Due to a decades old clause in a real estate contract, 88-year-old Maud lives rent-free in her family's large ancestral apartment in Gothenberg, Sweden.
Maud values her privacy, likes to travel, and knows how to look out for herself.
You might observe Maud shuffling down the street with her walker, speaking in a quavering voice, and seeming befuddled, but don't be fooled. This is an act Maud puts on to dupe the public, so when Maud murders someone - which she feels compelled to do on occasion - Maud isn't even considered a suspect.
The book contains five stories about Maud, each of which demonstrates her cleverness, planning ability, and attention to detail.
🥀- An elderly lady has accommodation problems.
Maud's new neighbor is Jasmin Schimmerhof, a hippy-dippy fortyish artist who specializes in phallic sculptures.
Jasmin, whose small apartment doubles as her studio, seems to be angling to trade apartments with Maud. Maud fears Jasmin might collude with the building management to achieve her goal, so the elderly woman takes measures.
🥀- An elderly lady on her travels.
When Maud was 18, she was happily engaged to young Lt. Gustaf Adelsiöö, whose parents allowed the betrothal because they thought Maud was an heiress. The death of Maud's father revealed the family was bankrupt, and Adelsiöö broke the engagement. Now, Maud learns that nonagenarian Adelsiöö is engaged to a much younger woman named Zazza, who was a porn star. Maud has bad feelings about the union, so she arranges to stay at the same spa as the 'happy couple' to check things out.
🥀- An elderly lady seeks peace at Christmas time.
Maud gets new neighbors in the apartment above hers, and is repeatedly disturbed by sounds of the husband berating and beating his wide. When this happens on Christmas day, which Maud plans to celebrate with a quiet holiday meal, it's the last straw.
🥀- The antique dealer's death.
Maud's apartment contains expensive paintings as well as antique silverware and antique furniture. Maud has been selling these items off little by little, to finance her trips. Now Maud wants to take a VERY LUXURIOUS vacation in South Africa, and makes arrangements to sell silver candelabras and the like to a local antiques dealer.
Maud gets a bad feeling about the dealer's honesty (or lack thereof) and you can guess what happens next.
🥀- An elderly lady is faced with a difficult dilemma.
The antiques dealer's death leads to an investigation by the police, who - for once - actually consider Maud a suspect.
The detectives try to reconstruct the crime with Maud in mind. Has Maud been clever enough to fool them?
Maud is a fun character you can't help rooting for, and the book would appeal to readers who want something light and amusing.
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