I received an early copy of this book, I would still have read it anyway. This is an honest and voluntary review.

Many thanks to NetGalley , Tor Publishing Forge and MacMillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this timely and fun story by Spencer Quinn and wonderfully narrated by Petrea Burchard - 4.5 stars!

Loretta Plansky is settled into her new home in Florida, after the death of her beloved husband. Now she fills her day playing tennis and taking care of her 98-year-old father. In the middle of the night, she receives a phone call from who she believes is her grandson, asking for money to get him out of jail after a DWI. So of course, she quickly gives over her bank information and password. When she wakes in the morning, she realizes it was a scam and all her money is gone. But she's not one to sit back and cry - she goes on a quest to get her money back.

We've all heard of these scams and feel like we would never fall prey, but the crooks are smart and everyone is probably vulnerable. That's what makes this tale even more relatable - we can see this happening to elderly people or anyone who relaxes their rules for just a minute. Mrs. Plansky is one of those plunky characters who won't take no for an answer, and it's a fun ride to go along with her as she tries to get her money back and help others in the process. You'll be cheering her along!

What do you do when you are scammed out of your life savings? Get revenge of course! That’s exactly what Mrs. Plansky does after she give her banking information to a scammer pretending to be her grandson in the middle of the night. Full of mystery, action, suspense and a dash of romance this was a solid start to a new series!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Engaging narration of a very appealing, quirky mystery that has echoes of Simon Brett's Mrs. Pargeter series.
I was very caught up in the story and will definitely recommend both the audio and book versions to library and reading friends who are looking for a new mystery series that lacks grit and violence, but has just enough sardonic wit as to be not too cutesy.

Loved this one!
Mrs. Plansky is an elderly woman who gets swindled out of some (a lot) of money, by someone posing as her grandson. She does not sit back and let this go...she decides she is going to go investigate.
And, she gets very lucky, in meeting the right people to help her...and the circumstances.
Yes, it is a bit far fetched.
No, I don't think an older woman would really be able to do all that she did.
Nonetheless, it was a very sweet story with a good ending...and it kept me interested and laughing thru it all!
And she did it all on her own, without even letting her family know what she was planning to do!
4 1/2 - 5 stars for me!
Will be released tomorrow, 7/25, so look for it on shelves then!
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC of the audiobook!

I absolutely adore Mrs. Plansky!! She is a kind hearted, quick witted, intelligent woman who doesn’t back down from hardship. I enjoyed following her on her fearless path to revenge. She made me laugh out loud and hold my breath in suspense. She does this all while juggling her aged father, adult children and grandchildren who all depend on her in some way. In fact, that’s what starts the whole adventure; her love and desire to care for her family.


Mrs. Planky’s Revenge is a delightful detective story with a great ending! I’m so glad I didn’t pass this one up. I absolutely have to read all of Spencer Quinn’s books now!

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the arc via NetGalley.

A fun romp of a cozy mystery. I did think it took way to long for Mrs. Plansky to understand what had actually happened to her. But the story was interesting and engaging.