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2023: An elderly woman goes in search of the criminals who scammed her
2023: An elderly woman goes in search of the criminals who scammed her
Mrs Loretta Plansky, a widow in her seventies, is settling into retirement in Florida while dealing with her 98-year-old father and fielding requests for money from her beloved children and grandchildren. Thankfully, her new hip hasn’t changed her killer tennis game one bit.
One night Mrs Plansky is startled awake by a phone call from a voice claiming to be her grandson Will, who needs ten thousand dollars to get out of a jam.
By morning, Mrs Plansky has lost everything. Law enforcement announces that Loretta’s life savings have vanished, and that it’s hopeless to find the scammers behind the heist. First humiliated, then furious, Loretta Plansky refuses to be just another victim.
In a courageous bid for justice, Mrs Plansky follows her only clue on a whirlwind adventure to a small village in Romania to get her money and her dignity back ― and perhaps find a new lease on life, too.
Bucharest, Romania
Such a whirlwind visit to Romania and only a few places in and around Bucharest are mentioned but that is to keep things vague – scammer operate from all over and often East European countries are where they originate from.
Mrs Plansky’s time in Romania could be anywhere as it’s not a strong location but it’s a vague and foreign one in a country where she doesn’t speak the language. She’s from Florida so even the weather is against her.
The village of Alba Gemina is fictional but there is an apartment complex of the same name!
For a book about an old lady getting scammed, this is very funny and warm hearted! I’ve never read about this in a book and when you think, you hear about it often on the news, so I am pleased this warning tale has made its way into fiction.
Ok, so Mrs Plansky’s experience and actions are not very common but this is a fun read to explore. I loved Loretta Plansky – what a great name. Also fun to travel to Romania – not a huge location in the book, it could be set anywhere where the scammers usually originate from. But that’s not the point – the point is a delightful and fun story to lighten up a winter’s day. And learn something about how not to get scammed along the way.
Destination: Bucharest, (Alba Gemina), Romania Author/guide: Spencer Quinn Departure Time: 2023
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