The second in the Thursday Murder Club series from Pointless co-host Richard Osman, and it proves as delightfully and quintessentially English as its predecessor.

It picks up pretty much where the first leaves off, with the formidable Elizabeth contacted by her ex-husband who is on the run after stealing diamonds. He needs somewhere safe to hide out, so the retirement village seems the ideal spot but this is discovered; however, after moving to another safe house Douglas and his minder, Poppy, are murdered. It is up to Elizabeth to use her sleuthing skills to locate the diamonds, which she finally succeeds in doing, and unmasking the murderer, which takes a little longer.

All the gang from the first book are back, including police officers Chris and Donna, as well as Bogdan, who proves rather useful as events progress. Bogdan is my favourite character, by the way.

Ibrahim is mugged early on in the book and this links into the murder story via a local drug dealer that Chris and Donna are staking out, not too successfully as it happens. Events lead to an end of the pier showdown with several people who have an interest in the diamonds, all lured there by Elizabeth, who then reveals the identity of the murderer.

Joyce comes more to the fore in this story, as she begins to show a real aptitude for spotting clues. The same cannot be said for her IT skills, as she sets up an Instagram account and then wonders why she is getting so many messages - the reason is unintentionally hilarious and worth waiting for, although you will have to do a bit of research if you still don't get it. The clue is in the number.

Richard Osman has succeeded again in drawing the characters of the sleuthing pensioners and the subtle touches of humour will leave you chuckling quite a lot. If you are really clever, you will spot another reference to the Isle of Wight, which I think is rather nice. Perhaps Richard will come over here and he can sign my copies of both his books - that would be lovely!

If you haven't read the first book, you should. If you have, then this has to go to the top of your to-read list.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Penguin General UK – Fig Tree, in return for an honest appraisal.

The sequel to The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice reunited us with Ron, Ibrahim, Elizabeth and Joyce. I adore them and I adore this series. It is charming, witty and hilarious.

I want to be Elizabeth when I’m older. Sassy, unstoppable and seriously clever. I also want to be Joyce, with her warmth and unwavering loyalty.

Ohhh I just love it! Perhaps I was more invested in the mystery of the first book but this one is just so charming, I cannot help but love it too.

I think we see a softer side to Ron in this book, which contrasts with the ‘tough guy’ facade he wears in book one. Ibrahim is just as wonderful as ever. I wish I could give him a hug. Poor lad has had a rough time of it. They all have, to be fair. There’s also exploration of more serious topics such as racism, mental health struggles, isolation and loneliness.

This book is darling. I love it with my whole heart.

Quotes I loved/made me giggle:
•‘You are simply a little lost, Donna. And if one is never lost in life, then clearly one has never travelled anywhere interesting’.
•’No animal is better than any other animal. We are all just collections of atoms smashed together. Even people. Even trees’.
•’More women are murdering people these days’…’If you ignore the context, it is a real sign of progress’.
•‘Don’t get a small dog though…Small dogs are like small men: always got a point to prove’.
•’He’s a peculiar fellow, quite evil, but solid’.
•’He is very wise, but he is also very vulnerable. Perhaps he is wise because he is vulnerable?’

4⭐️

Thank you Penguin & NetGalley for my advanced copy. This was a joy to read.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman has the Thursday Murder Club back with a bang!  

Elizabeth is contacted by someone that she used to know, who is suspected of stealing £20 million worth of diamonds from a mobster.

This is another book written with warmth, a willingness to mislead the reader with red herrings, and a plan for the reveal.  The characters feel genuine, and their friendships and relationships make sense! I really enjoyed it, and felt like it was a fantastic sequel!

I'll be looking forward to the third book!

 The Man Who Died Twice  was published on 16th September 2021, and is available from  Amazon ,  Waterstones  and  Bookshop.org .

You can follow Richard Osman on  Twitter  and  Facebook. 

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, and so my thanks to NetGalley and to  Penguin .

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Publication day - 16th Sept

Expect the usual red herrings and British humour as we join the Thursday Murder Club again. Elizabeth has received a letter from an old acquaintance, he’s in trouble after stealing diamonds from the mafia, is on the run and needs her help.

Think I enjoyed this one even more than the first as had already fallen in love with the characters! Also felt that this was slightly more heartwarming and really liked seeing the developing relationships between some of the characters - a lonely police officer and a retired psychologist, a Polish killer with a heart of gold and Elizabeth’s dementia suffering, chess loving husband.

Think this would make such a brilliant tv show and already got the casting sorted ….

