A fun light- hearted read sharing all the action at the retirement home. Hattie and Walter were great characters and I loved the idea of ‘the night owls’.

Another wonderful insight into old age, from the author who brought us The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village and The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker, which – yet again – manages to be simultaneously achingly sad and uproariously funny, ulceratingly tense and brightly hopeful.

Here, we visit Woodlands Nursing Home with Miss Hattie Bloom, in what she fervently hopes will be a fleeting experience. Finding herself somehow trapped in this unfamiliar environment, where everything is regimented and her precious independence is airily discounted, Hattie’s only refuge is in feeding the birds until she discovers the Night Owls – a secret, late-night social club where the elderly residents can finally demonstrate their hard earned skills and capabilities without someone trying to force them back to bed.

It’s a shame then that Hattie’s new acquaintance, Walter, manages to accidentally scupper her escape hopes and get the Night Owls shut down before she’s even had a chance to really get going there. Still, Hattie and Walter are definitely not the giving up and going gently sorts and so they find themselves highly unlikely allies in a covert battle to escape their ‘prison’, avoid their medication, surprise their friend, and reinstate the Night Owls. It’s a good job people tend to underestimate the elderly!

Joanna Nell captures old age realistically, in all its ups and downs. She shows us the terrible indignities, aches and distresses that come with losing, not only your physical strength/health, but also your personhood in the eyes of the world, your identity, hobbies and profession, your right to make decisions on your own behalf. Then she balances that bleak reality by also revealing the mischief, camaraderie, fond memories and new friends and experiences that comes when your body is old, but your heart and mind don’t realise it.

The word “heartwarming” could have been coined especially for this novel (and Joanna Nell’s whole ouevre). She takes the small incidents of everyday life and makes you laugh, cry and bite your nails anxiously. Reading The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home put the fear of inevitable old age into me, then deftly removed its sting and left the sweetness – highly recommended.



'‘It’s as if the usual laws don’t apply in aged care, said Murray. ‘It’s a case of out of sight, out of mind. Even prisoners of war have the Geneva Convention.’
‘It’s not as though we’re completely helpless though, is it?’ Both Walter and Murray turned to look at Miss Bloom. ‘Everyone expects so little of us, expects us to be completely incapable. That’s our secret weapon. Our disguise, if you like.’
‘Go on,’ said Walter.
‘We could use it to our advantage.’'

– Joanna Nell, The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

Oh how I love stories about old people rebelling in care homes. I wouldn't say this is the best one I've read, but it has great characters and is a comfortable and uplifting read.

I loved this book and the main characters. The author has take such care in writing this story and the side story too. Was such an easy read too.

This was such a fun read! First of all, I really enjoyed the author's writing style. Secondly, the eclectic mixture of characters made this a really enjoyable book to read. I loved the humour and the underlying, more serious storyline. A book I'd recommend.

I may be 35 but I am a fully signed up member of the grandma life 👵🏻 so when I saw the description of this book I knew it was going to appeal to my inner old lady!

This book was fantastic and the comforting read I needed whilst I am still feeling under the weather. It tells the story of Hattie and Walter who both find themselves held ‘captive’ in Woodland’s Nursing Home and are desperately trying to get back to their homes. It is told via dual perspectives and reminded me very much of Beth O’Leary’s The Switch. Then when their favourite and somewhat unorthodox nurse is sacked in unfortunate circumstances they band together to uncover the truth and save her job, some attempts are more successful than others.

It was funny, endearing, sad in parts and covered the topic of grief, old age and end of life in a sensitive but humorous manner.

If you are a fan of Eileen 😍 (the Switch) or the Thursday Murder Club then this will be right up your street! I loved it ❤️

Thank you for @netgalley and @hodderbooks for a copy of this absolutely charming book ❤️ which is out in January 2021.

Hattie has lived alone all her life, so it comes as a shock when she’s moved into a care home after having a bad fall. She gets to meet more people than she wants to, and is desperate to get back to her only real friends, the birds who live in her garden. Walter has never really recovered from the death of his wife. Both can only think about getting back to their own homes. Unfortunately this could take longer than either anticipated, so when they get the chance to join the ‘Night Owls’, life in the home starts to get a bit better. That is until Sister Bronwyn, who organises it, is sacked.

