Samantha Downing’s Too Old for This is a delight. Lottie Jones, a seemingly somewhat dotty 75-year old, is actually a serial killer. She’s never been caught, even though Spokane Detective Kenneth Burke has been trying since 1985. When Plum Dixon, a young documentary filmmaker, shows up at her door wanting to make a series about Lottie’s past, hiding her past becomes Lottie’s present, and Plum’s demise. Things only get more complicated from there. First Plum’s boyfriend shows up looking for her, then the police, and eventually Plum’s fairly deranged mother. Lottie has to juggle all of these dangers in addition to keeping up her normal-seeming life at her church. Lottie’s soon-to-be daughter-in-law also shows up and finds one of her victims’ finger in the freezer. How she maneuvers around all of these roadblocks at 75 may stretch one’s incredulity just a bit, but it is a lot of fun to finally encounter a killer who has to deal with arthritis, a possible hip replacement, and general aches and pains-and keep on going. Highly recommended.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I was hooked from the very start, could not put the book down. The main character is super devious and cunning, you would definitely want her on your side if you were planning to commit murder.. It makes you realize to new judge a book by its cover, any age can accomplish anything they put their mind to.

Lottie is a retired serial killer who loves going to church bingo. Then a docuseries producer shows up who wants to end her anonymity and exonerate her. Lottie is then forced to come out of retirement to protect her privacy. Is she too old for the job now?
Hysterical, dark thriller that leaves you cheering for the killer.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

📖 ARC Review 📖

PUB Date : Aug 11th 2025

My Rating : ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Killer Stars 🙌🏼

Don’t let the copious amounts of tea and plates of cookies fool you into thinking Lottie reminds you of your sweet grandmother 👵

Once a serial killer…. Always a serial killer 🔨

Samantha Downing has this way of writing these story’s that are more twisted than a pretzel 🥨 and are so dark & detailed …she doesn’t leave out a single component!!

Lottie is getting ready for Bingo when there is a knock on her door . 🚪

A young woman named Plum is wanting to do a docuseries on Lottie’s past surrounding unsolved murders 👀

Lottie can’t let this happen , but she’s getting too old and not as nimble as she used to be …but that isn’t going to stop her !

Things spiral 🌀 out of control after Plums visit leading to more crime .

Lottie must use her smarts and tack to keep herself out of the lime light 💡

Will Lottie get away with more killings or will she end up a victim of her own demise 🤷🏻‍♀️

You need to read this one for yourself to find out what happens !

If you like books with serial killers , unlikely events , some cringe 😬 and great pacing , then add this one to your TBR !

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group & @smariedowning for this thrilling ARC 🙌🏼

Samantha Downing is one of my favorite authors. Since reading My Lovely Wife, I have devoured every book and I anxiously await her release each year. To say I was excited to read her newest book, Too Old for This, early on @netgalley is an understatement. Especially since it’s a serial killer story.

And a unique one at that.

I loved this book. A retired female serial killer? Count me in! The protagonist is sharp, witty, and incredibly clever. The pacing of the story was expertly crafted, and the supporting characters were just as engaging.

And that cover! 🤩

I will most definitely be pre-ordering a copy for my bookshelf.

Lottie, Lottie, Lottie! To know her is to possibly get killed by her. Lottie is old and has had enough. She is tired and knows when it’s time to put an end to certain annoying things, or should I say people. She knows what it’s like to feel invisible as you age. Society tends to not notice women of a certain age and Lottie capitalizes on that fact. Watch what you do and say around Lottie Jones. Saying or doing the wrong thing could be deadly. Lottie would be a great friend to have, but definitely not an enemy. Samantha Downing masterfully crafts a macabre, unsettling thriller sprinkled with dark humor. I loved every shocking minute! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my ARC.

Killer. Clever. Unstoppable.

Samantha Downing has done it again. A Twisted, Delightful Game of Cat and Mouse (if that were its title, which it isn’t) is a sharp, darkly amusing thriller that turns retirement into anything but restful.

Lottie Jones was living the dream—or at least, a very peculiar version of it. Small-town anonymity, weekly bingo, a close circle of friends who would never suspect a thing. But when a journalist comes knocking, asking too many very inconvenient questions, Lottie finds herself facing the one thing she thought she’d put behind her: murder. And let’s just say, it’s not as easy as it used to be.

What makes this book shine isn’t just its twisty, unpredictable turns (though there are plenty of those), but the way Downing masterfully plays with tone. Lottie is a retired serial killer, yes, but she’s also an absolute firecracker. Her exasperation at the complications of her old hobby creeping back into her life is as amusing as it is unsettling. And as if that wasn’t enough, encountering a character named Norma—a rare treat that felt like a personal wink—had me totally eating it up.

