The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

When I heard that Richard Osman wrote a book, I knew I had to read it. He’s smart and funny, he’ll write a decent story I thought, and I was right! The Thursday Murder Club is set in an upmarket retirement village called Coopers Chase where the residents start drinking at 11am and break all the rules, because, well, how much trouble could they possibly get into at this stage in their lives?

The Thursday Murder Club members consist of four 70-80 year olds who meet up once a week and review unsolved murders from over the years. The club can’t believe their luck when 2 actual murders happen, meaning that they can now investigate in real-time. They work as a team utilising their various contacts in and outside the retirement village as well as softly and carefully involving the police when it suits them.

The story is written with obvious compassion and I enjoyed the charming sincerity of Osman. Although you don’t learn too much about each of the character’s pasts, you can still get a really good sense of the types of people they are. The characters are what make this book really sweet to read.

The reason this book doesn’t get 5 stars is because at the beginning there are a lot of characters and you don’t really know who the main characters are or who is important to the plot. I found myself having to re-read some pages to remember who’s-who.

4 stars

When a ‘celebrity’ writes a book, one never knows what to expect, but Richard Osman has done himself proud with this absolute gem! Every Thursday, four elderly residents of a retirement village get together to have a go at solving murders from the past, but they are suddenly confronted with not just one but two murders very close to home. The characters themselves are realised with humour and empathy and it is a joy to read a book where the main protagonists are all over 70! However, there is more than a little feeling of both Blyton’s Famous Five and Chesterton’s Father Brown here, and plot, characters and writing style are none the worse for that. If you’re looking for a serious police procedural this book is probably not for you, but if you are in need of humour, style, gentle persuasion and great fun, buy this book - you won’t be disappointed!

The Thursday Murder Club, set in a 'Luxury Retirement Village', offers portraits ranging from the expected elderly British married couples, to, among other central characters, a lady detective, Turkish-Cypriot criminals, a retired Catholic priest a former Trades Union leader, and the latter's former famous boxer son, now constantly appearing on reality television. The author restrains himself from making the latter make an appearance on his own 'Richard Osman's House of Games' or 'Pointless'. A cast list in the forefront of this book might be helpful, although I grant that accompanying descriptions, such as 'X, a villain' or 'Y, a murderer', would spoil the reader's endeavours to discover 'who dun wot'. But there could be a clue in the following anonymous Foreword:

Killing someone is easy. Hiding the body, now that's usually the hard part. That's how you get caught.
I was lucky enough to stumble upon the right place, though. The perfect place, really.
I come back from time to time, just to make sure everything is still safe and sound. It always is, and I suppose it always will be.
Sometimes I'll have a cigarette, which I know I shouldn't, but it's my only vice.

One of the pleasures of reading thrillers comes from your success in identifying a perpetrator before he is/she is/they are/ brought to justice. But don't reduce your enjoyment by only considering those revealed to be smokers in this novel. I would strongly recommend buying the Kindle version of this intriguing detective story, so as to make frequent use of the name- or incident- searching facility in such a device. Towards the end of the book, the average reader is likely to be confused by the reappearance of a name or incident only briefly mentioned earlier. I speak from my own experience. Novels do not have a useful index; this book warrants one, and fortunately an e-reader can supply it.

Wendy Pollard.

Just what I expected from Richard Osman - a clever and funny novel with great characters and a plot with plenty of secrets.
I laughed at the antics of the determined elderly amateur sleuths and the police who tried to contain their efforts.
Warm, funny and gripping. Can’t wait for the next one!!

As you might expect from the author, this is a charming and intelligent debut and is fortunately written with a series in mind. In parts funny and in others poignant, this is a cleverly plotted book very much in the tradition of the English crime novels of Agatha Christie, MC Beaton and Robert Galbraith. The characters are interesting and well crafted, the plot clever without being tenuous and the setting quirky and fun. I don’t often give 5 stars but I have here, which shows how much I enjoyed this read.

I feared that this was another of the endless list of celebrities jumping on the bandwagon to write a book to increase their self esteem. I was not expecting a great deal.

How wrong was I?

All credit to Richard Osman the book is enjoyable with a storyline that keeps you hanging on until the end. It is well written, the storyline continually moves forward unlike a lot of authors now days that spend a lot of time describing characters and scenes irrelevant to the story itself. I would certainly read another of Richards"s books. He certainly is an author to watch.

