Terrifying and touching and hilarious and so much more. This story grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go. From near death experiences to her teenage co-conspirators it's a roller coaster ride that keeps you guessing.

I know Nevada Barr's work from her Anna Pigeon series and I really liked that writing. It's been a couple of years since I've read one, though. This book shows another, more intense side of Barr's writing!
Written as almost a stream of consciousness, this book had me wondering whether to laugh or cry! And I'm not sure I can visit a nursing home any time soon without giving everyone a second or third perusal! In the end, it left me wishing I knew someone like Rose.
My final word is that if you chose this book because Nevada Barr wrote it, you MIGHT be in for a surprise!

If you have someone who is dealing with memory issues this book may play a little too close to home, especially its first few chapters. Rose's journey from being placed in a nursing home against her will is told from her point of view and gradually the reader begins to see that her memory isn't her only problem, and that her family has other and more questionable motives. Along her journey she enlists the aid of her teenaged granddaughter and you begin to see more clearly her issues. I think this book treats memory loss sensitively and with a great deal of insight that I haven't seen in many novels, or even in self-help non-fiction books, and for that reason, recommend it highly.

This free ARC from NetGalley was my first Nevada Barr and probably my last.  I thought this author was sort of a female Patterson but this book was much more first book free in a cozy mystery series, not what I would expect from a Bestseller.  The only difference from the cozy mystery series genre was the annoying meditation references and the more-interesting-than-the-protagonist supporting characters.  Until the last 15% and it went full bad-ass!
Slight spoilers and serious wet blankets to suspension of disbelief...losing a finger, stabbing oneself in the thigh, and getting heavily drugged multiple times/long periods would probably require a little more recovery than the action allows.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy. I was really excited about getting this one. A woman wakes up in the woods in a hospital gown with no idea what’s going on. Sounds great right? Then finds out she’s in an Alzheimer’s unit at a nursing home but she’s not ill. Still great. Then it gets stupid and outlandish. It was a struggle to finish. I’m not sure if it was a serious book or not. More of a comedy than thriller.

Absolutely fantastic!! I haven't read a Nevada Barr novel in a while, although I loved the Anna Pigeon series. What Rose Forgot, however, was something unexpected, and I loved every word, page, and chapter. The stars of the novel are Rose, her granddaughter Mel (aided by her friend Royal), and Rose's sister Marion. All are fabulous characters, fully and beautifully developed by Barr.

As the novel begins, we meet Rose as she stumbles around outdoors in a hospital gown, completely disoriented and incredibly thirsty. A couple of boys find her and call the nearby health care facility. Apparently Rose has wandered away from the facility's Memory Care Unit. She's quickly hustled back, but before she is sedated again, she realizes that she is fine and has been committed to this unit even though she is not demented, just a little confused at the moment. She realizes that she has been being drugged but doesn't know why it's happening. What follows is a wild ride as Rose, Mel, and Marion get to the bottom the mystery.

What Rose Forgot is a whimsical mystery with exceedingly loveable characters. They each spark joy in the reader. I really hope that Ms. Barr is planning to make this a series. I flew through this novel because I was having so much fun, and I was really disappointed when I ran out of pages. I give this five very bright stars and will recommend it to all my friends.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book because I've read other books by Nevada Barr and liked them, but this one just didn't work for me. From reading other reviews, it seems I am in the minority, but sometimes that's just how it goes. The storyline never grabbed me and the main character did some really stupid things. I kept reading, though, because I wanted to find out WHY it all happened.

Oh, boy! I got so excited when I saw this standalone, What Rose Forgot, by Nevada Barr. I am a big fan of her Anna Pigeon mystery series, and the blurb for this clever little novel really grabbed me: “...a grandmother in her sixties emerges from a mental fog to find she’s trapped in her worst nightmare.”

Rose Dennis awakens to find herself outdoors dressed only in a hospital gown. She is disoriented and very thirsty. After she is hastened inside, she slowly puts two and two together and calculates that she has been committed to a memory care unit. How did this happen? We get a picture of residents shuffling about, being plunked down in front of the TV, which is set for them to mindlessly watch cartoons, and sadly, we see Rose submitting to being disrobed and bathed. My mother, a grandmother, an aunt, and an uncle all dealt with dementia. I wasn’t sure I could handle this, but then something curious happens. Rose “knows” she is being poisoned and begins to plan her escape! To be sure, we do get a picture of some of the terrifying aspects of both the Alzheimers and of institutional life at its worst, but for the most part, Ms Barr’s intent in What Rose Forgot is to entertain and amuse us with this lighthearted mystery.