Tightly plotted, wickedly clever, and full of moments that had me chuckling at the audacity of it all, this is a thriller that doesn’t just keep you turning pages—it keeps you thoroughly entertained. Downing fans will devour this one just like I did.

Expected publication date: August 12, 2025. I know that’s a ways out, but of course, I couldn’t wait to read this one. I’ve loved every book Samantha Downing has written, and this was no exception.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy.

Funny and mysterious at the same time, with twists and turns you won't see coming. I love Samantha Downing's writing and wit.

It kills me to write this, but Too Old for This was so bloody good! Seriously, Samantha Downing killed it with her tale of a retired serial killer who just wants to enjoy the later years of her life, going to church, playing bingo, and enjoying her quiet time. Sure, thoughts of killing annoying people in her life might creep into her mind, but she keeps them to herself....

Lottie thought her days of killing were behind her. She is a grandmother now and has Bingo to play. But when Plum Dixon, an investigative journalist, knocks on her door and begins to question her, Lottie knows that all those unsolved cases might come back to haunt her, and she can't have that!!!

Oh, how I enjoyed Lottie and her inner thoughts. She was a hoot, and I enjoyed reading about her moral compass on what is proper and what is not. She is not as young as she used to be and well, murder - let's just say it can be exhausting. But Lottie is not a quitter...

Samantha Downing has delivered another clever, gripping, shocking, fun, and thrilling page turner! I could not put this book down! I loved every second of it. Lottie is such a well-drawn character and Samantha Downing made me feel sorry for Lottie with her aches, pains, and struggles while doing what Lottie does best! Too Old for This reminded me of An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good which I also adored. Not in the storyline or plot, but with the aging female serial killer.

This book had a nice amount of tension, humor, wit, cat-and-mouse, and danger. Lottie is a bloody good killer, and some scenes may not be for everyone.

Addictive, clever, dark, and hard to put down!

This book is so funny and mysterious at the same time. The main character reminds you of a grandmother but has a dark and twisted vice. Too Old For This is one of those mysteries where the lies just keep building and you don’t know how it’s going to end. I did not see the ending coming at all. It was such a quick read that kept me thrilled throughout.

When a Samantha Downing arc comes on my kindle, I pause everything! I have read every single thing she has published and that will never change! This one was a little different than what we have read from her before and I loved that! It was fun and fresh and deliciously addictive. The main character, Lottie, is hilarious and unafraid to do whatever it takes to protect herself and her true identity. The dark humor that Samantha does like nobody else is spot on as always! It was such a fun reading experience that kept me turning pages and dying to know what happens next. Watching Lottie handle all the twists and turns is truly entertaining and has you on the edge of your seat at the same time! This one is sure to have a lot of buzz this summer, get it in your TBR now!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Thriller
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: August 12, 2025

✨️ Retired Serial Killer
🌿 Dark Secrets
✨️ Web of Lies

Lottie has retired from her serial killer ways and just wants to live the rest of her life in peace. However, this all changes when a young documentarian visits her home, hoping to collaborate on a documentary about her near-conviction. Lottie panics and kills her, but Plum doesn't just disappear. Lottie must navigate everyone who comes looking for her and avoid getting caught.

Have you ever wanted to read about Dexter after he retired, but as a woman? That's definitely the vibe I felt throughout this book! 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 kept me on the edge of my seat! I felt bad for rooting for Lottie, but I guess that might just be because we're reading from her POV and she's literally an old lady now? I found the way Lottie manipulates situations to cast doubt on each lead interesting.

You will not be able to put this one down! I honestly loved Lottie, and 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 was a true nail biter!

Thank you so much, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley, for the digital review copy!

*My Most Anticipated Psychological Thriller Read for 2025* and it Didn’t Disappoint!!

“Chamomile or Peppermint?”

Lottie Jones, a 75 year old retired serial killer, does not approve of guests knocking on her door UNINVITED, but she will still smile and invite them in, offering tea and cookies because she is nothing if not polite. 🫖 🍪

Decades earlier, she changed her name and moved to Baycliff, OR, where no one has heard about the crimes she has been acquitted of in Spokane, Washington.

Now, Thursday night bingo games at the local church and enjoying her favorite conversation with her new friends-debating whose children has screwed up the worst this week-qualifies as excitement. (not that they are keeping score or anything!)

But when the persistent Plum Dixon-an investigative reporter-shows up at her doorstep asking questions she would rather not answer-

SHE IS FORCED OUT OF RETIREMENT

Why wouldn’t Plum just take “NO” for an answer?

Getting away with murder was hard enough when she was young.

Now, there is DNA evidence, Cameras everywhere and Smart phones tracking your every move-in addition to the physical challenges like bad hips, and memory blips!

But, she isn’t about to let a murder (or two) tarnish her golden years!

