Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie are back on the case. The "retired" spies when they learn someone bent on revenge is killing agents. Can they find out who it is and save their loved ones before the assassin finds them?

It’s giving Charlie's Angels! Except in their later years when they are trying to find the person who is trying to off them. The banter between the friends is amazing! Such a smooth read that I couldn’t put down. This was my first from this author but certainly won’t be my last! And you do not have to read the first one to dive into this one (though I certainly wish I had!!).

KILLS WELL WITH OTHERS by Author Deanna Raybourn is the sequel to the bestselling KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE featuring four, deadly, elderly women assassins. The gang is reunited when the fabulous four are called out of retirement by the head of an organization known as the Museum. Resuming about a year after the end of book one, the four are ready, willing and able to come out of retirement to take on what proves to be the challenge of a lifetime. Prepare to laugh at the snarky banter, but don't mistake this for just another cozy mystery because there's plenty of gory scenes to go around.

Four former women assassins of a "certain" age, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie, are rested and let's face it . . . bored out of their minds by retirement. An off the book assignment is just what the doctor ordered to cure what ails them. The challenge is to uncover the mole working on the inside leaking information, specifically a list of major kills carried out by the agency's assassins over time, while tracking down the Eastern European criminal seeking revenge by working her way down the kill list and ordering her own assassinations in retaliation. It's no surprise that the four retirees' names make a prominent appearance on that kill list. Their mission is to find and take out the evil queen bee before they get taken out. As the story unfolds, the ladies travel across the globe in a race against time to face the most challenging opponent of their long careers. Who will emerge the winner?

Author Deanna Raybourn excels at rendering well-developed, unique characters who are slightly larger than life facing seemingly impossible odds while delivering hilarious one-liners - all the while making it believable and entertaining. KILLS WELL WITH OTHERS is delivered via present and flashback chapters through Billie's point of view allowing readers insight into Billie's past and her trust issues. Interaction between the four friends is not always smooth highlighting the many nuances of long-term, complex friendships. The author's ability to showcase the character and relationship development in these women through interactions among themselves and others and flawlessly weave it into the story is the mark of an expert. The steadily increasing pace is driven by swift action through twists and turns as they race towards the final showdown. A snarky dose of humor lightens the load of blood and gore making KILLS WELL WITH OTHERS a witty, engaging, highly entertaining read that's hard to put down. Think Golden Girls meets Charlie's Angels and you have these four, intelligent, funny women defying their age who just happen to kill people who commit unforgivable crimes. Highly recommended to fans of humorous mysteries and suspense thrillers.

The girls are back for another adventure and this reunion is just as fun and engaging as you'd expect. Through all the twists, turns and danger, Rayburn manages to still maintain the humor and lightheartedness that charmed us in the previous escapades from our favorite "well-aged" women of mystery.
The characters themselves are well-developed and draw us in with their individual personalities and talents. The settings are beautifully described, making you wish you were there, hijinks and all. And yet, this is no regular mystery. It is also a beautiful picture of the connection and dedication that come with the bonds of lifelong friendship.
I, personally, can't wait to see what kinds of fast-paced fun and suspenseful trouble these ladies get into next!

🌟: 3.75

I loved the first book in this series, and you know how much I love Deanna as an author, but this one missed the mark for me.

This series is strongest when our fearless foursome are interacting and when they’re bantering? The book is firing on all cylinders, and SO fun. From the antics with the chicken to Taverner’s adorably smug persistence in helping Billie and her partners, the character dynamics were the strong point of this book. But the downside is I felt like it wasn’t happening enough. What I struggled with was the long (and I mean LONG) descriptive passages, because at times I couldn’t really see their relevance within the larger mystery at play.

I think when it comes to the mystery itself, it was okay, but not as compelling as other mysteries I’ve read of Deanna’s.

The main thing I struggled with was Billie’s behavior at times. I’m all for stubborn, headstrong characters who struggle to accept help, but the way she acted when having to rely on people (especially Taverner) got to be frustrating at times… Like GIRL, you are in a life or death situation, you need all the help you can get.

Overall, this was unfortunately a miss for me. It wasn’t bad by any means, but it simply wasn’t for me.

