The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
4 stars

To be brutally frank, the last 20% was the best....

A convoluted story about clever OAPs in a retirement home - that sounds like a posh hotel. All very middle/ upper class and hard to relate to the places most vulnerable OAPs end up. Then there was the plot....

...... Not too shabby but what passes for dry cynical humour didn’t work for me and felt a bit patronising. The characters needed more depth (both as old and young people) and the most likeable character was the marginally buffoon policeman - though how he ever promoted through the ranks and kept seniority was beyond belief.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC but paid the price in poor formatting. I trust the final version allows some breaks between one set of characters and the next a bit more apparent.

The story reached a satisfactory conclusion and on reflection, I might have enjoyed it.

When I first saw Richard Osman had written a crime novel, I must admit to being a bit - hmmm - another book by a celebrity. But I do like Mr Osman, and as he is an erudite speaker, I thought I'd give it a read. Well, I take back everything I may have presumed as this is a gorgeous book. When reading it, I could almost hear the author's voice speaking to me, and his sense of humour shone through.

The book is set in a retirement community - not your typical crime setting. All the main characters are totally loveable and the sort of people you'd like to invite to your house for tea, a scone and a chat. They have set up something called the Thursday murder club, to try and solve unresolved murders from the past. That is until a murder takes place in their own community and then within their own grounds.

I don't want to give away the plot so won't tell you anymore. It is charming, adorable, and has some moments of absolute tenderness that are entirely unexpected. I loved every minute of it and was saddened when it came to an end. I hope that Mr Osman will write another in this series as I'd love to dally with these characters again.

My appetite for crime novels during the current situation has certainly dropped off, especially those that are more gruesome. This is not one of those books. I highly recommend it—5 stars, in my opinion.

I'd like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for letting me have an early copy. It's due out on September 3rd so you don't have to wait too long until you can get your hands on it.

If you are expecting a tense thriller you will be disappointed. If, however, you enjoy a psychological plot with a wonderful array of characters and an awful lot of clever humour, then this book is perfect. It didn’t have me on the edge of my seat, but I was eager to discover more about the great eccentrics of the club and the plot does throw in many unexpected turns.
The Thursday Murder Club (TMC) is a group of elderly residents of Coopers Chase, a residential retirement village in the quiet Kent countryside. They meet regularly to keep their brains and memories working to discuss unsolved murder cases - in this case obtained because one of their number was a former inspector and somehow obtained some old files. This is not the only unlawful act committed by the group - and that’s aside from the real life murder committed on their doorstep that is just asking to be solved by the group.
The current police detectives of DCI Chris Hudson and PC Donna De Freitas assume they will be leading the investigation, although it rapidly becomes apparent to all that they are the useful conduit through which the TMC stay one step ahead.
We experience the lives of this group of people, brought together by age, all with very different life experiences, yet all facing similar issues now their 80s have taken hold. Loneliness, rejection and illness vie with their spirit of adventure and determination not to succumb to old age before their time. This all adds up to a wonderful tale of country folk, thrilled about the excitement in their lives which haven’t been mundane to start with. Who is manipulating whom? But does it all work out for the best? A great read.

Not the detectives you expect with this cosy murder mystery. The 'detectives' live in a retirement village and initially meet every Thursday to investigate cold cases. A humorous read where Issues are dealt with carefully and with compassion and warmth. A few too many 'red herrings' at the end of the story though.

I really enjoyed this cosy English murder story! It's such a good idea for a book, a bunch of amateur sleuths all living in a retirement village, reading through unsolved murder cases to try and solve them and then being faced with a real life murder on site!
I liked the characters, and they work well together, giving a good range across the story. Elizabeth was wonderful, and I also really liked Joyce. You quickly get a feel for who everyone is, and there are some really funny moments and comments. I also liked the different characters in the police, and I was happy to suspend belief and just go with the thought that this sort of retirement village murder group could end up liaising with the police !

The ending becomes a little convoluted with too many red herrings, but I forgave it as I was still enjoying the story.
The book also contains mentions of suicide, which I found unsettling, but I understood why it was there, even if I didn't feel it should have happened within the story.

