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From where I'm sitting, it seems like Richard Osman can do no wrong.

It's no secret that I love The Thursday Murder Club series. So when I heard the author was going to venture away and start another series with brand new characters, I was obviously excited. But also nervous. Because what if Richard Osman is a one-trick pony? What if he couldn't recapture the magic of four septuagenarians with a father and daughter-in-law duo? But my worries were completely unfounded, my friends, because the magic is all here.

From the moment I opened that first page, I knew I was going to adore this. All the hallmarks I've come to love about Osman's stories are on display here, from his loveable characters to his clever mysteries to the gentle humor that infuses every page. But this time, instead of puttering around a sleepy retirement village, our keen-eyed detectives traipse all over world, racking up the miles and adventures in equal measure.

The mystery here is a fun one. Amy is a private bodyguard extraordinaire, but someone has gotten past her security and is trying to kill her client. Oh oops, actually, the target is her. So Amy must turn to the one person she trusts the most, her father-in-law Steve, lure him out of retirement, and get his help before she ends up dead. Along the way, there are bags of money, assassins everywhere, and oodles of excitement as they race through exotic locales making new friends and foes alike.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way this all unfolded. As it typical of the best mysteries, we get clues and red herrings aplenty, and each new one serves up even more fun. First our attention is diverted one way, then another, and yet when the reveal finally happens, we're still taken by surprise.

Of course, one of the things that makes reading Richard Osman so special is how he portrays the characters and their relationships with each other. They come alive on the pages, and their interactions are so lovely and delightful, it makes me wish they were real and I really knew them. But it's not all rainbows and sunshine. Osman manages to tackle serious topics too, like grief and loneliness, with his trademark humor and wit, and the result is so heartwarming it touches something deep within me.

Now I'm in the happy position of being unsure which series I want Richard Osman to continue next. Either way, I'm sure to enjoy myself, so it's a good dilemma to have.

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See also, my thoughts on:

The Thursday Murder Club:
#1. The Thursday Murder Club
#2. The Man Who Died Twice
#3. The Bullet That Missed
#4. The Last Devil to Die
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