From Publishers Weekly
The elderly investigator assists a young man who is about to be crowned king of an African country. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Mrs. Pollifax travels to the African nation of Ubangiba. J. Charles's fully voiced narration carries the reader into and through this action-filled, but not too intense, story. Fans of Mrs. Pollifax's adventures should enjoy this outing, and newcomers to the series will find it accessible. M.A.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
Gilman has a fiercely loyal following, so this latest entry in her highly popular Mrs. Pollifax series is sure to be a hit. Emily Pollifax, the intrepid undercover agent, is off to Africa with newfound friend Kadi Hopkirk, the daughter of martyred African missionaries. Kadi's lifelong friend Sammat is in line to become king of Ubangiba, the country where Kadi's parents were murdered in the dangerous days before a series of political coups brought young Sammat to power. But Sammat has run into serious problems, and it looks as if he may not be crowned king after all. A trio of brutal murders where the victims are supposedly clawed to death by a lion has generated rumors that Sammat is an evil sorcerer who's somehow causing the deaths. With the Ubangiban people terrified and suspicious, Sammat begs Kadi to come back to Africa to provide moral support, and naturally, Mrs. Pollifax goes along to see if she can help put Sammat's enemies behind bars. Silly enemies--don't they know that no one can outwit Mrs. Pollifax? Emily Melton


Midwest Book Review
Mrs. Pollifax accompanies her young and vulnerable friend Kadi back to Africa, where her childhood friend is destined to be crowned king - unless a dangerous band of killers stops him. Rumors spread of the king's unnatural evil powers as murders plague the country and send Mrs. Pollifax on a mission of investigation.


Book Description
"THE PACE NEVER FLAGS, bolstered by the shrewd Mrs. P. and a host of well-defined characters who all work their surprising wiles."--Publishers WeeklyIn response to a desperate SOS, Kadi Hopkirk flies to the African country of Ubangiba, where her childhood friend, Sammat, is soon to be crowned king. Mrs. Pollifax, reluctant to allow the girl to venture alone into what she fears may be grave danger, crashes the party.On arrival, Kadi and Mrs. P. soon discover that Sammat has dangerous enemies. Rumors are springing up that he is a sorcerer who is responsible for a rash of shocking murders in which the victims appear to have been clawed to death by a lion. These crimes are especially terrifying because there are no lions in Ubangiba. So Mrs. Pollifax wades into the fray, hunting for the source of the bloody terrorism that threatens Sammat and Ubangiba--not to mention Kadi and Mrs. Pollifax. . . . A MAIN SELECTION OF THE MYSTERY BOOK CLUB


From the Publisher
My grandmother is a big fan of the MRS. POLLIFAX mysteries by Dorothy Gilman. I was at first hesitant
to try the books, because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to relate to mysteries featuring a suburban grandmother
working for the CIA. But because my grandmother's taste in literature has always been impeccable,
I decided to delve into Mrs. Pollifax's adventures. I began with THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX, the first
in the series, and immediately found them delightful. Mrs. Pollifax is just the kind of grandmother I'd
love to have: resourceful, intelligent, somewhat sly, and, of course, a secret CIA operative. Her
adventures take her to all corners of the globe: from an authentically described communist China
(MRS. POLLIFAX ON THE CHINA STATION) to an exhilarating safari across Africa (MRS. POLLIFAX ON
SAFARI). I've thoroughly enjoyed joining her on her adventures, and intend to read them all. I recommend them
to everyone who's interested in learning about different countries and cultures--and, obviously, espionage!

--Malinda Lo, Editorial Assistant


From the Inside Flap
"THE PACE NEVER FLAGS, bolstered by the shrewd Mrs. P. and a host of well-defined characters who all work their surprising wiles."

--Publishers Weekly



In response to a desperate SOS, Kadi Hopkirk flies to the African country of Ubangiba, where her childhood friend, Sammat, is soon to be crowned king. Mrs. Pollifax, reluctant to allow the girl to venture alone into what she fears may be grave danger, crashes the party.



On arrival, Kadi and Mrs. P. soon discover that Sammat has dangerous enemies. Rumors are springing up that he is a sorcerer who is responsible for a rash of shocking murders in which the victims appear to have been clawed to death by a lion. These crimes are especially terrifying because there are no lions in Ubangiba. So Mrs. Pollifax wades into the fray, hunting for the source of the bloody terrorism that threatens Sammat and Ubangiba--not to mention Kadi and Mrs. Pollifax. . . .



A MAIN SELECTION OF THE MYSTERY BOOK CLUB

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In her new adventure, Mrs. Pollifax accompanies her young friend Kadi Hopkirk to the African country of Ubangiba, where Kadi's childhood friend, Sammat, is soon to be crowned king. This impromptu journey is a response to and SOS from Sammat to Kadi, and Mrs. P., reluctant to allow the girl to venture alone into what she fears maybe grave danger, crashes the party. Sunny little Ubangiba is no great shakes as nations go. Under Sammat's selfless leadership it is recovering from the devastation wrought by two greedy presidents-for-life who preceded him in office. But Sammat has dangerous enemies. Everywhere rumors are springing up that he is a sorcerer and that his evil power is responsible for a rash of shocking murders in which the victims appear to have been clawed to death by a lion. These crimes are especially terrifying because there are no lions in Ubangiba. Without the comforting backup of the CIA, Mrs. Pollifax wades into the fray, hunting for the source of the bloody terrorism that threatens Sammat and Ubangiba. Not to mention Kadi and Mrs. Pollifax. Home has never looked so good, or seemed so far away.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Emily Pollifax, the elderly and polite part-time CIA agent, needs all her skills in this swift adventure when she takes a busman's holiday to the emerging and troubled African nation of Ubangiba. Emily accompanies 19-year-old Kadi Hopkirk (whom she found in her closet in Mrs. Pollifax Pursued), who's been summoned by her old friend Sammat, the young heir to the throne. Kadi grew up in Ubangiba, where she witnessed the murder of her missionary parents by a trio of assassins. The killers, who were never caught, may now be part of a plot to overthrow Sammat, who is to be crowned in a few weeks and offers much-needed reform after years of official corruption. But insidious rumors are circulating that Sammat is a sorcerer and is responsible for five gruesome deaths that resemble maulings by a lion. But there are no lions in Ubangiba. The pace never flags, bolstered by the shrewd Mrs. P. and a host of well-defined characters (soothsayers, wise men, archeologists) who all work their surprising wiles. Mrs. Pollifax may be recovering from the flu, but her story is strong and vigorous. Mystery Guild selection; Reader's Digest condensed book. (Jan.)

AudioFile - Melody Moxley