They say German humour is not the best in the world, but I can say that they can be funny and there’s a lot of humour. I do remember Porno al Forno (porno cooked in the oven) and Guildo Horn & Die Orthopädischen Strümpfe (Guildo Horn and the Support Stockings) just to name a couple of examples.
That said I love Agnes and loved the groups of senior. I found them lovely, mad as a hatter and realistic. They’re not a fit group of people: Agnes has a hip issue; Winston is wheelchair bound and Bernadette is blind. There’s also Edwina who is a yoga fanatic and Charlie who’s healthy.
Hattie the Turtle was my love: wise, relatable, and curious. The most normal character living at Sunset Hall.
Two bodies and they must find a way to justify the first one as Lilith was killed and she’s now in your shed.
Agnes and her friends will start an investigation and it will not be easy as they have to go well beyond their comfort zone and visit the village and the different place which are not the loveliest places.
This is a not a classic cozy mystery: there’s a solid mystery and I couldn’t guess the culprit, there’s a village but not the “quaint village” you usually find in cozy mysteries.
There’s a great cast of characters that can make you laugh but also make you think that this is a realistic representation of being old.
There’s some very funny scene as the Q&A can be a bit weird and the answer a sort of non sequitur.
It’s the perfect book if you love black humour and want to read an original and compelling mystery
I discovered there’s already a second book, Miss Sharp macht Urlaub (Miss Sharpt Goes on Holiday), and I can’t wait to read it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I am talking this title up as a companion to the Richard Osman Murder Club series. Agnes and the gang are wonderful and Hettie the turtle is fabulous. The book has such spunk and entertainment value that I hope there’s a second one coming soon. Bravo

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp is the first book in a new series about a group of senior citizens who live together to avoid moving into traditional nursing home care--and they also are amateur sleuths. Readers will need patience to wade through the small group of characters and their quirks to understand their abilities and roles in solving mysteries. Recommended for fans of amateur sleuth mysteries.

3.5⭐

A group of eccentric seniors embark on a “mission” to solve the murder of an invalid senior in their neighborhood while trying to hide the death ( by gunshot) of one of their own friends. Agnes Sharp and her fellow residents of Sunset Hall have hidden their deceased friend’s body from the police but when another murder is committed in their neighborhood, Agnes and her gang are happy to mislead the police is believing that the murders were committed by the same person. How did Lilith die and why do the residents of Sunset Hall want to hide the cause of death? Who killed Agnes’ neighbor and former friend Mildred? How and why does the murder weapon suddenly appear in their home?

Agnes’ house share arrangement had raised more than a few eyebrows in her village and investigating the murder isn’t going to be easy. But neither the disdain of the village nor their own age-related ailments and challenges will prevent Agnes and her gang from pursuing the truth. In fact, Agnes and her friends have plenty of experience in the field!

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann ( translated by Amy Bojang) is a fun read. I enjoyed getting to know the residents of Sunset Hall (including Hettie the tortoise and Brexit the dog)! I liked how the author chose to portray a group of seniors who choose to live on their own terms, the challenges of aging, loneliness and the need for community and kindness in one’s senior years. The core mystery was quite well crafted. However, the narrative was a tad slow and long-winded. I also thought that the plot got a tad convoluted with so many sub-plots in the mix, which distracted me from the central plot and thus detracted from the overall reading experience.

Many thanks to Soho Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I am of two minds when I come across a murder mystery that starts from the point of view of a tortoise finding the body. It can be clever or it can be ridiculous. This story went back and forth between the two. The writing style was very "cozy" and I've always found that tone with the idea of someone having their life taken from them to be a bit disconcerting. I still do. The characters were cutesy but pleasant. They provided some levity, but nothing I'd really be excited to read about again.

I liked the premise of this book, but while it did live up to the quirkiness promised I think that some of the fun may have gotten lost in the translation. It was hard to follow at times - transitions, multiple POVs, and the timeline all felt disjointed. I still like the idea of it, but it just wasn't for me, it just became too much like work to follow that it wasn't enjoyable.

I loved her debit novel Three Bags Full but I found this one more difficult to get into. The narrative point of view feels uneven making it hard to track. Give it a try but be patient wit it. The story is endearing and clever.

View post at link below.

Lost in translation?

I love me some little old lady sleuths but this read like a budget version of Thursday Murder Club.

