After several rave reviews and a feverish few weeks waiting for my copy from the library, it turns out everyone was right. Thursday Murder Club is fantastic!
Set in the picturesque fictional village of Coopers Chase near Kent in the Southeast of England. Coopers Chase is the home of an upscale retirement community which is, of course, packed with eccentric characters. The cast includes Joyce (a retired nurse), Ibrahim (a psychiatrist in a former life), Ron (a union organizer) and Elizabeth (a woman whose past is shrouded in mystery). Taken together, the group of septuagenarians is known as the Thursday Murder Club. They began meeting with their friend Penny, a retired police officer, to review her old case files and attempt to solve the mysteries therein. When Penny is moved to hospice care, the group continues and brings Joyce in to join them.
Initially only interested in old, unsolved cases, the group quickly becomes embroiled in a current day scandal when the contractor for Coopers Chase turns up murdered with only an old photograph for a clue. The photo includes several underworld figures…including Ron’s own son Jason. Just as the club thinks they’re making headway, their lead suspect (Coopers Chase developer Ian Ventham) is murdered right in front of them.
Weaving together the story of the current day is Joyce’s diary, where she documents the comings and goings at Coopers Chase and her blossoming relationship with widower Bernard Cottle.
The Thursday Murder Club is a delightful romp through the English countryside, with enough intrigue to keep the reader engaged and a satisfying conclusion to the story. There is currently one sequel available called The Man Who Died Twice with a third coming soon. The book has been optioned to film by Steven Spielberg and I’m waiting anxiously for casting news. Recommended for those who enjoyed the Hulu program Only Murders in the Building.
