‘Exceeds expectations.’ That’s a phrase that I am now confident applies to Richard Osman’s work on his Thursday Murder Club series. Exceedingly fun; gently creative, whilst coloring (mostly) within the lines of how these sorts of things are expected to be done. A panoply of interesting characters, with so few disappointments, and those few so minor, that one happily ignores the small flaws here and there. The best works all have a maker’s mark that perfection would never allow, don’t they?
Osman’s books are smart, clever (no, those are decidedly NOT the same thing), fun, and oddly uplifting. Don’t believe this last? Read this book, and then ask yourself if you don’t have a greater fondness for men named Ibrahim and Bogdan than you did before. And women named Joyce. I won’t mention Elizabeth, because she doesn’t need the help.
It’s an injustice to Osman to say that his series fits well within the Agatha Christie thriller/mystery genre, for it suggests that Christie outranks him. And that’s only true to the extent that she wrote more than Osman has (so far), and did it first. But with regard to quality of output, Osman more than holds his own. If I were trapped by a blizzard in a remote cabin, with only two books there to read, one by la grande dame herself, the other by Osman, I’d pick up Osman first.
Osman is not a producer of Great Literature, a la Tolstoy, Steinbeck, Pamuk, Helprin, or Stendahl. He produces lighter fare, but doesn’t do so carelessly, and to say Osman’s not part of the Pantheon is really just to say that damned good work doesn’t necessarily qualify as stuff for the Hall of Fame. His work is well crafted, nicely paced; the characters clearly drawn, distinct, memorable; the plot tight, parts well-joined. Meant to be stimulating, pleasant, and humorous without ever being too much to bear. Very highly recommended.
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Complex, feisty seniors solve complicated crimes
“The Man Who Died Twice” (Thursday Murder Club #2) by Richard Osman. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Cozy Mystery. Location: England, in the heart of the Kentish Weald. Time: Present.Head 15 miles out of Fairfield, past an old phone booth, the farm shop and the wooden bus stop, and take a right turn before the bridge. This brings you to a convent repurposed as Cooper’s Chase Retirement Village, home of the Thursday Murder Club: Joyce, former nurse, diary keeper, and expert at blending in; Elizabeth, former secret military (spy? agent?-she’ll never tell); Ibrahim, psychiatrist who still has his files and patient chair; and Ron, former firebrand union activist. These spirited seniors are more complex than you might think, and - criminals beware - they take no prisoners!In book 1, the 4 friends solved the murder of a shady local developer in a collaboration with local Deputy Constable Donna De Freitas and her boss DCI Chris Hudson. Well, Donna and Chris didn’t think of it in quite the same way.Now, in book 2, a mysterious man appears from Elizabeth’s past, Ibrahim is violently mugged, diamonds disappear, crime bosses appear, Joyce wants a dog, Ron disguises himself, and we learn much more about Elizabeth’s time as a spy. Meanwhile DC Donna’s mother is now dating Donna’s boss, Chris, so he plays a bigger, and likable, role.Book 2 is even more charming than book 1, and as full of humor, compassion, and yes, multiple murders. There is no condescension or pity toward senior citizens. It plays against ageist stereotypes, while acknowledging the realities and frailties of old age. The characters are more complex as we get to know them better, and it’s 5 stars from me 🌵📚👩🏼🦳.”
Top reviews from other countries
Jochanan de Graaf
A master mix of wit, love, crime , philosophy, and the subtlest humour.
Reviewed in the Netherlands on February 25, 2024