Cleverly plotted…88-year-old Maude is a combination of Charles Bronson’s character in the movie, Death Wish, Mrs. Wilberforce in the movie, The Ladykillers, and a small touch of John le Carré’s low-key George Smiley. Tursten has created the perfect criminal, a senior citizen who has the cunning and vindictiveness of Bronson’s character, the haplessness and sense of morality of Mrs. Wilberforce, and the deceptive appearance of George Smiley.