The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Richard Osman 

My love for crime fiction is not limited to Netflix docu series. I occasionally also pick up a book to feed in the craving for drama and murder (literary of course). What could be more literary or full of crime, suspense, drama and murder, than the inconsequential but intriguing Thursday Murder club. A bevvy of crime enthusiasts like me who are more interested in the gory lives of others to spice up their own boring life.

A bunch of oldies in a retirement home hold a Book club of sorts where the discuss past unsolved murders and explore the possible suspects behind the same. An ex cop, one a nurse, a psychologist, they bring their respective expertise. The twist happens when actually murder happens in their own proximity and gives them a chance to prove their mettle in resolving it. The police is inconsequential as they need to go by rules while the murder club use their harmless personal shooting in the dark and using much manipulation. 

It’s a typical British who dunnit and would be equal fun if made into a movie. I can already imagine a couple of ageing characters from The Crown, Harry Potter or Game of thrones playing the leads. 

Spoiler alert (read further at your risk) If you are true crime aficionado then may be this one is not for you. There are no psychotic killers or deep motives. The murderer could be anyone and someone so close that it seems imposed. That’s what I felt when the murderer was revealed and as a reader I thought the club was smartest of the lot. 

No great lines, just a good read on a stress free holiday. Enjoy! 

Sharing one excerpt, because it makes me wish to have a friendship like this - Penny’s shampoo smells of rose and jasmine and Elizabeth buys it at the shop on site. They stopped selling it for a while, but Elizabeth paid them a visit and they changed their mind.