Killers of Certain Age

by Deanna Raybourn

---

Someone once said, “Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.” That has never been more true for Project Sphinx, a group of elite all-female assassins who are in their early sixties. After decades of targeting former Nazis, drug and sex traffickers, evil dictators, and corrupt officials all over the world, assassins Billie, Helen, Mary Anne, and Natalie are ready to hang up the Colt .45s and live out their lives in peace. Their organization, called The Museum, has sent them on a retirement cruise to thank them for their years of service. As Billie sneaks into a deep freezer to control her hot flashes, she notices something is off– another, younger assassin that works for the Museum is on the boat, and he failed to approach their group. This could only mean one thing: He’s on a job. The women investigate and soon discover their worst nightmare: He’s there to kill them. Even though the young, handsome assassin is no match for four women going through menopause, the group must come to terms with a frightening reality: The Museum, the organization they have worked for since their youth, now has a hit out on them.

This book is a fun, quirky read that reminds me of the style of Eleanor Ophilant is Completely Fine or Where’d You Go, Bernadette? The women banter back-and-forth while ruthlessly killing the people around them. While most of The Museum’s employees come across as serious types, Project Sphinx surrounds themselves with a light-hearted cast of characters. First, there’s Minka, a young Ukrainian app developer whom Billie saved from an awful environment. Minka has loyalty for the women coursing through her veins but maintains a sweet innocence that only youth can bring. Then, there’s Akiko, Mary Anne’s wife. Accompanied by her temperamental cat, Kevin, she volleys between love and loyalty for Mary Anne and the realization that her wife literally kills people. With their motley crew in tow, will the women of Project Sphinx be able to defeat assassins from around the world? And why did The Museum turn on them? Grab your fiber supplements, because you won’t want the action to stop until you find out the truth.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️