Books With Characters in Their 60s

by Matt Cain

Albert, 64 years old

Albert Entwistle is a 64-year postal worker in the UK. He has no plans of retiring but receives a letter informing him that his mandatory retirement is just around the corner on his 65th birthday.

Albert's only friend is his cat, and although he isn't chatty with others at work or on his routes, he still dreads being home alone without a job. When he's reminded of his only romantic relationship, which happened 50 years prior, something begins to stir in Albert. Perhaps it's not too late to find happiness after all?

With the help of some unexpected new friends, Albert sets off to find George, the man he hasn't seen since they were teenagers.

The Book Girls Say… Melissa listened to this heartwarming read and highly recommends the audio version, even though she usually prefers print/ebook. The narrator perfectly captures Albert's emotions through each phase of his journey. You may shed some happy tears as he learns it's okay to share who he really is with the world. If you're looking for a feel-good read, this is it!

by Fredrick Backman

Britt-Marie, 63 years old

Fredrik Backman has a rare talent for creating lovable, realistically human characters who learn and grow with the help of their community. Britt-Marie is no exception.

She's a socially awkward perfectionist who comes across as constantly critical of others despite her best intentions.

But inside, she has big dreams and a warm heart. After leaving her cheating husband, Britt-Marie begins a new season of life as the caretaker of a rec center and inherits a variety of odd regular visitors, including kids desperate for a football (soccer) coach.

Can she get past her fussy nature and turn the town into a place she finally feels like she belongs?

by Phaedra Patrick

Arthur, 69 Years Old

Widower Arthur is a man of routine. For the past year since Miriam's death, he's continued getting out of bed at 7:30. Then he puts on the same gray slacks and mustard sweater vest each morning before watering his fern, Frederica.

On the first anniversary of Miriam's death, he finds a charm bracelet that he has never seen before, even after decades of marriage. So he takes a rare step outside his comfort zone when he investigates each charm's origins to learn more about his beloved wife. From London and Paris to India, Arthur has the adventure of a lifetime and meets a fascinating cast of characters along the way.

The Book Girls Say… Melissa rated this one five stars and found it both charming and smile-inducing. It's an easy, happy read about self-discovery at any age.

by Terry McMillian

Loretha, 68 Years Old

Loretha is about to turn 68-years-old, and she has no intention of slowing down. She heads a booming beauty empire and has a wonderful group of lifelong friends and a husband she loves. She’s determined to prove to her family - including her mother and twin sister - that her best days are not behind her because she's getting older.

But when an expected loss rocks her world, Loretha must dig deep to keep thriving and pursuing joy. With help from her friends, it will take every bit of her strength and resourcefulness to create a new path for herself.

The Book Girls Say… Terry McMillian is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. She also wrote I Almost Forgot About You, which was a popular pick among our readers from the 50-somethings protagonist book list.

by Rachel Joyce

Harold, 65 years old

Harold retired recently. Now ever day seems exactly the same as the last and everything he does seems to irritate his wife. Then one day an unexpected letter arrives in the mail from a woman he hasn’t seen or spoken to in twenty years - Queenie Hennessy. She’s dying of cancer and is writing to tell Harold goodbye.

Harold writes a short letter of reply to Queenie, but on his way to the corner mailbox a chance encounter convinces him that he must deliver the letter in person. The only problem is that Queenie is in hospice 600 miles away. With nothing but his yachting shoes and a light coat, Harold embarks on a pilgrimage from Kingsbridge, England, to Berwick-upon-Tweed, convinced that as long as he is walking Queenie will remain alive.

Along the way, Harold meets a series of interesting characters, and memories of his life come rushing back to him.

The Book Girls Say… This touching story starts a bit slow, but once Harold’s journey begins, you’ll be hooked. As Harold’s story unfolds, you’ll likely find that you have a lot of questions about Queenie. Good news… all of those questions are answered in the sequel - The Love Song of Ms. Queenie Hennessy.

Author Rachel Joyce also wrote Miss Benson’s Beetle, which was a hit from our 40-somethings book list this year.

by Anne Youngston

Tina, mid-sixties

Tina Hopgood and her friend Bella had big plans of traveling to Denmark to see an archaeological discovery, the Tollund Man, at the Silkeborg Museum. However, when Bella passes away, Tina writes a letter to the museum instead.

Andres, the museum curator, writes back, encouraging Tina to visit. From there, regular correspondence begins between Tina and Andres. A strong friendship is formed only through their letters, and you’ll learn about their present lives as well as their past.

The Book Girls Say… This short novel may be a great pick if you enjoy epistolary novels like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society!

by Valerie Bertinelli
Valerie, 60 years old

Beautiful actress and Food Network star Valerie Bertinelli regularly struggled with her harsh internal dialogue about her outward appearance. While most of us only see her beauty, she sees too many wrinkles and too many pounds.

