Quirky..
A peaceful and settled retirement home in New Jersey awaits septuagenarian Alice - bookclubs, friends and a generally relaxed existence. Or does it? It is not be - as when one incident unleashes a fatal sequence of events, all hell will be let loose. Quirky and rather delightful, with a cast of eclectic and eccentric characters and a frothy, madcap plot, this is a genuine slice of cosy escapism.

The book has a lot of strong points. The plot is captivating and there is a great cast of well-developed characters. The pacing is excellent and the story never gets bogged down. I loved the police interrogation scenes and the way they are interspersed with the rest of the story. And some of the writing was very clever. I did have one quibble with the book as I felt several times the author strayed away from the story and onto a soapbox. Nonetheless, this was a great read. Thank you to Netgalley and Severn House for the advance reader copy.

★★☆☆½ rounded up to 3

A Senior Citizen’s Guide to Life on the Run promises high jinks, hijinks, and hilarity—but delivers more of a lukewarm shuffle through plot points that never fully click. The idea of retirees ditching the quiet life for a rogue adventure sounded like a blast, but the story never really commits to the chaos.

Some moments are genuinely funny, and there’s a warm undercurrent about friendship and freedom in later life—but the pacing is uneven, and the characters felt more like plot devices than people.

There’s potential here, and a few readers might enjoy the gentle rebellion vibe, but for me, it didn’t quite earn its passport to excitement.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC of this book!

I am loving the senior sleuth trope that has become popular the last few years. This motley crew of detectives brings unique skills to the table to help bail out their friend and pin the crime on the real culprit. The novel alternates between comical police interview transcripts and traditional storytelling which was entertaining.

While I thought the idea was a good one, I thought the characters were a bit cliche and tried a little TOO hard to check off the diversity and inclusion boxes (and I am all about DEI) in a way that seemed forced. Overall, the story was a fun, easy read.

Omggg this is the best! If you like Richard Osman and Vera Wong books, any cosy crimes featuring older characters, then you’ll love this. It was humorous and well paced, and just a delight!

Prepare for a delightful dash through the world of retirement living gone awry in Gwen Florio's "A Senior Citizen's Guide to Life on the Run." This quirky cozy mystery delivers a heartwarming yet suspenseful tale that will keep you entertained from start to finish. 🌟🔍

The story revolves around Alice Sanders, a sprightly septuagenarian hoping to enjoy a peaceful life in the Timeless Pastures retirement community in New Jersey. But peace is hard to come by when her next-door neighbor, Babs, is feeding pigeons and turning Alice's serene garden into a war zone of bird mess and chaos. 🐦🎨

When Babs is found dead shortly after a spat with Alice, the tranquility Alice sought is shrouded in suspicion. The story's clever use of police interviews interspersed with the main narrative adds layers of tension and humor, drawing readers deeper into the mystery. 👮‍♂️🔎

Alice, along with her loyal friends Mia, Sasha, and George, find themselves on the run and dodging the police while uncovering hidden secrets about Alice's past. The group's antics and camaraderie provide both humor and depth, painting a vivid picture of seniors dealing with far more than bingo games and book clubs. 🏃‍♀️💼

Florio crafts a fast-paced narrative filled with colorful, well-drawn characters. From nosy neighbors to the quirky and endearing crew helping Alice, it's a breezy and enjoyable romp through chaos and crime. The story cleverly balances mystery, humor, and drama, though the ending may feel a tad rushed to some. ⚡️😂

There's a dual timeline element masterfully woven into the narrative, enriching the plot without confusion. However, some readers may wish for a more satisfying resolution, especially concerning Alice's character development and her reflections on the outcome. The focus on Mia's love interest toward the end might feel misplaced, diverting from the main narrative. 💔🤔

In summary, "A Senior Citizen's Guide to Life on the Run" is a charming and laugh-out-loud adventure. With its blend of intrigue and humor, it spotlights the vibrancy of its senior characters and promises a delightful journey filled with unexpected twists. Highly recommended for those looking for a cozy mystery that warms the heart while tickling the funny bone. 🧓❤️🎭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This is a quirky book about a retirement community and a group of senior friends. The main character, Alice, has a crime of her past come back to haunt her and tries to work through it with the help of her peers.

