Member Reviews
If you loved the Thursday Murder Club you will love the sequel. I must admit the first few pages I was worried I wasn’t clicking as well with the characters but by ten per cent of the way in I was hooked and back being best friends with them all! As usual there is an awful lot going on at Coopers chase and our fantastic foursome come together to find the villains, with Elizabeth once again being her formidable self and making some questionable decisions! A brilliant read full of dry humour. Once again I wished I could live in Coopers chase despite being a bit too young just yet, and know our foursome for real.
Both the books in this series were a lot darker, and dealt with a lot more hard hitting subjects than I was expecting such as: grief, dementia, loneliness and suicide. They are also both full of life and humour as the gang of four residents from a retirement village try to solve the crimes that they are faced with, and really highlights the importance of friendship. Fans of the first book will be pleased to hear that characters such as Donna, Chris and Bogdan also make star appearances in the second book.
There were a number of lines in the first book, that made me cringe slightly and feel a bit uncomfortable, and I was glad to see this has been significantly reduced in the second book. I’m not sure that Osman and I share the exact same values when it comes to justice and which crimes people should be allowed to get away with.
The final line of The Man Who Died Twice is fabulous and will leave readers with a smile on their face, and I think this is the better book, so it’s good to see that the books are on an upward trajectory. You can read the second book as a standalone so don’t feel that you have to have read The Thursday Murder Club first. I can see why the books are so popular and I was pleased to see that there are plans for a third book!
I hadn't read Richard Osman's first crime caper largely because I have a built-in resistance to celebrity authors despite the glowing endorsements of other celebrity authors. But I must confess that I really enjoyed The Man Who Died Twice. There were wonderful funny characters and the novel had an underlying warmth and compassion. I loved the premise too that older people can be smart, resilient, funny and even sexy. It did have a tendency to ramble on a little but even that was enjoyable. A great read and I am off to buy the first book.
My thanks to Richard Osman, Penguin, and Net Galley for the ARC of THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE.
I loved the Thursday Murder Club. The characters were so well-drawn, their personalities impeccably put together, that the reader couldn't help but champion this little group of pensioners who have an interest in solving cold cases. THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE was just as good, a bit bloodier, quite shocking in places bearing in mind we're talking about a cosy, but entertaining all the same. Murder mysteries are difficult to write. I know how hard it is because I've written one. The writer must get all the clues and red-herrings and whatnot into the right places and I think it's done really well here. Can you imagine them on screen? When I read about Elizabeth I always think of Honor Blackman for some reason. Pussy Galore maybe? Can't wait for the next one! 5 super stars!
Thank you to the author, publishers and Net Galley for a free e copy of this book.
I had read the first book at Christmas last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Thursday Murder Club gang are back and this cozy mystery series is back with a bang.
I love all the main characters. all their quirks and ways. I thought the book was hilarious in parts. I love all the small observations they make.
The story follows the Coopers Chase residents get mixed up with the mafia, drug deals, diamonds and of course a little bit of murder. We follow their escapades and adventure to try and solve the riddles of the man who died twice.
I loved this book and I will definitely be recommending this to friends and family. Looking forward to hopefully the third book as I miss Leonard, Ibrahim , Elizabeth and Joyce already!
This is a great 2nd book from Richard Osman following the Thursday Club . Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He’s made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.
As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?
But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?
A witty and warm story thoroughly enjoyed the book and cannot wait for the 3rd.
If you love the intrigue of a crime novel, but also
dont fancy immersing yourself in something really gritty and dark, Richard Osmanis crime novels might just be the answer. These are some of the most comforting books about murder you'll ever read.
The Man Who Died Twice reunites the reader with a familiar group of friends who have all nestled down into their individual characters and roles in the group dynamic. The friends' easy familiarity with each other offers the reader a comfy spot in the Thursday Murder Club to sit with a cup of tea and listen in on their latest caper. A real highlight for me was Joyce's voice, who was the newcomer last time round, but now radiates confidence and shows she is as funny as she is wise.
