The Retirees - Large Print by Leah Orr (Hardcover)

About the Book

Welcome to the idyllic yet eccentric retirement community of The Ocean's Edge-where retirement has never felt so deadly.

Book Synopsis

Welcome to the idyllic yet eccentric retirement community of The Ocean's Edge-where retirement has never felt so deadly.

Disco is dead, there's a serial killer on the loose, the coffin dodgers are solving cold cases, and only the neighborhood cat knows where all the proverbial bodies are buried.

When sharp-tongued sugar heiress Diana is ousted from the empire she helped build, she retreats to a posh 55+ paradise expecting peace, maybe even a pool boy. Instead, she finds a ragtag group of retirees with a knack for solving cold cases-and a disturbing knack for attracting new ones. She quickly finds herself entangled with this quirky yet capable team of senior sleuths: a psychic, tarot-reading twin duo, a retired detective, a conspiracy-minded tech guru, and a nurse who might just talk to animals.

Among tarot cards, a talking cat, and dark web dives, this misfit crew uncovers more than just bingo night secrets. Because in a place this sunny, the shadows run deep, and someone at The Ocean's Edge has blood on their hands.

As the group begins investigating cold cases, darker truths emerge, uncovering clues that tie back to mysterious pasts, hidden traumas, and residents with more secrets than memories.

Hilarious, heartwarming, and deliciously twisted, The Retirees is a witty, tightly woven, charming, cozy mystery that reminds us it's never too late for redemption, reinvention, or revenge-and that sometimes the most unexpected heroes come with walkers, wisdom, and wildly colorful personalities.

This cozy mystery is the 2026 Manhattan Book Club Gold Medal Winner

Review Quotes

Pre-release Praise from Readers with Advance Reader Copies

The Retirees

• An entertaining read filled with humor, camaraderie, and just enough suspense to keep readers turning the pages." - Kirkus Reviews

• "The Retirees celebrates chaos, absurdity, and courage in life's final act, proving that growing old can still mean raising a little hell." - Publishers Weekly/Book Life.

• "A smart, engaging, and highly entertaining read." - NewinBooks.com

• An American "Thursday Murder Club" with a twist! - K.Siddall.

• Believable characters and a plot that makes this cozy mystery a bit more deadly and unputdownable. - K. Simmons.

• Orr's sharp dialogue and quirky characters make every page sparkle with charm and unexpected depth. It's like The Golden Girls met Murder, She Wrote and decided to raise a little hell. A. Sanders.

• If Bette Davis was right when she said, "Old age ain't no place for sissies," Orr takes it a step further: old age might just be the best place to stir trouble, crack mysteries, and live more boldly than ever. The Retirees don't just redefine retirement - they reclaim it as a stage where life's most surprising adventures can unfold. - P. Parker.

• Retirement goals: Morning boozy coffees, chasing down cold cases, themed parties, and Mr Anderson. The next phase of life does not get better than this. Every character becomes your friend. You will love the twist at the end. A must-read! - L. Unger.

• The book is filled with surprise twists & turns along with an abundance of warmhearted humor that keeps you engrossed until the very end! Who knew that retirement could be this much fun! - D. Bleiler.

• Welcome to The Ocean's Edge, where the cocktail coffees are strong, the secrets run deep, and Mr. Anderson, the cat, knows every detail of the murders that happen before happy hour - J. O'Neil.

• Pour yourself a spiked coffee, grab a slice of sugar cream pie, and settle in because murder has never been this much fun. - M.Baker.