Review By Gabrielle
These killers may be of a certain age, but they make for heart-thumping, laugh-out-loud fun in this delightful read by Deanna Raybourn.
Favourite Quote:
“There are those in the Museum who believe a group of women cannot be trained effectively to do our work. I believe that you can. You can, and you will. Women are every bit as capable of killing as men. And you have advantages that men do not. You are all attractive young women, and your appearance means men underestimate you. You will use this to your advantage.”
Goodreads Synopsis:
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.
I loved everything about this completely thrilling book. It is just so much fun! The pacing is fabulous, it doesn’t let up for even a minute. It is the kind of book you really can’t put down because you need to know what happens next. There are so many twists and turns as they try and figure out who wants them dead.
The characters in this book are brilliant and bad-ass but also human. Mary Alice misses her wife. Helen is still mourning the loss of her husband. Natalie is unapologetically horny. As you get further and further into the book, you get to know each one a little more. The book alternates between chapters told from Billie’s perspective and flash-back chapters where we see the ladies’ training days, how they became friends, and some early missions. I enjoyed the structure because it gives the reader real insight into the friendship and camaraderie these women demonstrate for each other. I loved how different each character is and how much respect they have for one another while at the same time, they don’t let each other get away with anything. Such a great dynamic between the characters.
I’m so glad Deanna made her characters “of a certain age”. We really don’t get to see enough older women heroines in books. Deanna included some important commentary on the role of older women in society; how we expect them to just fade away. I’m glad these characters challenged that notion. It was awesome to see them kick some serious butt and use their age to their advantage.
Don’t miss this highly entertaining and satisfying read.
Thanks, Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
