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Deanna Raybourn

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Killers of a Certain Age Kindle Edition

by Deanna Raybourn (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.3 7,630 ratings

Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

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AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

“This Golden Girls meets James Bond thriller is a journey you want to be part of.” -Buzzfeed

Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that’s their secret weapon.

They’ve spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're sixty years old, four women friends can’t just retire – it’s kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.

When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they’ve been marked for death.

Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They’re about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman—and a killer—of a certain age.

Print length

365 pages
Language

English
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Publisher

Berkley
Publication date

September 6, 2022
File size

1886 KB
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Popular Highlights in this book

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‘I am interested in justice, not the law. There is an unfortunate difference.’
Highlighted by 713 Kindle readers
“True leadership, Miss Webster, is not about trusting yourself. It is about trusting your team.”
Highlighted by 664 Kindle readers
They perceive a nearby threat to themselves and they think about that threat because they want so much to survive.
Highlighted by 370 Kindle readers

From the Publisher

An Instant NYT Bestseller: You're never too old to kick a**

This GOLDEN GIRLS meets JAMES BOND thriller is a journey you want to be a part of — Buzzfeed

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This Golden Girls meets James Bond thriller is a journey you want to be part of.” -Buzzfeed

“[An] unpredictable and propulsive romp of a thriller…an inventive and distinctly feminist escapade.”-Oprah Daily

“A singular suspense story thanks to its deftly fluctuating tone, which is by turns comical, violent and unexpectedly affecting…it’s impossible not to root for these dangerous dames and their refusal to let themselves be put on the ash heap — a phrase that, in this thriller, should be taken literally.” -The Washington Post

“A sharp and witty thriller.” -PopSugar

"National treasure Deanna Raybourn never fails to enchant with her signature dry wit, sophisticated storylines, slick twists, and smart eccentric women who anchor her books. Her latest is a romping, wild delight from start to finish. Killers of a Certain Age is the 60-something lady assassin book we didn’t know we needed, but, oh, we needed it. I love this book."
—Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author

“Deanna Raybourn’s Killers of a Certain Age captures the reader from the get-go—and never lets go! An excellent and thrilling read!”
—Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author of Crimson Summer

“Killers of a Certain Age is a delightful, twisty, hilarious novel that proves revenge is a dish best served cold. Filled with jet-setting adventure and a group of clever, middle-aged lady assassins, it’s the perfect antidote to any reading drought—and a whopping good page-turner. I loved it!”
—Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélène

“This novel—sharp as battery acid, fast as a bullet, and hilarious to boot—pits men against women, age against youth, technology against old school know-how.” -Amazon Book Review

“Deanna Raybourn takes a leap into the present day with this intelligent and action-packed new book, and may I say, she hits it out of the park.”
—Mystery and Suspense Magazine

“This story gives us a look at how you can be ice cold without losing your soul, and otherwise be a normal woman who happens to be in the killing business. In fact, exploration of that paradox is what makes this inversion of a typical thriller work.”-NY Journal of Books

“The lively banter between old friends, mixed with plenty of action sequences, will keep you turning the pages long into the night, and I’m hoping these feisty heroines make it to the screen soon to continue their adventures.”-CrimeReads

“If you like your crime stories with a dose of humor, check out Killers of a Certain Age, a witty thriller featuring a group of women in their 60s who work as elite assassins.” -AARP

"Fans of Helen Tursten and Richard Osman will relish watching these badass women in their 60s swing into action. Raybourn has outdone herself.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Fans of Raybourn’s “Veronica Speedwell” historical mysteries will enjoy this well-plotted story, and a thriller featuring four skilled, well-trained women is a treat in a male-dominated genre. A fast-paced, explosive, fun novel, reminiscent of the 2010 movie RED.”
—Library Journal (starred review)

“The writing is witty and original, and the plot is unpredictable…Raybourn vividly evokes a number of far-flung locations while keeping readers on their toes trying to figure out what's going to happen next. A unique examination of womanhood as well as a compelling, complex mystery.”
—Kirkus (starred review)

