Name: Paige Paul's review of The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Item: The Man Who Died Twice
Rating: 5
Author: Paige Paul

Richard Osman

It's the following Thursday. Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life. As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus? But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?

Thursday Murder Club #2

The Man Who Died Twice

Aistė

All is quiet in this happy place. Another day done, family safe and sound, curtains closed and heating on. Nothing you'll ever see on the news, but something you should really pay more attention to, just the gentle hum of contentment.

A long day of thinking, a long life full of thinking. So much thinking. Just to find that all she was looking for was this. A Polish man too big for the chair he is sitting in, and a lovely white-haired man who thought he could explore Venice without a map.

"Some people in life, Sue, are weather forecasters, whereas other people are the weather itself." [...] 

"The weather forecasters," continues Elizabeth, "and here that's me and Ibrahim, we always have our fingers in the air trying to feel which way the wind is blowing. We never want to be surprised or caught out." [...]

"Whereas Joyce and Ron, you are the weather," says Elizabeth. "You move as you choose, you act as you feel. You make things happen without fannying around worrying about what those things might be."

Use It Or Lose It. That was quite right. That is why he is here. Out in the noise, with cars speeding by, with teenagers shouting and builders swearing. He feels good. He feels less frightened. His brain feels alive. Use it or lose it.

You silly old man, he thinks, as he turns the key in the ignition, you made the biggest mistake of them all. You forgot to live, you just hid away, safe and sound.

What good has it done him, though? Those decisions he had been too cautious to make? The loves he had been too timid to pursue? Ibrahim thinks of the many lives he has missed, somewhere along the way.

An instant New York Times bestseller! The second gripping novel in the New York Times bestselling Thursday Murder Club series, soon to be a major motion picture from Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment “It’s taken a mere two books for Richard Osman to vault into the upper leagues of crime writers. . . The Man Who Died Twice. . . dives right into joyous fun." —The New York Times Book Review Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim—the Thursday Murder Club—are still riding high off their recent real-life murder case and are looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet at Cooper’s Chase, their posh retirement village. But they are out of luck. An unexpected visitor—an old pal of Elizabeth’s (or perhaps more than just a pal?)—arrives, desperate for her help. He has been accused of stealing diamonds worth millions from the wrong men and he’s seriously on the lam. Then, as night follows day, the first body is found. But not the last. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are up against a ruthless murderer who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can our four friends catch the killer before the killer catches them? And if they find the diamonds, too? Well, wouldn’t that be a bonus? You should never put anything beyond the Thursday Murder Club. Richard Osman is back with everyone’s favorite mystery-solving quartet, and the second installment of the Thursday Murder Club series is just as clever and warm as the first—an unputdownable, laugh-out-loud pleasure of a read.

Grace

"So what do I do now?" "You climb the next mountain, of course." "Oh, yeah, of course, says Donna. Simple. "And whať's up the next mountain?" "Well, we don't know, do we? It's your mountain. No one's ever climbed it before."

Let it go. Remember it as a happy time. You were at the top of the mountain, and now youre in a valley. It will happen to you a number of times. 

Because sometimes you had to remember that life wasn't always arranged in alphabetical order, however much you would like it to be.

What sort of psychiatrist is frightened of life? All psychiatrists, he sup- poses, I mean, that's why they became psychiatrists. 

Hannah Tierney

People love to sleep, and yet they are so frightened of death. 

Ida :)

People love to sleep, and yet they are so frightened of death.

THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE RECORD-BREAKING, MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING THURSDAY MURDER CLUB SERIES BY RICHARD OSMAN It's the following Thursday. Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life. As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus? But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them? PRE-ORDER NOW What people are saying about THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB: 'A warm, wise and witty warning never to underestimate the elderly' VAL MCDERMID 'So smart and funny. Deplorably good' IAN RANKIN 'Smart, compassionate, warm, moving and so VERY funny' MARIAN KEYES 'Thrilling, moving, laugh-out-loud funny' MARK BILLINGHAM 'Pure escapism' GUARDIAN 'Funny, clever and achingly British' ADAM KAY 'As gripping as it is funny' EVENING STANDARD

Franzi

"Yes, please," says Sue, the anguish etched onto her face. 

Now it is Elizabeth who is staring down the barrel of Sue Reardon's gun. How many gun barrels had she stared down in her career? Twenty? Thirty? None of them had killed her yet. 