A group of old people living together, loving and laughing together, facing the end of life together, and investigating murders together. BUT the poignancy was just not there, making their age feel like a gimmick.

I think a big part of that lies in the translation (translated from the German, as the cover says) and in the choppy, jumpy sections that made my brain feel a bit addled 😜

The plot was great, but it wasn't enough to overcome the structural issues and language barrier. I'd recommend this if you happen to speak the German, but not so much otherwise.

It’s the last Wednesday of August, so you know what that means. Book review time! This month, I opted for a cozyish mystery. The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann was released on the 29th by Soho Press. As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Let’s do the thing.

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp follows Agnes (duh) and her housemates as they try to solve a series of murders while keeping the police from looking too closely at the death of their friend. Sunset Hall is a place where elderly people go to have companionship without pity in their declining years. Their eclectic backgrounds make for an interesting group of sleuths. Throw a newbie and a grandson into the mix and things can get dramatic. Can Agnes and her friends solve the murders? Iffy memories and stiff joints don’t help, but they’re determined.

The plot started off strong. It’s pretty standard stuff: multiple murders, inept police, nosy people. There are even two sets of twins to confuse things. It’s also fairly predictable, which is fine. But as the story progresses, it becomes choppy and jarring. I understand the why, but it doesn’t make it any easier to read. The beginning flows nice and is pretty linear, but the end jumps around and timelines overlap and it’s just not cleanly done, so it gets confusing. It all comes together in the end. I just feel like the ride could’ve been smoother.

The POV changed a lot without warning. I’m sure usually a fan of jumping characters mid-chapter, but it was handled pretty well in this book. There were a couple of times where I knew the POV had changed, but I wasn’t sure whose it was until a paragraph or so in. That was annoying. But I enjoyed getting closer to the characters (including Hettie the tortoise), so a little confusion here and there was okay.

I loved the characters. Most of them have backgrounds like police detective (Agnes) or military (Marshall) or some kind of spy (Edwina) or possible gangster (Bernadette) or whatever. They may be old, but if you’re a criminal, they aren’t the right senior citizens to mess with. They’re well written and mostly fleshed out. And they have very distinct personalities, so they’re fun to read about. The only one I was hoping for more out of was the baddie. It’s really hard to flesh out a character like that without spoiling things, though.

The writing was nice. It was a pretty quick read that I had no trouble picking back up after I put it down for the day. I had no trouble putting it down either. Take from that what you will.

Ultimately, I thought The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp was fun. It’s probably not something I’ll remember a year from now, but I enjoyed it while reading it.

Overall, I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. If you’re into murder mysteries and like older characters, check it out. If not, give it a miss.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp
Author: Leonie Swann
Source: NetGalley
Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonor Swann is a peculiar murder mystery with a murdered senior in the shed behind the house, elderly folks trying to solve another murder even though cops are on the case, old folks going off their meds, rambling pet tortoise, old-age jokes, a dog named Brexit, and a plethora of kooky characters. I should have loved it, but I thought it was okay; something didn’t work for me. It reminded me of the TV show “Only Murders in the Building,” but without Steve Martin & Martin Short to make it hilarious. I think I may be too sensitive to the old-age quirky trope. TheSunsetYearsofAgnesSharp #LeonieSwann @netgalley @soho_press #crimethriller #seniorsleuths #murder #thriiler #comedy #mystery #tortoise #oldfolkshome #humor
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Soho Press and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. Pub. Date: August 29, 2023.
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#book #books #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #reader #booklove #bookreader #reader #prettybookcover

I LOVED this book… BUT. A group of elderly acquaintances have made a home together in Agnes Sharp's house where they take care of one another and have agreed to ensure each person lives the life they want in their old age. Most of the group has a background in law enforcement or espionage but fading memory and mobility issues limit the utility of this. The nearby town sees them as somewhat crazy hippies. They are certainly unconventional. Hettie, a fabulous character throughout, is a Tortoise. She plays a key role here and there and the novel opens with her. The novel is quirky in my favorite way. It feels like it could be a cosy as a neighbor and former friend is found shot and Agnes reconnects with the victim's twin for the first time in years. Thrown into the mix is an assisted living/nursing home for the wealthy that is looking for clients. Their pitch is that they will rent out elderly people's homes to pay for their stay at the place. Then, we have the community of nosy villagers, judgmental villagers, local constables, etc.

