Having loved Richard Osman’s first book, I was hoping the follow-up would be as good. It exceeded my hopes. Another ingenious plot and further development of the characters. So much so I went back and re-read the first book with enriched knowledge. Highly recommended. An exciting crime novel with many wry observations of and by the characters that made me chuckle and laugh out loud.

Well I didn’t think he could do it but he has- Richard Osman’s second book is even better than his first! I loved every single sentence, including the acknowledgements - have certainly never said that before! Lots of twists and turns, humour and emotion. I thoroughly enjoyed the latest escapade of the Thursday Murder Club. The relationship between the residents of Coopers Chase and their police friends is beautifully drawn, expanded upon and is extremely touching in places. There is an especially moving section between Ibrahim and Kendrick which is one of the most profound pieces of writing I have ever read. You will know what I mean when you read it. The book leaves you with a warm glow, and feels like you have been reunited with a wonderful group of friends! This book makes living in a retirement village positively inviting!
The plot is complex, revealing much more about Elizabeth’s past involvement with MI5. The Man Who Died Twice leaves you keen to read the next instalment. I already can’t wait for book three!
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this ARC in return for an honest review and thank you to Richard Osman for brightening my days with this book. Have I mentioned that I loved it?!

This book is just as good as the first. In fact it could be even better. When you get to start a new series that is good the temptation to gobble the book up is overwhelming. Am disappointed that I couldn’t hold back!

I did enjoy this book, but didn't think it was great. It had the same charm as the first book and the characters are lovely and have become a bit like old friends. The book has the same humour and the writing stye makes it an easy read. The plot was highly implausible, but them maybe that is part of it's charm and it is all a little tongue in cheek.

I was a little disappointed that there was very little about life in the retirement village and I think this was one of the attractions of the first book. i felt that some interaction with the other residents would have been a good touch as at times it seemed like they were the only people there. If there is nothing about the village then it might have been set anywhere.

Joyce is certainly a delight and continues to entertain. There was also a great deal of involvement of the other three and we did learn a little bit more about them as people. I look forward to the next book and hope to learn more about them and their life in the retirement village.

Oh … my … word! To be honest I only requested this book because I’d read everything on my Kindle and I couldn’t find anything else on NetGalley that took my fancy. I’d noticed The Man Who Died Twice a few times but thought that it probably wasn’t my cup of tea, in fact I thought it sounded a bit silly. I’ll give it a go, I thought. Well, I reached the end of the first chapter and decided I couldn’t possibly read any further until I had read the previous book, The Thursday Murder Club, so I bought it. I just couldn’t put it down, and I haven’t laughed so much for a long, long, time. So much so that I have literally just ordered a copy from Amazon to be delivered to my best friend tomorrow. She has the same sense of humour as me and I know she’ll love it.
I think I probably enjoyed the second book slightly more than the first (if that’s even possible), simply because I feel I know the characters really well now – and what characters they are! I’ve fallen in love with them all, and it’s just wonderful how they are all so different yet are such good and loyal friends. The banter between them is hilarious, and there are lots of sections that I read twice just because they made me chuckle so much. Ron is an absolute scream, and Joyce … well Joyce is just Joyce. I can’t wait for book three to hear more about her new dog Alan, and hopefully she’ll have fun with another new experience (like she has with Instagram). With a bit of luck she might even get a Tesco Clubcard.
Without doubt this is the best book I’ve read this year, and as soon as I’ve sent this review I’m going to read both books again. Richard Osman – what a very smart and clever chap!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Yay, Richard Osman is back, and so is our crew of septuagenarians - or is it octogenarians?! Dare I say "The Man Who Died Twice" is even better than the first book in the series? First of all the humour is way better - in the sens that in the first book only the first 1/3 was truly funny(for me, at least), but now the jokes and sarcasms is spread through the book - I have laughter out loud repeatedly!! Some of the jokes really creaked me up! And secondly the plot is way more plausible, not very far from what certain American series serve as truth hahahaha!

