A serial killing grandma… how could I pass that up?

I love Downing’s work and was so happy to add this to my list. This one was so much fun to read and impossible to set down. It’s quick-paced and darkly humorous, there’s lots of bodies dropping and all the ways it could go wrong had me turning the pages to find out what happened next. The end was fun and I loved the twist. I loved the title because my 78 year old grandmother is always complaining that’s she’s “too old for this shit” so I knew just by the title alone I had to have it, it definitely lived up to my expectations. Thanks to Berkley Publishing for my eARC. This one is out today.

Do you ever really want to like a book, but you just don’t?

That’s how I felt about Too Old for This by Samantha Downing.

I read the book, which releases today, as a NetGalley ARC.

I loved the premise. It’s about an elderly woman who was a serial unaliver who has to come out of “retirement,” so to speak, when people start looking at her old crimes again.

Such a unique plot line, right?

I thought the book would be quirky, so I didn’t go into it thinking it would be super serious or some dark thriller, but it just drug on for me. Honestly, I wanted it to be over at about the midpoint.

I gave it two stars.

Lottie is a woman of a certain age (70) who lives in an old house in a small town, who goes to church, plays bingo, has one son, and is very content with her life. Unfortunately, a young woman by the name of Wren comes knocking on her door one night wanting to produce a docuseries about her past as a woman who was at one time the prime suspect in a string of unsolved murders, and threatens all of this. Poor Lottie has gone to great lengths to escape those accusations - changing her name, moving her son and herself to another state, basically making a whole new life for the two of them - so when she thinks about how everyone in her life will look at her differently when they find out the truth, there's only one thing she can do - eliminate the threat. The problem is, she's not a young woman anymore, and the cover up of the crime just isn't as easy as it was back in the days before cell phone tracking, DNA, etc. A bigger problem, actually, is that Wren is not the only person who comes knocking....

You don't usually hear this about stories involving serial killers, but what a fun book!! Watching Lottie deal with unforeseen complication after unforeseen complication with a can-do attitude is extremely entertaining. The premise of this book is very unique and I really enjoyed reading it. The plot is engaging, the characters are well developed and likeable, and the pacing is spot on. There are enough twists and turns to keep you wondering what will happen next, so it's really hard to put the book down. The ending is also very satisfying.

All in all, I enjoyed this book very much, and I look forward to reading more of Samantha Downing's work.

5/5 stars.

*** Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Samantha Downing for the opportunity to read and review Too Old for This.

I absolutely loved this novel! I was rooting for Lottie the whole time! Lottie Jones is entering her sunset years, playing church bingo, and gossiping with friends, thinking that she has left her killer past behind. Then Plum shows up wanting to interview Lottie for a docuseries she is making about wrongfully accused killers. Lottie may be too old for this, but she can't let her past come back to haunt her now! This book grabbed me from the beginning, and was very humorous in parts. I highly recommend this!

Lottie is a retired serial killer who just can’t seem to just live out the rest of her days in peace like she wants to. This book is told from her perspective, and OH MY it’s so unhinged. Amidst the church lady drama, Thursday night bingo, and hip replacement surgery talk, this book is gory, disturbing, and so freaking entertaining.

I loved that the chapters were quick, the pacing was fast, and there was always something happening. If you need a book to binge this weekend or something to get you out of a slump, this just might be your book. You might hate Lottie, or you just might end up rooting for her. Either way, be prepared for a wild ride!

Thank you so much to @netgalley , the publisher, and @smariedowning for the gifted ebook! This is definitely one I’ll be buying for my own shelves!

Think there’s nothing new in the serial killer thriller genre? THINK AGAIN!

Samantha Downing’s latest is so entertaining and utterly original! 75-year-old Lottie Jones might seem like your average septuagenarian, a retired, bingo playing, church lady, but looks can be deceiving! Because Lottie was once known as Lorena Mae Lansdale, an infamous suspected serial killer. Although she was never convicted, she left town, changed her name, and lived for years in relative anonymity. Then Plum Dixon knocks on her door, wanting to make a documentary about Lottie and the trail of bodies she left behind her. Lottie can’t let that happen, so she’s going to have to come out of retirement and handle the situation.

Lottie is a freaking hoot and I could not get enough of her snarky dark humor! Sure, she’s a serial killer but she’s also so smart and funny and subversive that you can’t help but root for her. I loved the devious way she played up her age when needed, acting like a doddering old granny and hobbling around with a cane or walker to throw people off her scent. But make no mistake, she’s sharp as a tack and absolutely lethal if you get in her way. This bingeable thriller is twisty, sharp, and sometimes grisly, and I couldn’t put it down!

Too Old for This? Nah, she’s still got it.

This is about a retired serial killer who literally SLAYS this entire book (pun intended), and it does not disappoint. There are absolutely no slow parts to this book, and that’s huge for me to say. The chapters are short and I’m a big fan, as well as the plot really seeming to be one thing after another.