This is a really nice take on life in a care home. It has its amusing insights, but not quite the laugh out loud pieces I was expecting. This is a tale of unexpected friendships, how life never turns out quite how you expect it, and that the people who live there are just that, real people. A nice gentle read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing home follows Hattie and Walter; an 89 and 90 year old living in an old peoples home. Hattie is a recluse who has lived alone all her life and lands in Woodlands when she falls off a ladder at her home. Walter is a family man who's health has taken a turn after the death of his wife a year ago. Neither are happy at the nursing home and both long to return to their own homes and lives as soon as possible. When their favourite nurse is sacked for running an all night old peoples club "The Night Owls"; Hattie and Walter need to work together to get her reinstated while still tending to their escape plans...

I found the book an enjoyable and interesting read. While it lacked the laugh out loud bits I expected, it was cheery and amusing for the most part. There was also poignancy as it dealt with issues of death, aging, regret, and the feeling that time is running out. It really made me think of the struggle that the elderly face to be seen as fully grown adults and not treated as children regressing further as they age.

The book was well written and easy to read, and the characters believable and well rounded. All in all it was a good read but just didn't pack the punch I was hoping for. I would rate it 3.5 stars if possible but had to mark 3 because of the rating system. Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton, Netgalley and Joanne Nell for the ARC.

Brilliant! The author obviously knows how the elderly feel as they age. I laughed, cried and thoroughly enjoyed this tale of rebellious residents of a nursing home.

There is a powerful message in this bittersweet story: "the elderly" are not a faceless mass, but individual characters who may be just as interesting as young people and it is very wrong to treat them like children even in the name of health and safety regulations.
It is a poignant, but warm and uplifting story set in a care home in Australia. I loved the two main characters Hattie and Walter who forged an unlikely friendship. Other memorable characters were the bedridden Murray with his stoic wit and the warmhearted Sister Bronwyn who undertstood the residents' needs better.
I highly appreciate the author's intentions to make this "invisible" group of people visible in her books. I recommend this book not only for older people.

A great heartwarming tale of life in a care home, from the perspectives of two main characters. Whilst I enjoyed the story, I did not think this book had the quirky writing of her other two books.
Her two previous books had many laugh out loud moments, and I savoured the story for weeks afterwards.. Although this was a lovely story, and it flowed gently along, I missed the humour and do not feel the same rush to tell other people to read it as I had before.

It’s becoming a real treat to pick up a new Joanna Nell novel so I was anticipating great things from her latest novel.
Welcome to the Woodlands nursing home, where our two main characters Hattie and Walter are (temporarily) residing. This is an ideal setting in which to explore the vagaries of old age, a theme present in both her previous novels. From her time of working as a GP, Nell has mined her extensive knowledge of this type of care setting presumably combining the more memorable personality traits, quirks and oddities of the individuals she’s met to summon up the fictional figures of Hattie, Walter and the other fellow residents that make up the nursing home’s clientele. In my opinion this is the type of storyline reliant on the creation of endearing,memorable characters so it is with great delight that the author has treated her readers to a handful of colourful rascals who whilst lacking in vigour are full of fighting spirit. Once again Joanna Nell has brought her empathy and compassion towards the older generation together with her sharp observations of this often invisible group of people to create another charming piece of fiction which will take you through the whole gamut of emotions as you cheer Hattie and Walter on from the imaginary sidelines.

A mended hip, infected leg and a dodgy ticker, to name but a few ailments our indomitable duo are suffering from aren’t going to prevent Hattie and Walter from asserting their own individualities and putting their stamp on the home, much to the consternation of the DON. With their refusal to conform to the rules these two will leave an indelible imprint on your heart as they enjoy some last minute hurrahs. The Woodlands may not be their natural habitat but you’re guaranteed comic and bittersweet shenanigans as this troublesome duo are joined by bedridden Murray and ably assisted by Sister Bronwyn and the other ‘night owls’. Expect pilfering, midnight wanderings, illicit drinking and some hair raising jaunts aboard an electric mobility scooter affectionately nicknamed the ‘Tesla’ as they endeavour to effect the great escape a la Steve McQueen. The reasons for their mutual desire to escape is both entertaining and tinged with sadness. Although struggling to acknowledge their ill health and frailty, Hattie and Walter are not admitting defeat just yet! To paraphrase Hattie, “Everyone expects so little of us, expects us to be incapable. That’s our secret weapon.” My lips are sealed concerning why on earth there is the need for a ‘secret weapon’ but I promise you will laugh and cry at the antics of these residents as they do their damnedest to outwit those in authority.

