Book review: Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
Genre: Thriller
Release date: August 12, 2025
Goodreads rating: 4.32
My rating: 4.5
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This was my first Samantha Downing book, and I am now hooked!
In Too Old for This by Samantha Downing, Lottie Jones is a church-going septuagenarian who, in her younger days, was a serial killer! She managed to avoid getting caught and was living her old years peacefully until investigative journalist Plum Dixon showed up at her door wanting to do a documentary about the ‘wrongful’ murder charges that had been placed upon her years prior. Fearing that her cover would get blown, and charges reopened, Lottie came out of ‘serial killer’ retirement.
I was captivated by this book from start to finish. I could not decide if I was rooting for Lottie to get away with her crimes or hoping she would get caught! Right up until the end of the book, I wondered which way things would go and waivered on my preference. I was hooked. It was a great plot line.
The writing style also drew me in: short chapters, fast paced, witty writing and told from the perspective of Lottie herself… It was fascinating to be in the mind of an elderly serial killer whose mind and instincts are sharp, but whose body can’t always keep up.
It’s an original story that I highly recommend! Just make sure to clear your calendar… binging this book in 1 or 2 sittings is highly likely!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.