My expectations were high after really enjoying
Osman's debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club, and recommending it left, right and centre. The Man Who Died Twice takes up the mantle and then some. Here's to the next one!
The famous Thursday Murder Club is back! Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are back and so is Chris, Donna and Bogdan, however this time the murders will involve the MI5 and the mafia, the group will be hunting for diamonds.
It all starts when Elizabeth's ex colleague and ex husband is hiding at Coopers' Chase, he is in danger and he asked for Elizabeth help. At the same time, Ibrahim is attacked and mugged whilst out doing some commissions and his friends are determined to put the culprit behind prison.
I loved The Thursday Murder Club, and I loved this new book in the series even more. The writing is great and the characters are so well developed, you will laugh and the plot will entice you till the very end.
Thank you to Penguin/Viking for providing me with a widget of the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Having read but not loved the first book in the Thursday Murder Club series, I was hoping that I'd enjoy the sequel more. In some ways I did, but sadly not quite enough.
The Man Who Died Twice follows two main merging plotlines: one in which Elizabeth, Joyce and the rest of the gang track down some stolen diamonds and solve a double-murder and another following Donna and Chris' attempts to arrest a prolific drug dealer (and take down a local mugger at the same time).
It was an enjoyable read, but sadly suffered from the same problems as its predecessor which prevented me from liking it more. The plot was pretty good, sometimes rambling but never enough to make me want to stop reading. However for a book which relies on unusual protagonists as its USP, the characters were where this read lacked the most. One of the book's greatest strengths - its hilarious writing - is also its downfall for me; namely that the characters lack deeper, distinguished personalities, sacrificed at the altar of witty dialogue. This leads to some truly great lines in the book* but sadly means that there's no distinctive characterisation - the character perspectives in the book mostly feel very similar, and that one overarching personality is slightly too twee for my liking. Notably I did enjoy this book more than the first one, so let's hope this upwards trajectory continues!
All in all I found The Man Who Died Twice to be enjoyable, but not particularly memorable; a decent holiday read, nothing more, nothing less.
*"Chris has lost a bit of weight, he has had a nice haircut, and is now wearing a pair of age-appropriate trainers - everything Donna had ever told him to do. She had used all the tricks in the book to encourage him, to convince him, to cajole him into looking after himself. But it turned out that, all along, the only real motivation he needed to change was to start having sex with her mum. You have to be so careful what you wish for."
Oh what fun! Easily all the stars for this one as I couldn’t get enough of my crime solving senior citizens. I loved The Thursday Murder Club last year and the follow up is just as clever, witty and twisty. I was hooked from the very beginning and sad when it was time to say goodbye again. But it looks like a third book is in the works so happy days.
We return to Coopers Chase and are reunited with the gang... Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim. After all the excitement of the previous book they are on the look out for their next case and find it when a former colleague of Elizabeth’s turns up. Not going to say too much about the plot by this book hasn’t it all... a mugging, drug dealers, bodies piling up, MI5, diamonds and so much more.
A fun, cozy murder mystery where once again the bodies start to pile up around them. It is funny and we learn a lot more about not only our 4 main characters but the local police that they work with... Chris and Donna. Highly recommend.
Thanks to Penguin, Viking and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Out in September 16th.
As much as I enjoyed the first book, this book is even better. The characters we've come to know and love are able to expand as the introductions have already been done. Their personalities and histories enrich the story in every way possible and I would love to meet this group in real life. The plot was twisty and intricate and left me guessing most of the time. I eagerly await the next book in the series and hope we one day get a TV or film adaptation.
The gang are back again in another brilliant novel. Funny, touching, clever and with the twists and turns we've come to love, I enjoyed the sequel even more than the original. Love, mystery and diamonds - what a treat.
What a thoroughly delightful book!
