When the police stopped a minibus on the road they were totally unprepared for what they found. The minibus was full of senior citizens, nursery age children, a teenage boy & a flustered driver. When before she had time to ask much the various occupants suddenly started bombarding her with confessions of crimes & misdemeanours! With a start like that I knew this would be a fun read! The story is told from various points of view. Lydia- suffering from empty nest syndrome & a pretty unpleasant husband gets the job of running a Senior Social club in the run down Mandel (should be Mandela!) Hall. Daphne- saying she doesn't suffer fools gladly is an understatement! Art- a 'resting' thespian. Ziggy seventeen year old single dad. Against the odds the diverse group band together in the attempt to keep the Hall open.

I just loved this book. It was funny, it was sad & it was thought provoking. I really didn't want to finish it. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this super book!

I absolutely loved reading this book from the first page to the last. A day club for Senior Citizens, a schoolboy with a child and a dog called Maggie Thatcher. What could possibly go wrong ?
The characters are a mixed bunch from different backgrounds and most have some skeletons hidden away. It was heartwarming and sweet as they set about sorting out each others problems and for some, building relationships.
The book contained a lot of humorous moments and I kept getting funny looks from my husband as I laughed out loud.
I will certainly look out for more books by Clare Pooley.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

How To Age Disgracefully is a hilarious novel about a middle aged empty nester seeking to restart her life now her kids are grown, a teenaged single dad, several senior citizens with various, dubious hobbies on the side, and a community centre literally on its last legs. There are multiple narrators, and I really enjoyed seeing this story come together, from the attempt to save the community centre that brought them together to all the shenanigans an elderly shoplifter and septuagenarian with a hidden past get up to. Nothing felt superfluous and I enjoyed all the characters, the banter, and just the chemistry between them all. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants some lighthearted comedy with short chapters that are easy to read!

An enjoyable and funny novel about a community fighting the closure of a local community centre. With a cast of colourful eccentrics, including a dog called Maggie Thatcher, the story has some serious themes, such as social isolation, young parenthood and gang culture, but the warmth and wit elevates it. Lighthearted but not at all superficial.

When age makes you invisible, secrets are easier to hide
A heartwarming story with characters you’ll fall in love with
Loved how the age range brought generations together
Daphne is the rock at the heart of the community - showing that no one is perfect and we all need community and support
Thanks @clare_pooley @bantambooksuk & @netgalley for the perfect feel good summer read

Clare Pooley's books are amazing and this one is as good as the others!
This story pulls you in from the beginning and you route for the characters throughout. Funny, light hearted and a great Summer read. Would highly recommend.

Really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of the type of characters in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, but without the murder mysteries to solve.
Feel good book with great characters and a proper British feel to it. Recommended.

Five stars! I really loved this feel-good story. The novel follows a group of retirees who are fighting to save the community center that houses their weekly social group. The narration switches POV between the characters and there wasn't one plot line that I disliked. Daphne, the main character, is excellent. I laughed multiple times throughout this quick read.

Yay, this one was just fantastic again!!! I love anything Clare produces and this one did not disappoint!
The characters were fabulous, the humour quirky, the adventures exciting and the whole thing so heart warming.

This was a really enjoyable, quick read for me. I loved the multiple POV and how each of the characters' stories were woven together. A great read!

This was such a riot! It's actually really funny and the humour shines through.
The author writes about old people like they're actual people with their own stories, lives, wants and desire which is quite refreshing.

As Daphne (the main character) approaches 70 she decides that she needs to change her life. She joins the Senior citizens social club and ends up making some friends.
When the city council tries to demolish the building that houses their club, they have to save it, by raising the funds funds. As they navigate this, the author takes us through the details of their individual lives and actually intertwines their stories quite well!

This was a fun read. Dealt with heavy themes in a really great way. This is a good one to get you out of a reading slump?

