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Thursday Murder Club #1
The Thursday Murder Club
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders.
But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?
But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2020
About the author
Richard Osman
19 books6,405 followersAn English television presenter, producer, director, and novelist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36,147 reviews
November 7, 2020
Unpopular opinion alert... but I thought that this book was kind of terrible.
It has a nice concept...sort of. It's partially set in a retirement village, and we are quickly introduced to a lot of quirky characters who have organised themselves into a 'Thursday Murder Club' in order to solve (solve? Discuss? Take a really weird illegal interest in?) crimes that happened a long time ago. So far, reasonably OK. When a real murder takes place adjacent to the community, the gang decide to throw themselves into investigating it for real, and this is what a majority of the plot is taken up with. As a concept, this is all fine. But this isn't it . Richard Osman then feels the need to introduce us to fifty other characters for, seemingly, no reason whatsoever.
The narrative jumps about so much it's difficult to remember anyone's name, much less become invested in anyone's individual story. I've seen a lot of people saying that actually the murder plot is totally secondary to all of the intricacies of the relationships between the characters in the retirement village: this would have been fine, but not enough time is actually spent exploring any of these relationships. We get that East End Ron now prefers wine to beer, and that there are some sweet moments between Joyce and her daughter, but, honestly? That was about it. It was all very surface-level, and the fact that there's a new chapter every 2 pages from a different character's point of view makes it all feel disjointed, like flicking through the TV channels really quickly without actually getting more than 2 seconds of dialogue every time.
The book is sold as a murder mystery, so let's discuss that, because Richard Osman doesn't really feel the need to. It's a weird and meandering investigation that we get from multiple sides: we get the Murder Club's version of events, then we get a bumbling police detective's version of events, then we get what actually happened. This could have been interesting, but it was left so flat. We get one member of the Murder Club telling us that she's actually definitely worked out who the real killer was and isn't this great? But find out what we do about it in the next book!
The actual resolution of the murder plot is such an afterthought though, and more weight seems to be given to our bumbling cop's newfound romance with (weirdly) his junior police officer's mum. Was this necessary? No. Was it sweet? Not really, it was just yet another character added in incredibly superficially for no particularly purpose other than to say that she's allergic to dogs, and possibly to subvert the expectations of everyone who thought the older cop was going to turn out to be creepily involved with his subordinate. Great.
The whole book felt incredibly gimmicky. Even in the acknowledgements, Richard Osman says that he got the idea by visiting a retirement village and, gasp, discovering that old people are interesting! So that was basically the entire plot: people have secrets, everyone you might like has probably done something awful, the premise isn't important and we'll do a deep character analysis but not actually go that deeply into anything, and leave everything nicely resolved (or not).
I was basically really glad to finish this book. Wouldn't re-read. Wouldn't recommend. Would struggle to score it higher than a 1/5.
It has a nice concept...sort of. It's partially set in a retirement village, and we are quickly introduced to a lot of quirky characters who have organised themselves into a 'Thursday Murder Club' in order to solve (solve? Discuss? Take a really weird illegal interest in?) crimes that happened a long time ago. So far, reasonably OK. When a real murder takes place adjacent to the community, the gang decide to throw themselves into investigating it for real, and this is what a majority of the plot is taken up with. As a concept, this is all fine. But this isn't it . Richard Osman then feels the need to introduce us to fifty other characters for, seemingly, no reason whatsoever.
The narrative jumps about so much it's difficult to remember anyone's name, much less become invested in anyone's individual story. I've seen a lot of people saying that actually the murder plot is totally secondary to all of the intricacies of the relationships between the characters in the retirement village: this would have been fine, but not enough time is actually spent exploring any of these relationships. We get that East End Ron now prefers wine to beer, and that there are some sweet moments between Joyce and her daughter, but, honestly? That was about it. It was all very surface-level, and the fact that there's a new chapter every 2 pages from a different character's point of view makes it all feel disjointed, like flicking through the TV channels really quickly without actually getting more than 2 seconds of dialogue every time.
The book is sold as a murder mystery, so let's discuss that, because Richard Osman doesn't really feel the need to. It's a weird and meandering investigation that we get from multiple sides: we get the Murder Club's version of events, then we get a bumbling police detective's version of events, then we get what actually happened. This could have been interesting, but it was left so flat. We get one member of the Murder Club telling us that she's actually definitely worked out who the real killer was and isn't this great? But find out what we do about it in the next book!
The actual resolution of the murder plot is such an afterthought though, and more weight seems to be given to our bumbling cop's newfound romance with (weirdly) his junior police officer's mum. Was this necessary? No. Was it sweet? Not really, it was just yet another character added in incredibly superficially for no particularly purpose other than to say that she's allergic to dogs, and possibly to subvert the expectations of everyone who thought the older cop was going to turn out to be creepily involved with his subordinate. Great.
The whole book felt incredibly gimmicky. Even in the acknowledgements, Richard Osman says that he got the idea by visiting a retirement village and, gasp, discovering that old people are interesting! So that was basically the entire plot: people have secrets, everyone you might like has probably done something awful, the premise isn't important and we'll do a deep character analysis but not actually go that deeply into anything, and leave everything nicely resolved (or not).
I was basically really glad to finish this book. Wouldn't re-read. Wouldn't recommend. Would struggle to score it higher than a 1/5.
August 9, 2020
Celebrity writers can be a hit and miss experience, so it was with trepidation that I approached Richard Osman's quintessentially offbeat British character driven crime fiction debut, but I need not have worried, it's a belter, with its understated charm, humour and wit that beguiles. Set in Kent, four sprightly, remarkable agile, and energetic elderly folk exercise their considerable brain power into the solving of cold case murders from police files secretly acquired by the undisputed leader of the group, Elizabeth, a woman to be reckoned with, with her mysterious and shadowy background. The organising Elizabeth has a powerful and wide ranging network that she can call on, one that the police might envy. The quiet, sensible and overlooked Joyce, an ex-nurse, is a recent arrival to the exclusive luxury retirement village, that include many residents formerly at the top of their varied professions. She soon finds herself recruited to the Thursday Murder Club (TMC), and it is through her Journal we learn of the members activities and meetings, oiled by considerable partaking of wine and her delicious baking.
Ibrahim, a retired psychiatrist, a logistics and details man, and Ron, a union man that used to be famously portrayed as Red Ron in the media, are the other members of the club. PC Donna de Freitas, is a recent transplant from the London Met and, to put it mildly, she would rather be solving murders than living the boredom of her current reality as she gives a security talk to the TMC, only to have her agenda overturned by the bunch of wily, manipulative and sly members. When the murder of Tony Curran is discovered, the TMC gear themselves up to solve the murder, willing to use any advantage they can engineer, cross any line, and venture into forbidden territory where the police cannot go. They use their influence to get Donna on the murder team run by the lonely and overweight DCI Chris Hudson, to gain access to police information, willing to trade what the TMC discover with Donna and Chris, although they often only do so at a their discretion and at a time of their choosing.
It is the diverse characters that Osman creates and develops, and his tight plotting with the numerous secrets and their reveals, along with the comic touches, that makes this an entertaining and delightful read. This makes a wonderful break from the dark and grisly fare of much of the crime fiction and mystery genre, and whilst the connection between our intrepid elderly sleuths and the police might require a suspension of disbelief, it works beautifully. Obviously when it comes to the elderly, medical issues, physical decline, loneliness, grief and loss are going to play an integral part of their stories. If you are looking for fun, entertainment, and a thoughtful, intelligent, offbeat and engaging mystery, then this is highly likely to appeal. In the meantime, I look forward to the next in what promises to be a stellar crime series. Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.
Ibrahim, a retired psychiatrist, a logistics and details man, and Ron, a union man that used to be famously portrayed as Red Ron in the media, are the other members of the club. PC Donna de Freitas, is a recent transplant from the London Met and, to put it mildly, she would rather be solving murders than living the boredom of her current reality as she gives a security talk to the TMC, only to have her agenda overturned by the bunch of wily, manipulative and sly members. When the murder of Tony Curran is discovered, the TMC gear themselves up to solve the murder, willing to use any advantage they can engineer, cross any line, and venture into forbidden territory where the police cannot go. They use their influence to get Donna on the murder team run by the lonely and overweight DCI Chris Hudson, to gain access to police information, willing to trade what the TMC discover with Donna and Chris, although they often only do so at a their discretion and at a time of their choosing.
