Richard Osman has bought together probably the most mis-matched group you could find to populate this story. There is Elizabeth, an ex-spy chief, as bossy as they come, with contacts in all the right places; Ron, a retired Union Leader, as hotheaded and awkward as only a Union leader can be; Ibrahim, a retired psychiatrist who likes to make lists, and has kept all his files about his patients. Then there is Joyce, a retired nurse, and a widow, quietly looking for a new man in her life, she is mostly the story narrator. They all live in a lovely retirement village, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it will be a dull story, there are probably more activities and intrigues in retirement villages than anywhere else. They call themselves the Thursday Murder Club because they can only book a room in the village clubhouse on a Thursday, where they get together to review illicitly acquired files of old unsolved police murder cases, to see whether they can solve them. After a public meeting about new developments in the village two of the group watch a furious argument between the two owners, and soon afterwards one of them is murdered. They have a brand new case to solve!

I think that at the start of the book Mr Osman was trying far too hard to be funny, and that was a bit off-putting, perhaps even a bit irritating, but after a few chapters he had relaxed into telling the story and it began to flow naturally, and the unforced humour was more enjoyable and appropriate for the unfolding story. Elizabeth seems to have a grasshopper mind, and the team are sent in all directions to find out about seemingly unconnected matters. Even the police detective in charge of the case and his assistant Donna are obeying her instructions, although they are still trying to avoid helping her solve the case!

There are several deaths during the story, not all associated with the initial murder, some occurred years before and some of those were unsolved murders, which the Club find out about along the way. But the initial murder - well, that is a bit more complicated! One of the messages of the story is that everyone has secrets. All four members of the murder club are complex characters whose background stories will become clearer as the series continues. Richard Osman clearly enjoys the characters he has created, and that is apparent in the way the story flows. It is a most enjoyable debut novel, and I believe that further stories will get better and better.

I was lucky enough to receive this book in exchange for a review from Penguin Books!
Seeing that Richard Osman had written a book, I was excited to see what he had come up with especially as I am a big fan of murder mystery books.

The first 50% of the book left me a bit disappointed as it felt slow and as if nothing was really moving. I wasn't invested in any of the characters. I often had to leave the book and come back after a few days to keep pushing through.

Osman redeems himself however in the second half of the book where the pace, plot and characters pick up a bit. This is definitely a plot driven book, as many suspense murder mysteries are and as a result even though the twists and plot lines were clever and emotional, it didn't always have the character investment that would make the reader react more intensely to what is unfolding.

For a first novel from Osman he does a brilliant job of entwining characters lives and the plot is well thought out. I imagine between me receiving my copy and its release date the book has gone through some edits so I look forward to delving into the finalised book again at some point in the future.

I would recommend this as a great Autumn afternoon cosy read for fans of Osman and of murder mysteries.

I loved this book. The characters are believable, the set up interesting, the story well thought out and well told. Humour, mystery, fun what more could a reader ask for.
The basic story is simple, the setting, depending on your outlook on life could be interesting or for some perhaps, for some, a little scary, most of all it is believable.
Yes, this is a "murder mystery" but more importantly its a story of friendship and trust between an interesting set of characters who may, or may not, have known one another for a day, week, month, year? Who knows? Who cares. They are a small group with a common interest that interests and entertains them in their advancing years, it could even be that it keeps them alive, active and keeps the brains ticking.
A delightful story, well thought out, well told.
I really enjoyed the gentle pace of the book, the potential insight into what may lie the occasional (?) reader.
Well written, delightful and delighted that it leaves the door open for a series.

I had high expectations for ‘The Thursday Murder Club’. From the pen of Richard Osman, this is a debut novel that has received so much media attention that it was either going to fly or flop. I'm pleased to say it flew! It’s a delightful, entertaining read that is so utterly English filled with Osman's characteristic dry wit.

Set in Coopers Chase, a Kentish retirement village complex, you know that this is going to be something different from the start. As someone not unfamiliar with these settings it is clear that Richard has done his homework! Perhaps not the most predictable setting for a good dose of murder sleuthing, but one that works surprisingly well thanks to good storytelling and excellent characterisation. The crime narrative is really the secondary star of this book, ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ is owned by it’s characters. That it's a gentle work of crime fiction is the icing on the cake!

Thoroughly recommended and, dare I say, the possible start of a really good series. It's no surprise to learn that the film rights have already been snapped up!

If you enjoy TVs "Vera", love the characterisation of "The Durrells" and like nothing better than a cozy night in with a glass of wine and a good, easy book then this one is for you!

