The Bullet That Missed: (The Thursday Murder Club 3)

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Agatha Christie did it but it was always the one eccentric character amongst a cast of nefarious straight stereotypes. But every one of Osman’s huge cast of characters are dotty cuppa-lovers, including the ex-head of the Leningrad KGB no less, a mafia boss, a hardened convicted but inexplicably soul-searching murderess, a multi-billionaire and world’s greatest money launderer/nincompoop, and a supposedly ruthless ex-MI5 agent who shows no signs of jadedness or cynicism lest it distract from her crosswords.

This time round it’s the murder of investigative journalist and news presenter Bethany Waites. To solve the mystery the gang go behind-the-scenes of regional TV, encounter an ex KGB agent and a very tall, bearded Viking (sound familiar?) and get embroiled in the intricacies of money-laundering and cyber currency. It is an ordinary Thursday and things should finally be returning to trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club is concerned. A decade-old cold case leads them to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no a new foe pays Elizabeth a visit. Her mission? be the cold case turns white hot, Elizabeth wrestles with her conscience (and a gun), while Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim chase down clues with help from old friends and new. But can the gang solve the mystery and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again?

It’s the people, in the end, isn’t it?” says Viktor. “It’s always the people. You can move halfway around the world to find your perfect life, move to Australia if you like, but it always comes down to the people you meet.” Consequently there’s no tension and it requires from the reader a willingness to overlook these inconsistencies for the sake of the laughs. And the laughs were there. While Elizabeth wrestles with her conscience (and a gun), Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim chase down the clues with help from old friends and new. But can the gang solve the mystery and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again? I think motive is the problem. With Get Smart the motive was to spoof. With Colombo it was also just one eccentric detective and the motive was whodunit. With Only Murders In The Building the script rightly contained it to the building. Le Carre did the “there’s a good chap” bit but his motive was to emphasise by juxtaposition the murky evils being papered over by cynical world-weary propriety. Richard Osman’s quaint and quirky quartet of seniors have become so real and endearing that they are practically national treasures whilst their antics, adventures and joie de vivre promote positivity in ageing.

THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE RECORD-BREAKING, MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING THURSDAY MURDER CLUB SERIES BY RICHARD OSMAN Those of us who write comic crime are often asked to explain the appeal. We can’t. It all boils down to your attitude to entertainment. If you are happy to let other pens dwell on guilt and misery, you can relax and enjoy this novel, which is superbly entertaining. And of course it’s never just about the laughs. The comedy in The Man Who Died Twice allows for all its characters to be alert to sobering realities: of time running out; of losing loved ones to death or dementia; of feeling physically unsafe in the modern world; of grown-up children finding you stupid and tiresome. It’s this self-awareness that grounds Osman’s characters, and makes us look forward to seeing them again. I would only add on a personal note that it’s a particular challenge to read this book while attempting a sugar-free diet. I managed to steel myself to all the Twixes, but the throwaway reference to chocolate fingers on p284 nearly broke me. In the third Thursday Murder Club book a decade old murder cold case with no body has caught the attention of our favorite retirees. If that’s not enough excitement, Elizabeth is being tasked with murdering a man or else Joyce’s life will be on the line. The crew will lead us to a slew of interesting locations and individuals as they attempt to solve the case. This line is not in the book but it could’ve been: “How about a cuppa as you wrench my fingernails out with pliers, there’s a good chap”.THE FOURTH NOVEL IN THE RECORD-BREAKING, MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING THURSDAY MURDER CLUB SERIES BY RICHARD OSMAN Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club is concerned. A decade-old cold case leads them to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers. But Osman’s motive is simply to entertain and show off his witty one-liner skills. So it’s compromised by reaching unnecessarily far into worlds where the characters end up inconsistent with the worlds to which they’re supposed to belong. The third book in the record-breaking Thursday Murder Club series from British national treasure Richard Osman.