•Samantha Downing is one of those automatic-read authors since My Lovely Wife, so I’ve been anxiously awaiting her latest, Too Old For This.

•Retired serial killer, Lottie Jones, just wants to live a quiet peaceful life, but a surprise visitor one day throws a wrench into her plans (..or should I say, a hammer? 🤪)

•I was captivated from the very beginning and that didn’t dissipate as the book progressed. Thank you to NetGalley, Berkeley Publishing Group, and Samantha Downing for this ARC. It will become available on August 12, 2025.

Samantha Dowling’s Too Old For This blends dark humor with murder and midlife mayhem. The plot offers solid twists, though some pacing feels uneven. Still, it’s refreshing to see older protagonists/antagonists at the heart of the action. Sharp and surprising.

4.5 ⭐

Lottie Jones just wants to put her feet up. And really, who could blame her? After years spent in back-breaking manual labor (ahem... serial killing), she is plumb tired. And she's quite enjoying retirement, thank you very much. But it seems fate has different plans for Lottie. When investigative reporter Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about her past, she's left with no choice but to come out of retirement. Between sips of Earl Grey tea, rounds of Bingo with the church ladies, and her dadgum aching hip, Lottie is forced to return to her murdering ways.

This book, you guys... I can't tell you all how often I found myself laughing out loud while reading this unconventional thriller. Dark and disturbing and hilarious in equal measure, I absolutely devoured it. I found it refreshing and SO much fun having a septuagenarian at the heart of this murdery read. If you find yourself craving a wickedly fun page-turner, I can't recommend Too Old for This enough.

I was a huge fan of the short chapters! It caught my attention immediately and held it, which seems to be my biggest issue with thrillers lately. Our MC, Lottie, was, dare I say, so fun! Quite the character! The wittiest 75 year old cold-blooded killer. This one was a quick, fun thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed!

this was super fun! perfect beach mystery read. I loved the older character and the blasé attitude surrounding her murders. very graphic though, not for the squeamish!

Samantha Downing delivers a fast-paced, addictive thriller that’s impossible to put down. The first chapter pulled me in immediately, and I couldn’t stop reading. Lottie Jones is a serial killer like no other, and the wild ride she takes you on is full of sharp twists and dark surprises. I’ve read several of Downing’s books, but Too Old For This is hands down my favorite. Smart, fun, and endlessly entertaining.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was so voice driven and fun, which feels kind of uncomfy to say about a serial killer but - I guess that's where I'm at. I think this is a little long, but other than that, I had such a fun time with this slow burn suspense. Lottie was a hugely compelling anti-hero POV who had me rooting for her despite my better instincts

Samantha Downing does it again! This was unlike anything I had read before, as it’s about an older serial killer. No big twists at the end but still a solid four star thriller.

Samantha Downing's "Too Old For This" unfolds at a slightly slow pace, much like its main character. I kept waiting for a big twist that didn't quite arrive after that first blow, but I still really enjoyed it. Downing has a knack for dark humor and relatable characters, which made the story compelling even without those dramatic turns I was expecting. Interesting premise, could’ve done without the added side characters and more backstory on Lottie. Enjoyed nonetheless

Oh, how I loved cheering for this naughty and murderous old woman, who is by all accounts atrocious! Samantha Dowling delivered a definite guilty pleasure with <i>Too Old for This</i>, a thriller where there's absolutely no question over who-done-it, but a dozen questions over whether she'll get away with it.

Lottie Jones is a retired serial killer, a woman who, in the height of her youth, left a trail of murders behind her. Now, she's in her mid-seventies and the physical strain of homicide has become too much for her — or so she thought, until an investigative journalist comes to her door, determined to dig into her past. This is a deliciously well-written story of a bad girl whose quick decision leads to a series of events that quickly spiral out of control. It's a train wreck that you just cannot look away from. Would you like a touch of homicide alongside your septugenarian bingo nights, church pot lucks, and old-age wisdom? Lottie's got you covered.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkeley Publishing Group, and Samantha Downing for an advance copy of this novel for honest review. Hands-down, this is my favorite Downing novel to date.

Thank you for the free book, Berkley!

In this darkly humorous and character driven thriller, senior citizen Lottie has answered an unwelcome knock at her door. This knock has reopened a door to her past that she wished would remain closed. Lottie does something about it, but then her actions lead to more knocks at her door and more unwelcome people asking questions. Lottie begins to realize that dealing with her actions isn’t as easy as it was when she was younger, and her past won’t stay buried.

