The Man Who Died Twice is the second instalment in Richard Osman’s insanely popular Thursday Murder Club series. Is it as enjoyable as its predecessor? Yes indeed! Will it be as popular? I would absolutely guess yes! It gives readers everything they want by essentially picking up where book one left off and giving us a brand new murder mystery to get enthralled in.
Opening sentence: Sylvia Finch wonders how much longer she can do this.
Who is The Man Who Died Twice?
Our quartet of septuagenarian lead characters, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are getting on with their lives at their retirement village when Elizabeth receives a letter from a man she thought was dead… this kick-starts a chain of events involving her ex-husband, stolen diamonds, international crime and domestic drug dealers (plus a trip to my hometown of Brighton!)
Yep, there is a lot going on in The Man Who Died Twice but all the plot threads weave together wonderfully and play their part in the cleverly crafted story.
Be more Elizabeth
I really enjoyed how we learn a little more about Elizabeth’s past here. Having an ex-secret agent as one of your lead characters is a brilliant move – she’s always going to be one step ahead and have a skill set that no-one can predict.
Elizabeth taps her head. ‘My palace has many rooms. Some are dustier than others.’
Joyce is her charming Miss Marple-esque self (her first steps setting up her Instagram really made me laugh), while Ron and Ibrahim reveal more about themselves due to a traumatic incident that happens to Ibrahim.
These are characters that are all fleshing out nicely and are really the hook and heart of both of the Thursday Murder Club novels. I look forward to finding out more about them in (what I hope will happen) book three.
Overall, The Man Who Died Twice is a delight to read. It has the warm, witty tone of its predecessor and, obviously, Richard Osman. If you’ve ever seen Pointless or House of Games, you’ll know his distinct voice and way of speaking and he translates this perfectly to the page.
Blending cosy, clever and entertaining in the very best way, while being full of emotional moments, The Man Who Died Twice is another stellar outing for the Thursday Murder Club.
- Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC;
- Get your copy of The Man Who Died Twice here;
- Published by Penguin Viking 16th September 2021;
- 336 pages;
- My rating:
Books on the 7:47 
I saw a review of this in (I think) the Sunday Times which essentially described it as a not very well written book that will sell zillions of copies. 🙂
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I think Richard Osman has hit a winning formula with these books but do absolutely see how they’re not for everyone! I preferred The Thursday Murder Club to this one, but it was still an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon!
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