Too Old For This
- Judith D Collins
- Jul 24
- 4 min read
By: Samantha Downing
Narrator: Elizabeth Wiley
Penguin Audio
ISBN: 978-0593101032
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: 08/12/2025
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars ++ (ARC)
TOP BOOKS OF 2025
A retired serial killer’s quiet life is upended by an unexpected visitor. To protect her secret, there’s only one option left—what’s another murder? From bestselling author Samantha Downing.
Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.
Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends.
When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that.
But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might be the death of her…
About the Author
Photo credit: Jacqueline Dallimore
Samantha Downing is an internationally bestselling thriller author whose books have appeared on the Sunday Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Her novels include My Lovely Wife, He Started It, For Your Own Good, and A Twisted Love Story.
Her debut novel, My Lovely Wife, was nominated for Edgar, ITW, and Macavity awards in the US, the CWA award in the UK, and was the winner of the Prix des Lectrices award in France.
Connect with Samantha:
Exceptional Authors.
Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
Stay tuned for an exciting and fun elevator ride with the talented, international bestselling author Samantha Downing and her highly anticipated thriller, Too Old For This.
Coming Aug 2025!
Praise
"Samantha Downing is back on her thriller game" —People.com
"Samantha Downing's signature dark humor is cranked up to one hundred in TOO OLD FOR THIS, a whip smart story about a geriatric serial killer who simply wants to settle down. Walker-wielding Lottie Jones is as twisted as they come, and I, for one, will never underestimate the elderly again."
—Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark
"This riveting story unfolds with heart-pounding suspense, showcasing Downing’s masterful storytelling from start to finish."
—Liv Constantine, New York Times Bestselling author of The Next Mrs. Parrish
“This is Downing at her best. Delightfully macabre and so artful that the reader might well root for Lottie, even when she is psychotic to the max. The perfect recommendation for someone looking for something different and extremely entertaining.”
—Booklist (starred review)
"Deliciously dark and utterly addictive, this is a super-smart thrill ride with a lot to say about the way women are treated as they age and one of the most wickedly witty anti-heroines of all time! Brilliant!"
—Ellery Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of The Club
"Samantha Downing is one of the most daring and original thriller writers in the business. She hits another home run with Too Old for This, one of the twistiest thrillers in years and featuring as unique and intriguing a protagonist (or villain?) as you’ll ever meet. Combining tension with heartbreak and laugh-out-loud wit, Too Old for This is a fast and thoroughly satisfying read."
—David Ellis, New York Times bestselling author of Look Closer
“Twisty, clever, and wildly entertaining…delivers a Bingo-playing, retired serial killer who just might be the most compelling anti-heroine you've ever read. Samantha Downing is at her diabolical best in this darkly comedic thriller.”
—Darby Kane, author of Pretty Little Wife
"Nerve-jangling, all-consuming, and yes, even laugh out loud… the most entertaining thriller of the year. Once again, Downing has outdone herself with this smart, twisted, and downright sinister read."
—Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest
“Only the incredible Samantha Downing could create such a riveting, propulsive twisty and surprising and laugh out loud mordantly witty and inventive story! Fans of Richard Osman will howl with laughter and clamor to read this brilliant and yet heartbreaking take on a serial killer.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of One Wrong Word
“Downing delivers once again with her signature wit and impeccable pacing. Don’t bother trying to put this book down—give in and let it take you on one hell of a ride!”
—Hannah Mary McKinnon, author of Only One Survives
"So this is what Samantha Downing does best: makes the reader cheer for murderous women. Too Old for This is twisty, funny and downright dastardly - and I loved turning every single page to see just how far Lottie Jones would go. An incredible read!
—Rachel Howzell Hall, New York Times bestselling author of The Last One
"Witty, twisted, and unpredictable, Too Old for This features a compelling and darkly original narrator who will make you think twice about knocking on someone's door uninvited. As propulsive as it is wickedly entertaining."
—Heather Chavez, author of What We'll Burn Last
“Samantha Downing has been crafting excellent psychological thrillers from the get go.”
—CrimeReads
