A review by oxfordcommas91
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

3.5

A perfect cozy mystery that you want to read while curled up with a steaming hot mug of tea. (British of course, with milk and sugar). Much in the same vein as “Only Murders in the Building,” or “Vera Wang’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers,” this book follows a group of four friends (and a large supporting cast, which honestly could have been cut down some…) living in a swanky British retirement village as they try to solve murders. Little do they know that they’ll be up to their necks in dead bodies in just a wink. 

With plenty of witty banter and heartwarming moments, this book was generally enjoyable and hit the right notes. I loved all the characters and the author did a beautiful job of really bringing them to light. We’ve all known retirees like Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Rob, and Joyce. Each with their own spin on their detective work, the murder club follows the twists and turns of the bodies piling up around them. 

There are some decent red herrings and good twists throughout, but I wasn’t in suspense. I wanted to know what happened to our fabulous foursome more than I cared about who the murderer was, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a terrible thing. 

The short chapters and fast pacing of this book made it easy to read and make quick work of. There were some unexpected heartwarming moments and a decent number of sweet conversations that happened as a result of the age and life experiences of our characters, a unique and lovely addition. 

I didn’t know when I started reading that this was a series. I’m not sure I desperately need a second book but I’m going to read it anyway, and will look forward to visiting Coopers Chase retirement village again in the near future! 
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