Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

72 reviews

wickedgrumpy's review

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

The characters were lovely.  I imagine I will pick up the next in the series at some point because I thought it was a charming read, even though it wasn't my usual cup of tea.

Also, I know it's a murder mystery but I wasn't expecting so much casual death.  Was a bit grim at times.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Bullying, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Infidelity, Murder, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Trafficking, Alcohol, Animal death, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Sexism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Suicide

luciferin's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

PLEASE read and heed the trigger warnings for this book. I didn’t, and I can only tell you that if I had, I probably would’ve hesitated reading it, because that one specific warning TRIGGER WARNING 

suicide

isn’t just something mentioned in passing in the book, MILD SPOILER WITHOUT SPOILING MUCH

it happens, repeatedly, and more or less graphically.

 

Anyhow. This book made me laugh, then cry, then laugh again, then stare melancholically into the distance, then cry again. It made me gasp and question the whole plot I just read, it made me root for people I maybe shouldn’t root for (but always will, because I LOVE. MORALLY GREY CHARACTERS. Always have, always will. Because life is fucking morally grey. And I both LOVE the ending and dread its implications.) I really like all of the characters and I cannot wait to see where their paths will take them. 

The dialogues are incredibly funny and so very British, the pop culture references were so good and there were quite a few plot twists (both storywise and in the development of one character or another) that I didn’t see coming, which rarely happens. It was a very enjoyable read, and a mystery slash crime that didn’t try the absolute hardest (while failing) to be sooo inventive and new and what have you. But it still manages exactly that. It’s a fresh-ish view (sometimes it kinda feels like visiting all of Agatha C‘s figures in the retirement home they live in together, but in a nice, old memories way, not in the way of plagiarism) of crime solving with a group of people that have seemingly lived their lives with spouses and children and careers and such, who now still have just as much fun in using their different abilities (I love Ibbsy and Joyce and Bogdan especially) to solve murderous puzzles. 
I also like how it alludes to things they have done before coming to CC and I‘m really excited to learn more about Elizabeth‘s past at some point, even though I have a hunch about her vocation. I like how the author often sets us on wrong tracks until we suddenly understand what exactly is happening or who is involved; it often made me notice that I am still, unfortunately, thinking in a very socially normative (not to say heteronormative, able-bodied, ageist kind of way, because I pride myself on AT THE VERY LEAST noticing if I do and correcting myself; so rather in a pop culturally normalised) way, MILD UNSPOILERY

for example with Donna and Chris. I never would have thought of THAT. And I LOVE IT.

I love when books do that. 

Also, please be aware that while this IS indeed a book about murder old and new, it also talks about lot about transience in life, loss, the pain of living itself, loneliness, estrangement from family members and or friends or lovers, the impact of being oneself on the life one gets to live. Characters are desperate, lonely, tired of living, ill, slowly slipping from their loved ones‘ grasp. It is FULL of heavy topics, so if these things are not something you want with your lighthearted crime solving, skip this. And again, HEED THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. 

Still, even though none of these are topics I actively seek out and or enjoy or usually read willingly if I can avoid them, the descriptions of the TMC‘s members‘ lives actually weirdly give me hope. I am not scared of aging: it is very much a privilege which only few of us get to enjoy. But seeing those wonderful elderly people with all of their pasts and aches and losses just having fun with their friends, accomodating their lives to what they can do and how, and joking about it. I want to be like that later on. 

So yeah, I am very much looking forward to reading the next installment in this series. 
Oh and also, Joyce and Donna teaching Elizabeth how to be modern and and correct and inclusive in her way of speaking? Love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Murder, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Fatphobia

Minor: Animal death

monicabach's review

adventurous emotional funny informative mysterious reflective relaxing tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Loved this! It was a slow start for me but it may have been in part due to a reading slump. Once I got going good, I could not put it down. It’s hilarious and so much fun! I’m glad I have book 2 ready to go.

Content warnings:
Almost no cursing, no sexual content, no graphic violence. Nearly clean as a whistle.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Death

Moderate: Dementia, Murder, and Suicide

lnzava's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Suicide

Moderate: Drug abuse and Alcohol

Minor: Child death

nick_thebucket's review

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I listened to the audiobook instead of reading it so take this with a grain of salt: the writing was just alright.

The characters were very lovable, and for a mystery novel there really weren't that many loose ends.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Grief

Moderate: Body shaming, Terminal illness, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death, Chronic illness, Murder, and Suicide

Minor: Alcohol, Gun violence, Medical content, Abortion, and Child death

bugaboobear's review against another edition

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

The cast of characters were delightful and the soul of the book. It was so refreshing to read about older protagonists having an adventure. The mystery is genuinely quite mysterious and fairly satisfying at the end. I've already picked up the next 2 books and look forward to visiting Coopers Chase again very soon. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Terminal illness, and Murder

Minor: Alcohol, Grief, and Dementia

cooliuscaesar451's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

It starts off slowly but the characters suck you in ❤️ I found myself verklempt time and time again at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Drug use, Grief, Child death, Mental illness, Blood, Classism, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Suicide, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Racism, War, Cancer, Misogyny, and Classism

Minor: Pregnancy, Animal death, Addiction, Homophobia, and Gun violence

oliverreeds's review

emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Murder, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Suicide

jaydub0221's review against another edition

funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Suicide

Moderate: Grief and Blood

Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, Dementia, Pregnancy, Drug use, Medical content, and Alcohol

tabookish's review

emotional funny mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Suicide, and Grief

Moderate: Alcohol and Dementia

Minor: Infidelity, Drug use, and Medical content