Reader Mailbag: Should Characters Age?
In the May 2026 newsletter, I asked readers if main characters in books in a series should age. Here are the responses:
Chris: The question of whether a character should age is an interesting one. For me, it depends on the book series as well as the characters. Some stories, such as the Jack Reacher novels, as you mentioned, really hinge on him being young, strong and fit. It wouldn’t make sense (and would be depressing) if he’s growing weaker or frailer; he’d be wiped out pretty quickly if that were so. But in other series, such as Outlander, the realistic aging for the characters adds to the depth and value of the story. The growth and progression of the characters, along with their aging, is what makes the series so outstanding.
Barbara: Yes, I want character to age, though sometimes very slowly. For example, if a series of books are released one year apart, the characters should age at least six months from the last one released
Mary: When I get attached to a character, I want him/her to remain as the character to whom I am attached.
I realize this isn’t what happens in real life, but reading isn’t always “real life”!
I know we all age, but I prefer the character I got to know will still be that same character the next time I meet him/her.
Linda: I think characters should age, especially if they’re in a long running series. How else will they grow as a person and gain life experiences and friendships and experience their families maturing? It adds to their character.
Tom: Yes, I think characters should age. I love how Brad Thor has handled Scott Harvard in his books. He also mentions how he’s not as sharp as he once was due to his age. It makes things a little more realistic.
Donna: Yes, I think characters in series books should age. I’ve noticed that when they don’t after a while the plots become repetitive and less interesting. An aging character can run into new situations and solve problems differently.
Linda L: Good question. Yes in some, no in others. For instance, the Mitch Rapp series, I never want him to get so old he is not doing his job well. I did not mind that he did have different love interests, but I want him to always stay alive. Then some books that you have families, of course, someone has to age so that new members of the family can be introduced. Obviously you cannot have grandchildren in a series if the main character stays in his 20’s. So any family saga type books I do want the characters to age and even die, just so there can be new family memers introduced. Death can be very emotional in a series, but it also makes for great reading. Once again your newsletter has tantalized me to read some of the mentions. I have been reading some old James Patterson books this month and find all of his writing great even if it was a book from 20 years ago. He is a terrific author. Have a wonderful summer.
Debbie: I think it depends on the type of book and the character. In Death leads Rourke and Dalles have to age. The story is more about their lives together and other people in their worlds than the crime that are committed. Harry Potter had to age. He was in school – he could not stay 13 forever.
At the same time, some of Nora Roberts trilogies just wouldn’t be the same if the characters aged in each new book. Maybe by 2 months but certainly not by two years – no matter the length of time between books in the series. The aging of a character has to make sense in each story line. And they may become older but not younger. Can you imagine Harry Potter at age 14, then 30 in the next book, then 12 in the third book? It has to make sense to the story progression.
jayme: I think that a character age should correspond with the time indicated by the series having passed if years of passed I want the character to have aged if Weeks have passed then they shouldn’t. It’s all about the references, included two time passing in the series not real life.
AJ: Boy, this question is a hard one. You’re right that Reacher can’t really age, but JP Beaumont has aged beautifully and I love his characher arc. Mitch Rapp ages but slower than real time and it isn’t the focus, just a reality check. Gabriel Allon is ageing, but again slower than real time and no real focus on his age. I think it has to do with the story timelines – each Reacher book takes only a few days or a week – so they could all happen in just a year or two – but other stories take place over longer times and the characters have to age to keep up.
Barbara: Yes, I want character to age, though sometimes very slowly. For example, if a series of books are released one year apart, the characters should age at least six months from the last one released
Pam: Thanks for all the great info. I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures and will definitely check out the adaptation next week I put Short Stay in Hell and The Last Mandarin on hold at my library.
I enjoyed your currently reading video. Well done!
There are some characters I wouldn’t want to age, Reacher is definitely one. I hate the idea of a series ending because the main character is gone.
There are others where it is okay. MC Beaton’s Hamish McBeth and Agatha Raisin: Sanford’s Prey’s Davenport and spinoffs age naturally. That’s good so their families can grow as well.
Thinking of characters aging reminds me of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series. It was and is excellent, but ended abruptly with the author’s death in 2017. There are series which should have a planned conclusion.
I’ve tried to read several of my favorite series which were continued by a ghostwriter with were a disaster as far as I was concerned.
M C Beaton’s books were saved by the early addition of R. W. Green who picked up the pen before M C passed. I was hoping that he would carry on the torch and have not been disappointed. The first one he wrote on his own wasn’t quite as good as I had hoped, but over the years he is spot on.
Who would have time to find new books to love, if they keep reading the great books from series they cherish?
It’s good to have the conundrum to have.
Jeannie: It depends on the author and the characters. I am personally enjoying mysteries both by American authors and translated by authors around the world. It is okay when homicide detectives retire and still solve crimes. However, some of my favorite never age and the novels just wouldn’t be the same if they do age. There are a lot of new sleuths who are older (Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, for example) who would age themselves out of life, so they need to remain Octogenarians.