Elizabeth - Judi Dench
Roy - Ray Winston
Joyce - Julia McKenzie
Ibrahim - Anupam Kher

A massive thank you to @netgalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed the first book, The Thursday Murder Club and took part in the blog tour when it was launched last year. I couldn’t wait to read the club’s next adventure. I wasn’t disappointed. This was everything I expected and I look forward to the next adventure. The Man Who Died Twice like the previous book is a blend of cosy mystery and thriller with a group of elderly amateur sleuths finding themselves in the middle of a real crime involving spies, stolen diamonds and grisly murders. I love the characters, especially Joyce. Due to their age they are assumed to be feeble and doddery and I love it when they kick ass and show they are more intelligent than the criminals and police combined. This is a delight.

The Man Who Died Twice is the second instalment in the Thursday Murder Club series, and I am pleased to report that not only is it every bit as scintillating as its predecessor, it is actually more so. It has been one week since the sprightly septuagenarian sleuths residing at Cooper's Chase, an upscale retirement community located in the beautiful Kent countryside, successfully closed their first real-life murder case. It is home to the Thursday Murder Club consisting of Elizabeth Best, an astute former spy; Joyce Meadowcroft, a journal writer and retired nurse; Ibrahim Arif, a detail-orientated psychiatrist and perfectionist; and Ron Ritchie, a political activist who had once been a staunch trade unionist and former New York Mafia don. And we mustn't forget the three honorary members: fixer Bogdan Jankowski and DCI Chris Hudson and Police Constable Donna De Freitas from Fairhaven Police. Elizabeth, one morning, finds herself initially baffled by receipt of a strange letter seemingly from a dead man which instantaneously launches the intrepid pensioner into a dangerous case involving local criminals, the Mafia and MI6. It had been signed off by Marcus Carmichael, whose deceased body Elizabeth has witnessed being pulled from the River Thames several years earlier.

It turns out it had been written to get her attention by her feckless ex-husband and secret agent Douglas Middlemiss, who she had not seen in quite some time. However, he then pays her a visit as he's gotten himself into more than a little bit of a sticky situation with some thoroughly unforgiving individuals and is up to his neck in trouble. This spot of bother just happens to involve being in possession of 20 million pounds worth of stolen diamonds which he had pilfered from a notorious underworld figure and money launderer to the international crime community, Martin Lomax, who is now getting angrier and angrier at the situation by the minute. It doesn't take long before The NY Mafia catch wind of what's been going on, and because they have a threatening image to uphold as well as wanting their goods returned, they take drastic action. Murders and bodies begin to pile up and poor Ibrahim becomes the victim of a mugging when a group of teenagers steal his mobile phone and kick him in the head. Not long after, Douglas and his handler, Poppy, are shot dead.

Alongside a parallel investigation by the police over a wanted drugs trafficker, the Thursday Murder Club must fully reassemble and work together to both locate the missing jewels and stop the killing spree as well as decipher important clues before anyone else gets hurt. This is a riveting, charming and utterly captivating comic murder mystery that has all the charm of the debut with a bolstered sense of familiarity, reminiscent of old friends catching up over an Earl Grey, only with a dead body or two turning up as well. At the heart of this story is a warmth that Osman captures through the characters. Moments of meaning, humour, pain and happiness shared between the characters are integral to what makes this story special. It's intelligent, acutely perceptive and thoroughly entertaining and it is peopled with interesting, idiosyncratic characters that enhance the story at every quirky turn. There aren't many novels that can make me feel a sense of nostalgia when returning to a series, and I strongly felt overjoyed at being reacquainted with this odd little group of mainly elderly folk. A fun, offbeat and engaging mystery in which all the elements come together perfectly to create the most exquisite, enthralling and wickedly twisty crime fiction of 2021. Highly recommended.

The Thursday Murder Club are back! Secret agents, history coming back to haunt Elizabeth, love and Joyce's diary entries. Your favourite OAP's are back and in the thick of it.

SYNOPSIS: A man Elizabeth thought dead, leaves her a note through her door asking to meet in a room within the retirement village. When she opens the door, it reveals a face from her past. It's a face she knows all too well and once loved. A mugging leads the rest of the Retired & Extremely Dangerous (RED) OAP'S to a new drug dealer in the town of Fairhaven. Throw in MI5, a heist and a homicide, culminating in a showdown and your left enthralled with everyone's favourite granny's and gramps.