I am a SUPER FAN of Samantha Downing’s work. I love her snarky, twisted sense of humor and am always eagerly awaiting her next book! They are pure entertainment from the first page to the last!

Lottie Jones-if loving you is wrong-I don’t want to be right! 😉

You can meet her on August 12, 2025.

Thank You to Berkley for the gifted ARC, provided through NetGalley. As always-these are my candid thoughts!

This was so creepy and so good! I fell into a slump after this thriller! It kept me guessing with the twists and turns. Samantha Downing can do no wrong! I love the atmosphere and the characters. 5/5 stars!!!!

Samantha Downing has yet to let me down with her novels. I loved this one just as I have loved reading everything she wrote. The plot and story move quickly, and the end is satisfying. What more could you want in a suspense novel?

In Too Old For This, our main character is Lottie. Living alone in a large old house, Lottie, who is in her seventies, plays bingo and, yes—faced murder accusations decades ago. Though she was not found guilty, she did it. We learn this right away.

When Plum Dixon arrives on her doorstep, looking to make a docuseries about her, Lottie makes a swift decision that sets forth the adventure of this story. Turns out Lottie has a very special way of shutting things down to evade suspicion.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I could see this as a series, I bet it happens!

Old habits are hard to break.

Lottie Jones has gotten away with murder. (Well, multiple murders to be more precise.)

Now in her mid-seventies, she divides her time attending church on Sundays, and playing weekly bingo with her two closest friends. Ahhh…the joys of retirement.

But an unexpected knock on the door is about to change everything. A young woman named Plum wants to make a docu-series about people wrongfully accused of a crime. Oh-oh! Dredging up her past? Looking into all her murders…I mean, accusations of murder.🤭 Well we can’t have that, now can we?‍💁🏼‍♀️

Once a serial killer…

I adored Lottie’s character! Sharp, sly, witty and extremely dangerous! Everything I want to be when I’m her age. Ok, maybe not the dangerous part😉 Let’s just call it fierce.

Samantha Downing has done it again! A deviously fun thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Put all your weekend plans aside and enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing

Samantha Downing delivers another addictive thriller with Too Old for This, a darkly humorous and suspenseful tale of a retired serial killer whose past refuses to stay buried. Lottie Jones is a fantastic protagonist—sharp, calculating, and unexpectedly charming as she navigates the complications of aging while trying to keep her deadly secrets hidden.

With its fast pace, witty dialogue, and clever twists, this book is both chilling and entertaining. The tension builds masterfully as journalist Plum Dixon gets too close for comfort, forcing Lottie to prove that old habits die hard. Fans of dark comedies and psychological thrillers will love this razor-sharp, wickedly fun read!

Samantha Downing's signature dark humor is cranked up to one hundred in TOO OLD FOR THIS, a whip smart story about a geriatric serial killer who simply wants to settle down. Walker-wielding Lottie Jones is as twisted as they come, and I, for one, will never underestimate the elderly again.

✨ I’m going to need Ms. Samantha Downing to sit me down and explain to me exactly how she has me rooting for bad guys every single time. This one is binge-worthy and filled with dark humor, games of cat and mouse, heart-pounding suspense and an elderly lady you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley - but that you also kinda like. (Send help.) It’s an action-packed roller coaster ride and another hit for this author.

✨My mother is the same age as Lottie and in better shape than I am. She could 100% pull of the physical feats that Lottie does in this book. And don’t think I’m not side-eyeing her now trying to figure out what she’s capable of. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

✨This will be one of those rare books that I re-read because I can only imagine how fabulous Lottie will be on audio.

✨Watch for this one on August 12. I highly recommend for readers who enjoy:

🔨Endearing serial killers antiheroes
🔪Women over 70 main characters
👵🏻Characters you love to hate and hate to love
🔪Dark humor
🔨Cat and mouse

My thanks to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

Thank you so much to Berkley for this highly anticipated book!

SAMANTHA FREAKING DOWNING! That should just be the whole book review. This woman is INSANE (meant only in the kindest way possible)

If you've read Samantha Downing's books in the past you know they can get a little...out of the box crazy and sometimes extremely dark. While this one was very messed up and demented, it also almost had this light nonchalance about it too. It's very hard to explain how Downing pulls this off, but she does. This is NOT a cozy mystery, but it did feel comforting in a very messed up and twisted way. I think the comfort only went as far as the cookies and tea scenes honestly, but hey, it's something.

Another thing I love about Samantha's books is her memorable characters. I NEVER remember character names and can easily recall to mind the names of her characters in FOR YOUR OWN GOOD [(Teddy) Insert milk emoji IYKYK], A TWISTED LOVE STORY, and now I'm adding Lottie Jones to the list!

Lottie Jones is going to shock a lot of readers come August and I can't wat for everyone to read it!

4.5 stars rounded up!