Laugh out loud funny, a book I couldn’t put down. Clare Pooley is an excellent author. Bravo. Perfect for fans of the Thursday Murder Club series.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley is oh so relatable and so much fun! There IS life after fifty and you don't just turn into a dusty old biddy in pearls and cardigans!

I absolutely adore the interaction between generations and the reality of getting older with a whole lot of humour and just a smidgy smidge of the spicy! Loved it

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Bantam and the author Clare Pooley for this fantastic ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

This was such a fun read as there were so many elements to other books, such as Thursday Murder Club, and the characters were so loveable. It had some really amusing moments and just came together to make a really light-hearted read.

The People on Platform 5 is one of my favourite books and Clare Pooley has done it again with How to Age Disgracefully. How to Age Disgracefully is a delightful, hilarious, and heartwarming read. I could not put the book down and read it in one day! I cannot say how absolutely brilliant this book is and I would read it every day if I could!

The story takes us on a journey with such fabulous characters - because of how incredibly the book is written, I felt deeply connected to the characters .. and I loved Maggie Thatcher the dog!

The main star character is Daphne who, at nearly 70 years old, is feeling rather lonely so she decides to join a local Senior Citizens Club where she hopes she can chat with like-minded people, have a cup of tea and a natter! But the other members of the Senior Citizens Club have completely different ideas and oh what fun they have! I found myself laughing out loud at the fabulous antics they all got up to! Totally superb!

Each of the characters were spectacular in their own way. They each brought something different to the Senior Citizens Club but they all had one aim and that was to stop the local council from closing their community centre where they all met. Nothing was going to stop them! A very determined and incredible group who had great fun along the way and they all made many wonderful friends.

A must-read! How to Age Disgracefully is a celebration of life, love, and the joy of living each day to the fullest. Age is just a number – you have to make the most out of life, doing what you can, when you can. It is also about taking that first step, which is often difficult at first, but as Daphne experienced can open so many new friendships and wonderful moments, even though there are challenges to. It is very nervous going into places on your own for the first time, but with courage and determination, you can do it, just like Daphne did.

It’s a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. I would love a follow up to find out what they are all up to now! Five stars!

Thank you very much for my advanced copy. This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.

A friendship group for senior citizens In the local community centre, ends up with a Mötley Crew of mixed personalities Who all bring an interesting and new perspective to life in ’ Old age’

When they start teaming up with the other community groups in the local area, specifically the crèche, after the Centre is put on threat of closure As it is considered unsafe, everyone rallies around to try and save it.


The fantastic mix of personalities, their experiences and backgrounds makes for fantastic story. Excellent Read, highly recommended and marvellously entertaining.

Thanks to #NetGalley For the opportunity to have read this ahead of publication and exchange for an honest review.

Well I just loved this. So darn wholesome but still with a touch of naughty OAPs 😂 I love Clare Pooley - community is at the heart of her books and this one is no exception. It's an important reminder and hits home on a personal level at the moment. I love the unlikely friendships that she's so fond of writing about, and I couldn't possibly pick a favourite character - both young and old are excellent.

Side note - I ended up audio'ing this and the narrator was fabulous!

I have loved Clare Pooley’s previous books because underpinning each of her wryly-observed storylines is a deep-set love of humanity. This book is no different, although the cast that Pooley assembles here is a little older: a group of senior citizens who club together to save their beloved community centre from closure. There are aspects that compare to Libby Page’s ‘The Lido’ and Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club shenanigans, but in the end, Pooley’s characters are totally unique: Lydia who has to debate whether to make old secrets public or not, Art with a tendency for kleptomania, guerrilla knitter Daphne …. and the multigenerational fellow citizens who dare to cross their paths! An engaging, light-but-thought-provoking read that I can recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for the ARC generously gifted to me in exchange for this book review.

What a fabulous book, very unexpected and quite different from the norm. Wonderful original characters all put together in an amusing and well put together plot. Daphne was a very unexpected heroine who was full of surprises. A different and enjoyable read.

Thank you Random House and Netgalley
From the first page to the end this was such a fun read.
Can we have more Daphne please?