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Regeneration
Joyce Lackey was a classic baby-boomer. She had it all: a high-paying position, a beautiful condo, a BMW. But there was one thing she didn't have any more -- her youth. And that was what she needed most. Her boss fired her because he wanted someone with "young blood, " "young ideas." Someone young, Joyce was forced to start all over again. But could she compete with all the beautiful young kids who were so hungry for what she had?That's where the X-Gen Agency came in. They could give Joyce everything she wanted, everything she needed -- a new job, a new body, a new identity. In short, a new life. But there was a price. A very high price. It seemed reasonable enough when Joyce signed the contracts, and besides, she was desperate. By the time she realized what she had done, it was too late to turn back. This was one contract without an escape clause.
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1999
About the author
Barbara Allan
67 books190 followersBarbara Allan is a pseudonym used by Barbara Collins and Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins is a writer of mystery novels, screenplays, comics and historical fiction. Collins has collaborated on numerous short stories with his wife writer Barbara Collins. Together they also write the successful “Trash ‘n’ Treasures” mysteries – their Antiques Flee Market (2008) won the Romantic Times Best Humorous Mystery Novel award in 2009.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Max Allan Collins is a writer of mystery novels, screenplays, comics and historical fiction. Collins has collaborated on numerous short stories with his wife writer Barbara Collins. Together they also write the successful “Trash ‘n’ Treasures” mysteries – their Antiques Flee Market (2008) won the Romantic Times Best Humorous Mystery Novel award in 2009.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 3, 2023
Although I really do not like the term, Regeneration definitely fits into the 'cozy' horror category. Our main protagonist, Joyce Lackey, is a classic baby-boomer, who starts the novel as an executive at an advertising agency where she unfortunately hit the 'glass ceiling' and now has to accept a forced retirement. In her 50s (this was first published in 1999), she is despondent, never really saving anything and now out of work. On the verge of suicide, she receives a strange call from a company called X-Gen about a job offer. X-Gen is not your typical headhunter, however, for they specialize in 'recycling' boomers into gen Xers.
The process is pretty cool; Joyce becomes part of a group who takes an intensive course in 'modern' cultural references, etc., so she will be hip to the latest trends. Then she undergoes some radical plastic surgery that makes her look at most 30 something and she has to take a special pill that will keep her skin supple and smooth-- no wrinkles here! So, after 6 months of 'coaching' and reshaping, she lands her new job at a different ad agency, this time in LA instead of Chicago. Joyce, now under her new name Joy, is ecstatic! So what if she has to pay X-Gen half of her salary? She is back to being on top of the world! Maybe she should have read that contract with X-Gen a bit closer...
In a way, this book rests upon the Boomers/X-Generation divide and clearly, the authors are Boomers! Regeneration contains all kinds of cultural references from the 60s, 70s and 80s which is, in part, why it has such a cozy feel. This makes for a fast read, and indeed, it is pretty short for a Leisure horror novel. Clever story, but not really something that will stick with you for any length of time. 3 boomers!
The process is pretty cool; Joyce becomes part of a group who takes an intensive course in 'modern' cultural references, etc., so she will be hip to the latest trends. Then she undergoes some radical plastic surgery that makes her look at most 30 something and she has to take a special pill that will keep her skin supple and smooth-- no wrinkles here! So, after 6 months of 'coaching' and reshaping, she lands her new job at a different ad agency, this time in LA instead of Chicago. Joyce, now under her new name Joy, is ecstatic! So what if she has to pay X-Gen half of her salary? She is back to being on top of the world! Maybe she should have read that contract with X-Gen a bit closer...
In a way, this book rests upon the Boomers/X-Generation divide and clearly, the authors are Boomers! Regeneration contains all kinds of cultural references from the 60s, 70s and 80s which is, in part, why it has such a cozy feel. This makes for a fast read, and indeed, it is pretty short for a Leisure horror novel. Clever story, but not really something that will stick with you for any length of time. 3 boomers!
April 1, 2023
Being your best isn’t always enough in this competitive job market, especially for women. No one knows this more than Joyce Lackey. She’s worked her way up to senior account executive at 55 years old. But turning 55, meant it was Joyce’s turn to be replaced by someone much younger. The company wants fresh faces and ideas and Joyce is just too old now. Feeling hopeless and helpless, Joyce is about to end her life when a company called Gen-X reaches out to her with a special proposition.
Although I enjoyed the story, I’ve only rated it a 3.5. Highlighting the ageism and absurdity of firing older women from jobs, only to replace them with younger girls, is an interesting storyline but I felt some details in the book weren’t really necessary. I think the story should have focused more on Joyce’s experiences with the surgery, a little less on the schooling, and more on the advertising business side of things.
