Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

37 reviews

nneka23's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

A fun thriller of a ride that explores the meaning of aging while also giving us a glimpse of what it must be like to be a professional assassin. I enjoyed all the little adventures and missions the group went on throughout the book and I thought the flashback chapters were really enlightening for the reader. Overall this was an easy read - so many aspects of it were  attention-grabbing and I had a great time thanks to the clever execution. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Violence, and Gore

Minor: Cancer

The fight/assassination scenes are pretty detailed, so keep that in mind if you’re squeamish.

maddies_bookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

The description says Golden Girls meets James Bond, I think it’s more RED meets Kingsman and the Golden Girls. I was skeptical when I started this book because it was within the genre I normally read but not necessarily something I’d immediately choose. However I am extremely happy I read this. It’s an amazing book in my opinion and I can see myself and my sisters in the characters (minus the assassin part). The entire plot was believable based on the characters and background information. It wasn’t outlandish or had so many plot twists it was hard to keep up. Highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence and Gore

bringitona's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Death, Body horror, Murder, Sexual content, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Blood, and Drug use

Moderate: Misogyny, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Stalking

Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, Abortion, Fatphobia, Vomit, Death of parent, Trafficking, and War

juniorgoldengirl's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Death

chelbelle122's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Blood, Death, Gore, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Alcohol

hmetwade's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Death

beepbeep101's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Violence, Blood, Gun violence, and Gore

Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Sexism, Cursing, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Stalking

aubrea27h's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

This was such a cute buddy comedy. Lots of murder but in a lighthearted way? I would love to watch this movie one day!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, Cursing, Death, and Sexism

catreynolds28's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.25

After four decades of working as elite assassins for an organization known only as the Museum, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie are ready for retirement. Well they’re not ready but they don’t have much of a choice - their talents are considered old-school and the organization has started to recruit more and more “gym bros” that like to blow things up rather than women that blend in and sever arteries with sharpened hair pins. The friends are gifted an all-expenses-paid vacation to mark their retirement and they get together to toast to the new chapter in their lives and live happily ever after. Just kidding - someone tries to kill them. When they discover top-level members of the Museum have ordered a termination order, they must rely on their experience, friendship, and several ways to make poisons from household objects to get their lives back.


Killers of a Certain Age is the movie RED if RED was a book, not the CIA, and the main characters were all women. It was fun. It was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed it. Billie was the narrator for most of the story and, while I liked her quick wit and sarcasm, her vague but tragic backstory didn’t add anything to the plot except to explain why she carries around a lighter. Same can be said for her “long lost love.” I also don’t really understand where her assistant/adopted daughter/minion came from and there was truly no explanation. Most of the characters had tidbits about them that I feel like were supposed to advance the plot but they missed their mark.

I’m a huge Deanna Raybourn fan and I prefer her Lady Julia Grey and Veronica Speedwell works to this book but it was cute. All in all it was a four and a half hour read and I think it was time well spent. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore

faduma's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, and Misogyny