As a book reviewer, I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher or author to facilitate this review. I received no other compensation, and all opinions are always 100% my own.
Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are professional killers of, well, a certain age, ranging from their 50s to early 70s. They’re loyal to each other and share a lot of history. But they’ve been put on the shelf, so to speak–over a year has passed since they were nearly killed after their official but forced retirement (told in Killers of a Certain Age, which I loved!). And that can be hard for women who are used to a lot of action. Billie is living in the Greek countryside with a gorgeous man who’s also a great cook, but she’s feeling restless, and the others are feeling the same. So, when they receive cryptic messages from The Museum, their old employer, they meet up to learn their new assignment.
Turns out their new assignment isn’t officially from The Museum, but rather a secret, off-the-books from their former director, Naomi Ndiaye. The Museum has a mole, who’s leaking information on old assassinations and those who did the deeds, and as a result an old case has sprung to life, with surviving family members seeking revenge. The four are now targets. Naomi gets them every help she can, and they’re off on a far-ranging assignment that will take them on the high seas and all over Europe. From an assassination on a luxury cruise to a train racketing through the Montenegrin mountains to a Venetian palazzo, the four are constantly in danger, figuring out who can be trusted.
The women are all masters at what they do, each with their own speciality. They take advantage of the fact that older women are virtually invisible and often not taken seriously when they are noticed. They’re close-knit and loyal, used to thinking on their feet ( and occasionally thinking of their feet as well–they’re not getting any younger!). As things progress, they find themselves seeking answers in the past, searching for someone they hadn’t even known existed.
Kills Well With Others is such a fun read! I loved the first one in this series as well (sure the books can be read separately, but why? Treat yourself!). Billie and her friends are engaging characters, even if their lives’ work isn’t something any of us would choose to do. The four react to situations with creativity and humor, and while the book would be categorized as fast-paced and plot-driven, there is plenty of character development as well. Plus, the author is adept as creating lived-in descriptions of all their locales. Highly recommended.