Rose Dennis is a recently widowed artistic wanna-be-Buddhist. She practices yoga. She adores her 13-year-old granddaughter, Mel, who becomes her ally and co-conspirator when she is bound and determined to learn who is responsible for trying to kill her. Yes, kill her, as she believes that someone had her committed and was trying to make sure that she died rather quickly of a “natural” death. Rose also relies on her older sister Marion, who is an internet fanatic and also something of a crazy cat lady (writes the crazy cat lady). Marion does research online, stating more than once that she is “not a hacker,” sends credit cards, and information to her sister, and lends plenty of moral support, all the while hoping to talk Rose out of her wild schemes.

Is this story believable? Oh, heck no! Is it far-fetched? Absolutely! I found myself laughing out loud many times at the one-liners spouted by Rose, and by the conversations between Rose, her granddaughter, and her sidekick Royal. In one discussion, Rose tells the teens that people make older folks feel like sheep because they are trying to fleece them. When Mel says it’s because they are so fluffy, Rose defiantly states that she will not be fluffy. There were times when I forgot who the author was, although there were a couple dangerous, death-defying Anna Pigeon-like moments that were not the least bit funny. Sixty-eight is not exactly ancient, but some of the antics Rose accomplishes would put a 30-year-old to shame.

Be forewarned: If you are expecting a somber, nitty-gritty mystery, you might want to skip this one. But if, like me, you’d love to sit back and simply enjoy a wild, exciting, fun-filled ride, I recommend Nevada Barr’s newest venture, What Rose Forgot.

The opinions stated are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

4 stars

What Rose Forgot – Nevada Barr

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

As a big fan of The Anna Pigeon series, I was excited to receive a copy of this new novel for review, but fearful that I would not care for the book as I do her others. I needn’t have worried. While very different, this new character Rose Dennis, had me giggling, if not laughing out loud through her escapades and sheer will – she is the kind of Gram I hope to be one day!!

Rose Dennis greets us in this novel as she comes to consciousness while crawling through the autumn woods. She takes stock of the world around her, the track marks on her arms and the hospital gown she’s clothed in, and comes to realize that wherever she is, she has not been here before. She approaches a couple of boys playing, and they offer her water, and call for help. Rose is then returned to the Memory Care Center from which she escaped but has regained enough of her senses to overhear snippets of conversation that lead her to believe she is being drugged against her will. She begins pocketing her pills and saves enough to add them to the night nurse’s soda – and then escapes again.

Once again free she makes her way to her granddaughter’s home and hides in her fort. Eccentric on a good day, Rose is slowly regaining her strength and is determined to hide from family and the authorities until she, with the aid of her granddaughter ‘Grasshopper’, and her ‘not a hacker’ computer whiz sister, can discover how she came to be locked up and sedated in a nursing home. She returns to the home she once shared with her late husband, and soon, someone breaks in with the intent to kill her. Now on the run once more, she is moved to a friend’s home with a giant teepee in the back yard.

As Rose and Grasshopper investigate and follow each lead, they find themselves in perilous (and hilarious) situations and hiding from the law as they attempt to gain answers as to who is behind Rose’s captivity. Rose also takes the opportunity to attempt the rescue of another elderly gentleman whom she fears has undergone the same fate, breaking several more laws in the process. She makes one last stop to revise her will before she turns herself into the police with the information she’s found – and tips off a killer in the process…

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting! Ms. Barr has created a unique and quirky character in Rose, and I really hope to see her and Grasshopper again in an encore novel, and I await the return of Anna Pigeon as well!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced read in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

One word sums up my reaction to this book: WOW.

Rose wakes up from what she believes is a meditation to find that all is not what she remembers things as. She has escaped from a Memory Care Home and has no recollection of how she got there or why. She is recaptured, and returned to the home, where she overhears a nurse state that Rose won't last the week. Rose knows somehow that to survive means escape.

This psychological thriller is vastly different from the Anna Pigeon series that Nevada Barr writes; a series that I've enjoyed for many years. Different, but in a good way. This book is edgier; as Rose figures out what is going on she gets stronger, and that strength is reflected in how the book is written. As Rose gets stronger, so does the prose in the book.

But it isn't all edge of your seat (although there is a lot of that). Rose's granddaughter Mel brings some light and humor to the book (as does her friend Royal).

