Mrs Mohr Goes Missing
'An ingenious marriage of comedy and crime.' Olga Tokarczuk, 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature
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Publisher Description
‘An ingenious marriage of comedy and crime.’ Olga Tokarczuk, 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature
‘The sprightly narrative and vivid evocation of turn-of-the-century Poland make for an enjoyable tale.’ Guardian
‘It’s fun and sparky and the glimpse of turn-of-the-century Polish manners and mores is beguiling.’ Daily Mail
‘The story fuses high comedy with an evocative portrayal of the period.’ Sunday Express
For fans of The Thursday Murder Club and Frank Tallis's Vienna Blood comes the thrilling opener to a new Agatha Christie-style mystery series set in Poland
Cracow, 1893. Desperate to relieve her boredom and improve her social standing, Zofia Turbotynska decides to organise a charity raffle. In a bid to recruit the patronage of elderly aristocratic ladies, she visits Helcel House, a retirement home run by nuns.
But when two of the residents are found dead, Zofia discovers that her real talents lie in solving mysteries.
Inspired by Agatha Christie and filled with period character and zesty charm, series opener Mrs Mohr Goes Missing vividly recreates life in turn-of-the-century Poland, confronting a range of issues from class prejudice to women's rights, and proves that everyone is capable of finding their passion in life, however unlikely that passion may seem.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 1893 Cracow, this exceptional debut and series launch from Polish author Szymiczkowa (the pen name of writing duo Jacek Dehnel and Piotr Tarczynski) introduces Zofia Turbotynska, a 38-year-old professor's wife, who finds household management, novel reading, and the search for social prestige insufficient outlets for her prodigious energy. At a nursing home run by nuns that she visits to promote a charitable cause, she becomes involved in the search for a missing resident, Antonina Mohr, a judge's widow. Zofia questions the home's staff and residents, hiding her unofficial investigation from both the mother superior and her husband. After Mohr's suspiciously pink-hued corpse is found in an attic, Zofia pressures the resident doctor until an autopsy reveals cyanide poisoning. The strangling of one of the home's impoverished residents complicates the puzzle. The preface offers helpful context on place and period, while the translation showcases the novel's deliciously ironic voice. Fans who like colorful locales and tongue-in-cheek mysteries will eagerly await Zofia's next outing.
