Pages: 417
Published: 14th September 2023
Genre: Mystery
Content warnings: Drugs, dementia storyline
Shocking news reaches the Thursday Murder Club.
An old friend in the antiques business has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.
As the gang springs into action they encounter art forgers, online fraudsters and drug dealers, as well as heartache close to home.
With the body count rising, the package still missing and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out? And who will be the last devil to die?
By now, we have spent enough time with the Thursday Murder Club to know that even before picking up the next instalment, we are going to richly enjoy it. It is largely down to the characters that sparkle with their brilliantly defined personalities, and writing that is full of cosy humour and warmth, but at the same time they keep delivering engaging mysteries and continual story development.
That development has never been so acute than it is here, with many plot strands carrying over from the previous novel and the emotional attachment to the widening group of protagonists ever growing. The challenge was to take it even further and create something impactful while retaining that light-hearted tone, and the outcome is unquestionably the best book of the series so far.
For anyone who was consumed by the story up until this point, this is everything you could possibly wish for. Granted, it contains some extremely sad and sobering moments that will surely bring more than the odd tear to your eye, but whether it is being introspective or irreverent, each element is pitched to perfection. With some simple, well chosen words, the gravity of some scenes is greatly enhanced.
The most obvious example is Stephen’s worsening state of dementia, which has been a running strand throughout the series. Away from the escapades of his wife Elizabeth and her fellow elderly investigators, this has been here to remind us that these books are not all about fun and games and the occasional murder. This time it is almost front and centre, with Stephen’s condition and where it ultimately leads playing out with the utmost sensitivity, in a way that almost makes it uplifting despite all the sadness.
This beautiful writing is testament to Richard Osman’s talent and expanding range as an author. He can do the comedic parts in his sleep with the characters he knows so well, but he can also hit some very deep notes, and in doing so he only increases the connection felt by the reader. In this book of superlatives, it is those more powerful moments that stand out the most.
Fortunately, everything else is magnificent too. The mystery gets moving early on with the shooting of Kuldesh Sharma, an antique dealer and associate of the Thursday Murder Club who finds himself in the unexpected possession of a large quantity of heroin. What begins as a potential battle between average drug dealers turns into an enthralling deathmatch among art historians, and the question is which one of them will blink first.
There are some clever clues hidden along the way, but it is actually quite hard to predict how it will all end, as well as figure out who killed Kuldesh. It throws some curveballs too, with suspects on the Thursday Murder Club’s tail, the knowledge that one of them is an insider working with the police, and some winding up dead just when you think they might be the one.
The suspects are an interesting bunch. Most memorable of all is Garth, who is a total maniac and as a result very fun to read, yet he does have a much more reasonable side hiding somewhere. His wife Samantha is much more slippery and Nina is conversational in her cool academic manner, while Mitch and Dom are the classic couple of hardmen whose bark is worse than their bite.
Of course, it would not be the Thursday Murder Club without a healthy supply of laugh out loud moments. There are too many to mention, but Ibrahim’s conversations with the criminal Connie Johnson at the prison, Chris and Donna going behind each other’s back to investigate Kuldesh’s death, and their inquiries into the lost horse, are particular highlights.
The development of the main characters comes a long way in this one. Elizabeth is more vulnerable than we have ever seen her and she takes an occasional backseat during the case. That allows the wonderful Joyce to step in and channel her inner Elizabeth, which she does admirably while still being the chatty, insightful, loveable person that she is.
We get to learn more about Ibrahim here too, in a rather poignant scene late on in the book that just goes to show that he perhaps has more hidden depths than his fellow protagonists. On the flipside, Ron is as uncomplicated as they come, though his perspectives are noticeably broadened too. And as for Chris, Donna, and Bogdan, well they are a delight to read as always.
There is also a separate plotline about an online dating scam which goes on to play an important part in the resolution, the ending altogether is very well thought out. The identity of Kuldesh’s killer is not a huge shock, but it is not the easiest one to work out either, as there is a good twist that turns the whole drug smuggling story on its head. Indeed, the way everything falls into place is splendidly done.
Overall, there is hardly a single fault you can find with this book. So much of what the writing and the characters bring is pure joy, laced with the inevitable sadness that comes with some emotional storylines, and each moment of laughter or heartbreak is in its own way a beautiful thing. The mystery is great too, so as the series prepares for a hiatus, it signs off in the best possible style.
Just like I said in the review, this is the best of the series so far. It is peak Thursday Murder Club. I loved every bit of it.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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