With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC

I really enjoyed this one - the prose was gentle and funny and SO recognisably British. And the novelcraft was top-notch too - I was left guessing whodunnit right to the end, with various characters all having their own potential reasons. All the characters - including the big cast of supporting characters - felt to me like real people who could have walked off the page. And below the whodunnit there was a real theme of what it means to live.

I found this quite slow to start and to be honest, it took me a while to get into. I found the characters to be stereotypical and the narrative dull. I liked the fact that it was set on a residents home and I enjoyed the humour in the writing but it wasn't very gripping.

I really wanted to love this book because it's written by Richard Osman who is so clever and funny but I just didn't. I felt it was overly complicated and it took my will power to actually finish it.

I really enjoyed this book. Set in a peaceful retirement village, 4 friends, all in their 80s, meet up every Thursday to talk about unsolved murder cases. When a local property developer is killed, they find themselves with a real life murder to solve. The characters are what really made this book for me, plus the slightly farcical storylines. I recommend this as a good read! Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

I cannot tell you what a joy it is when a much anticipated book by a celebrity author not only proves to be an excellent read, but actually one of the best murder mysteries you have read all year!

The Thursday Murder Club is the first book in a new series following the adventures of a group of septuagenarian sleuths who live at a select retirement village in rural Kent (with it's own 'contemporary upscale restaurant', don't you know). They call themselves the Thursday Murder Club, booking out the Jigsaw Room once a week, under the guise of a group of fans of Japanese opera, to go over cold cases and try to solve them. Our group of retirees comprises the dapper psychiatrist Ibrahim; ex-trade union firebrand Ron; the rather brilliant, ex-secret service doyenne Elizabeth; and new recruit, Joyce the nurse - and they are a formidable team.

When a local builder connected to the shifty, smooth operating owner of the retirement village is murdered, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves setting out to solve the mystery - sweeping DCI Chris Hudson and PC Donna De Freitas along with them in the process . They are really rather good at it too, and as the bodies start to pile up the Murder Club are nothing if not resourceful and tenacious in the most charming of ways, and their unorthodox (and not always legal) methods certainly bring results.

The characters are all beautifully drawn, especially the quirky, sharp-minded Thursday Murder Club oldsters. I fell in love with the members of the Club, and becoming acquainted with them and their lives - and loves - was an absolute pleasure. There are lots of laughs here, but my goodness, there are some poignant moments too that will bring a lump to your throat and a tear to your eye.

This book is the ideal mix of humour and heartache, intrigue and investigation, and it all rolls along at a gentle, but perfectly pitched, pace until all the threads are nicely tied up in a bow at the very satisfying end. There are echoes of Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime herself, in the slick plotting with multiple threads and oodles of suspects, but Richard Osman's style also has a real nostalgic feel that is reminiscent of G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown tales about it too, which was very enjoyable. I loved every criminally cozy page and cannot wait for the next case for the Thursday Murder Club!

I hadn't heard that Richard Osman had written a book when I read this and expected it to be a little disappointing as many 'celebrity' authors have been but this was a really good read. The characters were strong and there was as much humour in the story as mystery. It was good to read about older characters and what their experiences can bring instead of the usual ex detective struggling with a drink problem. I hope this is the first of many with these characters as I now feel invested in them. The twist at the end made the book as it stopped it being predictable. Well done Richard.

When I first saw this book and noticed who the author was I knew this would be a witty and well written novel and I wasn't disappointed. Osman's skill of storytelling shone through in this novel and I particularly loved how Joyce narrated parts of the novel through her diary entries.

The rich, vibrant characters drew me in to this cosy mystery and I have to say it was very addictive reading. I loved how Osman's key characters are a group of 70 year olds who are dedicated in helping the police solve the death of Tony Curran but in their own unconventional ways. Their determination and quest to find the killer before the police was both humorous and entertaining. I was routing for the members of the Thursday murder club and it definitely had a air of Jessica Fletcher meets Chief Inspector Barnaby which I adored.

On the face of it this book appears to be a quick, easy read but it actually has quite a complex plot with lots of different characters, red herrings and twists. The characters take on a life of their own in this novel and it was really interesting to find out more about them as the story evolved. Although charming and humorous there are also some sadder moments in the novel which strengthened the emotional connection I had with the book and the characters.

I am so thrilled that this is the first book in the series as I cannot wait to see what Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim get up to next time in their murder investigations. A truly wonderful read. Many thanks to Ellie Hudson at Viking Books Uk, Penguin for inviting me to join the blog tour.

You don’t need me to tell you how great and gripping this novel is. Many people have done it before me and there is a reason if it is at the top of the booksellers charts. I will tell you this. I didn’t know what to expect and I was surprised to be completely glued to the pages (I’ve read it in one day), to laugh, to be surprised by the twists, and to love the characters so much.

