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The Thursday Murder Club

Book 1 in the series:Thursday Murder Club

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'The Thursday Murder Club' by Richard Osman is a cozy mystery novel set in a luxury retirement village where a group of senior citizens, known as the Thursday Murder Club, come together to solve cold cases. When a real murder occurs within their retirement community, the group finds themselves entangled in a present-day murder investigation. The book is praised for its witty writing style, well-developed characters, and engaging plot that combines humor, mystery, and a touch of realism about aging and friendship.

The story follows the quirky members of the Thursday Murder Club, including Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim, as they navigate the complexities of solving a murder while dealing with their own personal struggles and relationships. The novel cleverly weaves together multiple plotlines, red herrings, and unexpected twists, keeping readers guessing until the very end. With a mix of humor, pathos, and clever storytelling, 'The Thursday Murder Club' offers a delightful and entertaining read that celebrates the power of friendship and the thrill of solving mysteries in a unique setting.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, quirky retirees with diverse backgrounds, each contributing unique skills to the club's investigations, making them relatable and endearing.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is warm, humorous, and engaging, featuring witty dialogue and occasionally using diary entries to provide personal insights.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers around a group of retirees at a luxury retirement village who form a murder club that investigates cold cases and becomes embroiled in a current murder investigation.

Setting:

The setting is a luxury retirement village in Kent, England, providing a cozy yet intriguing backdrop where the retiree characters conduct their investigations.

Pacing:

The pacing is brisk and lively, facilitated by short chapters and multiple perspectives that keep the story engaging and dynamic.
I knew who she was, of course; everybody here knows Elizabeth. She has one of the three-bed flats in Larkin Court. It’s the one on the corner, with the decking? Also, I was once on a quiz team with St...

Notes:

The Thursday Murder Club is set in a luxury retirement village called Coopers Chase in England.
The main characters are four retirees: Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron, each with unique backgrounds.
The group meets weekly to discuss cold cases and eventually gets involved in a current murder investigation.
The story features a mix of humor, warmth, and poignant moments related to aging and friendship.
Joyce keeps an electronic diary, which provides insight into her thoughts and adds a personal touch to the narrative.
The book is narrated from multiple perspectives, allowing readers to see events unfold from different angles.
Richard Osman, the author, is a well-known British television presenter, which contributed to the book's visibility and popularity.
The book has received high praise for its clever plotting and charming characters, becoming a bestseller in the UK.
The Thursday Murder Club series includes sequels, expanding the adventures of the main characters.
The series has been adapted for a film, with Steven Spielberg acquiring the rights for a screen adaptation.

From The Publisher:

A New York Times bestseller!

"Witty, endearing and greatly entertaining." -Wall Street Journal

"Don't trust anyone, including the four septuagenarian sleuths in Osman's own laugh-out-loud whodunit." -Parade

Four septuagenarians with a few tricks up their sleeves

A female cop with her first big case

A brutal murder

Welcome to…

THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves the Thursday Murder Club.

When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case.

As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it's too late?

Ratings (212)

Incredible (36)
Loved It (84)
Liked It (32)
It Was OK (35)
Did Not Like (20)
Hated It (5)

Reader Stats (427):

Read It (209)
Currently Reading (5)
Want To Read (167)
Did Not Finish (12)
Not Interested (34)

14 comment(s)

Incredible
1 week

A group of old people in a retirement home has a old murder case solving club they like to spend some time with trying to figure out what happened. But one day dead bodies turns up at their home so they do what anyone reasonably person would do and tries to solve it. Even though it's a murder book, I found the characters to be very charming and compelling to read about and it was quite the fun time to try to pice the clues tougheter and I enjoyed the ending. A real treat.

 
It Was OK
3 weeks

Never been a big mystery fan, and this was just a little too "cute" for me

 
Did Not Like
1 month

The writing is terrible

 
Hated It
1 month

I went ahead and DNFed this one. I may try to come back to it at a later date but there are other mystery series that I really enjoy and that really grab me from the jump, unlike this one. I found my mind wandering while I read and dreading picking it up again. I don’t want to feel that way when I’m reading for pleasure (or reading at all, tbh).

 
Loved It
1 month

most writers who are men aren't super great at writing women but i feel like this dude did a good job. and apparently he's a celebrity? who knew!

 
It Was OK
3 months

3.5 *

 
Incredible
3 months

SYNOPSIS:

Four residents of a nice retirement village meet to discuss unsolved crimes on Thursdays. The four residents are Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and Joyce, and they are all septuagenarians.

When a real murder happens, the group works together to solve it.

MY THOUGHTS

This was an excellent cozy mystery with a unique premise. I enjoyed all the characters, and the writing is great, too. The writing is witty & entertaining, and overall, it was a fun read.

The story is mostly told in third person narrative, but some chapters, which are presented as Joyce’s diary entries, are first person POV.

Charming, engaging read, and I adored all the members of the Thursday Murder Club. I hope I can find an equally amusing group when I am older & living in a retirement village.

There’s lot of red herrings, and there are a lot of characters. It took me a little bit to get all the names straight.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️excellent cozy mystery with elderly folks as the main characters

 
It Was OK
5 months

3.5

 
Hated It
5 months

Too many characters and I had no idea what was going on

 
Did Not Like
5 months

Twee and cutesy

 
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About the Author:

Richard Osman is an author, producer, and television presenter. His first novel, The Thursday Murder Club, was a #1 million-copy international bestseller. Critics have already described The Man Who Died Twice as "his second novel." He lives in London.

 
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