I, like literally millions of others, loved the first ‘The Thursday Murder Club‘ book by Richard Osman – so when the publisher asked if I’d like an advance review copy of the second book in the series through NetGalley I danced a jig around my office! I downloaded it immediately and it took precedence over the ever increasing TBR pile. I devoured it in days.

Here’s the blurb:

“It’s the following Thursday.
Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He’s made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life. As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn’t that be a bonus?
But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?”

It was so brilliant to be reunited with the Thursday Murder Club Gang! It felt like meeting up with old friends again. I guess the book would stand up on its own – and you don’t HAVE to have read the first book – but let’s face it, you probably have anyway! And it would make much more sense with all of the back story in place too.

You are not only reunited with the main 4 characters of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron who live in the Coopers Chase retirement village and are members of the Thursday Murder Club – but also the supporting cast of Chris and Donna from the local police (and Donna’s Mum who is now seeing Chris!) and the septuagenarian’s ‘fixer’ Bogdan.

Whilst the missing diamonds and the relationship to Elizabeth’s past is the main storyline – it is interweaved with other stories too – the local mafia, local drug dealer, violent street crime, Chris and Donna’s love lives and classic entries in Joyce’s diary (her foray onto Instagram is amazing – and I do feel she is channelling my late Nan!!)

It romps through – again with Richard Osman’s voice loud throughout the writing – but I have to say I loved it.

I liked the fact you already knew the characters, and it felt like you were moving forward with the story and their relationships. Again – this would make an excellent film / TV series (and given the rights for the first book were snapped up by Mr Spielberg – I suspect this book will be too!) There was no ‘difficult second album’ about this sequel at all – it was as good, if not better, than the first in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC – I’m looking forward to book three already!