Cooper’s Chase is “Britain’s First Luxury Retirement Village”. It is also the headquarter of The Thursday Murder Club. Who are the member of the Thursday Murder Club and what they do? Joyce is the newest member and a former nurse; Ron is a former Labour Unionist while Ibrahim is a retired psychologist; Elizabeth is one of the founders of the club with a mysterious – and slightly dubious – past. Every Thursday they meet to study and solve a cold case, but, this time, it’s not an unsolved murder that they have to investigate, but the death of a local entrepreneur.

The cast of characters is incredible and very likable. A group of retired people reunite to solve crimes and they do a better job than the police (even because it seems that one of them as resources worth of a CIA agent). Together, they form an unlikely friendship. Elizabeth is the force of the group, leading the others and ordering them about. She is quite smart and resourceful and I am intrigued by her secret past. Ron and Ibrahim are quite opposite to each other. The former is ready to argue a case just for the sake – and fun – of it, while Ibrahim is more reserved and quiet, but they form a close friendship. Joyce seems very introvert, but she is quite a surprise. One of the points of views in the story is told from Joyce in form of diary and I loved how she narrates the story as though she is talking to someone, with her reflections and musings. Two other characters worth of mention are PC Donna De Frietas and DCI Chris Hudson. They are the real detectives investigating the murder, but they find themselves unwillingly asking for help to the Thursday Murder Club.

The Thursday Murder Club is a MUST-READ!!! It is an unpredictable, unique, addictive, brilliantly-written page-turner that it will be impossible to put down.

I have a little bit of mixed feelings with this one. When I first read the synopsis I instantly thought of 13 Problems by Agatha Christie, a series of Ms Marple Short stories where Ms Marple and her gang would meet up every Tuesday and discuss unsolved cases. I was pleased when this book diverged from that aspect and became more of about a plucky band of trouble makers (in there 80s) with a mystery to solve – think more ScoobyDoo gang than Ms Marple.

It was very apparent that this was a debut and I do feel it could have used a touch more editing. It was just missing a little bit of polish around the edges, particularly in the beginning and the jumping between the epistolary sections and the narrated sections. I just feel that the narrative voice got a little muddled particularly in the beginning. I will say the banter between characters was great, particularly when they ensemble cast was together and employing inane chatter as a tactic to bamboozle unsuspecting Police Officers. There was great back and forth in these scenes that really made me chuckle.

Despite that I really enjoyed this book, it is filled with light humour, red herrings and an awesome cast of Characters. I adored Elizabeth. She is a tour de force and really made the book for me. She is such an interesting character and I really love how we got just enough of her past to make all kinds of assumptions on what she did for a living and how she ended up with so many ‘contacts’. Joyce was a really good choice as the narrator and while occasionally the gang could fall into the stereotypes of the typical Octogenarian, which actually felt a little out of date, they were still a fun cast to read about. It had a real buddy caper feel to it which was enjoyable.

I did like the resolution of the mysteries. There was a good number of twists and red herrings, just as you think you had sussed it out it would switch direction and prove you wrong. Overall this is a fun read perfect for a cosy Sunday afternoon or whiling away a rainy day.

This debut novel from Richard Osman is as clever and witty as you would expect it to be. It is a story to demonstrate that not all old people are ready to sit in their armchairs with their slippers on and wait for the end. There are some like Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim who still want to have adventures. There are plenty of plot twists and red herrings to keep you guessing as the Thursday Murder Club "help" the local police to solve crimes. Great fun.

This book, though.
Oh, but if it wasn't just exactly what I needed. I can entirely see why it's getting so much hype. I am part of the hype.
It's one of those books where you read the first page and then don't want to stop. It feels wholesome, somehow, a nice read, a comforting read, a read you can just enjoy without having to think too much. It has a cast of fabulous fabulous characters, more red herrings than you can count, and ending that is worthy of the murder mystery that it is.
This book is a joy, is what it is. I've already made my Mum buy a copy.
I believe there will be sequels and adaptations and the full works. I am so her for all of them.

I loved this book. I wasn’t prepared for how much I enjoyed it. I was thinking I’d see if Mr Osman was riding his fame but within ten pages I’d forgotten who wrote it and was loving the interactions in the retirement home and all the subterfuge of people who sometimes forget whether they ate breakfast - or do they?? One of the best things about the book was the genuine warmth and friendship between the main characters. These people may be old in years but they have loads to contribute and they decide to discuss unsolved murders on a Thursday between jigsaw clubs and knitting circles. Then there is a murder in their local community and they get involved. Elizabeth is the ringleader but Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron are just as important and the other ancillary characters add depth. Mr Osman has got the tone of the characters just right. It is delightful. It is also sad and empathetic about the invisibility of some people.