Check this one out, I promise you’ll enjoy it! Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I just finished Too Old for this by Samantha Downing and here are my thoughts.

Lottie Jones has a small life but it suits her. That is until Plum shows up on her doorstep.. Wanting to do a docuseries on the murders Lottie was accused of decades earlier… She doesn’t want this dreaded up but invites Plum in… Plum did see the face hit coming and now Lottie has come out of retirement to protect the life she has so carefully curated.

OMG!! I go in blind all the time but I wasn’t expecting this book to open with a bang and just keep banging!! The magic is in Lottie herself. She is so much fun… I mean for a serial killer but her internal monologue was quick and clever and she was ruthless AF!!!! She managed to pull off those murders, have her reputation tarnish and she got away with it all and a payday!

The pacing was superb! I need fast paced thrillers and this one kept a brilliantly clever pace that kept me glued to my kindle. The chapters were short (I prefer this) and packed a massive punch!! I couldn’t put it down. It was the most perfect cat and mouse game and Lottie really was 10 steps ahead at all times. She uses her age to seem dotty and old but she is sharp as a whip!

I actually found it funny as well as disturbing and that is by no means an easy feat! I totally loved Lottie and I don’t know what kind of person that made me when I was rooting for a serial killer to get a HEA but here we are.. HAHA

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time so this was the easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given a book!

All the bloody stars!! GENIUS WRITING!! I needed more from this author.

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for my gifted copy

Out today

This book solidifies the fact that Samantha Downing is my favorite thriller author. She has perfected the morally gray character and this book is fabulous! It’s hard to be a 78 year old serial killer especially when your are trying to not miss a Thursday church bingo or find a senior living community.

Thank you, @SMarieDowning and @BerkleyPub for the free book. #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #BerkleyBookstagram

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 400
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Release Date: August 12, 2025
🥳#HappyPubDay!🎉

Almost convicted for being a serial killer years ago, Lottie has since changed her name and is now 75 years old and living the quiet retired life. But when an ambitious docuseries producer knocks on her door to let her know she’s planning on doing a story about her, bringing up the past she’s worked hard to bury, well, old habits die hard. And before she knows it, her body count quickly escalates as she tries to get back to her simple life.

Apparently, retired old lady serial killers are my jam this year. I love women like Lottie who take charge of whatever crap life throws their way without wallowing in self-pity. She just figures out what needs to be done and does it—no matter how many people she needs to kill. I loved it!

Senior citizen Lottie is perfectly happy to live in obscurity and anonymity, but her tranquility is shattered when a journalist arrives unexpectedly and starts asking questions.

So she gets rid of the problem, so to speak, and plans to return to her regular routine. But that’s not how the story plays out, not at all.

This book is very similar to the children’s book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, except with murder instead of sweet treats. Every time Lottie thinks that she’s tied up all the loose ends, another string unravels.

Lottie is a very likeable protagonist, despite the homicidal tendencies. She simply wants to be left to her own devices, which is something we can all empathize with. She might appear meek and mild, but many people learn over the course of the narrative that Lottie is not to be trifled with. The combination of sardonic wit and practicality make this book darkly funny, and I found it easy to root for Lottie’s success in her endeavors.

I would absolutely recommend Too Old for This. The fast pace of this book held my attention and I found myself reluctant to put the book down because I needed to know how Lottie was going to get out of the latest snag. This is my first experience reading one of Downing’s books, and now I want to go back and devour her back catalog.


I received a digital ARC of this book from Berkeley/NetGalley.

Why let a murder or two get in the way of a perfectly nice retirement? 75 year old Lottie thought she left the serial killer game behind but some people just can’t leave well enough alone! Perils of getting older make getting away with murder even more challenging. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy for a honest review.

Lottie Jones is a mother, grandmother, and retired serial killer, just trying to live the last years of her life in peace, but strangers keep appearing, knocking on her door, asking too many questions. Wanting her life to go back to the way it was, she resorts back to her old ways, but the dominoes keep falling, putting her on a path to covering her tracks and just wanting being left alone.

This was a fun, humorous, suspensefully morbid read. Although she was a killer at heart, I couldn't help but love Lottie's character and root for her no matter the cause. Every time it seemed things were settling down, something would escalate again and put Lottie in a compromising situation. The plot was unique, and the secrets were meticulously layered one on top of the other, everything woven together by then. This was an addictive page-turner with a unique, memorable character that hit its mark. Any fan of mystery and suspense will love this one. Four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for this ARC.

A unhinged and dark comedic thriller, with a truly unforgettable FMC! This was my first time reading Samantha Downing, and I am kicking myself for not doing it sooner. What a great storyteller!

Lottie, 75, is retired from both her bank job and her life as a serial killer. However, something draws her back into that world, despite challenges like technology and her need for a hip replacement. From there, Lottie finds herself in a cat-and-mouse game, and this book becomes a wild ride!