The basic rule is, if they don't kill you immediately they're not going to kill you. 

not how i would approach the topic but okay

"That's all that you've got then? I'm Mark, nice to meet you. Are you really from the Mafia?"

For goodness' sakes, is there no one Joyce doesn't find attractive. 

Chris could kiss Ron. He wouldn't, but he could. 

Actually, he will kiss him. First chance he gets. 

Wouldn't it be fun to be in a book? I bet my hip wouldn't hurt so much in a book.

Donna had taken a photo of it and put it through a translation app. It turned out that the tattoo read 'Sample Text - Your Message Goes Here

"Frank, you're on mute, I think," says Martin Lomax. "You need to click on the little microphone. The green button."

Elizabeth taps her head. "My palace has many rooms. Some are dustier than others."

What if pretending to enjoy life is the same as actually enjoying it?

Anthony is packing up his kit. "We all know the order you lot will die. Ron first ..." 

"Then Elizabeth, probably shot. Then it's tough to call between you and Joyce." 

"I wouldn't want to be the last one left," says Ibrahim. "I have always tried to never get attached to people, but I have got attached to these three." 

"Well, lets say you third and Joyce last then."

 "I wouldn't want Joyce to be on her own either," says Ibrahim. 

"Oh, I don't think Joyce would be on her own for long, do you?" 

Douglas knows they're right and he's wrong. He doesn't miss the good old days, he misses his good old days. He doesn't suppose they were good for most people. 

"Could you buy me ten thousand pounds' worth of cocaine?"

Bogdan looks at the money and nods. "Sure."

So good. So much more action than book 1, love this group of oldies !

Paige Paul

Not a classic, but fun and this one was better written and structured than the first. More satisfying ending, too.

Doug Belshaw

the chokehold that thursday murder club has on me. i love these old ladies and men. 

richard osman is such a good writer when it comes to mysteries. every book ive read so far i just have so much fun trying to figure it out.

alice l

the chokehold that thursday murder club has on me. i love these old ladies and men. 

richard osman is such a good writer when it comes to mysteries. every book ive read so far i just have so much fun trying to figure it out.

I enjoyed this book very much. It had more action and adventure, with more clues to decipher. It was fun to play along with the characters, and I tried to figure out the clues while reading. I hope they make this book into a series too, if the first book succeeds as a series.

Naomi P

Patrick Book

These are fun! They’re old people, but they’re still smart and horny and curious!

Almost as good as the first one, slightly less heart-wrenching. 

Alyssa deRaad

Put down; realized I had no interest in finding out the solution to the mystery.

Luke Harkness

Another utterly enjoyable book by Osman

Richard Osman knew what made his first book so successful and has continued that with this fantastic sequel. Bringing back our favourite Thursday Murder Club (mostly Joyce and Elizabeth) to solve another crime with their dry sense of humour, whit and humorous musings included has resulted in another success for Richard Osman!

ash b

Nach dem Weltbestseller Der Donnerstagsmordclub der zweite Fall für die rüstigen Hobbydetektive Es ist ein friedlicher Donnerstagmorgen in der Seniorenresidenz in Kent, als Ex-Agentin Elizabeth einen Brief aus der Post fischt. Darin bittet ein langjähriger Freund und Ex-Kollege um ihre Hilfe: Es geht um gestohlene Diamanten und einen Mafioso, der vor nichts zurückschreckt, um sie zurückzubekommen. Bei ihrem wöchentlichen Treffen im Puzzlezimmer der Residenz weiht Elizabeth den Donnerstagsmordclub ein. Gemeinsam mit Joyce, Ibrahim und Ron macht sie sich auf die Jagd nach einem skrupellosen Mörder. Und wenn sie auch die Diamanten finden? Nun, wäre das nicht ein schöner Pensionsbonus?

Der Mann, der zweimal starb

The perfect mix of cozyness and crime in this series remains unmatched !

Julia 

Sonia Grgas

Loved this and can’t wait for the next installment. The author is now an auto read for me.

i liked the first book more, wish someone else had done the murder lol

charlotte brand

a fun mystery! Really enjoyed the character development too!

Savannah Ostrowski

Great book with a more complex, interesting plot than the first one. Loved the narration and did laugh out loud at some parts, but Joyce was my favourite - just everything about her! Can’t wait to read number 3.