It was intriguing to see a man that went through the Gen-X program, but I was confused by that since the majority were older women who were being pushed out of their jobs because of their age. Their male coworkers/bosses, who were older than them, never had to deal with being pushed out and replaced by younger men. There’s not much reason why men would need Gen-X. I think this double standard, although present, wasn’t explored thoroughly.
I also noticed quite a few typos – nothing major, but there’s enough of them that I was distracted by them. Example: the word “of” when it’s supposed to be “off” little things like that. This issue can be fixed, however and I tried to keep typos out of my rating.
This book was both fast and slow paced. While hitting the perfect amount of suspense and action at times, the book also dragged on in some places. I did like the billboards top song at the start of each chapter.
I would recommend to anyone who likes thrillers with back-and-forth pacing/elements.
An intriguing read for sure.
Although I enjoyed the story, I’ve only rated it a 3.5. Highlighting the ageism and absurdity of firing older women from jobs, only to replace them with younger girls, is an interesting storyline but I felt some details in the book weren’t really necessary. I think the story should have focused more on Joyce’s experiences with the surgery, a little less on the schooling, and more on the advertising business side of things.
It was intriguing to see a man that went through the Gen-X program, but I was confused by that since the majority were older women who were being pushed out of their jobs because of their age. Their male coworkers/bosses, who were older than them, never had to deal with being pushed out and replaced by younger men. There’s not much reason why men would need Gen-X. I think this double standard, although present, wasn’t explored thoroughly.
I also noticed quite a few typos – nothing major, but there’s enough of them that I was distracted by them. Example: the word “of” when it’s supposed to be “off” little things like that. This issue can be fixed, however and I tried to keep typos out of my rating.
This book was both fast and slow paced. While hitting the perfect amount of suspense and action at times, the book also dragged on in some places. I did like the billboards top song at the start of each chapter.
I would recommend to anyone who likes thrillers with back-and-forth pacing/elements.
An intriguing read for sure.
April 30, 2021
Joyce Lackey is a high-level advertising agency executive in Chicago but finds herself on the outs due to her age. Despite her amazing track record, as a baby-boomer the CEO of her firm just doesn’t think she has what it takes any longer to connect with the new target market: the Gen-X’ers. But what if there was a way to change that? What if there was a way to regenerate herself in some way to appear 20 years younger and still maintain the creativity and work ethic that it took to get her to such a highly-placed position in the first place?
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one when I first began reading it. Was it a thriller? A horror story? Turns out, in many ways, it’s a little bit of both. It reads like a swiftly moving thriller but the solution to Joyce’s problem is horrifying. Regardless of how you classify it, it’s a fun, clever read. A page-turner, to be sure, it has a tightly woven plot and nicely fleshed out characters. Joyce is a wonderful character herself, easy to like and follow, and representative of so much in our current culture. Even though I didn’t always agree with her decisions, they were understandable given her background and goals. Fundamentally this is a story about how the generations clash as well as what one person (or thousands) might well do in order to achieve their goals.
I understand this was the very first collaboration between Max Allan Collins and his wife Barbara. It originally grew out of a short story written by Barbara, but I think it serves well as a novel. First published back in 1999, and released under their Barbara Allan pseudonym, they’ve revised it for this new release, updating the references to fit the present day. I suspect many Max Allan Collins readers are used to his crime and noir novels, but I enjoy it when he branches out into other areas as well. In the end, a well-told tale is a well-told tale regardless of genre.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one when I first began reading it. Was it a thriller? A horror story? Turns out, in many ways, it’s a little bit of both. It reads like a swiftly moving thriller but the solution to Joyce’s problem is horrifying. Regardless of how you classify it, it’s a fun, clever read. A page-turner, to be sure, it has a tightly woven plot and nicely fleshed out characters. Joyce is a wonderful character herself, easy to like and follow, and representative of so much in our current culture. Even though I didn’t always agree with her decisions, they were understandable given her background and goals. Fundamentally this is a story about how the generations clash as well as what one person (or thousands) might well do in order to achieve their goals.
I understand this was the very first collaboration between Max Allan Collins and his wife Barbara. It originally grew out of a short story written by Barbara, but I think it serves well as a novel. First published back in 1999, and released under their Barbara Allan pseudonym, they’ve revised it for this new release, updating the references to fit the present day. I suspect many Max Allan Collins readers are used to his crime and noir novels, but I enjoy it when he branches out into other areas as well. In the end, a well-told tale is a well-told tale regardless of genre.