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of Month 2022: Novels about trained assassins rarely address the retirement package. In Killers of a Certain Age, four assassins—part of an elite, all-female squad called the Sphinxes—are ushered into retirement with an all-expenses-paid luxury cruise. But when they recognize a fellow operative aboard, they realize he’s on a job. And the job is to kill them. One explosive—and unscheduled—disembarkation later, they make their way back, like post-menopausal Kingsmen, to the abandoned English country mansion where it all began decades earlier. Except this time, it’s not to train, but to train their sights on whomever has put a hit on them. And the invisibility that happens to all women beyond a certain age may well prove to be their most valuable weapon. Granny, get your gun, because this novel—sharp as battery acid, fast as a bullet, and hilarious to boot—pits men against women, age against youth, technology against old school know-how, and on top of that, illustrates an excellent use for a piano wire necklace. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

Deanna Raybourn is the New York Times bestselling author of the Edgar Award–nominated Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, as well as the Lady Julia Grey series and several stand-alone works.
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One

November 1979

"My mother always says it's common as pig tracks to go around with a run in your stocking," Helen says, eyeing Billie's ripped hosiery critically.

Billie rolls her eyes. "Helen, it's murder, not cotillion."

"It's not murder," Helen corrects. "It's an assassination, and you can make an effort to look nice. Besides, they're supposed to believe we're stewardesses and no stewardess would be caught dead with torn pantyhose." Helen brandishes a familiar plastic egg. "I brought spares. Please go change while you still have time. I'll start the coffee."

The run is so tiny only Helen would have noticed it. Billie opens her mouth to argue and closes it again when she sees the tightness around Helen's lips. Helen is nervous and that means her eye for detail is hyperfocused, searching out things to worry about. Better for her to fuss about snagged pantyhose than any of the thousand other things that could go wrong on their first mission, Billie decides.

"Mary Alice is on coffee detail. You go check on Nat," Billie says, plucking the egg from Helen's hand. She pops into the lavatory just long enough to strip off her ruined hose and shimmy into a fresh pair, emerging to hear the conversation from the cockpit. Movies again-of course. When Gilchrist and Sweeney aren't debating the odds of getting Goldie Hawn into bed, they are trying to stump each other with film quotes.

"'A deer has to be taken with one shot. I try to tell people that, but they don't listen.'" The pilot waits while his copilot pauses the preflight check, screwing up his eyes in thought.

"Monty Python and the Holy Grail?" he guesses.

The pilot rolls his eyes. "Jesus, Sweeney, no, it's not Monty Python. Did that line sound funny to you?"

Sweeney shrugs. "It could be." The copilot jerks his head towards the galley. "Skirt!" he calls.

Billie steps into the doorway of the cockpit.

"Yes, Sweeney?" she asks.

He pulls his mouth to the side, doing his best Bogart as he looks her up and down. "She missed being beautiful by just a hair, but the voice more than made up for it. It was low and smoky, the sort of voice that ordered whiskey neat and told the bartender to keep the change."

"I don't remember that in The Maltese Falcon," she says.

His expression is outraged. "It's original! Come on, I make a great Sam Spade."

"Don't quit your day job. What did you ring for?"

Sweeney repeats the quote. "What movie is it from? Vance just threw that one out and acted like I'd punched his grandmother when I didn't know it."

"The Deer Hunter," she tells Sweeney. She points to the pilot. "And his next line will be from The Godfather."

The pilot grins. "How do you know that?"

"Every other one of your quotes is from The Godfather," she says. She pauses and the pilot gives her an assessing look. She is perfectly turned out, from the crisp, uncreased uniform to the smooth, dark blond hair tucked into a neat French pleat. Her hands don't shake and her eyes don't dart around. But she is nervous-or excited. Something is thrumming under her skin, he can almost smell it. And it is his job to settle her down.

"You got this, Billie," he says in a low voice. "You and the others are good or they wouldn't have given you the job."

She smiles. "Thanks, Gilchrist."

He shrugs. "I've given you a lot of shit in training, but the four of you are alright-provided you make it through tonight," he adds with a heartless grin.

"That's comforting," she tells him as Sweeney laughs.

"Just remember the mission and you'll be fine," Gilchrist assures her. "Sweeney and I will be keeping the bird steady, so you girls are on your own back there unless something goes seriously to shit." His expression says it better not, and she promises herself then that she'd sooner open a vein with a paper clip than ask him for help.