I was riveted all the way through. Filled with humour and
Twists and turns. And no ‘f’ words. I couldn’t put it down.
I will have to buy the first book now, can’t wait to read it :)
Another triumph by Richard Osman.
The book slips straight into an easy to read story with endearing characters that we’ve met in the previous novel.
It is cleverly written with a few twists and turns along the way, the mystery mounting throughout.
Richard Osman’s writing style is a delight to read!
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
A big thank-you to Richard Osman, Penguin General, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
The second mystery solved by a group of senior citizens is as intriguing as the first one. The four friends manage to find, with a little support from the police, the culprit behind a double murder. I do enjoy the interactions and the way the magnificent four perceive the world. Some moments had me chuckle for which I am grateful to Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim.
Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Full review to come.
22/8/21
For now, my immediate thoughts:
Sometimes you read a book at exactly the time you need it most and it turns a great book into a favourite one. This is one of those times. Richard Osman's mind is wonderful and I cannot wait for another story following this wonderful lot.
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26/8/21
The first book was brilliant. I loved everything about it. Because of how highly I thought about the first book, I was both incredibly excited and incredibly nervous to read this sequel. I had very high hopes for it. And it's safe to say I wasn't disappointed in the least. In fact, it exceeded my expectations in ways I didn't expect it to.
Going in, I knew to expect a mystery that would keep me enticed with every single twist and turn and that the cast of characters would keep me smiling and laughing. What I didn't quite expect was the level of depth in the main cast, and even the supporting cast too. The plot in this book did a great deal to expand Elizabeth's character and further explore the fine details of Joyce's (and their friendship, which I rather love). I didn't expect to see quite as much exploration into Ibrahim's character, or to see more sides to Ron and I loved every scene that these two characters were in. Especially when it was together.
The plot moved a little slower than I'd hoped it to, but I didn't find that it lessened my enjoyment of the book in the least. In fact, I rather liked that it was slower. It worked beautifully with the plot and the development of the characters and slowly gained the pace I'd hoped for originally.
I truly cannot wait to see what Osman does next with these characters and their little corner of the world, and I cannot wait to see these characters again soon. This book has become a definite comfort read for me and I cannot wait for it to be published so I can reread it!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found the writing to be delightful. The characters are authentic and full of old fashioned humour. Eagerly anticipating the next one of the series.
A new meeting with the band of intrepid DIY sleuths residing in Coopers Chase retirement village. This time they are hot on the pursuit of a£20 million cache of stolen diamonds linked to the New York. mafia. Humour abounds in their exploits and the dead bodies pile up. Elizabeth the ex MI5 sleuth is at the centre of their exploits having received a message from an ex husband and former spook who has misappropriated some diamonds and is being hunted down. The Thursday Murder Club enlist the local police,, London detectives MI5 agents and not forgetting One of their grandsons.
A joy to be with this group again with their quirky characteristics . Bring on the next adventure.
I, contraversially, didn't love Osman's first book, but there is clearly a lot to admire here. He is funny, charming and kind, and his writing sparkles with warm wit.
I absolutely loved The Thursday Murder Club so I was extremely thrilled to be given the opportunity to read The Man Who Died Twice in advance of it's publication in September. It was a joy to return to Coopers Chase and the gang - Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim. We picked up just where we left off, it is the following Thursday and the club are back on the case!
I just love the style that these books are written in. The language is so quintessentially English, the jokes so silly (Joyce: "I haven't got the hoover for a big dog") and the friendships just so honest. The plot was even better in this book than the first and I was left guessing until quite late on. The book moves on at a pace and although the thrills and spills are just as wonderful in this second book, I felt there was even more warmth in The Man Who Died Twice. The meeting (therapy session) between Ibrahim and Donna was really moving, for example. As is the budding relationship between Chris and Donna's mother!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am already excited for the third instalment. Thank you so much to Viking books for the opportunity to read and review - it's another easy 5* from me.