Now, when older folk are in their dotage, they don't necessarily lose their faculties. Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim and Ron are in their 80s and Richard Osman has plucked them from anonymity in the luxury retirement enclave of Coopers Chase, to be put to work on solving the riddle of a murder which happens right under their noses.

Each character brings a wealth of experience and lives fully lived to the Thursday Murder Club, an informal group that meets (obviously) on a Thursday, to investigate cold cases. They use their wiles to obtain police files for investigation. Naughty! Elizabeth is clearly the leader and she has a very shadowy background - intelligence work and such like! As a group, they use their expertise and brains to try and work out what really happened in any given case, ably abetted by their pet police officer, Donna de Freitas who has been transferred from London, and is, quite frankly, bored in this bucolic haven. She is easily led astray. Are the seniors manipulative? Well, of course, they are old dears and use their status with ruthless determination!

Ian Ventham is clearly a rogue and villain, a developer who, after building the swanky residences at Coopers Chase, is looking for more land to turn into a lucrative deal. His business partner, Tony Curran, owns 25% of the business but Ventham has decided the time has come to move him on. Eagle eyes spot the two of them having a set-to in public and then Curran is found murdered, in his kitchen with the spanner (hello Cluedo...😉). Elizabeth just knows that Tony Curran was absolutely the type to have enemies, with his sleeveless vest, big house.... Now they have a real murder to investigate, right on their doorstep and boy, is their interest piqued!

The author is a TV personality in the UK, who always comes across as witty, thoughtful and well educated... and kind. And all these qualities shine through the prose, a story told with wit and wisdom. He delights in the mundane but doesn't shy away from the inevitable difficulties and trauma (death and disability) that are part of this stage of older life. This debut is a great addition to the cozy murder mystery genre.

Sit down with a Twix or a lush piece of Lemon Drizzle Cake and let the characters entertain you. I am sure there must be another book on the horizon featuring these charming and determined characters, mark my words.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is a brilliant “cosy” murder mystery featuring the elderly. Set in a retirement community this book is well paced and has some wonderful and interesting characters.

What a debut! Congratulations Mr Osman! I can’t believe how good this book was. Firstly I want to say how fantastic and novel the idea and concept of the book is. As the name suggests, it’s a weekly meeting of a club to discuss murder. Oh, but this murder Club isn’t just any group, this is a Club in a retirement village. Yes you heard right, a retirement village. The Murder Club is made up of 4 people set in a luxury retirement village. When the owner of the village gets murdered, the club take it upon themselves to try and solve the murder! Then other things happen...

I really enjoyed this book, mainly because the concept was so different, but the characters were so likeable and intriguing. I like how it was written and I liked how a group of pensioners are full blown Agatha Christie’s!

At the end of the book it says a 2nd one is on its way and I can’t be more thrilled!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC for this review. Please buy this folks when it is released in September!

An absolutely delightful debut novel by Richard Osman. A cozy crime mystery set in the retirement village Coopers Chase, with a brilliant group of residents who hold the Thursday Murder Club for two hours every Thursday. Elizabeth and Penny had started the club, Penny a retired Detective Inspector had kept some cold case files which is what the club worked on, but Penny is no longer able to take part as her health has declined now a resident in the attached Willows Care Home. Joyce is a relatively new member but being part of the club has given her a new lease on life. Ibrahim a retired Psychiatrist and Ron Ritchie a former Trade Union Leader.. Elizabeth and friends have numerous contacts in numerous places and Elizabeth is definitely a force to be reckoned with. As Detective Inspector Chris Hudson is to find out along with Constable Donna DeFreitas who gets assigned to the DI through Elizabeth’s powers of persuasion.

When a murder happens close by, to someone linked to the Village the Murder Club are determined to solve the crime before the police, but can they do that? I thoroughly enjoyed this read full of some great relatable, believable and likeable characters, the story flows well, will have you chuckling at some of the antics these characters get up to. Definitely a read for anyone who is looking for a cozy crime, an entertaining read, with a few laughs thrown in. What’s not to like?