Lottie was a hoot. She's quirky and cunning, with a side of snark. I loved seeing a geriatric FMC in an unconventional role. I couldn't believe I was rooting for someone with her, er, proclivities, but that's how compellingly the character was written. She's somehow rather endearing, although I wouldn't cross her! It's told in Lottie's POV, so we're treated to what's going on in her head as she tries to get away with murder(s) in an era of technology, which is outrageously funny. The secondary characters are all vividly depicted as well.

The plot is original and clever, with dark humor and suspense. It's fast-paced and twisty with short chapters that make it addictive. I binged this, and I loved it!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the gifted ARC

4/4.5 ⭐️
(ARC review) — Thank you to author Samantha Downing and her publisher Berkley Publisher Group. I received an Advanced Reader Copy for the 2025 release in exchange for my honest review.

8/12 Book Pub Post

A retired serial killer must protect her secret—what’s one more murder—knock knock.

Serial Killer. Been there done that—WRONG! It’s such a fun twist on a serial killer thriller, loved it. Engaging. Dark. Clever. Over the top but yet so fun! It was genius and unique. I devoured it! Trust me, you’ll somehow be rooting for this twisted granny because after all old habits are hard to break.

Don’t let her charm you with her tea & cookies. The FMC, mid 70s granny Lottie is sharp, sly, secretive, witty, deviously dangerous and has quite the body count. That poor Lottie is getting tired, let’s just hope she doesn’t get tired of you!

While this definitely isn’t a cozy mystery, it was thoroughly addictive and wickedly clever.

How about the title and cover—perfection!

Enjoy this new release—you’ll think twice before you knock!!

Listen! They should have left Ms Lottie alone and left her in retirement. She wasn’t bothering nobody, (anymore 🥴). This one absolutely hooked me from the beginning! Yes she was a serial killer.. Yes she discussed unaliving people in this story like we were discussing the weather lol.. but she was a RETIRED serial killer and now her life consists of bingo with her church friends, betting on who their pastor will flirt with next, & mailing gifts to her grandkids. That is until Plum Dixon shows up, insisting to include Lottie on her docuseries. I mean Ms. Lottie’s first words to Plum was literally “I have nothing to say,” so she should have left well enough alone. This one act sets off a series of events that literally left my jaw one the floor & left me speechless!

This was simply an excellent written and memorable story by Samantha Downing. Anytime you can grab a reader that early on & never loose their interest is pure talent. This was my first read of hers, but this one makes me want to immediately dive into more of her catalogue . In the audiobook, they couldn’t have picked a better narrator. Elizabeth Wiley brought life & personality to every insane moment and I was in awe at how much her voice matched the character I visualized! Simply put, I loveddd this one and will be recommending to everyone. Thank you Berkley Publishing Group & NetGalley for an eARC all opinions are my own.

Too Old For This is fun, crazy and creative. Highly entertaining.

I really enjoyed this unique and light hearted approach to a serial killer's life. I never thought I could use those words together, but Samantha Downing makes anything possible.

I loved this!

From the moment I started this book, I knew I was going to love it, and it did not disappoint. I love all the serial unaliver books out there now, but most have some kind of moral code- like they’d never harm anyone innocent. Lottie Jones, our FMC, has no such moral code. (Or maybe a very, very loose one.) But somehow I was rooting for her? I love how the author made her so likable despite well, what she does. (Lol)

When a journalist shows up to Lottie’s door wanting to make a docuseries about her wrongful conviction decades before, Lottie’s solution to handling that ends up causing her more and more issues. It was so fun reading along to see how she would handle each one. I thought the pacing to this was perfect throughout the book.

Honestly this was such a fun and unique book, and I’m sad it’s over. I feel like this would make for an amazing TV series, so here’s to hoping that this will get picked up!

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Fans of very morally gray characters, thrillers, and rooting for the villain.

Easily one of my favourite thrillers of the year!

Lottie was a very likeable character and I found the twists and turns throughout the book to be absolutely nail biting especially as I got closer to the end. The book also had a humorous yet thought provoking undertone around aging that I found intriguing. I would definitely recommend this book!

When serial killer Lottie Jones commits a murder decades after her last, she realizes two things: 1. She's not as young as she used to be, and 2. Getting away with murder is much harder as an elderly woman.

OK, wow. This book started off with a bang and didn't stop until the last page. It's not an easy task to make one root for a killer, but Lottie is quite the endearing psychopath. Luckily, most of the other characters were so unlikeable that it didn't matter. I loved how Lottie's past antics were intertwined throughout the book, giving us the perfect amount of character development to get to understand her but also keep the story flowing nicely. Being familiar with this author's past works, I was pretty confident that I'd be thrown for a loop or two, but honestly my high expectations were surpassed and this took the lead as my favorite of hers. Add this book to the top of your list!