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A review by lfp_reading
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Richard Osman had a promising debut with The Thursday Murder Club. The cast of primarily elderly characters was so far removed from any characters I've read before, but I was entranced by every member of the main 'gang' and loved getting inside their minds as the mystery unfolded.
My biggest issue with the book was its length: I felt it could have been 50-100 pages shorter. There were too many turns and red herrings and, at times, a total lack of trust in the reader to follow along without shoehorning in a new character's perspective to over-explain a point.
There were also frequent mentions of a character's weight and calorie consumption. I understand this as a plot device if it's essential to a book, but it felt completely unnecessary in this case. This is a personal trigger that wouldn't bother everyone, but I think it's worth mentioning.
Overall though, it was a really fun listen. I've been told this series gets better as it goes on, so I'll definitely keep the rest of the series in my audiobook library for future listening, and I look forward to seeing how Osman's writing has developed!
My biggest issue with the book was its length: I felt it could have been 50-100 pages shorter. There were too many turns and red herrings and, at times, a total lack of trust in the reader to follow along without shoehorning in a new character's perspective to over-explain a point.
There were also frequent mentions of a character's weight and calorie consumption. I understand this as a plot device if it's essential to a book, but it felt completely unnecessary in this case. This is a personal trigger that wouldn't bother everyone, but I think it's worth mentioning.
Overall though, it was a really fun listen. I've been told this series gets better as it goes on, so I'll definitely keep the rest of the series in my audiobook library for future listening, and I look forward to seeing how Osman's writing has developed!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Sexism, Dementia, and Grief