Getting Old Is to Die For

Gladdy Gold #4

by Rita Lakin

Gladdy Gold may have gone from dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker to South Florida retiree, but she’s loving every minute of it. Between poolside gossip, a hot-to-trot boyfriend, and a booming detective business, life couldn’t be sunnier—until a trip back north with her sister Evvie leads to murder and mayhem starring the usual suspects.

Unbeknownst to Gladdy, her fellow detectives are hot on her trail. Sophie, Bella, and Ida no sooner land their tootsies in the Big Apple than trouble promptly finds them. But while the girls go deep undercover, posing as bag ladies to catch a criminal, there’s another surprise awaiting Gladdy. Her boyfriend, Jack, is in town too—and he’s reopening a forty-seven-year-old cold case: the murder of Gladdy’s husband. Can Gladdy and Jack join forces to solve a decades-old crime—and maybe heal some wounded hearts in the process?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Detective, Suspense, Womens

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

After being widowed at a young age with three small children, Rita Lakin began an extensive writing career, which has included staff writing on television programs such as Peyton Place, Mod Squad, Dynasty, and Strong Medicine, as well as creating original series such as The Rookies. She has won an Edgar Allen Poe award for her screenwriting, as well as receiving several other award nominations, and her two original theatrical plays, No Language But a Cry and Saturday Night at Grossingers, are still being produced around the country.

Series:
* Gladdy Gold

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting Old Is To Die For (Gladdy Gold, #4) by Rita Lakin.

This was my favorite Getting Old book to date. There's unfinished business that's keeping Gladdy from being honest with herself and Jack (Gladdy's on again off again fiance)regarding their relationship. That's the way Jack sees it. Jack and Gladdy would get to a certain point and then they find themselves at an impasse unable to take that extra step. Jack believes that impasse is caused by never finding the murderer of Gladdy's husband those 47 years ago.
That sets Jack on an adventure to find the one responsible for killing Gladdy's husband. Jack sets off for New York in an effort to meet with Gladdy's daughter Emily as well as his own daughter Lisa and their families.
So well written and with the same characters from the Lanai Gardens in sunny Florida. This story brings Jack & Gladdy's clan full circle as they enter a new chapter in their lives.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rita Lakin and her 3 other senior detectives venture to New York; helping solve a church cash theft and Gladdys friend Jacks starts the investigation as to why Gladdys, spouse, Jack died; answers are found.

[Drebbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been 47 years, but Gladdy Gold has never quite gotten over the death of her husband. Her boyfriend, Jack, wants their relationship to grow deeper so, unbeknownst to Gladdy, he travels from Florida to New York to try and find out, after all these years, who murdered Gladdy’s husband. While he’s doing that, Gladdy is in Florida working with her friends solving cases with their thriving detective agency. Unaware of what Jack is doing Gladdy thinks their relationship is over. Jack hopes it is just beginning – which one of them is right?

“Getting Old is to Die For” is the fourth book in Rita Lakin’s Gladdy Gold mystery series and it is the best one so far. While Gladdy and her elderly but intrepid gang (her sister Evvie, Ida, Bella, and Sophie) do use their detective skills to solve a case in Florida, most of the book takes place in New York and focuses on Jack’s attempt to find out who killed Gladdy’s husband (also named Jack). This works wonderfully since readers get to meet both Gladdy’s and Jack’s families, which helps develop them even more as characters. The New York scenes are excellently done and I could feel my mouth water as Lakin described some of the delis Gladdy and Jack went into.

While this series really can’t be considered a cozy mystery series, it is not hardboiled either. There are some genuinely tragic moments (the way Gladdy’s husband died) and some very sad moments (a case Gladdy and the girls investigate in Florida and the way her husband’s death affected several people). But Lakin does inject some humor in the book when Ida, Bella, and Sophie visit New York. Their reason for visiting there wasn’t very believable nor is anything that happens to them there believable, but it is very funny – something that is welcome in a series that can be a little depressing at times.

“Getting Old is to Die For” is a nice entry in a series that improves with each book. The first three books in the series are “Getting Old is Murder”, “Getting Old is the Best Revenge”, and “Getting Old is Criminal”. Enjoy!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the 4th book of the series, both Gladdy and her sister Evie develop a severe case of homesickness and leave Florida for a visit to New York and Connecticut. Little does Gladdy know that Jack is already in NY, trying to solve the mystery of her husband's murder so many years ago. Feeling left out, the other three "girls" of the gang also visit NY and have their own adventures.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an adventure. The "girls" having a fit that Gladdy and Evvie were going up North to visit family was so childish that I wanted to skip parts about them BUT thank goodness I didn't cause that got FUNNY! 😂 Jack going to New York for Gladdy was so romantic and I admit I cried 😢. Please, please, please let them finally get together and investigate happily ever after😊. It was nice to get away from Evvie grieving over her murderer (sorry if I offend anyone) for awhile, but I am curious about the ex showing up.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting old has it's issues but the Gladdy Gold And Associates firm is keeping everyone on their toes. With their detective agency having older members (freinds) taking on different cases, their wasy of handling them can take a odd twist. When Gladdy and her sister Evvie go to New York the other three associates decide to go to New York after solving the case they where working. Trying to not run into Gladdys and her sister they manage to go undercover as bag ladies and uncover a criminal.