I was curious to read Richard Osman's debut novel, as it' can be a bit hit or miss when a celebrity puts pen to paper. I'm a big fan of his so I was really pleased to be given the opportunity by Netgalley and the publisher to read an ARC.

The Thursday Murder Club isn't quite what I expected, it's a cosy murder mystery set in a genteel retirement community - think 'Midsummer Murders' meets 'Waiting for God'. (Apologies if I'm showing my age here!). It really shouldn't work but it absolutely does. I loved it! (4.5 stars from me).

I really liked the central characters, and Richard's portrayal of Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim and Ron is full of warmth and love. It certainly shows that there is definitely life after retirement, each one with a lifetime's experience and stories to share. I'd love to see these characters solve another murder in the future, there is so much scope for them all.

If I had one criticism, the character list was very extensive and maybe there was one murderer too many but all in all it's a great read and I would recommend.

An interesting read with lots of links to the same things with different outcomes. Written a bit tongue in cheek about older people. Easy to read and can just imagine the author saying some of the things.
I didn’t like how it swapped from one theme to the other just in the next sentence with no break. A bit confusing!

This superb book, given the author, should get zero star(point)/less.
My previous review was of a book about schoolboy rape/non-rape so my initial thoughts on The Thursday Murder Club' were - a light and slightly amusing book which will provide welcome relief from such a dark subject as rape. In fact Ealing Comedies kept appearing in my mind and I'm not sure why.
However, as you get deeper into the book you realise it is not just a light comedy but has some very touching moments and some 'was I supposed to have worked that out' moments.
Maybe I appreciated the book all the more as I am 73 and the main characters had a few years on me but the environment could be me in a few years!
I absolutely loved the book but I'm not sure that my failure to work out the culprit(s) was to do with my age or ,more satisfying for me, to do with a lack of clues.
Definitely a book that should not be missed and I really hope it gets the success it very much deserves.

When I saw that famed funny tv host Richard Osman had written a crime mystery, I must admit to having two reactions. The first, was that I NEEDED to read this book. The second, worry. I was worried that the nook would not do him justice, or worse still, that he wouldn’t have really written it himself. I was wrong on both accounts.

The Thursday Murder Club is a fantastically beautiful and heartwarming cosy mystery. The protagonists are not the average John and Jane of most cosy mystery novels, but a bunch of lemon-drizzle making, crossword solving old folks, who have set up their very own ‘Thursday Murder Club’ to occupy their Thursday afternoons. These old folk - Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron are not your average granny and grandad however, they are quick witted, devious, ballsy and keen to put their sleuthing skills against that of the real life police. Based in their very English, rural Kent, upper market Retirement Village, the foursome uncover secrets that the police couldn’t crack, and make witnesses spill their confessions as easy as asking about what they’d had for tea.

There were two main things that jumped out at me during this book and really made this book just made for me and Both are very very unique...one is that one of the characters is called Father Mackie....Mackie is my surname and I never ever see or hear this in anything so this blew me away as soon as I read it. The second is that portions of it are set in Cyprus. The beautiful place I now am lucky enough to call home. I felt so nostalgic and proud when the first mention of Cyprus came. The thing I liked most about this book though, was how lovable the characters were. I really fell in love with all four of the oldies in their own little way, their characters each being very different but well developed. We got to mix the excitement of the murder mystery with snippets into their real lives, both sad and heartwarming, which only made them feel ever more real as little old ladies and men. The family worries, the loneliness, the desire to fatten up their daughters, their friends slowly dying one by one, their ever closer inevitable inch towards death. There were so many moments I laughed out loud at this book (Ron pretending to be senile for one) and others where I shed a tear at what must be a very real reality for so many old folk. It was very unusual and unique to have four little old people at the heart of a crime mystery and I absolutely loved it for this.

The story was well thought out, and easy to follow yet led me down so many garden paths to red herrings! I was so certain so many times, only to be pleasantly proved wrong, and I did not see the ending coming until it hit. That’s so rare for me these days and I always appreciate a book that can trick me like that and leave me clueless and guessing right up to the last page! The only inconsistencies for me were the Turkish Cypriots having such Greek Cypriot names, but that’s a small detail that was I not currently living in Cyprus, I would no way have noticed. I enjoyed this book so much, and I really will not only be looking out for the second book, but also remembering how much I want to live in a ‘contemporary upmarket residential home’ when I’m Joyce and Elizabeth’s age!