October 13, 2023
A Parable of Entitled Boomer Anxiety
On behalf of GenX, Molly Ringwald and I have this to say to the Boomer characters in the book:
This book was apparently originally published in 1999, and it shows. The protagonist, Joyce, is a high-powered ad executive, but her boss thinks she's gotten too out of touch. With her Boomer lens, how can she advertise to GenX? And from her perspective, why would she want to? Her generation, after all, is the coolest, so whatever they are into should be trendy.
I distinctly remember a moment in the 1990s where I had a thought that by the time the media were tired of reporting what the Boomers were into, they'd skip over GenX and start reporting on the NEXT cohort. I wasn't wrong, and I think this was before that group was labelled as "Millennials."
Joyce's boss clearly violates age-discrimination laws by giving her the choice of being fired or "voluntarily" retiring--because he is looking for "young blood" and "young ideas." She is despondent and when she receives a call from an agent of X-Gen (subtle, authors! 🙄). He is a head-hunter, and as described in the book's blurb, "They could give Joyce everything she wanted, everything she needed -- a new job, a new body, a new identity. In short, a new life."
The transformation involves taking intensive courses on a college campus to learn the pop-culture references and slang of GenX, in addition to surgeries to give her a young body.
And certain details just didn't make sense to me. (I know, with the premise, expecting sense is kind of silly.) Joyce's new name that she has to get used to? Joy. Wouldn't it make more sense to pick a name that sounds completely different, to reduce the likelihood of her saying her old name by mistake? Also, she went through her GenX boot camp, yet she still constantly makes Boomer pop-culture references (oops) and gets praised for her knowledge of "history."
And the ending?
And yes, as a GenX-er, I'm left wondering which member of my generation peed in the authors' cornflakes.
On behalf of GenX, Molly Ringwald and I have this to say to the Boomer characters in the book:
This book was apparently originally published in 1999, and it shows. The protagonist, Joyce, is a high-powered ad executive, but her boss thinks she's gotten too out of touch. With her Boomer lens, how can she advertise to GenX? And from her perspective, why would she want to? Her generation, after all, is the coolest, so whatever they are into should be trendy.
I distinctly remember a moment in the 1990s where I had a thought that by the time the media were tired of reporting what the Boomers were into, they'd skip over GenX and start reporting on the NEXT cohort. I wasn't wrong, and I think this was before that group was labelled as "Millennials."
Joyce's boss clearly violates age-discrimination laws by giving her the choice of being fired or "voluntarily" retiring--because he is looking for "young blood" and "young ideas." She is despondent and when she receives a call from an agent of X-Gen (subtle, authors! 🙄). He is a head-hunter, and as described in the book's blurb, "They could give Joyce everything she wanted, everything she needed -- a new job, a new body, a new identity. In short, a new life."
The transformation involves taking intensive courses on a college campus to learn the pop-culture references and slang of GenX, in addition to surgeries to give her a young body.
And certain details just didn't make sense to me. (I know, with the premise, expecting sense is kind of silly.) Joyce's new name that she has to get used to? Joy. Wouldn't it make more sense to pick a name that sounds completely different, to reduce the likelihood of her saying her old name by mistake? Also, she went through her GenX boot camp, yet she still constantly makes Boomer pop-culture references (oops) and gets praised for her knowledge of "history."
And the ending?
And yes, as a GenX-er, I'm left wondering which member of my generation peed in the authors' cornflakes.
August 14, 2024
Gabrielle de Cuir hits a home run for Audible, narrating this pulp thriller with a sci-fi slant, as a secret company offers aging Baby Boomers a chance to restart their ending careers….but what if the cost of this “new lease on life” is more than you’ve bargained for? An interesting tale with an “Outer Limits” type ending that was satisfying…albeit a bit rushed.
August 15, 2017
Surprise after surprise!
I must say that I loved the book. It was a must read to the end. I was hooked within the first few pages. That's not something that happens frequently. Bravo to a great writer.
I must say that I loved the book. It was a must read to the end. I was hooked within the first few pages. That's not something that happens frequently. Bravo to a great writer.
September 16, 2016
Finished this book in 1 day. A light read.
First off I have searched and found no mention of this, but this book shares a lot of similarities with the Rock Hudson movie Seconds, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seconds....
I don't want to say that the authors stole from the movie but I would not be surprised if they didn't have a vhs tape lying around all worn out from use.
Joyce is a baby boomer who has reached pretty high in her career, but not as high as she wants. However, she is fifty six and the company has a new boss, one who wants fresh blood. Joyce refuses to change her way of working, insisting that Generation X will be a terrible market to advertise to, and soon finds herself unemployed. Despite being a leader in the industry she finds herself unemployable, and due to poor planning she is facing financial ruin.