It is the diverse characters that Osman creates and develops, and his tight plotting with the numerous secrets and their reveals, along with the comic touches, that makes this an entertaining and delightful read. This makes a wonderful break from the dark and grisly fare of much of the crime fiction and mystery genre, and whilst the connection between our intrepid elderly sleuths and the police might require a suspension of disbelief, it works beautifully. Obviously when it comes to the elderly, medical issues, physical decline, loneliness, grief and loss are going to play an integral part of their stories. If you are looking for fun, entertainment, and a thoughtful, intelligent, offbeat and engaging mystery, then this is highly likely to appeal. In the meantime, I look forward to the next in what promises to be a stellar crime series. Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.
October 4, 2022
After a certain age, you can pretty much do whatever takes your fancy. No one tells you off, except for your doctors and your children.The Thursday Murder Club meets every Thursday (hence the name) at Coopers Chase, a peaceful retirement community where nothing much happens. That is, until a murder occurs within its idyllic community, and four of its septuagenarian residents decide to stick their noses in and solve it themselves.
I was immediately taken with the quirky and loveable cast of characters. The senior citizens made me chuckle with their sassy antics and their unapologetic zest for life. The gentle humor strikes just the right balance, without coming across as too flippant or cheesy. I also adored the detectives in here, with their protectiveness of these septuagenarians and their good-natured acceptance of their often questionable behaviors.
As for the mystery itself, it started out really strong. I was completely bought in during the first half, playing arm chair detective while following along with each clue and red herring. But then it kind of became convoluted and confusing. It seems like the book tried to insinuate guilt on every single character, one by one. It was fun for the first one or two, thinking that I've been duped, but it quickly became tedious. Thankfully, the ending wrapped everything up in a satisfying, if long-winded, way.
Overall, this was a really entertaining read, in large part due to its cast of sweet and funny characters. I'm glad this is the first of what looks to be a series, and I can't wait to read more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
#2. The Man Who Died Twice
#3. The Bullet That Missed
~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 20, 2023
2.75 stars
This book was enjoyable, I’m not going to deny that. I liked reading about the quirky characters and their penchant for solving murders. It was an intriguing and funny premise which did in a way deliver. But the problem was that it was very slow and even though there were some twists and turns they were quite anticlimactic. There were too many character perspectives during the book that just seemed unnecessary and a bit confusing. In theory the story seems quite captivating, but in reality it never made you sit on the edge of your seat or have to read the next chapter. Unfortunately, I wasn’t that invested in the crime and I wasn’t that curious about who the murderer was which is kind of the whole point of a mystery novel. It was an enjoyable book to cruise along with, but something you could pretty easily put down.
Update Feb 2023
I’m currently rereading this for book club so it will be interesting to see how it goes a second time round.
So I just finished the audiobook and I found that helped with my enjoyment of the book because the narrator was really great and it helped me invest in the characters and storyline a bit more. I think I liked the book slightly better this time around. I still agree with my review from 2020 but I would recommend the audiobook if you’re struggling to get into the story. I think I would rate it 2.75 or 3 stars so I’ll change my rating to a 3 to be generous haha.
This book was enjoyable, I’m not going to deny that. I liked reading about the quirky characters and their penchant for solving murders. It was an intriguing and funny premise which did in a way deliver. But the problem was that it was very slow and even though there were some twists and turns they were quite anticlimactic. There were too many character perspectives during the book that just seemed unnecessary and a bit confusing. In theory the story seems quite captivating, but in reality it never made you sit on the edge of your seat or have to read the next chapter. Unfortunately, I wasn’t that invested in the crime and I wasn’t that curious about who the murderer was which is kind of the whole point of a mystery novel. It was an enjoyable book to cruise along with, but something you could pretty easily put down.
Update Feb 2023
I’m currently rereading this for book club so it will be interesting to see how it goes a second time round.
So I just finished the audiobook and I found that helped with my enjoyment of the book because the narrator was really great and it helped me invest in the characters and storyline a bit more. I think I liked the book slightly better this time around. I still agree with my review from 2020 but I would recommend the audiobook if you’re struggling to get into the story. I think I would rate it 2.75 or 3 stars so I’ll change my rating to a 3 to be generous haha.
October 10, 2022
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Four residents of a very nice retirement village enjoy discussing unsolved crimes. They have quite the unofficial paper database because their former fourth of the club was Penny, who is now comatose and has been replaced by Joyce, as the fourth club member. But Penny's dear and devoted friend, Elizabeth, still has access to those files and makes good use of them.
Enter a real live (or maybe the word dead should be used) crime when a developer for nearby properties is found murdered! The foursome had already taken a shine to a young female cop named Donna, who had given them a talk on the fine points of crime (which most of the group already understood). Add in Donna's lonesome, dedicated, boss, Chris and you have two groups, official and unofficial, trying to solve this crime. Pull the thread of one body and more bodies start dropping, present and past. What more fun could a geriatric crime solving club want, although things get personal and sad when it all hits too close to home.
This is a fun story and what I enjoyed the most were the characters. Great subtle and not so subtle British humor and major twists and turns in the murder/murder cases. Since this a labeled as book one, I do hope we have more books about The Thursday Murder Club.
Pub September 22, 2020
Four residents of a very nice retirement village enjoy discussing unsolved crimes. They have quite the unofficial paper database because their former fourth of the club was Penny, who is now comatose and has been replaced by Joyce, as the fourth club member. But Penny's dear and devoted friend, Elizabeth, still has access to those files and makes good use of them.
Enter a real live (or maybe the word dead should be used) crime when a developer for nearby properties is found murdered! The foursome had already taken a shine to a young female cop named Donna, who had given them a talk on the fine points of crime (which most of the group already understood). Add in Donna's lonesome, dedicated, boss, Chris and you have two groups, official and unofficial, trying to solve this crime. Pull the thread of one body and more bodies start dropping, present and past. What more fun could a geriatric crime solving club want, although things get personal and sad when it all hits too close to home.
This is a fun story and what I enjoyed the most were the characters. Great subtle and not so subtle British humor and major twists and turns in the murder/murder cases. Since this a labeled as book one, I do hope we have more books about The Thursday Murder Club.
Pub September 22, 2020
October 31, 2020
Laugh out loud funny!
“Always look where the action isn’t, because that’s where the action is.”
The Thursday Murder Club is an intelligent mystery about a group of senior citizens who find themselves in the center of a murder investigation.
Every Thursday, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron, residents of Coopers Chase Retirement Village, meet to review cold case murder files. Their former careers provide them with the expertise to solve crimes, but it is not until a current murder takes place that they truly put their skills to the test. Using their age and backgrounds to their advantage, these characters play against stereotypes to solve the crime.
I absolutely loved this book! It was the perfect distraction during Hurricane Zeta. It says a lot when a book can you make you laugh when there is the howling wind, sideways rain, and a very angry looking sky. This book is the perfect contrast-- It’s warm and funny with smart, witty, and lovable characters. The mysteries had my armchair detective skills working overtime, and the motley cast of characters kept me on my toes.
While the mysteries are multilayered and intriguing, the characters are what make this such a wonderful read. Filled with wit, humor, and charm, I hope we get to see this murder- solving crew again soon!
“Always look where the action isn’t, because that’s where the action is.”
The Thursday Murder Club is an intelligent mystery about a group of senior citizens who find themselves in the center of a murder investigation.
Every Thursday, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron, residents of Coopers Chase Retirement Village, meet to review cold case murder files. Their former careers provide them with the expertise to solve crimes, but it is not until a current murder takes place that they truly put their skills to the test. Using their age and backgrounds to their advantage, these characters play against stereotypes to solve the crime.
