The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

A friend of Stephen's, Kuldesh , is an antiques dealer. He knows that antique shops are sometimes sites of drug pickups but he'd prefer his not be one of them. Of course, when a gentleman comes in with a box full of heroin, Kuldesh also knows not to refuse. It is this box that will lead to Kuldesh's death and the involvement of the Thursday Murder Club. 

We are introduced to any number of new characters in this book but, if you've read other books in the series, it will not feel overwhelming. There are drug smugglers, antique forgers, a gentleman named Bob (Computer Bob) who helps out when Mervyn falls for an online scam, and a fox that is comes toward Stephen and Elizabeth's apartment every night. There are also a number of deaths including at least one character we've grown to love.

Lots of emotions wrung out in this book. Delightful as always. 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out September 19, 2023

Follows The Bullet That Missed

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Thursday Murder Club Richard Osman

I read this book after the second and third in this series but that didn't bother me at all. The story is great, the narrator is fantastic, and the characters are in their pupal state but, knowing the butterflies, I enjoyed them maybe even more. I feel like we get to see Joyce quite a bit but not as much of Elizabeth, Ibrahim, and Ron who we see more of in later books.

When the book starts, we meet Joyce. Well, she keeps diary entries about her days. She's a former nurse and has been invited to join the Thursday Murder Club (on Thursdays because that was the only day the common room was available. It was started by Elizabeth and Penny as a way to solve cold cases. Now Penny is close to death and the crew is a little at loose ends. Right now they are working on the mysterious death of the man who wanted to develop next to their retirement home. Then there's another death. And they're somewhat connected to one of the cold cases the crew worked on.

Four stars

This book came out September 3, 2020

Followed by The Man who Died Twice

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

Our favorite crime-solving team is back and once again under threat. This time, Elizabeth is picked up from a walk with Stephen (who is picked up along with her.) A mysterious Swede (quickly dubbed The Viking) wants her to kill a man she once knew. She's not sure how well she knew Viktor Illyich but he's pretty sure they were VERY good friends. But she's told that it's either killing Viktor or The Viking will send him information which will cause him to kill Joyce. 

While Elizabeth is struggling with that problem, the rest of the club is working on a nearly ten-year-old murder. This one is focused around newscaster Bethany Waites. She was on the trail of a big story when her car was pushed over a cliff. Her body was never found but that was not unusual in the place where her car went over.

Like the other books in this series, lots of twists and turns and a series of unexpected endings. Not everything in the end will be good news and I did tear up while listening. 

The narrator for the book was absolutely fabulous and I am leaning more toward listening to the rest of this series than reading it in the future.

Four and a half stars

This book came out September 15, 2022

Follows The Man Who Died Twice

Followed by The Last Devil to Die

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

Though this is the second book in a series, my book club assured me I need not have read the first and they were absolutely correct. A fabulous book about retirees solving crimes. A little darker than I was expecting but overall a delight. 

The Thursday Murder Club, consisting of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, is getting back together. A series of subplots are delightfully woven together by Osman using all four of these characters as well as local police partners Donna and Chris. Donna and Chris are working on trying to take down a local drug lord. One of her runners decides to take a swing at Ibrahim who is just figuring out how vast the world is. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is struggling as her past, both personal and professional, comes back, even while her husband's dementia is getting worse. 

Four stars

This book came out 

Follows The Thursday Murder Club

Followed by The Bullet that Missed

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own