A review by emilymhb
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

I really did love this book, to the point where mysteries have earned a place in the five stars reads. This novel took me one or two tries to get into, but when I was finally in the right mood, I absolutely devoured it. The author’s take on a Marple-like trope of the elderly juxtaposing retired life with solving crime was fresh and unique. The diversity of the characters and their backgrounds made them feel like real people you could see in your regular British retirement village. I especially loved Joyce and Ibrahim, who mellowed out the antagonistic and energy of Elizabeth and Ron. They really work together, as do all of the other characters, but DI de Freitas and her unlikely companion (friend?) Chris deserve special mention. Balancing tragedy with joy, dread with relief, and tension with levity, I was impressed by how this book blew me away in just ~350 pages.
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