Overall, a really good book, and I'm hoping there will be more outings for the Thursday Murder Club in the future.
With thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Many thanks to the author, publishers and Netgalley for a free ARC of this ebook.
I enjoyed this book enormously. Beautifully written characters, lots of humour and some very touchingly sad moments. However I felt that around 90% it all got a bit tangled, with extra characters and scene changes being chucked in. Glad to say it all got sorted in the end. It was a lovely read, I'll be looking out for the next in the series.
Worth a solid 4 stars

I'm always a bit wary of 'celebrity' authors but was intrigued to read this offering from Richard Osman, the first of a new series of mystery books.

The Thursday Murder Club are a group of pensioners who live in a retirement village. Elizabeth is the clear leader with n intriguing past, Joyce is a former nurse, Ibrahim a retired psychiatrist and Ron a former union leader, known as Red Ron. The club usually meets weekly to look at unsolved murders, but when one of the partners of the retirement village is found dead, the Club finds itself with a real life murder to investigate. With the reluctant help of Donna, a former Met officer who has relocated to Kent and finds police life in the country less than exciting, the Club set out to solve the mystery.

As well as being a mystery, this is also a story of friendship and family. There is also a lot of wine and cake involved!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are several threads weaving through the story, so you do need to keep a track of which thread you are reading at any one time. However I liked the fact that there was a lot going on and how the different stories intertwined.

I will await further books by Mr Osman with much interest.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for this advance copy.

I am not going to beat around the bush - I loved 'The Thursday Murder Club,' by Richard Osman. It tells the story of Elizabeth, Ron, Joyce and Ibrahim who live in a retirement community. Instead of attending the crochet, or jigsaw club, they meet on a Thursday to solve past crimes. When murders occur on their doorstep, they use all their skills and experience to investigate, alongside Donna and Chris from the local police, who become recruited to the group, against their better judgement.

Osman's comic style, and clever use of words, reminded me of Kate Atkinson. As did his ability to pair humour with quite dark material. Although this novel could be described as light, it tackles a number of serious subjects. I really enjoyed the way he was never condescending about his characters and used others perceptions of older people as their secret weapon. The plot was well written, but like Atkinson it wasn't a who dunnit, in that there were not clues along the way that would provide the answer (of if there were I missed it).

If I had to criticise, I would say like many other books, the thing that lets it down slightly is the ending. This wasn't because it wasn't satisfactory, but because it was extremely dark compared to the rest of the novel, and was perhaps too much of a juxtaposition. However, I hope Richard Osman garners the praise he deserves.

I must admit that this was even better than I expected - sometimes when a book receives lots of hype, it can leave you disappointed. But this one deserves the hype.

Thank you to Viking Books and Penguin UK for the chance to read a digital ARC before publication - my thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift.

As someone who enjoys detective stories (I started with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys as a teenager), this was an enjoyable read. Great characters, most of them over 70, and so many topical British comments - Pizza Express for an alibi! A book full of secrets and more than one murder.

The story flowed well, lots of red herrings, and lots of different stories inside one book. Personally I'm hoping for a sequel so we can meet the Thursday Murder Club again.

An hilariously funny book, the story of four friends in a retirement village who solve the murders committed within the local community, proving that the old ones (people) are simply the best and their is still a lot of life in them.. I am really looking forward to the next Thursday Murder Club book and hope it isn't long before it appears on the shelves.

Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim & Ron make up ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ - a group of elderly residents in a retirement village who gather (on Thursday’s) to discuss age-old unsolved murders. That is, until a murder or two starts happening on their doorstep and they begin investigating live cases!

This book definitely blew away all of my expectations. I really enjoyed the characters, they were all extremely likeable and each had their own quirks. Joyce’s diary entries scattered throughout were one of my favourite parts of the novel.

Their constant assistance (and occasional hindrance) to the police is equal parts funny as it is astounding. They seem to be able to pull off the impossible thanks to their combined knowledge and connections - it’s easy to forget they’re all elderly residents. Other characters weave in and out of the picture and these only further add to the believable little Kent village in question. I could vividly picture the entire book, thanks to Osman’s fantastic writing and description.

