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Suzi S. (The Villages, FL)
Serial fun
Lottie is very likeable and entertaining, despite her admission early on that she is a retired serial killer. Her personality and wit are so engaging that I forgot I was supposed to find her repulsive. Well done! I did grow a bit weary of her by the end, but overall this was an enjoyable light read.
Betcei B. (Huntsville, AL)
Serial killer's want normal lives also
How does a serial killer stop killing and live a quiet life? Oh wait, that's impossible because there is always one more that must be taken care of or something bad will happen. Lottie Jones is a character you know you should dislike, but her reasoning for her decisions makes sense in a way and you might start seeing life through her eyes and sympathizing for her. There are some hard sections to read, but skimming those to get to Lottie's life and thoughts is not a problem in following the story.
Cheri M. (Rome, GA)
Great Twisty Fun
A retired grandma serial killer? Sign me up! Grandma Lottie comes out of retirement, so to speak, when someone shows up on her doorstep trying to make a documentary about her. It's crazy, yes, but it also hilights the aging process quite well. Lots of fun.
Cheryl W. (Zimmerman, MN)
It begins again
A retired serial killer is approached by a reporter who wants to do a documentary on her. She wants to keep her past behind her and needs to fix the situation. Does she commit another murder?
Nancy B. (Rochester, NY)
The Invisibiity Cloak
Sharing Lottie's invisibility cloak of a certain age but fortunately, not sharing her history, I am mercifully not haunted by the possibility of someone waiting to document a life-history best forgotten.
My junk drawer, filled with tools, has never looked so sinister...and the walk-in shower, so treacherous. And the murders...increasingly outrageous, somehow give rise to an inappropriate smile...but surely not laughter!
Initially a seemingly innocuous tale, the tension quickly rises as the bodies pile up and Lottie is forced into more devious methods to avoid detection.
How could a book about murders be so entertaining...and how could I be nodding in appreciation of this clever septuagenarian? I'm not sure, but I am heading to my library to find more by this clever author.
Linda S. (Castle Pines, CO)
Are we ever too old??
It's not often that I read a book where the killer is a senior citizen woman whom I actually like! The church-going, bingo playing gray haired grandma is forced to cover up her past life of crime by "coming out of retirement " to kill again. I enjoyed all of the colorful characters who are a part of Lottie's everyday life. Too bad for those who come knocking at her door to expose Lottie's past crimes! I really enjoyed reading and giving my candid review of this book to be released on August 12, 2025.
RN
Appearances can be deceiving..
When I started to read Too Old for This by Samantha Downing I was initially entertained and amused. The main character Lottie Jones is a 75 year old mother and grandmother who lives on her own. Lottie is often written off as a doddering old lady but some are (correctly) not fooled by her act. Against all odds I found myself liking Lottie. She is certainly creative, resourceful, and extremely good at keeping up with appearances. Unfortunately the further I read the harder it became for me to remain engaged with the story. The plot got a bit monotonous and a whole lot preposterous. Overall it was most definitely a wild ride that would have benefited by the author leaving out some extraneous scenes.
Ann H. (Boulder, CO)
Too Old for This
The book demanded the reader to have an open mind. It appeared to have two themes - murder and old age trials. This reader couldn't justify the continuous murder of people the main character didn't like. I know we sometimes might think we might kill someone because of irritating situation but we don't follow through or should we. Actually that phrase about killing is so inappropriate when we should offer grace instead of murder.
The trials the main character experienced with getting older certainly sound familiar and author justified. If this reader concentrated on that then the book was readable.