This book was so enjoyable- the elders are extremely likable, funny, and witty. I loved the format of breaking up the story with the inclusion of the police interviews.

The ending did feel a bit rushed but there was a lot to explain and wrap up so I understand. That being said, I wish we got more closure with Alice and possibly her thoughts on how everything turned out. I also found it unnecessary and strange to devote so much of the ending pages to Mia and her new love interest. It seemed quite random and felt like a waste of space when we could’ve gotten more closure from the main characters we followed throughout the story.

What a cute, cozy mystery with fun characters! I enjoyed the character development that lasted throughout the book. There is rarely a mystery written where older adults are the ones solving the mysteries, and this book does it well. Bring on the next book! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a dual timeline story, but written in such a good way that it’s not at all confusing. You read of the main events, with police interviews interspersed covering those events, so it all flows really well. It was good to see how it all panned out, but the ending felt a bit as though the author couldn’t think of an ending so just wrote down the best they could come up with, which was a slight let down. I wouldn’t say it’s a humorous novel, despite the artwork on the cover, but it’s not dark either. It’s an alright read, but not one I’d hurry to recommend

I really, really loved this!!! This was a fabulous murder mystery and the main character’s POV was such a joy to read! I liked the addition of police interviews in the novel, to expand on the investigation.
I’m recommending this to anyone who loves Deanna Raybourn and Jesse Q Sutanto!

I had so much fun reading this! It is a darkish cozy mystery with fun characters. Alice was my favorite!

Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk and Severn House for a copy of this book.

This was such a fun book, full of comical incidents and brilliant, whacky characters. From nosey neighbours to the criminal antics of others, it was a great page-turner which I couldn't put down.
Told from the main character's POV, with other voices popping up and interspersed with Police interviews, it was perfectly presented. Each interview followed the unwinding of the story and added to the mystery.
It would make a brilliant movie, and, in my head, I have already assigned actors to play the various roles.
That alone emphasises how much I enjoyed this book.

This is such a fast, fun read.
Alice is enjoying retired living in a planned community, making friends and leading a quiet life. Except for her next-door neighbor, Babs, who insists on feeding pigeons, turning Alice’s backyard into a quagmire of bird-droppings and noisy goings on. Everyone knows about their frequent bickering, so when Babs ends up murdered, Alice is someone the police want to speak with. Except they don’t know where she is. Some of her neighbors seem to also be on the run . . .
I loved the humor and mystery and characters. One neighbor is described: “Glenda would call 9-1-1 over a hangnail.”
This is a breezy romp. Highly recommend.
NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES MAY 6, 2025.

I just finished such a fun book out later this spring. Check out A Senior Citizens Guide to Life on the Run by Gwen Florio.

Setting ⭐⭐⭐
Story/Mystery ⭐⭐⭐⭐
MC ⭐⭐⭐
Side Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Villain ⭐⭐⭐

• Quick, easy read
• A bit of fun, if you don't mind unrealistic stories with some darker elements
• Cosy-ish. Felt more serious and dark than I was expecting, and when compared to other cosy mysteries (view spoiler) all of that together was a bit heavy
• Not a happy ending (didn't leave me feeling happy)

• Retirement village setting - which I usually love, but this one is different. It doesn't feel the same. The reason why is explained and part of the story
• There are 4 main characters, but Glenda and Sugar Plum stole the show. Would love to have seen more of Babs as well. They added a bit of zing

• Police interviews - I absolutely love Police interviews in books. However, the female officer.. cops do not talk like that while conducting interviews, ever (if they do, they definitely shouldn't!)
• The mystery was.. a lot. Still processing all the elements
• Hated the end couple

I would read another mystery from this author

#ASeniorCitizensGuidetoLifeontheRun #NetGalley is an entertaining story regarding the lives of 3 women and a man on the run.
I thought the story was interesting and I enjoyed reading the back story about Alice.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.