But after her mother's death, Valerie found an old recipe box with notes from the women who came before her. These strong role models reminded her that perfection is not the goal. Instead, it's finding joy in everyday life. This memoir is a heartfelt look at her experience turning 60.

by Jeanne Ray

Julie and Romeo, 60-something

Julie Roseman and Romeo Cacciamani own competing flower shops in Boston. Not only are they business rivals, but their families have hated each other forever (though no one seems to remember why).

So imagine their surprise when Julie and Romeo bump into each other at a business seminar and feel an intense and unexpected attraction to one another. They are ready to put the long-standing family feud aside, but not everyone is eager to see them have a happy ending. Romeo’s octogenarian mother, Julie’s nosey ex-husband, and all their grown children are determined to keep them apart.

This modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet (minus the tragic ending) is honest, witty, and filled with snappy dialogue. If you can’t get enough of these two older protagonists, you’re in luck because they have a second story called Julie and Romeo Get Lucky.

The Book Girls Say… Author Jeanne Ray worked as a nurse for 40 years before penning this, her first novel, at the age of 60. It’s been nearly 20 years since Angela read Julie and Romeo, but she remembers it being a light and fun rom-com style book that made her laugh out loud! This is a quick read, but be aware that it does get a bit steamy in parts and it includes a bit of adult language.

by Helen Simonson

Major Ernest Pettigrew, 68 Years Old

The small village of Edgecombe St. Mary is filled with thatched cottages set among the rolling hills of the English countryside. It's also filled with endearing and hilarious characters, including Major Ernest Pettigrew. He embodies what proper Englishmen are supposed to value - honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea.

Major Pettigrew befriends a Pakistani shopkeeper from the village - Mrs. Jasmina Ali - and the relationship begins to blossom into something more. But other villagers see Mrs. Ali as an outsider and think she is an unsuitable match for the Major.

The Book Girls Say... True to its proper English protagonist, this book is a bit slow-paced and verbose, but it's perfect for PBS and Masterpiece Theater fans. Kate Quinn, author of the Alice Network, says, "There has not been so perfectly English a read in its deadpan humor in a very long time."

by Deanna Raybourn
Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie, early 60s

Forty years ago, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie were recruited to work for "The Museum," an elite network of assassins focusing on getting rid of the world's worst humans. They were trained as the first all-female team and were very good at their jobs.

But now, as they have entered their 60s and the technology they use has become more important than their people skills, they're being forced to retire. However, on their retirement cruise, they discover that someone is now trying to kill them.

The Book Girls Say...This witty thriller sometimes has cozy vibes but also aspects of a thriller, including some violence and suspense. It's hard to classify, but what else should we expect from a book about 60-something assassins?

by Peter Heller

Celine, 68 years old

Celine is a 68 year old private investigator and artist who works out of her apartment at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. She’s elegant and aristocratic, and she’s made a career of tracking down missing persons and reuniting families.

A young woman named Gabriela seeks Celine’s help to discover the truth about her father, Paul, a famed wildlife photographer who went missing decades ago near the Montana-Wyoming border. It’s been assumed that Paul died from a grizzly attack, but his body was never found. Gabriela wants answers. When Celine and her husband, Pete, head to Yellowstone National Park to investigate, it soon becomes clear that they are being followed and that someone does not want them to reopen this case.

The Book Girls Say… Celine has been described as a cross between Katherine Hepburn and James Bond. While some complain that this makes her an unrealistic protagonist, author Peter Heller based the character of Celine on his mother, who was both a detective and an artist in New York City. In addition to the mystery, reviewers enjoy this book's subtle but snarky humor and the atmospheric descriptions of Yellowstone.

For those who enjoy audiobooks, Heller’s character-driven prose is said to make this book especially enjoyable to listen to.

by Fredrick Backman

Ove, nearly 60 years old

Ove (pronounced Oo-veh) is a nearly 60-year-old Swedish man. He’s an ill-tempered, cynical protagonist who doesn’t like change… or anything or anyone, for that matter. He’s living a solitary life until a boisterous young family moves in next door. Not only do they break all the residents’ association rules (something Ove can not tolerate), their chatty young daughters disrupt his strict routines.

It’s hard to say too much more about this book without giving anything away. But know that this novel is at equal turns frustrating, charming, insightful, touching, and hilarious.

The Book Girls Say… Like many of Backman’s books, this novel starts out a bit slower, and it takes time for him to develop the characters and draw you in. But we promise that it’s so worth it to stick with this book. Despite Ove’s curmudgeonly nature, you’ll find yourself falling in love with this grumpy man as you get to know him better. By the end, it’s a heartwarming story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Note that this book includes Ove’s thoughts of suicide, which could be difficult for some people to read. Some readers also take issue with Ove’s treatment of the neighborhood cat early in the book.

by Ben Montgomery

Emma, 67 years old

In the 1950s, at age 67, great-grandmother Emma Gatwood set out for a walk with less than 200 in her pocket. But this wasn’t just any walk. She was determined to be the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone.

