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What a delightfully charming and entertaining book that was! Four septuagenarians living the life at the upmarket Cooper’s Chase Retirement Village comprise the Thursday Murder Club - Thursdays because that’s when the jigsaw room is free. It’s an opportunity for them to still exercise the grey matter while they can and perhaps, in the process, clear up some cold cases. Only this time it seems the cases are red hot!

Ian Ventham is the owner of the development and he wants to expand it by building additional apartments and also to move the graveyard from when there was a convent on the site to build even more apartments. He is howled down at a consultation meeting at the village but his decision is made. That afternoon his builder, Tony Curran, who has a 25% stake in the business is murdered. No worries, Ventham already has a replacement lined up and brings in the diggers early the next morning. Only to find the graveyard picketed by retirees. There is a bit of a scuffle and Ventham drops down dead. Also murdered! This sends a ripple of excitement through the Thursday Murder Club membership who are ably lead by the formidable Elizabeth. Other members include Ron Ritchie, Ibrahim Arif and Joyce Meadowcroft. They all have their areas of expertise.

Not too much later another body is discovered although this one is much older and it takes a while before its relevance to the plot becomes apparent. The amateur detectives go straight to work on these murders. Elizabeth has her varied and very secret sources that cough up much useful information. They also need some pliable police officers they can pump for information so Elizabeth sets out to organise that with much zeal. She ropes in PC Donna De Freitas and DCI Chris Hudson. These two are utterly helpless to resist the wiles and the lemon drizzle cake of the retirees. Still they soon realise that the oldies mean business and can provide many a clue to solving the cases.

This was a joy to read. Osman brings his characters to life in a way that is humorous and respectful and very lively. The story was smart, funny, heartwarming and, in parts a little heartbreaking but full of warmth and empathy. I hope that doesn’t come across as too mushy 😬. I do enjoy stories about older people still having a go. I don’t like the way they are often portrayed as being invisible. Anyway, I have the ARC of the second book and thought I’d better read this first. I guess you would call it a cosy and, strange as it may seem, I find myself enjoying the odd cosy these days. Looking forward to book 2!