The Thursday Murder Club

Locations
Call Number: Mystery / Osman, Richard, Adult Book / Fiction / Mystery / General / Osman, Richard
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Traverwood Branch

"In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. There's Red Ron, the infamous former socialist firebrand, still causing trouble; gentle Joyce, widowed, pining for another resident, but surely not as innocent as she seems; Ibrahim, a former therapist who undersands the darker side of human nature; and Elizabeth? Well, no one is quite sure who she really is, but she's definitely not a woman to underestimate. When a local developer is found dead, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. The friends might be septuagenarians, but they are cleverer than most. Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before its too late?

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

cozy up with The Thursday Murder Club submitted by camelsamba on July 23, 2021, 2:44pm It’s not often that the mystery series I read are laugh-out-loud funny, but this one is. It started on the first page: “Then she asked me to imagine this girl had been stabbed there or four times, just under the breastbone. In and out, in and out, very nasty, but without severing an artery. She was fairly quiet about the whole thing, because people were eating, and she does have some boundaries.” Even the first paragraph of the Acknowledgements made me laugh!

One of the reasons I laughed so much is that I could imagine my own parents, when they were in an independent living senior community, having these kinds of conversations. Not so much the solving murders angle, but just a group of elderly people, relying on their life experience and expertise, trying to solve problems and entertain one another. (And yes, the author relied on tropes of forgetfulness and physical frailty and etc in the elderly, but it always came across to me as a gentle acknowledgement, not belittling.)

Now granted, some of the situations force you to suspend disbelief, but you’re willing to do that, because you’ve come to admire and perhaps even love the members of The Thursday Murder Club. I certainly hope we get to spend more time with them. I wish my mother could have read it.

Old Folks Having Fun submitted by hiker15 on August 14, 2021, 8:03pm Seniors in a retirement home figure out a murder. But the fun in the story is how they have fun doing it. When I am a senior, I would like to be as alive as the characters in this story are (and not just sitting around waiting for life to pass me by). This book was a really good read (particularly if you are looking for a book to read in the winter-time and you just want a light, entertaining read).

Fun and thought provoking submitted by suttonp on July 9, 2022, 12:03pm As a senior mystery reader, I enjoyed the gang at the home who haven't given up yet. This book was a satisfying mystery as well as a realistic portrayal of senior citizens. Highly recommend!

Great! submitted by emroon on July 15, 2022, 2:22pm To be fair I read this book while I had COVID so my confusion about the ending might not be the authors’ fault. If you like fun mysteries, Agatha Christie etc. you’ll like this it was funny and quirky and kept me on my toes.

Fantastic fun submitted by mandevil on February 25, 2023, 9:20pm Really well done!

Great story submitted by Xris on June 17, 2023, 3:24pm Hard to get into at first, but great story with lots of twists and turns. I'd like to read more of them and get this again for my MIL to read

Fun Mystery submitted by JennJenn on July 6, 2023, 9:20am While this is a murder mystery, it is a fun story with engaging characters. My favorite quote from the book, "In life you have to learn to count the good days, you have to tuck them in your pocket and carry them around with you. So, I'm putting today in my pocket and I'm off to bed."

Wonderful submitted by Mtadams on July 10, 2023, 7:18am Absolutely loved this! Fun and entertaining, but makes less nervous about getting older

fun, cozy, mystery!! submitted by katiefurms on June 13, 2024, 10:24pm i loved this book. the mystery is captivating but the characters are so lovable that it's not as scary as some murder mystery novels could be. I really loved this, can't wait to read the next one!

Old people can still have fun! submitted by kdmilliner on June 15, 2024, 3:38pm I am not much of a murder mystery lover, but this book gripped me with its humor and constant twists in the plot. I now recommend it to anyone who will listen!