Ready to die she gets an interesting offer from a company called X-Gen, they want to hire her. But the offer comes with a lot of conditions. She will need to have surgery, she will go back to school, pop culture classes, and at the end she will be a fresh 35 year old employee, just like the one who took her former job.
It seems too good to be true, but what other options are there, Mcdonald's?
The only issue is why do so many of the former clients of X-gen keep dying. Is it simply their hidden old age or something more.
Personally I thought at first the book was going to be a whiney rant about Generation X and how baby boomers were afraid to let go. And to be honest there was a lot of this. The book does give quite a few reasons to dislike the younger generation. However, by the end of the book you find that both generations have a lot to dislike.
Decent book.
First off I have searched and found no mention of this, but this book shares a lot of similarities with the Rock Hudson movie Seconds, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seconds....
I don't want to say that the authors stole from the movie but I would not be surprised if they didn't have a vhs tape lying around all worn out from use.
Joyce is a baby boomer who has reached pretty high in her career, but not as high as she wants. However, she is fifty six and the company has a new boss, one who wants fresh blood. Joyce refuses to change her way of working, insisting that Generation X will be a terrible market to advertise to, and soon finds herself unemployed. Despite being a leader in the industry she finds herself unemployable, and due to poor planning she is facing financial ruin.
Ready to die she gets an interesting offer from a company called X-Gen, they want to hire her. But the offer comes with a lot of conditions. She will need to have surgery, she will go back to school, pop culture classes, and at the end she will be a fresh 35 year old employee, just like the one who took her former job.
It seems too good to be true, but what other options are there, Mcdonald's?
The only issue is why do so many of the former clients of X-gen keep dying. Is it simply their hidden old age or something more.
Personally I thought at first the book was going to be a whiney rant about Generation X and how baby boomers were afraid to let go. And to be honest there was a lot of this. The book does give quite a few reasons to dislike the younger generation. However, by the end of the book you find that both generations have a lot to dislike.
Decent book.
May 1, 2021
Many fiction writers have fans that will buy anything that includes their fave's by-line on the cover. I have read at least three dozen books with Max Allan Collins' name prominently displayed. I have read his entire series featuring detective Hate Heller and his mysteries featuring real life events. I've read his series featuring Elliott Ness, his hit man series featuring Quarry, several Nolan books, an early series featuring a college aged -mystery writer, and a novel featuring his graphic novel character Ms. Tree. A Collins-completed lost Mickey Spillane novel.... Recently, I finished a Collins biography about Al Capone.
A pattern maybe? A lot of straight detective books, some crime novels featuring protagonists, shall we say outside of the law, but not a bad book in the bunch.
Collins' name on a Western, sharing a byline with Mickey Spillane? Yeh, I'll try it.... Darn, it was good. Is there anything Collins can't write?
Where did "Regeneration" come from? The books he writes with his wife, aren't they cozies about antiques or cats? But this one seems to have an intriguing premise... Kind of a Dorian Gray thing, with a knockout cover. And a blurb line "Terror Reborn.". And a contract without an escape clause? This oughta be good; Collins hasn't let me down yet over the past 30 plus years.
" Regeneration" was obviously written at least 10 years ago. But it still packs a wallop. This non series Collins book questions society's infatuation with beauty, and the treatment of adults as they lose their looks. We read about dubious science and questionable medical treatments. We question what choices we would choose in situations similar to the book's characters.
So maybe Collins just can't write a bad book.
A pattern maybe? A lot of straight detective books, some crime novels featuring protagonists, shall we say outside of the law, but not a bad book in the bunch.
Collins' name on a Western, sharing a byline with Mickey Spillane? Yeh, I'll try it.... Darn, it was good. Is there anything Collins can't write?
Where did "Regeneration" come from? The books he writes with his wife, aren't they cozies about antiques or cats? But this one seems to have an intriguing premise... Kind of a Dorian Gray thing, with a knockout cover. And a blurb line "Terror Reborn.". And a contract without an escape clause? This oughta be good; Collins hasn't let me down yet over the past 30 plus years.
" Regeneration" was obviously written at least 10 years ago. But it still packs a wallop. This non series Collins book questions society's infatuation with beauty, and the treatment of adults as they lose their looks. We read about dubious science and questionable medical treatments. We question what choices we would choose in situations similar to the book's characters.
So maybe Collins just can't write a bad book.
May 14, 2021
THIS REVIEW PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR A FREE BOOK SIGNED BY THE AUTHORS.