I’m officially a fan of the genre of mysteries/suspense, etc., that involve both humor and older protagonists. I’m certainly not alone: The Thursday Murder Club series has been wildly popular and been adapted for a Netflix movie (squee!). Deanna Raybourn writes in her acknowledgements of Kills Well with Others that she “never expected the response” Killers of a Certain Age received. So I am certain I agree with hundreds of thousands of other readers that I’m really glad she wrote a sequel!

Kills Well with Others lives up to the first. It’s every bit as entertaining, action-packed, clever, and droll. These four ladies may be in their 60s, but they can still pull off the killing of bad guys and defend themselves against those out to get them.

In this story, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice and Natalie are free to enjoy retirement after fending off their own targeted deaths by their own company in the previous book. But their Museum liaison lets them know that an assassination from long ago has come back to haunt them. The child of a bad guy has decided to take revenge, and they are in his sights. So they get back into killer mode and work to extinguish the threat.

Naturally, things don’t go quite as planned, and they end up on a chase across the Atlantic Ocean, Italy, and Eastern Europe. Raybourn not only takes readers on a fun adventure but delivers plenty of armchair travel delight. (Note to self: add Queen Mary 2 to my list of cruises to take)

And honestly, can I have access to the Menopaws app? Dang it, that’s a really hilarious and clever little detail.

There’s so much to enjoy in Kills Well with Others. Keep bringing these ladies on new adventures, Ms. Raybourn!

I ADORED Killers of a Certain Age and was thrilled to see Deanna Raybourn had a second book coming out in this series! I also just have a thing for Berkley books—I swear, they are the best, with fresh plots and amazing characters (ahem I may be biased 😉). Kills Well With Others is no exception. Getting to see where these women are after the first book was a treat in and of itself. Getting to know them better, and see them on another thrilling mission—plus the laugh out loud moments. This is another 5/5 book, and I highly recommend you read it! @berkleypub

Thanks @netgalley and @berkleypub for the review copy!

Kills Well with Others is the second installment in author Deanna Raybourn's Killers of a Certain Age series. The story brings back the quartet of sixty-something female assassins—Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie—for another round of sharp-witted, high-stakes adventure. The story picks up after the foursome’s forced retirement, which followed a betrayal by their former employer, the clandestine organization known as the Museum. Lured back into action by Naomi Ndiaye, the Museum’s interim director, the women are tasked with an off-the-books mission: uncover a mole leaking sensitive kill records tied to an Eastern European gangster with a penchant for vengeance.

What ensues is a global chase filled with clever disguises, brutal takedowns, and the kind of camaraderie that only decades of shared secrets can forge. Billie, the group’s de facto leader, narrates most of the tale, with flashbacks to past missions adding depth to her character and the team’s history. Raybourn’s strength lies in her ability to blend humor with action and Kills Well with Others delivers plenty of both. The dialogue crackles with snark—think Golden Girls with garrotes—and the women’s refusal to be sidelined by age or bureaucracy is as empowering as it is entertaining. Scenes like their strategic takedown aboard the Queen Mary 2 showcase their ingenuity, while quieter moments reveal the toll their deadly careers have taken.

Billie’s internal struggle with retirement and her lingering killer’s instinct (“I would be a killer until the day I died”) adds a poignant layer to the otherwise brisk pace. Once delightfully unexpected, the premise now feels familiar, especially as the “senior assassin” trope gains traction in popular fiction. While twisty and engaging, the plot occasionally bogs down in Billie’s introspective flashbacks, which slow the momentum without always adding fresh insight. Compared to the relentless page-turning energy of the first book, this sequel trades some of its propulsiveness for character depth—a fair trade for some, but a slight letdown for readers craving nonstop thrills.

Still, Raybourn’s world-building remains vivid, whisking us from Greek islands to Virginia hideouts with a keen eye for detail. The supporting cast, including the steely Naomi and a roster of menacing foes, keeps the stakes high. And the ending—satisfying yet open-ended—hints at more adventures to come, which I’d welcome with open arms. Kills Well with Others is a fast, fun read that celebrates friendship, resilience, and the art of a well-executed kill. It may not outshine its predecessor, but it solidifies Raybourn’s Fearsome Foursome as a crew worth rooting for.

