Missing Gretyl by Si Page

London. Poncey Bridge. Marbella. Are you ready for Gretyl Trollop? Some say she is loud, hairy and obnoxious. Others are less complimentary. Witness the antics of Gretyl, her long-suffering husband, Albert, the Soddall family who have 'sod all' and other great characters in this hilarious comedy novel. Married for over fifty years, it's all trouble and strife for the Trollops. They live in a high-rise tower block in London's East End, where there isn't enough room to swing a cat. Gretyl is glued to the TV shopping channels and addicted to car boot sales. Albert finds respite in his allotment and the local bookmakers. They carry on with their separate lives until a mysterious letter threatens to change everything and turn Albert's world upside down. Has Gretyl Trollop finally met her match as she takes on Neil Rochester and his cronies in Poncey Bridge? Can Gretyl play the fraudsters at their own game? Will she survive the murderous attempts of Arti Chokes? Does Albert end up missing Gretyl?


It was suggested by the author that I read his first novel that he had written, as I was looking for something to get me out of my Thriller reading rut.

I found the characters lovable but rogue in their own way. Gretyl Trollop (without the E m'dear I can hear her saying in my ear), is an interfering old fuddy duddy and has her hands in all sorts of pots lol. Albert is the long suffering husband who after fifty years of marriage would rather stay in his shed (wouldn't we all if we had Gretyl as our partner lol). We also have the Soddall family who just want to get off the estate. Then we have Mr Neil Rochester the stuck up old man who thinks he owns everything in Poncey Bridge. What happens between these characters is hilarious with the goings on in London, Canvey Island and Poncey Bridge. But what happens in Spain with a certain person is even more funny as he just does what he thinks he's meant to do.

Si Page is a really good author who tries to bring out the best in his characters with their wit, humor and sometimes serious nature. Will definitely be looking out for more by Mr Page in the near future.