A great, light-hearted read which I think really ticked every box. I’ve been won over by The Thursday Murder Club and am already eagerly anticipating the next book!

The Thursday murder club by Richard Osman is the most funny detective plot I’ve read in a long time.STé in a retirement village full of brilliant characters it’s made me smile so many times. The plot is brilliant and it’s just so much fun. I cannot wait for the next novel. This gets 10/10. Get it for any friends approaching retirement- it’ll show just how much fun retirement can be. Loved it.

The sheltered housing setting is unusual and is well observed. The elderly subjects and their interests are well observed, cleverly drawn and often comical.
I struggled with the idea that the police would involve themselves in the elderly investigation, share their progress and spend the time with their "helpers" though.
Elizabeth's character seems to have the magic touch, persuading everyone to bend to her will. For me, it wasn't surprising that she aimed for this, but that many others conformed with her plans was less believable,
Definitely a different read.

Hmmm… I've long gone past the bit where I just turn my nose up at yet another celebrity novel, for some of them are just too good to belittle them like that – but of course some of them aren't even written by people you'd ever call a celebrity. But there is still a case where you're not completely impressed with the output of the format, and for me this was one of those times. For one thing, the editing certainly needed to be stronger – the book wore my patience so thin on one aspect of the crimes I couldn't care less who did it, and in those sections we were losing what was so enjoyable about the book. For this, to me, is a look at the investigators, and not the crimes – the wonderful inhabitants of the retirement village whose owner's right hand handyman type gets killed off. I'd come for those, if they were allowed to fill all the pages – the spunky one who seems to have worked for every foreign intelligence service in the world, and has a million favours to call in as a result; the much more mundane one whose first person narrative is allowed to cameo so wonderfully, and disguise just how much of a flirt she is. You can imagine Celia Imrie and Imelda Staunton fighting over which plays which in the TV version already.

Aside from the characterisation of the community, we get a very easy, polished talent at social observation and the mindset of the old (people not looking like they'd need three sugars in their drinks, etc) and a sense of humour which certainly comes across on the page but which didn't strike me as exactly difficult for Osman to do. We get lots of authorial tricks (the b-bomb dropped halfway through when it finally deigns it the right time to let us know one of the characters is black, for example). And while it is charmingly light at times, and we enjoy watching all the old folk and wondering if any of them will be allowed to shack up with any of the other ones, the fact remains we should have been allowed to care more about what they were investigating. That went out the window with it being a little boring, and got lost as I say in a lack of concision. Oh, and it's far too easy for people here to look at ages-old CCTV footage, when we all know the truth about how well and how long that's kept. A bit over three stars from me.

In a retirement village where the facilities are seemingly far superior than your average holiday resort, there is plenty to keep you occupied with various clubs, fitness activities, visits and committee meetings. Just a word of warning, do not park where you shouldn't!

One of the clubs is the aforementioned title The Thursday Murder Club - four members, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim. All of these four bring something different to the club as they investigate unsolved cases from the past.

Elizabeth has connections with pretty much everyone or anyone, she clearly worked in mysterious ways in her past life. Joyce is a former nurse, useful for some of the medical elements. Ron or 'Red Ron' as known to many is a former union leader and can antagonise with the best. And quiet Ibrahim, former psychiatrist, who works without and question and methodically to find all the answers.

Of course little do they know, that a murder is going to happen in their little world - but so it does.

Now it is time for The Thursday Murder Club to use all their wit and wiles to solve the murder or at least direct the police in the right direction.

Much will be made of this book simply because of who it is written by. Richard Osman has a very acerbic wit which is evident in this book and for me it resembled a Wodehouse novel in parts, very character rich. There are plenty of references to typical British places, products and behaviours and it very much centres the setting as well as the plot in that of a British cosy crime novel.

The book is clearly dominated by the murder story line but it also focuses on the thoughts and feelings of those in the retirement village as well. The Murder Club all have personal histories of their own and how they come to be gathered all together in this village. Osman deals with it gracefully and it adds a richness to the story.

A great fun light-hearted read which everyone will be talking about. I do hope there is more from Osman.