5 lemon drizzled, taste the difference stars. 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

I guess I should admit to you that I wanted to read this book because I am a huge fan of Richard Osman. However, I was pleased to find that this lived up to all of my expectations, and more.

The Thursday Murder Club is humorous, light-hearted fun, but with just the right amount of mystery. It keeps you guessing right up to the last page and I’m looking forward to joining this team of pensioners in solving more mysteries in future. I loved the dynamic between Chris and Donna as well.

There were so many facts and little tidbits of info in the book, which I enjoyed learning, but also show the author’s true character.

Definitely a great read and looking forward to book two!

If there is such a thing as a cosy murder story this book epitomizes it. It has strong, well rounded main characters with the author managing to balance humour and a good tale with sensitive handling of difficult subjects. I look forward to meeting up with Joyce and friends again soon
Thank you to netgalley and penguin books for an advance copy of this book

I was intrigued to see what a novel by Richard Osman would be like. I think I read the whole book in his voice, it was as if he was reading it aloud!

The book is both serious and farcical! I love the characters, Elizabeth is the obvious ring leader, drawing her select few into mischief. Joyce is a newer resident who has been accepted into the Thursday murder club, due to her credentials as a nurse which means she can provide useful information.

The book reminds me of Midsomer murders in that the place seems riddled with murderers! And secrets are traded by many different people.

The book is written partly as Joyce’s diary and partly not which is intriguing but seems to work.

A good, light hearted read that will have you chuckling away! I wonder what secrets they will uncover next...

If I am being honest, I would normally run a thousand miles from a novel penned by a ‘celebrity,’ but, as I do like Richard Osman, and this looked fun, I thought I would give it a try. Having finished this, I am pleased – and perhaps relieved – that I really enjoyed it.

The Thursday Murder Club are a group of residents at the Coopers Chase Retirement Village, who meet to discuss unsolved murders. They began with Elizabeth and Penny, who was an Inspector in the Kent police, and access to unsolved case files. Now Penny is in the attached Care Home, and Elizabeth has Ibrahim, a psychiatrist, and Ron Ritchie, former trade union leader and father of boxer, Jason, on board. Ibrahim is urbane and handsome, Ron is more volatile and impatient (‘You know Arthur Scargill once told me to be patient? Arthur Scargill!). There is also new member, Joyce, a former nurse, who is approached by Elizabeth and invited – or recruited – to the group.

Of course, before long the group have a real murder to solve. They involve PC Donna De Freitas, who wanders in to give a talk to the elderly residents and comes under Elizabeth’s eagle eye, and overweight, poorly dressed, DCI Chris Hudson. DCI Hudson is no match for the Thursday Murder Club and the scene where he interviews a fragile Ron Ritchie, only to meet him again, seemingly recovered, is excellently done.

This is a charming mystery and what makes it really work are the characters. They are elderly, and all too aware of the Care Home and what can unfold as memories fail and the body becomes frailer, but they are all keen to use their wits and intelligence and are more than capable of using their age to their advantage. Osman treats his characters with respect and care; he understands the sorrow of losing a partner, the pride in children and the joy in different periods of life. As well as poignancy, Osman is also capable of really clever, humorous dialogue, and this was a really funny read. I am hoping this becomes a series as I loved it. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

Once a week, four like-minded residents of a retirement village meet to discuss real-life murder cases. The Thursday Murder Club, as they are known, soon find themselves embroiled in something a lot closer to home, however, when a local property developer is killed after attending a meeting at their residence, Coopers Chase. With their unorthodox way of obtaining information, these four pensioners are determined to get to the bottom of this awful crime.

After hearing Richard Osman (one of the presenters on BBC's Pointless) on the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast, I knew that he had an interest in crime fiction, so when I saw that he had written a book himself, I was immediately interested. 

The Thursday Murder Club introduces us to four friends, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron who are not your typical pensioners! Residing in a retirement village, they have access to case files of unsolved murders from the past and, once a week, meet to discuss, and try to solve, the crimes. Each of their characters brings their own special skills to the table, Elizabeth being the driving force behind the group. My favourite, however, was, Ibrahim, an elderly gentleman who has moved with the times and has embraced technology, even if he can sometimes bore his friends when trying to explain how things work!

