I really loved this story! It was such a. Great read - Gina and Dorothy are super leads, well written, flawed and interesting. The plot had lots of mystery and intrigue, keeping me guessing till the end. I can’t wait to read the next one!

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I started reading this book but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

Gina is at a loose end after her husband of many years decides to "find himself". When it comes to figuring out what she will do in the future, that is even more uncertain. So, she decides to apply for a temporary job as a companion to a feisty old lady. Dorothy's family are worried she needs a bit of a hand with things and there is a huge family wedding coming up with a lot of activities being organised by the host. I actually can't imagine a lady of Dorothy's vintage doing half the things she did, to be honest with you, but it was fun to read!

As the days go by, the Gina finds herself in a bit of a tight spot when Dorothy asks her to find a stolen item which had great sentimental value. I didn't know how this was going to go and I genuinely had butterflies with some of the situations that Gina found herself in.

Anyway, it was a good book and the author did a great job of talking about family dynamics and threw in a mystery as well. I got a little confused about the family ties but that was ok, that was probably a "me" thing.

4 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

This book had me in tears, laughing so hard. I really enjoyed it. Grandmas behaving badly, what could be better. It reminded me about my grandparents and how badly behaved they could be! Thank you NetGalley.

Gina, age 71, is newly single after her husband leaves to "find himself." Dorothy, 89, has had a recent fall and her family wants her to have a companion for an upcoming family wedding. Gina takes the job, not realizing that Dorothy only wanted her specifically because of her art history background because she suspects the man hosting the wedding party at his home has stolen a painting from her. This was good for a fairly light, quick read. I wonder about a second book with Gina and Dorothy getting into more trouble. 3 stars.

What a fun story this was! I had never read this author before and really enjoyed it!

Gina is looking forward to the next phase of life with her husband of 43 years, when he leaves her with divorce papers and insists on selling their home. Faced with an uncertain future, Gina looks to ads to find employment. She takes a job as a companion for an 89 year old widow, Dorothy. The first duty that Gina will do with "Dot" is to attend Dot's grandson's wedding at the estate of a relative.

Unbeknownst to Gina, Dot has ulterior motives. Dot is sure that a painting that was stolen from her home (that led to her husband's death), is hidden somewhere on this estate, and Dot wants Gina to find it for her.

I loved this story, and it ends with the possibility of another book in the future! (I hope so!)

I read this book a while back but forgot to review it so here it goes. There are a few books out lately about aging and living life to the full and the way you want and most of them have been quite good. This one is quite good and I enjoyed reading it as it made me laugh, smile and even relate to what Gina is dealing with on the verge of retirement (and so much more).

But when Gina becomes a companion to Dot, who would have guessed the two 'Old Ladies' would be solving the mystery disappearance of a painting. And so begins an very entertaining and fun book and story. This book has it all and is a book you just can't help but love. And through all the fun and mischief there is a great story to be told as well. I enjoyed every moment of this adorable book.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is such a fun book. Dorothy is struggling to cope with the death of her much loved husband. She is 89 and has recently had a fall when her daughter in law suggests she could hire a companion to assist her at a family wedding. Gina 's life has been turned upside down. Her husband has left her - literally high and dry - as he goes off to discover himself. She's 70 and needs to find a job, somewhere to live while their house is being sold and also, she needs a new lease of life. When she agrees to take on the companion role for Dorothy, she has not idea how much it will change her life. A truly heart warming read about how you're never too old to do something new, get into mischief and have alot of fun!

Old Girls Behaving Badly by Kate Galley is a hilarious and heartwarming story that shows you can always change your ways. This book is a blend of funny, mysterious, and the amazing power of unexpected friendships.

The story revolves around Gina Knight, whose husband abandons her after 43 years of marriage to “find himself” in Santa Fe. Gina, heartbroken and needing a fresh start, becomes the companion of the spirited Dorothy Reed, also known as Dot. At first, it’s just a simple job, but then Gina and Dot find themselves in a crazy week-long adventure at this big wedding in Norfolk.

Gina’s transition from a soon-to-be retiree with a predictable life to an adventurous partner in an unexpected mystery is both inspiring and entertaining. Dot, at eighty-nine, is an amazing character who brings so much life and depth to the story. Together, they form a formidable team, proving that age is just a number when it comes to embarking on new adventures.