I absolutely loved this book! It was the perfect distraction during Hurricane Zeta. It says a lot when a book can you make you laugh when there is the howling wind, sideways rain, and a very angry looking sky. This book is the perfect contrast-- It’s warm and funny with smart, witty, and lovable characters. The mysteries had my armchair detective skills working overtime, and the motley cast of characters kept me on my toes.
While the mysteries are multilayered and intriguing, the characters are what make this such a wonderful read. Filled with wit, humor, and charm, I hope we get to see this murder- solving crew again soon!
April 16, 2023
These characters are my life goals.
Solving murder mysteries while drinking with my friends?
Yes, that is how I imagine getting old. Older. And If I'm not up to the same ridiculous hijinks that I am now, I'll definitely be disappointed in myself.
I love that this is a book about 70somethings. I mean, it's great to read about young adults. They're fun and adorable and we've all been there, right? But I'm never going to be young again. I will, however, be 75. Or so I hope! So, reading a book about a bunch of cool retirees is the same to me now as reading a book about a cool 25 year old when I was a teen.
And even if I hadn't fallen in love with the characters so hard, this still would be one of the best, twistiest murder mysteries I've read in a long time. Thing is, it's just so well done from start to finish that I don't have any complaints. I can't really talk about the plot at all because I'm afraid that I'll let something slip, but this is one that I think you're better off going into with no expectations anyway.
However, it would not be an exaggeration to say this is now one of my favorite books.
Fair warning, I love cozy mysteries. But if those kinds of books aren't your jam, your mileage may vary with one.
Highly recommended for fans of the genre.
Solving murder mysteries while drinking with my friends?
Yes, that is how I imagine getting old. Older. And If I'm not up to the same ridiculous hijinks that I am now, I'll definitely be disappointed in myself.
I love that this is a book about 70somethings. I mean, it's great to read about young adults. They're fun and adorable and we've all been there, right? But I'm never going to be young again. I will, however, be 75. Or so I hope! So, reading a book about a bunch of cool retirees is the same to me now as reading a book about a cool 25 year old when I was a teen.
And even if I hadn't fallen in love with the characters so hard, this still would be one of the best, twistiest murder mysteries I've read in a long time. Thing is, it's just so well done from start to finish that I don't have any complaints. I can't really talk about the plot at all because I'm afraid that I'll let something slip, but this is one that I think you're better off going into with no expectations anyway.
However, it would not be an exaggeration to say this is now one of my favorite books.
Fair warning, I love cozy mysteries. But if those kinds of books aren't your jam, your mileage may vary with one.
Highly recommended for fans of the genre.
August 28, 2021
Oh no, unpopular review. Sorry to be the negative nancy here, I think this book just wasn’t for me. I really need a exciting and edge of my seat book after this one.
You will like this if you want:
• A very light read
• Some humour
• Fun characters with a side of mystery
What I didn’t like:
• Overall it was boring, snail pace and not much actually happened in between the few major events. In fact 90% of the novel felt like meandering fillers.
• I was never immersed, had zero interest in the case which was hard to follow and had to re-read passages because I lost focus.
• There were too many characters and I lost track. This alternated between first person point view of Joyce and in third person point of view with airtime for the 4 members of the Thursday Murder Club, the 2 detectives, suspects and other side characters. There wasn’t any deep dive into any of them so I didn’t connect with anyone.
Review Website | Bookstagram
You will like this if you want:
• A very light read
• Some humour
• Fun characters with a side of mystery
What I didn’t like:
• Overall it was boring, snail pace and not much actually happened in between the few major events. In fact 90% of the novel felt like meandering fillers.
• I was never immersed, had zero interest in the case which was hard to follow and had to re-read passages because I lost focus.
• There were too many characters and I lost track. This alternated between first person point view of Joyce and in third person point of view with airtime for the 4 members of the Thursday Murder Club, the 2 detectives, suspects and other side characters. There wasn’t any deep dive into any of them so I didn’t connect with anyone.
Review Website | Bookstagram
October 25, 2020
“The sun is up,the skies are blue and murder is in the air.”
Very good. VERY clever!
4 elderly friends living in a retirement village have regular meetings where they look at cold cases and see if they can solve them.
When two people are murdered in short succession it seems the friends have a live case fall right into their laps!
Bossy Elizabeth, sweet Joyce, intelligent Ibrahim and feisty but lovable Ron all stick their noses in where they don’t belong and use their years of experience to find information even before the police. Much to the local force’s annoyance!
It was good fun, I loved all the red herrings and the final reveals were very well done.
4 stars ⭐️
******************
My library just had a load of new books come in.
So excited for this 😊
Very good. VERY clever!
4 elderly friends living in a retirement village have regular meetings where they look at cold cases and see if they can solve them.
When two people are murdered in short succession it seems the friends have a live case fall right into their laps!
Bossy Elizabeth, sweet Joyce, intelligent Ibrahim and feisty but lovable Ron all stick their noses in where they don’t belong and use their years of experience to find information even before the police. Much to the local force’s annoyance!
It was good fun, I loved all the red herrings and the final reveals were very well done.
4 stars ⭐️
******************
My library just had a load of new books come in.
So excited for this 😊
October 25, 2021
There seems to be an abundance of books this year about older folks and I have loved all the ones I’ve read. “Exit” by Belinda Bauer, “The Postscript Murders” by Elly Griffiths, and now this novel, what a run of good reads!!
I did not know that Richard Osman was a BBC announcer and celebrity, but I applaud him for writing this engaging, offbeat British crime novel. I enjoyed the plot of this novel but it’s the characters that make it special!
I thought it started off a bit slowly, having to introduce all of the members and keep us updated as to what is going on behind the scenes at Cooper’s Chase. The pace picked up quickly and I was enjoying it after 30 pages or so.
The members of the club who all live in Cooper’s Chase, are a sprightly and witty group. Cooper’s Chase is an upscale retirement village and the residents want to see it stay that way.
Elizabeth is the organizer of the group, she has a background in crime solving, probably a former spy. She has a wide network of friends in high places who know how to get things done. Her friend Penny is an ex-detective and it is her cold cases that they work to solve every Thursday.
Ibrahim is a retired psychiatrist and his skills at reading human behavior and being a detail oriented man are his strong points.
Ron is a retired union boss who is a “get things done” kind of guy, he was known during his career as Red Ron, because of his red hair and fiery personality. He always roots for the underdog!
Joyce is an ex- nurse and our narrator. She is a recently arrived resident who was quickly recruited into the group. It is her entries into her daily Journal that keep us updated as to what is going on throughout the novel.
PC Donna de Freitas meets the Thursday Murder Club members while she is set to deliver a boring speech to them about security. They make her an offer to join them in being able to actually solve murders. It doesn’t take much for her to join and help the group.
The Club is intrigued and excited when there are two real murders in Cooper’s Chase to investigate and solve! It’s great fun to read along as they all use their skills to solve these murders. I thoroughly enjoyed the British humor in this book, it certainly added to my enjoyment.
I will leave you to enjoy the mysteries and all of these unique characters without any spoilers.
This novel has already been published, so this is a great book to put on your Christmas list!!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
I did not know that Richard Osman was a BBC announcer and celebrity, but I applaud him for writing this engaging, offbeat British crime novel. I enjoyed the plot of this novel but it’s the characters that make it special!
I thought it started off a bit slowly, having to introduce all of the members and keep us updated as to what is going on behind the scenes at Cooper’s Chase. The pace picked up quickly and I was enjoying it after 30 pages or so.
The members of the club who all live in Cooper’s Chase, are a sprightly and witty group. Cooper’s Chase is an upscale retirement village and the residents want to see it stay that way.
Elizabeth is the organizer of the group, she has a background in crime solving, probably a former spy. She has a wide network of friends in high places who know how to get things done. Her friend Penny is an ex-detective and it is her cold cases that they work to solve every Thursday.
Ibrahim is a retired psychiatrist and his skills at reading human behavior and being a detail oriented man are his strong points.
Ron is a retired union boss who is a “get things done” kind of guy, he was known during his career as Red Ron, because of his red hair and fiery personality. He always roots for the underdog!