REVIEW: How do you top being the million number one best seller, you release the next in the series with a bigger mystery, more revelations of Elizabeth's past, and you let Joyce loose on her diary entries. In this second book of the series, Osman weaves multiple threads, that each reveal the fight against old age isn't over. This book reveals more of Elizabeth's past that even Joyce, Ron or Ibrahim couldn't have imagined. And in doing so, it reveals why she will do everything & anything to protect her friends and husband.

New characters are introduced that will hopefully make an appearance in the third instalment. They bring a new dynamic to our crime fighting quadruple and expand the Thursday Murder Club's honorary members. Joyce once more for me steals the show. With her quick wit, unflappable personality and the innocence of a granny in a technological world, she's the best character in the series and she wouldn't surprise me if she ended up being the main suspect in one of the club's investigations. She adapts far to quickly to Elizabeth's deadly field craft. She has an uncanny perspicacity, she's very cheeky in manipulating Ibrahim and an outrageous flirt.

All the threads of the story and interactions of the characters flow nicely along and your not left flicking back and forth between the pages to keep up with what's happening where and with who. It keeps you guessing and wondering, but is not so over taxing that you give up half way through the book.

This book like its predecessor once more brings to mind the new anxieties old age can bring. The fear of change, being defenceless and the ravages of illness. These subject's are a subtle undertone that are brought to the surface with a tasteful sense of humour once in a while to remind us of the inevitability that one day we too will have to face the same effects of age, but it doesn't mean life doesn't end with retirement.

It also highlights friendships don't have to be just with people of the same age. That we can find friends in people with a few more miles on the clock. That you don't always have to have a similar background or tastes, Ibrahim and Ron, Donna and Chris prove this point. In a world that's so crazy right now, now more than ever we need a friend. So the next time you sit next to an OAP strike up a conversation, they might just have a story or two to rival the the Thursday Murder Club.

VERDICT: 5*****/5. Our favourite OAP's prove age isn't an obstacle to solving crime and that they still have a few tricks to unleash on all who underestimate their tenacity. Osman is a genius, perfectly blending murder mystery and humour. I can not wait for next Thursday Club meeting to come.

Oh my goodness, Richard Osman has done it again! Such a clever idea, with all the 'oldies' and their detective ways!! A fabulous story, and a very ingenious piece of writing!!
One of the four friends from the sheltered housing where they live, is out one day and gets hurt badly, and so off the rest of them go, to find out who hurt their friend!! It gets more and more involved, with other crimes, and crime connected people in different crime type areas, that you start thinking nothing will ever get sorted!! So much is happening, but it is quite a nicely paced story!! Loved every minute of it!! Superb story!!

I really enjoyed last year's The Thursday Murder Club so imagine my joy when I heard a second book was being released with the same characters. I didn't think Osman could top TTMC but I thought it'd still be a good read. I'm delighted to say The Man Who Died Twice is even better!

Just as with the first in this series, there are moments of laugh out loud joy (Joyce's Instagram anyone?) and also moments of sadness and heartache. The four main characters are so relatable and the real struggles they face - loneliness, frailty, vulnerability, illness - really ground the book and help to make what is really quite a delightfully far-fetched plot seem more down to earth.

I hope Osman has more for us from these characters because things are just getting interesting.

What a great sequel to the first read!! Richard has a fantastic way of engaging you from start to finish!


This book was wonderful and I love the gang all being back together! This book just like the first, is full of humour, wholesomeness and is generally just a great read overall! It will definitely have you laughing out loud!

You don’t need to have read the first book to have read this either, it reads great as a stand-alone.

It’s never a quiet day in Coopers Chase! Elizabeth realises her past is catching up with her when she receives an invitation to meet a man.. a man who is dead.

Unsure what to do.. Elizabeth reaches out to the Thursday Murder Club to help, so Ibrahim, Joyce and Ron join in the search for a reckless murderer

This one, like the first has multiple POV’s and is a joy to read! All the characters are even better (if possible) than they were in the first!

Would definitely recommend and will be purchasing when the book is released!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is set to be published in September 2021.