Things get interesting when Dot admits she hired Gina to find a hidden painting in the estate. This twist adds an exciting element to the story, making it a captivating mystery. The fancy wedding, with champagne and croquet, sets the stage for all the drama.

This novel is full of funny moments, especially when the sleuths navigate the wedding and their own challenges. It goes beyond the surface and explores self-discovery, resilience, and the significance of friendship, making it a great read for anyone who’s dealt with unexpected life shifts.

I’m afraid this book was not for me, struggled to get into it and didn’t hold my attention . Reading other reviews a lot of people are enjoying it .

Although I enjoyed Old Girls Behaving Badly, it was not what I was expecting. Dorothy's grandson is getting married to the niece of the man that Dorothy loathes. Leonard used to be her husband's partner, the man he mentored, until he became so competitive, that Phillip couldn't stand it. Ready to retire, he sold his share of the business to Leonard and they planned to never see him again. After his retirement, Phillip won a small painting in an art competition, a type of scavenger hunt, but shortly after he won it, someone broke in and stole it. While chasing the thief, Phillip tripped and fell down the outside stairs hitting his head. He died in the hospital shortly after. Dot is sure that Leonard had the painting, and she wants it back as well as see him in jail. Gina is hired as her companion for the week before the wedding at Leonard's country estate. As well as being her companion, she is asked to find the painting.

This is a book full of secrets, staring with Dorothy's and Gina's. I really liked both of these ladies and being older they think they can sneak around and nobody will notice them. Leonard, is suspicious of Gina and watches her quite closely, so she is often seen or caught where she shouldn't be. I did not like Leonard at all. He is smarmy, loves to hear his own voice, narcissistic, and just a miserable human being. He brags constantly and even his generosity in hosting the wedding is not without his personal reasons. Caroline, his niece, is such a lovely young woman, I am surprised that she doesn't see through him. I have to say I really enjoyed Juliet, Dot's granddaughter. She is young and doesn't want to spend a week with these old folks. She is bored, and miserable, a typical teen. There were lots of fun activities planned such as a garden party, horseback riding and quad riding, which I would have enjoyed. The mystery of what happened to the painting, where it is, and who actually stole it was very well done, with everything flowing well. I loved Gina's snooping, and eventually she gets a couple of people on her side to help her without letting the cat out of the bag. I was impressed with how smart Gina was, putting clues together, and knowing so much about art, that helped her in her quest. This is a mystery, on the cozy side, with great characters, some humour, but not as much as I was expecting, a well-plotted mystery and great ending. It sounds like there might be another mystery with Gina as a sleuth, but only time will tell. If you enjoy an entertaining mystery with great characters and a well-written storyline, then I recommend you pick up Old Girls Behaving Badly.

A fabulously fun read! The main character is 71 years old and finds herself at the precipice of a life change since her 73 year old husband has decided to do a runner. Now, you younger readers (thankfully, that is me too!) don't think this book isn't for you as it absolutely is! The second main character is 89 years old....still stick around you younger readers! Toss in a 13 year old teen with an attitude problem, a mystery of where the stolen item is, trying to solve the crime, being a companion to an older woman, a teen running around recording conversations, a wedding with tons of events and everyone carrying around a ton of secrets and you'll have an inkling of the fun to come in this story. It's witty, poignant, relatable for those of us who are aging (but still younger by decades than the main characters, LOL!) and a delightfully fun read. I do hope that the author will grant us the curtesy of seeing more of these characters as the way it was written, it absolutely could be a series! If you like art, fun, witty dialogue, relatable characters then this book is absolutely one that should go on your read list!

This was such a cute book concept! Gina's husband leaves her just as she enters retirement forcing her to take a companion job working with Dot. This was very much a Grace and Frankie type of plot, but the twist comes when Dot enlists Gina's help in solving a mystery. I couldn't get enough! Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Gina answers an ad to become a companion to Dorothy when she attends a family wedding. Thinking it was the answer to all her problems she soon discovers that being Dots companion isn't going to be a sedate experience. The wedding is in a gorgeous country estate and the uncle has arranged such a packed timetable of activities. Dorothy has set Gina a task, that the full activities taking place makes it very difficult for her to complete.
I loved seeing the family dynamics and the teenager wh0 has refused to be a bridesmaid, but needs to find some way to endure the wedding celebrations. It was lovely to see the characters build and the subplot unfold.
I will definitely be keen to see more from the 'old girls'!