"Got it," she tells him. She watches him for a second as his hands move over the switches and levers, working through the preflight check. He is at ease, loose as an athlete who has trained and drilled until there's nothing left but the big game.

Sweeney draws her attention by giving her a nudge. "Tell the brunette I want a drink when this is all over."

"You know the rules. No fraternizing," Gilchrist reminds
him.

Sweeney makes a noise like a wounded puppy. "Easy for you to say. You've got Anthea." He drags the name out on three syllables. "Ahhhhn-theeee-aaaah," he repeats in a country club drawl.

"You got a steady girl? Good for you," Billie says to the pilot.

He pulls down the visor to show a small snapshot of a girl with a dark flip like Jackie O's, a serious expression in her wide eyes.

"Pretty," Billie says.

"And riiiiiiiich," Sweeney adds in a sulky tone.

"What's your problem, Sweeney?" she asks.

"I'm jealous, of course. He's got a rich, pretty debutante and all I've got is a stiffy for the little brunette with the curly hair out there."

"The little brunette has a name," Billie tells him. "Natalie."

"The future Mrs. Charles McSween," Sweeney says solemnly. "At least for this weekend." He raises a warning hand. "And don't tell me it's forbidden. That just makes it more exciting. It's like they're daring me to take her out."

Billie looks from one to the other. "I'm surprised neither of you is chasing Helen," she says. "She's the prettiest of us."

They both shrug. "Pretty, yes," Gilchrist admits. "Beautiful even. But she's what we Canadians call a Winnipeg winter."

"A Winnipeg winter?"

"Great natural beauty but capable of freezing your dick off if you're stupid enough to get naked," Sweeney explains. He surveys Billie with a practiced eye. "Of course, you would just-"

Billie holds up a hand. "Never mind. I don't want to know. Coffee is brewing. I'll have Mary Alice bring you some."

Mary Alice is pouring two fresh cups when Billie enters the galley. The air smells of burnt coffee and Mary Alice gives her an apologetic look. "I spilled some on the burner."

Billie waves a hand. "Who cares?" She reaches for the foil-wrapped package of mixed nuts and sticks it into the warming drawer.

Mary Alice nods towards the cockpit. "How are our fearless leaders?"

"Quoting films and trying to decide which one of us they get to take home for the weekend."

Mary Alice pulls a face. "God, I hate them."

Billie lifts an eyebrow. "They're not all bad. Vance Gilchrist just gave me a vote of confidence, a little pep talk for the evening's adventure."

Mary Alice snorts. "Only because he's in charge and if we screw up, it's on his head."

"Probably," Billie agrees. She reaches out and straightens Mary Alice's name tag. It is printed with the name margaret ann. Her own name tag reads bridget.

Always choose an alias with your own initials, their mentor has told them. At some point, you will be tired or distracted or simply human and you will start to write or say your real name instead of your alias. It is far easier to correct your mistake without arousing suspicions if you have at least begun with the proper letter. Also, it means never having to change your monogram. Remember, ladies, your lives are lies now, but the fewer you tell, the simpler it is to keep them straight.

Helen appears, poised and unruffled although her eyes are unusually bright. "Showtime," she tells them. "The Bulgarians are here." Natalie joins them as they hurry to the side of the plane, watching through the round windows as the long black bulk of a limousine approaches.

"Oh god," Natalie murmurs. "It's happening. Finally."

Helen lays a hand on her wrist. "Breathe, Nat."

Nat pulls in a long breath, flaring her nostrils as she watches the car glide to a halt. The expected quartet of passengers gets out: the principal-a man they refer to only as X-his private secretary, and a pair of bodyguards.

"Oh shit," Mary Alice says suddenly.

Billie leans forward, pressing her nose to the glass. The bodyguards carry nothing, hands free should they need to draw their weapons. They look like bears, heavily bearded and shaggy-haired, unlike the secretary, with his neatly shaven face and slicked-back hair. He has a calfskin case in his hands, slim body hunched over it to shield it from the light greasy rain that has begun to fall. X himself is cradling a small dog in his arms, an apricot poodle with a tuft of hair gathered into a silk bow.

"Nobody said anything about a dog," Helen says faintly.

