20 October 2025
Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station
Mrs. Pollifax #6
Spy Thriller - 1983
Character
Mrs. Pollifax is a sweet little old lady who works for the CIA.
Setting
The story is set in the early 1980s in China. Mao is dead, and American tourists are being allowed into the country. China and the Soviet Union are at odds.
Plot
Mrs. Pollifax goes to China with a tour group to find the location of a labor camp for another CIA agent, who will take over rescuing a Chinese engineer from the camp.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ¼
Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station is another delightful and wildly unrealistic romp full of humor and empathy.
As I started writing this, when I thought about the characters, I realized that some of the characters had tons of characterization, and some were just sort of there. Oh, well. Generally, this author has really good characters, although I guess the lack of characterization did make me wonder what was going on with some of the other people in the main character's tour group. I bet the author did that since one of the people in the tour group is supposed to be another CIA agent, and the main character doesn't know who it is. It adds to the sense of mystery, but also makes things a bit confusing too.
The book is set in China not too long after Mao's death. Apparently, the author travelled a lot and was known for the authentic feel of her books. I was surprised at how undeveloped China was in the story, but I've never been there, and that was 40 years ago anyway. What I can say is that the stories are pretty consistent in that they present a variety of people and in ways that show that they are all human and worthy of being treated with kindness. Of course, there are bad guys and unfriendly people in the stories, but most people are neutral or friendly when approached in a friendly way. With that in mind, do not read these books for their amazing spycraft. These are like cozy thrillers.
The plot is pretty good in this one. I feel like it differs from the usual plot of the Mrs. Pollifax books, in which she is given a simple mission that goes off the rails. Mixing it up gives us some variety. From pretty early on, it is clear that she is going to be needed to help the other CIA agent, so a lot of the story is about that. Also, the romantic relationship that she formed in the previous book progresses, as a side plot.
One element that I felt really worked was the main character's interest in China. This wasn't just some random location. It was a location that she found fascinating. As someone who really liked studying Chinese (although I was never great at it) and who finds China fascinating, I really appreciated that the characters cared.
Unfortunately, the end didn't work terribly well for me. It seems just so incredibly improbable. However, after doing a bit of research, it seems perhaps a bit less improbable than I thought. I would have liked a better solution for that part, although it is consistent with the author showing the characters as people who have human feelings and values.
I will happily read the next novel in the series. While a reader could probably start anywhere in this series, I think it would be best to start from the beginning, since the main character does change over the course of the series. As I mentioned previously, this is not a serious spy book, so don't come here looking for an instruction manual for how to get into the CIA. The books are super fun, though, and you often feel that the characters really work for their good ending.
As I started writing this, when I thought about the characters, I realized that some of the characters had tons of characterization, and some were just sort of there. Oh, well. Generally, this author has really good characters, although I guess the lack of characterization did make me wonder what was going on with some of the other people in the main character's tour group. I bet the author did that since one of the people in the tour group is supposed to be another CIA agent, and the main character doesn't know who it is. It adds to the sense of mystery, but also makes things a bit confusing too.
The book is set in China not too long after Mao's death. Apparently, the author travelled a lot and was known for the authentic feel of her books. I was surprised at how undeveloped China was in the story, but I've never been there, and that was 40 years ago anyway. What I can say is that the stories are pretty consistent in that they present a variety of people and in ways that show that they are all human and worthy of being treated with kindness. Of course, there are bad guys and unfriendly people in the stories, but most people are neutral or friendly when approached in a friendly way. With that in mind, do not read these books for their amazing spycraft. These are like cozy thrillers.
The plot is pretty good in this one. I feel like it differs from the usual plot of the Mrs. Pollifax books, in which she is given a simple mission that goes off the rails. Mixing it up gives us some variety. From pretty early on, it is clear that she is going to be needed to help the other CIA agent, so a lot of the story is about that. Also, the romantic relationship that she formed in the previous book progresses, as a side plot.
One element that I felt really worked was the main character's interest in China. This wasn't just some random location. It was a location that she found fascinating. As someone who really liked studying Chinese (although I was never great at it) and who finds China fascinating, I really appreciated that the characters cared.
Unfortunately, the end didn't work terribly well for me. It seems just so incredibly improbable. However, after doing a bit of research, it seems perhaps a bit less improbable than I thought. I would have liked a better solution for that part, although it is consistent with the author showing the characters as people who have human feelings and values.
I will happily read the next novel in the series. While a reader could probably start anywhere in this series, I think it would be best to start from the beginning, since the main character does change over the course of the series. As I mentioned previously, this is not a serious spy book, so don't come here looking for an instruction manual for how to get into the CIA. The books are super fun, though, and you often feel that the characters really work for their good ending.
Fiction: Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station by Dorothy Gilman
Mrs. Pollifax #6
Doubleday, 1983-01-01
978-0449208403
216 pages
Mrs. Pollifax #6
Doubleday, 1983-01-01
978-0449208403
216 pages