There’s just so much to love about both Hattie and Walter. She may be far more comfortable conversing with the birds than she is with people but her character proves it’s never too late to change. Meanwhile Walter is the most loveable neanderthal , rather too fond of a drop of prohibited whiskey, and his catchphrase, which I’ll let you discover for yourself just endears you to him even more. To say he causes daughter Marie a few headaches is an understatement. There are also some lovely embellishments that add to the overall quirkiness of this novel. How destinations on the monopoly board have a relevance to the storyline is just one of them with the likes of Hattie and Walter never quite sure whether they are just visiting or actually in jail when it comes to their new(ish) surroundings.

As I’ve come to expect having read the author’s previous two novels, there is so much warmth and humour, joy, friendship and sadness to be found amongst these pages with writing that seems to blossom and improve with each title. She seems to be carving out a niche for herself as an ambassador for the elderly, poignantly reminding us that behind the walls of any aged care facility lie interesting characters with fascinating stories to impart about their lives and I love that she chooses to write such heartwarming stories around this sometimes forgotten tribe. Using the characters of both Hattie and Walter, in particular, you cannot fail to hear this message loud and clear. This is a novel to cherish and I cannot wait for whatever literary delight Joanna Nell will conjure up next. My thanks as always to the publisher Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

The great escape from the Woodlands Nursing Home.
Golden years, sang David Bowie, and this book is a compassionate look at lives often spent in ‘beige’ nursing homes, lonely, bereaved and often bored stupid by endless television, sing songs and organised activities, that tend to treat them as children. This novel shows what mischief a bunch of determined pensioners can do in order to improve their lot, with the help of a inspirational night nurse.
If you look past the wrinkled faces, the hearing aids and dentures, the failing strength of arms and legs that won’t move, and bowels and bladders that move too frequently, you will find the hidden life story of an ordinary person, who has been widowed, or too frail to look after themselves, but doesn’t want to vegetate in such establishments.
Hattie is a retired ornithologist, a spinster, but the staff refer to her as ‘Mrs’.
Walter is a retired driving instructor, who is having problems with his mobility scooter, and his eyesight! Hiding his Scotch bottles is also a challenge, due to his decreased mobility.
Murray is a friend of Walter, and Hattie, in due course. He is dying, but determined to remain in full control of what he will take, and is a willing co conspirator in all events, concerning The Night Owls, a club run by Night Sister Bronwyn and her dog!
Bronwyn sees life differently for these senior citizens. They are encouraged to do small useful tasks, that play to their strengths. I used to get some of my ladies to roll up the many pairs of socks from the laundry to help the day staff getting people dressed in the morning, fold napkins and polish the occasional piece of furniture. When Wimbledon came around, we had a night treat of strawberries and cream with the residents, one member of staff ran a knitting group for all residents, apparently, some men who served in the forces used to make their own socks whilst away fighting! Bronwyn believes in no sedation, as it can increase confusion, and dance nights and other activities are arranged. This is where all the fun starts, in this marvellously uplifting book.
Written by an Australian doctor, who specialises in gerontology, the humour, wit and naughtiness shines through this wonderful book. This is how older age should be treated, with respect and humour.
This is not the first book I have read and throughly enjoyed by this author, and I hope it will not be the last. I bought the first book for an ex nursing friend and she really loved it. It should be on the syllabus for all doctors and nursing students, it really educates through laughter.
I rate this as a five star read. Thank you for my ARC, this honest review is my own, and I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon when the pages are open. Such fun, and so relevant in these days of COVID-19.

What a wonderful light but serious, insightful and funny book this was. I enjoyed every moment reading it. It shows how we do age, but stay young in our mind. It shows that even at a late age, we can discover things about the world and about ourselves and that we can find new love and hope. It reminded me of the books with Hendrik Groen as the main character; it was interesting to see that in places so far apart (the Netherlands and Australia) people have so many similarities.

Thanks to Netgalley for this digital review copy.

At nearly ninety, retired nature writer Hattie Bloom prefers the company of birds to people, but when a fall lands her in a nursing home she struggles to cope with the loss of independence and privacy. From the confines of her ‘room with a view’ of the carpark, she dreams of escape.

Fellow ‘inmate’, the gregarious, would-be comedian Walter Clements also plans on returning home as soon as he is fit and able to take charge of his mobility scooter.