Once all the characters and the setting is fixed, however, this cosy turns dark. Now, it happens I'm fine with dark, but this is a heads up for those who might be disappointed with that. I liked it very much. I kind of knew whodunnit but in this case, the fact I guessed did not detract from the very well written, well plotted story. It never lost the quirkiness that I loved and I see there is at least one sequel. Translated from German and about an English Village. Who could ask for more?

🫖 A R C / A L C • R E V I E W 🫖
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Title: The Sunset Years Of Agnes Sharp
Author: Leonie Swann
Rating: 3/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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The Sunset Years Of Agnes Sharp is about a group of people who live in a house looking after one another to avoid going into a nursing home… that is until one of them turns up dead. It’s only then that murders start happening within the area and Agnes and her group of friends take matters into their own hands.
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This was a super quirky, albeit cozy (maybe?) read that was leaning more toward the darker side. I really enjoyed the characters - they were their own sort of misfits and you could see how much hey cared for one another. Agnes is the owner of the house and a former detective, Lillith (RIP), Marshall is starting to notice he’s becoming more and more confused, Winston is wheelchair bound, Bernadette is blind, Edwina is in her own world and loves yoga, Charlie they newest member and possible alcoholic, Hettie is the tortoise that doesn’t like to be picked up. Together their eccentricities and their banters will have you laughing while simultaneously have you rolling your eyes at some of the ridiculousness.
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The Sunset Years Of Agnes Sharp is a long one, 360 pages and 12+ hours via audio, and it’s a slow burn, so if you plan on checking this one out just be aware there are points that draggggg. But towards the end when things start coming together the pace picks up and I enjoyed the twists that were thrown in there. I also liked Agnes’s flashbacks, giving us a glimpse into her past, which leads us to the final twist which I found to wrap up the story well.
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This was narrated by Moira Quirk, she did a phenomenal job at bringing each of the characters to life. Each character was given a distinct voice that I had no trouble following along when I was just listening. She was fantastic.
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Overall this one was enjoyable, but not my favorite. Maybe a little too much quirk and not enough of a fast pace in the beginning… I think that fans of The Thursday Murder Club will enjoy this one!
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This one releases today! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Recorded Books Media and Soho Press and Leonie Swann for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Agnes Sharp may be one of the best amateur detectives I have ever encountered, even better than Miss Jane Marple. She’s witty and decisive, with a bit of mystery surrounding her. Agnes and the rest of the residents of Sunset Hall have mysterious backgrounds. There are references to Agnes being part of the murder squad and working to solve such crimes. Edwina seems to be part tracking dog. Marshall was a military man. Bernadette seems to scare housemates with her mannerisms. Even Hettie has secrets, and she’s a tortoise!

I’m not sure if it was the formatting of the e-book I read, or if it was due to the translation from German to English, or the author’s writing style, but parts of the story felt choppy and disconnected. What I mean is that sentences felt like they cut off abruptly. That said, I could use the story’s context to keep up and not lose anything.

This is not a book to pick up if you can’t focus on reading. I say this because while the book is 360 pages, it took me over a week to finish reading it. Why? Because it was hard to immerse myself in the book entirely. I didn’t want to stop reading on the occasions I could do that.

While I guessed the culprit, I wasn’t 100% correct. I will leave it at that, as I don’t want to spoil anything. Just remember to keep an open mind as you read.

Do you enjoy reading books with older main characters who have secrets in their past? Or books set in sleepy English villages? What about books that feature twists, turns and a fair number of red herrings? Then you should give The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp a read.

Agnes Sharp is a former police officer who worked on the Murder Squad. She decides that, in her declining years, she will organize a group of senior citizens in her family home. They will support each other. Including helping them to pass away, rather than suffer a lingering illness. After one of their group is mercifully dispatched, it triggers a series of other murders in the small village in which they live.

The police suspect that the first murder was simply the first in a series of serial murders. But Agnes and her cohorts know differently. But that doesn't change the essential question of who is committing the other murders. Agnes sets out to find the murderer, taking her back in her past, and putting her life in danger.

This book was enjoyable. In a few places, especially when Agnes first begins thinking back on her life, it gets a bit confusing to the reader. But this "Pulp Fiction" moment in easily overcome. All in all, its a lively and entertaining read with a bit of humor and an engaging plot.

