What a fresh approach to a mistery! Well written, funny, characters are really lovable, I couldn't put the book down.

A joy to read!

The Thursday Murder Club is a book that hasn’t just reached expectations, it exceeded them!
Richard Osman is such a talented man and wow, can he write! I must say, after seeing him talk about his book and read an excerpt at Bloody Scotland Crime Festival in Stirling, way back in September 2019, I had high hopes. I’m so impressed that I do think it could and perhaps should even be made into a film, or a tv series. I know a number of reviewers say this about books, but I’m not generally one of them. It’s just the calbre of writing and the “ingredients”, that if followed to the letter, it actually could work. Well, that’s my opinion anyway.
The book is very hard to put down, once started.
With instantly likeable characters, who still have quite a bit of life and humour about them, it gets off to a fantastic start.

I was impressed then and the book has lived up to expectations; so I am still impressed now, having read the book in its entirety. It’s up there with some of the best in cosy crime, with its supposedly, unassuming characters in a retirement home, who are sharper and more “modern” in their thinking, than you would think. They also have solving crimes on their minds, as they form The Thursday Murder Club and no more so when they find ways of getting involved in one that happened on their doorstep.

There is some rather dark humour from the residents. That catches the attention straight off. Readers, are led, like you are going on a tour with her and you’re the person who is there to “Meet New People and Try New Things”, as the first part is called. It’s a clever way of introducing characters and some background and layout of the retirement community. Elizabeth is first, then Bernard, then Mary, Ron and Ibrahim. They like to talk about murders in sometimes, perhaps in a way that you may not want to mess with them. Then there is a live murder, right on their doorsteps, that grabs the residents attention as they get themselves involved in solving the case in imaginative ways.
Throughout the book are excerpts of a diary that Joyce keeps, full of bits about murder and poignant, philisophical thoughts.

There is enough intrigue set up, surrounding Tony Curren and Ian Ventham and the companies.

The book is wonderfully nuanced with how the characters behave. I would go as far as saying Richard Osman has observed his chosen age group for his characters very well. The tone, things they say and how it is said, is very much set in reality. There’s quite a bit of positivity written about his older characters, to show that at least some, are still capable of doing things, which also amusing.

I thought it was a lovely thing to have a character (Ibrahim Arif) support Westham United. I also think it is lovely he has included a character (Ron Ritchie) who has read all of Mark Billingham’s books, since that is who he did a talk with and sounded like they know each other well. As well as the characters and plot being quite heart-warming, it is kind moments like these that also add to the heart-warming moments.

The way the pensioners are with the Detective Inspector – Chris, is priceless and full of humour. I do sort of feel a bit sorry for the D.I. He certainly wouldn’t have expected the pensioners to be quite so excitable; but the way Richard Osman has written these scenes has timing down to a “T”.

“Everyone Has A Story to Tell” and they certainly do in the second part as more comes tumbling out.
Kindness is portrayed again, this time in the form of strangers helping Joyce after a fall. There are also some unexpected twists and turns, which cause excitement and more debate amongst the residents. Things hot up as the Thursday Murder Club get ever closer to the truth.

The book can be pre-ordered. It is published 3rd September 2020 from many places, including Waterstones. I highly recommend this “Must Read” book.

Well hello new crime series into which I am utterly invested. Four unlikely friends, all living in a retirement village, meet up weekly to discuss unsolved murders. They each come from different backgrounds – some more akin to the solving of crimes than others – but they need to work together when a killing takes place on their doorstep. The Thursday Murder Club jump (or walk slowly and carefully) into action as they sort out the red herrings from what’s really the truth as the plot thickens more than week-old soup. Quite brilliant in their deduction – the end is as it should be but expect to be surprised – with lots of strands wrapped up and yes, you may feel a tad emotional. I just loved it: the tone, the sarcasm, the tactics, and I want to read more about the club.

When celebrities start writing books it can often a feel a bit out of place, another thing they are trying their hand at because they have the connections. However Richard Osman seems to have found his calling here. As much as I enjoy watching his TV appearances and shows, I’d very much like it if he spent more time writing books.
The Thursday Murder Club was funny, touching, twisty, intriguing, full of red herrings and heart and simply put a proper delight to read. There were moments when I was laughing out loud and others where I had tears in my eyes.

Here is a great old fashioned style murder mystery that somehow manages to not be old fashioned at all. There are multiple suspects, multiple murders and a brilliant set up between the police and our gang of amateur detectives.

Where novels like this can fall down is in the set up of the relationship between the police service and the amateurs. Osman managed this brilliantly and I fully believed that Donna would have fallen under the spell of The Thursday Murder Club. She trod exactly the right line of not giving up too much sensitive information while working with our intrepid Club.

Setting the novel in a retirement home was a brilliant idea – it gave scope for all sorts of interesting ideas and for pensioners with personality and a ‘not give a damn’ attitude. I fell in love with every single one of them. The way we discovered more about each of them throughout the novel, their lives and loves and ambitions. What they still wanted from life. It was so nice to read a book where the main protagonists were in an older age group and not in a token way.

One of my favourite reads of the year so far, I very much hope we'll be able to visit the Thursday Murder Club again.

I enjoyed reading this- it's funny and has lots of lovable characters- even the villains have their good points. Very easy to read, great holiday reading. The story runs along at a good pace and I would recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book. It's an easy to read, funny whodunnit with plenty of twists and turns throughout. A great cast of characters and a good setting for the storyline.