The Man Who Died Twice

APPLE BOOKS REVIEW

Big-brained British TV presenter and comedian Richard Osman’s debut, The Thursday Murder Club, became a surprise runaway 2020 success. And the sequel is every bit as good. We rejoin septuagenarian amateur sleuths Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron at their “luxury retirement village” the following Thursday. A letter from a former colleague throws the gang into a deadly caper involving stolen diamonds and a ruthless gangster. As the corpses pile up, can our unorthodox crime-crackers catch a killer and pocket the jewels in the process? It’s a perky thriller which pulls you in and keeps you gripped, lent extra pace by its changing points of view and ingenious twisting plot. Narrator Lesley Manville is a delight to listen to—she brings each character to life with unique tones, accents and energy, making this as theatrical to hear as it is to read. It's a quintessentially British whodunnit, all tea, cake and politeness until it bares its teeth. Steven Spielberg has snapped up the film rights and frankly you can see why. Osman’s vivid fictional universe has sly wit and irresistible charm. It’s also a wise warning to never underestimate the elderly.