I was keen to get started with this book, expecting it to be similar to books by Maddie Please and Judy Leigh, but sadly this book did not really live up to my expectations. I did not laugh out loud and I wasn't in fall awe of the main characters living their best life at a later age. I liked the characters, but I did not love them.

That said, this was still an enjoyable cozy mystery type of story with older main characters. Gina was looking forward to retirement with her husband, but finds herself alone and decides to apply to be a companion to an 89 year old attending a family week including a wedding. This ends up being a week of adventures and mysteries and both their lives change forever. It was a sweet and gentle story.

Princess Fuzzypants here: The title and the cover makes the reader think this is going to be a senior’s romp but while it has a great story, there is a lot of deep emotion that weaves through it. Dot’s beloved husband died chasing after a burglar who stole a piece of artwork he won. Gina’s husband has decided to find himself and his future does not include her. Conveniently the same time as the family home is going up for sale, Dot is in need of a companion for a family wedding at a posh estate. So the 89 year old and the 71 year old become mates but there is an ulterior motive. Dot believes the host is the one behind the theft and her hiusband’s death and needs to find the painting to prove it. That is where Gina comes in.

While initially it seemed Dot encouraged Gina to take unwarranted risks, Gina discovered she could investigate and was actually rather good at it. In the end, they do succeed but more importantly Dot has made a friend who will allow independence to continue and Gina has found a new home and a fuller future where she recognizes her own value. It is heartwarming and encouraging story where not only Dot and Gina are the better for it.

Five purrs and two paws up.

In this wild mystery and novel of friendship, readers follow Gina, recently abandoned by her (apparently long-suffering) husband, as she forges a new path in life as a companion to elderly Dorothy Reed. Dorothy’s family seems to think she needs more support and help than Dorothy herself does, but Dorothy sees Gina’s arrival before a week-long wedding celebration as fortuitous: she needs help solving a family mystery about a missing painting, and all of the suspects will be in the same place. As these two women sneak around the Norfolk estate avoiding curious and protective relatives, Gina and Dot must outsmart the thief before Gina’s contract is up. With clever, hilarious, and sassy protagonists, readers will love following Gina and Dot’s adventures in Norfolk as amateur detectives. As their friendship grows, readers will get to solve the mystery with them and become more familiar with the characters. With so many threads to this mystery, readers will enjoy the plot that Galley has crafted. With clever minor characters and an Agatha Christie-esque setting, readers may be reminded of an amateur Miss Marple (albeit with a fellow amateur lady detective and in the modern day) when reading this fun summer fiction mystery novel.

"Two strangers. One wedding. The adventure of a lifetime"

...

Recently widowed, octogenarian artist Dorothy, whilst lonely and sorely missing her once successful businessman husband, Philip, is more than able to take care of herself on a day to day basis, albeit that her Thames river view house in Hampstead London, is quite a sizeable property for a single person. However, her concerned son and daughter feel that, with the wedding of her grandson Toby coming up and the week long celebrations taking place at the Norfolk country estate of one of the bride's uncles, a companion for Dorothy whilst the rest of the family are engaged in wedding preparations, would be a sound idea.

Dorothy has other plans however, that is until she interviews former Art Historian Gina for the position and there is an instant spark of a possible camaraderie between them. In her seventies, Gina is reeling from the news that after decades of marriage and two children, her husband has decided that his recent retirement is the ideal opportunity for him to re-invent himself, which unfortunately doesn't include his loyal and loving wife. He has put the family home up for sale, so for a soon-to-be homeless person, Dorothy's offer, with the potential for an extended contract when she is back home in the London house, is the lifeline and breathing space Gina so desperately needs.

