Chapter summaries Kills Well with Others Deanna Raybourn

Killers of a Certain Age: Chapter Seventeen – Blackmail in Venice

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The team arrives in Venice and rents a flamboyant house that makes Billie nervous because it attracts attention. Signora Bevilacqua shows them around; Billie and Taverner share a room, increasing tension. Mary Alice discovers that baritone Wolfgang Praetorius (Galina’s contact) will sing Valentin in Faust at La Fenice. While discussing the lead, Minka receives an obituary for Aunt Evgenia Dashkova, which names “Lilian Flanders” as surviving niece—Galina’s alias and the name of a murdered agent. The team realizes Galina is alive and gloating. They debate waiting versus acting. Billie proposes blackmailing Wolfgang to force a meeting with Galina. The others agree reluctantly, seeing no safer option.

Key Events

  • The women inspect the rented Venetian house; Billie dislikes its prettiness.
  • Signora Bevilacqua gives local tips; the group splits into rooms.
  • Mary Alice finds Wolfgang Praetorius listed in the La Fenice Faust cast.
  • Minka spots an obituary for Aunt Evgenia that names “Lilian Flanders” as survivor.
  • The team concludes Galina killed her own aunt and is sending a taunt.
  • Billie suggests they blackmail Wolfgang to draw Galina out.
  • Helen, Natalie, Mary Alice, and Akiko agree; they toast their first extortion plan.

Character Development

  • Billie – Frustrated by Taverner’s presence, she deflects Mary Alice’s questions about her fear of intimacy. She takes the lead in advocating aggressive action (blackmail) rather than passive surveillance.
  • Mary Alice – Provides the crucial opera-house clue and later supports Billie’s risky plan, showing her analytical and strategic side.
  • Helen – Initially objects to threatening an innocent, but softens when Billie explains they will only scare him, not hurt him.
  • Natalie – Uses sarcasm to relieve tension (“this is not the time to be a smart-ass”) but ultimately votes for the extortion scheme.
  • Akiko – A newer member, she is startled to realize she is now a potential target; she reaches for Mary Alice’s hand, showing vulnerability.
  • Taverner – Cooks an elaborate dinner and takes a walk, avoiding direct conflict. Billie’s irritation with him remains a subplot.
  • Aunt Evgenia – Dies off-screen; her obituary serves as a plot device to confirm Galina’s survival and malice.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • The Opera as Mask – Faust, with its theme of a devil’s bargain, mirrors the team’s willingness to make morally gray deals. The opera house also functions as a stage where enemies may meet.
  • The Obituary as Weapon – Galina uses Aunt Evgenia’s death notice to deliver a message: she knows the team knows she is alive. It is a public taunt wrapped in a formal document.
  • Home as Vulnerability – Billie worries that the pretty house makes them visible. The chapter contrasts comfort (good food, beautiful rooms) with the danger of standing out.
  • Blackmail as Offense – The women shift from reactive survival to proactive manipulation, a tactic Billie calls “grubby but efficient.” This marks a turn in their strategy.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter Seventeen pivots from the team’s defensive flight into a calculated offensive. Mary Alice’s discovery of Wolfgang’s opera role and Aunt Evgenia’s obituary give them two actionable leads. The decision to blackmail a civilian raises ethical stakes and signals that the women are willing to bend their rules to survive. It also tightens the countdown: they must act before Galina spots them or strikes again.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Billie initially reject the idea of blackmail?
    She doesn’t reject it; she proposes it. Her objection is to waiting. She argues that passive surveillance takes too long and endangers everyone, including Akiko and Taverner. Blackmail is her solution to force a meeting quickly.

  2. How does the obituary confirm Galina is alive and sending a threat?
    The obituary names “Lilian Flanders” as the surviving niece of Aunt Evgenia. Lilian Flanders is the alias of an agent Galina killed years ago. By using that name, Galina announces that she is alive, knows the team visited her aunt, and is mocking them.

  3. What does the group’s toast to extortion reveal about their character as a team?
    Despite their individual misgivings (Helen’s moral qualms, Natalie’s sarcasm), they unite behind a plan that breaks their professional code. The toast shows pragmatism and solidarity: when cornered, they choose action over principle.

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