Member Reviews

What an absolute joy to be back with The Thursday Murder Club at Coopers Chase! The Man Who Died Twice is, in a word, charming. We already know the characters, so here they settle into their roles a bit more, each bringing something to the table.

Lots of laughs and some genuine heart and depth. Guaranteed tears, the final few chapters got me. The mystery was a fun one once again, with plenty of twists and turns to really keep you on your toes. Richard Osman is so clever with his writing, and in neither book has the reveal felt predictable at all. They have a very Knives Out feel to them, in my opinion.

Overall, I adored every second of reading this, and I’m actually quite sad that I got through it so quickly. I really really hope there’s a third instalment, and I look forward to joining Joyce, Elizabeth, Roy, and Ibhrahim at Coopers Chase again soon.

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I loved Richard Osman's first novel and this is probably even better.
All our old friends from the Thursday Murder Club are back and we learn more about Elizabeth's past at M15.
This time the story is about diamonds, drugs and friendship. Along the way there are plenty of red herrings and twists as we would expect
It's hard to say much without giving away the story, so read it for yourself
A natural successor for the great crime writers like Chrisite

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We return to Coopers Chase and our much loved Gang of Four of the Thursday Murder Club, not forgetting the multi talented and unflappable Bogdan and our friendly police officers DCI Chris Hudson, now in love (or lust, or both) with Patrice, mother of PC Donna De Freitas. I’m happy to report that it’s every bit as good as the last one, if not even better. Ex-spy Elizabeth is quiet .... she's received a letter from one Marcus Carmichael which takes her on an unsettling trip down her spook memory lane and gives her much to ponder on especially as Marcus Carmichael is dead. Meanwhile, Chris and Donna are staking out Connie Johnson's drug operation without huge success but all of them are rightly angry and very worried when poor Ibrahim is mugged by local thugs. Add in twenty million quids worth of stolen diamonds and it’s game on for our intrepid group of septuagenarians and their loyal pals.

The plot and pace of this marvellously mad caper is much faster than the first one, there’s more danger and a higher body count. However, what shines through all the nefarious deeds, twists and turns is the love, friendship and respect for this group of smart pensioners. Just because they are in the upper age profile nobody messes with them and gets away with it, they take no prisoners, they are full of vim, vigour, brains and a barrel load of flair and ingenuity. Their all for one and one for all mentality shines through all they do which is heartwarming. Have I mentioned the laughs? There’s plenty of those especially in Joyce’s journal. She’s what my mum would have called ‘a card’ , ‘a darned good tonic’ and ‘a good egg’. It’s so entertaining Joyce has me laughing out loud! The whole escapade is written in such a lively entertaining and engaging way that it’s hard to put down once you start. I love Richard Osman’s wry and clever sense of humour which I’m glad to say crops up with frequency.

So overall, yes Mr O I think you have another best seller here which is no great surprise really as the man is multi talented. This is just the type of book we need right now, well written, a good plot and lots of fun in excellent company. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Random House for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

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This is the second in the Thursday Murder Club books and I have to say is utterly brilliant.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book but Mr Osman has taken this one to another level.
Without giving spoilers.
Elizabeth is contacted by an old friend from her past and asks for help and of course she involves everyone from the Thursday Murder Club to help, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim.
When she discovers that she will have to work with the secret service again will he help?
A brilliant novel throughout.

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Once again Richard Osman has delivered a delight to the reader from the Thursday Murder Club characters. The plot has twists and turns, the characters depth and humour. Because the writing is so skilful it is easy to lessen the seriousness of the crimes involved. Somehow we feel completely engaged with the methods of the club members to achieve the right outcome by whatever means. Thoroughly enjoyable.

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Even though they represent a large percentage of the Western population, and a sizeable readership, senior citizens do not often feature as change-makers in contemporary thrillers but are most often relegated the positions of ancillary characters. Richard Osman’s novels therefore deserve credit for diverging from well-trodden literary paths and for putting a group of septuagenarian individuals with wit, charm and ruthlessness at the heart of his novels. This is the second instalment of his Thursday Murder Club series, featuring a group of friends in a senior citizen’s apartment complex who enjoy poring over old unsolved crimes and it is at least as good, if not better, than its predecessor! The novel starts when Elizabeth, one of the quartet of septuagenarian protagonists, receives a message from an old colleague. His life has careered away on the wrong tracks after he took part in a daring gemstone heist, and he is now in mortal danger. Unless Elizabeth can help him, of course? Surrounded by her good friends Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, Elizabeth sets out to do just that….
I do not wish to reveal too much more, as it would spoil the superb plot and characterisation, but suffice to say that readers of Osman’s second novel are once more in for a spectacular treat! Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for the free ARC supplied to be in exchange for this unbiased and honest review.