"The Man Who Died Twice" by Richard Osman was a pleasant surprise for me.
When I opened this book, I expected to be entertained, and thrilled, to have my curiosity piqued and be caught unawares by the plot twists. I did get all that, and I also got something I wasn't prepared for: lots and lots of laughter. Literally, I doubt I've ever read a thriller that is as funny. You don't usually think of funny when you think of novels about murders, spies, and mobsters. And yet, more than once this book made me burst out into laughter; even when I was commuting on the bus, and I knew I would look weird if I suddenly started laughing on my own, this mischievous, witty novel still got me chuckling.
If I had to describe this book, I'd say 90% of it is funny, 10% of it is emotional and 100% of it is pure inventive genius, and I think the funny 90% is what makes the emotional 10% shine even brighter than it would otherwise.
I loved the well-rounded characters, each with their own distinctive voice; I loved the plot, fast-paced and well-crafted; I loved the unusual setting (how many thrillers are there that are set in a retirement village?); and I loved the amazing writing style, so clear and fluid.
And I loved that, although this book is the second instalment in a series, it reads perfectly well on its own (I can tell because I haven't read the first one... yet).
Overall, I can definitely recommend "The Man Who Died Twice" to anyone who loves thrillers... and anyone who doesn't. Because this novel is just so good and so unorthodox that I think everybody at all could appreciate it.

A most enjoyable read of life living in a retirement village of old people with interesting but unknown back grounds. In the first book we meet the Thursday Murder club members, and we are left with an inkling of why they could do what they do. This time events are thrust upon them when the past catches up with Elizabeth and her background is fully revealed when a past divorced husband comes seeking her help to hid from assassins. There after follows a story of murder and the following of clues to find something that with other vested criminal interests are involved. Quite a roller coaster of a story with some laughs along the way.

I was looking to forward to reading this after enjoying "The Thursday Murder Club".
In this book the story starts where the previous book finished, and the reader us back with the Club who are trying to solve another mystery.
The story kept me interested throughout and had me chucking several times at their numerous exploits.
The book also deals with dementia and the vulnerability if the elderly along with it's main theme if friendship
In my opinion this book is even better than the first.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this read.

Thank you, thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. I loved it. It was wonderful to catch up with The Thursday Murder Club it was like visiting old friends. I loved this book more than the first one. Great style of writing, I love the wit and humour and just want to be an honorary member of the club! Great work Richard Osman,

Absolutely brilliant! Having thoroughly enjoyed listening to The Thursday Murder Club on Audible earlier in the year, I was delighted to be given this e-arc via NetGalley UK, and what a treat to be back at Cooper’s Chase with the gang and another murder to solve. It felt like being back with old friends - Joyce was simply brilliant and I laughed so much at her diary. Elizabeth is as sharp as ever, Ron is quite simply Ron, and Ibrahim is as wise as ever. Its a cracking mystery with plenty of twists and turns. Sometimes I’m nervous as to whether a sequel of such a great first book will live up to expectations, but Richard Osman has absolutely nailed it and I can’t wait for the third murder club.

I received this book for free on Netgallery for a honest review.

Rating System in Stars:
1 Star – Didn’t enjoy the book
2 Star – Enjoyed the book well enough, but wouldn’t buy a physical copy or if I own a physical copy, wouldn’t read it again. May recommend it to others, but would state I had trouble reading it myself.
3 Star – Enjoyed the book and would read it again
4 Star – Thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be read again and again
5 Star – Loved Loved Loved this book and will go onto my Favourites Shelf
I’d give this book 4 Stars.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book of this now series. I knew of the author: Richard Oseman from his part in the television series Pointless, but I rarely watched it. The reason I picked it up was partly because of hype, I can get carried along sometimes, and because I was told it was a good read for anyone who enjoyed Agatha Christie. There are definitive aspects of older generations knowing better, using everything they have learned to solve crimes, and done in a light-hearted way. The subject matter might be harsh, but it has the same easy-going style such as Robert Thorogood’s ‘Death in Paradise’ and a recent book that I truly hope develops into a series by Emma Davies’ ‘The Mystery of Montague House’. I prefer those kind of murder mysteries, though I do delve into harsher crime ones. But those are mostly true crime.
When I learned there would be a second one published so soon after the first though, I was slightly worried about what it would be like. I had loved ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ so much that I didn’t think the second could be as good. And after I read it, I found that it couldn’t have lived up to the expectations I had of the first one, but at the same time, I couldn’t fault it for how it had slightly veered away from the same formula.
For one, this didn’t have so may different story threads running concurrently through the book. There were much less, and this didn’t detract from it. I liked how I had an easier time keeping track of the various plot points, and there not being several false endings like the first one. This also showed in less characters tied up in the story, so once again made it a quicker read. It didn’t detract from my enjoyment though. I read this in a few hours.
But due to this, I don’t think I would read it again for a little while. I followed this much better than the first and while there are bits that I’d like to revisit to check on information that led to the finale; it’s not with the same urgency as with the first. Even after all this time, I still feel that I haven’t absorbed everything and need to go in for a second read to try and piece things together better. This isn’t a sign of a bad book. Both of these books are good in their own way, but I slightly prefer the first one better.
So, I would view this as a book that I will be purchasing a physical copy and an audible one. I think I prefer listening to it, the narrator was excellent for ‘The Thursday Morning Club’. I did this with the first, and while this second one doesn’t beat it, it’s still extremely good.
Highly recommend.