Told in fairly short chapters, some of the main Murder club and the police, but interspersed with chapters from Joyce as she is writing a diary. The retirement village has everything the residents could want, a restaurant, swimming pool, sauna, along with with the now defunct Knit and natter club where too much nattering happened and not enough knitting, to the now Chat and crochet club. Mr Osman shows a caring side to the characters as some of them miss their lost loved ones and others try to protect the time they have left with theirs. As well as showing that despite growing old it doesn’t mean you are ready for the scrap heap, the characters are all keen to use their wit and wisdom whilst they still have it, as they realise they’re bodies may not be as fast as they used to be. Along with the pride in children and joy experienced in different parts of life.

I look forward to seeing more of the Thursday Murder Club along with the DI and Constable.

I would like to thank #Viking #penguinbooks(UK).and #netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair, honest and unbiased review.

Set in a retirement home, the Thursday Murder Club meet to look at cold cases, until a murder happens on their doorstep and they start investigating closer to home. This novel was funny, poignantly sad in places with lots of red herrings. The characterisation was entirely believable, full of humour and reality. I didn’t work out the killer of Tony Curran, so think it was very cleverly written. A good debut for this television presenter. I could definitely hear his voice narrating the story.

Thanks to Penguin UK for a review copy.
The self styled Thursday Murder Club are a group of four elderly residents of a retirement village in Kent who take it upon themselves to peruse old case files to try and solve as yet unsolved crimes for their own satisfaction. Before the novel opens one of their number, Penny, a retired detective succumbs at last to dementia and is moved to the medical wing so the others recruit Joyce, a former nurse to fill the space.
They meet each Thursday as that is the only time that the room they use is available as it has to be shared among all the many clubs and activities available to the residents.
Joyce has no sooner been recruited when a murder occurs on their doorstep and the indefatigable foursome set out to find the killer. Before they can get to grips with the crime however a second murder occurs and events start to spiral.
Elizabeth is the leader of the club. Although her past is somewhat murky it is clear that she has worked for (at least) one of the intelligence agencies, most probably MI6 as she has operated abroad on occasion. She has contacts all over the place and is an expert at manipulating people to achieve her (probably) laudable ends.
Ron is an ex union leader and firebrand who misses the limelight of the picket line and being on the news. Deep down he is a sensitive man though and cares deeply about his ex-boxer son who has known the victims and was on the scene around the time of the killings.
The final member of the fabulous four is Ibrahim, retired psychologist and logician of the group. He is their go to man for working out journey times and routes though the others are only ever interested in his solutions and not his working much to his dismay! He is also Ron’s best friend and confidant as well as deeply thoughtful and sympathetic character.
And so the local detective chief inspector, Chris Hudson, and PC Donna de Freitas soon find themselves ‘aided’ by the Thursday Murder Club as they investigate the dastardly goings on.
Aside from being an interesting crime story in itself the true delight of this book are the pensioners. Of course the members of the club take centre stage but many of the other residents pop up from time to time and are all beautifully written individuals whose characters leap from the page.
The story is told in the present tense with extracts from Joyce’s diary punctuating the main text from time to time. It is almost impossible not to fall in love with the characters as they enjoy their sunset years in expensive luxury whilst mayhem ensues around them.
The little asides are so lovely, is it ok, someone muses, to have some ingredients for a meal from Lidl if the meat is from Waitrose? The wine is from Sainsburys but that’s allowed because it is ‘Taste The Difference,’ we discover. The whole book is full of these little witty and yet so true observations which are laugh out loud funny at some points.
And yet, being set in a retirement village, there is, of course, a certain poignancy and tragedy which creeps in from time to time as residents who are no longer there are remembered and some of the characters realise that they are slowing down. The most tear inducing times are when Elizabeth goes to the medical wing to tell Penny, now tube ridden and kept alive by machine, unable to hear (as far as we know) or respond, about the latest developments.
Comedy and tragedy however often make well suited companions and this book nails their relationship to a tee. There is no sex or explicit violence and yet the horror of dementia and the finality of death are not disguised or sanitised.
The story itself almost takes centre stage and yet it is an enjoyable crime romp in itself. Who could resist the image of one of the club claiming to be a nun who has been robbed in order to speak to the police lady of their choice or Ron taking his never used walking stick on a plane as it will allow him to board first?
The crimes are all tidily solved by the end though even in their solution the author’s deft hand allows past tragedy to influence the events of the story and reminds us that things from long ago can cast a very, very long shadow.
If I had any criticism of the book it is that the ending felt a little rushed to me with all the many threads of the tale being tied up in record time. I would have liked to spend a little longer in the company of the characters as they reflected, each in their own way, on the investigation of which they had been part.
I look forward very much to Mr Osman’s next novel and getting back into the world of Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim where no doubt more devilry will be afoot in the green lands of Kent.

