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.
The author...blends in many of his own unique touches that render the proceedings fiendishly clever and brilliantly funny. The whole narrative is held together and driven forward by its perfectly formed characters ... a compelling whodunit complete with red herrings, unexpected twists, and a pair of police officers who, despite their best efforts, always manage to be one step behind their amateur counterparts. At the same time, and without reducing any of his carefully built-up momentum, Osman allows his main characters to experience senior moments or reflect on growing old. There is regular humor but also bouts of tragicomedy...and moments of real poignancy.
Humor is everywhere, and it is very British—smart and a little prickly—but it would not be lost on an American audience. The wit and the plot will bring readers back for more of this series ... The Thursday Murder Club is a mystery, but it can also be seen as a novel about friendship and longing and coming to terms with who we are, making it much more substantive than your average whodunit.
... a fast, and at times, hilarious read. Osman has done an outstanding job of bringing his characters to life and making them as individual as if they were real. This is definitely a read for a cold, rainy night with a cup of tea and some scones.