Joyce is an ex- nurse and our narrator. She is a recently arrived resident who was quickly recruited into the group. It is her entries into her daily Journal that keep us updated as to what is going on throughout the novel.
PC Donna de Freitas meets the Thursday Murder Club members while she is set to deliver a boring speech to them about security. They make her an offer to join them in being able to actually solve murders. It doesn’t take much for her to join and help the group.
The Club is intrigued and excited when there are two real murders in Cooper’s Chase to investigate and solve! It’s great fun to read along as they all use their skills to solve these murders. I thoroughly enjoyed the British humor in this book, it certainly added to my enjoyment.
I will leave you to enjoy the mysteries and all of these unique characters without any spoilers.
This novel has already been published, so this is a great book to put on your Christmas list!!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 25, 2021
What a totally engaging and entertaining read. I guess it is the so called baby boomers causing this recent influx of books about old folks in the last stages of their lives and still living it to the full. I totally approve and found this particular example, The Thursday Murder Club, to be inspiring and completely captivating.
There are murders and mysteries but the characters are the all absorbing factor. There is the wonderful Elizabeth with her mysterious past and her access to government information and people in the know. There is Penny, now in a coma in the nursing wing, but previously a Detective Inspector who kept the records of all her cold cases which caused the Thursday Murder Club to be formed. Joyce is fascinating and a bit of an enigma. She tells parts of the story in the form of a diary and it is very apparent that she is on the lookout for a man to keep her company!
I instantly felt at home in this book. The setting is perfect and it is beautifully written. The humour is often laugh aloud funny and there were many passages I wanted to read aloud and share with whoever was around. At the same time there were heart rending moments that brought tears to my eyes. Best of all when I got to the end I saw that the next book is nearly ready! I cannot wait to see what the Thursday Murder Club is going to get up to next.
There are murders and mysteries but the characters are the all absorbing factor. There is the wonderful Elizabeth with her mysterious past and her access to government information and people in the know. There is Penny, now in a coma in the nursing wing, but previously a Detective Inspector who kept the records of all her cold cases which caused the Thursday Murder Club to be formed. Joyce is fascinating and a bit of an enigma. She tells parts of the story in the form of a diary and it is very apparent that she is on the lookout for a man to keep her company!
I instantly felt at home in this book. The setting is perfect and it is beautifully written. The humour is often laugh aloud funny and there were many passages I wanted to read aloud and share with whoever was around. At the same time there were heart rending moments that brought tears to my eyes. Best of all when I got to the end I saw that the next book is nearly ready! I cannot wait to see what the Thursday Murder Club is going to get up to next.
November 1, 2022
The premise was more interesting than the execution.
I do think the characters are likeable and the ending was good but I would have struggled to finish it if I hadn't been told book 2 was going to be much better. We'll see if it's true!
I do think the characters are likeable and the ending was good but I would have struggled to finish it if I hadn't been told book 2 was going to be much better. We'll see if it's true!
August 30, 2020
This book turned out to be a perfect weekend read for me. A multi-layered mystery which despite several murders, including cold cases, refrains from being graphic.
Senior citizens, who live together on an estate built for rather well-off retirees try to keep their 'grey cells' working, set up a Murder Club which meets every Thursday. The Club focuses of old cases mainly but when a murder is committed just round the corner, they cannot refuse the challenge.
There are many dynamic characters, each with their secrets, habits and weaknesses. There is a sense of humor, a good subdued humour, and I found myself chuckling occasionally.
*Many thanks to Richard Osman, Penguin Books UK, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
Senior citizens, who live together on an estate built for rather well-off retirees try to keep their 'grey cells' working, set up a Murder Club which meets every Thursday. The Club focuses of old cases mainly but when a murder is committed just round the corner, they cannot refuse the challenge.
There are many dynamic characters, each with their secrets, habits and weaknesses. There is a sense of humor, a good subdued humour, and I found myself chuckling occasionally.
*Many thanks to Richard Osman, Penguin Books UK, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
November 29, 2020
This fun book gave off tons of joy as I made myself an honorary member of The Thursday Murder Club while reading it. 🕵️♂️
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim are four friends who live in a quiet retirement community...well, mostly quiet with the exception of the four of them. They have a weekly get together, The Thursday Murder Club, where they try to solve old murder cases. You can imagine their utter delight when a current murder occurs, with ties to their retirement community. Now, they are on their first live case. Working with the police, they will all need to have their wits about them to catch the killer.
One word for this book, along with the four main characters: Charming.
I had a blast reading it, and laughed out loud at some of the witty and hilarious dialogue from these beloved characters. I also really loved the cops on the case, and their humorous and warm interactions with the Four Musketeers. The plot got a bit convoluted towards the end, but I let it go and just had fun with it. I am now eagerly awaiting the sequel.
4.5 stars.
This review is also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim are four friends who live in a quiet retirement community...well, mostly quiet with the exception of the four of them. They have a weekly get together, The Thursday Murder Club, where they try to solve old murder cases. You can imagine their utter delight when a current murder occurs, with ties to their retirement community. Now, they are on their first live case. Working with the police, they will all need to have their wits about them to catch the killer.
One word for this book, along with the four main characters: Charming.
I had a blast reading it, and laughed out loud at some of the witty and hilarious dialogue from these beloved characters. I also really loved the cops on the case, and their humorous and warm interactions with the Four Musketeers. The plot got a bit convoluted towards the end, but I let it go and just had fun with it. I am now eagerly awaiting the sequel.
4.5 stars.
This review is also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
August 2, 2021
Adored everything about it!! Late to the party though....
I wanted to read this one in anticipation of the author's newest, The Man Who Died Twice, which I've already pre-ordered and can't wait to read in September.
What is not to love?
A cast of charming, witty, loveable and unforgettable characters. They meet every Thursday in the Jigsaw Room at their posh retirement community. Four septuagenarians who work on cold cases until they luck out and get a "live case". This is what they live for, these smart birds of a feather.
So much more than a murder mystery, it was all about the colorful characters, the love between them, the life lessons and wisdom. I was 100% invested early on and didn't want to part with the new friends. Lots of humor adds some more charm.
Fun, humorous, thoughtful with a layered mystery. It has an old-fashioned feel, but still modern and fresh. You will need to suspend some belief, but its worth the worry.
Book Two Please! I'm patiently waiting......
Library loan / Read in July 2021 p.s. Thanks to all my GR friends who wrote the wonderful reviews that led me to this series!
I wanted to read this one in anticipation of the author's newest, The Man Who Died Twice, which I've already pre-ordered and can't wait to read in September.
What is not to love?
A cast of charming, witty, loveable and unforgettable characters. They meet every Thursday in the Jigsaw Room at their posh retirement community. Four septuagenarians who work on cold cases until they luck out and get a "live case". This is what they live for, these smart birds of a feather.
So much more than a murder mystery, it was all about the colorful characters, the love between them, the life lessons and wisdom. I was 100% invested early on and didn't want to part with the new friends. Lots of humor adds some more charm.
Fun, humorous, thoughtful with a layered mystery. It has an old-fashioned feel, but still modern and fresh. You will need to suspend some belief, but its worth the worry.
Book Two Please! I'm patiently waiting......
Library loan / Read in July 2021 p.s. Thanks to all my GR friends who wrote the wonderful reviews that led me to this series!
November 7, 2021
I’m kinda bummed as I write this review - not because this book, which I listened to on audiobook, is anything less than charming and delightfully well-written, because it is those things and Richard Osman deserves all the praise he’s getting for it. The narration by Lesley Manville is truly absolute perfection as well. Really. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
It’s just: why did my mind decide to pick this particular book that I’ve so been looking forward to, to behave like a distractible hyperactive toddler in a candy store? It took me way too long to get through this book and those constant interruptions broke the flow of the story more than I would’ve liked. It didn’t ruin it, but I definitely plan a re-read in the future to catch all the nuances I undoubtedly missed. All-in-all, I still really enjoyed it and am so impressed with Osman’s debut effort.
This story of four septuagenarians - Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron - living in Cooper’s Chase, an upscale retirement village, who band together to solve murder cases as part of the Thursday Murder Club is uplifting, warm-hearted, humorous, melancholy and heart-breaking at times, but full of life and spirit, and is well worth the effort of reading or listening to it.
