Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

1. Too Old for This begins with a quote from Virginia Woolf: "The older one grows the more one likes indecency" (p. 3). What do you think of the author's use of it here? How does it set the stage for the novel? Do you agree with the sentiment? Why or why not?
2. Lottie kills Plum to keep her from filming a docuseries about her. What consequences would have ensued if Plum had been allowed to proceed, in your opinion? What other options might Lottie have pursued?
3. Do you feel any of Lottie's murders were justified, and if so, which one(s)? Which one(s) did you find the most disturbing?
4. Detective Kelsie Harlow tells Lottie, "People don't just vanish. Not in today's world." What did you make of this statement? Do you agree? Why or why not? How does technology make it harder to get away with murder these days?
5. Were you surprised that Lottie was never caught? Do you think she'll continue to kill people, or do you feel she's finished?
6. What do you think the book says about the aging process? Do you agree with the author's point of view on getting older? In what ways does Lottie fight her age, and in what ways does she give in to it?
7. On page 128, Lottie opines that the real secret to life might be to "stop trying to clean up everybody else's mess, and concentrate on your own." Do you think this is accurate? Why or why not?
8. Lottie finds the way funerals end to be depressing. "Everyone walks out and continues with their day as if nothing happened. That seems sadder than the death." (p. 140). Do you feel her take on funerals and death is correct? What's your opinion about the rite?
9. Over the course of the novel, Lottie starts looking at retirement homes in part because she's afraid that she'll die alone in her house, and no one will find her for a long time. What's your experience with aging in one's home vs. in a retirement community?
10. Whenever Lottie finds herself feeling particularly down, she fantasizes about killing Glenda, someone she interacts with often at her church. What did you think about this? Is it common, in your view, to imagine the death of someone you dislike?
11. On page 172, Lottie claims that "people put their interest ahead of others', even in times of tragedy…Self-interest always takes precedence." Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
12. Burke says that he's continued to track Lottie because catching a serial killer is his only chance to be remembered (p. 362). What do you think of this motivation? Why do you suppose being remembered is so important to him? Do you believe most people strive to be remembered in some way?
13. On page 365, Lottie thinks to herself that "People say they want the truth, and they believe they want it, but it's a lie…What you want, what we all want, is the story we believe in. And it's probably a lie." What do you think she means here? Do you feel this is true?
14. What do you think of Lottie's relationship with Archie? Did he do the right thing by putting a tracker on her phone? Was she correct to hide his parentage from him?
15. What did you think about Lottie in general? Were there aspects of her character you admired, and if so, which ones?
16. Which plot twist surprised you the most?
17. Too Old for This is Samantha Downing's sixth book. Have you read any of her novels, and if so, how does it compare to this one?
18. What other novels do you recommend that have a similar theme or flavor? Is there another author you can think of whose work is comparable?
19. To what audience would you recommend Too Old for This?
20. Overall, what did you think of Too Old for This ? (No spoilers in this topic, please.)

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Berkley Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.