I was late to discover Deanna Raybourn’s “Killers of a Certain Age” series, featuring a quartet of assassins in their sixties and seventies, so I didn’t have to wait long for this second story. In “Kills Well With Others,” readers reunite with Billie, Helen, Natalie, and Mary Alice a couple of years after the events of the first book, where they narrowly escaped elimination by their former employers. Now, they’re pulled from retirement again when it appears a surviving relative of a former target is seeking revenge on everyone involved in that operation. The ladies track down the likely suspect, but somehow, the danger only escalates after they think the job is done.

Raybourn has again crafted a clever mystery with twists, turns, and cutting wit. Her signature humor shines across a globe-trotting canvas that takes readers from familiar settings to exotic locales. The charm of this series continues to be the dynamic between these four unforgettable women, whose decades of friendship and professional partnership make for compelling reading. Readers are also treated to flashbacks that deepen our understanding of how these four women became the team they are today.

The international chase sequences are impressive. The writing showcases the author’s research and imagination. However, things started to feel drawn out and confusing about three-quarters of the way through the book. I got lost amid the rapid succession of European locations—Budapest, Vienna, and former Yugoslav territories. Everything kind of blurred together and gave me a “can we get to the end” feeling.

Nonetheless, “Kills Well With Others” delivers exactly what fans of the first book will be looking for: more adventure, danger, and heartwarming moments between these unforgettable characters. I have high hopes that this assassin quartet has more missions ahead!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to an advanced readers’ copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.