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Loved this! I really enjoyed Richard's first book and this was even better! There are lots of twists and turns, as well as lots of humour and you can really hear his voice coming through the story. I enjoyed being reacquainted with some of the characters from the first book and hope there will be more stories based on the Thursday Murder Club.

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Following on from the adventures in The Thursday Murder Club, our favourite septuagenarians are back. When Elizabeth receives a letter from a man who had once died, she is drawn into another adventure with her trusted friends: Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron. And of course, Chris, Donna and Bogdan are along for the fun as well.

Missing diamonds, mafia connections and a local drug dealer combine in this witty and - at times - slightly surreal story! The main characters are fantastic - their interactions with each other and with other characters light up the pages. Yes, you have to suspend a bit of belief at times (especially where Elizabeth is concerned) but even after only two books, they are comforting characters who I would love to share a cuppa and some cake with.

Thanks to the publishers, Viking, and Net Galley for providing me with an advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Another winner from Richard Osman. Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron & Ibrahim are back and yet again the bodies are piling up. Can the Thursday Murder Club get to the bottom of the missing diamonds and also get ‘justice’ for Ibrahim?
A page turner that keeps you reading through the various twists and turns. A great read that keeps you wondering what if as well as giving us a few sparks of romance.
What waits the formidable quartet next?

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Richard Osman's second novel 'The Man Who Died Twice' doesn't disappoint. Set once again in Cooper Chase, it follows the four members of the Thursday Murder Club - Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron as they become involved in solving a number of crimes. With great humour and also a lot of emotional intelligence, Osman has his protagonists become immersed with the mafia, drug dealers and MI5; solving mysteries in a way only those with wisdom, experience and a few years left to live, can do.

I really enjoyed this book. Whilst Osman's characters are able to laugh at themselves, Osman doesn't laugh at them, and issues of old age are handled cleverly and perceptively. His characterisation is spot on, with everyone shown to have good and bad sides, rather than being only two dimensional. Issues such as dementia, vulnerability and loss, are handled convincingly and whilst the novel isn't grisly, everything isn't tied up with a happy ending. For me this is an author definitely worth the hype.

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The man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman a thrilling five-star read. I adore the Thursday Murder club, this builds on the last as we know the characters better now, we understand their backgrounds and what makes them tick, what special skills they all have. It all pulls together to create a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and just goes to show just because you are older doesn’t mean you don’t know what’s going on. I don’t want to spoil the story, so wont tell you what happens, but I will say if you are looking for a good distraction then this is the book you need to pick up.

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Very good. I enjoyed the Thursday Murder Club and this second book in the series was as enjoyable. I didn’t find it as original as the first book, but the characters are well drawn and the plot had lots of twists and turns.

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With grateful thanks to netgalley and Richard Osman, for an early copy in return for an honest opinion.
Have read the first book, was delighted to be able to read the 2nd one early.
Richard has a way with words, and his dry sense of humour which works extremely well,in these type of situations.
This is one amazing retirement village all mod cons fabulous neighbours and the life of O'Reilly. Joyce is rather sweet and rather gullible Elizabeth has a past that she really doesn’t want to catch up with her,can highly recommend for a rather tongue in cheek read. Can highly recommend

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I enjoyed The Man Who Died Twice enormously. I’m surprised to find myself giving five stars to a book by a celebrity, but it deserves it.

We meet the remaining members of the Thursday Murder Club again (with their pals from the police and the redoubtable Bogdan), and this time it is Elizabeth’s colourful past in Intelligence which provides a present-day mystery. It’s a convoluted but somehow plausible plot involving international money-laundering, stolen diamonds and some very unpleasant and violent characters.