I was looking forward to this, as I'd already read the first few chapters courtesy of Penguin Bookmarks, and it didn‘t disappoint. You could call it a ‘cozy‘ mystery but with a bit of bite. It was witty and warm, like Osman himself comes across, but there were still murders!

Only one slight niggle - there were a few too many characters introduced all at the same time - but I‘m hoping that this is the start of a series.

*I received a free ARC of this novel, with thanks to the author, Viking Books UK / Penguin Random House and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

I loved this book so much, that I went ahead and pre-ordered the audio book and added a hardcover copy to my Christmas list. This is a keeper!

The book introduces us to Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim, a small group of pensioners living in luxury sheltered accommodation and solving old, cold murder cases in the Jigsaw Room on a Thursday, just for a bit of fun. Well, fun, companionship, keeping their minds sharp, and a burning desire to see justice done, depending on who you ask. And Ron just like to have people to argue with on a regular basis. On the other side we have Donna and Chris, representing the official police presence, and trying desperately to keep up with the Murder Club crew, who seem to easily run rings around everyone they meet, despite the occasional use of a walking stick!

Joyce – the newest member of the TMC – tells her side of the story through her journal, but we get some omniscient views into the other characters as the story unfolds. And what a story! Richard Osman has created an intricate web of entwined mysteries, secrets and murders – old and new – that kept me guessing right up to the end. But he writes in such an accessible style – warm and witty – that makes it very easy to follow the plot and characters, despite the complexity of the case.

I’m not usually keen to read fiction books written by celebrities, as I worry that no matter how well they write, their public personality may overwhelm their narrative. This is not the case here. Yes, the public persona of Richard Osman is clever and witty, and so is his book, but he has created a cast of characters that are individual, memorable and live entirely on their own merits in the reader’s mind.

If I could ask the author just one question, it would be: when is Book 2 due out, please? And I have everything crossed that this will be a long-lived series… along with it’s octogenarian characters!





Elizabeth asked me to imagine that a girl had been stabbed with a knife. I asked what sort of knife she had been stabbed with, and Elizabeth said probably just a normal kitchen knife. John Lewis. She didn’t say that, but that was what I pictured. Then she asked me to imagine this girl had been stabbed, three or four times, just under the breastbone. In and out, in and out, very nasty, but without severing an artery. She was fairly quiet about the whole thing, because people were eating, and she does have some boundaries.

– Richard Osman, The Thursday Murder Club


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

Crime fiction, especially cosy mysteries, aren't my thing, but I read this one because it was written by Richard Osman. Whatever he's on, he comes across as a genuinely caring, intelligent and funny chap, and these attributes made it onto the pages too - the writing is flowing, witty and often contains charming turns of phrases. The diary entries are a good example of that.

The characters were all sensitively handled, few stereotypes, and the plot clever (sometimes a bit too much). Some scenes didn't quite work, such as Elizabeth interviewing the priest, but given this is his first book, that can all be forgiven. This is clearly setup to be a series, I'm not sure the characters and the location have the legs for it, but I'm sure fans of Mrs Marple would disagree.

A charming book, well written, and an excellent debut. A solid 4* holiday read.

Picking a book by a well known celebrity comes with some trepidation. Fortunately this was not the case with this delightful cozy mystery, set in a very up-market retirement complex and bursting with characters among the residents, four of whom made up the Thursday Murder Club.
The Club is made up of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, all of whom play their role well under the tacit leadership of Elizabeth.
The Club has looked at cold case files and tried to solve them, when a real murder occurs and the four start to make some investigations of their own, making friends with two police officers with whom they share information.
The writing style is very easy and natural and using Joyce as a narrator for part of the novel is a good and clever idea. I found the plot well written although a little complex towards the end and I had to go back and re read a section to understand the next.
I thought that I had guessed the ending but was completely wrong and I was pleased to be. There may well be further novels from Mr Osman following the Thursday Murder Club’s antics as there is plenty of scope to do so. I would definitely be keen to read more.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I would definitely recommend reading and award 4.5 stars ⭐️.

An interesting plot and setting but I don’t think some of the characters had enough “substance “. Nevertheless an enjoyable read.

