While I enjoyed Deanna Raybourn’s Kills Well with Others, it wasn’t as fresh as the first book, Killers of a Certain Age. While the idea of four female retired assassins was new at the time of the first book, it seems there’s an abundance of these titles now.
For years, Billie Webster and three other women, Helene, Mary Alice, and Natalie, were professional assassins working for a British organization called the Museum. They’ve retired, but after a massive shake-up when members of the administration tried to kill them, the four women have been called back. Someone has killed an assassin, and the death may be connected to a recent security breach. Worst of all, all four women could be targets because of a case in the past when they took out a Bulgarian. Are they targets of the man’s son? They accomplish their goal of killing their target on their Queen Mary 2 trip, but it only grows more complicated with a web that goes back to World War II and art smuggling. Now, as they hide in plain site, and travel across Europe and Asia, they attempt to complete a job they started over thirty years earlier.
Fans of Killers of a Certain Age will enjoy the return of the four senior assassins whose escapades from the past and present are intermixed in a fast-paced, humorous adventure. The books stand out with the wit and unlikely friendships. However, as I said, the idea isn’t quite as fresh with this second novel.
Deanna Raybourn’s website is https://www.deannaraybourn.com/
Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn. Berkley, 2025. ISBN 9780593638514 (hardcover), 368p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I read a galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley, with no promise of a positive review.
Yes, suddenly older women assassins/killers/CIA agents are everywhere. I started the first book but had too many others at the time, and I am waiting for the Kindle edition to try again. I liked the Tess Gerritsen and Cindy Dees books about a similar group, so we’ll see. But Elizabeth in The Thursday Murder Club remains on top.
I think you’ll like the first one, Jeff. You can then skip the second one.
I am glad you talked about this one, Lesa. Yes, lots of ‘senior’ sleuths and also now ‘senior’ assassins. Who’d have predicted that one especially? Ha! I read the first book and discussed it with my mystery book group. Not sure I’ll read this one. Maybe. I get a little tired of some of these tropes which seem to just overwhelm readers with fifty-jillion books with sort of the same storyline. Am I weird? LOL
I came to Deanna’s KILLERS books from being a ginormous fan of her historical mystery series, THE VERONICA SPEEDWELL MYSTERIES. I enjoy Deanna’s take on this more modern topic of older female assassins but if you want a little more fun, I’d recommend the Veronica Speedwell series. It truly sparkles my insides ( ;