I absolutely loved this book! I really enjoyed the first one and this is just as good. Straight back into the mix, the story flows so well, never a dull moment. I love reading Joyce's diary entries, they made me laugh out loud, she is brilliant. I hope Richard goes on to write more in the series, as honestly, he is now my favourite author. Thank you #netgalley

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

When ex-spy Elizabeth receives a letter from a man she knows to be dead, it becomes clear that this is not going to be a normal week for the residents of the Coopers Chase retirement community. A man with whom Elizabeth has a long past needs her help – and that of the Thursday Murder Club. He’s now realised that perhaps it wasn’t a good idea after all to steal those diamonds worth many millions of dollars from the NYC Mob. It’s hard to imagine a bigger target on his back. It’s not long before the septuagenarian Thursday Murder Club and their police friends have a ruthless murderer to hunt. You could almost feel sorry for the killer…

Richard Osman’s debut novel The Thursday Murder Club was one of my top reads of 2020. I absolutely loved it, with its delicious mix of wit, cosiness and wickedness, all brought together with the most fantastic prose. Any fears that the author couldn’t do it again were instantly dispelled when I read the very first page of The Man Who Died Twice. It is absolutely fantastic!

I’m giving nothing more away about what’s going on in this fine novel but I do want to say a bit about why I love it so much. I love all of the characters but Joyce, whose journal entries are scattered throughout the book, is my favourite. A former nurse, she’s lived for others and is now having the time of her own life helping Elizabeth to dig out bad guys. The disparity between how she appears and what she reveals in the journal is just wonderful, but, while it’s funny, it’s also extremely poignant in some ways. And that poignancy is present with others, too, especially Ibrahim, the psychiatrist. The humanity of the writing is incredible. All of the characters are given their little moments for us to connect with on really quite a deep level, even DCI Chris Hudson. I was so moved by him in The Man Who Died Twice. So, actually, when I say that I love Joyce the most, maybe I’m wrong, maybe I adore them all equally.

The baddies are brilliant! The insight we’re given into the mindset of one of the villains is fantastic – evil trying not to be evil while knowing that he really is very evil but still wanting to be polite. Absolutely wonderful.

The plot is magnificent and works on so many levels. Enough said about that.

Richard Osman has done it again. Rarely have I felt so warmly attached to characters and, in these books, there’s not just one or two characters to love but several. A fabulous plot, beautifully witty and kind, clever, poignant and tragic at times, even shocking, and so completely fun to read. Please can we have more!!

Other review
The Thursday Murder Club

Don't you just love it when an author fully hits their stride in their second novel?

That's certainly what happened here. Don't get me wrong - I loved The Thursday Murder Club to bits, and I rated it four stars as well, but reading this second installment, it's clear that Osman was still finding his footing a bit with that one.

The Man Who Died Twice sees our favourites, Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim, and Ron, and favourite side-kicks Donna, Chris, and Bogdan (!!!!) become embroiled in yet another intricate plot (or is it plots?), and the banter and chemistry is better than ever.

One of my favourite things about this was how Osman calls you, the reader, out on your nonsense theories by calling out the characters themselves for having them too. And don't even get me started on the rapid-fire dialogue; I laughed out loud and obnoxiously numerous times at things that aren't necessarily that funny, but taken in context, tickled me pink.

As amazing as the books are, it goes without saying that these books would make fantastic movies. I hope Mr Spielberg hurries up with the first one.

I was overjoyed to be given the opportunity to review this book, as I absolutely adored the first story of this series. The second book can sometimes be hit and miss, but The Man Who Died Twice was a massive hit! It is just as good as the first and I was not disappointed.

It was great to be reacquainted with the four main previous characters, the author taking the time to fill in the gaps left from the previous book. The new characters fitted in perfectly and were a great addition. Returning to Coopers Chase again, was like returning to a friend's home. The writing style had me relaxed, and eager to find out what was going to happen this time around.

This is very well written, and with regard to the plot and pace, this was better than the first. The atmosphere and story as a whole makes this a charming, exciting, and enjoyable cozy murder mystery. Ideal for a Sunday read!

I can't wait to find out if there's a third installment...I am hoping so as I will be first in the queue to read that one too!