Wow, that sounds condescending doesn’t it! But although I am a few years shy of the discount, a lot of envelopes with AARP’s return address have shown up in my mailbox lately. So to start off a new post category, I thought I would highlight books featuring smart, active seniors who have not given up on life and adventure. Because that is how it really is once you’ve passed that golden mark — a life still very much to be lived!
Charlene Baumbich
Dearest Dorothy series by Charlene Baumbich.
From the publisher: It would be easy to say “Welcome to Partonville.” But a far better orientation for this little circle-the-square town in southern Illinois is coming up the road. See that dust cloud yonder? That’s Dorothy; or, as folks around here are fond of saying, Dearest Dorothy, coming into town from her beloved Crooked Creek Farm. Dorothy Wetstra—that’s like “wet straw,” only without the “w” at the end—is an eighty-seven-year-old oldster (as she calls herself) who serves as Partonville’s ambassador to the rest of the world. You might want to take a step away from the curb—once Dorothy climbs behind the wheel of her 1976 Lincoln, The Tank, the only thing that can stop her is a brick wall. Or maybe a garbage truck. Anyway, armed with her faith in The Big Guy (the one upstairs, as it were) and a positive attitude seasoned by her nearly ninety years in this small town, Dorothy is a walking wonder. Retired bandleader, genuine firecracker, and perpetual cheerleader, Dorothy is brimming with life. And, oh, what a life.
The Dearest Dorothy series is set in a small town in southern Illinois. Reminiscent of Jan Karon’s Mitford, Partonville is filled with quirky, yet real characters. Dorothy Wetstra is the glue that keeps the town together. Comprised of 6 novels, the series begins with Dearest Dorothy, Are We There Yet?
Lorena McCourtney
Ivy Malone Mysteries by Lorena McCourtney
From the back cover: She’s not your average crime fighter! Meet Ivy Malone, an inconspicuous older woman who has a mutant curiosity gene that often lands her in trouble. Unlike most women her age, she snoops and pries her gray-haired self into one hilarious escapade after another. So when vandals romp through the local cemetery, Ivy can’t help but put her snooping eyes to work as she launches her own unofficial investigation. Despite her unconventional sleuthing, Ivy soon becomes discouraged by her failure to turn up any solid clues. And after Ivy witnesses something ominous and unexplained, she can’t resist putting her investigative powers to work again. Even the authorities’ attempts to keep her out of danger and her nosy neighbor’s match-making schemes can’t slow Ivy down. But will the determination that fuels this persistent, spunky sleuth threaten her very safety?
Ivy Malone proves that being a senior doesn’t mean sitting in one place! On the road in an RV, evading killers, Ivy manages to stumble on and solve mysteries as she travels cross country. She even encounters a little romance along the way. The 4 book series starts with Invisible. (If you have a kindle, you can get it free! Click here.)
McCourtney has another mystery series featuring a 60-ish character — the Andi McConnell series.
From the author’s website: It’s been a bad week for Andi McConnell, and now, worst of all, is the Dead Body in her newly acquired limousine. Andi has never had any interest in being a sleuth, but, with her own name high on the list of suspects, she knows she’d better do something before the murder is pinned on her.
Enter Keegan “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, former TV detective, very interested in the case – and in Andi. As they work together to solve the crime, one big question becomes vitally important: are those windows in her limo really bulletproof?
YOUR CHARIOT AWAITS was named the Mystery “Book of the Year” by the American Christian Fiction Writers in 2008. It was also a finalist in the 2008 Daphne du Maurier Mystery/Suspense awards.
Just three series featuring sassy seniors, but a great start for reading adventure. Be sure to check them out.
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