"I'm not killing a dog." Nat rears back from the window, eyes wide. "I can't do it."

"You won't have to," Billie promises her. The others stare, and she realizes the flaw in the plan. The four of them have their orders and are supposed to be under Gilchrist's command. But he will be secure in the cockpit, locked away from whatever happens in the cabin. And in the cabin, they are going to need leadership. It isn't like their organization to make such a basic mistake, and Billie wonders if it has been done deliberately, a way to test them on their coolness under pressure.

Billie steps up. "The dog is a complication. But it's not a now problem. It's a later problem. The now problem is getting our guests on board and settled. Stations. Let's go."

To her astonishment, the other three obey, hurrying forward to arrange themselves attractively as the principal starts up the staircase of the aircraft. He is the sort of man who should have been flying on a luxury jet, a Beechcraft or a Gulfstream, something with sleek teakwood interiors and the latest gadgets. But his dossier says he is old-school, preferring twin-engine turboprops, the bigger the better. This one has two engines mounted in front of each wing, and they rumble to life as the propellers begin to move.

The quartet of stewardesses smile at X, a dour-looking man in his fifties who snaps his fingers as he stands just inside the open doorway, shaking the rain from his hair. His secretary waits patiently behind him, still shielding the case with his body. One bodyguard brings up the rear, standing with bovine stillness on the stairs while the other moves into the cabin. His neck is thick and his gaze is flat and unfriendly as he pokes a head into the cockpit for a quick inspection.

The pilots turn and Gilchrist flashes him a genial grin. "Jesus, you should warn a person." He waits for an answering smile that isn't forthcoming. Then he shrugs and turns back to his preflight check.

"You are not Henderson," the bodyguard says in an accusing tone.

Gilchrist's reply is cheerful. "Nope. Poor bastard got food poisoning. I warned him not to eat the bouillabaisse, but he wanted to go native. Now he's crouched in the bathroom at the Hilton, spewing out of both ends." He finishes with a laugh and looks at Sweeney, who joins in laughing half a beat too late.

"You are not Henderson," the bodyguard repeats.

"Wow, you're quick," Gilchrist says, giving a good impression of a man whose patience is wearing thin.

"We don't take off without Henderson," the bodyguard tells him.

The principal pushes his way forward. "What's the trouble?"

The bodyguard makes a gesture. "This is not Henderson."

Gilchrist rolls his eyes. "Look, can we skip the rerun? No, I'm not Henderson. Henderson is sick and the agency called me. My credentials are right there," he adds, pointing to the laminated ID clipped to his shirt.

"Let me see," the bodyguard says, making a beckoning gesture with his hand.

"Christ," the pilot mutters, handing over his ID. It is a fake, of course, but a good one, and Gilchrist isn't worried. Sweeney continues to work methodically through the check, focusing on his clipboard and his instrument panel while the little drama plays out. The bodyguard scrutinizes the ID.

"Vincent Griffin," he reads slowly.

"Excellent," Vance Gilchrist tells him. "I see someone's gotten the message that Reading Is Fundamental." He gives the bodyguard a thin smile. Usually Gilchrist prefers an easygoing approach, but sometimes playing the jerk gets better results. And it is always more fun.

He puts out his hand for the ID but the bodyguard holds it close.

"What are you going to do, press it in your diary before you ask me to prom?" Gilchrist demands. "That's my ID. If you have a problem, get on the radio. Otherwise, hand it over."

They stare at each other, bristling like dogs. From behind the principal, Billie speaks up.

"Excuse the interruption, Captain, but I need your order and the copilot's," she says, drawing every man's attention.

The principal turns to look and she gives him a cool smile. "Good evening, sir. Can I get you something from the galley before we take off?" She is inches from him and he steps back to take a better look at all five and a half feet of her. The uniform, dark grey and severe, does her the favor of showing off a fair bit of shadowed cleavage and a knee he wants to get to know better.

He returns the smile with his lips but his eyes are cold and small. "Vodka," he tells her. "On the rocks, and no cheap shit. I pay for the good stuff."

"Of course, sir," she says, holding his gaze a moment longer than necessary. "Would you care to take your seat? My colleague is preparing a selection of snacks and dinner will be served within an hour of takeoff."