Everything was revealed at the end of the book; I had not figured out who the protagonist was, but it all came together well in the end. The Epilogue at the end was a nice touch.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Interesting premise for a book and one that will keep you reading. Some of the scenes are a little far fetched, but still enjoyable to read and kept my attention. Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

What Rose Forgot is a story that pulls you in from the first page. The characters are unforgettable and some are even funny. The subject is serious but you'll also find some humor in Gigi's ability to get into tricky situations. Very enjoyable read.

I loved the intrigue, the unanswered questions posed by a tantalizing plot , and Rose's determination and quick thinking, at age 68. This was an entertaining read, which I did in just over a day.

(see the link to my full blog review) : https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/2019/07/book-review-what-rose-forgot-by-nevada.html

Elements I love in stories... hospital/care facilities, unreliable narrators, some sort of health issue (amnesia, Alzheimer’s, etc), and a good thrill ride.

This story has all the elements! What happened to Rose and why is she here? Read this great summer thriller with your book club so you have someone to discuss the twists and turns with!

Rose wakes up to find herself in an Alzheimer’s unit. She manages to escape once but is recaptured. She knows something is not right and she needs to get out of the facility so she stops taking her medicine.

I enjoyed this book, although I had to suspend reality. Some of the events were a little far fetched. On the whole I enjoyed the book. There is a good cast of characters and suspense. I would give this book 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4*. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I'm a big fan of Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series-they're so complex and thoughtful, and she is a master at creating fabulous settings that totally come to life. Her newest book is a standalone, and one that changes things up. Instead of the loner Anna, we've got Rose, who finds herself prematurely in a memory care facility and suspects that something nefarious is afoot. Of course, because it is Nevada Barr, there is. Without giving too much away, Rose is surrounded by a delightful cast of characters that help her uncover the plot and figure out what to do about it. Hopefully this book brings Barr some new and well deserved fans.

Nevada Barr has written a wonderfully delightful book in, What Rose Forgot.
When Rose woke’s up in a memory care unit with only bits and pieces of her memory the fun begins.
Written in a funny, thrilling tone when most stories of memory care units are sad, this one leaves me wanting more!

Rose, born in 1952, wakes up from what she thought was meditating. Nope. She had "escaped" from the Memory Care Unit at Longwood Nursing Home. Rose had been drugged since at least her admission a few weeks ago. When she is returned to the Home,. Rose slowly stops taking her meds in the hopes that her mind will clear and she will start to remember. Eventually, (with a much clearer head) Rose does "escape" and searches for her granddaughter's home which is close by...

And that is where the excitement begins. I could not put the book down!

A superbly written book with great character portrayals. Highly recommend!

Many Thanks to Minotaur / St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a truly wonderful read.

The Quick Cut: A sixty year old woman wakes up to find she's been committed to the Memory Care Unit of a nursing home with the caretakers saying she won't last the week. All hell breaks loose when she breaks out dedicated to finding out the truth.

A Real Review:
Thank you to St Martin's Press for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How would you feel if you woke up one day to find the life you had gone? Disappearing like water vapor, the person you are feels like someone 100% different than what everyone else claims. It's like being trapped in a nightmare you can't wake up from. This is the reality that Rose comes to.

Rose is a strong, fierce, yoga-doing, meditating grandmother. That is, until her husband died and everyone in her life watched her quickly deteriorate to the point of requiring care at a nursing home. However, when Rose gets the stomach flu there and ends up throwing up all her meds, a sudden mental clarity hits her along with the new limited reality. When the nursing home staff say that Rose will die within the week, Rose begins a journey to escape the facility and discover the truth of what is happening to her.

My love for Nevada Barr has been a long lasting one: I've been reading her Anna Pigeon series since I was in high school (it's the reason I've been to so many national parks!). She has such a talent to set a stage and slowly unravel a tale. This story continues that legacy with her craft.

Rose is so likeable with ingenuity, drive, and fierceness. It's also impressive how well she could make the various scenarios work while dodging the police and nursing home staff. She has people who care, but that she keeps at an arms length with her independence that put her in a place to be taken advantage of.

It did get a bit slow in the middle, but beyond that - my only complaint is that you do have to uncheck your reality meter on this book. Between the kids involvement, amount of controversy, and the final reveal, it's a tough pill to swallow that this could happen.

An amazing story that requires a creative headspace to believe.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

Thank you netgalley for the advance copy of this title in exchange for my honest review/opinion. This was an exciting book! I really liked the storyline, as the characters were different than other mystery novels. Rose was a fun protagonist and i highly recommend this title! Author is a talented writer.