Getting Old Is Murder [Mass Market Paperback]

When Gladdy Gold's neighbor, Selma Beller, dies, Gladdy is saddened, but not concerned, at 75 and living in a retirement community, Gladdy is accustomed to death. But when her best friend Francie dies, Gladdy is heartbroken and begins to be suspicious since both Selma and Francie died around the time of their birthdays. Gladdy tries to convince the police that murder may have taken place, but they don't believe her so she starts investigating on her own. After two more deaths and a couple of autopsies that show the victims were poisoned, the police finally believe Gladdy. But will they be able to catch the murderer before Gladdy becomes the next victim?

"Getting Old is Murder" is a nice, humorous first entry in what looks to be an enjoyable cozy mystery series. Gladdy is a wonderful creation, very funny and still full of life (and romance) at 75. Her friends are all well written, with a nice touch of humor that makes them seem real but doesn't poke fun at the elderly. Each character stands out as an individual: the wisecracking Hy and his wife Lois; Gladdy's sister Evvie, a movie critic; Sophie with her slightly off-kilter cliches ("you're a broken record, play another"); Harriet who is young but lives there to take care of her elderly mother, Esther); Enya who never got over the loss of her family during the Holocaust; and Denny, the mentally slow handyman. Although the book is a cozy mystery and the elderly don't hesitate to solve the crime, it also shows the real problems of getting old, especially in the bittersweet case of Irving struggling to take care of his wife who has Alzheimer's. All of these characters are well written and come alive on the page.

The mystery itself is nicely done with some neat red herrings and when the murderer is finally revealed, there is a real motive behind the slayings. There are some minor flaws - Francie's death is well telegraphed (it's never a good sign when the heroine in a mystery wonders what she'd do if something happened to her best friend!). There's also some minor editing errors, such as when Gladdy remembers dropping a friend off at the dentist when she never did so. Not a major error, but enough to stop the flow of the story for a second or two. Rita Lakin takes you into the victim's minds as they are dying, which I found unsettling in a cozy mystery.

But these are indeed minor flaws and this is a very enjoyable, funny cozy mystery. It's worth buying just to read the scene in which Gladdy convinces a gang of teenagers to help her break into her car after she locks her keys in it. One of the funniest scenes I've ever read!

Laughter when sprinkled with suspence is an anti-aging formula, indeed. This book is a tiny treasure and I understand it's the first in a series...I am already eager for the next one. Rita Lakin is a rare talent who elevates ordinary human qualities of behavior into character studies that make even the simplest of people worth reading about. Ms. Lakin does this with love and skill-- a fine combination of qualities. I am buying many copies for Christmas gifts for special friends.

This book is a hoot. Gladdy Gold is funny and smart, with just the right touch of feisty. Her friends make the kind of mischief I want in my life now, let alone when I'm their age! This book is a good story, but it's a great read because these are people I want to spend my time with. Especially Gladdy--she's a character I want to meet again and again. This one will put some Florida sunshine into a wintery weekend. Dive in and snorkel for the answer to the mystery! Thanks, Rita Lakin, for Gladdy and all the great entertainment you've given me for years on the big and small screens. More, please!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 29 reviews  4.3 out of 5 stars