Fans of the first book will find plenty to love, while newcomers might want to start with Killers of a Certain Age to fully appreciate the ride. Four stars out of five—because even if it’s not a perfect kill shot, it’s a damn entertaining one. This book alternates between the present and past exploits, including 1982, 1986, and 1994. No worries though. It all connects eventually.

There are friends... and then there are your Ride-or-Dies, The People Who Have Your Back (No Matter What).

One thing I’ve learned, over the years, is that it really doesn’t matter how many “friends” or “followers” you have, or how many “likes” you get, on whatever social platform.

The real test is when you’re at the bottom. Your ugliest. Your neediest (or, your I-absolutely-don’t-need-anyone-iest, which of course, is when you absolutely-really-do).

Because the people who show up for you then, in all your whateverness? They’re the ones worth holding onto, listening to, and sharing your best—and your worst—with, forever.

Deanna Raybourn’s newest thriller, Killers of a Certain Age, gives us a masterclass in the why... and does so, in the most poignant and sparkling of ways.


They’re a foursome, alright... but definitely not your killer Sex-and-the-City kind of quad (not even the and-then-years-went-by reboot).

No, the ladies at the heart of this series are full-on, literal killers... assassins, if we’re being entirely accurate.

[As a mentor tells them early on, “Do not grieve for the life you have not chosen... We have different gifts and are called to a different path. The world needs us to remove what stands between the good and decent people and chaos. We are necessary monsters.”]

They’re also well into their prime (for assassins, at least), having all crossed the age of 60.

They’re semi-retired... as they should be, having worked as agents for a shadowy organization known as the Museum, dispatching certifiable “bad guys” for some 40 years.

[Okay, so I’m a native Midwesterner. EVERYONE was a “you guys” or “those guys” or “us guys”... regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. It just works, trust me.]

Anyway, back to our female assassins.

Billie, Helen, Natalie, and Mary Alice—working together, on and off, since the late ‘70s—are reunited for a case that requires their particular strengths, histories, and expertise... because this one goes all the way back to one of their earliest assignments.

One of their first hits—that of a truly horrible man—it seems, is coming back to haunt them... with a little help from someone on the inside.

A list with their names is now out there... only made possible, obviously, by someone with
access to historic files.

And this case? It’s a doozy. An Eastern European gangster, who left unsavory progeny in his wake, after his demise... whose sole aim in life seems to be long-after-the-fact revenge for their father.

The worst part is there’s precedent. Another well-respected agent with ties to that case—known by these women—has already been murdered... with an unmistakable calling card, warning them of more to come, left behind.

Clearly, there’s nothing to debate. The foursome reunite for another escapade—this time, with a “support staff” that includes their significant others, wannabe significants, and a pair of cats [and hell yes, I’m grinning!!] in tow—on a madcap, dangerous adventure around the world.

Oh, and so you know how the media like to remind us that “age is just a number”? Well, Billie, Helen, Natalie, and Mary Alice are damned-well determined to live up to that. In spades.



Killers of a Certain Age, first of all, was an absolute breath of fresh air.

I mean, female killers—total badasses, smart and skilled—in their 60s?!? How often do we get to see that?? (Oh, hey, I’ll answer... NEVER.)

Seriously, what was the last book you read (or show/movie you watched) that featured not one post-menopausal woman, but four of ‘em, using their brains, their wiles, and kickin’ ass (okay, technically, killin’ ass)... on the reg? (Um, yeah, you didn’t, because that isn’t a thing... and more’s the pity.)

[Meanwhile, we still see movies featuring the likes of Tom Cruise, George Clooney, and Brad Pitt—all in their 60s—doing all the above, on the big screen, for millions of dollars, like it’s NBD. Ugh.]

But Killers of a Certain Age is about so much more than just showing how strong and resourceful women can be, at any age.

Because at its core? It’s a continuing (apparently, as it seems to be a series!) tale of friendship. Of the ties that bind us, oh-so-tightly. Of knowing someone so well that you can bicker and hate and love and heal, all in the space of a few minutes.

And that, well... at the end of the day, that’s everything, really, innit?