Great submitted by saleder on July 7, 2024, 11:20am Very well-written and engaging. It's not often you find that your protagonists are pensioners living in an upscale senior living development. The story rambles at times, but I fell in love with the club members. I especially appreciate Osman's sensitivity around Stephen's condition and also his humor and understanding that older people can continue to make contributions. Check out the other 3 in this series - marvelous!

As good as everyone says. submitted by Emily LB on July 18, 2024, 1:26pm This series lives up to all the hype. I think I read all 4 books within 2.5 weeks. But this first one is the best. The characters are quirky, hilarious, and lovable. And the mysteries are top notch!

love this series! submitted by gw on August 8, 2024, 3:13pm I love the characters, the mystery sucks me in, and I laughed out loud many times throughout the book. Highly recommend.

Great on audio submitted by winterpeony on August 14, 2024, 6:28pm Highly recommend listening to this one on audio. I felt like I was part of the gang!

Fun characters submitted by lballard on August 17, 2024, 6:31am This mystery has fun likable characters, and a realistic view of aging that gives one hope that it can be great fun.

A pleasant read, but it lacks momentum submitted by emaelshaikh on June 12, 2025, 11:35am It was enjoyable, but it just dragged on a bit. There wasn't enough momentum to keep the story moving, so I often forget to go back and read it. The plot got a little too convoluted and the reveal was hard to be invested in

Fantastic fun submitted by LaurenRJ on June 23, 2025, 10:12pm I absolutely love this crew of characters. I want to be part of their club. Enjoy the mystery, humor, and warmth of this fantastic, fun, and incredibly funny book.

Family Book Club Pick submitted by kyleohara on June 28, 2025, 1:45pm My whole family enjoyed this book together! A real crowd pleaser for people who like cozy mysteries.

Amazing submitted by Nu on July 5, 2025, 1:53pm Such a great start to a wonderful series.

Wholesome and Funny submitted by mlugin on July 11, 2025, 10:24am For a book about murder this is very touching. It's about aging, family, friends, and grief. Can't recommend enough.

Read it! submitted by acsweetman on July 15, 2025, 6:52pm The characters are great. The dialogue is funny. The mystery is worthy of your time.

Great Characters! submitted by zozozoe16 on July 28, 2025, 3:07pm This is a great read. It leads into an awesome story. The characters are compelling despite the age difference from me as the reader. I felt that the mystery wasn't too predictable. The writing is great.

Fun cozy and clever series submitted by kaitlinraimi on August 8, 2025, 4:56pm If you like Anthony Horowitz or Ellly Griffith, you’ll love these

Excellent cozy mystery submitted by alisonjwang on August 10, 2025, 5:03pm Richard Osman has done a great job writing characters that you want to root for. They’re endearing yet flawed. The mystery felt complete, not predictable, and without holes. It was easy to get into and compelling from start to finish. I’m looking forward to seeing the Netflix adaptation!

Delightful! submitted by VeraSchwankl on August 10, 2025, 7:05pm Definitely solidly in the "cozy mystery" subgenre for me. Excellent twists and turns. It's not taking itself too seriously, and the characters are fun and quirky and well-developed. Also, I love so much that the name of the vegan cafe in town is Anything With A Pulse.

Very entertaining submitted by SusanS on August 21, 2025, 3:37pm Great characters with a good mystery to solve. I enjoyed this very much!

A Charming and Witty Debut submitted by rohansachar on August 22, 2025, 7:08am Richard Osman's "The Thursday Murder Club" is a delightful and clever mystery that introduces a cast of endearing septuagenarian sleuths. The novel is filled with sharp wit, genuine warmth, and a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. It's the perfect blend of a cozy mystery and a character-driven story.

Engaging but a Bit Busy submitted by arpitashah on August 22, 2025, 7:08am While the characters in "The Thursday Murder Club" are undeniably the highlight, the plot can feel a bit convoluted at times with its many threads and red herrings. Nevertheless, the charm of the four main characters and their amusing antics make it an enjoyable and entertaining read. It’s a solid start to a promising series.