A very specific, and simultaneously non-specific, request – I'm doing a reading challenge and need a book with a female (or nonbinary, but that seems unlikely) protagonist over the age of 60.
It can kinda be anything, though I'd prefer something shorter (the challenge is over at the end of the year and I don't always read very quickly). I've been really into mother/daughter stories lately so if you have any recs that fall into that category, so much the better, but I'll give anything a try if it sounds interesting.
by oringrey
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Death in her hands by Ottessa Moshfegh
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
I didn’t like these books, but a lot of people do:
* Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
* An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten
Edit: I also wanted to suggest a book I haven’t read yet but have heard good things about, but I got called into my hair appointment:
The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann.
The Phoenix Ballroom by Ruth Hogan
Any of the Miss Marple books from Agatha Christie could fit—they are quite short. I liked 4:50 from Paddington. They’re mysteries in which the little old lady is able to solve the case!
Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting is a fun and quick read in which the protagonist is queer (but not non-binary) and older, and establishes a community.
(Also by Clare Pooley, How to Age Disgracefully is about a cast of characters who are mostly all retirees, also a quick quirky read!)
Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon is a sci-fi that fits this, but it’s not mother/daughter.
Mrs. Palmfrey at the Claremont, by Elizabeth Taylor
Killers of a Certain Age or What Rose Forgot
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence. Its protagonist is a difficult 90-year-woman looking back over her life as she continues to conflict with her family. It’s a Canadian classic so you may have read it but she is an unforgettable character.
Three Days in June, Anne Tyler’s latest novel, centers on a divorced 61 year old divorced woman dealing with life changes; losing her job (right from the start, not a spoiler) just when her rather difficult daughter is getting married. This being Tyler Country, it’s not too overly dramatic (though I found it moving). There’s an ex-husband to contend with, and an unexpected kitty – but also some sorrow over past relationships, and some lessons to be learned. Not my favourite Tyler, but I enjoyed it. Actually, many of her novels feature older main characters. If you haven’t read Clock Dance or Ladder of Years, I think they fit here.
Britt Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
The Haar, protagonist is 84. About 200ish pages
Oh William! Or Olive Kitteridge, both by Elizabeth Strout
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey
“Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk
The Auntie Poldi series by Mario Giordano– off the wall, hilarious
Agnes Sharpe series by Leonie Swann – Mysteries featuring Seniors
The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeyset
The Thursday Murder Club series
The Spoon Stealer
*The Hearing Trumpet* by Leonora Carrington
*Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead* by Olga Tokarczuk
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Havoc by Christopher Bollen
As We Are Now, by May Sarton. One of the most devastating books about old age ever written. A novel. MC is an elderly woman.
Dolores Clairborne
Any of Terry PRatchetts witches series. While I don’t remember how old the witches are exactly, or if their exact age is mentioned but several of them are grandmothers and theres a comment in one about how two of them have known each other for 70 years.
Witches abroad has them the most central I think.
Lillian Boxfish takes a walk.
The Witches books of the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. I’m pretty sure Granny Weatherwax is somewhere in her 70’s, and Nanny Ogg might be around early 60’s
Coming Up Roses, by Kim M Watt
The Three Dahlias, by Katy Watson
The Christmas Grandma Ran Away From Home, by Nancy Warren
Lords & Ladies, by Terry Pratchett
One of the main characters of Remarkably Bright Creatures is over 60 I believe! Really cute story, one of the characters is an octopus!
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax
Miss Julia in the books by Ann B Ross is in her 60’s. It’s a light-hearted cozy mystery series that’s an easy read.
Remarkably Bright Creatures has two protagonists: One is a 70-year-old widow; the other is a giant Pacific octopus. It was long but a quick read.
Any of Terry Pratchett’s “witch” books, and they’re all wonderful.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/109517-discworld—witches
By the end of the “Hannah Swensen” By Joanne Fluke the main character is supposed to be a female nearing her 60s and i don’t think you need to read them in order. I have not read these myself but my grandmother really likes them!
The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
How to Age Disgracefully. It was an easy, fun read.
Blind assassin. It’s extraordinary
The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane
Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper
The World Below by Sue Miller.
Lolly Willows by Sylvia Townsend Warner or the Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington (this one is deeply weird!)