If Agatha Christie had had a sense of humour, she could have written The Man Who Died Twice. Plot twists and red herrings are sprinkled throughout; but the joy of Richard Osman's narrative is in his characters. The personalities of The Thursday Murder Club's members: Joyce, Ron, Elizabeth and Ibrahim are so skillfully drawn you know them, I also love the way he lets you imagine a character by their personality, before, half way through the book, describing their looks. Who would guess young policeman Donna is black or Bogdan is a bit of a hulk? To break up the narrative Joyce writes a journal with personal observations, this is a clever way of summing up the story so far, much like TV dramas use the investigation board, while members of the investigation team look on. Written throughout the book with Osman's signature brilliant one-liners and dry, wry observations, I can't wait to read the Club's next investigation.

I loved the first book in the Thursday Murder Club series and gave it 5 stars so was super excited and thrilled to receive an ARC of the second book! This book continues on just a week after the first book ended and of course it isn't long until a new adventure surfaces for the four septuagenarians.

The story was fun and I did enjoy my time reading - but unfortunately it didn't hold up much compared to the first book. Part of it is personal - I'm not a huge fan of ganger/mafia storylines - but I also thought the series had lost some of its spark. The characters, although still living in the retirement village, certainly didn't seem 70+, they could have been any age at all. Part of the fun for me was that they are older and I remember some hilarious lines and moments in the first book related to their age. This felt like it could have been any group of people so perhaps forcing this isn't a series isn't necessary?

Regardless, if you're looking for a fun story following a murder mystery then I think you will enjoy this. Perhaps my expectations were too high following the first book. It was still a good read as a standalone.

Excellent story, full of humour and a good plot. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I hadn’t read his previous book but there were no spoilers, which is sometimes not the case in follow up novels. I found it well written, easy to follow but not easy to put down. All the characters were believable and well developed with the storyline . Looking forward to the next one.

After reading ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ (the first book of the series) I was keen to find out what would happen in this book. I was comforted by the return of the same characters but there was a slightly more complex story this time - in a good way! I couldn’t put this book down because I was eager to find out what was going on. You have to pay attention when reading as the storyline can become a little tricky to follow in places. I am glad to say that everything seemed to come together in the end!

It doesn't seem like that long ago that I was reading and reviewing The Thursday Murder Club. In a nutshell, I found that to be refreshing, fun and intriguing in equal measure. I think I was also aware that the situation and the characters involved would make a follow-on difficult to pull off.

In many ways, I think The Man Who Died Twice is a pretty good sequel and does manage to create a highly-engaging tale that suits the murder club.

Appearing from the past is Elizabeth's ex-husband, a man who has already died once and, given the title, may find his number's about to come up. He has the charm of Bond as well as the smugness born of being talented and good looking. While working on a secret-service case, he's fallen foul of dangerous gangsters over in the US. Thankfully, he has a personal guard to protect him and a place to hide out (the very same home where the Thursday Murder Club wait for their live's to fizzle out, where else?).

There are dead bodies and tricks with smoke and mirrors and, for a while, there's that satisfying buzz of wondering what the hell's going on, which is accompanied by the joy of trying to puzzle it out before reality is revealed. Essentially, that makes it a winning cosy mystery; if that's your bag, this is one for the top of your list.

While meeting up with our gang again is a welcome experience, The Man Who Died Twice doesn't quite match the excellence of book one. In the main, I think that's due to the situation of the setting and having to stretch to create a new and believable situation. The observation are just that bit less sharp, the diary entries of Joyce are less powerful as a way of moving on plot, the police are less involved and more stable in a way that reduces the impact of their story-lines, and there's a tad less chemistry between the group (and so not as much character development as I might have liked).

TTMC was always going to be a tough act to follow. The second in the series has proved to be a solid and enjoyable follow-on. I'd still read a third, but do worry that a further contortion to find a suitable plot and another dilution due to familiarity may make it a step too far for me.

Richard Osman is a fine writer who brings his own twist to the genre. His humour is particularly noteworthy and his timing is excellent. Overall, I'm recommending this to anyone who enjoyed the last one and to the cosy mystery fan. It would work as a standalone, but reading in order would be much more satisfying. I worry for book three (for surely there will be one), but there will be many who will lap up each and every title with zeal in a way that may even make this a series that will be viewed as a classic when the world has warmed to the point where paper self-combusts- get it while you can.

Loved this, a really enjoyable crime caper with stolen diamonds, drug deals, missing spies, mafia and dead bodies aplenty.

