Book Summary and Reviews of Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

Reader Reviews

Write your own review

Mark S. (Blauvelt, NY)

Uncomfortably Enjoyable
Joseph Heller said that he wanted readers to laugh at Catch-22 and then to be appalled at what they were actually laughing about. This book made me feel the same way. How else can one explain rooting for a cold-blooded murderess? Lottie is equal parts cunning killer and typical grandma who occasionally struggles with evolving technology. Other than the gruesome killings (which is in itself ironic to say), she comes across as someone who really does fit in at church groups and bingo while also juggling the dynamics of a son in the process of remarrying a younger woman who is desperate for her approval.

When Lottie's "colorful" past is in danger of catching up to her, she is almost forced to return to what she seems to do best -- eliminate problems. What makes it even more entertaining is watching her have to account for those technological advances that both make it easier for her to track people but also so difficult to avoid being tracked herself.

Brilliantly conceived by Downing, this combination of traits provided ample opportunity for plot twists that caught me completely off guard. It also provided a stark reminder that it may be impossible to ever outrun the past. If dark humor is your thing, Downing's latest book is a great read!

Laurie M.

Too Old for This
Samantha Downing's new novel, Too Old for This, is such an enjoyable read! It's smart and witty with enough twisty suspense to keep the reader turning pages. Our narrator, Lottie Jones, cleverly uses ageism to her advantage as she's forced out of "retirement". Go ahead and pour yourself a cup of tea (Earl Grey or Peppermint?) and soon, you too, will be fully invested in her story. In fact, you may even find yourself cheering her on!

Dawn Z. (Canton, MI)

"I always cry at funerals and memorials. It doesn't matter who it is or if I'm responsible for it."
Lottie Jones is not your typical retiree. She plays bingo, prepares stuffed chicken roll for the church potluck, and critiques bridal gowns over text. She's also a former serial killer. These days, her biggest concern should be choosing a retirement home—but unfortunately, her past isn't finished with her yet.

Told in Lottie's sharp, first-person voice, this novel is a darkly funny meditation on aging, guilt, and reinvention. The humor is biting—after one early killing, she wakes up with "a bit of regret," noting, "I don't use that term lightly, because regret is one of the most insidious things out there. Arthritis is a close second."

Surrounding Lottie is a wonderfully nosy supporting cast: Glenda, who judges her for bringing store-bought spinach dip to bingo night; Bonnie, who spikes the punch from her flask; Sheila, who teaches her to cook; and her son Archie, whose upcoming wedding to a much younger woman with questionable fashion sense gives Lottie plenty of material for commentary.

Woven between church drama and family dysfunction is a thread of quiet menace—Lottie is still tying up loose ends, and people are still dying. The less said about that, the better.

This genre-bending book defies easy classification. Part mystery, part black comedy, part character study, it also reads like a coming-of-age novel—just one centered on someone in her seventies. Lottie isn't discovering who she is for the first time; she's deciding what she can live with, and what (or who) she needs to erase to get there.

Whether you're here for the blood or the bingo, this story delivers both—with a wry smile and a body count.

Charity M. (Herndon, VA)

Delightfully Deviant
I enjoyed this book WAY too much. It is a wild ride from the very first chapter all the way to the end. I loved the main character and her observations about people and life. Just an absolute delight of a horrifying book.

Jennie R. (Plymouth, MN)

A Sweet Little Old Serial Killer
I had a great time reading this one. Even though you know you really shouldn't, you can't help but root for Lottie. Lottie is a retired serial killer, now in her 70s, she's put her past behind her; literally, after being accused and exonerated of murder. These days she goes by the name Lottie Jones, church bingo and gossip aficionado. Then nosy Plum Dixon shows up at her door, and wants to do a docuseries on Lottie's past….a wrongfully accused murderer who's had to change her name and move to a new hometown. This is the last thing Lottie wants, but she plays along offering Plum tea (chamomile or peppermint?) and cookies while she decides what to do about this nuisance.

What follows is a hilarious, and gruesome, story as Lottie finds it necessary to come out of retirement and learn to navigate with new challenges such as surveillance cameras and smart phones that track every move. Lottie's sarcastic humor somehow makes her an endearing character.

Very entertaining read by Samantha Downing!

Jennifer W. (Cambridge, MA)

Funn
A smart, darkly funny thriller with razor-sharp wit and unexpected twists. Too Old for This delivers a fresh take on revenge and reinvention, proving that age is just a number when it comes to getting even. Samantha Downing is at her best—clever, wicked, and utterly addictive. As a person who feels to old for many things, this story was ageless!

...19 more reader reviews

Other books by Samantha Downing at BookBrowse