It transpires that the families of the bride and bridegroom to be, are already acquainted, as uncle Leonard, the host with the most, was once Philip's business partner, until the two had a falling out and they went their separate ways, never to meet again. Gina soon learns that for Dorothy this trip is more than an occasion to celebrate the wedding of her grandson, as she has it firmly fixed in her mind that somehow Leonard is indirectly responsible for Philip's sudden death and she sets Gina the task of finding the proof, by fair means or foul, Dorothy really doesn't mind which. Apparently both men had been avid art collectors, although Leonard was always far too competitive for Philip's taste and was never happy when bested by his once friend. Dorothy is convinced that Leonard is behind an art theft at the Hampstead house, in the course of which, Philip took a bad fall and never recovered.

That is only the tip of the iceberg though and Gina, Dorothy and youngster Julia, open up a whole can of worms with their investigation, which not only uncovers the true extent of Leonard's shady dealings, but also secrets both he and other members of the families would rather remained private. Accidents begin to happen, which at first appear to be random acts of bad luck and being in the wrong place at the wrong time, however it soon becomes clear that the ladies have put themselves at the mercy of someone for whom life is cheap and no one is going to be allowed to get in their way.

...

This is author Kate Galley's third book and I have loved reading them all. So far she has written about ladies of a certain age demographic and she has managed to pull off her characters and storylines with perfect aplomb and with just the right nod to those of us who can relate to the characters and believe in living life to the absolute full and blow the consequences. However, this time Kate, whilst staying true to her core set of characters, has also seamlessly transitioned into the combined genres of family drama and 'cozy' mystery, with amazing success as far as I'm concerned!

The storyline, whilst beautifully nuanced and detailed, moved along at steady pace, guided by some well-signposted and manageable length chapters. There were red herrings a plenty, which contrived to trip me up at every turn and just about everyone was on the suspect list at one time or another, especially when it turned out that there were plenty of secrets between various members of the cast, and among this highly dysfunctional cross-section of family life definitely more than a single crime had been committed.

They do say that the female of the species is more deadly than the male, however Kate has really turned things on their head with her choice of male lead; a man so despicable, entitled, greedy and vengeful, that it was all too easy to forget that he was a fictional character in a book. There were several other characters who I also found myself disliking for one reason or another, however the female leads of Dorothy, Gina and Juliet were the real stars of this show. Dorothy's dogged sense of right and wrong; her compulsive need for closure on Philip's death before she can move on with her own life; and the generosity of spirit she shows to Gina, a fellow damsel in distress, are carried off with style. Gina discovers that she is stronger and able to be independent more than she thought she ever could be after spending a lifetime underestimating her capabilities, living in the shadows of a childhood trauma and her husband's overbearing behaviour. With the exuberance of youth, Juliet rushes into things without thought for the consequences of her actions, although she learns a few good life lessons from her two new companions.

This story was definitely all about the characters, with the physical location taking something of a back seat. However, a sense of time and place was never far from thought, with all named places in London, North Norfolk and The Chilterns of Oxford, being easily identifiable and described in such a manner as to lift them from the page, making this a truly transportive and immersive experience from beginning to end, with an atmosphere which lingered long after I had closed the final page.

This book would be an excellent opening episode to a new 'cozy' mystery fiction series, with adaptation for the small screen being a real possibility IMHO. However, even if author Kate Galley decides to allow Dorothy and Gina some 'down' time to get to know one another, I do hope that any of her new storylines encompass this particular genre, as she has a real knack at concocting a good authentic mystery for her amateur sleuths to solve!

What a beautiful story about growing old gracefully, or not! A heartwarming read that has all the feels and heart.
The storyline flows from loss, grief, renewed enthusiasm and finding a new friend to enjoy life with.
There are two main characters that work perfectly together, Gina who suddenly finds herself alone and Dorothy who needs a companion. Is it just friendship or a lead into something more mischievous?!
Join Gina and Dot as they share a mysterious adventure together!

Thank you to Boldwood Books, NetGalley and Kate Galley for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a hoot. This was a lovely light read compared to my usual choice of novel. I really did enjoy this book and look forward to reading more by Kate

I .hate givinga a books a little stars rating, but what can I say I just didn't feel this one.
I didn't connect to the MCs, to the storyline.
It was cute, but not for me.
2.5 stars