I was curious to see what this book would be like. Many ‘celebrities’, such as Ruth Jones and Graham Norton have written pretty good books so I was fairly optimistic that this would be another. I loved many of the characters, particularly Joyce, who actually reminded me of an old lady I used to know called Joyce. The other part of the book I really loved was the humour. There were some wonderful bits of humour throughout the book such as when the group were deciding who would drive and it was decided that Ibrahim was the best choice as he was the only one who understood how the Satnav worked!
The setting for the book is in an up-market retirement complex in Kent and focuses on four friends, Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim and Ron who meet every Thursday to discuss unsolved murders. They are a bit of an unlikely pairing but their skills complement each other’s with Joyce being a retired nurse, Ibrahim a top psychiatrist, Ron was a union man and Elizabeth, who has a mysterious past, but seems to have access to information that would be hard to come by. The four of them are then thrown into the middle of a murder that takes place in the complex. There are also a couple of policemen who feature throughout the book and are almost made to look like idiots by the Thursday Murder Club. The book has quite a cosy feel to it and to me the best bit is the humour which made me laugh out loud. The only criticism I have is that there are quite a lot of murders and characters and at times I got slightly confused with who was who and who murdered who! Overall, for a first book I thought it was pretty good. It was relatively easy to read and kept me interested throughout.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me and ARC of this book for an honest review.

Is there anything Richard Osman can't do? He's a TV presenter, producer, director and now a novelist.

The Thursday Murder Club is a wonderful read. It's funny, sometimes poignant, involving and cleverly plotted.
It's a tale set in the retirement village of Coopers Chase. So, I initially thought it' might be a typical, rather cosy English murder mystery. Well it is and it isn't. It's so much better.

The four main characters Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim and Joyce meet every Thursday to discuss unsolved murders and try to solve them – hence The Thursday Murder Club. They may be getting on in years, but they are definitely not past it. They are all strong, vivid characters. We learn a lot about the club members and other village residents thanks to newest member Joyce, a former nurse, who gives us background information about the other characters and mentions the day to day events and interactions of the village in her diary in a very chatty but observant way. You get such a vivid picture of the people and places. I can almost picture a dramatised version on television.

When a murder occurs on their doorstep they naturally want to get involved in solving it. That's where PC Donna de Frietas and DCI Chris Hudson come in. They way the four friends manage to become involved and get information from them is genius, and hilarious. At times I was laughing out loud but there is a serious side too. The book touches on friendship, ageing, loneliness, loss and living - all part of the story.

I wouldn't call it a crime thriller but the story has pace. There are plots, and sub-plots, and twists and turns and red herrings and yet it is an easy read. The story just flows. I got very engrossed and found it hard to put down.

I'm not usually one who likes cosy murder mysteries. I usually prefer thrillers. However I really liked this book.
It was such a joy to read. I hope there might be another one from Richard Osman soon.

The Thursday Murder Club is a fabulous, fabulous book, it is one of those rare novels where you are enjoying the narrative and characters so much that the actual plot doesn’t really matter (even though it was gripping); it was one of those books that you don’t want to read too quickly because you don’t want it to end.

Please let it be the first of a series!

Many thanks to Viking Publishers, to Mr Osman and to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book.

Set in a picturesque retirement village, four quasi-friends from different walks of life are brought together every Thursday by their common interest in discussing (and solving) cold cases. But when the owner of their retirement village is murdered after announcing his plans for a housing development in the pristine countryside, the Thursday Murder Club springs into action to solve the murder.
Both the setting and the plot are great ideas and well executed. The characters are endearing and mostly realistic.

I loved that the most-feared and powerful institution/ group in the area is the parking committee within Coopers Chase. The generational gap is displayed with humour, particularly regarding technology. While these and other little details move the book into the ‘cozy’ category, the plot also addresses the more serious aspects of ageing, mental and physical decline, murder and suicide.

The ending was unexpected and while it wasn’t all I wanted (unnecessary deaths), overall it was an enjoyable read.
At times there were quite a few characters to keep track of, but that didn’t take away from the plot. Overall, the book was written well and very easy to read.

Joyce’s lemon drizzle and coffee cakes sounded delicious and they inspired me to bake a chocolate coffee cinnamon crunch cake (some of which was consumed while reading the book).

I hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of the Thursday Murder Club/ the Coopers Chase residents and that Osman decides to turn this into a series.