Elizabeth is her usually self once again, but Joyce really shines in this instalment. Even Ron plays a significant role, endearing himself to us in the process. Too bad we don;t see enough of Ibrahim, but hopefully he will come back with a bang in the next one ;)

The second book involving members of the Thursday Murder Club sometimes takes the action further away from the first one’s setting of a retirement complex and involves some of its residents travelling about in Kent in their quest to recover mafia diamonds. Osman’s protagonists are an endearing elderly bunch- the ex-spy, the militant, the psychiatrist and the dear old lady - who between them attempt to solve mysteries and murders with the help of the police.
It is all very cosy: good humour abounds and there is no great build up of tension that is usually seen in crime thrillers. If you dispense with credibility you will thoroughly enjoy this lighthearted take on an old fashioned crime plot brought into the 21st century.
Many thanks to Viking and NetGalley for the ARC.

The much anticipated The Thursday Murder Club sequel!

When I got the email I was so excited! Silly-excited, like a little kid opening a present. My wife raised her gaze from her online call to burn me silent with her eyes.

I waited for her to finish, I apologised and I showed her my ereader.
‘Is it already out?’
‘Nope,’ i said with a smartass grin.
‘Whaaat? An advanced copy?! That’s amazing!’

It was amazing indeed!

Receiving the email from Penguin approving my preview of the sequel of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman was a testament to my efforts to read and provide reviews through Netgalley, Goodreads and learnwritingfiction.wordpress.com. And of course to the great success of my article on the first TTMC book. At least, that’s how I took it.

I devoured The Man Who Died Twice despite me taking four covid tests, visiting four cities in two different countries and meeting friends and relatives I had not seen in almost a year. This shows how good a job Osman did.

Let’s be clear, it’s not a masterpiece nor anything that will change your life forever, but given the success of the first book, it was a tough challenge to meet the expectations. Overall, I think they were met, of course with their ups and downs.

What was kept
The marketing email from NetGalley said: ‘the gang is back!’ And it was indeed.

Why change a winning team? Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are all there, a team made of nearly 300 years altogether, yet so full of life and wit to compete with any teenager.

Next to the gang are Chris and Donna, their friends in Fairheaven’s police force. I was a little disappointed about the little space the two of them were given over the course of the book. Donna had a much more central role in the first book, but here she is side-lined for most of the story and never fully an active character.

Bogdan is still there, with more responsibilities and a few promotions under his belt, but always (who knows how) at the disposal of Elizabeth and the gang. He is and remains the most mysterious character of the book.

What was new

Boy oh boy. Where to start?

American mafia, Columbian drug cartels, MI5. That’s a lot to handle for a layman. But apparently not for a bunch of over 70s with nothing better to do.

‘So you are now being hunted by the New York mafia and by a Colombian drug cartel?’ ‘Never rains but it pours, eh, darling?’


Their braveness probably comes from the fact that in a few years they would die anyway. That, plus the fact that they have their back no matter what. Their team is stronger than ever.

Despite that, the team doesn’t always act as one. The divide occurs across gender. Ron is clearly upset about it when Elizabeth seemed to favour Joyce to him – the quarrel quickly dissolves when Elizabeth makes it up to him.

All the havoc is brought by Douglas, a charming blast from Elizabeth’s past. Carming, yes, but at the same time mysterious and repulsive.

‘Oh, Douglas, stop repeating what I last said, it’s a terrible habit of yours. That and adultery.’


Chris and Donna, the only two actual police officers, do very little policing. And the little they do, they do it poorly. Then they disappear for a big chunk of the middle of the book, Chris only appearing to show how in love he is (nice to see how a healthy relationship leads to many healthy changes) and Donna to show how not in love she is.

A quote I liked from Chris:

Well, thinks Chris. Sitting at a concrete table with two friends, a pigeon enjoying a McDonald’s, and being in love. That was something to protect, wasn’t it?


And another from a therapy/non-therapy session:

‘You know that time is not coming back, don’t you? The friends, the freedom, the possibilities?’ ‘You’re supposed to be cheering me up,’ says Donna. Ibrahim nods. ‘Let it go. Remember it as a happy time. You were at the top of the mountain, and now you’re in a valley. It will happen to you a number of times.’ ‘So what do I do now?’ ‘You climb the next mountain, of course.’ ‘Oh yeah, of course,’ says Donna. Simple. ‘And what’s up the next mountain?’ ‘Well, we don’t know, do we? It’s your mountain. No one’s ever climbed it before.’ ‘And what if I don’t want to? What if I just want to go home and cry every night, and pretend to everyone that everything’s OK?’ ‘Then do that. Keep being scared, keep being lonely. And spend the next twenty years coming to see me, and I will keep telling you the same thing. Put your boots on and climb the next mountain. See what’s up there. Friends, promotions, babies. It’s your mountain.’


