Chapter summaries Kills Well with Others Deanna Raybourn

Killers of a Certain Age – Chapter Two Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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

Billie packs to leave her Greek island home while Taverner, her lover and fellow former assassin, calmly accepts her departure, understanding her need for purpose. She travels to Dulles Airport, where she reunites with Helen (now white-haired and sober), Mary Alice (married to Akiko, mother of two cats), and Natalie (eccentric, crafting penis warmers). The four were the first all-female squad of “the Museum,” an organization that originally hunted Nazis and later other criminals. After a previous mission where the Museum turned on them, they survived together but have since drifted. Now they are summoned to Colonial Williamsburg with unusually cheap travel arrangements—Premium Economy seats, a Best Western hotel, and a compact car—instead of the Museum’s usual luxury. Billie suspects the cut-rate treatment signals trouble, noting “nobody wants to be a bargain-basement killer.” The chapter ends with the four driving toward their unknown assignment.

Key Events

  • Billie and Taverner exchange a tender farewell; Taverner encourages her to go “kill somebody,” their private language of love and understanding.
  • The backstory of the Museum is revealed: founded after WWII to hunt Nazis, later targeting drug smugglers, arms dealers, human traffickers.
  • Billie recalls Project Sphinx, the first all-female squad, and how the four women saved each other when the Museum marked them for termination.
  • At Dulles, Billie reunites with Helen, who has given up drinking and let her hair go white; then with Mary Alice, now married to Akiko and proud of her cats Kevin and Gary; finally with Natalie, who brings a crude crocheted item that sparks bickering.
  • Helen produces a briefing packet with a map of Colonial Williamsburg and a hotel confirmation.
  • The women notice the stingy travel arrangements—no first-class, no luxury—and speculate about budget cuts or hidden reasons.
  • Billie drives the compact car toward their destination, the tension palpable.

Character Development

  • Billie: Remains restless in retirement; her need for the job outweighs her love for Taverner. She values her independence and the camaraderie of her squad.
  • Taverner: Displays deep understanding and acceptance of Billie’s nature. His love is unconditional, letting her go without complaint.
  • Helen: Has transformed from a grieving, alcoholic widow into a healthier, happier woman; takes a maternal, peacekeeping role.
  • Mary Alice: Now settled in a loving marriage, she is the most reluctant to return to action; her pouty looks hide a sharp intelligence.
  • Natalie: Still the wild card—creative, confrontational, and unapologetically odd. Her Etsy dick-warmers highlight her irreverent humor.
  • Group dynamic: The familiar bickering and teasing mask deep loyalty; each woman has changed but their bond remains intact.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Retirement vs. Purpose: Billie’s forced retirement feels hollow; the Museum’s call offers meaning, even if the mission is cheapened. Taverner understands she needs more than domestic bliss.
  • Aging and Reinvention: Helen’s white hair and sobriety, Mary Alice’s marriage, Natalie’s artistic side—each woman reshapes her identity after a lifetime of killing.
  • Luxury as a Signal: The Museum’s usual first-class travel symbolizes respect and value. The cut-rate arrangements foreshadow that the organization—or their value to it—has diminished.
  • Sisterhood: Project Sphinx’s history of saving one another underlines that trust and loyalty outlast any mission.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter Two re-establishes the four protagonists and their relationships after a two-year gap, grounding the reader in their shared history and individual growth. It also introduces the mystery of the stingy mission parameters, creating suspense. By showing Billie’s emotional connection to Taverner and her squad, the chapter deepens the stakes: Billie has something to lose, but also something to prove.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Billie decide to answer the Museum’s summons despite being retired?
    Billie misses the job and the sense of purpose it gave her. Taverner recognizes this need and does not try to stop her. Even after years away, her training and identity as an assassin remain central to who she is.

  2. What does Taverner’s reaction to Billie’s departure reveal about their relationship?
    Taverner loves Billie but understands she is not content with a quiet life. His words “go kill somebody” are a romantic affirmation that he accepts her fully, including her violent profession. Their bond is built on mutual respect and freedom, not possession.

  3. How do the cheap travel arrangements (Premium Economy, Best Western, compact car) foreshadow conflict in the story?
    The Museum always provided luxury travel; the downgrade suggests either budget woes or a deliberate slight. Billie’s bitter thought “nobody wants to be a bargain-basement killer” hints that the organization may no longer value them—or that this mission is a trap, echoing their previous near-termination.

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