(book review)

‘The Thursday Murder Club’ is the debut novel by Richard Osman.

Osman was inspired to write the novel after visiting an elite nursing home, and for 1.5 years he kept it a secret from everyone that he was writing a book. The Thursday Murder Club was released in the UK in September 2020, with 45,000 copies sold in the first three days. Since then, the novel has become a worldwide bestseller, and the rights to its adaptation were bought by Steven Spielberg’s company.

It’s about four people, all in their 70s. They live in a retirement community and once a week they meet up to look over an old unsolved police case. They call themselves the ‘Thursday Murder Club.’ Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty, but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. And then one day there’s a real murder on their doorstep and the four of them have to try and solve that murder. They’re very different people: one of them used to be a spy, one was a nurse, one was a labor activist and the last – a psychiatrist. Too unlikely friends. And because they’re in their 70s, also everyone underestimates them, everybody overlooks them, and they try and get to the heart of the police investigation, they try and solve the murder before the police do it. It’s been a huge hit all around the world which is absolutely lovely. It’s making people laugh, its making people cry and there’s a mystery right at the heart of it. These people are desperate to solve it as well, which is great.

Can our somewhat non-standard but brilliant team catch the killer before it’s too late? You’ll know it, if you read the book.

It’s a book for people who like crime mysteries, fiction, thriller and humor. Mystery fans are going to be enthralled.

This book is full of the perfect contrasts. It’s warm and funny with smart, witty, and lovable characters. The mysteries had my armchair detective skills working overtime, and the motley cast of characters kept me on my toes.

While the mysteries are multilayered and intriguing, the characters are what make this such a splendid read. Moving, laugh-out-loud, funny and packed with characters you will want to see a lot more of.

10/10