Let’s get one thing straight: being in your seventies is not a plot twist where the main character starts knitting quietly in the corner and only speaks up to complain about “kids these days.” Far from it. In fact, some of the most captivating, whip-smart, and delightfully unpredictable characters in literature are well into their golden years—and they’re too busy living to fit into any tired stereotypes.
These are heroes and heroines who prove that a seventy-something can still solve crimes, stir up trouble, fall in love, chase dreams, and maybe even jump out of a plane (preferably with a parachute—though, with some of them, you can’t be sure). In their worlds, wisdom is a weapon, life experience is jet fuel, and a creaky joint here or there just adds character.
So buckle up for a celebration of literary characters who've discovered that life after seventy isn't about winding down; it's about finally having the courage to turn the volume up all the way.
Here are my picks for some of the best books with super-70s heroes:
Amigoland by Oscar Casares
Protagonists: Don Celestino and Don Fidencio (brothers in their 70s and 80s, but the novel explores their relationship in earlier decades)
Genre: Fiction
Two estranged brothers reconcile their past through a journey to Mexico to uncover a family legend. Casares’s novel is a warm, humorous tale of sibling rivalry, aging, and redemption.
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
Protagonist: Cuffy "Sportcoat" Lambkin (71 years old)
Genre: Fiction
Deacon King Kong follows the story of Sportcoat, a 71-year-old alcoholic church deacon who, in September 1969, inexplicably shoots a young drug dealer named Deems Clemens in broad daylight at a Brooklyn housing project, setting off a chain of events that affects the entire community. The novel explores the interconnected lives of residents, gangsters, police, and church members as they grapple with the aftermath of this shocking act of violence, revealing deep human connections and the possibility of redemption in an overlooked neighborhood.
East of the Mountains by David Guterson
Protagonist: Dr. Ben Givens (elderly, terminally ill)
Genre: Fiction
A retired heart surgeon with terminal colon cancer plans one last hunting trip to his childhood home in Washington state, intending it to be a staged suicide. His journey becomes an unexpected adventure when bad weather, accidents, and encounters with kind strangers repeatedly thwart his plans.
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Protagonists: Axl and Beatrice (70s)
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
This haunting fantasy novel follows Axl and Beatrice, an elderly couple in post-Arthurian Britain who embark on a journey to find their adult son. It is set in a world where a mysterious mist causes collective amnesia. The couple must navigate both literal and metaphorical fog as they confront forgotten memories and the nature of love and loss.
This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evisone
Protagonist: Harriet Chance (78 years old)
Genre: Fiction
At 78, newly widowed Harriet discovers her deceased husband won an Alaskan cruise and decides to take the adventure herself. The journey forces her to confront her passive past and reckon with difficult discoveries about her marriage and estranged daughter.
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
Protagonist: Judith Potts (77, central to a group including a woman in her 60s)
Genre: Mystery, Fiction
Judith, a crossword-setter and sharp-witted retiree, forms an unlikely trio with a dog walker and a vicar’s wife to solve a murder in their quiet town. The women use their local knowledge and life experience to outwit the police and the killer alike.
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
Protagonist: Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (70s)
Genre: Historical Fiction
This acclaimed novel follows Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a Civil War veteran in his 70s who travels from town to town reading newspapers aloud to audiences. When he takes on the task of returning a 10-year-old girl to her relatives across 400 miles of dangerous Texas terrain, both the elderly man and the child face unexpected challenges and form an unlikely bond.
Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun by Sarah Ladipo Manyika
Protagonist: Morayo da Silva (75 years old)
Genre: Fiction
A 75-year-old Nigerian woman living in San Francisco continues to embrace life with passion, indulging in art, literature, culture, and romantic relationships. The novel depicts a woman who defies social norms that dictate what people her age should or should not do.
Old Man's War (Series) by John Scalzi
Protagonist: John Perry (75)
Genre: Science Fiction
On his 75th birthday, John Perry enlists in an interstellar army, trading his aging body for a genetically enhanced new one. Scalzi’s military sci-fi is both action-packed and thoughtful, examining what it means to grow old in a universe full of wonders and dangers.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Protagonist: Evelyn Hugo (79 years old)
Genre: LBGTQ+, Romance, Historical Fiction
At the age of 79, a reclusive former Hollywood star offers what she claims will be her final interview to an unknown journalist. She reveals the truth about her seven marriages and her lifelong love affair while explaining why she specifically chose this particular reporter. My book club loved this one.
Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
Protagonist: Louis Waters and Addie Moore (both early 70s, but the novel emphasizes their transition into this decade)
Genre: Romance, Fiction
Addie and Louis, widowed neighbors, begin spending nights together for companionship, confronting small-town judgment and family tensions. Haruf’s spare, heartfelt prose illuminates the quiet courage of seeking love and connection at any age
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Protagonist: Elizabeth Best (70s, central figure among four septuagenarians at a retirement village)
Genre: Mystery, Fiction
A group of retirement home residents—Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim—meet every Thursday to solve cold cases. When a real murder happens on their doorstep, they put their lifetime of experience to use to catch the killer. Osman’s debut is witty, warm, and celebrates the resourcefulness of old age.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Protagonist: Jacob Jankowski (elderly in nursing home, young in flashbacks)
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction
An elderly man in a nursing home recounts his adventures as a young veterinarian who joined a traveling circus during the Great Depression. The novel alternates between his present-day struggles with aging and his passionate memories of love and adventure.
So there you have it—proof that life doesn't hit the brakes at 70! (thank goodness)
What strikes me most about these 70-something protagonists is their delightful refusal to fade into the background. They're not content to sit in rocking chairs dispensing wisdom (though they certainly have plenty to share). Instead, they're solving murders like the Thursday Murder Club gang, enlisting for combat to save the galaxy, or finding love again like Addie and Louis in their twilight romance. These characters remind us that getting older doesn't mean getting boring. It often means getting bolder.
These wonderful characters remind us that 70 is the new 50... or maybe 40... honestly, at this point, age is just a number that these fictional heroes use as a suggestion rather than a behavior rulebook. They're out there living their best lives while the rest of us are still figuring out how to "adult" properly.
But hold onto your reading glasses, because if you thought the 70-somethings were impressive, wait until you meet what's coming next. We're going to enter the literary world of octogenarian protagonists who believe that eight decades on this planet have given them just enough wisdom to be deadly and just enough snark to be unstoppable. Trust me, these characters make their younger 70-something counterparts look like cautious beginners.
Next up in the Ages & Pages series:
Octogenarian Outliers: Fiction’s Finest in Their Eighties
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