If your grandfather Paddy offered to let you, Rosie Sinclair, take care of his classic black Mercedes, what could be better? Even if it is for the six months that he’s in prison. And when he gives you his cell phone as well, then you’re set. Until the calls come in. There’s Mrs. Foat, who needs a ride to the hospital to visit her dying sister. Mr. and Mrs. Duval, who depend on Paddy to get to the shops each week. Rosie feels that she needs to help all of the “wrinklies,” as she calls them, even though she was hoping the new car would give her a little more freedom. She does, however, meet Todd, the sweet and handsome guy who seems to like her, as well as bad-boy Chris, who doesn’t hide the fact that he likes her. The fun is shattered when a cell call comes through that is not a sweet old person. The rough, angry voice threatens to make Paddy’s incarceration unpleasant if she doesn’t hand over the “ring.” Rosie doesn’t know what’s going on, and becomes involved in a mystery with high stakes. With the help of her older, exotic dancing best friend Glenda, she must figure out what’s going on and how to find the ring before the voice gets too impatient.
This was a light, fun offering with both the high school drama and romance that seem usual to this genre, and a good mystery and some adventure mixed in. The older people Rosie chauffeurs are humorously but realistically drawn, and the best friend Glenda (stage name: Giselle) is a source of strength and quite matter-of-fact about her job. The story is set in Australia, but I didn’t catch that until I was a third of the way through, and even then, it’s not obvious enough to alienate American readers.
Issues include: crime, relationships with the elderly, exotic dancing, adultery, mild sexuality.
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