The villains are different, and even though they deal at a much higher level than in the first book, they are just as dumb, if not more.

Talking about villains, this is not quite a cosy murder mystery as the first one could have been catalogued. It’s not just the complexity of the murders, but it’s the amount of blood – blood everywhere. Not sure how the descriptive paragraphs of the murder scenes made the final cut, honestly. I found them unnecessary and out of place.

Joyce
Joyce was probably my favourite character in TTMC. And I am sure I am not the only one who thought that.

She is even better, if possible, in the sequel.

Funny, kind, emotional, with a little sparkle of tough skin. She is the same Joyce I met in book one, with a few developments on the margins. The occasional rant about her daughter (annoying but I quickly forgave her) and a bit more courage.

See for example here when she is walking alone second-guessing foxes and reassured by her latest piece of clothing:

I walked over to Ruskin, and it really is very pretty here in the dark. There are a few lamps lighting the paths, and you can hear the animals in the bushes. I could just imagine the foxes thinking, What’s this old woman up to? and I was thinking the same. It was cold, but I have just bought a cardigan from Marks, which was perfect for the job.


Or here, when the comparison between shooting someone in the head and easting chocolate comes so naturally:

blowing a man’s head off from four feet away probably doesn’t suit everyone. It wouldn’t suit me, and it doesn’t suit Poppy. Actually, perhaps it would suit me? You never know until you try, do you? I never thought I would like dark chocolate, for example.


Or even in the thick of things, when Joyce’s and Elizabeth’s lives might be in danger:

No weapon. [Elizabeth] turns back into the hallway and sees that Joyce is no longer there. There is a momentary panic until she sees Joyce emerge silently from the kitchen, a knife in either hand. Elizabeth nods. Joyce hands over the bigger knife to Elizabeth. As she is handing it over she whispers, ‘Careful, handle first.’


Or, and that I liked it a lot, Joyce’s avengeful core:

‘We’ll give it a couple of hours,’ says Joyce. ‘I’ll make sure you don’t die. It’ll be much more fun to see you in prison. Would you like some painkillers?’ ‘Yes, please,’ says Sue, the anguish etched onto her face. ‘Shame,’ says Joyce. ‘I don’t have any.’


Predicting the future
I know you want to know it, so here it is. There will be a third book. So, TTMC is going to be a trilogy (at least). Title yet to be chosen – understandably so, given Osman had to be persuaded not to call this book The Next Thursday.

What that will be about? Here are my predictions:

1) Bogdan will play a much bigger role. This books builds a lot of questions around him. What does he actually do for a living? How can he have so much spare time? Why does he answer his phone in the middle of the night after only one ring?

2) Donna will also have a more important role. She was too central to part one and too side-lined in part two to be left where she currently is. Her love situation, especially with the development of the penultimate chapter, will be a central subplot. However, I don’t think the affair will go too well. My prediction is that she will finally find out that happiness is not only about finding the right man, but feeling good with herself and sharing memories with her friends.

3) The gang will always be the gang. You can’t change that. But some secondary character might depart. I expect Stephen to leave us and Elizabeth to crash in grief. Maybe that would be a major hurdle: the gang needs to solve a mystery but without their most resourceful member. What do you think of that?

4) I tried to come up with the kind of mystery the third book may be about, but beside there being a murder, I can’t think of anything more precise. I was really surprised by the level of the mystery in this book. We moved from a local killing to international drug trafficking and national security. By that rate, next book will be about stopping a nuclear war. May be time to call Anthony Horowitz for a double act with James Bond.

Quotes
The book is a warehouse full of funny phrases and dialogues. The author has fun in creating sarcastic jokes and do we reading them. Here are just a couple I couldn't place anywhere else in this post.

Stephen telling Elizabeth what happened, his own way:

I didn’t know where you’d gone, I thought the shops, but it was very late.’ ‘Joyce and I were up chatting.’ ‘I told them any time. Open door to spooks round here. What was it? Somebody murdered?’ ‘Two people murdered.’ ‘Spies?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Wonderful. Now what was I doing, dear?’ ‘Playing chess with Bogdan.’ ‘Oh, good. He made me scrambled eggs. And he gave Ron cocaine. What a champ. I’ll get back to him. I’ll leave you to your murdered spies.’