The story intersperses third person narrative with sweet, man-crazy Joyce’s first person POV, as told through her diary entries, which I liked because she’s so irresistibly lovable. Elizabeth is a firecracker - astute, fearless and fun. No-nonsense Ron and intellectual Ibrahim complete this fab four with loads of personality as well. I won’t do a deep dive on the other characters because there are way too many, but suffice it to say the others are every bit as well thought-out and realized as our four main protagonists. My personal fave of these is Bogdan the Polish handyman. He’s a hoot.
The story has red herrings galore, mysterious backstories, twists, turns and fantastic plotting wrapped in a lovely, feel-good package that is perfect for those who enjoy a more relaxed, cozy mystery.
Final note: There’s a 47 minute interview at the end between author Marian Keyes interviewing Richard Osman, that is really insightful into his thought-processes in writing this and where he drew inspiration from for the characters. It also gives some sneak peeks into which characters will be in the next installment, so I’m thrilled to know that a number of favorites are returning. If you have the audio version, give this a listen!
★★★★ ❤ (might’ve been higher if my brain had behaved)
*******************************************
*******************************************
I've included some highlights from the audio interview which has at least one major spoiler for this book and potential spoilers for the next one. PLEASE DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST BOOK (unless you don't mind spoilers):
It’s just: why did my mind decide to pick this particular book that I’ve so been looking forward to, to behave like a distractible hyperactive toddler in a candy store? It took me way too long to get through this book and those constant interruptions broke the flow of the story more than I would’ve liked. It didn’t ruin it, but I definitely plan a re-read in the future to catch all the nuances I undoubtedly missed. All-in-all, I still really enjoyed it and am so impressed with Osman’s debut effort.
This story of four septuagenarians - Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron - living in Cooper’s Chase, an upscale retirement village, who band together to solve murder cases as part of the Thursday Murder Club is uplifting, warm-hearted, humorous, melancholy and heart-breaking at times, but full of life and spirit, and is well worth the effort of reading or listening to it.
The story intersperses third person narrative with sweet, man-crazy Joyce’s first person POV, as told through her diary entries, which I liked because she’s so irresistibly lovable. Elizabeth is a firecracker - astute, fearless and fun. No-nonsense Ron and intellectual Ibrahim complete this fab four with loads of personality as well. I won’t do a deep dive on the other characters because there are way too many, but suffice it to say the others are every bit as well thought-out and realized as our four main protagonists. My personal fave of these is Bogdan the Polish handyman. He’s a hoot.
The story has red herrings galore, mysterious backstories, twists, turns and fantastic plotting wrapped in a lovely, feel-good package that is perfect for those who enjoy a more relaxed, cozy mystery.
Final note: There’s a 47 minute interview at the end between author Marian Keyes interviewing Richard Osman, that is really insightful into his thought-processes in writing this and where he drew inspiration from for the characters. It also gives some sneak peeks into which characters will be in the next installment, so I’m thrilled to know that a number of favorites are returning. If you have the audio version, give this a listen!
★★★★ ❤ (might’ve been higher if my brain had behaved)
*******************************************
*******************************************
I've included some highlights from the audio interview which has at least one major spoiler for this book and potential spoilers for the next one. PLEASE DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST BOOK (unless you don't mind spoilers):
October 21, 2022
I'm SOOOO sad that I hated this book🙈 I was so excited going into this book because the plot sounds sooo good but I ended up DNFing it before page 100. I think thats the fastest I've ever DNFed a book. I just could not get into the writing style. There were so many characters I kept getting confused and nothing was holding my interest.
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 25, 2021Dnf at 20%. As a fan of true crime, I love this premise: four elderly residents in a retirement home form a murder club to dissect cold cases. It beats bingo, right? The plot becomes even more interesting when a man is killed and they put their skills to use to investigate the murder.
I loved the humor, and the fact that the elderly were depicted as ingenious, resourceful, and whip smart.
I started with the audio, became confused and lost track of the story so I picked up the e-book thinking I’d perhaps gotten distracted while listening and missed something. But nope, I hadn’t missed a thing. There are simply too many characters with too many superfluous details. Back to the library both of them go.
This book is getting lots of love from many readers, so it may just be the wrong book at the wrong time for me. Perhaps I’ll try again later when I can better focus.
I loved the humor, and the fact that the elderly were depicted as ingenious, resourceful, and whip smart.
I started with the audio, became confused and lost track of the story so I picked up the e-book thinking I’d perhaps gotten distracted while listening and missed something. But nope, I hadn’t missed a thing. There are simply too many characters with too many superfluous details. Back to the library both of them go.
This book is getting lots of love from many readers, so it may just be the wrong book at the wrong time for me. Perhaps I’ll try again later when I can better focus.
December 22, 2020
So, do you need a fun read? Let me recommend The Thursday Murder Club. Four septuagenarians meet weekly to review unsolved murders. Until a real live murder lands in their laps. Helping them in their cause is a young PC helping with her first murder investigation and the DS who is actually in charge of the investigation .
This is a character rich story. We hear mostly from Elizabeth, with an unspecified, but rich, background and Joyce, a retired nurse. Ibrahim, a psychologist and Ron, a labor organizer, round out the foursome. Everyone has a story, not just the foursome, but the two police officers involved and the many possible suspects. As the investigation goes along, we learn everyone’s background which allows the story to advance.
Osman reminds me of Anthony Horowitz- that lovely mix of humor, tight plotting, charm and intelligence. As an American, I was unaware of his status as a tv presenter in England. But again like Horowitz, his book reads like it will easily translate to the screen.
This was an easy, entertaining book to listen to. Chapters are short and punchy. Osman throws lots of curveballs at you and Every time I thought I knew the killer, I was proved wrong. He also does a great job of tying up every single loose end. Initially, I wasn’t overly impressed by Lesley Manville, but she grew on me as the book went along and by the end, I was enchanted by her delivery.
This is a character rich story. We hear mostly from Elizabeth, with an unspecified, but rich, background and Joyce, a retired nurse. Ibrahim, a psychologist and Ron, a labor organizer, round out the foursome. Everyone has a story, not just the foursome, but the two police officers involved and the many possible suspects. As the investigation goes along, we learn everyone’s background which allows the story to advance.
Osman reminds me of Anthony Horowitz- that lovely mix of humor, tight plotting, charm and intelligence. As an American, I was unaware of his status as a tv presenter in England. But again like Horowitz, his book reads like it will easily translate to the screen.
This was an easy, entertaining book to listen to. Chapters are short and punchy. Osman throws lots of curveballs at you and Every time I thought I knew the killer, I was proved wrong. He also does a great job of tying up every single loose end. Initially, I wasn’t overly impressed by Lesley Manville, but she grew on me as the book went along and by the end, I was enchanted by her delivery.
April 12, 2021
EXCERPT: A question had been nagging at Donna throughout lunch. 'So, if you don't mind me asking, I know you all live at Coopers Chase, but how did the four of you become friends?'
'Friends?' Elizabeth seems amused. 'Oh, we're not friends, dear.'
Ron is chuckling. 'Christ, love, no, we're not friends. Do you need a top-up, Liz?'
Elizabeth nods and Ron pours. They are on a second bottle. It is 12:15.
Ibrahim agrees. 'I don't think friends is the word. We wouldn't choose to socialize, we have very different interests. I like Ron, I suppose, but he can be very difficult.'
Ron nods, 'I'm very difficult.'
'And Elizabeth's manner is off-putting.'
Elizabeth nods. 'There it is, I'm afraid. I've always been an acquired taste. Since school.'
'I like Joyce, I suppose. I think we all like Joyce,' says Ibrahim.
Ron and Elizabeth nod their agreement again.
'Thank you, I'm sure,' says Joyce, chasing peas around her plate. 'Don't you think someone should invent flat peas?'
Donna tries to clear up her confusion.
'So if you aren't friends, then what are you?'