She holds out her arm, indicating the cabin behind her. The bodyguard makes a noise of protest, but the principal waves him off with a few choice words in Bulgarian. Billie leads the way to the first row of leather armchairs. The secretary has already taken a seat in the second row, wiping at the rain-spotted calfskin case with a towel Helen provides. Natalie is on her tiptoes, struggling to close an overhead locker while the second bodyguard watches with enthusiasm for the way her breasts bounce against her uniform shirt.

He says something in Bulgarian to the secretary, finishing with a rough laugh, but the secretary prims his mouth. Mary Alice is in the galley, pouring drinks and garnishing small bowls of warm nuts with salt to make the men thirsty. She smooths the uniform skirt over her curvaceous hips and carries out the tray, presenting the refreshments with a smile. She makes certain that the bodyguards have a hefty glass of something cold and encourages them to drink up quickly before the plane takes off. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09N6VX4K7
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (September 6, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 6, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1886 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 365 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #15,645 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #30 in Women's Action & Adventure Fiction
- #112 in Espionage Thrillers (Books)
- #137 in Espionage Thrillers (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 7,630 ratings

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Deanna Raybourn

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New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Deanna Raybourn is a 6th-generation native Texan. She graduated with a double major in English and history from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of one, Raybourn makes her home in Virginia. Her novels have been nominated for numerous awards including the Edgar, two RT Reviewers’ Choice awards, the Agatha, two Dilys Winns, and a Last Laugh. She launched a new Victorian mystery series with the 2015 release of A CURIOUS BEGINNING, featuring intrepid butterfly-hunter and amateur sleuth, Veronica Speedwell. Veronica’s second adventure is A PERILOUS UNDERTAKING (January 2017), and book three, A TREACHEROUS CURSE, was published in 2018 and nominated for the Edgar Award. A DANGEROUS COLLABORATION was released in 2019, and A MURDEROUS RELATION appeared in 2020 and AN UNEXPECTED PERIL published in March 2021. The latest Veronica Speedwell adventure, AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTOR, will be published in February, 2022. Deanna’s first contemporary novel featuring four female assassins who must band together to take out their nemesis as they prepare for retirement, KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, will be published in September of 2022.

You can find her her social media links, blog, contests, and upcoming appearances at deannaraybourn.com.

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Alksped

Fun!

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024

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Oh, my… maybe because the protagonists are my age and ridding the world of all the injustices, I was especially invested in this book, but though ruthless; the sense of loyalty, friendship, humor, and strength of the four women shines through the whole book. The premise that a group such as the the “Museum” exists, that assassins can retire to become targets, and that the good “guys” win in the end are all wrapped up in the story. It was a wild ride!

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#EmptyNestReader

Four professional 60+ women find themselves at the wrong end of an assassination plot.

Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2024

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“Some of the dates are misleading; some of the names are lies. I’m not trying to protect the innocent. I’m trying to protect the guilty. You’ll understand soon enough.” What a great beginning for ‘Killers of a Certain Age’!

A secret organization known as the Museum, has been hiring and training assassins since WWII. Their original mission was to do away with any surviving Nazis. As the number of Nazis dwindled they broadened their mission to eliminate heads of drug cartels, dictators, arms dealers, etc. In the late 1970s the Museum hired and trained 4 women, all around 20 years of age, to form an elite assassin squad named Project Spinx. “Our job is to eliminate people who need killing”. Currently around 60 years old, Natalie, Mary Alice, Helen and Billie are on the verge of retiring.

For their retirement the four women are gifted an all-expense paid trip on a high-end, luxurious cruise. Once on board they quickly learn that the 3 Board members of the Museum have ordered their elimination. Now they have no choice but to find their wanna-be assassins before they themselves fall victim. It is kill or be killed as the women work to determine the locations of the 3 hiding members of the board and to do to them what they had ordered be done to the women.

Filled with humor, sensibility and intelligence these four brilliant women demonstrate that 60 is not over-the-hill and they stiil have what it takes. A fun, exciting read full of twists and turns as well as some of the more imaginative ways of assassinating a person that I have ever read about. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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C. M.

