Killers of a Certain Age Chapter 32 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

After the events in Montenegro, the team stops in Podgorica for medical treatment, food, and rest. Naomi arranges a hotel suite and a doctor who patches them up with stitches and tape. They eat, nap, and then fly to Venice, arriving near midnight. A private launch takes them to the Campo Santa Margherita, where a house with rose-colored walls awaits. Akiko, Minka, and Wolfie greet them warmly.

Inside, the group talks for hours. Wolfie is told he is free to return to his normal life; Mary Alice gives him the number of a psychologist. Taverner invites him to Greece, but Billie diplomatically postpones the offer. Wolfie leaves with a box of pastries. Helen says she will miss him.

Later, Billie suggests an early-morning outing. She grabs a bottle of champagne and leaves a note for Taverner. The four women—Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie—walk through the Dorsoduro district as Venice wakes up. They buy pastries and sit outside the Peggy Guggenheim Collection museum, sharing maritozzi. Helen receives a call from Naomi but sends it to voicemail. Billie apologizes for the destruction of Helen’s house, Benscombe. Helen reveals she plans to rebuild with improvements—heated floors and a plunge pool—and hints that Naomi will compensate them generously. Helen blushes when Billie asks where she will stay, implying a deepening relationship with Naomi.

When the museum opens, they bribe the guard with fifty euros to allow the champagne inside. They go straight to Leonor Fini’s painting Shepherdess of the Sphinxes. Billie describes the work: a field of sphinxes with the torsos of women and bodies of lionesses, bones of devoured men scattered around, and the shepherdess watching with pride. The women raise their plastic cups of champagne and toast “To Constance and the necessary monsters,” honoring their mentor and their own nature.

Key Events

The team receives medical treatment and rests in Podgorica.
They fly to Venice and reunite with Akiko, Minka, and Wolfie.
Wolfie is told he is no longer in danger and given a therapist referral; he departs.
Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie go on an early-morning walk through Venice.
They visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection before opening hours.
They toast Constance Halliday in front of Fini’s painting, reaffirming their identity as “necessary monsters.”

Character Development

Billie: Shows contentment with her relationship with Taverner, rejecting marriage as unnecessary. She feels a deep longing for their home in Greece, indicating a desire for peace after the mission.
Helen: Decides to let go of the ghosts of Kenneth and Constance, focusing on practical renovations and her bond with Naomi. Her blush suggests a romantic interest.
Mary Alice and Natalie: Their playful squabble over the last pastry underscores the close, teasing dynamic among the women.
Wolfie: He is relieved but uncertain about returning to normal life, accepting the offer of professional help.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The Shepherdess and the Sphinxes: The painting becomes a central symbol. The sphinxes represent dangerous, untamable forces, and the shepherdess guides them with pride. The women see themselves as similar figures—necessary monsters who protect and control chaos.
Necessary Monsters: The toast to Constance and the phrase “necessary monsters” captures the group’s acceptance of their violent skills as essential, not shameful.
Venice as Sanctuary: The city’s shimmering morning atmosphere offers a peaceful contrast to the recent violence, serving as a place of healing and reflection.
Ritual and Legacy: The champagne toast in front of a masterpiece elevates the moment into a ceremonial honoring of Constance Halliday and their shared mission.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter serves as a quiet epilogue to the main action, focusing on recovery and closure. It resolves Helen’s emotional arc regarding her lost house and her deceased partners, and it strengthens the theme of chosen family. The visit to the museum and the toast solidify the women’s sense of purpose and identity, framing their work as a continuation of Constance’s legacy. The chapter also hints at new beginnings—Helen and Naomi’s relationship, and Billie and Taverner’s stable partnership.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does the painting Shepherdess of the Sphinxes symbolize for the four women?
The painting represents their role as guides and shepherds of dangerous yet necessary forces. The sphinxes, who devour men but are not ashamed, mirror the women’s own nature as killers. The shepherdess’s pride in her charges reinforces their belief that they are “necessary monsters” who protect order.

2. How does Helen’s plan to rebuild Benscombe reflect her personal growth?
By deciding to let go of the ghosts of Kenneth and Constance and to add modern amenities like heated floors, Helen shows she is ready to move forward. Her negotiation with Naomi for compensation indicates she is also willing to be compensated fairly, no longer defined solely by loss.

3. Why does Billie reject Taverner’s implicit suggestion of marriage?
Billie states they are “good” and “forever” as they are, implying that their relationship is already secure without formal ceremony. She values the freedom and equality of their current arrangement over societal expectations.