AGE HAS NO LIMITS
Sixty year old suburban widow Cynthia Hartman appears to lead a quiet, orderly life but what her family doesn’t realise is that she has a thirty eight year old Nigerian toy boy lover called Darius. Cynthia is heartbroken when Darius goes back to Lagos and despite being an internet virgin she decides to look for him online.
When an email from Nigeria arrives in her inbox requesting money, Cynthia naively assumes it’s from Darius and that he urgently needs her help. However the message is from a bunch of Nigerian conmen and despite warnings of a scam, Cynthia books a flight to Lagos. Cynthia is convinced that a romantic reunion with Darius awaits her at the airport but instead she’s thrown into a crazy, hilarious adventure in which she is kidnapped with “Chav Tracey” (another scam victim), avoids a second abduction with the help of a one armed taxi driver, and is afterwards gifted a foul mouthed parrot, the appropriately named Pussy.
Janet Kelly’s debut novel humorously challenges the perception that middle age equals dull. Cynthia may be in her seventh decade, but this sharp, funny heroine is more than capable of giving the younger generation a run for its money.
Reviewed by Juliette Foster
© Archant Community Media Limited used under limited licence
Why not buy a copy of Beneficial Effects, the long awaited sequel to Dear Beneficiary?
