The Thursday Murder Club: (The Thursday Murder Club 1) (The Thursday Murder Club, #1)

by Richard Osman

Lesley Manville (Narrator)

Brought to you by Penguin.

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved killings.

But when a local property developer shows up dead, 'The Thursday Murder Club' find themselves in the middle of their first live case.

The four friends, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?

****

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB

'A superb debut. Thrilling, moving, laugh-out-loud funny and packed with characters you will want to see a LOT more of' Mark Billingham

'Compelling. Mystery fans are going to be enthralled' Harlan Coben

'Smart, compassionate, warm, moving and so VERY funny. I smiled a million times. This book will make a lot of people very, very happy' Marian Keyes

'Funny, clever and achingly British - what else would you expect from a book by Richard Osman?' Adam Kay

'A warm, wise and witty warning never to underestimate the elderly' Val McDermid

'What a joy! Full of brilliantly observed humour, spot-on dialogue and twists and turns aplenty. Joyce and the gang are now my favourite crime-solving team' Nina Stibbe

'Utterly charming and very, very clever. Exactly what you'd expect from Richard Osman writing a crime novel' Sarah Pinborough

© Richard Osman 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

• ISBN10: 0241991021
• ISBN13: 9780241991022
• Publish Date: 3 September 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
• Edition: Unabridged edition
• Format: Audiobook (CD)
• Pages: 1
• Language: English

Reviews

I will admit that this book started a bit slow for me and between Joyce's diary and the other characters perspective it was a bit convoluted but then at some point, I just let that go and found it to be charming, funny and enjoyable. It is a bit far fetched that collectively they are smarter than the detectives and that the detectives would really be sharing evidence and exchange notes with them but once I let go of that, I enjoyed it for the characters. In the end, I found it to be a cozy, fun mystery and I wish Elizabeth, Joyce, Rob and Ibrahim were real people. I'd love to read more of their adventures.

[kimbacaffeinate]

British television presenter and producer Richard Osman wrote The Thursday Murder Club. He delivered a murder mystery that will delight cozy and crime readers alike.

Narrated by Lesley Manville, whose lyrical voice pulled me in from the opening scenes. The story begins when we meet newcomer and former nurse Joyce. She receives an invitation to join the Murder Club from retired DCI Elizabeth. Elizabeth provides the cold cases from her time in the field. It was fascinating seeing them go over files, hunt down leads, and call in favors.

From time to time, the group invite speakers to talk to the group from forensic scientist to the local police department. This is how they come to know PC Donna De Freitas, who is there to talk about scammers, locked windows and emails. She is taken by surprise when the group wants to talk about actual cases.

I loved the humor and diverse dynamics of the club. As we got to know them, the community and surrounds I began to feel like one of the group. Things heat up when the owner of their retirement development is found dead in his home with an old photo pinned to his chest.

This story was charming, and while it had a cozy vibe with its amateur sleuths and idyllic setting, things became more serious in tone when another murder occurs and they find human remains.

I must admit I became caught up in their lives and the investigation. PC Donna I think was taken aback by their investigative skills. Elizabeth was rather clever. The principal characters were quirky, unique and appealing.

Lesley Manville’s narration was delightful. I will continue this series on audio. Her voice and pacing enhanced an already charming tale, giving the characters’ voices that suited their personalities and amplifying the atmospheric and suspenseful undertones. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer