Richard Osman: author is the latest iteration of this talented and multi-faceted man. Starting his career in 1995, Osman has been successfully enmeshed in British radio and TV both on and off camera. His credits are too numerous to mention here but suffice to say, his creative juices are now focused on literary endeavours and I am delighted with what he has created so far.

The Thursday Murder Club is the first of three books in the series with a fourth to be added in the next year or so. Set in the luxury retirement village, Cooper’s Crossing, near Kent, England, the stories revolve around the lives of four main characters who find themselves meeting in the Jigsaw Room of their villa on Thursdays to discuss recent and cold case murders. Elizabeth Best, whose history is somewhat hazy but seems to have connections to MI5/MI6, is the presumed leader of this zany group of elderly detectives. Elizabeth’s skills are bolstered by the enthusiasm of Joyce Meadowcroft, a sweet widow who longs for love; and rounding out the group are Ron Ritchie, a former socialist antagonist; and Ibrahim Arif, a former therapist with a sweet gentle disposition. 

In this first book, the group is drawn together after a local developer is found dead in Cooper’s Chase. As residents, they feel a responsibility to get to the bottom of the crime and to prevent further mayhem from occurring. They are able to enlist the help of two police officers who unwittingly become party to their Club meetings and provide valuable information to the senior Sherlocks.

In the next instalment, The Man Who Died Twice, the four septuagenarian sleuths find themselves dealing with very nasty characters who have no compunction about killing anyone who prevents them from their ultimate goal: finding the millions of dollars of diamonds stolen by an old friend of Elizabeth’s from whom he is seeking help.

The Bullet That Missed, the third book, has the group trying to resolve a ten-year-old murder: a case that leads them to prison cells, luxury penthouses, TV show audiences and social media to aid them in their quest. These stories are all delivered with terrific wit, charm, humour and big-heartedness! AND… the rights for the first book have been purchased by Steven Spielberg! So, hopefully, soon we will be able to watch these zany characters come alive on the big screen.