Book review: I'm Not the Only Murderer in my Retirement Home by Fergus Craig

Genre: Cozy mystery

Release date: February 17, 2026

Goodreads rating: 3.89

My rating: 3.5

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I enjoyed this lighthearted cozy mystery and it’s colourful cast of characters.

The story revolves around Carol, a newly released convicted serial killer who is hoping to simply settle into a retirement home and enjoy the luxuries of life outside a jail cell. But shortly after her arrival, a resident is murdered and Carol finds herself both the prime suspect and also part of a club of residents investigating the crime. The characters all have a background that ties into this work somehow: one is a former cop, one was a crime writer, one a barrister and one a senior government official.

It’s a cute story that reads easily. The cast of suspects (residents, staff, external visitors) is large so at first, a bit of effort needs to go into keeping the characters straight but soon enough, their unique traits and backstories distinguish them easily.

I found that the charm of the book comes from the contrast of the humour mixed with the flashbacks of Carol’s past murders. There’s something quirky about seeing a former serial killer trying to fit into a new social group. Some of the humour also comes from the story being told from the perspective of older people who have no hesitation at poking into other people’s business.  

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

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