connorfrown 's review for:

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

5.0

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One of the last few books I’ll read this year and in many ways maybe my favorite book I’ve read this year. Osman’s writing is accessible but clever much how he comes across in general. The mystery(s) at the center are similarly clever and their presentation to the reader plays enough with our genre fans theorizing that I found myself surprised when certain guesses panned out and others didn’t. Despite being a good mystery, however, the far and away draw is the characters. Osman with his group of retirees crafts a whole group of would be Ms Marple’s unafraid of abusing their status and peoples preconceived notions of them to scheme and solve crimes. Each aided by their unique talents and lively backgrounds. Each character is uniquely lovable but it is perhaps even more the way Osman treats these characters that makes this book so wonderful. While being an unflinching glimpse of aging and the tragedies of this Osman is stunningly tender in his portrayal of lifelong regrets, secrets, the incredible lengths people will go to for the person they’ve loved for fifty years. It is an immensely empathetic book of a kind I’ve perhaps never seen in a mystery novel. Truly I loved it.

My whole family has devoured this series this year with me being the last on the bandwagon. I look forward to many more adventures with my friends.