Fans of Spencer Quinn's long-running Chet and Bernie series will not be disappointed with his new stand-alone novel, MRS. PLANSKY’S REVENGE. In this cleverly constructed story, Loretta Plansky --- a senior citizen and recipient of a new hip --- has lost all her money through a scam that isn't even particularly creative.

We have read about those individuals in impoverished countries who call senior citizens, usually women, claiming to be their grandson and needing bail money. Once they get the information regarding bank accounts, they steal everything in them. Some people use the same password for all their accounts, which unfortunately was the case with Mrs. Plansky. The scammers got everything. Over three million hard-earned dollars.

"Quinn creates a noble protagonist who exhibits all the senior moments that many of us have... Her kind heart, sense of justice, and grit and determination make MRS. PLANSKY’S REVENGE a novel that should not be missed."

Mrs. Plansky is a kind woman. If the money was just for herself, she wouldn't be terribly worried. But she has responsibilities. She pays for the fabulous assisted living facilities where her father resides and makes sure that her two rather dependent adult children are taken care of financially. She also enjoys being generous with her two grandchildren. Above all, she's angry that she was bilked out of her wealth by someone who sounded so nice and made her care. And she's not going to take it.

The FBI informs Mrs. Plansky that there is little chance she will ever get her money back. It has disappeared into the bowels of Romania, probably from a little town called Alba Gemina. Everyone assumes that she will sit back, let the officials do their work (or not do their work), and take the loss. But she is made of sterner stuff than they expect. She buys a ticket to Romania, packs her bag, and is off for what will be the adventure of her life.

While we are meeting and getting to know Mrs. Plansky, Quinn also introduces us to Dinu and his friend, Romeo, in Alba Gemina. They live in squalid Soviet-era housing that has few amenities (like heat), and they work for Dinu's uncle Dragomir, who is a criminal. Through his crimes, he has amassed wealth; he owns a hotel, a restaurant and a casino in Alba Gemina. Dinu is working on his English, and Romeo is a computer wunderkind. They are the ones who make the scamming process work. Dinu poses as the desperate grandson, and Romeo is in charge of the computer, quickly emptying accounts and sending the proceeds to hidden accounts on the dark web.

While the plot is delightful, the story and themes are significant and serious. There are many reasons that MRS. PLANSKY’S REVENGE is worthy of a long discussion by book clubs. Senior citizens are rarely main characters in action-filled books. Yet Mrs. Plansky, she of the fairly recent hip replacement, is a 71-year-old widow who really misses her husband, Norm. It's poignant how often she thinks about Norm and wants to share things with him.

Dinu is a much different character. He's still a teenager, but his life already seems quite hopeless. His uncle supports him and his mother, and basically he is forced to work for his uncle and rely on his uncle's largesse --- which is not very large as his uncle is mean, miserly, violent and vicious.

But Mrs. Plansky? We kind of fall in love with her. Her determination and cleverness are surely worthy of admiration, but she accomplishes much in spite of her very sheltered life and her rather naive mindset. Over the course of the book, she changes and grows into someone we truly respect.

Chet and Bernie fans will recognize the narrative as quite similar in nature. Although there are no dogs here, which is its only shortcoming (IMHO), it includes the clever asides, the humorous twists that our thought processes can take, and a kind of Chet-like way of viewing the action.

Important themes emerge effectively and even movingly throughout the book. In America particularly, our senior citizens suffer all too often from the ravages of ageism. We tend to ignore and dismiss their opinions and cumulative wisdom, as well as their collective lots in life. And those national character flaws work to our profound disadvantage.

Another theme that's all too easy to miss revolves around Mrs. Plansky's unique character. We rarely take into account the fact that an individual who is understandably ignorant in some areas might be extraordinarily brilliant and disciplined in others. At first, Mrs. Plansky seems like easy prey for scammers. She has no idea how these people can take advantage of the vulnerability of our financial affairs. But then, as the plot and the ironic themes unfold, we begin to understand that the character we meet at first is, in fact, capable of brilliant planning and execution to exact her very satisfying revenge --- as the villains learn the hard way. Brava and bravo to Mrs. Plansky and the author, respectively.

Quinn creates a noble protagonist who exhibits all the senior moments that many of us have. She forgets names or information but then remembers them at a random future time. She has some aches and pains that are unfamiliar to those under the age of 30. She is not taken seriously by younger people, perhaps especially men. But despite her age, she is a hero as fabulous as any beautiful woman in her prime. Her kind heart, sense of justice, and grit and determination make MRS. PLANSKY’S REVENGE a novel that should not be missed.