I love the characters that Richard Osman has brought to life in the Thursday Murder Club. The fierce friendship and sometimes unexpected skills of Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim are brilliant to read about. The police characters of Donna and Chris are also great and I love the way that they and the Thursday Murder Club help each other out, with the latter not always (or often!) acting within the letter of the law.

Although there is often speculation about whether celebrities have got publishing contracts because of their fame or on merit, there's no question in my mind that Richard Osman is a talented and funny writer.

As an aside, I was rather surprised to find my husband turn up as a character and a baddie at that (well someone with the same name anyway) 😄

I absolutely loved the first book and so I started this with a degree of trepidation, but I have not been disappointed. If anything, I loved it even more. Lots more unpacking of the characters and as with previously, lots of twists and turns.

Cannot wait for book 3!

Richard Osman is such a talented writer and, after having enjoyed the first Thursday Murder Club book., this one certainly didn’t disappoint. If anything, I enjoyed it even more than the first! This time the gang embark upon another adventure and we get to explore the characters even further, as we delve deeper into their personalities. This time I grew to love Joyce even more as she relishes in her role as Elizabeth’s sidekick. I genuinely laughed out loud as she asked the mafia mobster if he needed the toilet before getting in the car as their journey was going to be a couple of hours! As the mystery deepens, and the dead bodies mount up, the wit and humour makes this such a fun and enjoyable read and I honestly can’t wait to find out what the gang get up to next. Another one please…….

A great improvement on the first book which I think suffered from too much hype. Definitely need to have read it though to enjoy this follow-up. Ludicrous but fun. Who wouldn't want to retire to this village‽ Thanks to Netgalley

This is the second book in the series, the story is witty and mostly believable but it doesn’t hold together for me! Although I didn’t particularly like the first book, I felt that I should read this book as it’s extremely popular and I might ‘get’ this one.
Elizabeth, Ron, Joyce and Ibrahim are the Thursday Murder Club Crew and are having a great time solving murder, I couldn’t settle into the storyline as I found their antics annoying more than funny.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was worried that #2 wouldnt live up to the hype of book 1 but the Thursday Murder Club really are a fantastic bunch.

Its a fantastic story that kept me engaged and a little confused throughout the whole thing. Just like the first book its twisty, fun and funny. I love how neatly things are toed up at the end and now I'm hoping theres a third!

Had to rate this book as at least four stars, I really enjoyed “The Thursday Murder Club” but this sequel is even better.
A letter is slipped under Elizabeth’s door, inviting her to meet up with someone from her past, someone who had been recorded as dead in the early 80s, who now asks for her help after he has been put into protective custody, after being suspected of stealing £20 million worth of diamonds belonging to the New York Mafia.
The other part of the plot is Ibrahim getting attacked and his phone stolen, following which Elizabeth brings in the local police - Chris and Donna to help, together with the Thursday Murder Club to ensure his attacker doesn’t get away with it and to help with the stolen diamonds case.
In this book you learn more about Elizabeth’s back story and I liked that Joyce proves to be shrewd with it not just being Elizabeth who works things out. Very clever plot line with Elizabeth realizing she has made a mistake and it’s Joyce that works some things out. I like the setting and the relationships between the characters, makes this retirement village sound an uplifting place to end up.

I very much enjoyed this second book about the Thursday Murder Club with obviously the same group of elderly characters as the first book. Easy to read and follow the many twists and turns in the storyline that had you guessing. Although some of the plots were a little bit fanciful it still was a very engaging read that kept the pages turning to the very end. Looking forward to book number three.

The follow up to last years wildly successful Thursday Murder Club is bound to be just as popular - deservedly so.
It's easy to see why - you've got a great cast of characters, and in this second outing they are developed further and their bond cemented by events of the first book. But also you have a great plot that runs along at a fantastic pace, shot through with humour, but also with heart and poignancy (Ibrahim and Kendrick's relationship is a joy!). And while terrible things happen in general they happen to terrible people so largely the karmic balance is even (there are exceptions but I don't do spoilers!). And for all the outlandish murders and drug deals there's also heart - in all the characters relationships and interactions. And for all the drama and humour I have to give a massive shout out to Osmans portrayal of a new middle age romance - complete with all the new relationship worries and insecurities and it is refreshing to read that from a male character, and while it may be a minor plot in the book it remains a highlight for me because it's so grounded in reality.
An excellent fun read.