Thomas: .I never really thought about the characters aging but I know that I am. So in that maybe I see the same characters different now than I would have 20 years ago. I am thinking that Joe Pickett is aging in the C J Box novels but that may be an illusion. Take care, Tom
Louis: I believe age is just a number and if Harry Bosch does age, I read the words of course but don’t place emphasis on them. There are too many other facets of the character outline and story to indulge in placing age/joint issues/ etc. in the background for me.
Whether it’s Matt Scudder, the 87th precinct cops, Jack Reacher, Agent 007 or any attorney by John Grisham, only a number – just a number.
Connie: There is one series I read where an aging protagonist got me thinking.
C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett series ages, along with his family who started out quite young and now are in college or out on their own. Even his pet dogs have died (usually between books, so we don’t experience their deaths).
But my thoughts were on a predicament for the author — what if you aged a character, then came up with a story line that requires the character 10 years younger? With the Picketts, it seems he aged them much more quickly than I wanted. Is he going to spend another blizzard in the mountains as a creaky old man, slogging a monstrous snow drift in search of another murderer? It’s a conundrum for me, anyway.
I’ve been reading Michael Connelly’s series set in Alaska in which the protagonist has a twist on a relationship that seems to go nowhere, so I’m wanting him to either act on his feelings or get over it — another way to age, I guess.
Makes me think of the FOURTH Raiders of the Lost Arc movie, where they were able to write Harrison Ford’s old character into the story line in a relatively believable way. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Hope this is what you were looking for!
Wessel: I definitely prefer my favourite characters not to age in the way Jack Reacher doesn’t. I would have preferred that Harry Bosch to be solving cases in perpetuity. I remember loving the Tarzan series as a child, and the way Edgar Rice Burroughs solved the dilemma was to have the ape man drink an elixir of virtually eternal life. This would obviously not work for modern day heroes, but since they are fictional and the writer depends on our suspension of disbelief, this is simply not a problem in my view.
Carol G: The issue of characters aging totally depends on the series. If they are going to marry and/or have kids who will be doing things in further books, then they have to age–unless of course they are those such as the Argeneaus who are basically immortal.
About Goodreads–there is one other thing that is probably not a big deal to some, but it irks me when they list a book with author’s name included, and then add a note that the author is unknown. Either their volunteers can’t read or don’t have a reasoning brain.
Brian: Good question! Had to think about this. I think for the most part no, but if they do real slow. Think about James Bond you can’t have an old James Bond. The early Robert Parker Spenser books has him as a Korean War veteran which would make him in his 80’s (that reference has been dropped). Those references should never be used for a book series character
Kat: David Rosenfelt.
He’s the writer of the Andy Carpenter mystery series
the dog Tara does not age, he promised to never let her die in one of his books
i LOVE that!
Mark: I don’t know if characters *should* age, but I do know that in three of the best series, the five Tiffany Aching books in Discworld, Harry Potter, and the Vorkosigan saga, the characters *do* age, so I certainly can’t complain about it.
Christine: I prefer characters that don’t age (or age very very slowly) because I like the series to go on for many years.
Donna: Definitely, they should! It’s an important feature in the series I read. What would Andy Carpenter, et al, be if they all stayed the same age? Or if Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, and their family didn’t progress in time like any normal family would. Boring, that’s what.
I know I don’t want Tara, Andy’s beloved Golden Retriever, to ever cross the rainbow bridge, so I will continue to suspend reality in her case.
Joe: My answer is yes, Author Robert Bryndza series about Detective Eric Forster is a good example of a character aging. It fun reading (watching) her grow and learn from past mistakes.
So yes, growth in a reappearing character I believe is essential.
texdewolfe: Books can cover a short time or eons. The stories can be past, present or future. Characters can even time travel. My thoughts run the gamut. I like young characters for their youthfulness and mental sharpness. But their inexperience can be useful to the story line and as they age they can relate back to those experiences adding to the storyline. That said, some characters that do age add to the storyline. C. J. Box’s, Joe Pickett books has him single, married, 3 kids, kids married, grandchildren. Adds to the story, I believe. Yes, I’m an aged reader so maybe I’m slanted in my view from my somewhat aged body but youthful mind. 😉
Jessica: I mostly wouldn’t want characters to age. But for Twilight they don’t age even though Edward is over 100. lol I would like to read a book of Bella’s daughter though. I think her adventages with Jacob would be cool. I wouldn’t want Cotton Malone to age in the Cotton Malone. Even though he is no longer agent, he does get in tough situations.
Caryn: I feel it depends on the series. Jack Reacher needs to stay in his prime so he can still effectively maintain the activity level needed for the character and career, sort of like James Bond – how can that character still be a lady killer once he’s too old?
Other characters should age in real-time, like Stephanie Plum in Evanovich’s series. It just seems like she needs to continue aging for the stories to be at all plausible.
Donna: I like the way Jo Nesbo writes the Harry Hole series. He ages him by his drinking and the murders of his loved ones. Gives depth to his character.
I also enjoy what I call science fantasy where the characters are magical and can portray various ages depending on the scenario.
