The man who died twice

The book had a really promising start. I enjoyed how quickly the septuagenarian characters unique traits were drawn and the group dynamic was lively and enjoyable. The plot also had plenty going for it as the group embark on an undercover mission into the criminal underworld to locate some stolen diamonds. There were a few moments that made me laugh - mostly one-liners or the way Richard Osman captured so well the conversations that you might hear your nan have. He’s a witty writer but sometimes this got lost in the plot which I did find a bit slow and at times I struggled to pick the book up. There’s plenty to live about this book but in this case it wasn’t for me.

I know most of the reviews here are going to be excellent and to be fair, I don’t think I am going to rock the boat too much! I really enjoyed 'The Thursday Murder Club' and not much has changed between the publishing of that novel and the release of 'The Man Who Died Twice' - Richard Osman is a very smart and very funny man; fortunately, he is also very good at plotting a good mystery novel.

'The Man Who Died Twice' may not be perfect, but what novel is? And to pick out the imperfections as if they are the most important parts of the novel would be disingenuous. I really enjoyed 'The Man Who Died Twice'! It is funnier than the first novel and the characters are developed a little more, and has a very satisfying (but not ‘Hollywood’) ending. But it is very definitely a follow-up to 'The Thursday Murder Club' or possibly even a continuation; you probably won’t be lost if you start here but you will get so much more from the book and the characters (all well established in the first novel) if you start at the beginning of the series.

The relationships are so nicely observed and the whole book is so funny yet tender that you happily forgive its shortcomings: the little inconsistencies and flights of fancy in the plot, the small errors in detail (which should have been picked up by the editor). It is so good to get back to Coopers Chase – I can’t wait for my next visit!

A quick read for me read in 2 days over the weekend.An easy read.This is the second book from author which follows in the same vein as the first book.For me I preferred the first book.

So wonderful to be back with the Thursday Murder Club.
Richard Is man is a genius with his characters giving them such distinct voices, I laughed out loud when Joyce joined instagram.
More please.

If you have read the first book and liked it you will enjoy this too. I think it helps to have read The Thursday Murder Club as it gives a bit of background to the characters, and why they do the things they do. I am looking forward to book 3.

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and the author for an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well I am sure I will not be in the minority when I say that this book is the full five stars (and then some). The very talented author brings Ibrahim, Ron, Elizabeth and Joyce to life in such a way that the reader feels as if they are sitting at their table, sharing the 3rd bottle of red with them during the Thursday Murder Club.

Elizabeth is even more sharply intelligent, Ibrahim even more wise, Ron even more hilarious and loyal and Joyce still has enough compassion and verve to make your heart squeeze.

I truly love these characters - and the story is so full of twists and turns and belly-laughs that I could NOT put it down.

So add me to your glowing reviews - there will be at least twenty million of them, I am sure.

I really expected to love this book as I'd read the excellent reviews of the first one. However, I found this book really difficult to get into, perhaps because I hadn't read the first one. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim and the other residents of the retirement village didn't really grab me as characters. There were moments of humour which I liked but overall, it wasn't my kind of thing.

It was delightful to re-visit the world of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron at the Coopers Chase retirement community, characters readers grew to know and love from Richard Osman's 2020 smash hit The Thursday Murder Club.
In this outing, the team of sept- and octogenarian crime fighters become embroiled with British Security Service MI5 after Elizabeth's former husband, who's still with the secret service, makes contact with her. A cache of valuable diamonds have gone missing from the nearby home of a shady middleman. Ibrahim is mugged while on a visit to town, the culprit escaping the scene. The team's friendly police contacts, DCI Chris Hudson and PC Donna De Freitas, are meanwhile on obbo, attempting to catch a nefarious female crime boss in the act. After three violent deaths, the three separate storylines gradually converge as the Thursday Murder Club use their combined skills, charm and wide range of contacts to shed light on who are the good guys, who are the bad, and who are a bit of both...
Building upon the solid foundation of The Thursday Murder Club, the characterisations of the central quartet are quirky and sympathetic. The supporting cast, both returning characters and new, are also well-developed and intriguing. The plot of The Man Who Died Twice is more complex and beguiling than that of its predecessor, and Richard Osman strikes a perfect balance between pathos, humour and intrigue.
While I believe reading The Man Who Died Twice as a standalone would prove an entertaining and rewarding experience, I would strongly recommend reading in series order, for the sake of character development in particular.
I'd highly recommend The Man Who Died Twice to any reader who enjoys character-driven mysteries with a nice dollop of humour. It's a delightful and engrossing read.
My thanks to the author, Richard Osman, publisher Penguin UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this much-anticipated title.

