Book Thoughts: Thursday Murder Club Series Review (Books 1-3)
Trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club is concerned, and I can’t get enough! Featuring three installments (The Thursday Murder Club (4 stars), The Man Who Died Twice (5 stars), and The Bullet That Missed (5 stars)) with a fourth set to release this week (The Last Devil to Die — out September 19, 2023), the Thursday Murder Club is an entertaining cozy mystery series that offers a fresh, fun take on the crime fiction and thriller genres. When I stumbled upon and started reading the first book a couple years ago, I had no idea I was about to immerse myself in what would become one of my favorite fictional worlds, solving crimes and cold case murders in the Jigsaw Room at Cooper’s Chase Retirement Facility with my septuagenarian friends Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron (aka the Thursday Murder Club).
One thing I love about the Thursday Murder Club is its delightful cast of characters. They’re witty, quirky, and unique, quite literally some of my all-time favorite book people. The main four have completely different backgrounds, yet all share a common passion: Elizabeth, an ex-spy and the founding member of the Thursday Murder Club, is a manipulative and deceptive force of nature, someone who always gets what she wants, when she wants it; Joyce, a former nurse, is kind, clever, and inquisitive, easily the most relatable of the group (precious like a grandmother, too); Ibrahim, an ex-psychiatrist, is quiet and more soft-spoken, but intuitive and smart (the Thursday Murder Club’s silent threat); and Ron, a former union activist, is an opinionated, practical, and passionate straight shooter who’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get out on the front lines.
The side characters are quite lovable too. Early in the first book, the Thursday Murder Club befriends two police officers, Chris and Donna, hoping to get a few extra clues to hone in on potential suspects for a murder they’re working to solve. Chris and Donna try to shake them off, but quickly learn that the Thursday Murder Club can’t and won’t be ignored; they’re diligent and swift, always working two steps ahead of the competition. Chris and Donna eventually make nice with the Thursday Murder Club and the banter between the groups adds so much comedic flare. Along with Chris and Donna, other fan favorites from the first book — like Bogdan (a contractor and friend of the Thursday Murder Club) and Stephen (Elizabeth’s husband) — carryover into the second and third books. Then, some of the new characters from the second book also carryover to the third. By the third book, there are many characters and interweaving webs, but it’s so dang entertaining!
What’s not to love about four retired friends banding together to solve crimes? They meddle in police investigations, put their noses in things they shouldn’t, and often find themselves intertwined in dangerous situations with dangerous criminals. But they’re the Thursday Murder Club which means they’ve got it handled. Author Richard Osman makes it so much fun to solve crimes alongside Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron. I love a book that keeps me guessing and the Thursday Murder Club series does just that.
I like to keep things spoiler free, so I’m not going to share any specific book details or plot lines. But do expect to find lots of complex murder mysteries, blackmail, stolen diamonds, ex lovers, money laundering, drugs, guns, Joyce’s diary entries (the best), and characters that feel like friends. The Thursday Murder Club is a truly heartwarming series I’m so glad I read. If you haven’t read the Thursday Murder Club series, you’re really missing out. Three solid books in the series (soon to be four!), each one better than the last. Grab yourself a copy now!
P.S. — The Last Devil to Die should arrive in my mailbox tomorrow and it’s number 1 on my fall reading list.
Enjoy!
JBW