Books by Richard Osman
British TV presenter and comedian Richard Osman’s first book was the bestselling The Thursday Murder Club. The sequels The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet that Missed and The Last Devil to Die quickly followed.
The Last Devil To Die
by Richard Osman
In the fourth book of the Thursday Murder Club series, Richard Osman's elderly amateur sleuths face their biggest challenge yet when a dangerous package goes missing—which sees the body count immediately climbing. "If you liked the first three Thursday Murder Club novels, as I did, as millions do, you’ll like this new one too," promises Robert Crampton in The Times. "Osman can do comedy, pathos, pace, plot and social observation." A joyous return to Cooper's Chase.
The Bullet That Missed
by Richard Osman
The Bullet That Missed is the third book in the Thursday Murder Club mystery series by British writer and TV presenter Richard Osman. Featuring four octogenarian sleuths, these books are intended to be funny, and are not about revealing the depressing/real side of crime or indeed of becoming old. Equally, if you're looking for a gritty fast-paced thriller, these are not the books for you. But if you want to have a laugh with some crime thrown in, it's a great way to go. The Bullet That Missed is as good as the first, its observations of the minutiae of everyday life wittily done. The audiobook, narrated by Fiona Shaw, is also charming.
“This is the follow-up to Osman’s likeable and funny first book The Thursday Murder Club which has been a fixture on bestseller lists since its 2020 release. This new murder mystery returns to the sleepy retirement village of Coopers Chase, where our septuagenarian sleuths have returned to the jigsaw room—only to find their peace shattered again when a ghost from the past sends one of their number a letter, many years after his supposed violent end. The Man Who Died Twice looks set to charm all those who loved Osman’s earlier book; I’ve heard the second Thursday Murder Club outing even better than the first.” Read more...
Cal Flyn, Five Books Editor
“What’s not to love? Four 70-somethings living in the same retirement village meet every Thursday in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes—until a local developer turns up dead and the Thursday Murder Club confronts their first ‘live’ case. The entire scenario and cast is delicious. Lots of narratives are witty and worth a sardonic smile here and there, but The Thursday Murder Club is funny, compassionate, and completely entertaining—an utter treat to read.” Read more...
Tosca Lee, Novelist
Interviews where books by Richard Osman were recommended
The Best Cozy Mystery Books, recommended by Sophie Roell
If you’re looking for a murder set in a pleasant environment—often an English village—with a charming sleuth and minimal bloodshed, cozy mysteries could be the genre for you. Sophie Roell, editor of Five Books and a keen mystery reader, introduces some of her favourites—from classics of the genre to more recent bestsellers.
Books Becoming Movies in 2025
As a way of choosing books, selecting those that are being made into movies should be a good way to go. Why spend millions bringing a book to the screen unless it has an unusually spellbinding plot or is a particularly wonderful evocation of a time and place? Below are some of the books film directors have seen worthy of turning into movies in 2025.
The Best Thrillers of 2021, recommended by Tosca Lee
Looking for a fantastic new thriller to read? We asked Tosca Lee, the bestselling author, to talk us through the International Thriller Writers 2021 shortlist. With their amazing characters, palpable tension, unique voices and incredible plot twists these thrillers achieve what every reader is looking for: a book they can’t put down.
The Best Mystery Books of 2020
If you like mysteries, 2020 was an outstanding year, particularly in the domestic noir genre, with standouts like The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths and Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins. There were also excellent installments in existing series, whether featuring police or non-police detectives. 2020 also saw the publication of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, a publishing sensation that demonstrates the continuing demand for humorous, cozy mysteries.
Best Mystery Books of 2021
2021 was fantastic for fans of the mystery genre, with lots of different types of books to choose from. There were also a wide variety of different evocative settings, including Tasmania, Ghana, a ski resort, a retirement village, and the Nevada desert. The year also saw new books in popular mystery series, including the second instalment of The Thursday Murder Club.
Notable Novels of Fall 2021, recommended by Cal Flyn
Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn offers a round-up of the notable novels that need to be on your literary radar in Fall 2021, including the hotly anticipated new book from Sally Rooney—set to dominate bestseller lists in the coming weeks—as well as eagerly awaited follow-ups from Richard Osman and Elizabeth Strout, and a return to more traditional fiction from Karl Ove Knausgård.