I absolutely love Samantha Downing’s books! She writes the best, most memorable characters, and Lottie is a new favorite. She is so witty and charismatic, while also being completely cunning and brutal. She’s the last person anyone would suspect as a criminal mastermind, making her such a brilliant choice as an anti-hero narrator. Speaking of anti-hero narrators, they are one of my favorite things in a thriller. I love reading from their perspective and the unique POV it brings. This book was dark, but also filled with moments of levity to break it up. I couldn’t put it down! The novel is filled with heart, humor, thrilling moments, and even moments that might make you ponder how we treat the elderly in society. It is truly a masterful thriller that I think any fan of the genre will love!

I have been eagerly awaiting for a new book from Samantha Downing after really enjoying My Lovely Wife. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I have been in quite a book slump lately, and was so excited to get sucked into this book- I flew through it in 2 days and was excited to get back to it when I needed to stop for work or life in general.

Many of the reviews I read had the complaint that the author discussed her age and her ailments too much, but honestly, it helped me remember she was old (since that’s not a common age for serial killer!).

I loved all the side characters (her son and his new wife, her friends at the church). They were all well written and gave a more full picture of the life she was trying to have post retirement. Those storylines also worked well as a palate cleanser for all the talk about gore.

The gore chat was a *little* much at times, I feel like some things might have been better insinuated rather than written out so explicitly.

All in all, I was flipping pages until the very end, and even read the last page a few times to confirm the ending!

So much fun? I want to be Lottie? This book was great. How can you not put this on your “to read” list just based on the cover alone?

I went in to this expecting - or rather hoping - to enjoy and not be disappointed and I was not let down. A great mix of wtf with hilarity. *chef’s kiss* Read this!

Lottie Jones retired, but not from a usual job.

She retired from murdering people.

She decided she was done with murdering, but one day Plum, a podcaster, appeared at her door, asking questions about unsolved cases and she just couldn’t let her go.

Lottie came out of retirement that day.

Oh she is an evil old lady.

We follow Lottie as she worries if she will get caught or get away with murder again. I honestly think she didn't care - she did it so many times.

She even thinks about how she will get rid of people who are annoying her in the store or anywhere she is.

TOO OLD FOR THIS is difficult to believe how she murders people and then gets rid of them, and you will be shaking your head at the things she thinks and does.

How does she get away with all these murders?

It isn't as gruesome as it sounds, but Ms. Downing certainly knows how to write a good book. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

YES, this was my first read by Samantha Downing and It's safe to say it won't be my last! This book had me hooked in and had me ignoring the dishes and the dogs! All I wanted was to keep reading! The ending gave me everything I wanted.

Darkly hilarious and delightfully twisted—4.5 stars, rounded up to 5!

If people would just mind their business, Lottie wouldn’t have to keep killing them. She’s just trying to enjoy a quiet retirement, far away from the whispers of her past as a suspected serial killer, a past she’s carefully buried with a new name and a fresh start for her and her son. No one in her new life knows what she may or may not have done, and she’d like to keep it that way.

But when a journalist shows up at her door hoping to make a documentary about her alleged crimes, Lottie knows she can’t let the past resurface. What would her church friends think? She thought her murderous days were behind her, but clearly, the hammer isn’t ready to stay in the toolbox just yet.

This book was such a fun ride! If you're a fan of thrillers with a side of dark humor, definitely add Too Old for This to your TBR.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall a decent read but not really my cup of tea.

Things I liked:
- The general plot and setup. It’s unique and intriguing
- The writing style and strong sense of character voice
- The second half of the book was much faster paced and engaging
- The secondary characters were interesting, especially Lottie’s friends and family
- The mix between cozy mystery and very serious crime novel

Things I didn’t like (all personal tastes):
- The amount of gore
- The amount of time spent talking about aging and mortality
- The main character can be a bit despicable, but that’s kind of expected with this setup

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Put this on streaming with Helen Mirren in a starring role. Clever, unique and good pacing. Such a matter of fact character that really makes you look at people twice…

Samantha Downing is an auto buy author for me, and her latest release may be my favorite!

I was fully invested in this story from the start, our main character was so intriguing and I was desperate to know her. The story has such an original feel to it, fans of the thriller genre will be happy to read. The author balanced the backstory perfectly with the current timeline and I felt like we got such a well rounded story by the end of the book. Add this one to your TBR!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

Lottie lives a quiet life—church twice a week, enjoying time with friends, keeping to herself. Oh, and she used to be a serial killer. Getting old isn’t easy, especially when you’re trying to bury your past (and not in the usual way). I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, but I definitely didn’t expect to root for the serial killer! Hooked from page one and couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend!

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.