A wink to the editors:

Goodness me, that was a long sentence to write. In a book they would tell me to put a full stop in there somewhere. After ‘infusion’?

This book had me laughing out loud from the very first page. Joyce and the gang are back in true fashion. I love the tongue in cheek tone, the social references that subvert the ‘old people’ stereotype, and of course the incredibly twisty plot that constantly keeps you guessing. Having loved the first book so much, I was nervous before reading, but am now happily relieved that Osman has done it again. I would definitely recommend for those looking for a light read and love a good murder mystery

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC to review!

I devoured this in 2 days. It hit my kindle and I quickly finished the book I was reading to clear the decks for this one.

I adored his first one, which isn’t a surprise given I love Kate Atkinson - and this is even better! Like any series, the first one is usually setting the scene, the cast of characters, the pace of things. The Man Who Died Twice is able to stretch it’s wings and really come into it’s own.

It follows 4 neighbours from luxury retirement community who accidentally keep coming across murder - but as there is so many murders on day time telly, this doesn’t faze any one of them.

This will be another Marmite book - save to say, if you enjoyed the first, you’ll enjoy this one!

Highlights of this book for me - Joyce’s Instagram (and I know follow her!!!), Ibrahim’s whole storyline, and the double meaning of the man who died twice (brought a tear to my eye).

I genuinely laughed out loud at some moments in this - and was SO CLOSE to working it all out!

This was such a brilliant book, even better than book one if that’s possible?! It was so good to be back in the company of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, my favourite 80 year olds, apart from family members, of course! I read this one in just over 24 hours, I really didn’t want to put it down, I just needed to read one more chapter!
I found the story was much easier to follow this time, as there didn’t seem to be too many people involved and it was such great fun! The twists were good but not confusing and the dialogue was so witty. I loved the banter between Elizabeth and Joyce, and how Joyce was becoming more independent of Elizabeth, and keeping her own secrets this time!
Just like the first book I kept thinking about who could play the different characters and think Helen Mirren would be brilliant as Elizabeth, with Paul Whitehouse as Ron, and Nick Frost as Chris the DCI. I also thought that Bill Nighy would be brilliant as the former colleague who contacts Elizabeth at the beginning of the book.
I highly recommend this one and cannot wait for Book 3!

This was a book I expected to like a lot more than I did. Richard Osman is a witty man in person and I expected the same from his book but I found the story, the setting and the characters to be cliched and rather plodding. I hadn’t read the first novel in the series but in general I didn’t like the members of the Thursday Night Murder club and I found it hard to empathise with a group of amateur crime investigators who thought it was okay to set up a young yob for a crime he didn’t commit as an act of revenge for beating up one of their members. Two wrongs not making a right and all that. So having lost me on their values at the start of the book, I didn’t really care about the retired spy’s ex husband and the lost diamonds caper. I have no doubt this book will find its audience but sadly I wasn’t one of them.

I love the Thursday Murder Club so much, I’d love to be a member! Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim are at it again solving mysteries from the comfort of Coopers Chase! The story was well paced and the characters well rounded. You get to learn more about Elizabeth’s wild past in this instalment. I can’t wait for book 3!

My most exciting bookish moment since starting this account is being approved on NetGalley for Richard Osman’s follow up to his delightful debut, The Thursday Murder Club (TTMC), which is titled The Man Who Died Twice!

For fans of TTMC, do not fear, for Osman has created another lovely, entertaining novel of a similar vein to the first. If you loved TTMC, you will love The Man Who Died Twice.

Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Roy and Joyce are back with a vengeance, always keeping abreast of what’s happening in their corner of the world. Joyce has even joined Instagram 😉

Set the Thursday after the events of the first novel, Elizabeth receives a letter from an old colleague, one with whom she has a long history. His tale involves stolen diamonds, a run in with a notorious mobster and serious threat on his life…

As with TTMC, this book is funny, warm, smart and moving in equal measure. There are laugh out loud moments, and then some so poignant your breathe catches in your throat. It’s so very British, so matter of fact, and it’s just fantastic to have some whip-smart members of an older generation be front and centre to such an engaging story.