It is, of course, a load of hooey really, but it’s hugely enjoyable hooey, populated by a group of well-drawn characters and told with wit, clever structuring and an engaging, even gripping, style. We still get Joyce’s delightful journal entries (some of which are laugh-out-loud funny), some truly gruesome moments, some very sweet romance and some genuinely thoughtful reflections on life.

The Thursday Murder Club did very well at least partly because Richard Osman is (rightly, in my view) a very well-loved celebrity, but it was a good book in its own right. I think this is even better; Osman is clearly a talented writer and a witty, humane man. I can recommend this very warmly and I’m looking forward to the next.

(My thanks to Penguin/Viking for an ARC via NetGalley.)

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Second outing for the Thursday Murder Club and Richard Osman is getting into his stride. The characters are growing, Elizabeth more outrageous, Joyce - cleverer than you thought. Ibrahim is mugged and hurt badly - the Club are not going to take that lying down. Elizabeth's MI5 ex-husband turns up claiming to have £20 million in stolen diamonds which belong to the mafia, what could go wrong? Its fast, funny, exciting and entertaining. I'm looking forward to the next one already.

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This is a great sequel to The Thursday Murder Club. It's a little different to what I usually read, I'm very much a Chick Lit girl, but I really enjoyed this. Although I don't usually read these types of books, I really enjoy Murder Mystery TV shows, so I got really involved in the story with the residents very quickly. It was like visiting old friends.

Elizabeth's past was alluded to in the first book. It was great to understand her background within this book to see how she has got to where she is now. It's good to see a story that shows that a person's life's work can still be seen as useful once retired. I had my theories about who The Man Who Died Twice was but I didn't guess.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this pre-publication proof, I really enjoyed it.

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This book was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year so I was delighted when the publishers contacted me to ask if I would like an advanced copy!

I was expecting a story along the same lines as The Thursday Murder Club but this story is a lot more complex, it twists and turns and is action packed!

It all begins with Elizabeth receiving a letter from an old friend asking to meet up. There's something not quite right with this letter and then before we know it, The Thursday Murder Club are involved in a case of £20 million worth of missing diamonds!

As with the previous novel, this is laugh out loud funny but it also has some really heartfelt, sad moments. I absolutely adore Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim. They make a fantastic team with some cracking one liners.

Absolutely loved it!! Now, we wait for the next installment!

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I enjoyed the 'Thursday Murder Club' so much that I was a little wary of this,the second in the series in case it didn't live up to the first and spoilt the memory,I needn't have worried . Our four septuagenarians led by the indomitable Elizabeth are in fine form .
There are two plotlines going on the first of which Ibrahims mugging reminds us how vulnerable and frail they can be and his self imposed agoraphobia is understandable and worrying .The police know the culprit but are unable to prosecute for lack of evidence .Its the clubs determination to have the miscreant punished by hook or by crook that provides the impetus for the first 'case'.
The second and much more dangerous case involves Elizabeth's shadowy past ,an ex husband a spate of murders stolen diamonds gangsters MI5 and enough double dealing and red herrings to satisfy anybody. The solutions are complete and satisfying and in keeping with the members of the group.
Its all told in the authors own inimitable style that has me reading with a broad smile on my face ,not something I'm known for according to my family. These books are sort of a modern day cosy golden age mystery nut with a cast of lovely well drawn and fully defined characters all of an age usually ignored ur at best overlooked in crime novels who if they appear at all are victims.
If you enjoyed the first you'll love the second I loved it.Highly recommended.

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I managed to last a few hours after receiving the eARC before I began to read this book. I really enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club, so I had high hopes for this.

I am delighted to say that The Man Who Died Twice exceeded all my expectations. It was such a joy to be back with characters that I had grown to love so much. The humour was spot on, delightfully British with a side of sarcasm, and I found myself chuckling to myself many times, to the bemusement of my two cats. There were also times of genuine sadness, which were written with great sensitivity and care.

I found the crime much easier to follow this time, yet I didn't find it predictable in any way. There were several twists and turns that left me befuddled and flicking back to try and look for clues I'd missed.

All in all, I absolutely loved this and can't wait for the next installment with Elizabeth, Joyce and friends.

Enormous thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for the eARC.

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It took me a wee while to get to know the characters again but I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel. Very entertaining, with some laugh-out-loud moments, I didn’t think it was as good as The Thursday Murder Club and found the ending a bit contrived but still a good read.

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