BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman, Penguin Random House, £18.99

Prior to the release of his first bestselling novel, Richard Osman was best known for his role as the quick-witted co-host of the BBC daytime quiz show, Pointless.

While there’s no doubt his popularity as a TV personality helped build the hype around his debut, it was his misfit cast of retiree amateur investigators that won a nation over and helped cement Osman as a key player in what’s being dubbed the “cosy crime” genre.

The Thursday Murder Club was released at the end of 2020 at perhaps the perfect time. Providing a warm and comforting read and just enough gripping plot to keep us hooked while we all stayed inside. There’s something brilliant and Agatha Christieesque about the concept: a peaceful retirement community, where a small group of residents meet every Thursday to go through unsolved murder cold cases and play detective. But when the community is rocked by a murder on their doorstep, well, it would be unthinkable for the Thursday Murder Club to pass up the opportunity to put their mystery-solving skills to the test in real time.

The gang is made up of Elizabeth, who happens to be ex-secret service; Ron, reluctantly ageing and naturally mistrustful; Ibrahim, a retired

psychiatrist who offers a voice of reason to counter Elizabeth and Ron’s wild ideas; and finally, Joyce,

the newest member, who is gentle and unassuming, but also remarkably open-minded and willing to go along with whatever outrageous escapades are necessary.

The Man Who Died Twice sees Osman’s sleuthing seniors tackle another mystery. When a letter from Elizabeth’s ex-husband from her MI5 days turns up, the club are pulled into a world of stolen diamonds, gangsters, and faked deaths. While they had their differences, the club’s friendship with the local

police officers is now firmly cemented, but this case is beyond their remit, and the gang must contend with high-level MI5 officers. The clock is ticking to find the killer, but maybe finding the diamonds wouldn’t be such a bad first step...

Despite his light-hearted approach to crime fiction, Osman also deals with the difficult issues of mental health in older people.

The characters are the heart of this novel, but with a backdrop of murder mystery, there is something for

everyone here.