I will definitely be sticking around for the NEXT meeting of the Thursday Murder Club…

Once again an excellent adventures from the Thursday Murder Club. Excellently paced, a twist at every corner. Richard Osman knows how to keep you guessing and keep you laughing!

I enjoyed Richard Osman’s first book, so I was pleased to receive a copy of the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, in fact I read it in one sitting. The members of the Thursday Murder Club are a disparate bunch of retirees who are both funny and resourceful. I particularly love Joyce and there were times when her antics made me laugh out loud.

The events, which require the reader to suspend belief, are compelling and well considered. The characters are great and the conclusion very satisfying.

The premise of the Thursday Murder Club is unusual, and I love the idea of elderly crime fighters.

Osman’s wit runs through the book and there are some very funny scenes and events.

Great book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for an advanced copy in return for a honest review.

First and foremost, I'd like to thanks @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book

The Man Who Died Twice is the sequel to The Thursday Murder Club which I absolutely loved, so I was really exciting to dive into this one.

Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.
As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. Wouldn't that be a bonus if they also find the diamonds?
But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off for setpuagenarians.

It was a great pleasure to be reunited with the four of them. As in the first instalment, they made me laugh (especially Ron) but they also made me feel nostalgic and empathic (such as Ibrahim).
Despite their age, they manage to bend the rules to get their way. Nothing stops them, and that's why I love them so much. Even Ibrahim, who, despite his little accident, still managed to help his friends resolve the case. They might old but they're still witty, smart and resourceful. They have the ability to forestall the authorities.
Elizabeth must dig up her past to find where the diamonds are.

Even though I managed to find a few clues that led to the culprit, I was blown away by the way the 4 friends managed to solve this case.

I do not want to give away too much about this book because I think it's worth to read it and I don't want to spoil you. But one thing is sure: if you loved the first book, definitely read this one!

I'm already looking forward to the next instalment!

You weren’t expecting our intrepid heroes of the Thursday Murder Club to take things easy now were you? Of course not! They’ve got a taste for this crime lark and another mystery is about to land in their laps, making their retirement that little bit more interesting.

I was so relieved that Osman was able to not only recreate the magic of the first book, but he takes the reader deeper into Elizabeth’s murky past, shining a light on her background and her very helpful set of skills that never fail to impress. I love the fact that each member of the club makes their own valuable contribution to not only the dynamic of the group of friends but to the case they are investigating. This was a book with a lot of humour & excitement wrapped around poignant moments that stir your emotions.

It’s sublime.

Oh how I love this series!!. This second book has not disappointed,it's as good and thrilling as the first!! The Thursday Murder Club are still as good at solving mysteries as before and I think we are now finding out a little more about them and their special skills!!. They are now becoming great friends and I can't wait for the third book which apparently I can pre order now!!. Hurray!!!.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC book for an honest review.

I really loved The Thursday Murder Club when I read it last year and so I was looking forward to hanging out with Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim again in the second book in the series. What I wasn't expecting was that I would like this even more than the previous one!

The Man Who Died Twice has everything I loved from the first book, and more! Our favourite gang of septuagenarian detectives is back with all the wit, humour and utter chaos only they can bring, and copious cups of tea. This time, they are faced with a serious mystery involving stolen diamonds, MI5 and even the mob.

I really liked seeing all my favourites from the previous book return in this one, and I loved having the chance to get to know a few of the secondary characters better. The character development definitely improved from the first book, without losing any of the simplicity and charm that made these characters so loveable in the first place. There's witty banter aplenty, but also the space for serious conversations and touching reflections on life, love, friendship, illness and getting older. Joyce's diary entries remained the highlight for me, making me literally laugh out loud more than once.

The mystery itself was twisty enough to keep me guessing right up to the end and, while a few situations leading up to its resolution were definitely very convenient, I didn't really mind too much because of how much fun I was having with it. This is a book that really doesn't take itself too seriously, with some situations bordering on the absurd, but this is precisely where its charm lies. In some passages, it reminded of Jonas Jonasson's style of comedy, so perhaps avoid if that isn't really your cup of tea.

For me, this was escapism at its best and precisely the light-hearted, heart-warming, wholesome read I needed in a stressful period. Definitely looking forward to the next instalment!