This is the third book in the series, though it's the fourth one I've read (I got the sequence mixed up with the previous book).

It's pretty good. The mystery is OK- although I have some quibbles with the set-up: Where does Philip get the cash? How do assistd living facilities not notice his pretty distinct patter when they are processing his paperwork? Who's the chick in Europe? etc.

Also, split personalities do not work that way.

Anyway, the resolution left a lot of loose ends; I guess we'll see if future books address them. I know #4 does not.

And while I found Gladdy's sister tolerable in #4, even though she spent the whole book sulking, her behavior in this one was abominably narcissistic, complete with tantrums. Gladdy indulges her too much- while Gladdy is the elder sister, little sis is **73** and plenty old enough to behave with at least cursory decency.

All in all, this called a lot of the series's aspects into question, which made it less fun than it could have been.

I'll probably read the next 2, since I have them on hand, but I am getting less enthused about the series. ( )

Getting Old is Criminal, the third book in the Gladdy Gold series, opens with another murder in the prologue. Chapter one takes up where book two, Getting Old is the Best Revenge, left off. Both elderly women are in hot tubs, but Esther Ferguson was in a luxury retirement hotel, while Gladdy is on a romantic getaway in Pago Pago. Just as things are getting steamy with her Jack, they get an emergency fax. It kills the mood and the getaway. Has it also killed Gladdy and Jack's romance?

Esther's son, Alvin Ferguson, believes that his mother's lover murdered her. He's hiring Gladdy and her gladiators to look into it. His wife, Shirley, thinks it's a waste of money.

Said lover is moving from Grecian Villas to another luxury retirement hotel, Wilmington House. Gladdy and her sister, Evvie, go undercover as residents to find out if 'Romeo' is the sweet man Shirley thinks he is or the killer Alvin suspects. We already know, of course, so we have more reason that Gladdy to worry when Evvie starts falling for the movie-star handsome charmer.

The Peeping Tom subplot from book two is resolved in a manner satisfactory to all but the Peeper.

A new subplot is Dr. Friendly, whom gladiator Sophie Meyerbeer won't hear a word against, although her friends think he's a quack. The potential dangers of polypharmacy (being on 4 or more medications), not asking questions about a new medication, and not getting a second opinion are covered.

The grief therapy session in chapter 33 not only helps some characters, it gives us a glimpse into Gladdy's heart. Some of the reasons for grieving appear to take the group leader by surprise, but that doesn't make them invalid.

If you've been wondering if there's a reason other than her personality that Ida's family never calls or replies to her letters, wonder no more. (See chapter 42)

Once again, Gladdy and associates prove that age is no barrier to cracking a case.

Notes:

Chapter 21: 'The lady in Red' is a famous old song not to be confused with Chris de Burgh's song of the same title. If you don't remember it from classic Warner Brothers cartoons, here's a video from the movie in which it appeared: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3glSBmLk9A (enjoy the Busby Berkely choreography).

Chapter 24: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a 1964 cult classic movie. That Sophie's friends are using the name for Dr. Friendly is a sign of how worried they are.

Chapter 25: Conchetta has a sister named Nina who has 3 daughters. They're hoping her new baby will be a boy. Here's also where we learn her Uncle Paco's wise advice.

Chapter 28: Sophie doesn't sing the first line of the third old song she sings snatches from here. That song is 'Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight,' which Dad used to sing to us.

Chapter 49: Do you call 'soap operas' 'daytime serials'? I don't. In any case, producer Glory Hill's remark about soaps being about love and sex, not scaring...the viewers suggests she's forgotten about the original 'Dark Shadows' soap. ( )

75 year old Gladdy Gold's relationship with Jack Langford, also 75, is just heating up - they are on a romantic vacation in Pago Pago when Gladdy gets an urgent fax that one of her friends is dying. Gladdy rushes back home but the fax turns out to be a false alarm and Jack is furious that Gladdy put her friends before him and breaks it off with her until he has time to think their relationship over. Gladdy is heartbroken and is glad when Alvin Ferguson hires the Gladdy Gold Detective Agency to investigate his mother's death. She was 95 and her death was written off as natural causes but Alvin is convinced his mother's boyfriend Philip Smythe killed her. Eager to get away, Gladdy and her sister Evvie go under cover at the Wilmington House where Philip is scheduled to live. Gladdy and Evvie are supposed to expose Philip as the killer, but when Evvie falls for his charms, Gladdy is working alone and in real danger of losing her sister, in more ways than one.

"Getting Old is Criminal" is a unique mystery. Although it has some elements of a cozy mystery, especially in having a group of elderly women running a detective agency and solving mysteries, and has a humorous side plot about a flasher, it is a bit darker than traditional cozy mysteries. Also, this isn't much of a mystery since it's clear from the very beginning who the murderer is - the only real mystery is whether he'll be caught before he kills again. What makes the book worth reading is the characters. All of the characters are well written and believable, starting with Gladdy who is still in some ways mourning the death of her husband and a bit hesitant about starting a new relationship. While Jack wasn't in the book much, I wanted to shake some sense into him for the way that he was treating Gladdy. Evvie's part of the story is heartbreaking as she falls for the seemingly charming Philip, a development that not only threatens her relationship with Gladdy but her life. The other members of Gladdy's detective group are also well written, with the standout being Ida who begins to open up to Gladdy about her estranged relationship with her son and his family. As I mentioned earlier, it's not much of a surprise who the murderer is, but the reason why he killed struck me as a bit unbelievable.

"Getting Old is Criminal" is a good if unusual mystery. ( )

Gladdy and her friends are back - hot on the trail of another killer. While trying to share a romantic rendezous with her boyfriend Jack, Gladdy is called home, thinking one of her friends is seriously ill. Only to find them all alive and well and stuck in the middle of another murder case. Jack is not happy with Gladdy's decision to choose her friends over him and decides they need a break. Gladdy and Evvie go under cover at a retirement home to smoke out the killer - only to find Evvie falling in love with him. I love this series. The characters are hysterical and remind me SO much of the time I spend in south Florida with my grandparents. All the alta kockers hanging out by the pool kibbitzing to their hearts content. I can picture it all so vividly in my head it's like I'm right there with them :) ( )