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A review by bzliz
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This was a surprisingly charming whodunnit featuring a cast of elderly amateur detectives. If you’re looking for a high octane thriller with shootouts and car chases, this is not the book for you. It really captured the parts I love about mysteries- the intrigue and the clue following- without the stress of being genuinely concerned for anyone’s health or safety. There were so many little threads that tied up into a beautiful bow by the end. I was giving some running commentary to my fiance and I even cheered out loud at the end of part 1 when Ian Ventham was killed. He sucked so much and I was so bummed that Tony was the initial murder victim rather than Ian.
The world feels rich and well populated around our four heroes- Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim & Ron- and their two police contacts, Donna and Chris. They all have distinct voices and bring something special to the crew. That said- this book has a lot of side characters. Despite reading this in essentially one sitting, I had a tough time keeping some of them straight. From other residents of the retirement community to family members to cops and suspects and possible set ups for later books in the series, it was a lot to keep straight.
And I was honestly shocked by how many deaths that factor in to the plot even just a little bit (full spoilers):Annie (the cold case from the beginning), Tony, Ian, the extra body in the grave (that turns out to be Peter, the boyfriend who killed Annie), Bernard’s wife, Bernard, Sister Maggie (Father Mackie’s pregnant nun lover), the boy Tony killed, the cab driver Johnny killed, Johnny himself (maybe), Penny & John. I guess that’s what you get when the cast has 7-8 decades of secrets they’re keeping. I can’t wait to continue this series!
The world feels rich and well populated around our four heroes- Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim & Ron- and their two police contacts, Donna and Chris. They all have distinct voices and bring something special to the crew. That said- this book has a lot of side characters. Despite reading this in essentially one sitting, I had a tough time keeping some of them straight. From other residents of the retirement community to family members to cops and suspects and possible set ups for later books in the series, it was a lot to keep straight.
And I was honestly shocked by how many deaths that factor in to the plot even just a little bit (full spoilers):
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Grief