I was hoping to love Sunset Years more than I ended up actually liking it. I was hoping for fun, quirky and cozy and yes it was those things to a degree and maybe it’s just that something got lost in the translation but it just kind of fell flat. There were times when I found myself skimming because I just wanted it to be over and other times I was like woah that’s over the top so the pacing was kind of off. Again, it could just be the translation.
A group of elderly people live together in a home to avoid going into a nursing home. They watch out for each other and care for each other. Then one of them turns up dead. She’s been shot, but there’s no sign of a gun anywhere. And soon the police find another elderly neighbor shot dead as well and the police think that this elderly collection of neighbors know more than they are letting on. Then you add in Hettie the pet tortoise and Brexit the dog and it was just a bit over the top. I’m sure a movie version might make more sense, but it was just a bit much for me.
Thanks to Soho Crime and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Several years ago, I read Leonie Swann's Three Bags Full, and although I enjoyed it, it felt as though some undefinable thing was missing. I've had this happen before with other authors. Every once in a while, I come across a writer who comes up with ideas that delight me and grab my imagination, yet there's something lacking in the finished product. After reading The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp, I feel the same way about Leonie Swann; however, in her case, my problem may lie in the fact that humor doesn't always translate well into other languages.

Agnes Sharp has gathered together an interesting group of people with various skill sets that will ultimately help them find the killer of Duck End despite their individual infirmities. (One is blind, another is in a wheelchair, Agnes won't take her meds, etc.) She did this so that they could all be independent yet not die alone, which is an admirable aim indeed.

They find themselves in all sorts of predicaments, including babysitting a grandson, and Agnes herself goes undercover in a nursing home. I think my favorite part of the book was when one of them drugged and locked a police officer in the cellar. I didn't expect that to be so amusing, but it was.

But as the story unfolded, I began to wonder just how reliable Agnes was as a narrator, especially since she refused to take some very important medication. In addition, the story had so many twists and turns that I began to get confused. As I sorted everything out, I began to visualize a tapestry with many loose, tangled, and knotted threads, and that's a reading experience I don't enjoy.

Leonie Swann's The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp has a surprising cast of lively old hippies... and a tortoise named Hettie who likes hands bearing lettuce. I may not want to sit down to tea with them, but I do admire their persistence and inventiveness.

I think I liked The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp better than many other reviewers. Perhaps since I am older and retired, I could more easily identify with Leonie Swann's characters. In fact I liked this novel enough to recommend it to my book club, where the members are all ages, from 50 to 75. The murders, themselves, were serious and were attacks against several older women, who were vulnerable. Swann also focuses on the institutionalization of older men and women, who get dropped off at facilities, where sedation is overused.

In The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp, the author includes a variety of narrative voices, including that of Hettie, the tortoise. At the end of the novel, the author issues a warning for those readers who may decide they want a tortoise. All of the people living together in this large home are older and have different ailments found in people who are 80-90+ years old. They set out to solve a set of murders. but are hampered in their efforts by their ages. Some have vision problems, some with hearing issues, and some are dealing with early dementia. They are all interesting. These characters are also enjoyable to get to know.

This is a quirky, enjoyable read. The dog, Brexit, was fun, as was Hettie, the tortoise. There are places to laugh and some scenes are very sad. The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp is a gentle read, with lots of false clues and red herrings.

Thank you to the author and publisher, Soho, and to NetGalley for sending this ARC to me to read. I enjoyed it.

This was a fun and quirky read, but the formatting was very off for me, so I'm sure it'll all be fixed before actual publication. Having not read the german version, I thought the translation for this was pretty good. I enjoyed the old folks living together as "hippies" and solving mysteries. I also enjoyed the slow reveal of other mysteries that we started the book off with. The murderer wasn't too hard to guess, nor the twist, but it was a fun ride getting to the end.

You gotta give a mystery that opens with a tortoise coming upon a corpse a chance, This is the latest (well, in terms of publishing in English) in what appears to be the new genre of elderly people bonding together to solve murders. Some do it better than others (Richard Osman), This one is all over the place, with little bombs popping up every once in a while. It's also a tad frantic at the start, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Those who haven't read as many novels with this theme as I will likely enjoy it more than I did.

I wanted to love Agnes Sharp unreservedly. That didn’t happen. Sure you can use terms like quirky, unconventional even when describing the residents of Sunset Hall, they surely meet the mark.
The solving of a murder by slightly demented residents should have been a hoot. Hettie the tortoise is a gem. Unfortunately, overall I found the Sunset Years a bit of a slog to finish, stretching way too far into my personal sunset years.

A Soho Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.