When Hattie and Walter officially meet at The Night Owls, a clandestine club run by Sister Bronwyn and her dog, Queenie, they seem at odds. But when Sister Bronwyn is dismissed over her unconventional approach to aged care, they must join forces — and very slowly an unlikely, unexpected friendship begins to grow.

Joanna Nell writes with her usual wit and warmth about the perils, pitfalls and joys of old age. Her books are proof that just because you may have lost the use of your legs, your mind hasn’t necessarily accompanied them.

To Hattie, eighty-nine, reclusive retired ornithologist, human behaviour is a mystery. So when she finds herself in a residential ‘care’ home following a fall from a ladder while trying to save a family of endangered owls, she is like a fish out of water and can think only of escaping back to her dilapidated but comfortable home where all is quiet and peaceful, apart from those pesky new neighbours. She has nothing in common with the other residents (prisoners), who are either loud and gregarious, or somnolent zombies. But that’s before she meets Sister Bronwyn, the night nurse who puts the ‘life’ back into assisted living, and who shows her that there is far more to her fellow ‘inmates’ than she could possibly guess.

If, like me, you have ever dreaded ending your days ‘in care,’ where you may feel like you’re ‘out of sight, out of mind’, this may give you another perspective. It is a reminder that these people have not always been frail of body and/or mind; that they have lived full and productive lives, that they have stories to tell if we only take the time to listen, and that while they are still breathing, there’s always time for one more adventure.

Like all of Joanna Nell’s books, The Great Escape From Woodlands Nursing Home is written with warmth, wit and empathy about people who could be us in a few years time. I found it very easy to relate to Hattie, and I could quite imagine one of my brothers as the golf mad, cheesy, loud, Walter. I laughed, cried and laughed some more, and as I closed the cover of this delightful read for the final time, I wondered what the author has in store for us next.

A thoroughly enjoyable book set in a nursing home. The two protagonists are Hattie, who is recovering from a hip replacement operation and Walter, frail with a weakened heart. The narrative is told from each of their perspectives in alternate chapters. The story is brimming with humour but underwritten with a poignancy, that is so bittersweet. The characters are feisty and beautifully drawn. This is a story of old age, the approach of an ending but it also about rebellion, independence and freedom. Highly recommended.

A really enjoyable read reminding you that old people were young once and still have plenty of life in them (albeit their bones may ache and they may need a nap!).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

What a lovely read this was.

I used to work at an organisation that runs care homes so I was a little dubious whether I would be able to read this. Luckily, Joanna Nell is a GP and therefore uses the correct terminology – thank goodness!

The book begins with a spinster, Hattie Bloom temporarily moving into the home following an accident and fracturing her hip. Miss Bloom is not a fan of people and wasn’t forward at befriending anybody yet alone taking part in any of the activities. Miss Bloom preferred the company of birds, a former nature writer was determined to heal swiftly and go back home to the owls. Her first friend at Woodlands was their resident budgie, Icarus.

Miss Bloom’s neighbour, Walter Clements is a former Driving Instructor, determined to get himself some wheels to gain some independence. He spends most of his time cracking jokes with everybody, some falling on deaf ears, enjoying a sneaky whiskey and having a Netflix binge with his pal, Murray.

This book shows that living in a care home isn’t all bad, they’re not institutionalised, they are a home. You also see that you’re never too old to make friends and that life doesn’t end just because you’re not as independent as you once were.

Wonderful to read and I think Joanna Nell should write all handbooks for relatives who are unsure/feeling guilty about having their loved ones move into a care home.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book, I thoroughly enjoyed every word.

I really enjoyed this book. It is written so sensitively about life in a care home, including the loneliness of elderly people, and how they can be sen as ‘elderly’ and not individuals. The passages about birds add extra depth to the book. At times it is truly hilarious, at others very moving. I can’t wait for the next book from Joanne Nell.

This is a charming story told from the perspective of two residents of the Woodlands Nursing Home, Hattie (age 89), and Walter (aged 90). It shows the different personalities that can be found in nursing homes, with characters that have lived a full life but still have a lot left to give! They’re strong-minded, stubborn and resilient, and the antics they get up to lead to a thoroughly entertaining read. I also think it would make a great feel-good movie!

This is the first book I’ve read by Joanna Nell but I would definitely like to read her others.