A few quotes for flavour: -

“...getting out of a garden chair at our age is a military operation. Once you are in one, you can be in it for the day.”

“...no one ever realises I’m watching. I just have one of those faces.”

“... am not one of nature’s liars. I can keep my secrets to myself, right up until the time someone asks me about them.”

Recommended if you are looking for a light read with some depth, great characters and clever plotting and also some sadness. I’m already looking forward to the next instalment.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Four friends in a retirement village band together to try and solve crimes. I really liked the concept of this book but wasn't keen on the writing at all. I had to mark it as DNF which would normally bother me with a mystery story but I found I didn't care about the outcome. I felt as though this was very much written to be turned into a tv adaption.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman was so much fun! I wasn't sure, to start with, that I was going to enjoy the style (and to be honest reading the e-copy I was sent didn't help as there were no internal chapter breaks) but I very quickly sank into the story. Richard Osman describes what he's written as a detective story but it's so much more than that. It's funny and reflective and a wonderful look at the lives of older people who are so often overlooked. I loved reading about Elizabeth and her fellow club members but I also enjoyed reading about their children and also the interaction between the police officers - as well as the suspects, red herrings and assorted hangers on. I'm looking forward eagerly to my next visit to Kent.

Brilliant tale, well written. I loved the style and humour and all the quirky characters. Definitely recommend

In a small retirement village in Kent, four unlikely residents becomes friends and meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But when a local property developer dies - bludgeon to death - Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Ron and Joyce find themselves in the middle of their first real case.

All four might be in the late seventies, early eighties, but they have a few tricks up their sleeves and have seen life. Can they solve the crime and catch the killer before someone else ends up dead? And, if another person did turn up dead, are the Thursday Murder Club looking for one killer or two?

I want to say something before I go into the book and my thoughts of the story and the audiobook and that is I feel, as if, the publisher might be mis-selling this. Some of the language the publisher has been using in some of its advertising gives the impression that this book is a little harder, a little darker than it is, making it feel like it should belong in one subgenre of crime, when in fact this, to me, is a cosy crime. Yes, cosy crime can be gripping and thrilling - hell, I’ve read wonderful cosy crimes that do both - but some of the language used gives this book the wrong impression and, because of that, some readers might go into this expecting one thing, only to realise that it’s something completely different and have to change their reading and expectations very quickly, meaning this change of gear could effect the reader’s enjoyment.

I also want to say something about the audiobook before I go full-steam ahead. The narrator. I have said multiply times on the Pewter Wolf and on most of my social media that, when you audiobook, a narrator can make or break a book. Some narrators just work and it’s wonderful. Others you have to warm to. And some just don’t work. And this… this is a warm-to narrator for me. I still don’t like some of the the choices she made on characters and how she read certain sections, and because of that, I wonder that if I had read this instead, would my rating be different?

I ask this at the same time as preordering the second audiobook in the series. So, go figure that one out.

Yes, I have preordered book 2 in the series (via Audible) so, of course, I must have liked the story, I hear you say. And I did. It was a gentle cosy murder mystery with gentle humour and observations that worked for me, though I do have to admit that some of the characters did feel very caricature-like and not all the villains get their just-desserts (though, it depends on how you view it). And, on some aspects, you can tell this is Richard’s debut because some little pet peeves I have came out (the overuse of the word “says”, for example).

It’s hard to explain why I liked this. It’s not going to work for everyone, I know this, but this worked for me as, while the mystery makes the plot move forward in a nice, almost casual pace (do you know how many times I put this audiobook down, left for several days to focus on podcasts and music, only to return and instantly pick up the thread without me going “What happened? What did I forget?”), but it’s the four characters - Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim - that are why I stayed. I found them and their friendship so lovely to read - it’s rare we focus of friendships in the older generations in media so this was a nice change.

I know book 2 picks up the day after The Thursday Murder Club ends so we are going to see the fallout of these events so I am intrigued to read on.

I do have one worry as the series moves forward which is the issue of dementia. It is touched upon that a loved-one in the series has dementia (though the word “Dementia” was never used to my knowledge). I hope this is tackled with sensitivity and with love as the series goes on (I think it will, but as I know people who have been effected by dementia [myself included], I want this to be tackled and tackled with care and love).

Like I said earlier, this is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea and, while there are things in here that I didn’t exactly warm to, I did like it and I have preordered the sequel on audiobook for late next year. So, yeah, I will continue on with book 2 (though I know this is a possible six/seven book series so book 2 will probably be the make/break in whether I continue and finish the series).

I’m going to leave you with very wise words from a smart book blogger than mine, Serendipity Reviews, on her review of Thursday Murder Club: “Never ever underestimate the mature generation, because they have tricks up their sleeves that you wouldn’t believe.”