[Marisa Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a falling out with her boyfriend and dealing with a case about family, a senior sleuth decides to leave her home in Florida and visit her family in NYC. Meanwhile, the boyfriend, an ex-NYPD detective, travels to NYC to investigative a cold case - the murder of his girlfriend's husband many years ago.

Great characters - entertaining story.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story. Love these characters. Learning so much about Gladdy’s late husband and the dreadful way he died was very sad but their was enough humour to balance it out with the antics of Gladdy’s friends.

[G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that I am going to have to let this series go. I thought this book had more filler/fluff than actual mystery. More like chic lit with some mystery thrown in. My biggest issue though, and the reason I gave 2 stars instead of 3, is because the whole thing is written in present tense.
So instead of it being written Jack said, "___", it was written Jack says "___".
Normal reading experience: I heard the phone ringing and walked over and answered it.
How this author would write it: I hear the phone ringing and I walk over and answer it.
Seriously. It about drove me to distraction. I kept "fixing" the tense in my mind as I was reading

[Tory Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The "Getting Old ..." series features a team of elderly women living in Fort Lauderdale, FL. They work together to solve mysteries under their leader Gladdy. In this book, Gladdy's boyfriend decides to solve the mystery of her husband who was murdered in NYC when Gladdy was a young woman with a child. While Jack is trying to solve this mystery, the team of women are solving other mysteries including why a young woman refuses to visit her parents as well as the capture of a church thief. The characters are all appealing and if you like a "light" mystery, this series may be for you.

[Josi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable Gladdy Gold book. I liked the change of scenery. I also liked getting to meet their kids and grandkids.

[D. Wickles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series with the ladies of the Gladdy Gold Private Investigations. They are hilarious!

[Kiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great series.

[Paschalis]

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[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite in this series so far! These 5 ladies and a few others are such a crackup to read about! I can't wait to read more!

[Cathy Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

5*

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been asked many times to suggest a good mystery that does not contain sexual content or explicit language. Quite honestly, it is not easy to come with many titles that honor these requests. However, I just finished one.

"Getting Old is to Die For" stars Gladdy Gold and her troup of girlfriends, the youngest of which is 71 years old. They are living in a retirement village in Florida adn keep active by solving crimes. Gladdy is being pursued by Jack Langford who is a former New York detective. She is having trouble making a commitment because her husband's death 30 years ago remains unsolved.

Jack decides to go to New York to try and solve the "cold case" but does not tell Gladdy of his intentions. By the way, the daughters of both Jack and Gladdy live in New York.

The book has them all coming together in New York. Gladdy who feels a need to visit her daughter and her family. The rest of the girls, because they feel they have been snubbed by Gladdy, go to the Big Apple to have a good time.

The come together, to solve not only the mystery of Gladdy's husband's death, but are able to solve an unrelated crime in the process.

I would not rank this as on the great "who done its" but would classify it as a fun mystery that can be read and enjoyed by everyone.

[Spuddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There aren't many cozy mystery series I actively enjoy, but this is one of them. Gladdy Gold, age 75, lives in a condo complex in Ft. Lauderdale and she and her sister Evvie and three other aged ladies form the Gladdy Gold Detective Agency. They're a hoot and a half, and after four books now, I can picture each of "the girls" in my mind's eye very clearly.

In this book, Gladdy is trying to help her sister Evvie get over the loss of her boyfriend Phillip (who turned out to be a bad guy in the last book) and also wondering what to do about her own on-again, off-again relationship with retired cop Jack Langford. Jack, meanwhile, has decided that perhaps Gladdy can put some closure to her past if he can solve the murder of her husband forty-odd years ago back in New York. He's there investigating while the GG Detective Agency is working on a case involving a woman who won't return her aged parents' calls and they want to know why.

Light and funny at times, serious and poignant at others, this series is very character-driven, although the mysteries themselves are also quite interesting if not real brain-teasers. Glad there are a few more left before I catch up to the most recent one.

