Reviews with content warning for Blood - Killers of a Certain Age

I was torn between 3.5 and 4 stars for this one; it was a fun read despite its flaws. My book club enjoyed it as a whole, and we particularly enjoyed the New Orleans setting and the candid discussions of menopause. Honestly, it was refreshing to read a book where the main characters weren't in their 20s or 30s, especially when the main characters were assassins who had some very creative ways of killing people.

The characterization left something to be desired, as Billie was the only one of the women with a distinctive voice. I did like Mary Alice and Naomi's relationship dynamic and how that ended up playing into the story. While I enjoyed the training flashbacks at the beginning, they were pretty drawn out towards the end, and Billie's love interest felt highly superfluous. But again, if you can stop yourself from overthinking it, this ends up being an entertaining and action-packed read (with a clear warning not to underestimate the retirees in your life).

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mgmotley's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Golden girls meets James Bond

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the_book_nook's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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kcrockford's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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rachelle_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Who says retirement is boring? Four women who’ve been secret assassins for an extra-governmental organization for decades have been sent on a retirement cruise, just to find that they are now targeted by that same organization. They have to save themselves.

There’s a lot of violence/murder in this book. But you have to love these women. I do hope this becomes a series or movie (and I rarely say that!)

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abhirupa's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was such a charming book. The plot was simplistic but pretty airtight and it had a cathartic ending. I loved the concept and I wish we could’ve gotten some more anecdotes of the assassins when they were younger. Overall, a very quick and fun read.

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