Karin Brunk Holmqvist

Seeking Sirile Gentlemen

(Sirila gentlemän sökes)

”Seeking Sirile Gentlemen. We’re two single women, 81 and 79 years old (one of us has a slight limp) and we’re both looking for a male companion. It would be wonderful if you lived in Tomelilla and have a car so that you can drive us to Kivik when the fruit trees are in bloom.
/ Last try/.”

Alma and Margit are neighbors and best friends. Their days pass slowly and pleasantly, but their peaceful existence is being threatened. Tomelilla County have plans to build a new road right across their properties and the women’s homes will be razed to the ground. The friends end up sharing a room at a retirement home while waiting for senior apartments.

Life at the retirement home is exciting. Alma and Margit discover that the grumpy director Ulla has steamy trysts with her lover in the bushes outside Alma and Margit’s room and when the lover, Kjell, turns out to be a local politician Alma starts concocting plans. She takes a compromising photograph with her old box camera and threatens to reveal them if Ulla and the politician don’t take action concerning the county’s construction plans: particularly the route across hers and Margit’s properties!

While a hysterical Kjell schemes at town hall, Alma and Margit devote themselves to buying their first pairs of long trousers – with elastic waistbands – and dream about meeting a nice man. The daydreams result in a personal ad with the headline: “Seeking Sirile Gentlemen.” Alma is the one who suggests it. She believes “sirile” has something to do with energy and happiness, though she’s not entirely sure …

Seeking Sirile Gentlemen is a novel about women with spunk, about lasting friendships and a reminder that life is wonderful and filled with hope!

240 pages

Rights sold to: Germany (Piper)

Audiobook: Storyside