This second book in the Thursday Murder Club series delivers on everything you would expect after reading the first one. The cast of characters is the same, with the four main players, plus the two cops and a few lovable extras. Some new faces are added, including Donna's mum and Ron's grandson, which fleshes out the cast. The premise is much the same - mysterious and violent deaths occur in the retirement village, and the elderly foursome use their unique skills to solve the crimes.

At times it descends into silliness, but that is the whole point really - it doesn't take itself too seriously. The characters are well rounded and believable (with the possible exception of Bogdan, who is far too perfect), which grounds the far-fetched plot firmly in reality. The author captures the heart of humanity in each of the small and quiet actions of the characters as they wrestle with the same things we all wrestle with - fear, loneliness, mortality, uncertainty. There are lovely moments of friendship, loyalty and compassion. There are painful reflections on the vulnerability of the older generation, as well as their incredible resilience. And yes, there are some fairly ridiculous plot twists - but who cares!

A welcome return from the characters of the Thursday murder club in this sequel - it’s time to join Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron on their next adventure, beginning shortly after the events of The Thursday Murder Club have drawn to a close.

A mysterious letter is received and it sets the friends on the trail on missing diamonds, mafia crime bosses and figures from the past of one of the friends. Facing some very real danger, will the gang be able to solve the mystery, find the missing diamonds and evade any harm from the shadowy figures in pursuit?

I really enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club, and I was excited to read this book. The characters already feel comforting and familiar, and the story is a good solid mystery, which I really enjoyed, enough red herrings to keep things interesting, but well paced and engaging. There is violence, but it’s never glorified or visceral, it serves the story and it’s not wallowed in like in some books. There is also a lot of humour here, which I really enjoyed - particularly around Joyce’s Instagram and Connie the drug dealer.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book, and indeed I already have! Im really enjoying this series and I’m already looking forward to the next one.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman is another fabulous ride with the delightful Thursday Murder Club and oh how I would love to be invited to join them in the Jigsaw Room.
In short, without giving anything away, Elizabeth is surprised when her ex husband contacts her which rapidly hooks her and the rest of the Murder Club in solving a high level crime and murder.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first outing with the Thursday Murder Club and hoped that the second adventure would be as interesting, well I can confirm that it absolutely didn’t disappoint. Expect clever twists and turns, sharp humour and brilliant, random thoughts from the very special characters which Richard Osman has created…he is such a refreshing master storyteller and I look forward to the Thursday Murder Club’s next case. I highly recommend.
Big thanks to Richard Osman, Penguin UK and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

Another wonderfully gripping novel from Richard Osman. Is there anything this man can't do. Quintessentially British and marplesque, this book is full of charm, wit and remarkable characters. I could not put I down and cannot wait for the third installment of the Thursday murder club. A definite must read!

The Thursday Murder Club of septuagenarian amateur sleuths are back and on form. Their unflappable leader and ex-spy, Elizabeth is drawn into helping her MI5 ex-husband, who has a the target on his back having stolen £20million of diamonds from a local Mafia money man. Unfortunately, the ex-husband and his MI5 handler end up dead. Enter the TMC to solve.

It will be no surprise that is an another cosy murder mystery, familiar and undemanding akin to Sunday night telly. However, what was a surprise was that this book is vastly superior to the first. It has evolved from a Murder She Wrote-esque mystery to an action packed episode of The Equaliser, as the TMC crew work outside of the law to right wrongs and dole out rough justice to wrong doers. Now we are already familiar with the cast of characters, it felt like there was a greater focus on character development beyond conventional stereotypes and the intragroup relationships were deeper and more sincere. Ultimately, the narrative was tighter and better focused on an improved and well paced plot. Joyce’s seemingly innocuous observations continue to offer light relief throughout. The sad decline of Ibrahim and later Donna, show signs of deepening characterisations and inter-generational friendships, which will no doubt thread through into the third instalment of this geriatric A Team.

So….If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them....maybe you can hire The A-Team….

Elizabeth aka Hannibal
Joyce aka The Face
Ibrahim aka The Face
Ron aka B.A. Baracus ….

Richard Osman’s debut, The Thursday Murder Club, was an absolute delight, as is this sequel, The Man Who Died Twice.

Set in a luxury retirement village in the south-east region of England, the septuagenarian members of the Thursday Murder Club, - Elizabeth, a former MI5 intelligence operative; Ibrahim, a mostly retired psychiatrist; Ron, once a union boss, who enjoys playing devil’s advocate; and Joyce, a former nurse; find themselves in the midst of another caper when Elizabeth is contacted by an ex-colleague, pleading for her help.

