The Thursday Murder Club

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (2020 Penguin-Viking softcover 385pp)

 

I’ve never read a great deal of crime ‘whodunnit’ fiction really. A bit of a blind spot in my reading perhaps, although I have kept up with the occasional series such as Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole, and the Millennium series books by Stieg Larsson (and the lesser continuations). Of course, some of the classics like Sherlock Holmes have also passed my way. But the typical cosey murder mystery novel hasn’t ever really appealed to me. Which is strange as I do find myself watching quite a few television crime dramas, never mind.

This is Richard Osman’s first book. Previously I only knew him as the tall, lanky guest on several UK TV Panel games. It seems he’s struck gold as this book was the Christmas 2020 best-seller there.

The Thursday Murder Club is probably not a typical murder mystery – there are several murders and a great deal of mystery but the whole thing is wound up into an irresistible whimsical yet bitter-sweet package which seems to be a fresh take on the genre (to this reader at least).

We meet a group of retirees at what sounds like a luxurious retirement village who (like the title suggests) get together on Thursdays to mull over old unsolved murders. Soon a fresh murder lands on their doorstep and the game is afoot.

A local builder is bludgeoned to death in his own kitchen. Is the vainglorious manager of the village responsible? Will the Police find a culprit or even a motive? The Murder Club mounts its own investigation as the bodies start to pile up.

The group is expertly led by the ever-resourceful Elizabeth who seems to have a murky background in the security services (exactly what she did is only hinted at). Former nurse Joyce is good with people, seems naive but shouldn’t be underestimated. Ron, a former union agitator takes more direct action and Ibrahim is good with facts and figures.

Each of these characters are well-rounded and given plenty to do that advances the plot. Minor characters, mainly the police and suspects are also well-drawn by Osman. Things are seen from several points of view, some chapters being entries from Joyce’s diary while others are more typical third-person narrative. Along with the murder mysteries that form the main plot there’s plenty of time for aspects of modern life to be skewered. Its quite a joy to read and you can’t help feeling great pleasure as the club runs rings around the local police again.

Before the end there are multiple twists and secrets galore revealed but also life goes on for the residents and some of the charm of the story is them having to deal with their living situations whilst also doing the extraordinary.

As you can tell I quite enjoyed this book, a fun undemanding yet surprising read as the year winds down.

 

Confessions of a Bookseller

Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell (2019 Profile Books hardcover 328pp)

(Reread)

 

I first read this book in August 2019, a few weeks after it was first published. It was eagerly awaited and I devoured it in a couple of sittings before going back and re reading the proceeding volume Diary of a Bookseller (2017).

The concept is simple - a year of diary entries covering life and business in a secondhand bookshop located in rural Scotland. Somehow with his charm and humour Bythell manages to totally immerse you in his somewhat hectic life. Reading the book again now is like visiting old friends for a little while. While amusing enough, his latest book about customer types failed to hit the same spot with me. I can only hope a new volume of journal entries await us in the coming year. I know a lot has happened in Bythell’s life since the period covered in this book (2015). A welcome repeat visit for me but you probably should start with the first book if not already a fan.

 

Paper Girls Deluxe Edition Volume 3

Paper Girls Deluxe Edition Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang (2020 Image Comics hardcover 320pp)

First of all, this is the third collected volume of what was originally a monthly comic. So, don’t start here expecting to understand what’s going on. It has been about 18 months since I read the previous volumes and I was still scratching my head trying to remember what had happened and who was who.

Basically, the plot involves a group of four girls in their early teenage years who get involved in a war between time-travelling factions. In the process they save the world a few times and learn the value of friendship. They come from the late 1980s but soon find themselves leaping forwards and back in time as they get separated, meet various versions of themselves, dangerous strangers and eventually reunite. It has been compared to the Netflix show “Stranger Things” but I think it’s a bit more ‘hard’ sci-fi than that effort.

To me this volume seemed a little bit more pedestrian than what I remember of the earlier books – less action and more talking heads. Things get resolved and normality is restored...or is it? The artwork and layout remains excellent. Get the first volumes or trades and enjoy.