⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Stars – everything I could want from The Thursday Murder Club!
Format: Audio (BorrowBox)
Read: March 2025
I read the first Thursday Murder Club in 2020, I think I got it as a gift for my Dad and then he gave it to me when he’d finished with it, and the same with the second one (The Man Who Died Twice). I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it! They’re very entertaining and smart but easy reads.
I’m not generally one for “cosy” reads but to me, these are the definition of cosy. The action, while often very dramatic and sometimes involving firearms, feels lower stakes and conflict is usually resolved without any violence. I also find the plots are familiar but with enough twists to keep me interested, plus the chapters are short and keep the pace racing along, but it’s really about the characters.
The members of The Thursday Murder Club are a fabulously odd quartet of retirees – Elizabeth the sharp spy, Joyce the sweet bubbly nurse, Ron the rough ex-union rep and Ibrahim the soft-spoken psychiatrist. They’re an interesting mix of personalities and backgrounds that create something special. The ancillary characters are wonderful, too, and I love that everyone gets their own point of view in the chapters. I cannot pick a favourite between Chris, Donna and Bogdan!
By the third book Richard Osman really has their voices nailed. Even though I’d not dipped into this series since 2022 I was about to easily sink back into the world. There were lots of developments I enjoyed in this one (and a sad one) and I thought the murder plot was much more engaging than I found in book 2. I enjoyed getting to know Victor more, and The Viking was also a great character!
I think listening to the audiobook was a fantastic way to read the book too. Fiona Shaw does a brilliant job, and I will seek out the fourth book in this format I think!
I am very interested in seeing how the movie pans out. The casting is exciting, though Pierce Brosnan as Ron is a little perplexing and not at all how I pictured the character! I’d see him more as Stephen, posh and handsome. But maybe if they scruff him up a bit, cut that movie star hair and get him in a football shirt it’ll work…
REVIEW SUMMARY
I LIKED
- I love all the characters, every single one is brilliant from the core group to the side characters!
- The mystery is well done and makes good use of all the characters.
- The audiobook was great! I’ll try to read the next one on audio too.