Celebrity writers can be a hit and miss experience, so it was with trepidation that I approached Richard Osman's quintessentially offbeat British character driven crime fiction debut, but I need not have worried, it's a belter, with its understated charm, humour and wit that beguiles. Set in Kent, four sprightly, remarkable agile, and energetic elderly folk exercise their considerable brain power into the solving of cold case murders from police files secretly acquired by the undisputed leader of the group, Elizabeth, a woman to be reckoned with, with her mysterious and shadowy background. The organising Elizabeth has a powerful and wide ranging network that she can call on, one that the police might envy. The quiet, sensible and overlooked Joyce, an ex-nurse, is a recent arrival to the exclusive luxury retirement village, that include many residents formerly at the top of their varied professions. She soon finds herself recruited to the Thursday Murder Club (TMC), and it is through her Journal we learn of the members activities and meetings, oiled by considerable partaking of wine and her delicious baking.

Ibrahim, a retired psychiatrist, a logistics and details man, and Ron, a union man that used to be famously portrayed as Red Ron in the media, are the other members of the club. PC Donna de Freitas, is a recent transplant from the London Met and, to put it mildly, she would rather be solving murders than living the boredom of her current reality as she gives a security talk to the TMC, only to have her agenda overturned by the bunch of wily, manipulative and sly members. When the murder of Tony Curran is discovered, the TMC gear themselves up to solve the murder, willing to use any advantage they can engineer, cross any line, and venture into forbidden territory where the police cannot go. They use their influence to get Donna on the murder team run by the lonely and overweight DCI Chris Hudson, to gain access to police information, willing to trade what the TMC discover with Donna and Chris, although they often only do so at a their discretion and at a time of their choosing.

It is the diverse characters that Osman creates and develops, and his tight plotting with the numerous secrets and their reveals, along with the comic touches, that makes this an entertaining and delightful read. This makes a wonderful break from the dark and grisly fare of much of the crime fiction and mystery genre, and whilst the connection between our intrepid elderly sleuths and the police might require a suspension of disbelief, its works beautifully. Obviously when it comes to the elderly, medical issues, physical decline, loneliness, grief and loss are going to play an integral part of their stories. If you are looking for fun, entertainment, and a thoughtful, intelligent, offbeat and engaging mystery, then this is highly likely to appeal. In the meantime, I look forward to the next in what promises to be a stellar crime series. Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.

Full review can be found at: https://talesfromabsurdia.com/book-reviews/the-thursday-murder-club-review/

I wanted to love The Thursday Murder Club. I really did.

Like most people, I was drawn to it because of the author. I love Richard Osman; he’s smart, witty, and possibly one of the most pleasant people on television.

So I’m sorry to say that I found The Thursday Murder Club to be a very poor novel.

The idea of a group of elderly people coming together to get to the bottom of unsolved crimes is a brilliant idea. It should be funny and perhaps even a little moving. And very occasionally, it is.

However, the plot is plodding and disinteresting and the characters are, on the whole, thinly-veiled stereotypes. We have the fraudulent priest; the supercapitalist property mogul; the socialist rabble-rouser; the hardworking Polish builder; the mid-life crisis policeman… I could go on.

If The Thursday Murder Club was a pastiche of sorts, you could maybe forgive the characterisation as a nod to the genre. But it isn’t, and whilst it’s probably unfair to say that it’s lazy, I think the characters needed to have something more original about them.

This was a pleasant read. Different to the books I normally read and nearly stopped reading about 3 chapters in as it was just too lighthearted for me but I persevered and was pleased that I did. Not full of police procedures or details but the members of The Thursday Murder Club were delightful. They were all friendly and lovable and made the book for me. Felt it would be an excellent holiday read as you could pick it up and put it down easily.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for the ARC of this book.

What an excellent book this is! Set in a retirement village, it is written with great sensitivity of the elderly, particularly of professional people, and the worry of losing their faculties. The main group of characters - the Thursday Murder Club- are an interesting collection of individuals, I’d love to have dinner with them. This is a very witty, sharp, novel. I’d love it if there was a second book!

Totally surprised by how much I loved this story and how page turning it was. The cast of characters were compelling, as were the red herrings thrown into the story. I could read the sequel right now. Now, finally, was Elizabeth secretly M in James Bond in a past life?