The Thursday Murder Club Book Review: Witty and Charming Mystery Read

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is a murder mystery set in an English retirement village – and it just stole my heart. It was one of the first book I ever loaned from a library. Digital, but it counts, right? The story is both tensed and heartwarming. It truly gets you thinking but makes you emotional as well.

It’s a witty and charming mystery read filled with lovable old mischief-makers. Think of the club as your grandparents forming a detective squad. The characters are unique, with quirks of their own, solving clever murder mysteries.

My Rating:

❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

Witty and charming mystery read.

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What Thursday Murder Club Book is About

The Thursday Murder Club is about four residents of Coopers Chase – Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron. Every Thursday, these elderlies gather to review old, unsolved crimes as part of their “Thursday Murder Club.”

It’s all just a bit of fun and curiosity – until the apartment builder is found murdered one day. Suddenly, the group is right in the middle of a real case. Armed with their collective wits and a few surprise “resources,” this unorthodox gang of detectives sets out to catch the killer.

What Works

Although The Thursday Murder Club is like any other murder mystery (with plenty of suspects and twists), what makes it truly enjoyable are the characters. Those elderly sleuths are sharp, witty and surprisingly endearing. The friendship and banter has a unique charm, bringing the story to life.

The setting of Coopers Chase, too, feels alive – a retirement village that’s somehow more eventful than most cities. Richard Osman’s writing style is quite warm and wacky. He shows older people as clever, resourceful and full of life... and you want to hang out with them. He makes you care deeply about the characters while keeping the mystery engaging.

It's a cosy puzzle, twisty enough to keep you guessing without being overly dark or complex. And by the end, you aren’t just curious about who did it. You want to sit with these characters for tea and gossip about it.

What Falls Short

The story does move at a slower pace than most crime thrillers. So, that’s one thing you might not like. Also, there are a lot of characters and threads in the story. It’s like I’d have to make a detective board and flowchart just to keep everything straight in my head.

The switching between multiple POVs, too, might feel a little disorienting at first. But honestly, once you fall into the rhythm, the leisurely pace feels just right for the book. The Thursday Murder Club book is more about the charm and the puzzle than a heart-pounding mystery.

Is Thursday Murder Club worth reading

Absolutely. The Thursday Murder Club is worth reading. It’s recommended for anyone who enjoys cosy mysteries and light crime thrillers. Even if you don’t usually read mysteries, the warm and witty writing will win you over.

Final Thoughts

The Thursday Murder Club is the kind of book that makes you smile while reading a murder story. It’s smart, funny and full of sweetness. It's not perfectly streamlined, sometimes a bit baggy. And while reading, I wasn’t really sure if I would like to read other books in the series. However, the way the story ended, tying all the loose ends, I feel I might spend some more time with those witty, old characters. Solving another lovely, cosy mystery on a relaxed afternoon.

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