The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise

By: Colleen Oakley

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

A Good Morning America Buzz Pick * A Marie Claire Book Club Pick for April * A Reader's Digest Book Club Pick for April * A LibraryReads Pick * One of Southern Living's Most Anticipated 2023 Releases * One of Today's Most Anticipated 2023 Releases

An unforgettable pairing of a college dropout and an eighty-four-year-old woman on the run from the law in this story full of tremendous heart, humor, and wit from the USA Today bestselling author of The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.

Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.

One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon. Bottom line: Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.

The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately?

Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.

©2023 Colleen Oakley (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“You’ll never be able to see what’s coming in this wildly surprising, entertaining ride of a novel—which is a coming-of-age story, a contending-with-age story, and a surprising exploration of how womanhood is a matter of surprising others…and oneself.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

“Colleen Oakley is in a world of her own when it comes to creating lovable, quirky characters—and those in The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise are her best yet. With an abundance of charm and wit, a dose of adventure, and surprises around each corner, you’ll be rooting for Tanner and Louise with every turn of the page. An absolute blast.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising

“Ambitionless 21-year-old Tanner needs a place to live but gets a lot more than she bargained for when she agrees to work as live-in caregiver for Louise, a vodka-swilling, sharp-as-a-tack elderly woman. The little old lady might not be as innocent as she seems, though, especially when she tells Tanner they need to make a quick getaway. Is Louise the culprit behind a legendary jewel heist? With a wild road trip, a classic car and a love interest reminiscent of a young Brad Pitt, The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise is tailor-made for fans of Thelma and Louise.”—Reader's Digest

Kept me guessing until the end!

Fun, easy read with plenty of humor and also some meaningful moments. Great summer read and I enjoyed the characters and the story all along the way. This book takes you on a ride that will keep you guessing until the end!

The Iffy Friendship

I really liked the whole package. Granted it was a slightly slow start but when it picked up speed it kept right on going. The narrator was great and caught all the personalities of the characters. Just really liked this story!!!!

Great listen!

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. Was delighted with the ending as I didn’t see it coming.

great

loved it, kept my interest, It didn't end as I thought it might would have

Enjoyed everything

Surprise ending. Not sure how I would ended it, but I can’t explain without giving away the story!

Loved the characters

Witty … made me smile. The twists and turns kept me guessing. Loved the performance by the narrator.

So good

Unexpected twists and turns, and more heartwarming than even imagined. This fun, sad, suspenseful, and thought provoking book is worth the read.

Get ready for a surprising adventure

I’m pretty tough on books. Most of them are just ‘meh’. This one was absolutely delightful.

A enjoyable surprise

One morning I saw it recommended on GMA It was an enjoyable surprise I look forward to trying other books by this author

Great ride

I might have passed this by without a book Rec from #ThoughtsfromaPagePodcast, so thank you for that! Super cute mystery caper com with friendship and off-the-beaten path and feminism vibes. It always strikes me how books can be such social commentaries that fall just right when done with humor.

Louise’s kids think her life is over and she needs live in care. Tanner’s parents just want her to get a new life, after hers is derailed. Fortunately for Tanner and Louise, they are their own persons, with their own dreams and reactions and ideals. Buckle up and have fun with this one, it will make you smile as you keep the pages turning.