Get ready for another delightfully whimsical and clever romp with Richard Osman’s irrepressible gang of septuagenarian crime solvers in “The Man Who Died Twice.” This breezy follow-up to the author’s smash hit debut finds the Thursday Murder Club quartet—Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron—back in sleuthing action when an old colleague of Elizabeth’s gets tangled up in a deadly conspiracy involving stolen diamonds, violent mobsters, and plenty of twists. Osman balances his trademark blend of wry British humor, cozy mystery tropes, and genuinely compelling detective work with heartwarming insights into friendships that only deepen with age.
Plot:
Our story kicks off with Elizabeth receiving an urgent cry for help from her former MI5 partner, Douglas Middlemiss. It seems the retired spy has gotten himself into a right mess after botching the sale of some pilfered diamonds and crossed the wrong ruthless gangsters in the process. In a flash, we’re whisked into a high-stakes caper rife with dodgy double-crosses, shady backroom dealings, and – of course – more than a couple of fresh corpses turning up to complicate matters.
As always, Elizabeth enlists her whip-smart crew of fellow residents at the peaceful Coopers Chase Retirement Village to help crack the case of the deadly diamond heist before the body count can rise any further. What ensues is a riotous bait-and-switch chase across the English countryside as the quartet tries to stay one step ahead of bumbling mobsters, suspicious coppers, and Douglas’s own rapidly deteriorating health while steadily unpicking the twisted trail of clues.
Osman deftly juggles multiple narrative threads – Douglas’s increasingly precarious predicament, the Murder Club’s own brilliant sleuthing maneuvers, and a few fiendishly-clever twists and red herrings to keep you guessing. But he always returns to the anchoring heart of this endearing friend group’s unwavering loyalty as they banter and bicker towards cracking the case.
Main Character Analysis:
The real draw in any Thursday Murder Club adventure has to be the lovably eccentric and endearingly human quartet at its core. While newcomers may occasionally struggle to track who’s who initially, each member’s distinct personality shines through Osman’s precise characterizations and warm rapport.
Anchoring the crew is indomitable Elizabeth – a former MI5 intelligence agent with a mordant wit, keen intuition, and masterful talent for untangling even the knottiest conspiracies. Yet she’s no caricature, her brittle exterior concealing deep compassion. Osman lends gravitas by hinting at the personal losses that have shaped her reserve and grudging acceptance of mortality’s inevitability.
By contrast, boisterous former union leader Joyce offers a bit of comic levity and working-class perspective that charmingly punctures some of the others’ upper-crust pretensions. Ron employs his psychiatric skills towards brilliant deductions, while gentle Ibrahim’s spiritual wisdom and kindly observations on injustice balance the ensemble splendidly.
Most impressive may be Osman’s refusal to treat these elders as mere oldster caricatures. Their individual agency, wit, and vigor shine in a way that celebrates the often-unappreciated vibrancy of true old age. Familiar yet distinctive voices animated with sensitivity.
Writing Style:
In The Man Who Died Twice, Osman crafts a narrative voice brimming with warmth, wry humor, and clever-yet-cozy British irreverence that makes for utterly delectable reading. His clean, conversational prose glides by effortlessly yet crackles with enough dry wit and well-timed banter to keep you grinning ear-to-ear. While his actual mystery/caper plotting can sometimes meander into predictable genre territory, Osman more than compensates through his vivid sense of place (those quaint village descriptions!) and crackling ensemble chemistry.
A real accomplishment is how he balances laugh-out-loud moments of broad comedy and irreverent senior antics with quieter insights into life’s melancholic profundities. Effortlessly engaging throughout.
What People Are Saying:
Reviews for Osman’s sophomore effort have been overwhelmingly glowing, with critics hailing his ability to expertly rekindle the same magic that made “The Thursday Murder Club” one of 2020’s most delightful sleeper hits. High praise has been showered on the author’s deft fusion of cheeky humor, sincerely rendered friendships, and well-crafted mystery mechanics. Diehard fans have come away equally smitten with the further adventures of this lovable silver-haired squad.
While some nitpicks have bubbled up around flimsier plot points or occasional lapses into cliched characterizations, the consensus enthusiastically cements Osman’s series as a truly unique breath of fresh air for reinvigorating the cozy mystery canon.
My Personal Take:
I’ll just come right out and say it – Richard Osman’s return to the world of the unorthodox yet utterly delightful Thursday Murder Club crew with “The Man Who Died Twice” was like reuniting with a crew of cherished old friends one can’t help but feel enriched for spending time with. Much like with his runaway debut hit introducing us to this lovable gang of amateur sleuths, the author strikes an ingenious tonal balance between irreverent comedy, charmingly cozy British mystery tropes, and surprisingly profound emotional depths when it comes to peering into the complexities of growing old.
On one level, The Man Who Died Twice is simply a breezy good time chock full of twisty caper hijinks, droll banter, and winking meta-humor (Osman seems to delight in regularly commenting on and subverting audience expectations for the cozy mystery). Any reader looking for a compulsively readable romp peppered with clever wordplay, affable character dynamics, and a juicy central mystery about bungled diamond heists and escalating stakes will find themselves richly satisfied with each passing chapter.
But I was most struck by the graceful warmth and startling candor with which Osman digs into themes around embracing aging’s realities without ever succumbing to maudlin sentimentality or patronizing caricatures about elderly life. He imbues Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim with such vivacity, irreverence, humor and a lust for clinging to their independence in the face of societal pressures to be sidelined. I saw lovable reminders of so many cherished elders from my own life in their occasional frailties, delightfully un-PC dispositions, and no-nonsense approaches to problem-solving. These aren’t romanticized visions of the elderly, but richly authentic human beings in life’s third act determined not to go gently into that good night.
And credit has to go to Osman too for smuggling some incredibly salient ruminations on combating loneliness, intergenerational disconnection, and our broader culture’s toxic ageism into such a seemingly lighthearted package. I came away from the book not just entertained but emboldened by this Thursday Murder Club’s infectious reminder to maintain curiosity, connection, and defiant individuality even into one’s twilight years. A true breath of fresh air that both soothes and provokes urgently important dialogues about honoring aging’s vibrancy instead of marginalizing it.
Wrapping It Up:
With “The Man Who Died Twice,” Richard Osman proves his initial runaway success introducing the world to literature’s most irrepressible gang of crime-stopping septuagenarians was no fluke. This breezy yet impactful mystery indulges in all the delightful trappings of a cozy whodunit romp full of cheeky banter and witty twists. But it’s the author’s tender celebration of aging’s unique vibrancy and peerless insights into cultivating community across generations that resonates most powerfully.
An utter delight brimming with bighearted empathy, Osman has conjured another profound reminder that none of us ever deserve putting before any arbitrary “best before” date when it comes to living life to the fullest. Pure radiant joy.