Evie Dean

This sequel so marvelously exceeded my expectations — I may love this even more than the first book.

Osman does an excellent job building upon the character foundation from the first novel, and it is so rewarding to see a new fullness to what were first-tentative relationships.

I particularly love the scenes with Chris (the wok!!) and Donna (talking with Ibrahim!!) and honestly, everything about Ibrahim.

As always, Elizabeth and Stephen are at the heart of my weepy impulses when reading this series. And all of Bogdan’s appearances are excellent. And okay, I may as well just list all the other characters. The banter and 3rd-person internal monologues are delightful; I am so amazed by Osman’s deft control of language to paint you just the 

 image of a person with a few lines of dialogue.

I look forward to more in this series. More fun, more mystery, and the twinge of heartache that makes life worth living.

Caroline Clutterbuck Kapulkin

Sharing my review from 2021:

This sequel so marvelously exceeded my expectations — I may love this even more than the first book.
Osman does an excellent job building upon the character foundation from the first novel, and it is so rewarding to see a new fullness to what were first-tentative relationships.

I particularly love the scenes with Chris (the wok!!) and Donna (talking with Ibrahim!!) and honestly, everything about Ibrahim.
As always, Elizabeth and Stephen are at the heart of my weepy impulses when reading this series. And all of Bogdan’s appearances are excellent. And okay, I may as well just list all the other characters. The banter and 3rd-person internal monologues are delightful; I am so amazed by Osman’s deft control of language to paint you just the perfect image of a person with a few lines of dialogue.

I look forward to more in this series. More fun, more mystery, and the twinge of heartache that makes life worth living.

Lara Engle

Like The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice was a fun cozy mystery. The characters are still the best part. The mystery in this one wasn't really that interesting to me, but I still enjoyed the book. The author's voice comes through in the often wry tone, sometimes even making me chuckle audibly as I read. These characters already feel like old friends, so I'm sure I'll continue to read the series as new books come out.

As the second instalment following The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice complimented the first book; however, this gave more plot twists and side stories of some characters. Highly recommend!

Nic Coates

Chetty Arun

Character got developed a lot more in this book. But, didn't like the ending. The mystery didn't feel as strong.

Absolute masterpiece! The story was intriguing, humorous and complex even from the beginning, I just loved it. The characters were lovable, funny and unique, which was especially impressive considering the number of them. 

We were constantly kept guessing all the way to the end, and it was very satisfying to see all the pieces fall together.

Overall I would definitelly suggest reading this book, as it is more than well worth it.

Absolute masterpiece! The story was intriguing, humorous and complex even from the beginning, I just loved it. The characters were lovable, funny and unique, which was especially impressive considering the number of them. 

We were constantly kept guessing all the way to the end, and it was very satisfying to see all the pieces fall together.

Overall I would definitelly suggest reading this book, as it is more than well worth it.

ophelia ross 

yes the first book was good,
BUT THIS BOOK WAS EVEN BETTER!!!!

Really really good plot and some great twists! I went in with no expectations either way and was pleasantly surprised. Definitely fast paced towards the end - I read the 2nd half in one day! A really cheery, light hearted but clever read!

Soph

I can't help but give this book 5 stars, it's something about these books that just fill me with a warm fuzzy feeling. They have so much emotion and excitement in them. Once again, I cannot wait to pick up the next book

These books always finish on such a good point. They round off their stories so perfectly and bring up a whole new one in the next book. It leaves me so fulfilled when finishing it!

Kira Del Caro

I can't help but give this book 5 stars, it's something about these books that just fill me with a warm fuzzy feeling. They have so much emotion and excitement in them. Once again, I cannot wait to pick up the next book

These books always finish on such a good point. They round off their stories so perfectly and bring up a whole new one in the next book. It leaves me so fulfilled when finishing it!

The book again made me laugh and cry since each character is depicted so well and has their own backstory and motives. It was easier to follow the story than in the first one so this time it gets 5 stars. 

Joelina Schlabbach

I almost DNFed this book multiple times. It’s so incredibly different from the kind of books I usually read so I think I struggled with the modernism. I thought maybe it would be a whodunnit, but to my surprise it actually ended up being a really clever and adorable book for involving so many murders. The ending is just gorgeous. I’m happy I ended up finishing it, but man did it take me a minute to get there. 

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The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

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