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How to Age Dis-gracefully - Clare Pooley



Description

'Uplifting, heartwarming and joyful. Restored my faith in humankind' - Ruth Jones

When age makes you invisible, secrets are easier to hide

Daphne knows that age is just a number. She also knows that society no longer pays her any attention – something she’s happy to exploit to help her hide a somewhat chequered past.

But finding herself alone on her 70th birthday, with only her plants to talk to and neighbours to stalk online, she decides she needs some friends. Joining a Senior Citizen's Social Club she’s horrified at the expectation she’ll spend her time enduring gentle crafting activities. Thankfully, the other members – including a failed actor addicted to shoplifting and a prolific yarn-bomber – agree.

After a tragic accident, the local council threaten to close the club – but they have underestimated the wrong group of pensioners...and with the help of a teenage dad and a geriatric, orphaned dog, the incongruous gang set out to prove it.

As long as their pasts don't catch up with them first…

Review


Absolutely brilliant.

This is my third book by this author and it was just as good as the previous two novels. I was a little concerned that a group of people trying to save a club was going to be a little pedestrian to say the least. But with the cast of diverse characters in age and background, who all had such interesting storylines and a point of view in the story, it was amazing.

Witty writing and great one liners made this a joy to read. There were some hard hitting parts too but they were cushioned with the funny parts. Even when someone died it had a funny side. It kept me gripped until the end.

I'll admit I had the wrong idea about Daphne from the beginning. As the book progressed I started to realise she was definitely hiding her light and for disturbing reasons. When I grow up I want to be Daphne and get a walking stick and channel her. You need to read the book to find out why. She really was the star of the book closely followed by Ziggy and really everyone else!

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review. The book will be published on 20 June 2024.

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