Item: The Man Who Died Twice
Rating: 4.00
Author: quirkycat

by Richard Osman

The second installment in the beloved and New York Times bestselling series from Richard Osman, also author of We Solve Murders

“It’s taken a mere two books for Richard Osman to vault into the upper leagues of crime writers. . . The Man Who Died Twice. . . dives right into joyous fun."
—The New York Times Book Review

Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim—the Thursday Murder Club—are still riding high off their recent real-life murder case and are looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet at Cooper’s Chase, their posh retirement village.

But they are out of luck.

An unexpected visitor—an old pal of Elizabeth’s (or perhaps more than just a pal?)—arrives, desperate for her help. He has been accused of stealing diamonds worth millions from the wrong men and he’s seriously on the lam.

Then, as night follows day, the first body is found. But not the last. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are up against a ruthless murderer who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can our four friends catch the killer before the killer catches them? And if they find the diamonds, too? Well, wouldn’t that be a bonus? You should never put anything beyond the Thursday Murder Club.

Richard Osman is back with everyone’s favorite mystery-solving quartet, and the second installment of the Thursday Murder Club series is just as clever and warm as the first—an unputdownable, laugh-out-loud pleasure of a read.

Book Summary:

Amy Wheeler is a private security officer, which is basically a fancy way of saying she protects (and kills) people for a living. She doesn’t mind the job. It lets her travel the world and meet new people.

Unfortunately, Amy seems to be in a bit of a pickle. Someone is trying to frame and/or kill her, which will make protecting her latest client a bit more challenging. Thankfully, her father-in-law is an investigator, so he can hopefully help her solve the case before it’s too late.

My Review:

When I saw that We Solve Murders was the first in a series (of the same name), I knew I had to try it. I’ve been looking for a new mystery series to get hooked on, and I was hoping it would be this one.

There’s a lot to love about this story. First, there are three main perspectives: Steve, Amy, and, ironically, Amy’s client, Rosie. There’s also a view from the killer occasionally, but I never enjoy those as much (I’m weird, I know).

Steve is a reclusive private investigator, Amy is a bodyguard who enjoys adventure, and Rosie is a famous writer who’s always looking for something fun. They’re an odd combination, but it works.

While I enjoyed the overall story, mystery, and characters, I have to admit that the reveal was a bit disappointing. It came out of nowhere, but I may have missed the obvious cues. Despite not loving the big bad of the story, it was a worthwhile and fun read.

Having read We Solve Murders, I can safely say that I will be doing my best to follow up on the rest of the series. Hopefully, BOTM will land a deal for the sequels.

Highlights:
Beginning of a Mystery Series
Cozy Mystery
Multiple Perspectives

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The Man Who Died Twice

by Richard Osman

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Dec 30, 2024

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