Ahoy there mateys!  Though the First Mate and I have very different reading tastes, occasionally we do recommend books to each other.  Books the First Mate introduced to me included xom-b, holes, and the perks of being a wallflower.  He and I both read the following:

the unexpected mrs. pollifax (Dorothy Gilman)

We read and talked about the book and I enjoyed his viewpoint so I ordered asked him to write a review.  So you get one from me and a bonus additional review from me crew.  Please note that I write like I talk and the First Mate writes like he thinks.  Hope you enjoy!

From the Captain:

When the First Mate read this book, he told me all about how entertaining the main character is.  The premise of the novel is that Mrs. Pollifax is a retired grandmother who has lost the spice of life.  Her answer - to become a spy.  And thus an improbable but charming heroine begins her adventures.  I wanted something light and fluffy and this was so much fun.  I adored the set up for the novel, the ending, and the character herself.  Mrs. Pollifax just wants to see the best in everyone, even if they are cold-hearted criminals.  Her niceness is what leads to her success.  Well that and her intelligence despite her sometime naiveté.  There are some flaws.  This book was written in 1966 so there are racial and ethnic descriptions that are unsettling even if Mrs. Pollifax doesn't seem to judge on outside attributes alone.  Also the middle of the book bored me just a bit with all the time in the cell.  But I did enjoy the audiobook and could see meself reading another at some point.    Arrrr!

From the First Mate:

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is a Cold War era spy novel that brings a Children's literature sensibility and morality in a way that subverts the tropes of its own particular sub-genre. Given the amorality and ever present paranoia that is typical to such spy novels, what emerges is a delightful curiosity: a spy novel with heart.

When we meet Mrs. Emily Pollifax she has found herself to be in a bit of a rut. Widowed and with grown children, all that remains in her life are the various social clubs in which she's a member. We even get a brief scene where she contemplates ending it all by jumping off of the roof of her apartment building in Newark, NJ before realizing that there is one more adventure that she'd like to try. Mrs. Pollifax goes to Washington DC with the intention of becoming a spy for the CIA.

Okay, yes, the plot and series of miscommunications that lead to Mrs. Pollifax becoming a spy are preposterous. And, yes, the Operations Chief, Mr. Carstairs, is probably way too nice of a person to be running operations for an organization that routinely tortures and kills people (especially during the height of the Cold War). But if you're able to suspend that disbelief, what happens after Mrs. Pollifax departs for her mission is pure delight.

Overall we get to hang out with an intelligent, kind, and decent person while she outwits her adversaries and takes a compassionate interest in all those around her. In a way, Mrs. Pollifax reminds one of Jessica Fletcher from the Murder, She Wrote television show in that she's always underestimated by those in authority and many of her successes stem from the fact that she treats everyone with respect and kindness. Though there's off-stage murder and torture, the proceedings in the novel are never too grim and Mrs. Pollifax is always working on a plan. There might be a little too much coincidence and convenience in the plot for some readers, but I thought it all fit in with the tone of the character.

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is the first book in a 14 book series, so if you like the character and her types of adventures, there's plenty more to satisfy. I've read about half of the series so far and they're all enjoyable in pretty much the same way. None are too complex, all have to do with Mrs. Pollifax going on foreign assignment, and all feature Mrs. Pollifax befriending a wide assortment of characters. Apparently this first book was adapted twice into film, in 1971 with Rosalind Russell, and again in 1999 with Angela Lansbury (I wasn't the only one who thought of her, apparently).

Recommended for Murder, She Wrote fans, people who like unconventional spy stories, and Cold War era fans who enjoy a break from the grim and the gritty. Definitely avoid if coincidence driven plot annoys you or your spy novel needs are more paranoiac or gritty.