A Blog For and About Today's Seniors

by Sandra K. Sprague

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Sandra's Summer Book and Movie List




Books and Movies Featuring Care Givers

Okay, you can search high and low on eBay or Toys-'R'-Us and you won't find a single Care Givers action figure! But that doesn't mean care givers are not a part of our popular culture. The fact of the matter is that care givers are featured in many of yesterday and today's popular books and films. Summertime is here and I usually take that time of year to catch up on my reading and film-watching; I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite books and films in which care givers play prominent roles!

"T" is for Trespass
By: Sue Grafton
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2007

I am a huge fan of Sue Grafton's entertaining Kinsey Milhone series. At nineteen letters ("A" is for Alibi,"B" is for Burglar, etc.) into this popular series, Grafton treated us to a different writing style in "S" is for "Silence", using cleverly woven flashbacks in addition to Kinsey's crisp and often humorous narration. Now, in "T" is for Trespass, Grafton delivers yet another new twist, allowing us to see the story unfold not only through Kinsey's eyes, but also through the eyes of the antagonist, a shrewd, cunning sociopath by the name of Solana Rojas.

"T" is for Tresspass is a cautionary tale about the importance of retaining an in-home care giver through a reputable caregiving service, like CARE GIVERS NW. Solana Rojas is skilled in the art of identity theft and portrays herself as a trained, reliable and caring senior care giver; in reality, she is a dangerous predator who gains entry into the lives of her clients, takes control and strips them of their money, possessions, and sometimes .... their lives! "T" is for Trespass is set in the late-1980's, a pre-Internet world which makes identity theft much easier to go undetected. Nonetheless, even in today's world of computers and instantaneous cross-checking, a careless client can put themselves in just as great a risk without the aid of a professional, state-licensed care service like CARE GIVERS NW.

Kinsey's neighbor is at home after a hospital stay and needs some extra help during the recuperation process. Through a chain of events, private eye Kinsey is hired to conduct a background check on a care giver the neighbor's out-of-town relative has employed. At first blush, the care giver, Solana Rojas, seems to check out fine; but in short time some odd occurences start Kinsey's detective instincts twitching and she looks a little deeper into Solana's identity, qualifications and history. Kinsey is a good detective, but Solana, who soon realizes she's being stalked, is a ruthless and resourceful adversary. Will Kinsey discover the true extent of how dangerous Solana is before it's too late for her neighbor - or possibly herself?

Be prepared to read "T" is for Trespass while you're cooking, vacuuming, mowing the lawn or otherwise ignoring all other responsibilities as you breathlessly work your way through the plot. In "T" is for Trespass you get the point-of-views of both the dogged Kinsey and the cunning Solana as they circle each other and ultimately collide in an exciting climax!

Read Sandra's Other Reviews!

Rear WindowThe SavagesA Man in FullScent of a Woman