Book Review: The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs asks is what would you do if your husband had lost your retirement nest egg on an investment, has been making you miserable, but has a million dollar life insurance policy? For these women the answer is both simple and complex. You hire a hitman and hope to get away with murder.

Four women, best friends, find out through the death of one of the husbands about the life insurance policies. The men meanwhile are scared by the death of their friend. They suspect foul play. They turn to a member of the community with a plan. The plan is outrageous and creates crazy goings on.

I loved the characters of the women and found them relatable. Not so relatable that I would follow their plan, but they are very human. The men think they've thought things through, but they are mistaken. Between the plans of the husbands and wives there is plenty of humor.

I gave this book 5 stars for the humor and the plotting. I thought it was an excellent first book. I loved the humor, the plot, and in the end all the characters. Surprisingly, I felt this is a book I might read a second time. If you enjoy action/adventure type books with plenty of humor, then this might be a good book for you.

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Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #590: Spies, Lies, and Alibis by Natalie Walters

 

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.

This week I'm waiting on Spies, Lies, and Alibis by Natalie Walters.

From the publisher: They were each other's first love. Now they might be each other's last hope. Perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Spies, Lies, and Alibis is an unputdownable binge-fest, full of laughs, heart, and mischief.

Cybil Langford has spent years hiding behind her polished, professional facade as the executive assistant to a powerful real estate mogul, where she's perfectly positioned to collect intel on her boss's criminal network. But when her mission leads her into the path of Lorenzo Ramirez--a ruthless crime boss with deadly plans--she'll need every ounce of cunning and charm to stay one step ahead.

Then he walks back into her life.

Ben Bradley is deep undercover for the FBI, living under an alias, as a financial advisor with a reputation for helping the wealthy and corrupt launder their money. His target? Lorenzo Ramirez, a dangerous crime boss with his hands in everything from smuggling to murder. But when a familiar face from his past suddenly reappears, things get . . . complicated.

The last time Cybil saw Ben, he was an annoying prankster--and her first crush. The last time Ben saw Cybil, she stole a piece of his heart. Neither expected to run into each other at a high-stakes fundraising gala where crime, corruption, and undercover agendas collide.

Forced to work dangerously close, neither knows the other's true agenda. Cybil sees the boy who once broke her heart, now a man whose motives are deeply suspect. Ben sees the woman he never got over but can't determine if she's an innocent caught in the crossfire or a willing accomplice. As they navigate a world of spies, lies, and fragile alibis, they must dismantle the walls around their hearts.

The intel is classified. The trust is fragile. And their covers are one lie away from blowing wide open.

Spies, Lies, and Alibis by Natalie Walters is expected out May 19, 2026 from Thomas Nelson.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds like it will be both fast paced and funny. And we all could use a dose of funny these days. 

What book are you waiting on? Leave a note in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing TBR lists. Thanks for stopping by! Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #581: Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart

 

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: Welcome back to Assassins Anonymous, where family is everything and danger lurks around every corner.

Assassins Anonymous isn't just a weekly recovery meeting for reformed killers—it's also a family.  

When Valencia receives troubling news that her brother has gone missing, she wants rush off to LA to find him. But she can’t bring her baby girl, Lucia.  Enter the other members of Assassins Anonymous—Mark, Astrid, and Booker, who offer to watch the toddler while she's gone. After all, they're three of the deadliest, most highly skilled people on the planet; what could go wrong?  

Turns out, a lot. Shortly after Valencia leaves, Mark is summoned to the lair of Zmeya, a Russian mob boss calling in a deadly favor—she wants him to kill Astrid, his protege and friend. Mark refuses, but Zmeya reveals that she knows the identity of Mark’s ex-girlfriend . . . and his son. Either Astrid goes, or they do.  

Meanwhile, Lucia spikes a dangerously high fever, and when Booker and Astrid take her to urgent care, they realize too late, that their fabricated identities are a real liability. Also, they don't know Valencia’s last name, let alone Lucia's. They can hardly blame the staff for calling the NYPD.  

Suddenly the splintered group is on the run from both the Russian mob and the police, dodging bad guys and do-gooders while trying to find refuge in a city full of surveillance cameras—all without killing anyone. That is, until Zmeya captures Sara and Bennett, and Mark is ready to throw his sobriety out the window.

Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart is expected out June 16th, 2026 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds like a good action novel with the possibility of some humor as they run around the city. And it sounds like in addition to the action that it might have some tender moments.

What book are you waiting on? Share it in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing To Be Read lists. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!

Book Review: Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

 

From the publisher:

Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, but Jane isn’t sure they’re going to make it to twenty. The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to an unsuccessful halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. When the couple goes to the renowned upscale restaurant La Fin du Monde to celebrate their anniversary, Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.

But before they even get to the second course, an underground climate activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies. Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.

Which means Dan and Jane are the only ones who know what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, maybe they can survive anything—even marriage.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley was released March 11, 2025 from Berkley.

My thoughts: I really liked the book.

The characters of Jane and Dan are an interesting portrayal of a midlife marriage and some of the thoughts that can cross someone's mind at that point. I like that they were still capable of creating plot twists in both their marriage and in the situation they find themselves in.

The premise was different. I like books that are about bookish things. That in itself was good, but adding the tension of the situation made it better. It definitely kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.

The pacing of the book was well done. There are some brief, but necessary, lulls. These allow us to see what the characters decide to do and more of how they are feeling and thinking. As the book progresses, the pace picks up until it is really rapid at the end. This helps to give the events a sense of urgency.

Overall, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I liked Jane and Dan and thought their characterization was well done. They paint a good picture of what marriage at midlife can be like against the chaotic backdrop of the events in the restaurant. And it had the humor I crave in the books I read. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy plots with action and humor. 

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

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.

Review: Fields' Guide to Abduction by Julie Mulhern

The book opens with Poppy fixing to do a "walk of shame" after having spent the night with her ex-boyfriend. But, everything changes when she discovers he is dead in the bed she so recently occupied.

Trying to recover from finding the first dead body in her life, Poppy agrees to go to Mexico to the opening of a new luxury resort. Soon though, it seems like there are bodies dropping around her like flies and she has no passport to return home.  Soon the passport becomes irrelevant as she is abducted. There are more dead bodies. Add a somewhat contentious chihuahua named Consuela to the mix and you have Poppy's somewhat absurdly dangerous situation.

I've enjoyed another series by Julie Mulhern - the Country Club mysteries. I was a little skeptical about this one going in. But, I was relieved to find that I quite enjoyed Poppy and the craziness around her.

I wouldn't call it a cozy because of all the action and suspense. Poppy seems to go from the frying pan into the fire. The man making eyes at her at the resort belongs to a drug cartel. It becomes harder and harder to know who to trust except for her very closest friends and family members. And the action in the book picks up as the book goes on until it reaches a fever pitch.

I thought Consuela was a pretty neat addition to the book. She humanizes one of the enemies and gives added depth to Poppy as well.

I give this mystery 4 out of 5 stars. It's well-written action and suspense. The characters are just being introduced in this first book so some of them lack depth,  but I imagine that will change as the series goes on. Poppy is fully realized and I love that she changes in good ways during the course of the book. I expect that even Poppy will continue to grow and change. I recommend this book to fans of Julie Mulhern as well as those who enjoy light action and suspense titles.

As of February 14th, 2019, Fields' Guide to Abduction is still available for free on Amazon. It's definitely worth a read. The third book in the series, Fields' Guide to Voodoo, is expected to be available at the end of this month.