There are a plethora of supporting characters throughout the book, providing numerous twists and turns along the way. While the plot is certainly a good one, and one that keeps you guessing throughout, for me, it is the characterization that is the main selling point of The Thursday Murder Club. Most of the people in the book are incredibly likable, each with their own stories that help you to build up a complete picture of their lives. Richard Osman's humour also shines through in each of them, and even the not-so-nice characters are well-written. 

After reading The Thursday Murder Club, I do hope that this is not a one-off for Richard Osman and that we get to read other books of this genre. With its gentle humour, out-of-the-ordinary characters and nostalgia that we can all relate to, this is a great read and one that, I am sure, will be a huge hit. I just hope that, in the future, if I have to go to a retirement village, there is room at Coopers Chase for me!

A retirement village may seem like a quaint sleepy hamlet to while away your final days in a peaceful lade back existence but Elizabeth and her friends seek a bit more excitement than the rest of their neighbours. Their usual thrills come from the historic cold cases that make up their weekly club but now a juicy murder is on their own doorstep, and they are determined to solve it before the police.

I adored the crafty characters of Coopers Chase, they were amusing, clever and yet poignant. Elizabeth’s inventive ways of beating the police to vital information was a delightful way to drive the story. With Joyce’s diary showing another side to the sidekicks part in an investigation. There was so many times that I chuckled out loud at the wry comments and absurd situations that it really warmed by heart. Osman has created an unusual way to tell a crime story that ticks all the boxes and evens adds some that you don’t expect. He makes some serious points behind the cosy nature of the style and the unconventional ways of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim.

You’ll never look at a retirement home the same again!

This book is an absolute joy, a true tonic in the weird world in which we find ourselves.

I am not going to lie, as a fan of - TV Osman - I was nervous about reading The Thursday Murder Club, what if – Author Osman – was a bit ropey at the story telling, and left me feeling sad for the TV fella?

#NoSpoilers but I had no need to fear, this is a cracking story, well-crafted and whips along at a fair old pace.
One of those rare reads that you don’t want to end. Characters that you’ve had such fun with and know so well, that you feel like you could just pop up the road and call in on them, to see whether they’ve calmed down after all the excitement.

A pleasure to read from start to finish and so relieved I don’t have to feel sad for the TV fella.

Highly recommend.

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.

Osman's venture into the world of crime fiction is entertaining and features the wit I would expect from him. The joy of this book lies in his characters, the group are such a likeable, quirky group and it was so much fun to get to know them and follow them on their crime solving adventure. What this read is not is realistic. You really have to forget about realism reading this as the plot just would not happen in real life. Despite this, it is very enjoyable and very reminiscent of Miss Marple. Another aspect I enjoyed is Osman makes lots of local references to Kent and it just added another nice touch for me.

To start with I was thoroughly immersed in this read and enjoyed getting to know the characters and see the plot play out. However, this does lose energy about halfway through and sadly it does not come back. I found the latter half to be lacklustre and missing some excitement. I would not say the plot was really obvious but it was obvious enough that I lost interest. This really needed some twists and excitement.

'The Thursday Murder Club' was a promising read from Osman with a very enjoyable premise. I would read another book featuring these characters but it seriously needs some added adrenaline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK for an advance copy.

The Famous Four ( there is no way Richard Osman would come up with a Famous Five!), Joyce, Elisabeth, Ron and Ibrahim are all residents in a Retirement Village in Kent. Possibly all in their late 70's, and find themselves having to solve a murder (with a little local female PC as a willing helper).

A clever plot with plenty of humour. No doubt Mr Osman used the time mixing with various writers in his programme "Pointless Celebrities"?

Luckily, I enjoy his humour; Is Richard, Joyce?

My definition of this book would be 'cosy crime'.

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Books UK for the chance to read and review.

I really enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club. It was an easy read but the red herrings, twists and turns kept me interested. The characters were lovable and more importantly believable. I loved the excerpts from Joyce’s diary and felt they really added something extra to the book. The humour and wit was brilliant but there was also moments of deep sadness and loss which were tackled sensitively. A cosy quintessentially English read!