prettylittlewriter

 Mr Osman has outdone himself with The Man Who Died Twice. I was thoroughly impressed with his debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club, as I thought it was an incredibly unique idea, with some very interesting characters. But dare I say it; his second novel is even better.

Synopsis

‘Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.

As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?

But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?’

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK for giving me the opportunity to read this novel before publication date (although my review is a few days later!).

After the first novel introduced us well to each of the eccentric and witty characters, we dive straight back into Coopers Chase from Joyce’s initial perspective, with a curious letter that Elizabeth has received from an old friend. Turns out, this old friend is actually an ex-husband, whom she used to work with at MI5, and he’s gotten himself into a spot of bother with some stolen diamonds.

The murder club springs into action, with some hilarious and remarkable scenarios along the way.

I absolutely adore each and every character in this novel (besides the obvious baddies). Joyce is sassy and a little self-absorbed, Elizabeth is badass, Ibrahim is a sweetheart that needs protecting, and Ron is a hardman, with an exterior of steel but a softie on the inside. Each of them are unique and cleverly written, and it genuinely feels like each character is speaking to you as a reader.

I also love the character of Bogdan, who drops everything to help our murder club out, and also to keep Elizabeth’s husband company.

You were kept in suspense throughout, with so many twists and turns that leave you guessing until the very end as to whodunit. The characters are also very unreliable due to the first person narrative, so you cannot be sure to believe them until it is proven to be true.

I cannot recommend this novel enough, there were so many laugh out loud moments, moments of heartbreak and anger, that helped me finish the book in just two days. I would even say you don’t necessarily need to read the first novel to enjoy it, but you do get a better sense of the characters by doing so.

Even though the scenarios within this novel are very wild and probably not something that would happen in real life (Would police officers really help elderly people frame someone for drug trafficking?), it doesn’t take away from any of the enjoyment of it. It is pure fictional hilarity.

I am looking forward to reading more from the Thursday Murder Club, and may they continue to be just as hilarious!

5/5 stars

ps. How STUNNING is this special edition with stencilled edges by Goldsboro?!