Too Old for This

Funny and realistic woes of aging in general let alone as a serial killer out of practice

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!

What is the point of this story? If I wanted to guess, I’d say maybe the author meant to make the point of how utterly invisible and typecast elderly women become, to the point we can no longer see the reality of who each woman is as an individual. Maybe that’s the sad point of this story. I’ve never had such a negative reaction to a book before. I think it’s mostly the haha vibe of a story about a hateful and vengeful human being who gets away with killing people for sport. Repulsive. FMC is a 75 year old unrepentant serial killer. She’s proud of her past and brags about her abilities. There’s no reason for her killings except she gets pissed easily and can’t resolve conflicts or manage her anger. The Beatles song Maxwell’s Hammer comes to mind. She’s also sweetly planning her son’s wedding, musing about her grandkids, playing church lady, doing bingo potlucks with her friends, considering whether she wants to die alone at home or in a senior home, browsing senior communities and musing about issues of health and finances. Meanwhile her body count grows and grows and grows, as does her insufferable narcissism. It’s not like Breaking Bad, where there’s a nuanced story about an everyday person’s moral decline into evil. There’s no reason for her decline. There’s no backstory, no thought or struggle on her part. You just don’t know or care about her at all. I kept reading, expecting it to turn and for her many mistakes to unravel her coverups. Each time, she made a fatal mistake, I thought oh here we go, and then she’d cover it up, and the moment would disappear. The cop remained genuinely oblivious. The son and daughter in law remained sweet and ignorant. The friends never saw the signs in front of them. I kept reading, believing the penny would finally drop, and it never did. The ending is horrifying because of its complete blandness and cynicism.

Apparently, I’ve reached the age where I’m cheering for fictional serial killers.

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing was intense—and not just because I was holding my breath every time Lottie picked up the phone, went to bingo night, or God forbid, answered the door.

She’s a retired serial killer who’s been living her best low-key life until a nosy journalist decides to stir the pot. And by “stir the pot,” I mean poke a very sharp stick into a hornet’s nest wearing a meat suit.

Do I condone murder? No.

Did I still root for Lottie to make sure this pesky reporter didn’t blow her cover? Absolutely. At one point I was mentally handing her duct tape and a shovel.

Fast-paced, darkly funny, and just the right amount of “yikes,” this book proves that murder might be harder on the joints when you’re older, but determination never ages.

Perfect for readers who like their thrillers with a side of sarcasm, and their antiheroes with a bingo card.