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read about a group of 5 women, living in a senior retirement place in Florida who form a detective agency that advertises “Senior Sleuths for the Senior Citizen.” Gladdy Gold and Associates are all in their 70s. Gladdy is maybe in love with Jack, a retired NY cop, but can’t really be free of her first husband – also named Jack. Jack (1st husband) was murdered in NY when their daughter was 11. Jack’s killer was never found. Jack (retired cop) thinks that if he goes back to NY and solves the 40 year old murder, maybe Gladdy will be free and will marry him. He doesn’t tell Gladdy when he goes to NY, looks up her daughter and her family, finds they only live a few blocks from his own daughter and family. He sets about reopening the cold case, but doesn’t get too far. …. The story has a bit of Keystone Kops but it’s fun. The ladies are smart seniors but each with a story. A warm, witty romp … with a touch of real sentiment. Note: I believe this is the fourth in a series. I’m going to look for the other books.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#4 in the Gladdy Gold series. This series, about 5 retired / widowed women in a condo complex in FL keeps getting better. The five have formed a detective agency and solve cases ranging from murder, to a peeping tom in the complex, to a woman who won't respond to calls from her parents about their pending 70th wedding anniversary.
The novels are infused with humor and doses of Yiddish.

Gladdy Gold series - Gladdy and Evvie head north to visit family in NYC and Connecticut respectively. Gladdy is unaware that ex-cop boyfriend Jack is already in NYC, determined to reopen the murder of Gladdy's husband 45 years earlier. The girls, associates in Gladdy's detective agency, feel left out and fly to NY where after an encounter with the thief, they decide to trap the man preying on churches during the San Gennaro street festival in Little Italy.

[Rachel Kramer Bussel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Gladdy Gold series I've read, and while I would probably have been better off reading them in order, I was delighted with the introduction to these elderly sleuths, and the evolving love story between Gladdy and Jack. As a New Yorker, I appreciated their detour to New York, and while I was skeptical about the premise of solving an old mystery, Rita Lakin pulls it off. This mystery does have a dark twist, as befitting a woman whose husband was murdered and whose family was affected by his death. However, I wouldn't say it's morbid. There's some madcap humor when the girls make their way to New York, and Jack's devotion to Gladdy, and willingness to take a risk, is heartwarming. Lakin weaves multiple mini mysteries into the larger tale, and has made me a dedicated reader who is off to devour the rest of the series.

[Lucy Takeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I’m rounding my 4.5 rating up to 5. Watching Gladdy’s kids, Jack, and Morris trying to hide things from her was highly entertaining. The girls taking on a creep stealing the church donation boxes was a hoot. The ending is a perfect example of karma.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book of the GLADDY GOLD series
A N D
I love it.

Gladdy and her gang - each of them older than 70 - discover mysteries of the path and get to know again how valuable friendship and family is.

This time they head for New York......

Fortunately 5th volume "Getting Old is a Disaster" has been released in December 2008 and Rita Lakin is working on the next one: "Getting Old is Très Dangereux"

So get a cup of coffee and tea, a plate with cookies and enter you sofa.....
You will not leave before the end of the story

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a cozy series. The main characters are a group of senior citizens that live in a community in Florida. I read the paperback version of this book and have to say that I wish more books included the information this one did. Inside the front cover was a list of all the characters - with a brief description, a map of the area involved, and a translation of Yiddish terms used throughout the book. I found the characters well developed and the dialogue flowed very well. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Rita Lakin's books. They're funny, just a touch irreverent, and not meant to be taken too seriously. That said, I liked the first three books in this series better than I did this one. While this one has some excellent moments, it also had too much exposition. I felt I was told more of the story than I got to experience with Gladys and the girls. I hope that changes back with the fifth book, which I will definitely read.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really don't know what to say about the Gladdy Gold books. I love them! Although this one is not my favorite. There was no real mystery. Unless you count the search for the murderer of Gladdy's first husband. I missed the real murder mystery. Nonetheless, it was a fun read and I loved the girls! They just packed their stuff, after Gladdy and Evvie decide to go to their families, and go to New York for their own adventure! It's not a huge review, but I don't think the Gladdy books need that!

[D.L. Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I meant to pick up Getting old is a disaster, which was a 2010 left award winner. Instead I picked up this book. It was a cute story, weaved back and forth between 1961 and present. The characters are Yiddish, set in their ways, usually mad at each other. This was a story within a story. I hope I like Getting old is a disaster more than I liked this one.

[Emilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore the pack of elderly detectives! This one did not disappoint me again :D Though a bit more serious as Jack goes to New York to try to solve the very old case - the murder of Gladdy's first husband...
And of course - the whole gang meats up there "accidentally", each of them solving their own mystery...
:D

[Sylvia O · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason I found this book hard to get into, but once I did, I enjoyed it. The story lines range from heartwarming to heart breaking to silly, but are all well-told. This is the second book I've read in this series. The series is definitely more cozy than mystery, but the books are reasonably well-written and an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

The murder in this book was an old cold case. I liked how it was handled. Not the outcome expected, however, very realistic. The other mystery was another lesson in life, then the 3rd mystery was just fun.

Every book this Author writes is a winner for me.