She achieved this big goal and then became the first person (man or woman) to walk the trail twice, followed by three times. When reporters learned of her quest, they began calling her Grandma Gatewood, and she even made it to the pages of Sports Illustrated.

This biography tells of her adventures, with stories pulled from her diaries, trail journals, letters, and even interviews with her family members.

by James Misko

Richard and Seth Barrett, 60-something brothers

Richard and Seth Barrett are very different, but together they are dedicated to running their family’s ranch on Nebraska’s Platte River. However, their mother recently passed away, and her will has some contingencies. To inherit the ranch, the sixty-something brothers must travel hundreds of miles along the Platte River by horse and canoe - just as their maternal grandfather did three generations before.

Their mother hopes that sending them on this odyssey will help them better understand and appreciate the ranch, while also allowing them to observe the harm that modern industrial farming is causing to the land, air, and water with which they’ll be entrusted.

To further complicate matters, a 90-year-old bachelor farmer wants to join the “boys” to teach them a few lessons. Then, add in a corrupt sheriff, a lawyer, and a greedy neighboring land owner. Will all these obstructions prevent the brothers from completing their trek on time?

The Book Girls Say… Reviewers say that author Jame Misko is skilled at creating relatable characters with complex relationships. In this atmospheric novel, the Platte River also becomes a character that some have compared to Lonesome Dove meets Cold Mountain.

by Maddie Please

Juliette, Kim, Anita, & Sophia, 60-Somethings

It’s almost Sophia’s 60th birthday, and she is not thrilled with her life in Oxford. After a bad relationship, she decides a month-long trip to Greece is just what she needs to find herself. When she arrives, she founds that her rental comes with loud and gregarious neighbors. But they aren’t rambunctious kids - it’s The Old Ducks’ Club, a group of 60-something friends who live life to the fullest.

The spunky Ducks draw Sophia in despite her wishes for a quiet vacation. And once they remind her how to enjoy life, she starts looking at her handsome Greek neighbor through different eyes. While her lousy relationship and Greek relationship are covered, the book is more a story of friendship and Sophia’s transformation than a typical romance.

The Book Girls Say… Many reviewers of this book shared that they are also 60-something and found the characters in this uplifting read relatable and entertaining. Some warn that Sophia isn’t as engaging as the other ducks initially, but if you stick with her, you’ll love her too.

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 7/18/2022.

by Richard Russo

Lincoln, Teddy, and Mickey, 66 years old

In the 1960s, three boys became friends in college despite their differences. In 1971, they gathered on Martha’s Vineyard and became part of a mystery that they all still wonder about 44 years later.

In the present day, the men are all still as different as they were in college. Lincoln's a commercial real estate broker, Teddy a tiny-press publisher, and Mickey a musician. When they return to the Vineyard, their lifetimes are rehashed, and secrets of the past continue into the present.

The Book Girls Say… While this book has strong mystery undertones, it’s also a work of literary fiction and very character-driven. It would be a great match for fans of Anne Tyler. Author Richard Russo won the Pulitzer Prize for his previous work, Empire Falls.

by Nick Alexander

Alice, 69 years old

From the outside, it appears that Alice has a perfect marriage. But the reality is very different. She has, in fact, been unhappily married for 50 years. Her husband, Ken, becomes violent when he’s angry. Alice always put up with it because she thought she was putting the needs of her kids ahead of her own.

But now their two sons are grown up. One son, Tim, is a successful banker living nearby with his wife and children. The other son, Matt, bounced around from job to job and is now traveling abroad. Alice can’t keep track of what continent he’s on. At 69 years old, Alice is finally beginning to wonder if she made the right decision for all these years, and what would happen if she finally decided to put her needs first.

The story is told in three parts: first showing us what Alice’s marriage looked like over the past 50 years; then from Time’s perspective as he and his wife chase their dreams; and then we meet Matt, “the other son,” whose story helps to put all the pieces together. This book deals with challenging issues, but the author does not rely on graphic descriptions of violence, and there are also humorous moments.

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 7/18/2022.

by Yōko Ogawa

The Professor, 64 years old

The Professor is only 64, but a traumatic brain injury many years ago left him with only 80-minutes of short-term memory. The Housekeeper, who is also the mother to a 10-year-old son, has been hired to care for this brilliant math professor.

Because of the Professor’s memory loss, he and the Housekeeper are reintroduced each morning. Even though the Professor does not remember her from day to day, they are nonetheless able to form a unique and beautiful relationship. His love of math and equations remains strong, and through numbers he introduces the Housekeeper and her son to a new way of seeing the world around them.

The Book Girls Say… This short, 180-page novel is translated from the original Japanese. While neither of us has had a chance to read this book yet, our experience with Japanese literature is that the style is quite different from what many Americans are accustomed to. If you choose this book, read it with an open mind keeping the cultural and stylistic differences in mind.