Showing posts with label Deanna Raybourn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deanna Raybourn. Show all posts

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Book Review: Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn

 

From the publisher:
"Much like fine wine, battle-hardened assassins grow better with age.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner

Four women assassins, senior in status—and in age—sharpen their knives for another bloody good adventure in this riotous follow-up to the New York Times bestselling sensation Killers of a Certain Age.


After more than a year of laying low, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are called back into action. They have enjoyed their time off, but the lack of excitement is starting to chafe: a professional killer can only take so many watercolor classes and yoga sessions without itching to strangle someone...literally. When they receive a summons from the head of the elite assassin organization known as the Museum, they are ready tackle the greatest challenge of their careers.

Someone on the inside has compiled a list of important kills committed by Museum agents, connected to a single, shadowy figure, an Eastern European gangster with an iron fist, some serious criminal ambition, and a tendency to kill first and ask questions later. This new nemesis is murdering agents who got in the way of their power hungry plans and the aging quartet of killers is next.

Together the foursome embark on a wild ride across the globe on the double mission of rooting out the Museum’s mole and hunting down the gangster who seems to know their next move before they make it. Their enemy is unlike any they’ve faced before, and it will take all their killer experience to get out of this mission alive.
Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn was released March 4th, 2025 from Berkley.

My Thoughts: 

It was nice to see the four 60 + ladies back in action. I appreciate that they are older than many characters in similar stories. And I like that they are active and not on the sidelines. They also have great chemistry as friends as well as killers.

The majority of the book is told from Billie's point of view. There are parts that are a flashback. And there are parts that are told from an omniscient point of view.I enjoyed the material told from Billie's point of view the best.

The book has a lot of action which is perfect for this sort of book. And the settings are are global which is interesting. This moves the plot along at a good pace. And afterwards I find myself curious about the places that they visited. The addition of a chicken to one location was funny and helped round out some of the characterization.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's well written. The characters are interesting. And, the plot moves along at a good pace. If you enjoyed book one, do not miss book 2. If you are looking for an interesting, action packed story with older protagonists, this would be a good book for you. You could probably read this one as a standalone, but much background is given in book 1. Do yourself a favor and check out this series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions nor my review.

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #524: Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings

From the publisher: Four women assassins, senior in status—and in age—sharpen their knives for another bloody good adventure in this riotous follow-up to the New York Times bestselling sensation Killers of a Certain Age.

After more than a year of laying low, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are called back into action. They have enjoyed their time off, but the lack of excitement is starting to chafe: a professional killer can only take so many watercolor classes and yoga sessions without itching to strangle someone...literally. When they receive a call from the head of the elite assassin organization known as the Museum, they are ready tackle the greatest challenge of their careers.

Someone on the inside has compiled a list of important kills committed by Museum agents, connected to a single, shadowy figure, an Eastern European gangster with an iron fist, some serious criminal ambition, and a tendency to kill first and ask questions later.  This new nemesis is murdering agents who got in the way of their power hungry plans and the aging quartet of killers is next.

Together the foursome embark on a wild ride across the globe on the double mission of rooting out the Museum’s mole and hunting down the gangster who seems to know their next move before they make it. Their enemy is unlike any they’ve faced before, and it will take all their killer experience to get out of this mission alive.

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn is expected out March 11, 2025 from Berkley.

Why am I waiting on this book? I love the idea of senior citizen assassins. I really enjoyed how she used the concept in the first book, Killers of a Certain Age. This one seems to be more complex plotwise. with them both searching for the mole and looking for a person with murder on their minds. 

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to out TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #433: Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that’s their secret weapon.
 
They’ve spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're sixty years old, four women friends can’t just retire – it’s kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.
 
When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they’ve been marked for death.
 
Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They’re about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman—and a killer—of a certain age.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn is expected out September 6th, 2022 from Berkley.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the idea of four older, experienced women working as assassins. And I like the idea of them working together to save their lives. I'm looking forward to reading about their cooperation in the face of danger.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #261: A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Veronica Speedwell returns in another adventure filled with secrets and betrayal from Deanna Raybourn, the New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Julia Grey Mysteries.

Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell is whisked off to a remote island off the tip of Cornwall when her natural historian colleague Stoker's brother calls in a favor. On the pretext of wanting a companion to accompany him to Lord Malcolm Romilly's house party, Tiberius persuades Veronica to pose as his fiancée--much to Stoker's chagrin. But upon arriving, it becomes clear that the party is not as innocent as it had seemed. Every invited guest has a connection to Romilly's wife, Rosamund, who disappeared on her wedding day three years ago, and a dramatic dinner proves she is very much on her husband's mind.

As spectral figures, ghostly music, and mysterious threats begin to plague the partygoers, Veronica enlists Stoker's help to discover the host's true motivations. And as they investigate, it becomes clear that there are numerous mysteries surrounding the Romilly estate, and every person present has a motive to kill Rosamund...
 


A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn is due to be released March 12th, 2019 from Berkley. This is the fourth book in the Veronica Speedwell series.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've had this series on my TBR list for a while. I like the way this one sounds. The remote island setting and multiple suspects seem intriguing. I might start with this one and then go back and read the series from the beginning, it sounds so good.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!