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Cover of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard OsmanThe Thursday Murder Club
Modern · Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

The Thursday Murder Club

by Richard Osman
2020 · 377 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick · Lifetime bestseller
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

In a peaceful retirement village in the English countryside, four residents meet every Thursday to look into old unsolved murders: Elizabeth, a former spy; Joyce, a retired nurse; Ibrahim, a psychiatrist; and Ron, a former union firebrand. When a local developer is found dead, they finally have a live case, and they're a step ahead of the police.

Why it's worth reading

It was an Edgar finalist and became a worldwide bestseller and a Netflix film. It's funny, warm and clever, with a lot of heart about growing old.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's the first of a series. Dementia and death are handled gently.

By the numbers

64.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers17 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics21 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller60 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz19 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Edgar Award finalist (2021)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is The Thursday Murder Club worth reading?

Yes. It was an Edgar finalist and became a worldwide bestseller and a Netflix film. It ranks #1,956 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Thursday Murder Club about?

In a peaceful retirement village in the English countryside, four residents meet every Thursday to look into old unsolved murders: Elizabeth, a former spy; Joyce, a retired nurse; Ibrahim, a psychiatrist; and Ron, a former union firebrand. When a local developer is found dead, they finally have a live case, and they're a step ahead of the police.

How long does it take to read The Thursday Murder Club?

About 9 hours (377 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Thursday Murder Club?

If you liked it, try The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie or Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.