Too Old for This
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
“Equal parts hilarious and disturbing, Too Old for This kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end!”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden
A retired serial killer’s quiet life is upended by an unexpected visitor. To protect her secret, there’s only one option left—what’s another murder? From bestselling author Samantha Downing.
Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.
Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends.
When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that.
But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might just be the death of her…
“Equal parts hilarious and disturbing, Too Old for This kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end!”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden
A retired serial killer’s quiet life is upended by an unexpected visitor. To protect her secret, there’s only one option left—what’s another murder? From bestselling author Samantha Downing.
Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.
Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends.
When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that.
But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might just be the death of her…
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Community Reviews
What Bookclubbers are saying about this book
✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Too Old for This* by Samantha Downing is a darkly humorous, fast-paced thriller featuring Lottie, a sharp-witted, 75-year-old retired ser...
At 75, Lottie Jones has traded in her old life for church socials and quiet routines—but her past as a serial killer refuses to stay buried. When ambitious TV producer Plum Dixon comes knocking with questions, Lottie realizes her secrets may finally be exposed. One problem: killing isn’t as easy as it used to be, and keeping the truth hidden takes more effort than her bad knees can handle. Darkly funny and deliciously twisted, this story proves you’re never too old for secrets, trouble, or a little blood on your hands.
I might be in the minority here, but this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations or the hype. The concept of an an elderly woman with a dark past, haunted by her life as a serial killer sound promising and I thought this setup would lend itself to shocking reveals and tense moments, but I found myself reading a story that felt a bit drawn out and a plot that moved slower than I wanted. I found myself not as engaged with the story and felt like it could have been more thrilly.
With that said, I can say Samantha Downing did an incredible job with Lottie’s character. She was vivid, layered, and often hilariously relatable in her grumpy, no-nonsense way. As a 32-year-old reading her story, I was also lowkey terrified of the aches, pains, and frustrations that come with aging 😅. Overall, this wasn’t a bad read, it just didn’t deliver the twists I was hoping for.
If you’re looking for a slower, character-driven thriller with a unique MC, this might still work for you. But if you’re chasing nonstop suspense, you might feel a little let down like I did.
If you've read this book, what did you think?
Trigger Warnings: murder, attempted murder, serial killings, death of elderly characters, manipulation, violence, gore, language, blackmail, threats
This was a very interesting plot of an old woman being a serial killer... The ending left me with a question, but overall enjoyed this book!
I procrastinated reading this one, I didn't think I would enjoy it. It was different, it was interesting at times, not my favorite though.
This was a good book. Lots of humor and the premise was good. Wished it had a little more of a twist, like the future DIL being more into all of this than she was. But overall, a good book.
Too Old for This is a fun and clever thriller that delivers on its killer premise but may not keep all readers on the edge of their seats. It's a solid, entertaining read, especially for fans of dark comedy and unconventional protagonists, but the execution doesn't quite match the brilliance of its initial idea for everyone.
Perfect for those seeking: a highly original and darkly funny thriller premise, a story with a sharp, witty, and morally grey elderly protagonist, and a quick, entertaining read that plays with genre conventions.
Perfect for those seeking: a highly original and darkly funny thriller premise, a story with a sharp, witty, and morally grey elderly protagonist, and a quick, entertaining read that plays with genre conventions.
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