Osman gives us a more complex mystery in The Man Who Died Twice which includes £20 million pounds worth of stolen diamonds, a double cross, a drug dealer, an international money launderer, and a teenage thug. Unfolding at a lively pace, I really enjoyed how the main mystery plot developed, finding it exciting and entertaining. I also appreciated the skillful way in which the various threads of the story are drawn together to create a very satisfying conclusion.

I was again charmed by the personalities of the Thursday Murder Club foursome as they inveigled, manipulated, coerced, and traded favours in their race to find the missing diamonds, solve two murders, and avenge Ibrahim. I particularly enjoyed the role Joyce played in this novel, Elizabeth may be the brains of the group, but underestimating Joyce is a mistake, even if she can’t knit. I was also happy to see local police officers, PC Donna de Freitas, and DCI Chris Hudson (who is now dating Donna’s Mum) as well as the enigmatic Bogdan, return.

Witty, clever and lively, The Man Who Died Twice is an entertaining read. I’m cheered to know a third instalment is in the works.

I was so excited to read the second instalment as I loved The Thursday Murder Club. This novel was full of twists and turns and the characters are really starting to come into their own. I feel like I know them so much more after reading this and I look forward to reading more in the series.

Very well-plotted, funny and entertaining, it doesn't matter what genre you usually read, you'll love this!

I can't wait to join the blog tour in October!

I love the characters that Osman has created with all my heart! I listened to the first book in audiobook format and I am very tempted to re-read this on that format again! The plot line was really thrilling and felt so short when it ended. I've just finished his second book but can't wait for Osman's next book now.

I love this group of crime-fighting, feisty, young-at-heart pensioners. Richard Osman captures the rambling, chatty musings of many elderly people perfectly as this extract of Joyce shows. "I've never thought that a guinea pig might need rescuing before, but I suppose they do. We all need it once in a while, and I don't see why guinea pigs would be any different. They eat guinea pigs in Peru, did you know? It was on Masterchef the other day. They just mentioned it, they didn't actually eat one." But at the same time these are no ordinary pensioners, as DCI Chris Hudson says, when Elizabeth announces she wants to organise a meeting with the mafia: "Of course you do. Any reason? Or was bridge cancelled and you had a slot in your diary." So, once again I loved this. In fact I think it was better than the first as the plot was less chaotic, complex and over-stuffed. Whilst not something serious murder mystery fans will probably like, the Thursday Murder Club is so much fun - and I hope there's more to come from the gang.

Excellent - the Thursday Morder Cl;ub are back - this time the mystery is much closer to home, when an ex husband turns up. He's obvioulsy in trouble and the twists and turns appear at regular intervals - stoilen diamonds, a ruthless local drug dealer and a mugging - all bad stuff that's too close to home.

What makes this book is a mix of well drawn characters, tight plotting and some unreliable narratiuon that adds a comic slant to make the book excellent (and I don't use that word often) all rounder

genuinely looking forwrad to the next one Richard!!

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin and Richard Osman for the ARC of The Man Who Died Twice.

The sequel in the best selling Thursday Murder Club Series, this book follows a very similar vibe to the first, following the adventures of the unexpected investigators - elderly friends Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Joyce and Ron. This time, Elizabeths ex husband turns up on the scene and he is in trouble with a violent mobster. The diamonds he stole are missing, and this man will stop and nothing and let no one get in his way in his quest to find them.

This book is lighthearted and requires an element of defying belief, but its so refreshing to see some unexpected heroes - I can't help but feel warmth towards Joyce and Ibrahim in particular, and laughed out loud a fair few times at Joyce and her funny quirks. A great reminder to never underestimate someone just because they are later on in life!

This sequel to the Thursday Murder Club sees Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron involved with M15 and the mafia as the bodies pile up and they hunt for a bag of missing diamonds. As with the first book, there are a series of inter-related crimes, additional characters, clues and red herrings. In this case I think the whodunnit was a little easy to spot, but there were still several satisfying twists and turns to keep the suspense flowing.

In the first couple of chapters of this sequel, I did wonder if it would feel formulaic. The characters are very much in the same groove as book one and the actual events are ridiculously far-fetched. However Osman just writes these characters so well that it is still a joy to read. Joyce in particular is absolutely brilliant. There is that strong element of pathos throughout and an acknowlegement of the realities of ageing but it is always carried lightly. I really enjoy the fact that the peripheral characters also returned and are developing their own storylines. I know I will look forward to every new instalment of the Thursday Murder Club, .