Donna looks up and sees Joyce shake her head at the others, this unlikely gang. 'Well,' says Joyce. 'Firstly, we are friends, of course; this lot are just a little slow catching on. And secondly, if it didn't say on your invitation, PC De Freitas, then it was my oversight. We're the Thursday Murder Club.'
Elizabeth is going glassy-eyed with red wine, Ron is scratching at a 'West Ham' tattoo on his neck, and Ibrahim is polishing an already polished cufflink.
The restaurant is filling up around them, and Donna is not the first visitor to Coopers Chase to think this wouldn't be the worst place to live. She would kill for a glass of wine and an afternoon off.
ABOUT 'THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB': Four septuagenarians with a few tricks up their sleeves
A female cop with her first big case
A brutal murder
Welcome to…
The Thursday Murder Club
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it’s too late?
MY THOUGHTS: How do I describe The Thursday Murder Club? It is humorous, without being silly. It is charming. It is entertaining. No, more than entertaining. It's fun. And the characters are fascinating.
Elizabeth has a mysterious past. She has travelled widely and has an extensive network of contacts in surprising places.
Ibrahim is a retired psychiatrist, and is quite meticulous and thorough.
Ron was an infamous union leader, with a renowned boxer for a son who also makes an appearance in this story.
Joyce is a retired nurse, quiet and easily overlooked, but also a quick thinker.
PC Donna De Freitas is lured to Coopers Chase retirement village under false pretences, and soon finds herself involved with the Thursday Murder Club, who have been trying to solve an old case of Penny's, an ex-detective now in a coma in the hospital wing. But when a murder happens in the village, the Thursday Murder Club turn their attention to solving that, believing that they have resources that the police don't.
Coopers Chase is a vibrant village. Forget any preconceived notions you may have about retirement villages and their occupants. This one is full of fun and gossip, a real community.
There are multiple deaths and murders to be solved spanning a number of years, from when the original premises was a convent through to the present day. I gave up trying to solve any of them, and just went along for the ride. There are multiple twists and surprises, along with many poignant moments. The Thursday Murder Club is both an entertaining and touching read.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this read and am so very pleased to hear that there is going to be another, The Man Who Died Twice, to be published September 2021.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheThursdayMurderClub #misterosman #vikingbooksuk
@richardosman @VikingBooksUK
#fivestarread #crime #contemporaryfiction #humour #murdermystery
THE AUTHOR: Richard Osman is an English television presenter, producer, director and novelist.
DISCLOSURE: I read The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, published by Viking Books UK, for a Goodreads.com 'All About Books' group read. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'Friends?' Elizabeth seems amused. 'Oh, we're not friends, dear.'
Ron is chuckling. 'Christ, love, no, we're not friends. Do you need a top-up, Liz?'
Elizabeth nods and Ron pours. They are on a second bottle. It is 12:15.
Ibrahim agrees. 'I don't think friends is the word. We wouldn't choose to socialize, we have very different interests. I like Ron, I suppose, but he can be very difficult.'
Ron nods, 'I'm very difficult.'
'And Elizabeth's manner is off-putting.'
Elizabeth nods. 'There it is, I'm afraid. I've always been an acquired taste. Since school.'
'I like Joyce, I suppose. I think we all like Joyce,' says Ibrahim.
Ron and Elizabeth nod their agreement again.
'Thank you, I'm sure,' says Joyce, chasing peas around her plate. 'Don't you think someone should invent flat peas?'
Donna tries to clear up her confusion.
'So if you aren't friends, then what are you?'
Donna looks up and sees Joyce shake her head at the others, this unlikely gang. 'Well,' says Joyce. 'Firstly, we are friends, of course; this lot are just a little slow catching on. And secondly, if it didn't say on your invitation, PC De Freitas, then it was my oversight. We're the Thursday Murder Club.'
Elizabeth is going glassy-eyed with red wine, Ron is scratching at a 'West Ham' tattoo on his neck, and Ibrahim is polishing an already polished cufflink.
The restaurant is filling up around them, and Donna is not the first visitor to Coopers Chase to think this wouldn't be the worst place to live. She would kill for a glass of wine and an afternoon off.
ABOUT 'THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB': Four septuagenarians with a few tricks up their sleeves
A female cop with her first big case
A brutal murder
Welcome to…
The Thursday Murder Club
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it’s too late?
MY THOUGHTS: How do I describe The Thursday Murder Club? It is humorous, without being silly. It is charming. It is entertaining. No, more than entertaining. It's fun. And the characters are fascinating.
Elizabeth has a mysterious past. She has travelled widely and has an extensive network of contacts in surprising places.
Ibrahim is a retired psychiatrist, and is quite meticulous and thorough.
Ron was an infamous union leader, with a renowned boxer for a son who also makes an appearance in this story.
Joyce is a retired nurse, quiet and easily overlooked, but also a quick thinker.
PC Donna De Freitas is lured to Coopers Chase retirement village under false pretences, and soon finds herself involved with the Thursday Murder Club, who have been trying to solve an old case of Penny's, an ex-detective now in a coma in the hospital wing. But when a murder happens in the village, the Thursday Murder Club turn their attention to solving that, believing that they have resources that the police don't.
Coopers Chase is a vibrant village. Forget any preconceived notions you may have about retirement villages and their occupants. This one is full of fun and gossip, a real community.
There are multiple deaths and murders to be solved spanning a number of years, from when the original premises was a convent through to the present day. I gave up trying to solve any of them, and just went along for the ride. There are multiple twists and surprises, along with many poignant moments. The Thursday Murder Club is both an entertaining and touching read.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this read and am so very pleased to hear that there is going to be another, The Man Who Died Twice, to be published September 2021.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheThursdayMurderClub #misterosman #vikingbooksuk
@richardosman @VikingBooksUK
#fivestarread #crime #contemporaryfiction #humour #murdermystery
THE AUTHOR: Richard Osman is an English television presenter, producer, director and novelist.
DISCLOSURE: I read The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, published by Viking Books UK, for a Goodreads.com 'All About Books' group read. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Read
January 24, 2021I know..I don't know what to say. I rarely DNF but this is going to be my first DNF of 2021. Life is too short and I just can't. I tried to love it. I know this is a very unpopular opinion but I just couldn't get into this book. It just dragged and dragged on for me.
However, everyone that I know pretty much gave this a 5 star review! So I guess I just didn't click with this book.
However, everyone that I know pretty much gave this a 5 star review! So I guess I just didn't click with this book.
August 8, 2021
TV presenter Richard Osman's debut novel is a charming and delightful cosy mystery composed of interesting characters and infused with wit and a sense of fun.
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibriham all live in a swanky up-market retirement village in Kent, with it's own 'contemporary upscale restaurant' and a full range of sporting and recreational activities including numerous clubs and interest groups. The four retirees all belong to the Thursday Murder Club, originally set up by Elizabeth (an ex spy/intelligence officer) and her very good friend Penny (an ex detective inspector) to take a second look at some of Penny's unsolved cases. Now that Penny is lying in the nursing home waiting for the final act in her life, ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim, ex-nurse Joyce and ex-trade union leader Ron (known as 'Red Ron' in his time) all join Elizabeth for two hours every Thursday to continue working through Penny's files. When a real life murder happens at the village the Thursday Murder club set about trying to solve the crime, feeding timely information to a young PC bored with the local petty crime, Donna de Freitas, and her boss DCI Chris Hudson.
Richard Osman has an easy writing style and his characters are all delightful, warts and all, particularly Elizabeth who seems to have had quite a past and possesses a shrewdness that has not been diminished by time. Part of the narration is in the form of a diary kept by Joyce, the newest member of the club, and gives a different perspective on life in the village and what is happening. Donna, who finds herself adopted by the murder club, is delighted to find herself somehow recruited to the investigating team with Elizabeth's assistance. The plot does become quite complex (perhaps more than needed) with a lot of red herrings and revelations, but it was nevertheless good fun and all is neatly resolved. 4.5★
With many thanks to Penguin Books UK and Netgalley for a digital copy to read.