Delightful, charming with beautifully crafted characters sums up Osman's latest book. When a book contains a number of murders, a vicious and unwarranted attack on one of the main characters and continuous betrayal and deception between the protagonists, it is truly strange to be putting it down with a smile on your face.
And that is why I give this book 5 stars. It takes great skill to make light of such darkness ,but so endearing are the 4 elderly characters one finds oneself forgiving them everything. My fpersonal favourite is Joyce with her dotty self ramblings. They'll make you laugh out loud - but don't be misled, she's a seriously smart cookie!
What they shall get up to next is anyone's guess but I am sure myself and thousands of others will be out there buying the next in the series. I can safely predict there will be more cases for the Thursday Murder Club to solve.

I loved this follow up to the Thursday Murder Club. The first book was enjoyable and this is even better.
The established group of friends, residents of Cooper's Chase, are all very different but all have a good friendship and different characteristics. Ron has a great sense of humour, Elizabeth is clever and don't let old lady Joyce fool you.
This adventure involved MI5, the Mafia, stolen diamonds and a local drug dealer. All are brought together for a satisfying and surprising finale.
A great read, with laugh out loud moments.

If you have not read The Thursday Murder Club (#1), you should do so immediately. Because this second book in the series is about to come out and you need to be ready. I loved the first mystery so much that I actually screamed when I got this one. And with high expectations, you always worry. I should not have worried at all. I was in safe hands with the Thursday Murder Club.

Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim are back on the case. The friends live in a retirement community together and use their backgrounds and special skills to solve cold cases. Or new cases that are attached to them. (I don't want to give anything away about the plot as you should always go into a good mystery with a blank slate.) I loved the character development and storyline. I loved the predicaments that these seniors got into and how they cleverly got themselves out. I just inhaled this book will continue to be a Richard Osman fan.

This book is a little more violent than the first cozy mystery but it is also wittier and funnier. I love Joyce in particular's humor and cleverness. With some very interesting secondary characters, this is a very enjoyable and satisfying book.

This book, and series, are crowd pleasers and they are also REALLY GOOD. This combination is hard to find. I have given the first book to a variety of readers and so far no one has disliked it. Please do yourself a favor and read this series. I thought this second book was even better than the first.

Thank you (thank you!) so much to Netgalley for the advance readers copy and for making my weekend.

Wonderful! There are few authors who can make me laugh and cry on the same page, write a crime story that has so many twists and turns my head is dizzy, create and develop such a wide range of fascinating characters, and have me desperate for the third book in the series before the second is published.

The Thursday Murder Club was great fun but Richard Osman has honed his craft since then and this is so much better. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, Chris, Donna and Bogdan join forces again to solve several murders and a theft. The mafia, MI5, drug lords and international criminal organisations are involved but The Thursday Murder Club gets the better of them all. Great stuff! My only question is when on earth does Richard Osman find the time to write?!

With thanks to Penguin/Viking and NetGalley for a review copy.

The Man Who Died Twice had a lot to live up to. The Thursday Murder Club was a national sensation, and with good reason. Osman has not disappointed in this sequel. It is funny, heart-warming, silly and sensitive throughout and fans of the first book have everything to look forward to.

Re-joining our cast of heroes from the first book was a sheer delight. It was just like meeting up with old friends, and their company was so easy to slip back into. The plot unravels to be dramatic and hardly credible, but let's be honest, I was reading this book to be entertained, and entertained I was. The characters are perfectly themselves the whole way through and completely hold the story, regardless of how ridiculous it seems.

Personally, I'd love to be invited round for a cup of tea at Cooper's Chase, but I'll settle for waiting eagerly for book number three instead.

Having enjoyed the Thursday Murder Club so much, I grabbed The Man Who Died Twice with both hands.
Things have settled down in Coopers Chase for Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, but not for long when Elizabeth receives an intriguing invitation from a new resident. Before long, the four are embroiled in an MI5 investigation, safehouse, dead-drops, left luggage lockers- the works.
Briefly side-tracked when Ibrahim is mugged, Elizabeth and her sidekick Joyce, with the assistance of detectives Chris and Donna, set about sorting it all out in a big joint operation.
Thoughts that the first half of this book was a little quiet were swept away by the rip-roaring, chaotic but beautifully planned -out second part. I laughed so much I woke the cat (who was sleeping in another room),and had to take a break from reading it until composure was regained. I still laugh as I remember it. The dialogue is wonderful. Even if Joyce is a bit over the top, it is so funny to imagine the Mafia man’s face as these golden oldies come to collect him at the airport in a Toyota Avensis.
Rights are wronged, love is in the air and good prevails for the time being- hopefully not for too long.