Sherrill Wark’s Maureen Tries Online Dating takes a fresh approach, with surprisingly fit septuagenarians entangled in a web of mystery and aquatic wonders. With a less-than-satisfactory dating life, retired ER nurse Maureen faces a trifecta of challenges: disposing of her date’s body, discovering her online date’s marital infidelity, and navigating a failed plan involving a construction site hideaway. When the plan to bury the body fails, Maureen and her friend fall into the construction pit, where they meet a group of seniors who live beneath the site, led by a mysterious Voudoo master. The women discover a different world, including aquatic creatures and the ability to communicate with some friendly ones. Two seniors go missing. One is found unconscious, poisoned with the same substance given to Maureen’s date. The underneath world is at risk of being exposed to the city above, but at least her date is still alive. To find the culprit of the crimes, the group teams up with otherworldly aquatic creatures.

The portrayal of elderly characters performing extraordinary feats adds a layer of humor and intrigue that differs from conventional books with younger protagonists, especially with the aid of magical honey. Sherrill Wark’s storytelling prowess captivates readers, providing a delightful escape into a world of possibilities. Wark combines quirky human characters and creatures with engaging dialogue in a story where protagonists defy age norms. I particularly enjoyed how most social constructs were defied, demonstrating that anything and everything can happen in our world, regardless of age. Maureen Tries Online Dating is a charming and innovative addition to the mystery sci-fi genre, breaking stereotypes and delivering a story that captivates from start to finish.

In Maureen Tries Online Dating by Sherrill Wark, Maureen, Sandra, and the man in a wheelchair that precipitated the situation find themselves slipping into a mysterious underground world filled with secrets and danger. People often joke that when you reach rock bottom, there is nowhere left to go but up, but that doesn't appear to be the case here. An apparent death, fake pills, and revelations of spousal revenge are par for the course. They move further through hugger-mugger passages and underground chambers; they meet Xavier, a Vodou-Master, and uncover alarming truths about environmental hazards and the significance of the world's termant honey. The discovery of Surface invaders ratchets up the danger, culminating in a plot involving the distribution of dangerous pills, attempted murder, and a disappearance that leads to a confrontation.

Communication with injured octopi, attacks from sharks and moray eels, healing honey, zombie powder, and even nymphs are but a handful of the encounters Sherrill Wark provides for us in Maureen Tries Online Dating. The underground and underwater world-building, with its own societal structure, rules, and conflicts, is really well done. Wark's portrayal of a unique biosphere and ecosystem underwater was my favorite part, followed closely by the termants, a termite-like species, that exhibit complex social hierarchy and communication systems. Maureen herself is whip-smart, which I genuinely appreciate. There is a scene where she sort of embodies both interrogator and participant in a larger scheme, and her interactions with Andrew and Billy show off her striking adaptability and intelligence. The narrative is primarily dialogue and is simple, straightforward, and paced quickly. This was a fun read. Recommended.

Maureen Tries Online Dating by Sherrill Wark is a fun and exciting page-turner. It is a story about a woman who believes she has killed her lover. She takes his body to a construction site in a wheelchair. However, after calling her friend Sandra, a veteran construction worker, to come and help her get rid of the body, they are trapped in a strange cave underneath the site. A man with a foreign accent captures them. Shortly afterward, bizarre events occur. They go through crazy, wild adventures that involve gigantic and strange creatures. People are living in this strange underground world. However, someone from above is drilling into their world. It could spell disaster for all, not only those below the surface but those above.

Maureen Tries Online Dating by Sherrill Wark is an absorbing read. It is well-written and has incredible imagery with a unique plot. Sherill adds a bit of a romantic atmosphere between the main characters amidst scenes describing plenty of action and humor. The first part was hilarious to begin with, where Maureen explains to her friend Sandra that she killed her lover due to Viagra. But later, the implication is that a combination of factors may have been the cause instead. Some scenes transpire near the sea but underground, which was hard for me to imagine. Nevertheless, the concept and the plot as a whole were brilliant and creative. The best and creepiest parts were the scenes where they interacted with the queen termant and her followers!

In Sherrill Wark's Maureen Tries Online Dating, Maureen met a man on an online dating site and decided to take things a step further on their date. Maureen gave her date a little blue pill, but after a sip or two of wine, he just slumped over. Maureen put her date's body in a wheelchair and took it to a construction site, where she called her friend, Sandra, to help her get rid of the body. A section of mud slid away, moving the wheelchair, and when Maureen and Sandra tried to catch hold of it, they all slipped down into a pit. The pit the three of them just fell into was the foundations of a building project, and their only way out was through a tunnel they discovered.

Maureen Tries Online Dating by Sherill Wark is complex and engaging in an exciting blend of horror, adventure, and science fiction. I joined Maureen and Sandra on their unique journey to an underground community. Maureen and Sandra soon became part of the community and shared in their love and sorrow. Because the entire story takes place underground, the scene and the happenings never seem surreal. An octopus, a giant spider, and other creatures formed part of the underground life. I was hooked from the start and could not put it down, too afraid I would miss something. With all the twists and turns, I never knew what would happen next. The characters were realistic and relatable, and the interactions between them were hilarious at times. The story was brilliantly written and far better than I had anticipated.