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibriham all live in a swanky up-market retirement village in Kent, with it's own 'contemporary upscale restaurant' and a full range of sporting and recreational activities including numerous clubs and interest groups. The four retirees all belong to the Thursday Murder Club, originally set up by Elizabeth (an ex spy/intelligence officer) and her very good friend Penny (an ex detective inspector) to take a second look at some of Penny's unsolved cases. Now that Penny is lying in the nursing home waiting for the final act in her life, ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim, ex-nurse Joyce and ex-trade union leader Ron (known as 'Red Ron' in his time) all join Elizabeth for two hours every Thursday to continue working through Penny's files. When a real life murder happens at the village the Thursday Murder club set about trying to solve the crime, feeding timely information to a young PC bored with the local petty crime, Donna de Freitas, and her boss DCI Chris Hudson.
Richard Osman has an easy writing style and his characters are all delightful, warts and all, particularly Elizabeth who seems to have had quite a past and possesses a shrewdness that has not been diminished by time. Part of the narration is in the form of a diary kept by Joyce, the newest member of the club, and gives a different perspective on life in the village and what is happening. Donna, who finds herself adopted by the murder club, is delighted to find herself somehow recruited to the investigating team with Elizabeth's assistance. The plot does become quite complex (perhaps more than needed) with a lot of red herrings and revelations, but it was nevertheless good fun and all is neatly resolved. 4.5★
With many thanks to Penguin Books UK and Netgalley for a digital copy to read.
November 20, 2021
fulfilling my 2021 goal to read one book each month by an author i have never read despite owning more than one of their books.
AND THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT TOO, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THOSE MEDDLING SENIOR CITIZENS.
that's it. that's the review.
come to my blog!
AND THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT TOO, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THOSE MEDDLING SENIOR CITIZENS.
that's it. that's the review.
come to my blog! 
March 27, 2022
There are many clubs you can join in the retirement community of Cooper’s Chase.
Conversational French
Chat and Crochet
Knit and Natter
And Cryptic Crossword
(to name just a few)
But, there is only one that you must be invited to join..“The Thursday Murder Club” -members-4
Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and new member, Joyce gather in the “Jigsaw Room” on Thursdays to discuss “cold cases” from the “borrowed” files of a former member, Penny, who had been an Inspector in the Kent Police for many years.
That is until they stumble upon a “live” case!
They may be almost eighty years of age, but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves, (especially Elizabeth!) and a few favors that can be called in.
Oh, and they get a little help from the detectives assigned to the case, too.
My favorite chapters were narrated by “rookie” Joyce, as she keeps a diary which gives us insight into the Club, and her feelings for a certain dapper gentleman at Table 8.
Although I wasn’t quite as enamored as fellow readers, (the COZY mystery moved a bit too SLOWLY for me), I loved the charming characters and their camaraderie!
And, the humor!
I am convinced that I would rather be living in the UK, where everything seems more civilized, and where even when someone is putting you in your place, they seem so “polite” as they do so!
A buddy read with DeAnn!
Be sure to check out her fabulous review as well!
Conversational French
Chat and Crochet
Knit and Natter
And Cryptic Crossword
(to name just a few)
But, there is only one that you must be invited to join..“The Thursday Murder Club” -members-4
Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and new member, Joyce gather in the “Jigsaw Room” on Thursdays to discuss “cold cases” from the “borrowed” files of a former member, Penny, who had been an Inspector in the Kent Police for many years.
That is until they stumble upon a “live” case!
They may be almost eighty years of age, but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves, (especially Elizabeth!) and a few favors that can be called in.
Oh, and they get a little help from the detectives assigned to the case, too.
My favorite chapters were narrated by “rookie” Joyce, as she keeps a diary which gives us insight into the Club, and her feelings for a certain dapper gentleman at Table 8.
Although I wasn’t quite as enamored as fellow readers, (the COZY mystery moved a bit too SLOWLY for me), I loved the charming characters and their camaraderie!
And, the humor!
I am convinced that I would rather be living in the UK, where everything seems more civilized, and where even when someone is putting you in your place, they seem so “polite” as they do so!
A buddy read with DeAnn!
Be sure to check out her fabulous review as well!
May 8, 2021
4.5 rounded to 5 stars
Well, this is the first book that made me want to be old. This is a highly entertaining and amusing British murder mystery where the sleuths are all pushing eighty. The setting is a retirement village complete with nursing home. Our heroes are Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron, and their leader Elizabeth. They are the members of The Thursday Murder Club. These remarkably bright and energetic oldsters worm their way into the police investigation of local sinister happenings. The story is told from two perspectives-- 3rd person narrative and first person through Joyce’s journal entries. I thought this worked well.
Though I thought the mystery was excellent, the focus here is on the characters themselves. Not only the Murder Club members, but also Chris the lonely overweight DCI and Donna the young PC looking to make her way onto the murder squad. We also get the inner thoughts of much of the supporting cast, many of whom are also elderly. The story is not your usual cozy mystery. There is a lot of depth here. The stories of the multiple characters are flush with love, heartache, grief, and poignancy. Though the tale requires some suspension of belief and frequent use of the search button for reminders of who is who of the many characters, I was super attached to this book. I cheered, smiled, laughed, cried, and cheered some more. There are some instances where the complexity of the goings on confused me and I had to do a bit of rereading, but I chalked that up to a modicum of overenthusiasm in the author and a touch of getting old in me.
All in all, I found this book to be a gem. I have not been reading much crime fiction over the last year, but this book proved to me that I still love it. A quarter of the way through I requested book 2 in the series from Net Galley and look forward to diving back in with these captivating oldsters. I highly recommend this one for everybody interested in mysteries, very functional septuagenarians, and/or books that provoke a lot of thought and feelings.
Well, this is the first book that made me want to be old. This is a highly entertaining and amusing British murder mystery where the sleuths are all pushing eighty. The setting is a retirement village complete with nursing home. Our heroes are Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron, and their leader Elizabeth. They are the members of The Thursday Murder Club. These remarkably bright and energetic oldsters worm their way into the police investigation of local sinister happenings. The story is told from two perspectives-- 3rd person narrative and first person through Joyce’s journal entries. I thought this worked well.
Though I thought the mystery was excellent, the focus here is on the characters themselves. Not only the Murder Club members, but also Chris the lonely overweight DCI and Donna the young PC looking to make her way onto the murder squad. We also get the inner thoughts of much of the supporting cast, many of whom are also elderly. The story is not your usual cozy mystery. There is a lot of depth here. The stories of the multiple characters are flush with love, heartache, grief, and poignancy. Though the tale requires some suspension of belief and frequent use of the search button for reminders of who is who of the many characters, I was super attached to this book. I cheered, smiled, laughed, cried, and cheered some more. There are some instances where the complexity of the goings on confused me and I had to do a bit of rereading, but I chalked that up to a modicum of overenthusiasm in the author and a touch of getting old in me.
All in all, I found this book to be a gem. I have not been reading much crime fiction over the last year, but this book proved to me that I still love it. A quarter of the way through I requested book 2 in the series from Net Galley and look forward to diving back in with these captivating oldsters. I highly recommend this one for everybody interested in mysteries, very functional septuagenarians, and/or books that provoke a lot of thought and feelings.
November 7, 2021
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is a 2020 Penguin publication.
Cooper’s Chase retirement home is secretly harboring a group of four septuagenarians’ amateur sleuths who meet on Thursdays in the never used ‘jigsaw’ room to work on solving cold cases.
Meet Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron- the crew working through the files of Elizeth's friend, Penny Gray, a former police officer.
When the development's owner's partner is murdered, right after they witnessed the two men arguing, the gang suddenly has a current and very hot case on their hands.
Enter Police Constable Donna De Freitas, who has weaved herself into the case, only to find that the Thursday Murder Club is already a few steps ahead of her…
Oh, my goodness! What a fun book!!
Yes, this is a cozy mystery, short on graphic violence, and long on humor- but the plot is solid, with several nice twists before the big one I didn’t see coming.
The characterizations are fabulous, the dialogue superb, and pacing is precision perfect.
In short, I absolutely adored this mystery and can’t wait to read the second installment!!