OK, the formalities out of the way, I can feel free to praise this horror story based on a fear many of us face, that of growing old and no longer valued in the workforce. Joyce Lackey, a 50-something advertising executive, is unceremoniously fired by her agency in a search for "young blood and young ideas." As she despairs her suddenly bleak feature, the X-Gen Agency swoops in with an offer of a new job and a new life. This includes a new body and a new identity. As Joyce settles in to her second existence, she discovers the price she may pay, one not listed in the iron-clad contract.
While I am a big fan of Max Allan Collins, this is the first book I have read that he co-wrote with his wife Barbara. They collaborate on a cozy mystery series, so it came as a welcome surprise to pick up this tale that feels like a riff on the movie "Seconds." Their story maintains a high degree of suspense throughout, making "Regeneration" a thrilling, thought-provoking book.
OK, the formalities out of the way, I can feel free to praise this horror story based on a fear many of us face, that of growing old and no longer valued in the workforce. Joyce Lackey, a 50-something advertising executive, is unceremoniously fired by her agency in a search for "young blood and young ideas." As she despairs her suddenly bleak feature, the X-Gen Agency swoops in with an offer of a new job and a new life. This includes a new body and a new identity. As Joyce settles in to her second existence, she discovers the price she may pay, one not listed in the iron-clad contract.
While I am a big fan of Max Allan Collins, this is the first book I have read that he co-wrote with his wife Barbara. They collaborate on a cozy mystery series, so it came as a welcome surprise to pick up this tale that feels like a riff on the movie "Seconds." Their story maintains a high degree of suspense throughout, making "Regeneration" a thrilling, thought-provoking book.
April 25, 2013
Interesting read. I thought it was well written with few exceptions. The authors try to give the characters a little wit, humor and charm, but to me it felt forced and cliche, and didn't seem to fit the characters' personalities or the theme of the book.
The plot is quite thought provoking. I think this book would be very fun to have a discussion group for. I've read reviews where people didn't like the ending because it "doesn't wrap anything up". I agree to disagree. I think the ending leaves plenty of room for thought, but doesn't leave any loose ends.
Overall I enjoyed it and would probably recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, entertaining read.
The plot is quite thought provoking. I think this book would be very fun to have a discussion group for. I've read reviews where people didn't like the ending because it "doesn't wrap anything up". I agree to disagree. I think the ending leaves plenty of room for thought, but doesn't leave any loose ends.
Overall I enjoyed it and would probably recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, entertaining read.
November 3, 2013
Interesting read. I was hoping for a different ending. Would have been a cool sequel to have Jack and Joy working with the feds or something. It would be cool to even have related novels telling the stories of others with XGen, maybe even some from the point of view of someone on the inside. I found it odd that Joyce's aunt was never brought up again. The reader didn't know if Joy knew or not... I felt it needed some resolution. Also, what was with the dang plant stand?! It seemed like it would be important because it was referred so much, but in the end I didn't see the significance of it. Maybe I missed some symbolism there?
November 20, 2025
This is a solid, worthwhile book that gave me plenty to like. I liked that it did not feel empty. Even when it was simply entertaining, there was enough craft there to make it satisfying. Barbara Allan gives it enough control and personality that it feels like more than just a premise on a page. There were moments I wanted a little more depth or sharpness, but the strengths comfortably outweighed that. Four stars because I enjoyed it and would happily recommend it, even if it stopped just short of being a favourite.
December 30, 2013
A clever, twisted generational thriller that fictionalizes the brewing Boomers vs. GenX-ers conflict in the workplace and in the society at large. If the Boomers do require to be kicked out of the spotlight kicking and screaming when their time is up, what would happen if some enterprising GenX-ers founded a mutually beneficial and highly profitable enterprise to offer the exiting generation a chance at salvation without regret by "thinking outside the box" (pun intended)?
April 7, 2021
Great Beginning But Lost Interest
The authors began on a very realistic note many of us readers have experienced in the working world; then out of nowhere comes an offer seemingly too good to be true and maybe it isn't.
The authors began on a very realistic note many of us readers have experienced in the working world; then out of nowhere comes an offer seemingly too good to be true and maybe it isn't.
February 6, 2008
Quite a creepy little read with more relevance than ever since more women are getting plastic surgery, etc... and want to look 25 forever (or is it 15 they are going for)?
January 26, 2011
interesting..
April 3, 2013
An interesting novel. Got it for $2 on the Kindle. The end wasn't great, but it didn't wrap anything up, which generally I like.
March 4, 2015
Interesting, not really my thing, but an interesting concept.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews