The Bullet That Missed

Richard Osman has created a fascinating gallery of characters. I honestly never thought I'd be interested in reading about a gang of pensioners solving murders, but thanks to his plotting and ability to give his characters interesting personalities, it works well.

This is my favourite in the popular Thursday Murder Club series, as it cleverly creates scenes of high tension and drama which are still somehow comical.

I love the four main characters, who all live in a retirement village and are all as different as chalk and cheese. But retirement is a great leveler, and the ex-MI6 operative is just as useful at solving crime as the former nurse.

It’s like Agatha Christie meets James Bond.

I adore the ensemble cast of The Thursday Murder Club series.

Four septuagenarians are at the heart of the series—an ex-spy, a union boss, an ex-nurse, and an ex-psychiatrist—each cleverly contributing their unique skills and life experiences to solve cold cases (and in doing so, find themselves in a whole heap of danger).

Like the first two books in the series, this is another five-star read—witty, action-packed, poignant, heartwarming (and sometimes heartbreaking), fun, and super clever.

Richard Osman’s insanely lovable characters are incredibly well-developed and meticulously drawn. The prose crackles with witty banter. And the ingenious twist culminates in a… show more.

Third in a series, these books keep getting better, and that’s saying a lot since I enjoyed the others so much.

A gang of elder sleuths—right up my ally since I write a cozy mystery series with a gaggle of older lady amateur detectives. I love books that show this generation with all their wisdom and gumption, but also with the frailties and fears that come with age.

This book has a murder with no body, two ruthless bad guys turned buddies in the most poignant of ways, lots of tea and cake, and even a new romance.

This is the third in the Thursday Murder Club series. Returning to Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim's antics and friendship is such a joy.

This newest mystery draws a reader right in, and it is such a wonderful escape to follow along as the Thursday Murder Club saves the day (again) and each other. I just love books that show real friendship in all of its quirks.

This book, like its predecessors, does not disappoint! It's a great read for that weekend when you're staying in and want to lose yourself in a story.

This is the third book in Osman’s series about murder-solving senior citizens in a British retirement community.

Each book can stand alone, but I recommend the entire series. Book 4 is due this fall. The group meets every Thursday to solve cold cases as a game, but somehow the current project develops a threat against one of their own and points to a more recent murder. The characters are wonderfully drawn and compelling, individuals with wry humor and touching problems, some due to aging.

Humor, danger, a little romance, and a tangled puzzle I couldn’t detangle kept me riveted through… show more.

Osborne’s books are entertaining, but deal with weighty issues: A spouse with dementia, close friends dying, and the knowledge that their lifespan is coming to a close.

For a cozy mystery, the characters have life-and-death challenges. But their determination to get the most out of the time that is left, and ambition to continue to be useful, gave me a glimpse into how I want to approach old age.

Elizabeth, Stephen, and Bogdon take central stage in this book, and are some of my favorite characters. And a new man from Elizabeth’s past enters the mix and has me rubbing… show more.

This is the 3rd book in the Thursday Murder Club series and it reveals even more of the background of the characters.

It is humorous and clever, but the best thing about it is the wonderful array of characters, all of whom have their own view of the world, but who come together to create a truly fantastic and engaging story. I absolutely loved this book.

Reading this book is like visiting a group of old friends. I’d had a pretty busy couple of weeks and loved jumping back into this story world.

Each of the main characters has a specialty, almost a superpower, that helps them solve the mystery. At its base, this book is a friendship story with a mystery as icing on the cake.

I love the four main human protagonists featured in all the Thursday Murder Club books and liked the addition of Alan the dog.

Though he’s adopted in the previous installment, he really comes into his own in this story. While not an official member of the Murder Club, Alan adds a lot of personality to the story.

I enjoy the rapport between the human characters as well as spending time in a story where some wrongs are righted, while others are understood rather than condemned.

This is the sort of read when you want to have fun and care… show more.