4.5 stars
Cooper’s Chase retirement home is secretly harboring a group of four septuagenarians’ amateur sleuths who meet on Thursdays in the never used ‘jigsaw’ room to work on solving cold cases.
Meet Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron- the crew working through the files of Elizeth's friend, Penny Gray, a former police officer.
When the development's owner's partner is murdered, right after they witnessed the two men arguing, the gang suddenly has a current and very hot case on their hands.
Enter Police Constable Donna De Freitas, who has weaved herself into the case, only to find that the Thursday Murder Club is already a few steps ahead of her…
Oh, my goodness! What a fun book!!
Yes, this is a cozy mystery, short on graphic violence, and long on humor- but the plot is solid, with several nice twists before the big one I didn’t see coming.
The characterizations are fabulous, the dialogue superb, and pacing is precision perfect.
In short, I absolutely adored this mystery and can’t wait to read the second installment!!
4.5 stars
February 21, 2023
The Thursday Murder Club is a bloody brilliant start to a Cozy Mystery series. I'm in, hook, line and sinker.
This one features an interesting mystery, fantastic characters and the audibook narration was perfection.
I feel like one of the last remaining people on Earth to have read this delightful Mystery, but I'm so happy to be joining the party, late or not.
I really wanted to listen to the audio, because I had heard great things about the narration by Marian Keyes and Lesley Manville. They weren't wrong. It was well worth the over year wait for my library hold to come through.
If you aren't aware, this book follows a charming group of septuagenarians, mainly Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, who live in a retirement village known as Cooper's Chase.
This fearsome-foursome meet up once a week to discuss and dig into cold cases. They also have a local DS they befriend and consult regarding their cases of interest.
In this book specifically, a property developer involved in the creation of Cooper's Chase is found murdered. A case of utmost interest to our friends.
The mystery was cleverly-plotted. I enjoyed the many people of interest we came across along the way. There's a lot of drama going on surrounding this little community.
The members of the Murder Club all got on so well. I loved their moments together and witty dialogue. The narration had me giggling many times, picturing everything perfectly.
There were some great suspects and lots of motives for potentially killing our victim. Not much got past the Murder Club though. They were on it.
In addition to the great mystery, there was also some thoughtful and emotional moments reflecting on aging and issues that may arise later in life.
In fact, there was one scene that had me in tears. It took me by surprise how much I was moved by many of these characters personal journeys.
I'm really looking forward to continuing on with this series. I've heard it just keeps getting better and better.
I'm already attached to these characters and am so excited to join in the investigations and solve some more cases!
This one features an interesting mystery, fantastic characters and the audibook narration was perfection.
I feel like one of the last remaining people on Earth to have read this delightful Mystery, but I'm so happy to be joining the party, late or not.
I really wanted to listen to the audio, because I had heard great things about the narration by Marian Keyes and Lesley Manville. They weren't wrong. It was well worth the over year wait for my library hold to come through.
If you aren't aware, this book follows a charming group of septuagenarians, mainly Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, who live in a retirement village known as Cooper's Chase.
This fearsome-foursome meet up once a week to discuss and dig into cold cases. They also have a local DS they befriend and consult regarding their cases of interest.
In this book specifically, a property developer involved in the creation of Cooper's Chase is found murdered. A case of utmost interest to our friends.
The mystery was cleverly-plotted. I enjoyed the many people of interest we came across along the way. There's a lot of drama going on surrounding this little community.
The members of the Murder Club all got on so well. I loved their moments together and witty dialogue. The narration had me giggling many times, picturing everything perfectly.
There were some great suspects and lots of motives for potentially killing our victim. Not much got past the Murder Club though. They were on it.
In addition to the great mystery, there was also some thoughtful and emotional moments reflecting on aging and issues that may arise later in life.
In fact, there was one scene that had me in tears. It took me by surprise how much I was moved by many of these characters personal journeys.
I'm really looking forward to continuing on with this series. I've heard it just keeps getting better and better.
I'm already attached to these characters and am so excited to join in the investigations and solve some more cases!
August 19, 2020
Allow me to introduce you to the Thursday Murder Club members who all live in Coopers Chase Retirement Village in Kent. There’s Elizabeth who has a very mysterious and intriguing past, then there’s Joyce an ex-nurse, firebrand Red Ron Richie scourge of whatever needs scourging and Ibrahim Arif a retired psychiatrist. Now if you think because they live in a retirement village they are past it, let me disillusion you here and now. They’re sharper than the sharpest tacks especially Elizabeth. They cleverly rope PC Donna De Freitas into their coterie and before you know it DCI Chris Hudson is entangled too. They are investigating the murder of Tony Curran who owned 25% of Coopers Chase, the remainder by Ian Ventham who is well named as he often does vent. So far so good, except of course it is never that simple ..... what unfolds is a tale of dark deeds some of which are well buried. The story is told from the perspectives of most of the protagonists and interspersed with Joyce’s highly entertaining journal.
Well that was far from Pointless Mr Osman. Sorry, couldn’t resist and I’ll bet he’s never heard that one before. You can tell from the TV show that the author is one smart cookie and he’s a smart cookie who can write too. Rather well. The plot is fast paced, keeps you guessing as it’s got many a twist along the way, sometimes convoluted so you have to keep up but it’s very clever. The best thing about the book is the characters. They are simply fantastic, there is never a dull moment when the club members are about and Donna and Chris are terrific characters too. I must also mention Polish builder Bogdan too - phlegmatic and enigmatic, still waters run very deep there. It’s funny, darkly droll or wry, it’s witty, the style is very lively, it intrigues from start to finish and so is a very entertaining book. I love the TV references, some of from a while ago. Juliet Bravo, that certainly takes me back!
Overall, what a wonderful amusing read and I applaud the author for making the lead characters of retirement age and proving to be such good company as the story unfolds. Highly recommended as it’s just that little bit different.
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK/Viking for the ARC
Well that was far from Pointless Mr Osman. Sorry, couldn’t resist and I’ll bet he’s never heard that one before. You can tell from the TV show that the author is one smart cookie and he’s a smart cookie who can write too. Rather well. The plot is fast paced, keeps you guessing as it’s got many a twist along the way, sometimes convoluted so you have to keep up but it’s very clever. The best thing about the book is the characters. They are simply fantastic, there is never a dull moment when the club members are about and Donna and Chris are terrific characters too. I must also mention Polish builder Bogdan too - phlegmatic and enigmatic, still waters run very deep there. It’s funny, darkly droll or wry, it’s witty, the style is very lively, it intrigues from start to finish and so is a very entertaining book. I love the TV references, some of from a while ago. Juliet Bravo, that certainly takes me back!
Overall, what a wonderful amusing read and I applaud the author for making the lead characters of retirement age and proving to be such good company as the story unfolds. Highly recommended as it’s just that little bit different.
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK/Viking for the ARC
September 27, 2022
A story set in an upmarket set of apartments for the elderly, a slightly fluid group of them investigate 'cold cases' and/or 'old cases' to see if they can uncover anything, when a murder of a mutual working acquaintance sees them having a real live murder case to investigate. How will the police deal with this strongly interventionist but also pretty smart crew. And what will they all do if there are more murders to come? I'd love to tell you but it's time for tea-break and maybe a sneaky scone.
Osman sold this book series for a seven figure sum before a word was written; a long time TV producer and presenter, Oxbridge, but also from a broken home, does the man deliver? There's nods to diversity and equality, a lot of country of origin stereotyping, but also a lot of nods to the digital age and the knowledge gap of older generations, but honestly I just didn't find it that funny, and thought that there was far far too much going on, you need plot summary at the end of the book to work out if all the loose ends have been tied up! 7 out 12
2022 read
Osman sold this book series for a seven figure sum before a word was written; a long time TV producer and presenter, Oxbridge, but also from a broken home, does the man deliver? There's nods to diversity and equality, a lot of country of origin stereotyping, but also a lot of nods to the digital age and the knowledge gap of older generations, but honestly I just didn't find it that funny, and thought that there was far far too much going on, you need plot summary at the end of the book to work out if all the loose ends have been tied up! 7 out 12
2022 read
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