Final Thoughts...

While this book will appeal to many (many) women, no one who doesn’t identify strongly as a woman should worry about being put off by it, because this—as I’ve said—is truly a story about friendship, love, and longevity... things that tend to mean more to all of us as the years go by.

(Also? Not everyone is “straight”. Which is awesome. )

I can only hope that Raybourn sees additional outings in these wonderful womens’ futures... because I definitely want to see more of them. I’m not in my 60s, but they’re absolutely giving me hope... ;)

This is definitely going to be one of my fave books of 2025, because it gives me hope. Hope for OUR futures. 
~GlamKitty

Filled with flashbacks from previous jobs, this book displayed that being older doesn't mean one must lose one's deadly skills. Our team of assassins from Killers of a Certain Age are back for another off the books job, this time linking to one from the first book. The delightful foursome, Billie, Helen, Mary Ann, and Natalie are reunited, this time because a retired Provenance (intel) officer had been killed by someone with a connection to their first job. As the story, and suspects develop, it becomes clear that their history was leading to a complicated web back to the present. Full of action and excitement, this book was one I hated to put down.

This is a follow-up book to KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE- a book that I loved!!
I’m a sucker for a female assassin plot, so add in a GROUP of female assassins?? I’m in.
This book catches up with the team after a year of laying low since the events of the first book. It’s got the humor and tension that I’ve learned to love in Raybourn’s writing- all while putting a heavy focus on friendship and what being a true team means.
There’s also a few flashback chapters of the team when they were brand new assassins thrown in.
If you’re looking for a fun, adventurous book and you like the show KILLING EVE, this series is for you! ♥️

What A Fun Read!
Deanna Raybourn has written two of my favourite series (Lady Julia Grey & Veronica Speedwell) and now it looks like this series of female assassins in their 60's can be added to the list.
"Kills Well With Others" has four women on an exciting and murderous adventure across the globe in this hilarious and captivating follow-up to "Killers Of A Certain Age", a New York Times bestseller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Those lovely ladies of a certain age have been called to kill again. After taking a break their skills don't appear to be rusty but they do run into less than a clean job and once again there is someone after them making staying alive that much harder. I love the banter, energy and the appreciation for wisdom of people of a certain age. This is so much fun and fans of the THURSDAY MURDER CLUB by Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson books will jump on this speeding train.
I would happily read anything Deanna Raybourn writes - even an instruction manual!

****3/11/25**** Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This sophomore follow up to the first Killers of a Certain Age delivers global adventure, with the 4 "older" female agents traveling throughout mostly Europe in the search for clues and to unravel the mystery of a mole within The Museum. There is a good amount of detail on spy strategy and tactics, some lighter romance, and a thread of female friendship woven in. The novel also utilized flashback chapters to provide backstory on the events that led up to their current case.

Although I loved the first in the series (5* review from me), this novel fell a bit short for me in a few areas. First, I felt the character descriptions could have been more robust and frequently referenced to give the reader a stronger sense of who each person (and their partners) were. The differences between the women felt like they were mentioned maybe once or twice and then as a reader you would lose track of who was who as you went through the book. Or even facts from book 1 would be mentioned so briefly that you couldn't really remember the importance of certain people or facts - like the house that was destroyed, or who was the main case manager for the Museum. As a result I didn't care emotionally about these characters as much as I expected to. I didn't have a strong sense of how they would handle certain things or what to expect from them.

I also felt the narrative transitions were very abrupt. We would get a long chapter about current events and then we would jump back in time and have to figure out who was who and why were they there. Then we would jump back to current events. Or there would be a long technical description of some form of spycraft, and then we'd jump to the action. It felt disjointed to me rather than a smooth progression of events to a climax of the action.

Maybe it is just me, but this book didn't hit me as well as the first novel, and although I value the effort to represent 'women of a certain age' narratively, I can't rate this book as highly as I'd expected to. 3-stars.

Break out the wine! Four retired assassins are back at it again and this time the assignment for the Museum is tracking down Nazi stolen treasure. Deanna Raybourn revisits the four ladies of larceny once again and with one chirrup of surprise, I eagerly pounced.

