From Publishers Weekly
That dignified New Jersey grandmother with the wicked karate chop embarks on her 10th CIA assignment, after Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish , in this sunny Sicilian adventure. Former colleague John Farrell, hired to crack a safe and lift a document signed by Julius Caesar (who "launched his attack on Africa in 47 B.C. from the town of Lilybaeum" in Sicily) sends an SOS while dodging a professional assassin whom he and Mrs. P. jailed some years ago. Soon she too is ducking bullets and the old pals are forced to hole up in the Villa Franca--part farm, part medieval fortress and full-time residence of young CIA agent Kate Rossiter's eccentric aunt. Ancient artifacts, hair-raising chases, art forgery, arms traffic, a nighttime assault on the villa, mysterious millionaires, spectacular scenery and unexpected romance are some of the ingredients simmering in the plot. Gilman's smooth storytelling and slyly comic tone make it easy for readers to overlook a somewhat untidy ending. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Emily Polifax is a grandmother, garden club fan, and a part-time CIA operative who manages to hold her own in her assignments. In this outing, she is sent to Sicily to help rescue Farrell, a former agent who was shot while attempting to steal a document bearing the signature of Julius Caesar. Polifax teams up with another agent, Kate Rossiter, who is vacationing in Sicily. Upon finding Farrell, they become embroiled in a scheme involving art forgers, secret cartels, and professional killers. This is a delightful romp, with the quick pacing and well-drawn characters that mark Gilman's series (e.g., Mrs. Polifax and the Golden Triangle , Audio Reviews, LJ 11/15/93). The narration by a full cast of readers is played for all its worth. Strongly recommended for all libraries.- Susan B. Lamphier, Somerville P.L., Mass.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
Grandmother, garden-clubber, karate expert, and part-time CIA agent Emily Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish, 1990, etc.) is sent by boss Carstairs first to a funeral in Virginia, then to Sicily. From there, ex-agent John Farrell, now owner of a Mexico City art gallery, has sent an SOS asking for her help. He's in Sicily to authenticate a document bearing the signature of Julius Caesar for collector Ambrose Vica--and he's in deep trouble. Carstairs assigns gutsy young agent Kate Rossiter, who knows the area, to assist Emily. Together, they find Farrell--injured and shaken; take on a couple of pursuers; and end up in the fortress villa of Kate's aunt Franca--an unflappable type who paints first- class forgeries, sells them, and helps the villagers with the proceeds. It takes a while to find out what's behind all the brouhaha--an assassin prematurely released from a French prison, plus a deeper conspiracy thwarted with much help from Franca and villagers. A heavily contrived plot sparks little tension, and the movie- script characters are uniformly unreal. Pollifax fans may love it, but Gilman's best work lies outside this series. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Book Description
The assignment is a snap: Mrs. Pollifax just has to shoot some pictures at a quiet funeral outside Washington and take them to Sicily, where her old friend Farrell -- a former CIA agent turned art dealer -- anxiously awaits them.
But like all Mrs. P's assignments, so ostensibly suitable for the CIA's favorite garden club member, this one quickly turns lethal. Her welcoming committee in Palermo includes a most unlikely CIA agent and several unseen enemies. Unfriendly eyes also observe Mrs. P's rendezvous with Farrell in a secluded mountain village and weapons are soon displayed. With mysterious forces hot after them, she and Farrell scurry for safety to a fortified country villa, where the bizarre chatelaine, once a star on Madison Avenue, is almost as unnerving as the dangers she's protecting them from.
So, though the sun shines brightly, the food is delicious, and romance is in the air, Mrs. Pollifax is too busy handing out karate chops and playing catch-me-if-you-can with an assassin to enjoy the amenities . . . .
"Mrs. Pollifax gives Agatha Christie's Miss Marple a rival to reckon with." -- The Toronto Star



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 assignment is a snap: Mrs. Pollifax just has to shoot some pictures at a quiet funeral outside Washington and take them to Sicily, where her old friend Farrell -- a former CIA agent turned art dealer -- anxiously awaits them.
But like all Mrs. P's assignments, so ostensibly suitable for the CIA's favorite garden club member, this one quickly turns lethal. Her welcoming committee in Palermo includes a most unlikely CIA agent and several unseen enemies. Unfriendly eyes also observe Mrs. P's rendezvous with Farrell in a secluded mountain village and weapons are soon displayed. With mysterious forces hot after them, she and Farrell scurry for safety to a fortified country villa, where the bizarre chatelaine, once a star on Madison Avenue, is almost as unnerving as the dangers she's protecting them from.
So, though the sun shines brightly, the food is delicious, and romance is in the air, Mrs. Pollifax is too busy handing out karate chops and playing catch-me-if-you-can with an assassin to enjoy the amenities . . . .
"Mrs. Pollifax gives Agatha Christie's Miss Marple a rival to reckon with." -- The Toronto Star

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Dorothy Gilman has charmed and delighted millions of readers worldwide with her portrayal of the witty and unpredictable Emily Pollifax - part-time CIA operative, full-time garden-clubbing grandmother from New Jersey. In this tenth mystery in the popular Mrs. Pollifax series, the inimitable and irrepressible Mrs. Pollifax finds herself in Sicily, dodging assassins' bullets in another fast-paced and suspenseful adventure. When wealthy art collector Ambrose Vica invites CIA-spook-turned-art-dealer John Sebastian Farrell to Sicily, it's to find and authenticate a document bearing Julius Caesar's signature, presumably owned by a mysterious Mr. Raphael. Farrell doesn't hesitate to break into the Sicilian villa of Mr. Raphael - a man known for his exquisite taste in art, as well as his shady underground connections - to open his safe. But instead of finding Caesar's signature, Farrell discovers a mysterious list of names - and ends up taking a bullet to the ankle. Narrowly escaping capture, he hides out in a mountain village, where he sends an SOS to CIA headquarters requesting Mrs. Pollifax's help. With the aid of Kate Rossiter, a feisty young CIA agent who happens to be vacationing in the Sicilian countryside, Mrs. Pollifax and Farrell uncover the truth about the Caesar document. And in the process they become targets for a deadly cartel of professional killers. With Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief Dorothy Gilman has written another page-turning mystery filled with the intrigue, colorful characters, humor, and exotic locales that have made the Mrs. Pollifax series both a critical and commercial success.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

That dignified New Jersey grandmother with the wicked karate chop embarks on her 10th CIA assignment, after Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish , in this sunny Sicilian adventure. Former colleague John Farrell, hired to crack a safe and lift a document signed by Julius Caesar (who ``launched his attack on Africa in 47 B.C. from the town of Lilybaeum'' in Sicily) sends an SOS while dodging a professional assassin whom he and Mrs. P. jailed some years ago. Soon she too is ducking bullets and the old pals are forced to hole up in the Villa Franca--part farm, part medieval fortress and full-time residence of young CIA agent Kate Rossiter's eccentric aunt. Ancient artifacts, hair-raising chases, art forgery, arms traffic, a nighttime assault on the villa, mysterious millionaires, spectacular scenery and unexpected romance are some of the ingredients simmering in the plot. Gilman's smooth storytelling and slyly comic tone make it easy for readers to overlook a somewhat untidy ending. (Oct.)

Library Journal