carol. 's Reviews > The Thursday Murder Club
The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1)
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I get why people like it. I also understand why they might not. Osman is trying too hard with this narrative, and it shifts among a number of people in limited third person. However, it interrupts the narration with diary entries from Joyce, a newcomer to the Thursday group at the Coopers Chase retirement home. She's a former nurse who does particularly well at being a disarming ditherer. Eventually, she gets to the point, but part of the delight is the daffy dialogue.
"Elizabeth steps in and takes the seat next to Joyce.
'Good morning, Joyce,' she says, smiling.
'Well, this is a first,' says Joyce. 'How lovely.'
'I've brought a book, if you don't want to talk on the journey,' says Elizabeth.
'Ooh no, let's talk,' says Joyce.
Carlito pulls away with his customary care.
'Splendid,' says Elizabeth. 'I haven't really brought a book.'"
There's a lot a twists at the end that are really too clever by half. I actually liked the bit of a side story with Elizabeth's husband and a Polish immigrant. It has far more murders, or at least deaths, than I would have expected, which provides for a lot of red herrings. Anyway, it's one of those books where nothing goes quite the way you expected it would in a book, and that's a delight indeed.
Giving it four stars because I finished it in two days. I mean, I did push at the end because I was getting tired of it, and probably shouldn't've kept reading. I'll note that Mom and her Librarian Bestie (both in the subject age group) both had trouble getting into it.
"Elizabeth steps in and takes the seat next to Joyce.
'Good morning, Joyce,' she says, smiling.
'Well, this is a first,' says Joyce. 'How lovely.'
'I've brought a book, if you don't want to talk on the journey,' says Elizabeth.
'Ooh no, let's talk,' says Joyce.
Carlito pulls away with his customary care.
'Splendid,' says Elizabeth. 'I haven't really brought a book.'"
There's a lot a twists at the end that are really too clever by half. I actually liked the bit of a side story with Elizabeth's husband and a Polish immigrant. It has far more murders, or at least deaths, than I would have expected, which provides for a lot of red herrings. Anyway, it's one of those books where nothing goes quite the way you expected it would in a book, and that's a delight indeed.
Giving it four stars because I finished it in two days. I mean, I did push at the end because I was getting tired of it, and probably shouldn't've kept reading. I'll note that Mom and her Librarian Bestie (both in the subject age group) both had trouble getting into it.
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Reading Progress
March 29, 2023
– Shelved
May 21, 2023
–
Started Reading
May 23, 2023
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Finished Reading
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Nataliya
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rated it 3 stars
May 23, 2023 08:54PM

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Yes. Osman is trying too hard here. It works better, more relaxed in book 2 IMO, maybe because he does not have to establish as much the characters or something. Arguably I think he is still trying a bit *too* much in book 2 (I enjoyed reading Joyce's PoVbut her whole Rose from Golden Girls routine can feel a bit forced) but I enjoyed it more and felt more natural. I will read book 3, one of these days!



I think you'd probably like it, if you got past the narrative. The elderly people are a bit cutesy at times, but there's some nice plotting twists and side plots.

Ulrika wrote: "I found the second in the series to be better than the first."
I believe it! It's kind of why I wanted to get through this one--I'd heard Osman gets better with the next two.

omg! Exactly!! That's who it was!