Kills Well With Others is book two and could be read standalone, but definitely reads best after the introduction to world and characters and thriller action of book one, Killers of a Certain Age.

Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie thought they wanted the grand life of retirement and all their past safely done and dusted, but the greener grass on this side of the fence is, well, dull. So, a new job for the Museum has them slinging their bags and dusting off their honed skills for some late-life wet work. But, a tough job just got lethally complicated when they work out that someone’s out for a spot of revenge and some passed on the team playbook to their enemies. Conclusion, there is a Mole at the Museum.

Kills Well With Others was a surprise- I wasn’t sure there was more coming when I finished Killers of a Certain Age. I’m glad there was because I enjoy these sixty-somethings, their bickering friendships, individual skill sets that work together as a great team when they are forced to go back to back and protect themselves while finishing the mission. This is something of an unfinished case for them. Billie’s perspective tells the current and flashback timelines. Slowly, it shows that these flashbacks have addition purpose other than filling in Billie and the other’s backstory. Those old missions have something to do with the present situation.

Their global adventure is penned so well that it was like taking a fast and furious armchair jaunt which I appreciated. I appreciate the pauses to appreciate culture between action moments when the kill count went up. My only niggle was with the way Billie treated her guy with such rudeness.

All in all, this was an unexpected, but very welcome addition to the series. I loved seeing this team of gals get more page time and see them in action once again. A tasteful thriller aged to perfection.

Thank you, @DeannaRaybourn, @BerkleyPub, and @NetGalley for my free advanced copy. #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Kills Well with Others (Killers of a Certain Age, Book 2) by Deanna Raybourn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 359 / Genre: Assassin Thriller
Release Date: March 4, 2025

Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie might be in their 60s, but, you know, once an assassin always an assassin. These senior badasses are back in action when one of their own has been taken out and it’s only a matter of time until they’re next.

These lovely ladies take us on an epic adventure through Europe by ship, train, and plane. They’re seasoned, take-charge professionals who know what they’re doing. You can definitely read this as a standalone, but the first book, Killers of a Certain Age, is just as much fun with more background on these fabulous ladies, so I definitely recommend reading both.

This is a mystery with a lot of action and four mature ladies in the lead . I loved that they were constantly moving from location to location in search of killer trying to off them; I enjoyed the bartering and the sarcasm . I did, however think the story got way too complicated with a lot of details towards the end and it really wasn’t needed

4.5⭐ rounded up
They're back and at it again. Our favorite senior assassins are called back because of a security breach and possible mole at the Museum. While they might have worked with others at times, they were the only all female squad and often worked together. Now they are (semi) retired, but there's a possibility that they could be in danger. Alternating between this current case and the outrageous past ones that seem to be relevant, they continue to out think and out maneuver all obstacles. Riotous fun! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest.

If you did not read Raybourn's KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, you missed an excellent book about 4 women assasins who will never get carded at the bar. KILLS WELL WITH OTHERS picks up where the first book left off. It can be read as a stand alone and enjoyed, but both books are well worth your reading time.
Kills well pits these 4 friends and co-workers against a mole in their organization while working an assignment to stop the transactions of an Eastern European gangster who thinks killing solves all problems. The action moves quickly, keeping the moving through many disguises and actions to stay in one piece. LOVE,LOVE,LOVE this series.

4.25/5 rounded down

Thank you Berkley Books for the advanced reading copy!

I was so excited to see a follow up to KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, which was an easy 5-star for me. This one was just as entertaining, and it was super fun to return to the world of The Museum and our favorite retirement-age professional killers.

KILLS WELL WITH OTHERS picked up a few years after the last book, but it felt like no time had passed for me. It was easy to get back into the relationship dynamics of Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie, as well as their various partners and friends. Just like the last time, I think flashing back to some previous missions and their pasts adds so much to the story, especially in this case. This book has it all -- action, friendship, character development, and a bit of romance. Things started out seemingly cut-and-dry and, as expected, turned out to be very different from that. There were some great surprises throughout this one, and some fun new characters that added a lot to the story.

Overall, this book did a great job of continuing with our story. I'm so glad for this addition and hope there are more to come from these four! A perfect read to finish on International Women's Day 😉