I’m always a little dubious when celebrities write fiction. It’s not their fault, its some kind of bias that I have - I am trying to be better, promise. But, having watched Richard Osman on TV for many years, it was clear that he is very articulate, and so I thought, more than capable of writing a book. But, did he have the imagination to do so? And the long and short of it is yes, he absolutely does.

So many aspects of this book caught my attention first off; the title. A club, no doubt. But did they attempt to solve murders or commit them? Secondly, that it was written by RIchard Osman, who is someone that I admire and watch on TV regularly. Finally, the setting. A murder mystery set at a luxury retirement village? Where the elderly residents get up to a spot of detective work? Yes please. That had me sold.

The Thursday Murder Club could have gone one of two ways. It could have been a spectacular book with a great plot and fantastic characters, or it could have been a disaster. I am so thrilled to say that it was the former, in every way possible. A superb book in all regards.

‘The Gang’ as I affectionately call them, are all, in their own ways, fantastic. Human, flawed, and complete. Each with their own distinctive narrative voice. I have to say, of them all, Joyce was absolutely my favourite. Although Elizabeth might be the obvious choice, with her sharp intelligence, Joyce just made me feel all of the feels.

I won’t give anything away about the plot as that’s something that should be discovered while reading. But I will say this, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you enthralled in the story. Some that I saw coming, and some that I didn’t.

Overall, The Thursday Murder Club has shot to being one of my favourite books of the year, because it has it all, intelligent plot lines, thrilling twists and wholly real characters. I laughed, I gasped and I wept. I couldn’t be more thrilled that this is going to be part of a series and I would happily read dozens of books about this gang and their adventures.

Our novel is set at Coopers Chase, a retirement village in Kent, where four OAPs fancy themselves as murder mystery solvers. When someone actually is murdered, the four of them take the police for a ride, 'helping' them try to solve the crime. As the debut novel of TV presenter Richard Osman, I didn't know what to expect but this was an absolute delight.

This book is witty, clever, so full of joy and so heartwarming, but also emotional and touching at times. The characters are wonderfully developed, each one is unique and delightful to spend time with. This is a novel filled with funny moments which feels cosy and exciting at the same time.

It would be fantastic if this book were turned into a series. This is the perfect book for anyone who loves a murder mystery. Richard Osman clearly has a talent for writing and I can't wait to see what he comes out with next! I absolutely adored this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman was a really fun crime novel with the older generation being the stars! I enjoyed the writing style and the pace of the book. The different twists and turns throughout the book kept me on edge. I would recommend it highly.

Here are the pensioners I want to be! Confidently smashing their way through red tape and societal norms like a gang of imperious dowager duchesses and cranky troublemakers, these retirees are an absolute joy. Clever, astute, compassionate and fiercely opposed to injustices great and small, the residents of a wealthy old folks home embark on unlikely adventures. It’s a romp, lively and silly, not to be taken too seriously and as I read I was busily casting the inevitable movie in my head...

Richard Osman, in case you don't know, is the very tall guy on Pointless who has all the answers.

I was very pleased to find out he had written a book and even more delighted when the publisher agreed to let me review it.

Like its author, The Thursday Murder Club is well dressed, funny, and quintessentially English.

Four pensioners in a Kent retirement village spend their Thursdays solving old unsolved murders. That is, until a real murder takes place and they decide to do the police's work for them, although they can't resist letting the local constabulary in on their investigations.

I loved this book with its gentle but clever humour. The characters of the four pensioners are spot on and absolutely believable. Everyone knows an Elizabeth, a formidable and endlessly resourceful woman (probably in MI6 in a former life), Joyce, our narrator who likes putting vodka in her cakes, Ron, the former union man, and Ibrahim, who is always having to explain to the less enlightened residents how modern technology works.

Donna, the PC that the pensioners took to their hearts and her boss, Chris, made a good double act. Bogdan, the Polish man of all trades and expert chess player, also made me chuckle quite a lot.

I liked the reference to the Isle of Wight, too, by the way. If it's good enough for Jane Austen, and all that.

Looking at the end of the book, it seems pretty certain there will be another adventure for our intrepid pensioners, and that's good news. After all, there are only so many cakes Joyce can bake or chocolate bars Chris can eat.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Penguin Books (UK), in return for an honest appraisal.