The Thursday Murder Club and Friends!
You may ask yourself why there’s a picture of two empty seats to start this month’s My Favorite Things column. Although the book in the middle should give you a clue!
If you’re a regular reader of this column, you’ll know that I’ve already recommended two books in the series by British writer Richard Osman, based around the clever crime-solving retirement-home residents in the Thursday Murder Club.
If not, you can catch up on my thoughts on book 1 in the series, The Thursday Murder Club, here: https://annacampbell.com/my-favorite-things/2021-2/february-2021/ And on book 3 in the series, The Bullet That Missed, here: https://annacampbell.com/my-favorite-things/2022-2/december-2022/
I’ve had a bit of a Richard Osman feast recently. Not only have I read the latest installment in the Thursday Murder Club series, I’ve been to a wonderful talk the author gave at the Brisbane City Hall. It was brilliant to see him in the flesh and laugh at his dry sense of humor! He’s one of those clever, ridiculously charming Englishmen, a little like the rakes who populate many of my novels!
For an hour, Mr. Osman held the packed audience enthralled as he talked about the true-life retirement village where his mum lives, the place that inspired his bestselling stories. He also talked about his life as a quiz show host on the beloved BBC show Pointless. There were some touching moments as he spoke about his beloved grandfather, once a Brighton policeman, who gradually declined into the fog of dementia. His grandfather was the man who awoke the young Richard’s interest in crime and police procedurals. All terrifically fascinating!
If you get the chance to see Richard Osman live, jump at the chance! My only complaint is that he disappeared off the stage at the end so quickly that I failed to get a picture of him rather than just his chair. That’s a good excuse to go back and see him again, I think!
Now for a few words on the latest book in The Thursday Murder Club series, The Last Devil to Die.
While I enjoyed all three previous books in the series, the first one remained my favorite because it was just so fresh and funny and full of unexpected twists and turns. But this latest one comes close to that first installment. Largely because it has such an enormous amount of heart.
Mr. Osman has never shied away from the fact that the protagonists, charming and clever as they may be, are all at advanced ages. The poignancy of coming to the end of a long life when there’s still so much more to be done and seen and loved and enjoyed is front and center here. I always laugh when I read a Thursday Murder Club book. This time round, I found myself getting choked up as well.
These books have taken the world by storm and I can see why. If you haven’t read them, why not pick up the first one, The Thursday Murder Club? I guarantee you’re in for an enjoyable ride!