Great story for those of us of a certain age

Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024

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I am in my 60s and love reading about badasses in my age range. The book grabs you from the beginning and holds you till the end. It’s clever, hard to put down and will make you laugh.
I hope she writes a sequel

5 people found this helpful

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Yestergirl

Women of "a certain age" still can kick some a$$...

Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2023

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Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn is a light, "fun" read by a writer that is primarily known for her 2 Victorian Mystery series that star bright female protagonists. Killers of a Certain Age is set in contemporary times, starring 4 women who were recruited while in college and trained to be international assassins for a group working outside of the “system" (Reminds me of the series Alias with Jennifer Garner). They’ve been at it for 40 years now and are on their retirement cruise... but it's not all fun and games and something is afoot on that ship…

Many people have characterized Killers of a Certain Age as The Golden Girls meet James Bond. In a way this is true. Deanna Raybourn takes us on a journey with these women in flashbacks to establish who they were and their relationships to the players in the organization as we navigate the present day “situation”. We learn quickly what that situation is… that someone or everyone is trying to kill them. They are hard pressed to trust anyone from the organization they worked for, and have to play detectives (and killers) in order to find out why they are on the hit list now and try and stay alive long enough to try and get it cleared up.

Deanna Raybourn is a good writer and this is a good story. I found it to be on the lighter side with just enough to keep my interest, but not a lot to sink my teeth into. There is some humor, there is some danger, there is a interesting mystery to be solved and there are 4 main characters that you’ll like. I enjoyed it. And I enjoyed reading about those 4 women of a certain age breaking the molds that they would typically find themselves in with grace and some kicka$$.

5 people found this helpful

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Doug Holloway

Fun Read

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2024

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An enjoyable and quick read. The characters were fun and interesting. Great book to read at the beach or anywhere on vacation.

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Wendy Olson

never underestimate a little old lady

Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2024

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Great writing and intense plot. I read it in one sitting and wished there was more. I love how the heroes are assassins

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024

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I read through this book quickly, it was a page turner! I enjoyed the mystery and action. Along with the strong female leads. I would love another book with similar action and strong willed characters.

3 people found this helpful

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Margaret A. O'Kane

Intriguing plot

Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2024

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The idea of geriatric killers is new and interesting. Writing is good, but not hilarious as blurbs suggest. Worth your time. Could stand to read more about the murderous oldsteers.

4 people found this helpful

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deirdre harvey

Don't mess with retired employees

Reviewed in Canada on October 23, 2023

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An excellent novel with suspense, interesting characters and a clear warning that these are not women to be messed with, regardless of their age! It's a really good read.

JS

What a ride...!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2023

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I am a huge Deanna Raybourn fan, having read the Julia Grey series at least twice + recommended her to others. I confess I wasn't sure about this book particularly as it's a contemporary setting, but I need not have worried. The plot absolutely rockets along, fabulous locations, loads of twists and turns and intricate details of the "kills" - it's smart, funny and clever and I devoured it... No spoilers but I hope there's another book, I miss Billie, Natalie, Mary Alice and Helen already!

Arpita Chakraborty

A page turner for sure!

Reviewed in India on July 5, 2023

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OMG...why aren't more people talking about this book!!?? It's a page turner for sure!! Love, love, love the plot and all the characters and the style of writing of the author!! It's one of the best thillers I have read this year ❤️

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Yvonne Flückiger

4 ältere Frauen wehren sich mit List und Tücke.

Reviewed in Germany on March 15, 2023

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Sehr spannender Krimi mit 4 älteren Frauen, die nach ihrer Pensionierung als "Auftragskillerinnen" selbst verfolgt und ausgeschaltet werden sollen. Die 4 "taffen" Frauen haben mir sehr gut gefallen und ich hoffe, dass sie als Pensionistinnen weitere Geheimdienst-Aufgaben und Spezialaufträge zu erfüllen haben. Ob für's Museum oder als Freelancerinnen ist egal. Hauptsache zusammen. Ich hoffe deshalb, dieses Buch ist der erste Band einer Serie um Billie, Nathalie, Helen and Mary-Alice.

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JMC

Loved it!

Reviewed in Australia on April 3, 2024

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Great story, brilliant plot, love that the characters were of "a certain age", a highly entertaining and fun read!

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